Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Laugh out Loud


A good laugh makes you relieved and happy. Either it is a guffaw, a boisterous or a short laughter. The effect is good and contagious. Not only is it good for one’s health. It also infects everyone within hearing view to share in the laughter which springs from the heart.

Make it a part of your daily life to laugh. At least once a day. Laughter is good for health. And it had been proven so. Research found out that those who laughed watching funny movies increased blood flow by an average of 22 percent.

When someone laughs, the tissue that forms the inner lining of the blood vessels called the endothelium, dilate to increase blood flow. Increased blood flow helps to reduce risk of cardiovascular disease.

Laugh a little louder each day with new jokes, cartoons, photos and videos from ReadersDigest.com.

A regular dose of laughter drives the woes and troubles away, preps up the day, and makes living cool and easy. Work becomes lighter and greetings go warm and cheerful.

Grab a copy of Reader’s Digest at your favorite book store or mouse through ReadersDigest.com and have that dose of Daily Laughs begin your day.

Or, you may want try have fun with your personal photos. If you have a Facebook page, download this application to your profile page. This is also an opportunity to join a photo contest. Enter the rd.com funny photo contest and join now.


Laughter is good for the heart

Monday, October 6, 2008

Historic events highlight October festivals in Visayas


Its show time! The Philippines sizzle with festivals this October especially in Mindanao and the Visayan islands. Festivals this time of the year revolve on celebration of fruit harvests, religious events and foundation days. The streets come alive with dancing and gaiety. The holding of religious events are also observed this month. Shops are a bustle and fruits, crops, handicrafts are displayed for the buyer’s choise. Celebration of historic events highlight festivals in Visayas.

VISAYAS

The Visayas islands has a line up of festivals this month celebrated with street dances and agro fairs.

The Masskara Festival of Bacolod City like the Ati-Atihan of Antique is a festive parade of people wearing colorful masks to make life beautiful and happy despite the hardships of life. This mardi-gras day which runs from October 1-22 also coincides with the Charter Day of Bacolod.

Similarly, street dancing will be the limelight here at the
Buglasan Festival on October 22 in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental. Similarly, Ibalong Festival is held from October 6 to 12 in Albay, the place which locates the famous Mayon Volcano.

In Catanduanes, the Catandungan Padayaw is held October 21- September 23 in celebration of the province’s founding anniversary. Street dance – Pantomina, beauty pageant, agro-trade fair, sports events, guided tours, photo exhibits highlight the festival.

Pista ng Gubat
at Pandan, Antique, reminds the need to observe biodiversity in Northwest Panay. This event is annually held October 1st.

The historic
Leyte Gulf Landing Anniversary on October 17-20, commemorates the landing of Gen. Douglas MacArthur on the shores of Palo, Leyte.

Mangyan tribes have their festive reunion during the Pamugu-an Festival on October 17-23. Mansalay, Mindoro Oriental. Still in Mindoro Oriental, the Kapakyanan Festival is held October 14-15 to observe the abundance of fruits and crops.

The
Halad Festival on October 15 shall be held in Talisay, Cebu in celebration of the feast in honor of Sta. Teresa de Avila. The streets come alive with trade fairs, nightly variety shows, street dancing, cooking demonstration and food fair.

Here at Sorsogon, Kasanggayahan (prosperity) Festival on October 15- 25
commemorates the Foundation Anniversary of Sorsogon. The
Cimarrones Festival on October 16- 26 at Pili, Camarines Sur is highlighted by grand street presentations depicting the local culture and history of Cimarrones believed to be the early inhabitants of Pili.

The
Aswang Festival on October 29-30 at Roxas City festival intends to turn the aswang impression with a highlight on Capiz’ quality seafood products.

Iloilo holds two festivals which happen on the same dates. Saludan Festival on October 29- 31 observes the dialect used for the crude method of threshing rice, catching fingerlings through nets. The
Cry of Jelicuon Festival happens on the same days at New Lucena, Iloilo. The festival commemorates the historic undertaking of Ilonggo revolucionarios, led by Gen. Martin Delgado and volunteers who revolted against the Spanish government.

Religious festivals
Here at Central Luzon are religious festivals. In Angeles City, the faithful kiss the feet of the Image of Christ prior to several masses held at the Holy Rosary parish church on October 28. Tigitigan at tarakan keng dalan Festival begins the same day at Balibago, Angeles City

The month-long celebration of two fiestas- La Naval and Fiestang Apu- the Fiestang Kuliat in Angeles City culminates with street singing and dancing on October 9 in commemoration of the Virgin of the Holy Rosary.

Feast of St. Francis of Assissi called Pagoda happens October 4 at Cardona, Rizal.An annual procession is held to ask the Lord Almighty for a bountiful and blessed lake through the intercession of St. Francis of Assisi.

Meantime, Muslim brothers and sisters celebrate the Holy month of Ramadhan this October. A month-long fasting of Muslims, Ramadhan is one of the pillars of Islam’s religious and cultural Activities. Eid’l Fitr celebrates the end of the one-month fasting. Activities includes mobile “Takbir”, Quran reading, fireworks display, Pagana and foodgiving.



SOURCES

October festivals

October festivals

Photo credit: Masskara

Photo credit: Pagoda

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Fruit harvests and religious events top October festivals


Its show time! The Philippines sizzle with festivals this October especially in Mindanao and the Visayan islands. Festivals this time of the year revolve on celebration of fruit harvests, religious events and foundation days. The streets come alive with dancing and gaiety. The holding of religious events are also observed this month. Shops are a bustle and fruits, crops, handicrafts are displayed for the buyer’s choise.

MINDANAO

Zamboanga Hermosa Festival is celebrated October 1-12. Zamboanga, the City of Flowers, will feature the vintas (native sailboats) in colorful water parade. Davao City will feature Wow Dabaw the first two weeks of October, promoting the city’s tourist destinations and products. One of these destinations is Philippine Eagle Center, home to at least 30 Philippine eagles. Banayan Festival in Davao Oriental, from October 26- 28 gives tribute to rice, the town’s main product. Sambuokan festival on October 27-29 is an agro fair in Mati, Davao Oriental; while Lubi-lubi Festival in Sarangani Province of Davao del Sur shows various uses of the coconut tree and its by products through street revelry.

The
Kinilaw Festival in Surigao City shows varied ways in preparing “kinilaw” (raw fish delicacy). Meantime, the Siargao International Body Boarders Surfing Challenge will witness the participation of international body boarders to participate in this water sports event on October 7- 20 here in Surigao.

The postponed
Kidapawan Fruit Festival will finally be held on October 5-10. Tons of exotic tropical eat-free fruits will be displayed on a make-shift table 800 meters long. Ting Udo Festival, also a fruit festival shall be observed at Makilala, Cotabato.

Still on fruits,
Sagingan Festival shall likewise be observed in Lanao del Norte from October 16 - 17 in thanksgiving to the bounty harvest of bananas. Camiguin with its abundance of lanzones fruits shall hold its Lanzones Festival on October 20-24. Dawitodawit ta Buahan is likewise celebrated in Catarman, Camiguin on October 24. This is a prelude ritual to the Lanzones Festival done during twilight at the Guijob Church ruins.

In Dipolog City, the
Feast of our Lady of the Holy Rosary will be observed on October 7. Meantime, ethnic dances of the Subanon tribes shall be specially featured during the Inug-og Festival in Oroquieta City, Misamis Occidental on October 14.

SOURCES:

October festivals

October festivals

PictureTakinDevil on Flickr