Christmas is what?

Christmas is the Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, who is considered the Son of God, and the savior of all people. With the birth of Christ, Christianity essentially begins; thus, Christmas also celebrates the beginning of Christianity.

Though Christmas is normally celebrated on the 25th of December, strong evidence suggests that Jesus may have in fact been born in the spring. Though many Christians date Christ’s birth as the end of the "Before Christ" or BC era, most believe Christ’s birth can actually be dated to 4 BC. This is a bit ironic, since the Christian era is thought to begin with the birth of Christ, but actually begins later.

Some of the images inexorably tied with Christmas are things like shepherds in the snow, and the fierce cold of a winter night when Jesus was born. This is an unlikely scenario, though it is quite possible that the Jews participating in the census and taxation were extremely crowded in Bethlehem.

Sextus Julius Africanus, a third century Christian missionary, is believed to have first espoused the theory of Christ’s birth as December 25th. This worked well when the Romans later largely converted to Christianity because Christmas could be tied to pagan winter rituals, making it more palatable. Historical records suggest some forms of Christmas celebrations dating back to the early 4th century CE.

Some, however, argued that Christmas should not be celebrated as a feast date, because of the divine nature of Christ. This position is still held by some minority Christian groups like the Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Though most see Jolly Old England as the source for many modern Christmas traditions, England actually banned celebration of Christmas from 1647-1660 in an effort to free the holiday of what was viewed as its pagan trappings and the excess and corruption of the Roman Catholic Church. This, however, was not a popular decision. England reinstated Christmas as a celebratory holiday, though tensions still ran high between the Anglican and the Roman Catholic Church.

Charles Dickens must be mentioned as inspiring many of the traditions we now regularly practice as part of Christmas celebrations. His phenomenal classic The Christmas Carol published in 1843 changed Christmas to a moderate, family oriented holiday. This differed from past celebrations which often verged on the anti-Christian, and which involved pursuing hedonism with graceless abandon.

Clement Clarke Moore’s 1822 poem “A Visit from Saint Nicholas,” firmly established the Christmas/ Santa Claus connection. Actually many Christmas traditions are based in Germanic pagan rituals predating Christianity. Many consider Thor to be a frontrunner as an early Santa Claus figure, and the Christmas tree was once a sacrificial tree to the gods, hung brightly with dead animals.

Today, some argue, Christmas has been inexorably corrupted by the commercialism with which it has come to be associated. For the poor, it may well be a time when, to quote Dickens, “want is keenly felt.” Dickens uses this as an argument for practicing charity and “keeping Christmas in our hearts” on every day of the year.

However, it can be stated that for the many joyous family celebrations where poverty is not a factor, there are still many where poverty is felt at Christmas, and where families despair that there is not even money to give their children basic necessities as Christmas gifts. Such a thought is sobering when one ponders the Christian message as one of personal sacrifice, kindness to others, and loving our neighbors as ourselves.

Still, many Christians feel that even a Christmas with the overt trappings of commercialization has a special feeling that can only be attributed to faith. It can be a time to renew one’s faith, or merely come closer to the birth of a religion which sustains many. In touching on Christ’s message, even small children may begin to understand the sacred nature of Christmas to Christians.

Tonight - FM Static

I remember the times we spent together
On those drives
We had a million questions
All about our lives
And when we got to New York
Everything felt right
I wish you were here with me
Tonight

I remember the days we spent together
Were not enough
And I used to feel like dreamin'
Except we always woke up
Never thought not having you here now
Would hurt so much

Tonight I've fallen and I can't get up
I need your loving hands to come and pick me up
And every night I miss you, I can just look up
And know the stars are
Holding you, holding you, holding you
Tonight

I remember the time you told me
About when you were eight
And all those things you said that night
That just couldn't wait

I remember the car you were last seen in
And the games we would play
All the times we spilled our coffees
And stayed out way too late

I remember the time you sat and told me
About your Jesus
And how not to look back
Even if no one believes us
When it hurts so bad
Sometimes not having you here
I sing

Tonight I've fallen and I can't get up
I need your loving hands to come and pick me up
And every night I miss you, I can just look up
And know the stars are
Holding you, holding you, holding you
Tonight

I sing
Tonight I've fallen and I can't get up
I need your loving hands to come and pick me up
And every night I miss you I can just look up
And know the stars are
Holding you, holding you, holding you
Tonight...

Paintballs for Airsoft

this a tribute for all Airsoft sport lovers out there. Almost all is not well know about how its made ^^.

Twilight @ review

Twilight is a young adult vampire-romance novel written by author Stephenie Meyer. It was originally published in hardcover in 2005. It is the first book of the Twilight series, and introduces seventeen-year-old Isabella "Bella" Swan who moves from Phoenix, Arizona, to Forks, Washington, and finds her life in danger when she falls in love with a vampire, Edward Cullen. The novel is followed by New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn.

The story of twilight begins when Bella Swan reluctantly moved to the perpetually overcast and rainy town of Forks, WA, and set out to carve a niche for herself, she assumed it would be one similar to the low-profile social position she held back in a sunny town of Phoenix in Arizona. First on the list of surprises was the unfamiliar attention from the male population of her new high school; second, the attention from one male in particular as her classmate and partner in her laboratory class: Edward Cullen, the mysterious vampire guy. At first, Edward Cullen feels so utterly repulsed with Bella unknowing that Edward Cullen has the ability to read ones mind but only Bella’s he can’t and Edward doesn't eat humans, but Bella's scent inspires a nearly impossible to harness bloodlust that’s why he kept himself away from Bella for his sake and Bella that e even attempts to change his schedule to avoid her, leaving Bella completely puzzled about his attitude towards her. After several uncertain and not normal things she experiences from Edward like he has a cold skin and extraordinary strength, she found out that Edward is one of the feared creatures, the vampires.
Before long, the unlikely soul mates find themselves in a passionate relationship with a variety of significant setbacks, including Edward's special-needs diet and the human girl's mortality. Though things proceed relatively smoothly at first, Edward even introduces Bella to his adoptive vampire family. A visiting vampire clan consisting of James, Victoria, and Laurent catches Bella's unique scent and threatens the young couple's budding, if dangerous, happiness. James, known for his powerful tracking ability, becomes obsessed with making Bella his next victim. Fearing for Bella's safety and that of her loved ones, the Cullen Family must combine their collective talents in order to stop the highly predatory James before his goal is accomplished, to take Bella as his prey. The Cullens planned to distract the tracker by splitting up Bella and Edward, and Bella is sent to hide in a hotel in Phoenix. Bella then gets a phone call from James in whom he says that he has her mother, and Bella must give herself up to James at her old dance studio, to save her. She does so, and while at the dance studio, James attacks her. Edward, along with the rest of the Cullen family rescue Bella before James can kill her. James did not succeed in his malicious plan for Bella. James was killed by the Cullen family who’s protecting Bella from him.
Once the family only realizes that James has bitten Bella's hand, Edward sucks the venom out of her system before it can spread and change her into a vampire. Bella got injured and took to the hospital with Edward who has always kept an eye on her all day long until Bella’s awake and recovery. Still Bella and Edward joined there Prom night and Bella expresses her desire to become a vampire, which Edward refuses to let happen. The story did not end their yet because their still Victoria who will gone to take her revenge by loosing James from the Cullen family.

review by: Jonas Andres Amora

Colon Cancer

Colorectal cancer, also called colon cancer or large bowel cancer, includes cancerous growths in the colon, rectum and appendix. With 655,000 deaths worldwide per year, it is the third most common form of cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the Western world.^[1] Many colorectal cancers are thought to arise from adenomatous polyps in the colon. These mushroom-like growths are usually benign, but some may develop into cancer over time. The majority of the time, the diagnosis of localized colon cancer is through colonoscopy. Therapy is usually through surgery, which in many cases is followed by chemotherapy.

The first symptoms of colon cancer are usually vague, like bleeding, weight loss, and fatigue (tiredness). Local (bowel) symptoms are rare until the tumor has grown to a large size. Generally, the nearer the tumor is to the anus, the more bowel symptoms there will be.

The treatment depends on the staging of the cancer. When colorectal cancer is caught at early stages (with little spread) it can be curable. However when it is detected at later stages (when distant metastases are present) it is less likely to be curable. Surgery remains the primary treatment while chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy may be recommended depending on the individual patient's staging and other medical factors.

Asthma attacks

Majority of children playing sports unprepared for asthma attacks

More than three-fourths of children with asthma were unprepared for an exercise-induced bronchospasm (EIB) event, or asthma attack, according to a recent study. Since exercise can be a trigger for asthma attacks and inhalers are the best treatment, the researchers stressed that it's critical inhalers be available during physical activity.

In the study, published in a recent issue of Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, 579 children 12 years old and younger were surveyed on the playing field. Of the 80 who had been diagnosed with asthma, only 22 percent had their inhalers with them.

"Inhaler availability among children with asthma who participate in organized sports is suboptimal," said Gilbert E. D'Alonzo, Jr., D.O., F.C.C.P., professor of medicine in the division of pulmonary critical care at Temple University School of Medicine and Temple University Hospital, who collaborated on the study with colleagues at the University of Colorado and Drexel University. "Without adequate preparedness and control for possible exercise-induced asthma attacks, children will not be able to play to their potential. Furthermore, uncontrolled attacks could affect their desire to engage in play and organized sports at all."

Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases in children, affecting at least 4.8 million in the United States. Although physical activity is an essential ingredient for healthy development, it can trigger asthma attacks in susceptible children. The researchers suggested that future study focus on why such a large percentage of asthmatic children were unprepared on the playing fields.