We have a new Interface - Your comments please

Hi Folks,

We have a new UI in place now for the ever popular website (www.JasPari.info). The new design has a mix of web 2.0 features and also has an easy readability feature.

Hope you like the new interface. We are still working on some macro-issues like having a new Banner in place that will better agument the services and the content available here. Also on some micro-issues which are not just limited to formatting, also a few minor glitches with the Internet Explorer browser.

Those of you who are reading this article via RSS or e-mail should take a minute off to check the new design at www.JasPari.info. Do also comment on how we can make it much better.

Cheers!!
Team JasPari

Important Tips :: Income Tax!!

Follow Essential Tips below for Tax:

1.80C

Qualifying products: NSC, notified bank deposits and post office time deposits, EPF and PPF, ELSS, life insurance plans, deferred pension plans
Mandatory requirements: Payment has to be made before 31 March 2008
Who can avail the deduction: Individuals and HUF (both resident and non-resident)
How much: Cannot exceed Rs 1 lakh.

2. 80CCC

Qualifying products: Pension plans of life insurers
Mandatory requirements: Payment has to be made before 31 March 2008
Who can avail the deduction: Individuals
How much: Within the overall limit of Section 80C (up to Rs 1 lakh)

3. 80D

Qualifying products: Medical insurance policies taken for self, spouse, dependant parents or children, or any member of HUF
Mandatory requirements: Premium should be paid through a cheque out of income chargeable to tax
Who can avail the deduction: Individuals, HUF
How much: Up to Rs 15,000; senior citizens can claim up to Rs 20,000

4. 80DD

Qualifying products: Expenses on the medical treatment of a dependent who is a person with a disability
Mandatory requirements: Certification by a medical authority
Who can avail the deduction: Resident individual or HUF
How much: Up to Rs 50,000, or up to Rs 75,000 if the dependant is a person with severe disability

5. 80DDB

Qualifying products: Expenses on the medical treatment of a specified disease (cancer, AIDS, neurological diseases, chronic renal failure and more)
Mandatory requirements: Certificate in Form No. 10-I to be submitted along with the income tax return form. Deduction is available if the amount is actually paid for treatment
Who can avail the deduction: Resident individuals or HUF
How much: Rs 40,000 (if the person treated upon is less than 65 years of age), or Rs 60,000

6. 80E

Qualifying products: Payment of interest on loan taken for higher studies
Mandatory requirements: Deduction is available in the year in which repayment starts and only for eight immediately succeeding assessment years
Who can avail the deduction: Individuals
How much: Deduction available on the total interest portion of education loan, the principal repayment gets no tax advantage

7. 80G

Qualifying products: Donations to certain funds and charitable institutions
Mandatory requirements: Not applicable
Who can avail the deduction: Resident individuals or HUF
How much: 50 or 100 per cent deduction on the entire donated amount, or 50 or 100 per cent deduction subject to 10 per cent of gross total income


8. 80GG

Qualifying products: Rent paid for residential purpose
Mandatory requirements: Should not be getting house rent allowance. Actual rent paid is in excess of 10% of the total income
Who can avail the deduction: Self-employed or salaried
How much: Excess of actual rent paid over 10 per cent of GTI, or 25 per cent of GTI, or Rs 2,000 per month, whichever is the lowest

9. 80U

Qualifying products: Expenses incurred on self, if disabled
Mandatory requirements: Certification by a medical authority to be furnished along with the income tax return form
Who can avail the deduction: Resident individuals
How much: Rs 50,000 for a person with disability, Rs 75,000 for a person with severe disability (disability of over 80 per cent)

Joke :: Telephone Bill !!

The phone bill was exceptionally high and the man of the house called a family meeting...

Dad: People this is unacceptable. You have to limit the use of the phone. I do not use this phone, I use the one at the office.

Mum: Same here, I hardly use this home telephone as I use my work telephone

Son: Me too, I never use the home phone. I always use my company mobile

Maid: So Manje what is the problem? We all use our work telephones

Nice Joke !!

A famous soccer player parked his brand new Porsche outside a gift store and went inside to shop.
About ten minutes later a blonde salesgirl ran up to him shouting, "I just saw someone steal your sports car."

"Did you try to stop him?" asked the soccer player.

"No," said the blonde. "I did better than that, I got the registration number of the car!"

Do Inculate The Moral Within U !!

One day all the employees reached the office and they saw a big advice on the door on which it was written:

"Yesterday the person who has been hindering your growth in this company passed away. We invite you to join the funeral in the room that has been prepared in the gym".

In the beginning, they all got sad for the death of one of their colleagues, but after a while they started getting curious to know who was that man who hindered the growth of his colleagues and the company itself.

The excitement in the gym was such that security agents were ordered to control the crowd within the room. The more people reached the coffin, the more the excitement heated up.

Everyone thought: "Who is this guy who was hindering my progress? Well, at least he died!". One by one the thrilled employees got closer to the coffin, and when they looked inside it they suddenly became speechless.

They stood nearby the coffin, shocked and in silence, as if someone had touched the deepest part of their soul. There was a mirror inside the coffin: everyone who looked inside it could see himself.

There was also a sign next to the mirror that said: "There is only one person who is capable to set limits to your growth: it is YOU. You are the only person who can revolutionize your life. You are the only person who can influence your happiness, your realization and your success. You are the only person who can help yourself.

Your life does not change when your boss changes, when your friends change, when your parents change, when your partner changes, when your company changes. Your life changes when YOU change, when you go beyond your limiting beliefs, when you realize that you are the only one responsible for your life. "

The most important relationship you can have, is the one you have with yourself" Examine yourself, watch yourself. Don't be afraid of difficulties, impossibilities and losses: be a winner, build yourself and your reality. The world is like a mirror: it gives back to anyone the reflection of the thoughts in which one has strongly believed.

The world and your reality are like mirrors laying in coffins, which show to any individual, the death of his divine capability to imagine and create his happiness and his success. It's the way you face Life that makes the difference

Exclusive Photos of Kannada Actor Ganesh 's Marriage

Yes the Kannada actor 'Golden Star' Ganesh got married yesterday to Shilpa. The wedding ceremony was held between 9 pm and 11 pm at the bride Shilpa's home in JP Nagar,in Bangalore.

Here are the exclusive photos taken during the wedding.

Click on Image to enlarge



General Joke !!

A woman went to the doctor's office. Where she was seen by one of the new doctors, but after about 4 minutes in the examination room, she burst out,screaming as she ran down the hall.

An older doctor stopped her and asked what the problem was, and she told him her story. After listening, he had her sit down and relax in another room.

The older doctor marched down the hallway to the back where the first doctor was and demanded, "What's the matter with you? Mrs. Terry is 63 years old, she has four grown children and seven grandchildren, and you told her she was pregnant?" The new doctor continued to write on his clipboard and without looking up said,

"And.... does she still have the hiccups?"

Too Hilarious::Sunday school !!

Little Mary was not the best student in Sunday School. Usually she slept through the class. One day the teacher called on her while she was napping, ''Tell me, Mary, who created the universe?'' When Mary didn't stir, little Johnny, an altruistic boy seated in the chair behind her, took a pin and jabbed her in the rear. ''God Almighty !'' shouted Mary and the teacher said, ''Very good'' and Mary fell back to sleep.

A while later the teacher asked Mary, ''Who is our Lord and Savior?'' But Mary didn't even stir from her slumber. Once again, Johnny came to the rescue and stuck her again. ''Jesus Christ!'' shouted Mary and the teacher said, ''Very good,'' and Mary fell back to sleep. Then the teacher asked Mary a third question, ''What did Eve say to Adam after she had her twenty-third child?'' And again, Johnny jabbed her with the pin. This time Mary jumped up and shouted, ''If you stick that damn thing in me one more time, I'll break it in half!'' The Teacher fainted.

Nice Joke::Four Old Ladies !!

Four older ladies are sitting around playing bridge.

The first lady says, "You know girls, I have known you all a long time and there is something I must get off my chest. I am a kleptomaniac. But, don't worry, I have never stolen from you and I never will; we have been friends for too long."

The second lady says, "Well, since we are having true confessions here, I must get something off my chest too. I am a nymphomaniac. But don't worry, I have not hit on your husbands. They don't interest me and never will; we have been friends for too long."

"Well," says the third lady, "I, too, must confess something. I am a lesbian. But do not worry, I will not hit on you. You are not my type. We have been friends too long for me to ruin our friendship."

The fourth lady stands up, says, "I have a confession to make also. I am an uncontrollable gossip, and I have some phone calls to make!"

Innocent desire of the innersoul !!

Imprison me in your heart!!

Imprison me in your heart

And never let me go
Wanna live there for ever
No other place I desire

It's the heaven for me
With the eternal joy for my soul
It's the palace for me
With all the treasures of love

I promise you make you happy
Everyday from dawn to dusk
Everynight from dusk to dawn
To keep your heart a shrine of love

Let me go in & lock from outside
And burn the key for ever sweetheart
I'll be the happiest then & for ever
With you & your love nothing else I desire

A beautiful poem written by a Father to save his Daughter !!!

A beautiful poem written by a Father to save his Daughter !!! Do read it once...........

I am sure u also won't be left untouched by the words and the feelings that they depict. The last stanza, after reading from the beginning, suddenly slows down the heart-beats..

A sad Dad's poem...

This is a beautiful poem.

There is an appeal from a Zimbabwean couple at the bottom of message, not asking for anything more than that you hand the poem on. The husband wrote the poem.

TO MY CHILD

Just for this morning,
I am going to smile when I see your face and laugh
when I feel like crying.

Just for this morning,
I will let you choose what you want to wear,
and smile and say how perfect it is.

Just for this morning,
I am going to step over the laundry and pick you up
and take you to the park to play.

Just for this morning,
I will leave the dishes in the sink,
and let you teach me how to put that puzzle of yours together.

Just for this afternoon,
I will unplug the telephone and keep the computer off,
and sit with you in the backyard and blow bubbles.

Just for this afternoon,
I will not yell once,
not even a tiny grumble when you scream and whine for the ice cream truck,
and I will buy you one if he comes by.

Just for this afternoon,
I won't worry about what you are going to be when you grow up,
or second guess every decision
I have made where you are concern ed.

Just for this afternoon,
I will let you help me bake cookies,
and I won't stand over you trying to fix them.

Just for this afternoon,
I will take us to McDonald's and buy us both a Happy Meal
so you can have both toys.

Just for this evening,
I will hold you in my arms and tell you a story
about how you were born and
how much I love you.

Just for this evening,
I will let you splash in the tub and not get angry.

Just for this evening,
I will let you stay up late while we sit
on the porch and count all the stars.

Just for this evening,
I will snuggle beside you for hours,
and miss my favourite TV shows.

Just for this evening
when I run my finger through your hair as you pray,
I will simply be grateful that
God has given me the greatest gift ever given..

I will think about the mothers and fathers who are searching for their missing children, the mothers and fathers who are visiting their children's graves instead of their bedrooms.

The mothers and fathers who are in hospital rooms watching their children suffer senselessly and screaming inside that little body And when I kiss you goodnight I will hold you a little tighter, a little longer.

It is then, that I will thank God for you, and ask him for nothing, except one more day to my child who is suffering from cancer.............

Let the LOVE be shared with everyone in LIFE !!

Let love be shared with everyone in life….

1 - First Important Lesson - Cleaning Lady.

During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions until I read the last one:
"What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?"

Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name?
I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade.
"Absolutely," said the professor. "In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say "hello."

I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.

2. - Second Important Lesson - Pickup in the Rain

One night, at 11:30 p.m., an older African American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rainstorm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car. A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960s. The MN took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a taxicab.

She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him. Seven days went by and a knock came on the man's door. To his surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home. A special note was attached.

It read: "Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband's bedside just before he passed away... God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others."

3 - Third Important Lesson - Always remember those who serve.

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him.
"How much is an ice cream sundae?" he asked. "Fifty cents," replied the waitress. The little boy pulled is hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it.
"Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?" he inquired.

By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient.
"Thirty-five cents," she brusquely replied
The little boy again counted his coins.
"I'll have the plain ice cream," he said.

The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies.

You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.

4 - Fourth Important Lesson. - The obstacle in Our Path.

In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way.

Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand!

Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.

5 - Fifth Important Lesson - Giving when it Counts...

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister.

I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes I'll do it, if it will save her." As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheeks. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded.

He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away?"

Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.

"Work like you don't need the money, Love like you've never been hurt, and dance like you do when nobody's watching."

Hold every person Close to your Heart because you might wake up one day and realize that you have lost a diamond while you were too busy collecting stones. Remember this always in life.

Inspirational Words of Wisdom about Life !!

The Road to Success is not straight:

There is a curve called failure, a loop called confusion, speed bumps called friends, caution lights called family, and you will have flats called jobs.

But, if you have a spare called determination, an engine called perseverance, insurance called faith, and a driver called God, you will make it to a place called success!


Live for something:

Do good, and leave behind you a monument of virtue that the storms of time can never destroy.

Write your name in kindness, love, and mercy on the hearts of thousands you come in contact with year by year, and you will never be forgotten. Your name and your good deeds will shine as the stars of heaven.

Pearls of Wisdom:

Don't love the Heart that hurts you and don't hurt the Heart that loves you.

Don't cry over anyone who won't cry over you.

Good friends are hard to find, harder to leave, and impossible to forget.

Most people walk in and out of your life, but only friend's leave footprints in your heart.

True friendship "never" ends. Friends are forever.

People are lonely because they build walls instead of bridges.

If we are incapable of finding peace in ourselves, it is pointless to search elsewhere.

The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other's life. Rarely do members of one family grow up under the same roof.

A change of heart changes everything.

Our greatest glory is not in ever falling, but in rising every time we fall.

You only live once - but if you work it right, once is enough.

One generation plants trees, and the next enjoys the shade.

It is difficult to live in the present, ridiculous to live in the future, and impossible to live in the past. Nothing is as far away as one minute ago.


You are what you think!

Your inner thoughts can cause you to be rich or poor, loved or unloved, happy or unhappy, attractive or unattractive, powerful or weak.

What you impress upon your mind, you'll inevitably become. It's a psychological law that whatever you desire to accomplish you must first impress upon your subconscious mind.

Relentless, repetitive self talk will change your self image. You'll affect your subconscious mind with verbal repetition. Constant repetition carries conviction.

When you change your values you'll change your behavior. Start thinking of yourself as becoming the person you want to be. Self suggestion will make you the master of yourself.

If you believe you can, you can.

You can become whatever you want to be.


Slow down:

Life is not a race. It is a journey.

Getting someplace first, before anyone else, has very little real and lasting meaning. Seek instead to encourage others to come along, and you'll find the journey much more fulfilling.

When you hurry through each moment, you miss out on the richness that could be yours. Take the time to live, to experience where you are, rather than being so obsessed with getting to the next checkpoint.

When you stop demanding to have it all now, you'll discover that you have plenty already. Learn to experience joy where you are, and you'll experience it in abundance.

Yes, it can be wonderfully exhilarating when life is moving quickly. But do not move so quickly that speed becomes your only experience, for there is so much more to enjoy.

The terrain of life is filled with wonderful and astounding detail. Slow down and take in its richness.



One step away:

If you were just one step away from reaching your goal, would you take that step? How do you know, right now, that you're not?

What a shame it would be to stop making the effort, when just a little bit more would make it all worthwhile. What a shame it would be to have taken all those steps, only to miss the very last one.

The next step you take may very well be the one that makes all the others count. You owe it to yourself, and the efforts you've made, to keep going.

No, the next step may not get you there. Yet what about the one after that? If you keep moving ahead, a little at a time, you will indeed arrive. When you take that final, triumphant step, you'll be so very thankful you persevered.

At some point success is just one step away. Keep going and you'll be there.



Must do:

In each task that must be done, there is opportunity. See the task not as a burden, but as an encouragement to be fully alive and effective.

The real burden would be the inability to do anything. No task is a burden, but is instead the chance to express your own aliveness.

Does the work seem dreary, unimaginative, tedious or boring? That's mainly because your attitude makes it so.

See what happens when you start by being thankful for the opportunity to do it. Your genuine gratitude will help you to see the positive value.

When the things you must do become things you want to do, it can transform your life. Each moment takes on more meaning; each effort brings greater and greater reward.

Rather than fighting and forcing yourself to do what must be done, let go of your resistance and allow yourself to accomplish. Let what you must, become what you want, and watch yourself begin to soar.

The Female always makes The Rules!!

The Rules are subject to change at any time without prior notification.

No Male can possibly know all The Rules.

If the Female suspects the Male knows all The Rules, she must immediately change some or all of The Rules.

The Female is never wrong. (If the Female is wrong, it is because of a flagrant misunderstanding which was a direct result of something the Male did or said wrong.) (If Rule 6 applies, the Male must apologize immediately for causing the misunderstanding. )

The Female can change her mind at any given point in time.

The Male must never change his mind without express written consent from the Female.

The Female has every right to be angry or upset at any time.

The Male must remain calm at all times, unless the Female Wants him to be angry or upset.

The Female must under no circumstances let the Male know whether or not she wants him to be angry or upset.

The Male is expected to mind read at all times. The Male who doesn't abide by The Rules, can't take the heat, lacks a backbone, and is a wimp.

Any attempt to document The Rules could result in bodily harm. At no time can the Male make such comments as "Insignificant" and "Is that all?" when the Female is complaining. If the Female has PMS, all The Rules are null and void!

Build A Box Of Friendship !!

Into a box of friendship
To insure that it is strong
First a layer of respect
On the bottom does belong
Then to the sides attach


In the corners where they meet
Several anchors full of trust
Devoid of all deceit


The height of friendship can be measured
By the sides of four
So make them all a larger cut


And the box will hold much more
Now fill it up with courtesy
Honor and esteem
Understanding, sympathy
And passion for a dream


Add to that your honesty
Emotions joy and love
And since they're so important
Place them up above
But leave the box wide open
So all can see inside


To learn what makes a friendship work
From the box you built with pride.

Valentine's Day Trivia !!

Look for answers at bottom and enjoy !!

1. What percentage of American women send themselves flowers on Valentines Day?

a) 5%
b) 15%
c) 30%

2. What percentage of American men buy flowers for a loved one on Valentine's Day?
a) 23%
b) 53%
c) 73%

3. In 1995, how many heart-shaped boxes of candy were sold?
a) 3.5 million
b) 35 million
c) 350 million

4. Over 90% of all flowers on Valentine's Day are purchased by men.
a) True
b) False

5. About how many roses, primarily red, will be sold and delivered for Valentine's Day?
a) 9 million
b) 90 million
c) 900 million

6. People send the most greeting cards on which holiday?
a) Valentine's Day
b) Christmas
c) Mother's Day

7. Two out of every three Valentine's Day cards are accompanied by a gift.
a) True
b) False

8. It is estimated, that of Valentine's Day cards sold:
a) 25% are humorous
b) More than one third are romantic
c) Both of the above

Look for answers below:
.
Answers: 1. b; 2. c; 3.b; 4. a; 5. b; 6. b; 7. a; 8.c

Valentine Day Quotes !!

Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies - Aristotle

Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage - Lao Tzu

My bounty is as boundless as the sea,
My love as deep; the more I give to thee,
The more I have, for both are infinite.

-William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways -Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Young love is a flame; very pretty, often very hot and fierce, but still only light and flickering. The love of the older and disciplined heart is as coals, deep-burning, unquenchable.

-Henry Ward Beecher

Age does not protect you from love. But love, to some extent, protects you from age -Anais Nin

Life has taught us that love does not consist in gazing at each other but in looking outward in the same direction.

-Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Love has no desire but to fulfill itself.
But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires;
To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.
To know the pain of too much tenderness.
To be wounded by your own understanding of love;
And to bleed willingly and joyfully.

-Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.

-Helen Keller

Love does not dominate; it cultivates.

-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Love makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place.

-Zora Neale Hurston

Love is life. All, everything that I understand, I understand only because I love. Everything is, everything exists, only because I love.

-Leo Tolstoy

Love is like quicksilver in the hand. Leave the fingers open and it stays. Clutch it, and it darts away.

-Dorothy Parker

I have learned not to worry about love; but to honor its coming with all my heart.

-Alice Walker

I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.
I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride;
so I love you because I know no other way
than this: where I does not exist nor you,
so close that your hand on my chest is my hand,
so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep.

-Pablo Neruda, "Love Sonnet XVII"

WISHING U HAPPY VALENTINE ' S DAY !!

History :: Happy Valentine s Day !!

The History of Valentine s Day

Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday? The history of Valentine's Day -- and its patron saint -- is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has long been a month of romance. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred.

In Great Britain, Valentine's Day began to be popularly celebrated around the seventeenth century. By the middle of the eighteenth century, it was common for friends and lovers in all social classes to exchange small tokens of affection or handwritten notes. By the end of the century, printed cards began to replace written letters due to improvements in printing technology. Ready-made cards were an easy way for people to express their emotions in a time when direct expression of one's feelings was discouraged. Cheaper postage rates also contributed to an increase in the popularity of sending Valentine's Day greetings. Americans probably began exchanging hand-made valentines in the early 1700s. In the 1840s, Esther A. Howland began to sell the first mass-produced valentines in America.


One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men -- his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.

Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.

According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl -- who may have been his jailor's daughter -- who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France.

While some believe that Valentine's Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine's death or burial -- which probably occurred around 270 A.D -- others claim that the Christian church may have decided to celebrate Valentine's feast day in the middle of February in an effort to 'christianize' celebrations of the pagan Lupercalia festival. In ancient Rome, February was the official beginning of spring and was considered a time for purification. Houses were ritually cleansed by sweeping them out and then sprinkling salt and a type of wheat called spelt throughout their interiors. Lupercalia, which began at the ides of February, February 15, was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.

To begin the festival, members of the Luperci, an order of Roman priests, would gather at the sacred cave where the infants Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were believed to have been cared for by a she-wolf or lupa. The priests would then sacrifice a goat, for fertility, and a dog, for purification.

The boys then sliced the goat's hide into strips, dipped them in the sacrificial blood and took to the streets, gently slapping both women and fields of crops with the goathide strips. Far from being fearful, Roman women welcomed being touched with the hides because it was believed the strips would make them more fertile in the coming year. Later in the day, according to legend, all the young women in the city would place their names in a big urn. The city's bachelors would then each choose a name out of the urn and become paired for the year with his chosen woman. These matches often ended in marriage. Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine's Day around 498 A.D. The Roman 'lottery' system for romantic pairing was deemed un-Christian and outlawed.

Valentine's Day is a holiday celebrated on February 14. It is the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other; sending Valentine's cards, or gifting candy. It is very common to present flowers on Valentine's Day. The holiday is named after two among the numerous Early Christian martyrs named Valentine. The day became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished.

The day is most closely associated with the mutual exchange of love notes in the form of "valentines." Modern Valentine symbols include the heart-shaped outline and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten notes have largely given way to mass-produced greeting cards.The mid-nineteenth century Valentine's Day trade was a harbinger of further commercialized holidays in the United States to follow.The U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately one billion valentines are sent each year worldwide, making the day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year behind Christmas. The association estimates that women purchase approximately 85 percent of all valentines.

WISHING U HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY !!

Benefits Of Banana !!

Never, put your banana in the refrigerator!!!

This is interesting.

After reading this, you'll never look at a banana in the same way again. Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.

Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes.

But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.
Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and crisps. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a "cooling" fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.


Smoking &Tobacco Use: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes: According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape! So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, "A banana a day keeps the doctor away!"