Sunday, April 10, 2011

The History of Easter

Easter, which celebrates Jesus Christ's resurrection from the dead, is Christianity's most important holiday. It has been called a moveable feast because it doesn't fall on a set date every year, as most holidays do. Instead, Christian churches in the West celebrate Easter on the first Sunday following the full moon after the vernal equinox on March 21. Therefore, Easter is observed anywhere between March 22 and April 25 every year. Orthodox Christians use the Julian calendar to calculate when Easter will occur and typically celebrate the holiday a week or two after the Western churches, which follow the Gregorian calendar.

The exact origins of this religious feast day's name are unknown. Some sources claim the word Easter is derived from Eostre, a Teutonic goddess of spring and fertility. Other accounts trace Easter to the Latin term hebdomada alba, or white week, an ancient reference to Easter week and the white clothing donned by people who were baptized during that time. Through a translation error, the term later appeared as esostarum in Old High German, which eventually became Easter in English. In Spanish, Easter is known as Pascua; in French, Paques. These words are derived from the Greek and Latin Pascha or Pasch, for Passover. Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection occurred after he went to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover (or Pesach in Hebrew), the Jewish festival commemorating the ancient Israelites' exodus from slavery in Egypt. Pascha eventually came to mean Easter.

Easter is really an entire season of the Christian church year, as opposed to a single-day observance. Lent, the 40-day period leading up to Easter Sunday, is a time of reflection and penance and represents the 40 days that Jesus spent alone in the wilderness before starting his ministry, a time in which Christians believe he survived various temptations by the devil. The day before Lent, known as Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday, is a last hurrah of food and fun before the fasting begins. The week preceding Easter is called Holy Week and includes Maundy Thursday, which commemorates Jesus' last supper with his disciples; Good Friday, which honors the day of his crucifixion; and Holy Saturday, which focuses on the transition between the crucifixion and resurrection. The 50-day period following Easter Sunday is called Eastertide and includes a celebration of Jesus' ascension into heaven.

In addition to Easter's religious significance, it also has a commercial side, as evidenced by the mounds of jelly beans and marshmallow chicks that appear in stores each spring. As with Christmas, over the centuries various folk customs and pagan traditions, including Easter eggs, bunnies, baskets and candy, have become a standard part of this holy holiday.

Did You Know?
Over 90 million chocolate Easter bunnies are made each year

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Efortless Office Cleaning Ideas

Efortless Office Cleaning Ideas
A clean and ordered work environment is basic to encourage output. How would your clients react if they walked into your business to find piles of files and papers in all quarters, soiled carpets and disorganised desks?

If I entered into such an environment, I would turn back and leave straight away and I bet you would too. With that mindset I'll share with you some effortless to administer office cleaning tips to assist keep your business twinkling clean at all time, be it a town office or a home office.

Generally city business units are cleaned by specialist authentic cleaning companies but there are certain things that can be done to help improve the cleanliness of these work places.

This initial tip might sound obsolete but you would be alarmed how many office blocks still haven't applied it to their work environment. Reduce paper clutter by bringing in a digital filing system.

Its likely your corporation already has a network, and thats a positive opening point. Next comes a complete reconstruct of the networks file structure. This will take some time and choosy consideration. A general rule-of-thumb is that an effective digital file system - when segmented - reflects exactly how the business is organised and leaves room for future modification and likely change.

Create a cleaning and organisation inspection group, the idea here is to designate two or three employees, depending on the amount of your workforce, to go around the office inspecting tables and drawers.

This examination team should report directly to the office controller or to you. They should give out warnings for those who don't keep their workstation organised and then issue penalties. That way you will provoke your team to keep their desks and drawers organised at all times.

For home office workers you will have to be your own inspectors, even though you might not get any person visiting your study. Keep in mind what was said in the beginning of this item - A clean and organised workplace boosts productivity.

Incite recycling by adding recycling bins in your office's canteen and around the office. Choose a day of the week to do a "paper recycling day". You can use the cleaning and organization inspection team to go around the office asking for people to get rid of aged paper work that cannot be filed.

Premium help

As my last piece of advice, I would advise you seek professional help to enhance even further the cleanliness and hygiene of your office. Take on an office cleaning company and get them to do the dirty work for you.

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Saturday, March 19, 2011

Cooking with Type ii Diabetes: Exposing the Common Myths

Maintaining a healthy diet is vital to our general health and wellbeing. Eating the right foods help us combat illness, reduce stress, and provide assistance to prevent serious disease. However, for those with type 2 diabetes, making healthy food choices can be both frustrating and confusing. Because diabetes type II is a serious disease, debunking the next myths may actually help to save the lives of numerous.

Myth 1: Diabetes is due to consuming too much sugar.
Though the cause is not totally understood, diabetes is considered to be the result of genetics and lifestyle factors. With diabetes, the body is unable to properly convert food into glucose, which uses insulin to provide the cells with energy. Being overweight can make type II diabetes more likely to occur.

Myth 2: Diabetics can't eat sweets.
Consuming a piece of cake will not cause a medical emergency. Although sugars might be empty calories and cause weight gain if eaten in considerable amounts, when eaten in moderation, sweets can be a part of a healthy diet, especially when joined with exercise.

Myth 3: Diabetics must consume special diabetic foods.
A balanced and healthy diet for those with type II diabetes is quite similar to a healthy diet for anyone - limit the fats, use salt and sugar moderately, and consume wholegrain foods. Lean protein, vegetable, and fruit also help complete a balanced diet. Many foods marketed as "diabetic" foods still usually raise glucose levels in the blood.

Myth 4: Carbohydrates are dangerous for diabetics.
Starches are a significant part of a balanced diet. Carbs may have a significant effect on blood glucose levels, so they should be consumed in moderation. Carbs contain essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and fiber, so eradicating them from the diet is not a healthy idea.

Myth 5: Fruit might be consumed freely because it's healthy and natural.
Although fruit is chocked filled with nutrients, consuming too much of it, especially simultaneously can prove problematic. Also, dried fruits like dates may be high in fat and full of calories. Fruits like these should only be eaten sparingly.

Now that the myths concerning the diet for those with type II diabetes have been exposed, diabetics and non-diabetics alike can make wise decisions regarding food. Combined with proper medical care and exercise, food can continue to certainly be a necessary tool to maintain our bodies healthy.

About Emma Wood blogs for diabetic recipes , her personal blog site she uses to help diabetic patients to eat healthy.

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Monday, March 14, 2011

Cleaning Tips Using Vinegar

To shine chrome sink fixtures that have a lime buildup, use a paste made of 2 tablespoons salt and 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar.

Make your own scouring cleanser by combining 1/4 cup baking soda with 1 tablespoon liquid detergent. Add just enough white distilled vinegar to give it a thick but creamy texture.

Clean counter tops and make them smell sweet again with a cloth soaked in undiluted white distilled vinegar.

Clean and deodorize a drain by pouring in 1 cup baking soda, then one cup hot white distilled vinegar. Let this sit for 5 minutes or so, then run hot water down the drain.

Deodorize the garbage disposal by pouring in 1/2 cup baking soda and 1/2 cup hot white distilled vinegar. Let sit for 5 minutes then run hot water down the disposal.

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Monday, February 21, 2011

Equity and Human Rights



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Image: World War II opened opportunities for work in defence industries for women, including Black women like these munitions workers. Once the war was over, however, jobs largely returned to white male veterans (courtesy National Film Board of Canada and Library and Archives Canada/no. e000761869).


Black immigrants from around the world have been attracted to Canada by the promise of freedom-to live, work, worship, study, maintain cultural traditions, and be involved in the daily activities of one's community. However, there were barriers to their participation that they did not create. The colour of their skin immediately indicated that they were enslaved people, or the descendants of enslaved people, and the negative attitudes of ordinary people as well as those in high office have affected how well Black people have been able to achieve the dream of equality and freedom, or equity.
While Canada did not have legal segregation, there were always "understandings" about which neighbourhoods Black people could live in, or where they could worship. Most professional organizations, sports, schools, unions, and trade associations would not admit Black people; stores would not hire them; restaurants, theatres, and skating rinks did not permit African-Canadians; and hotels would not rent rooms to African-Canadians no matter how famous they were. The 1850 law that created separate Catholic schools also facilitated the creation of separate Black schools; the last one closed in the 1960s. Are you free if your ambitions are unattainable because of restrictions placed on you by power holders (eg. landlords, teachers, employers, realtors, government officials) due only to the colour of your skin?

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman


Image: Harriet Tubman (courtesy Library of Congress/LC-USZ62-7816)
Born an enslaved African in Maryland, Harriet Araminta "Minty" Ross spent her entire childhood working without payment for the benefit of her owners. Preferring the work in the fields, she was able to learn about following geographical directions and about helpful plants from her father and her brothers. These survival skills came in handy when Tubman later realized that the only way she could gain her freedom was to run away. She did follow someone who was making his way to freedom, only to suffer a serious head injury. Despite suffering from seizures and sleep attacks brought on by the injury, Minty later married John Tubman, a free Black man. Her enslavement did not end upon her union to Tubman, so she tried to convince her husband to run north with her, where they could both live in freedom, but he would not go.

When her owner fell ill, Harriet Tubman was in a difficult position; often, to settle debts, owners would sell their slaves and reduce their holdings. Tubman fled north, making her way to Philadelphia, where she learned about the connections of the Underground Railroad. Returning to Maryland, she sought to free her family and friends; so began her rescue missions as a "conductor." Initially, she and her charges were safe in the northern US, but with a change in the laws, she had to go to Canada. Tubman then began and ended her rescues at St. Catharines; she lived there for eight years. Later acting as a nurse and a spy for the Union forces, Tubman spent her last days in Auburn, New York.

The Underground Railroad: Harriet Tubman
Scroll down to pages 49 and 50 for descriptions of properties in the US associated with Harriet Tubman. The Underground Railroad, from Google Books.

Thanks for reading

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Saturday, February 19, 2011

The Forgotten Stories


Image: Black soldiers have had a long history of defending Canada. The Volunteer Military Company from Victoria, BC, active between 1860 and 1864, served during the American Civil War (photograph by Charles Gentile, courtesy Library and Archives Canada/C-022626).

What are the forgotten stories of African-Canadian history? There are several, and their absence has led to many misconceptions about the role of Black people in the development of Canada.

One fact is that the first African arrival took place over 400 years ago with interpreter Mathieu da Costa. Since that time, Black people have been constantly coming into Canada helping to build it. Another is the idea that Black people have not "paid their dues," have not served in any military defense of Canada, that Black people are not pulling their weight or taking the level of responsibility that they should as good citizens of Canada.

However, the reality is that African-Canadians have volunteered in every case for active duty, and persisted even when they were not wanted. In order to help defend Canada, separate Black units were created, the first one, on the initiative of African-Canadian Richard Pierpoint. Black people have consistently defended the interests of Canada, or the British controlled territory of Canada from the time of the American Revolutionary War through to the Mackenzie Rebellions and the present.

Whether they were born in Canada, or newcomers supporting the direction that Canada was taking, African-Canadians have been ongoing defenders of this nation, allowing us all to experience the freedoms that we have today.

Thanks for reading

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