Interesting Facts About Mangos

• The mango is known as the 'king of fruit' throughout the world.

• The name 'mango' is derived from the Tamil word 'mangkay' or 'man-gay'. When the Portuguese traders settled in Western India they adopted the name as 'manga'.

• Mangos originated in East India, Burma and the Andaman Islands bordering the Bay of Bengal. Around the 5th century B.C., Buddhist monks are believed to have introduced the mango to Malaysia and eastern Asia - legend has it that Buddha found tranquility and repose in a mango grove. Persian traders took the mango into the middle east and Africa, from there the Portuguese brought it to Brazil and the West Indies. Mango cultivars arrived in Florida in the 1830's and in California in the 1880's.

• The Mango tree plays a sacred role in India; it is a symbol of love and some believe that the Mango tree can grant wishes.

• In the Hindu culture hanging fresh mango leaves outside the front door during Ponggol (Hindu New Year) and Deepavali is considered a blessing to the house.

• Mango leaves are used at weddings to ensure the couple bear plenty of children (though it is only the birth of the male child that is celebrated - again by hanging mango leaves outside the house).

• Hindus may also brush their teeth with mango twigs on holy days (be sure to rinse well and spit if you try this at home - toxic).

• Many Southeast Asian kings and nobles had their own mango groves; with private cultivars being sources of great pride and social standing, hence began the custom of sending gifts of the choicest mangos.

• The Tahis like to munch mango buds, with Sanskrit poets believing they lend sweetness to the voice.

• Burning of mango wood, leaves and debris is not advised - toxic fumes can cause serious irritation to eyes and lungs.

• Mango leaves are considered toxic and can kill cattle or other grazing livestock.

• In India, a certain shade of yellow dye was attained by feeding cattle small amounts of mango leaves and harvesting their urine. Of course as stated above, this is a contraindicated practice, since mango leaves are toxic and cattle are sacred. It has since been outlawed.

• Mangos are bursting with protective nutrients. The vitamin content depends upon the variety and maturity of the fruit, when the mango is green the amount of vitamin C is higher, as it ripens the amount of beta carotene (vitamin A) increases.

• There are over 20 million metric tons of mangos grown throughout the tropical and sub-tropical world. The leading mango producer is India, with very little export as most are consumed within the country. Mexico and China compete for second place, followed by Pakistan and Indonesia. Thailand, Nigeria, Brazil, Philippines and Haiti follow in order.

• According to the Foreign Agricultural Organization, the top mango exporters reported in 1997 are as follows in order: Mexico, Brazil, South Africa, Haiti, Guatemala, Venezuela, Peru, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic.

• The fruit of the mango is called a Drupe - consisting of the mesocarp (edible fleshy part) and endocarp (large woody, flattened pit).

• The mango is a member of the Anachardiaceae family. Other distant relatives include the cashew, pistachio, Jamaica plum, poison ivy and poison oak.

• The over 1,000 known mango cultivars are derived from two strains of mango seed - monoembryonic (single embryo) and polyembryonic (multiple embryo). Monoembryonic hails from the Indian (original) strain of mango,polyembryonic from the Indochinese.

• Dermatitis can result from contact with the resinous latex sap that drips from the stem end when mangos are harvested. The mango fruit skin is not considered edible.

• Every part of the mango is beneficial and has been utilized in folk remedies in some form or another. Whether the bark, leaves, skin or pit; all have been concocted into various types of treatments or preventatives down through the centuries. A partial list of the many medicinal properties and purported uses attributed to the mango tree are as follows: anti-viral, anti-parasitic, anti-septic, anti-tussive (cough), anti-asthmatic, expectorant, cardiotonic, contraceptive, aphrodisiac, hypotensive, laxative, stomachic (beneficial to digestion)....

• Mangiferin - rich in splenocytes, found in the stem bark of the mango tree has purported potent immunomodulatory characteristics - believed to inhibit tumor growth in early and late stages.

• As the mango became cultivated, as early as 2000 BCE, its flavor, size, and texture developed into the exotic, richly flavored succulent treat we enjoy today.

• Mangos are an excellent source of vitamins A and C, and for those who are physically active, whether working out or constantly on the go, mangos are a great way to replenish that lost potassium.

• An average sized mango can contain up to 40% of your daily fiber requirement. If you are eating your mango-a-day, irregularity is not a problem for you and so we'll spare the gruesome details regarding constipation, piles and spastic colon.

• Research has shown that dietary fiber has a protective effect against degenerative diseases, especially with regards to the heart; may help prevent certain types of cancer, as well as lowering blood cholesterol levels.

• The Mango is one of the finest and most popular tropical fruits and has been cultivated in India since 2000 BC or earlier. There are over 400 varieties of Mango throughout the world.

• Mangoes are available late December through August.

• Mangoes should be eaten when soft, and will ripen at room temperature.

• Only 10 percent of all mangoes are grown in the United States.

• To choose a Mango gently squeeze the 'nose' of the fruit. If there is slight give then the mango is ripe. Color is not the best indicator of ripeness.

• A Mango stored at 55 degrees will last for up to two weeks. Do not refrigerate.

• The two most widely available varieties of Mango in the UK are 'Kent' - a green fruit with a red blush and a rich, sweet flavour and 'Keitt' - a green Mango with a non fibrous flesh and a mild, sweet flavour.

• Over 20 million tons of mangoes are grown in the tropics and sub tropics.

• Top Mango exporters are India, Pakistan, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Brazil, Israel, South Africa and Peru.

• Mangoes can range from 2 - 10 inches in length.

Interesting Facts About Hitler

• Born on the 20th of April, 1889, in Brannau, a town in Austria, Adolf Hitler was the 4th child of Klara Hitler and Alois Schickelgruber.

• Adolf Hitler’s early life was spent in Austria. He liked drawing; however, he was unsuccessful in passing the examination at the academy of arts. He then went to Munich and joined the 16th Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment of World War I, wherein he was gassed and wounded, and was also given an award for bravery in action.

• It was in 1919, after the end of the war, that Hitler joined what was known as the German Workers Party, which he later renamed as the National Socialist German Workers Party, which in turn was abbreviated to the Nazi Party. Soon, he took charge of the propaganda of the party and by the year 1921 he was made the leader.

• It was in 1923 that the National Socialist German Workers Party, led by Adolf Hitler tried to seize power, from the ruling German Weimar Republic, in the famous Beer-Hall Putsch. However, Hitler was unsuccessful and was imprisoned.

• It was during the nine months that he spent in prison that Adolf Hitler wrote Mein Kampf, or My Struggle, his autobiography as well as his manifesto. He then emerged from prison and became a populist spokesman for nationalistic and poor Germans.

• After that, in 1932, Hitler tried to become the chancellor by challenging Paul von Hindenburg in the election that was held, but could not succeed.

• Later, after the death of Hindenburg, Adolf Hitler became the Fuhrer and Chancellor, or Reichskanzler, in 1934. He at once set about establishing an absolute dictatorship, enforcing his newly formed rules with the help of the Gestapo, the brutal secret police. Concentration camps were set up for the organized killing of Jews, political opponents, and Gypsies.

• He then went about invading and annexing as much territory as he could in Europe, such as the Sudetenland and Austria, in 1938, and then invading Poland on the 1st of September, 1939, whereupon France and Britain declared war on Germany on the 3rd of September, thus beginning World War II.

• In the initial years of the war, Adolf Hitler, using the might of the German infantry and tanks to unleash a Blitzkrieg, had remarkable success, sweeping through large parts of Western Europe, with nations falling one by one to the great German war machine.

• Hitler attacked the U.S.S.R. in 1941, ignoring a non-aggression pact he had earlier signed with them in 1939. After initial victories, Hitler’s forces suffered crushing defeats, first at Moscow in December 1941, and then later in Stalingrad, in the winter of 1942 to 1943.

• It was in the month of December in 1941 that the United States of America entered the war. The Allies began their invasion of occupied Europe by landing on the French coast at Normandy Beach, in 1944. Then German cities began being bombed and destroyed and the allied troops entered Germany and made their way to Berlin by 1945. In the meantime, Italy, under the rule of the Fascist dictator, Benito Mussolini, who was an ally of Germany, also fell.

• During the war, many high ranking Nazis became desperate, and a number of attempts were made to assassinate Hitler, all of which were unsuccessful. In the meantime, the forces of the Soviet Union were also closing in on Berlin, which was the place Hitler had his headquarters.

• As it became quite apparent that the war was lost, and his hand-picked lieutenants went against his orders, on realizing the futility of continuing, Adolf Hitler committed suicide on the 30th of April, 1945. However, on the night before, he married Eva Braun, his long-term mistress, who also committed suicide with him. Thus came to an end both the war as well as Nazi rule.

• The official name of the Nazi regime was the Third Reich, which Hitler had bragged would last 1000 years, but it collapsed within a week after the death of Hitler.

• However, it can be said the Hitler was the one who was responsible for three of 20th century’s most climactic events: 1) World War II; 2) The Holocaust; and 3) The Cold War, which followed World War II. Plus, Israel would not have come into existence in the Middle East if the holocaust had not taken place.
  

• Adolph Hitler had a half brother named Alois Hitler, he owned a bar in Germany that was frequented by prominent Nazi officials. Alois would never share his opinion on Adolph because he was afraid Adolph would revoke his liquor license!

• Adolf Hitler had some Jewish heritage in him. His great great grandmother was Jewish who was a maid.

• Hitler ordered tanks to be made in Michigan and told the company to not worry about sending them to Germany, he'd 'pick them up on his way through Detroit.

• "Quisling," which is used to describe a traitor, was the name of Vidkun Quisling, a Norwegian fascist and supporter of Adolf Hitler, who was appointed Führer of Norway in World War II. Arrested in 1945, Quisling was so despised, Norway broke with their centuries-old policy against capital punishment and executed him.

• Hitler's 3rd grade report from his teacher remarked that Hitler was...'bad tempered and fancied himself as a leader.'

• Adolf Hitler was fascinated by hands. In his library there was a well-thumbed book containing pictures and drawings of hands belonging to famous people throughout history. He liked particularly to show his guests how closely his own hands resembled those of Frederick the Great, one of his heroes.

• The NY phone book had 22 Hitlers before WWII. The NY phone book had 0 Hitlers after WWII.

• Hitler was voted Time Magazines man of the year in 1938

• Adolph Hitler kept a framed photograph of Henry Ford on his desk and Ford kept one of Hitler on his desk in Dearborn, Michigan. Hitler had used in 'Mein Kampf' some of Fords anti-semitic views, and he always welcomed Ford's contributions to the Nazi movement.

• Hitler never allows anyone to see him while he is naked or bathing. He refuses to use cologne or scents of any sort on his body

• No matter how warm he feels, Hitler will never take off his coat in public

• In 1923, Nazi press secretary Dr. Sedgwick tried to convince Hitler to get rid of his trademark mustache or grow it normally. Hitler answered: "Do not worry about my mustache. If it is not the fashion now, it will be later because I wear it!"

• While dining with the others, Hitler will allow the conversation to linger on general topics, but after a couple of hours he will inevitably begin one of his many monologues. These speeches are flawless from start to finish because he rehearses them any time he gets a moment.

• His favorite topics include: "When I was a soldier," "When I was in Vienna," "When I was in prison," and "When I was the leader in the early days of the party."

• If Hitler begins speaking about Wagner and the opera, no one dares interrupt him. He will often sermonize on this topic until his audience falls asleep.

• Hitler has no interest in sports or games of any kind and never exercised, except for an occasional walk.

• He paces frequently inside rooms, always to the same tune that he whistles to himself and always diagonally across the room, from corner to corner

• Hitler’s handwriting is impeccable. When famous psychologist Carl Jung saw Hitler’s handwriting in 1937, he remarked: "Behind this handwriting I recognize the typical characteristics of a man with essentially feminine instinct."

• Hitler loves the circus. He takes real pleasure in the idea that underpaid performers are risking their lives to please him.

• He went to the circus on several occasions in 1933 and sent extremely expensive chocolates and flowers to the female performers. Hitler even remembered their names and would worry about them and their families in the event of an accident.

• He isn’t interested in wild animal acts, unless there is a woman in danger

• Nearly every night Hitler will see a movie in his private theatre, mainly foreign films that are banned to the German public. He loves comedies and will often laugh merrily at Jewish comedians. Hitler even liked a few Jewish singers, but after hearing them he would remark that it was too bad he or she wasn’t Aryan.

• Hitler staff secretly made films for him of torture and execution of political prisoners, which he very much enjoyed viewing. His executive assistants also secured pornographic pictures and movies for him.

• He loves newsreels - especially when he is in them.

• He adores gypsy music, Wagner’s operas, and especially American college football marches and alma maters.

• To excite the masses, he also uses American College football-style music during his speeches. His rallying cry - "Sieg Heil!" - was even modeled after the cheering techniques used by American football cheerleaders.

Interesting Facts About Silver

• Silver has been coined to use as money since 700 BC.

• The term 'sterling silver' in reference to the grade .925 silver emerged in England in the 13th century.

• In ancient Egypt and Medieval Europe, silver was often more valuable than gold.

• Words for silver and money are the same in at least fourteen languages.

• Silver iodide has been used in attempts to seed clouds to produce rain.

• Most mirrors are backed with aluminum. For a superior quality finish, silver is used because of its high quality reflectivity.

• Because of its ability to take the highest polish, silver has a greater reflectivity than even gold!

• Mirrors are coated with silver because it reflects nearly all light.

• Of all the metals in existence, silver is the best conductor of electricity.Silver is what makes photography possible. Silver halide crystals are present in unexposed film.

• In 2003, the UK minted half a million ounces of silver into coins and medals.Silver bearings are used in jet engines because they provide superior performance.

• Silver is used in long life batteries. Billions of silver oxide-zinc batteries are in use everyday powering everything from quartz watches to digital cameras.

• Silver possesses, it's working qualities similar to gold but can achieve the most brilliant polish of any metal. To make it durable for jewelry, however, pure silver (999 fineness) is often alloyed with small quantities of copper. In many countries, Sterling Silver (92.5% silver, 7.5% copper) is the standard for Jewelry and has been since the 14th century.

• The copper toughens the silver and makes it possible to use silver 925 for decorative and fashionable jewelry.

• Throughout the ages, silver jewelry has been associated with magical powers; believed to promote healing, bring good luck and for warding off evil spirits to the wearer.While these beliefs are not part of mainstream thinking today, some people still hold them true.

• Silver has always been held in high esteem and displayed as a status symbol since it was mined approx. 4,000 BC in Asia Minor.

• By the 18th century, things began to change in Europe and a new fashion fad surfaced: silver buckles appeared on shoes where laces had always been. Although today we generally consider shoe buckles to be functional items, back in the 1700's, they were a form of jewelry.

• Silver jewelry was a significant indicator of status until the very end of the 18th century, because it was limited to a privileged few. It was the Industrial Revolution, through mass manufacturing, which finally made jewelry available to the general population.

• Silver's melting point is 1761 degrees F or 960 degrees C

• Silver is being put into paper used in medical professions because of its antibiotic-like characteristics.

• Silver is a dental alloy and used to be used in cavity fillings. Now dentists have clear fillings that do not contain silver.

• Silver can be eaten, although it is not advised.

• Silver was mentioned in the book of genesis (bible)

• The name silver came from the old english word seolfor.

• In India, food can be found decorated with a thin layer of silver, known as Varak.

• The crystal structure of silver is cubic.

• Silver is harder than gold, but softer than copper.

• Man learned to separate silver from lead as early as 3,000 B.C. Silver has been mined and prized for its beauty and durability for at least 6,000 years.

• Silver has superior bactericidal qualities. Small concentrations of silver orsilver salts kill bacteria by chemically affecting the cell membranes, causing them to break down. Bacteria do not develop resistance to silver, as they do to many antibiotics.

• Silver is the best conductor of heat of all elements. Its uses in solar panelsand automobile rear window defoggers take advantage of this quality.

Interesting Facts About Hydrogen

• Hydrogen was discovered in 1766 by English physicist and chemist Henry Cavendish.

• The name Hydrogen comes from the Greek words Hydro and Gen which mean water generator.

• The element Hydrogen is colorless, odorless, gaseous, nonmetallic element. The relative atomic mass of Hydrogen is 1.00797 making Hydrogen the lightest of all the elements. When combined with Oxygen, Hydrogen forms water.

• Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe.

• When Hydrogen is subject to a pressure 500,000 times greater than that of the earth's atmosphere, hydrogen becomes a solid with metallic properties.

• Hydrogen is commonly used in hardening of oils and fats by hydrogenation.

• The two isotopes of hydrogen , deuterium and tritium are used in nuclear weapons.

• About 7.8 million metric tonnes (17.2 billion pounds) of hydrogen are produced in the United States today, enough to power 20-30 million cars or 5-8 million homes. Nearly all of this hydrogen is used by industry in refining, treating metals, and processing foods. Most of this hydrogen is produced in just three states: California, Louisiana, and Texas.

• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is the primary user of hydrogen as an energy fuel; it has used hydrogen for years in the space program. Liquid hydrogen fuel lifts the space shuttle into orbit. Hydrogen batteries—called fuel cells—power the shuttle’s electrical systems. The only by-product is pure water, which the crew uses as drinking water.

• Hydrogen fuel cells (batteries) make electricity. They are very efficient, but expensive to build. Small fuel cells can power electric cars. Large fuel cells can provide electricity in out of the way places with no power lines.

• Because of the high cost to build fuel cells, large hydrogen power plants won't be built for a while. However, fuel cells are being used in some places as a source of emergency power to hospitals and to wilderness locations. Portable fuel cells are being sold to provide longer power for laptop computers, cell phones, and military

• Hydrogen occurs in the free state in volcanic gases and some natural gases. Hydrogen is prepared by steam on heated carbon, decomposition of certain hydrocarbons with heat, action of sodium or potassium hydroxide on aluminum electrolysis of water, or displacement from acids by certain metals.applications.

• The cost of hydrogen depends on a number of factors, such as how the hydrogen is manufactured, but generally speaking, the cost of generating hydrogen fuel from clean, renewable electricity is initially in the range of $4.00-5.00 per equivalent gallon of gasoline. However, as volume increases and the technology is refined, the cost of hydrogen will be reduced over time. In contrast, oil and other fossil fuels are increasing in cost as global supplies are impacted by geopolitical events and are exponentially consumed.

• The hydrogen fueling infrastructure is growing quickly. Both California and Illinois have launched “Hydrogen Highway” initiatives that will ultimately result in a network of fueling stations along major highways and interstates. Currently there are 13 stations in California, mainly clustered around the San Francisco Bay and the South Coast areas; an additional 17 stations are anticipated in the next year or so. The California “Hydrogen Highway” is envisioned to have 170 stations operating by 2010. The option of generating hydrogen at home is also becoming increasingly available. Stuart Energy Systems has developed a Personal Energy Station (PES), which is about the size of a washer/dryer and uses existing electricity and water supplies to generate hydrogen fuel that can then be used for vehicle fuel or as stationary power.

• The hydrogen bomb involves a nuclear reaction, whereas the process of electrolyzing water involves a simple transfer of electrons, which also occurs when one makes a cup of coffee or metabolizes the food they eat. A hydrogen bomb cannot be made with ordinary hydrogen, nor can the conditions that trigger nuclear fusion in a hydrogen bomb occur in a hydrogen accident; they are achieved, with difficulty, only by using an atomic bomb.

• There are currently about 200 hydrogen-fueled vehicles in the United States – mostly in California. Most of these vehicles are buses and automobiles powered by electric motors. They store hydrogen gas or liquid on board and convert the hydrogen into electricity for the motor using a fuel cell. Only a few of these vehicles burn the hydrogen directly (producing almost no pollution).

• Hydrogen has great potential as an environmentally clean energy fuel and as a way to reduce reliance on imported energy sources. Before hydrogen can play a bigger energy role and become a widely used alternative to gasoline, many new facilities and systems must be built. We will need facilities to make hydrogen, store it, and move it. We will need economical fuel cells. And consumers will need the technology and the education to safely use it.

Interesting Facts About Phoenix Bird

• The phoenix bird symbolizes immortality, resurrection and life after death. In ancient Greek and Egyptian mythology, it is associated with the sun god.

• According to the Greeks, the bird lives in Arabia, near a cool well. Every morning at dawn, the sun god would stop his chariot to listen to the bird sing a beautiful song while it bathed in the well.

• Only one phoenix exists at a time. When the bird felt its death was near, every 500 to 1,461 years, it would build a nest of aromatic wood and set it on fire. The bird then was consumed by the flames.

• The phoenix never existed. It was a large bird, much like an eagle, written about in Greek mythology and based on ancient Egyptian legends.

• Only one phoenix was said to have lived at a time. This gold and red bird, always a male, lived in Arabia. Each phoenix lived for exactly 500 years, and when it was about to die, it gathered twigs and spices and built a nest. Then the phoenix sat on the nest and waited patiently for a ray of sun to set the nest on fire.

• The bird never tried to escape its fiery death, for from its ashes a worm would come crawling out. This worm became a new, beautiful little phoenix, who immediately set to work gathering its father's ashes into a ball of incense.

• The phoenix then flew with these ashes to the Egyptian city of Heliopolis, the City of the Sun, and buried the ashes in the temple of the sun god. Then it flew back to Arabia to live for 500 years, when the cycle would be repeated.

• Because of the phoenix's rebirth from its own ashes, it became a symbol of immortality. Even today, a person who makes a comeback after suffering a great defeat is called a "phoenix."

• Some myths claim that each phoenix lived, not for 500 years, but for 97,200 years!

• Due to the legend attached to the Phoenix bird, it makes for a good example for anything to with survival, strength, patience, and to a large extent, even victory in popular culture. It has been an important character in many modern and ancient legends. In the US, it is prominently seen on the flag of County and City of San Francisco. It is also seen in the flag and seal of the City of Atlanta.

Ancient Phoenix of Egypt (Benu, Bennu):

• The ancient Egyptians linked the myth of the phoenix with the longings for immortality that were so strong in their civilization, and from there its symbolism spread around the Mediterranean world of late antiquity. The Bennu bird was usually depicted as a heron. Archaeologists have found the remains of a much larger heron that lived in the Persian Gulf area 5,000 years ago. The Egyptians may have seen this large bird only as an extremely rare visitor or possibly heard tales of it from travelers who had trading expeditions to the Arabian Seas.

• It had a two long feathers on the crest of it's head and was often crowned with the Atef crown of Osiris (the White Crown with two ostrich plumes on either side) or with the disk of the sun.

• The Bennu was the sacred bird of Heliopolis. Bennu probably derives from the word weben, meaning "rise" or "shine." The Bennu was associated with the sun and represented the ba or soul of the sun god, Re. In the Late Period, the hieroglyph of the bird was used to represent this deity directly. As a symbol of the rising and setting sun, the Benu was also the lord of the royal jubilee.

• This Egyptian phoenix was also associated with the inundation of the Nile and of the creation. Standing alone on isolated rocks of islands of high ground during the floods the heron represented the first life to appear on the primeval mound which rose from the watery chaos at the first creation. This mound was called the ben-ben. It was the Bennu bird's cry at the creation of the world that marked the beginning of time. The bennu thus was the got of time and its divisions -- hours, day, night, weeks and years.

• The Bennu was considered a manifestation of the resurrected Osiris and the bird was often shown perched in his sacred willow tree.

• At the close of the first century Clement of Rome became the first Christian to interpret the myth of the phoenix as an allegory of the resurrection and of life after death. The phoenix was also compared to undying Rome, and it appears on the coinage of the late Roman Empire as a symbol of the Eternal City.

Arabian Pheonix:

• The Arabian phoenix was a fabulous mythical bird, said to be as large as an eagle, with brilliant scarlet and gold plumage and a melodious cry. Making it's home near a cool well, the Phoenix would appear at dawn every morning to sing a song so enchanting that even the great sun god Apollo would stop to listen.

• It was said that only one phoenix existed at any one time, and it is very long-lived with a life span of 500 years, 540 years, 1000 years, 1461 years or even 12,994 years (according to various accounts). As the end of its life approached, the phoenix would build a pyre nest of aromatic branches and spices such as myrrh, sets it on fire, and is consumed in the flames. After three days the birth -- or as some legends say a rebirth -- the phoenix arises from the ashes. According to some sources, the phoenix arose from the midst of the flames.

• The young phoenix gathers the ashes of its predecessor into an egg of myrrh and takes it to Heliopolis, the city of the sun, to deposit it on the alter of the sun god.

• A symbolic representation of the Death and rebirth of the sun. It is also described as being either eagle like or heron like. It lives on dew, killing nothing and crushing nothing that it touches. Generally considered the king of birds. It has alternatively been called the bird of the sun, of Assyria, of Arabia, of the Ganges, the long-lived bird and the Egyptian bird. The earliest reference to the Phoenix was made by Hesiod in the 8th century B.C., but the most detailed account is by Herodotus of Halicarnassus, the famous Greek historian in 5th century B.C.

Chinese Phoenix (Feng Huang)

• In Chinese mythology, the phoenix is the symbol of high virtue and grace, of power and prosperity. It represents the union of yin and yang. It was thought to be a gentle creature, alighting so gently that it crushed nothing, and eating only dewdrops.

• It symbolized the Empress usually in a pairing with a dragon (the dragon representing the Emperor), and only Empress could wear the phoenix symbol. The phoenix represented power sent from the heavens to the Empress.

• If a phoenix was used to decorate a house it symbolized that loyalty and honesty was in the people that lived there. Jewelry with the phoenix design showed that the wearer was a person of high moral values, and so the phoenix could only be worn by people of great importance. The Chinese phoenix was thought to have the beak of a cock, the face of a swallow, the neck of a snake, the breast of a goose, the back of a tortoise, hindquarters of a stag and the tail of a fish.

• A common depiction of the Feng Huang was of it attacking snakes with its talons and its wings spread. In fact images of the phoenix have appeared throughout China for well over 7000 years. Often in jade and originally on good-luck totems. Although during the Han period (2200 years ago) the phoenix was used as a symbol depicting the direction south shown as a male and female phoenix facing each other. It carried two scrolls in its bill, and its song included the five whole notes of the Chinese scale (I don't exactly know how it could sing with its mouth full). Its feathers were of the five fundamental colors: black, white, red, green, and yellow and was said to represent the Confucian virtues of loyalty, honesty, decorum and justice. Depictions of the phoenix were placed on tomes and graves.

Japanese Phoenix (Hou-Ou/Ho-Oo)

• The Ho-Oo is the Japanese phoenix, the Ho being the male bird and the Oo being the female. Introduced to Japan in the Asuka period (mid 6th to mid 7th century AD) The Hou-Ou greatly resembles the Chinese Phoenix the Feng-Huang in looks.

• The Ho-Oo is often depicted as nesting in a paulownia tree and was thought to only appear at the birth of a virtuous ruler and was said to mark a new era by decending from the heavens to do good deeds for people only to return to its celestial abode to await a new era. In other traditions, the Hou-ou apears only in peaceful and prosperous times -- which are rare indeed.

• The Ho-Oo has been adopted as a symbol of the royal family, particularly the empress. It is supposed to represent the sun, justice, fidelity and obedience. It was used in a wide veriety of items including mirrors, lacquerware, textiles and chests.

Interesting Facts About Sugar

• sugar was one of the first pharmaceutical ingredients used, as it still is today, to mask the bitter taste of medicines

• In 1899, the very first carton was used to pack sugar? This revolutionized the sugar business, greatly improving upon the crude wooden barrels from which sugar was originally scooped for customers.

• In the late 16th Century, a mere teaspoon of sugar cost the equivalent of five dollars in London

• Sugar is the only taste humans are born craving

• A can of Coke has 39 grams of sugar and a can of Pepsi has 41 grams of sugar. That is about seven teaspoons or 13 lumps of sugar per can!

• Lemons contain more sugar than Strawberries.

• When the sun explodes, it will compress itself and become so dense that a piece of it the size of a sugar cube will weigh the equivalent of 1 ton.

• The trick to curing hiccups is to get the nerves that regulate breathing synchronized by taking a teaspoon of granulated sugar.

• Sugar hardens asphalt. It slows the setting of ready-mixed concrete and glue.

• Sugar is used in leather tanning, printers' inks and dyes and even in textile sizing and finishing

• Chemical manufacturers use sugar to grow penicillin.

• 'Sure' and 'Sugar' are the only two words in the English language that are spelt 'su' and pronounced 'sh'

• Some people believe that dry swallowing 1 teaspoon of sugar can cure the hiccups.

• Sugar is 100% natural with no fat.

• Sugar is one of the oldest cooking ingredients, dating back to 326 BC.

• Sugar cane was introduced to the New World in 1493 by Christopher Columbus.

• In 2001, scientists discovered sugar in outer space.

• Before 1899, sugar was crudely sold from barrels. The sugar industry was revolutionized when it was first packed in cartons.

• Sugar has many uses outside of the kitchen: it's one of the most important components of medicine, it's used to slow down the setting of cement, it plays a role in leather tanning and paper dying, and prolongs the life of fresh cut flowers.

• sugar contains no additives or preservatives

• one teaspoon of sugar contains only 15 calories

• refined sugar is better for you than raw sugar

• In the 1500s, the cost of a teaspoon of sugar was equivalent to $5

• sugar makes a good preservative

• A grain of sugar under the microscope is a translucent crystal, reflecting light from its 14 facets like a jewel

• Candy Bar has the same amount of sugar as 10 apples.

• The average American consumes 175 pounds of sugar per year. That is 300,000 calories per year, 800 calories per day.

• Fruit drinks, fruit beverages, fruit punch contain anywhere from 1-40% of fruit juice but also contain loads of sugar and high-fructose corn syrup.Whether fresh squeezed or store-bought an 8 ounce glass of juice has 8 teaspoons of sugar.

• Sugar creates the demand for more sugar, which raises insulin levels. This signals the body to store fat.

• Sugar can even feed cancer cells.

• Sugars also trigger a mineral imbalance in the body. For example, chromium and zinc are often depleted when largeamounts of sugar are consumed.Depleted zinc makes your tastebuds become dull.

• Sucrose, dextrose, fructose, lactose, dextrin, maltose, monosaccharides,disaccharides and syrup are the other names of sugar

• Look at labels, even if it say NO Sugar, it still may have these other types of sugars.

• Sugar is also in canned vegetables, ketchup, salad dressing (tomato sauce cannot be sold as “catsup” if not sugared). That is why fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables are the best for you to eat.

• fruits are high in sugar. However, the best way to consume fruits without affecting your insulin level is to consume them in whole form, with skin on.

• Honey is the Substitute for Sugar.

• Stevia is also a great substitute for sugar. It does not affect insulin levels. It can be found in most health food stores.

Interesting Facts About Swimming

• Swimming started in the 1st century.

• Over 50% of world-class swimmers suffer from shoulder pain.

• Swimming has been a part of the Olympics since 1896.

• Some people think swimming started when a person fell into the water and panicking, he started to swim in a way we call today dog paddle.

• Egyptians made a picture or symbol for swimming as far back as 2500 A.

• Peanuts are a source of energy for swimmers.

• Drags slow you down in swimming because they are not skin tight.

• The shorter your hair is the more chance you have for swimming faster because there is less friction.

• Swimming can be done for competition and it is helpful in survival.
  

• An hour of vigorous swimming will burn up to 650 calories. It burns off more calories than walking or biking.

• Swimming strengthens the heart and lungs

• Swimming works out all of the body’s major muscles

• Swimming help reduce stress

• Water’s buoyancy make swimming the ideal exercise for physical therapy and rehabilitation or for anyone seeking a low-impact exercise.

• Swimming is a great cardiovascular exercise because you are moving against the water’s resistance, which is over ten times that of the air.

• You can swim for exercise no matter what your age. Some people teach their infants and toddlers how to swim so that they will learn to love and respect the water at a very early age. I also know people well into their eighties who swim regularly to stay in shape.

• An estimated 65 thousand people in the United States alone do not know how to swim. Many of them learned as young children but never go to a pool, lake, river, or ocean anymore and have forgotten how to swim over the years. Others were never taught and continue to avoid the activity altogether. It was once thought that knowing how to swim was important for safety reasons, but now it is pretty much left up to the individual.

• Swimming in extremely cold water can be very dangerous. People with heart conditions or other ailments, as well as elderly people, should avoid swimming in water that is too cold. Cold water cools down the human body 25 times faster that cold air does, so swimming in water that is below about 15 degrees Celsius should never be undertaken. This can lead to thermal shock, hypothermia, and eventual death.

• Swimming is also a very safe form of exercise because it is considered to be low impact and easy on the bones and joints. You can do exercises in the water using floats and weights and enjoy a good workout without worrying about serious injury. This is especially true if you have arthritis or other types of physical limitations.

• It really is true that you shouldn't swim for about an hour after eating. This is primarily because your body is digesting your food and you may get a cramp during the time right after you eat. Allow your body to rest after eating and then go into the water.

• Swimming is a good way to lose weight. This form of exercise will stimulate your entire body and could lead to an increase in metabolism over time. If you are trying to lose weight, swim for at least twenty minutes three or four times each week.

• Going swimming is very relaxing and has been compared to yoga and meditation in terms of its soothing effect on the mind and body.