Santa is Always the News

We all know Santas story by now. He was originally a bishop back in the day, and after he died he became known as saint Nicholas, or saint Nick for short. And even way back then, before Christmas became a major holiday, the anniversary of his death was a day to celebrate by giving out gifts. But most of us dont know that saint Nick actually had a bad rap for a while, and that is actually how he got all of the other names we know him by today.

During the time of great change in the Christian Church known as the Protestant Reformation, which occurred in the 1500s, the famous Martin Luther declared that all good Christians should stop celebrating saints. For the devout followers of Luther, that meant also stopping the celebration of saint Nick, no matter how fun the gift giving had become.

But of course, not all Christians stopped celebrating saint Nick, not even all of the Protestants. Instead of stopping the celebration, they crafted a plan to enjoy the saint Nick holiday in secret. This is when saint Nick became known in England as Father Christmas. In Germany, people referred to Santa as Christmas Man, and the Dutch created the name Sinterklass.

About this time, a large majority of Dutch settlers moved to New Amsterdam in Americawhat would later become New Yorkand brought their celebration of Sinterklass with him. Americans caught on to the idea, and tried to pronounce his name right. But instead, what came out was Santa Claus.

However, Santa Claus did not hit the big time until the author of Sleepy Hollow, Washington Irving, got wind of Santa Claus and promoted him the American press. This happened in the early 1800s, when Washington Irving wrote a story called the A History of New York, in which he went into great detail about a man called Sinterklass. This saint Nick was fat and short, wore a funny costume, and would travel around on the Eve of saint Nicolas on a horse.

The idea of jolly gift-giving man caught on in the American press. Another writer, the poet Clement Clark Moore, wrote a poem called A Visit from St. Nicolas, which is better known as, The Night Before Christmas. It was Moore who made saint Nick a jolly old elf who flies around the night in a magical sleigh powered by eight flying reindeer. We all know the names of those reindeer, right? Well, Moore also included them in his poem.

Americans would get their best images of Santa Claus in the magazines of the late 1800s, when the cartoonist Thomas Nast put out his own visions of saint Nick in Harpers Weekly. For Nast, Santa was a bigger man with a big fat belly, who wore a red suit lined with fur and a big leather belt. Nast also started drawing images of Santas workshop in the North Pole, and Santa using a list to keep track of his kids who were naughty and nice.

Of course, these are all the images of Santa that we use today in the newspapers, in cartoons, and on TV. Or should we say, perhaps, images of Sinterklass?

Randy Stocklin is the co-owner of Mail from Santa Claus. Mail from Santa Claus offers memorable letters from Santa Claus that helps keep the Christmas spirit alive. For more information about Mail from Santa Claus and to purchase letters from Santa Claus please visit http://www.mailfromsantaclaus.com/.

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Dashboard Widgets for Windows

For a windows user like me, just can watch with envy the new eye candy features in Mac OS X and wondering how I can have the same feature on my belove windows.

Before Apple introduce dashboard in their latest Mac OS X, most of mac users already can have widget on their desktop using Konfabulator by Pixoria Inc. "Konfabulator is a JavaScript runtime engine for Windows and Mac OS X that lets you run little files called Widgets that can do pretty much whatever you want them to. Widgets can be alarm clocks, calculators, can tell you your WiFi signal strength, will fetch the latest stock quotes for your preferred symbols, and even give your current local weather."

And on November 2004, Pixoria has released Konfabulator 1.8 for both Mac and Windows platform and its instantly bringing its renowned OS X-based functions (and widgets!) to the ubiquitous Windows platform. There is a small community in windows user that love to change their default Windows look to Mac OS X and with the availabilty of Konfabulator to run widgets, some of the talented developers has started porting Tiger Dashboard to run on windows using Konfabulator engine and the results is tremendous.

And until today, quite a number of Dashboard Widgets has being ported to run on windows using Konfabulator and other widget engine like Avedesk, Kapsules, and Stardock DesktopX.

But most of the widgets, has being ported to run on Konfabulator because the flexibility of Konfabulator engine to run various kind widgets, just like Tiger Dashboard. Listed below, few popular widgets that has being ported to windows.

1. Dashboard Weather

Here is my first Konfabulator Widget. After seeing a preview of Tiger (particularly Dashboard), reading about a alternative for Windows (Konfabulator) and seeing the great work of Saladin and Ghostwalker, I decided to make my own contribution. So here it is, the konfab clone of the weather widget.

2. World Clock

World Clock Dashboard for Konfabulator. Based on the Konfabulator WorldClock Pro by Ricky.

3. Sticky Notes

Konfabulator clone of the Dashboard stickies with extras

You can get more Dashboard Widgets for windows at http://www.osx-e.com/downloads/dashboard/

Samsul Zamzuri Abu Bakar, a.k.a Alang, is a founder/owner of osx-e.com, a site dedicated to windows to mac emulation, that has been around for 2 years.

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Are You Fortunate?

Fate line and fortune Without the fate line in human hands, nobody can get easy success in any matter in life. While explaining about the fate line, the palmists pointed out that the clear line should reach up to any mount i.e Jupiter, Saturn, Sun or Mercury mount, without any break or cross etc. so that the person can get positive result in this respect. Palmists like Benham & Cheiro where of the view that breakage of fate line which is vertically drawn may not be able to give successful result, whereas it may delay or harass the native during the period, when this breakage or cross will be prominent. Most of astrolgers and palmists think that only one fate line is sufficient to build a successful and smooth career, whereas maximum or many fate lines create trouble or change the human fate off and on, by which the native may face multifarious difficulties during their youth. There will be no difficulty to get reputation or public honour, if the clear and straight fate line proceeds towards the mount of Apollo or Sun. Financial stability will be sound as and when the fate line will reach the mount of Jupiter. Luck may be favourable, for those with clear fate line reaching the well-formed mount of Saturn. New Venture in business will be successful for those with the fate line running upto the mount of mercury. Also find out wherefrom the fate line is rising i.e from base of the mount of Luna or moon. Native will get successful result by dint of his own caliber, if the fate line comes from the base. Others will facilitate the native to build the career, if the fate line rises from the mount of Luna or moon.

Ninth house and fortune.

In a rasi chart, the ninth house from the birth sign or Lagna (Ascendant) is the indicator of fate. The native will be lucky, if the Bhagyabhava-Karka(Jupiter or Venus) is well posited in the 9th house. If the lord of the 9th house is located in Trine(5,9) or in Quadrant(1,4,7 or 10) with sufficient strength, then there will be no doubt about his luck. A school of astrologers pointed out that Venus or Jupiters location in the 5th house indicates bright future. For example, a native born in Scorpio Lagna may be lucky, if the lord of the 9th , moon, is posited in Pisces(fifth house) and the lord of the fifth (Jupiter) is placed in exaltation in the 9th house in cancer. This is called parivartana yoga or exchange of houses between two planets. In some notable scripts, it is said to be Jeeva yoga. Rabindra Nath Tagore, and eminent poet from Bengal, had Jeeva yoga or Parivartana yoga in his natal chart. He was born in Pisces Sign and ascendant, along with moon in the lagna and Jupiter in exaltation in cancer in the fifth house. He won the nobal prize in literature. If the 9th lord is posited in a dusthana(6,8 or 12), then the fruitful results will be blocked. Another fround may be noted for bad luck or ill fate, if kalasarpa yoga is found in the Rasi chart of the native. Kalasarpa yoga is nothing but blockage of the effects of other major seven planets in one side of Rahu and Ketu in the Zodiac. Devaguru Brihaspati or Jupiter is the chief governor of luck. Bhagya Karta or lord of fate is Venus. For Aries Lagna and Cancer Lagna, good placement of Jupiter(th 9th Lord) will ensure good luck in life, sometimes due to the aspect of benefic planets in the house 9 or 3, malefic effects of unfavourable planets will be diminished instaneously. The major, sub or sub-sub periods of the 9th lord also bring luck. Favourable transits of the 9th lord also adds to the prospects.

effects of various planets occupying the 9th house:

Sun-Public honour, inheritance of paternal property.

Venus-Luck through woment, comforts.

moon favoured by women folk, interests in luxury items.

Mercury-Success in business Mars- martial capacity.

Rahu Help from foreign lands Saturn(weak)- Obstacles.

Dr Shanker Adawal is a professional and astrology is his passion and an urge. His predictive technique is based on Bhrigu Technique whose principles and doctrines have been deciphered from research of above two decades .

Astrology is the scientific study of natural phenomenon in the real world around. In fact scientific model of knowledge of astrology is based on the apparent correlation between the terrestrial events and the celestial planets in the heavens. Astrology like all other science is based on assumptions with facts collected and analyzed.

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Personalize Your Golf Balls

Every year, for a special family member, we try to find a special gift that represents our appreciation and that is something they will find useful. If that person plays golf you may have already purchased that special golf sweater, shoes or golf cap. Something that fits the bill, something they will use,something that they will show off proudly.

personalized golf balls may just be the ticket. The golfer's name, motivational sayings, a company's logo, or other individualized messaging can be inscribed, you decide how to make them unique for your special golfer.

Golfer's name

You can't go wrong when you give personalized golf balls to your golf fanatic! The smile that they get when they see what you have done to make this gift of golf balls personal for them is priceless.

Not only can you have initials graphically imprinted on personalized golf balls, but this can also be done in various ways. For an example you can choose the style of lettering to be used or the color that you prefer.You could even add a monogram if you like.

Sayings that Motivate

To make great progress in any endeavor,success in that endeavor starts with a positive thought.This motivation can be accomplished by repeating positive affirmations in ones mind to be successful. Positive affirmations that could possibly influence ones game could be "drive for success" or "putt with purpose."

These personalized golf balls not only make great gifts, but can be used to inspire the golfer.

Company logo

A company's logo, slogan and other pertinent information can be displayed on personalized golf balls. This information could include the company's address and phone number.

These personalized golf balls, offered by companies or corporations could be an excellent way of advertising the company's product. In addition, these personalized golf balls could be excellent gifts that could be given to customers or prospective customers. This type of marketing will bring to the individual's mind your company when they are in need of your service.

One More Idea

Another useful idea of personalized golf balls is for example special events.Having a wedding photo portrayed on a golf ball.Rather than use this golf ball out on the course it can be displayed on an individual's desk or other place of prominence.

One other special event that could be captured on a personalized golf ball could be a baby's photograph. This event could be reflected through the use of an actual photograph of a pair of baby booties.

Considering purchasing a training aid to help your game! see what golf enthusiast and writer Bob Green says in an article titled golf swing training aids and golf lessons This and other unique content golf articles are available with free reprint rights.

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