Holidays and Celebrations : Valentine's Day Around the World

"Valentine's Day is celebrated every year on February 14th.

Valentine's Day is a holiday which is set aside show some love to those we love. It dates back to the 5th century, has its origins in a Roman holiday called Lupercalia, and derives its name from a man who was martyred for his religious beliefs.

Giving chocolates or roses as gifts, along with cards, and/or going out with your "sweetheart" are common customs, traditions or practices in most countries. But here are some other ways to celebrate. ..."


Con't reading:

Valentine's Day Around the World - Medium.com

● Valentine's Day Around the World - Treathyl Fox - Medium

Giving chocolates or roses as gifts, along with cards, and/or going out with your "sweet heart" are common customs, traditions or practices in most countries. But here are some other ways to celebrate. Japan: There are two Valentine's Days: one in February and the other in March.

glitter-graphics.com

Related articles

• Valentine's Day origins: What exactly is the story behind the most romantic day of the year then?
• Green gifts for the darkly romantic Valentine

Movie-Dash-Travel : The Snowman-Costa Rica Link

Ever see the movie "The Falcon and the Snowman" (1985)*? It provides a very convincing argument for buying real estate in Costa Rica. 

*(View the official movie trailer.)

 "The Falcon and the Snowman" starred Timothy Hutton and Sean Penn. I think the movie should be incorporated into an orientation training class for all civil servants who work in the law enforcement agencies “ CIA, NSA, ICE, FBI, etc. The movie was intense. Riveting! A favorite word used by official movie critics. The best part of the movie for me is David Bowie and Pat Metheny on the soundtrack. But I digress. The movie is about a young guy (Christopher Boyce, played by Timothy Hutton) who works for the government and learns that "things" are not what they appear to be and feels betrayed by his country. He gets angry about it “ as any red-blooded patriot would - and decides to sells secrets to "The Enemy". He recruits his childhood friend (Daulton Lee, played by Sean Penn) who is a dope head! Long story short. In the end, they both go to prison.  There is also a book written about this story as well.
The Falcon and the Snowman: A True Story of Friendship and Espionage by Robert Lindsey (2002-06-02)

In between, Mr. Lee gets caught and accused of murder. Of course, he didn't commit the murder but that didn't stop the law enforcement authorities who captured him from grilling him, thoroughly interrogating him, and torturing him to get the truth out of him. After all is said and done “ they say "He did!," - he say "He didn't! He's just a tourist, a businessman." - there's a scene where he's about to be released and a man walks in and says something to the effect: "We're going to give you 2 choices." Before the man could tell what the choices were, Mr. Lee (Sean Penn) looks up at the guy, weary, scared, demoralized and says in questioning tone of voice: "Costa Rica?" I CRACKED UP LAUGHING!! I thought to myself: 'Now ain't that sumthin! They done beat the crap about this boy and he is totally weakened and confused, but he still had the clarity of mind to try to negotiate to get sent to Costa Rica!!' :)

Costa Rica (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This is not a movie review.

Those were introductory remarks to bring the reader to the real topic to be discussed in this post:

COSTA RICA

Costa Rica means "Rich Coast".

• Capital: San Jose
• Primary Language: Spanish
• Location: Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama.

Located in the heart of Central America, thousands of tourists decide on Costa Rica as their top travel choice. Why wouldn't they? Exquisite tropical beaches, entertaining and stimulating culture, adventurous - a land of volcanoes, rain forests, waterfalls, and rivers - and wonder-filled! “ natural parks and amazing diving! It's ideal for a vacation. In fact, the prestigious British newspaper, Daily Mail, recommended Costa Rica as the "perfect destination" for nature and adventure enthusiasts. Ref: DAILY MAIL article, January 19, 2011. So for people considering Living, Visiting, or Retiring in Costa Rica, click here to obtain a Free Costa Rica Fact Sheet -OR- click here to find out more about Costa Rica -OR- click here to see what others “ possibly "tourists" - have written about it: Costa Rica - Central America - HubPages.com.

* * Vacation Rentals in Costa Rica * *

* * Costa Rica on a Budget: It Can Be Done * *

Related articles

• Costa Rica Plans to Launch Regions First Space Satellite
• Human head found in Costa Rica river likely belongs to Nicaraguan man attacked by crocodiles
• Costa Rica prepares for night with Sir Paul McCartney
• Costa Rica Picture of the Day - A Sandy Costa Rica Beach

• Beyoncé's Pictures of her Costa Rican Getaway (costaricantimes.com)
• Costa Rica celebrates 65th year without a military (insidecostarica.com)

By the way, if you're in Costa Rica and you want to make a side trip, Nicaragua might be an adventure!

International Real Estate Investing Choices: South Africa, Bahamas, Panama and Costa Rica

Thinking of international real estate investing? South Africa, Bahamas, Panama and Costa Rica invite and encourage foreign investors. Here is a quick overview of their programs.

* Duplicate Post.  Apologies.  (It happens.) *

War Movies - The Green Berets and Others

Are you a John Wayne fan? If so, sure hope you will not feel disappointed when I say that I do not share your admiration. I am not a John Wayne fan at all. Sounds un-American, but it’s the truth. Never really liked John Wayne movies, particularly when he portrayed a person in the military because he never served. Some want to imply or hint that he was a draft-dodger. I would feel uncomfortable taking it that far. Besides, many think that the roles he played as a person serving in the armed forces of the United States was great for the morale of the real soldiers. So dissing him for not serving would be kind of unfair because boosting the morale of a soldier far away from home is an admirable service and an act of patriotism. At any rate, this article is not about Mr. Wayne. It is about war movies. Read on.

When trying to compile a listing of war movies that left a mark in my memory, since I grew up during the Vietnam era, The Green Berets (1968), made my initial list. However, it was subsequently eliminated. 

The Green Berets, which starred John Wayne, is about the war in Vietnam. It was taken off my list on account of I could not think of any memorable quotes. On the other hand, the words in theme song were memorable.

Song Lyrics: “Put silver wings on my son’s chest. These are wings of America’s best. One hundred men will test today. But only three, will wear the green beret.”

Seven (7) movies did make the cut (by my standards).
Click link below to view:

My Review of War Movie Classics

War, 10-Movie Collection: The Eagle and The Hawk / The Last Outpost / Bengal Brigad / Jet Pilot / Ulzana's Raid / To Hell and Back / In Enemy Country / Raid on Rommel / Battle Hymn / Wake Island

Please Visit MSC Home Sites:

My Shopping Channel

MSC Blog on Tumblr

Go Shopping Bees

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Related articles

• Top Vietnam War Movies - have you seen them?

* * NOTE:  This content first appeared at Webnuggetz.com, Mar 2014.

My Favorite Power Quote 4 (3, 2, and 1)

Isn't this like one of the best motivational quotes you've ever heard?  Something new, just recently started and as you can see by the post title this is the fourth quote added the collection.  The other three were shared at my other blogs.  

Gifts for the Tolkien Enthusiast

One might think that I got the idea of power quotes from a site like BrainyQuote, which is a great site if you need to find a quote by a famous or notable person very quickly.  But that's not how it came to me.  You see being a student of the Bible, you have what are called "memory verses".  Particular scriptures that you want to memorize and be able to recall when needed.  Well there used to be a religious publication (apologies for not being able to remember the name) and they had something referred to as "power verses".  A memory verse that gave you power!  It's like a "Get thee behind me Satan" verse you use to thwart those who try to trouble you.  Yeah.  You think of the verse instead of punching the person in the face or yelling at them.  Don't know if this is a technique used in anger management classes, but it works for me! 

At any rate, taking the idea a step further, because quote collecting is my hobby and blogging is my home business endeavor, the two were joined in marriage and so far the union seems to be quite useful!

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My Favorite Power Quote 3

Started collecting these types of quotes wherever I find them.  This one is Number 3. was grabbed from Facebook. “Worry is a misuse of imagination.”

***
My Favorite Power Quote 2

Remember this the next time you look up at the night sky. #cosmos #universe #astronomy pic.twitter.com/UaNKgmPQFF

— Oh, Star Stuff (@OhStarStuff) March 29, 2014

My Favorite Power Quote 1

Related articles

• Quote of the Day: Looking to the Future With Eleanor Roosevelt
• Not all those who wander are lost (a free 8×10 printable)
• Tolkien Talk: Denise

Women of the Bible : Rahab by Eikonik | Found on DeviantArt

Several years ago I wrote a blog post about the harlot/heroine Rahab.  Her story is told in the Bible book of Joshua.  When I published the post I searched diligently for an image depicting her encounter with the Jewish spies sent to spy out the land of Canaan.  (Josh 2: 1-7)  Found an image in the Wikimedia database.  A few years later, after publishing the post, I found an image on DeviantArt by an artist who shares wonderful depictions of events which occurred in ancient Israel - of people and of places.  


The artwork below (following the link and related image to my 2014 blog post) depicts the part of the biblical account where she hid the Jewish spies on her rooftop.  This is a perfect complement to my post previously published here at My Blog Stop! about the woman in the Bible known as Rahab the harlot. 

Women of the Bible: Rahab - The Noble Harlot

Image credit: See page for author [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

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Image credit:

Rahabby eikonik

Related articles

• When Exactly is a Minority Group a “Problem”?
• Memorable Battles in the History of Ancient Israel
• Ethiopian or Philistine?

When is a Minority Group a Problem?

Sweden: Jews are not a "problem", as long as there's only a few of them ..." (Source) Odd quote to start off an article with. ( My opinion. ) But if you don't believe or don't read the Bible, then perhaps the statement is logical. (???)

Memorable Battles in Jewish History

SHILOH (not Jerusalem) was at one time the focal point of Israel's worship, where both the Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant resided. The Jews took the Ark from Shiloh to Kiriath-Jearim to the battlefield because they thought it would being them victory. They were wrong!

Ethiopian or Philistine? Am I a Dog?

Published this post February 2015 and although the stats show it had a reasonable amount of views and even a few Plus Ones, the question has still not been answered. The question was prompted because of some dialogue in a Denzel Washington movie.

Entertainment : Movie Versions : Annie or Annie? Finney or Foxx?

Always used to read the comic strip about Little Orphan Annie as a child. Saw the movie version “Annie”, released 1982 which starred two of my favorite actors, Albert Finney and Carol Burnett. Very much enjoyed it and would recommend watching it. Can't believe this film already celebrated its 20^th anniversary!

 

By contrast: Never saw the film remake version with Jamie Foxx, released 2014. But it's a musical too. [ Watch trailer for Annie (2014) ] Mike Carter publishes a movie review blog called Back Seat Viewer / Movie Reviews and he thought they “did really good with the update while giving plenty of respectful nods to the original material”. Based on his review and recommendation you might want to put this family-friendly flick on your watchlist or in your video library. 

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More Entertainment at My Blog Stop!

• 
  Know the Meaning of Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious?
• 
  Disney Princesses Meet the 21st Century Teen
• 
  Classic Movies and Movie History
• 
  Remembering Humphrey Bogart
• 
  Haiku Movie Reviews?

Cool Tumblrs : Movie Reviews Written as Haiku Poems

Found the most amazing entertainment blog! On my list of Cool Tumblrs, this blog ranks Numero Uno!! In fact, this blog is Number One no matter what platform it's published on.  

The publisher writes movie reviews in haiku. 

Takes quickie movie reviews to another level.  Right?  This person should have a segment on one of the entertainment TV shows where they come on at the last minute and recite their movie critique/poem for a new movie release.  It would only take 2 or 3 minutes.

The post archive dates back to 2005.  Even found a few movies that I never heard.  The only thing that could blog even better would be to include foreign films, i.e. not made in America or not made by Americans.


Here is the link to the haiku of a Johnny Depp movie that everybody was raving about.

  Black Mass | Review in Haiku

Note:  The real Whitey Bulger died in jail on October 30, 2018.  Cause of death?  Murder.  YAY! That's all she wrote!

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• 'Mahogany' Taught the True Value of Being a Success
• Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious Meaning
• 
  

 

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Book Suggestion: The Acacia Trilogy

American novelist, David Anthony Durham is the author of a trilogy, which is an epic fantasy; and the name he chose for the empire in this mythical land built on conquest, slaves, and the drug trade is called Acacia. Even though the name of this writer did not have a familiar ring for me, it so happens his novels have been translated into eight foreign languages, he is the recipient of ALA awards (American Library Association), and has had his books recognized as New York Times Notable Books.

• In Acacia: The Acacia Trilogy, Book One – Leodan Akaran, ruler of the Known World, dies, but not before ensuring the safety of his beloved children, in order that they might pursue their own destinies. Against their will, the siblings become separated and must learn to survive on their own, forging their own paths.
• And of course, The Other Lands: The Acacia Trilogy, Book Two, is a tale of their travels to other lands, which are tantamount to eye-opening and amazing discoveries of new worlds, even though it was never their plan to set out on a mission of exploration. Yes, yes, yes! There is an evil wicked Queen.
• Finally, the fate of the siblings is known.  The Sacred Band: The Acacia Trilogy, Book Three is _________. THE END.

Hey!  I’m not gonna give away the ending!  LOL.

♦
Content has been republished from Virily.com.

The Acacia Trilogy by David Anthony Durham
* Acacia, Book 1 ~ https://t.co/5WlyCAxAiI
* The Other Lands, Book 2 ~ https://t.co/jgx3GFXh1l
* The Sacred Band, Book Three ~ https://t.co/RelqyakYAE#trilogy #books #booklovers pic.twitter.com/dr0TCRtWbc

— My Shopping Channel (@goshoppingbees) November 19, 2018

(Updated for 2018-19) EDUCATION: Top Majors for College Class of 2014 Announced - Scholarships.com Blog - Scholarship Search, Find Scholarships & Pay for College

(Post Updated for 2018-19.  See info links below.)
* * *
Many years back it was a huge deal just to be admitted to a college or university. Fortunately for me, not only was I admitted to the University of Miami but I also received a financial aid package of scholarships, grants, work-study and loans to pay for my entire four years. Getting there was one thing. Deciding what to major in? Had no clue! Good thing the first couple of years you're just taking the general education courses needed to round out your degree. It gives you time to think. Ended up with a BBA in Accounting. Very satisfied with my choice for a career path. Never regretted it. Everybody should support the educational process any chance they get. Received this information in my eMail and wanted to pass it on.

• Top Majors for College Class of 2014 Announced - Scholarships.com Blog - Scholarship Search, Find Scholarships & Pay for College

* * * * * * *

2018/19 Updates

The Top 25 Affordable Online Colleges for 2019

Best Online Bachelor Degree Programs of 2019 - US News

The Best 384 Colleges | The Princeton Review 2019 Ed

The 100 Best Colleges and Universities by State 2018–2019

* * * * * * *

Inside Harvard: A Student-Written Guide
to the History and Lore of America's Oldest University (All 350 years)

Modron, The Autumn Equinox ~ The Beginner’s Guide To The Wheel Of The Year (Reblog)

Found this post via the Authentic Blogger Group on Facebook. When the link was shared the image was a cornucopia. Grabbed my attention right away. Great intro to Celtic festivals and love the art!
* * *

     The Wheel Of The Year calendar comprises four Celtic fire festivals interspersed with two solstice and two equinox celebrations.  September’s Equinox denotes the height of the Autumn season.

     The Autumn Equinox is named variably as Modron (Mother Goddess) or Mabon (Divine Son) – deities from Welsh Mythology who can be found in The Legends Of King Arthur.

     Modron is a harvest and fertility goddess who shares characteristics with the Roman Ceres.  On the agricultural calendar Lughnasadh (August) is The First Harvest (grains and cereals) and The Autumn Equinox (September) is The Second Harvest (fruits and vegetables). ...

Originally posted on Lily Wight:

     Updated 23/09/2014

• View original to learn more.

https://foxnet2017.tumblr.com/post/179401786901/halloween-in-ireland-the-history-of-this-celtic

https://foxnet2017.tumblr.com/post/179401854041/wheel-of-the-year-the-eight-pagan-holidays

Book Recommendation : Rebecca's Notebook ... by Daphne Du Maurier

In the mood to curl up on the couch or lie in bed and read a really good book about a really good book?  

Author, Daphne du Maurier (1906 – 1989) was home-schooled and also educated in Paris, France. Most of her bestselling novels were set in Cornwall, where she lived for most of her life. 

Her novel, "Rebecca", is a dark, moody, mysterious love story!

"The Rebecca Notebook and Other Memories" is a revealing look at how du Maurier wrote this story.  It's a book about a really good book!  (A book which has been adapted to film more than once.  I liked the film version that was directed by Alfred Hitchock, which starred Joan Fontaine.  It's a worthwhile addition to one's personal video library.)

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier. Classic!

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English: Young Daphne du Maurier (about 1930) Русский: Портрет Дафны дю Морье в молодости (начало 30-х годов ХХ века) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

View more books by Du Maurier.

Image credit:

Classic Wooden Book Bookends Library W/ Hidden Drawers

The Beautiful Room: The Perfect Horse - a pony book with a twist! (Reblog)

I like this blog's tagline and I like horses. So it was hard to resist reblogging this post.

• "My latest title, The Perfect Horse , is now LIVE on Amazon. Yee-ha!! Loving the fantastic cover by the amazing Klaus Hartleben. ..." 

Read more at: The Beautiful Room: The Perfect Horse - a pony book with a twist!

The Perfect Horse

Book Recommendation : Women in History : Razia Sultana of India (Reblog)

EXCERPT:  " ...Razia ascended the throne of Delhi at the age of 31. During her four-year reign from 1236, silver coins issued in her name bore her official title "Jalauddin" but she referred to herself as "lmadatun Niwan", which meant the Great Woman. Razia Sultana dressed like a man and rode an elephant through Delhi with her face unveiled....

Legends surrounding Razia have made her popular in Indian culture; the 1983 Urdu film Razia Sultan is a fictionalized account of her life, as is Rafiq Zakaria's novel, Razia: Queen "

Women Who Ruled: Razia Sultana of India 

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons

**COMMENT: If you want to learn about women in history, this is the best blog ever!! Not only is it visually attractive and appealing, but the posts - so informative, intriguing and fascinating - will never disappoint you.

Book below not mentioned at the blog post, but suggested if interested in other women like Razia, the Queen of India.  It's a picture book suggested for ages 5 and up.  I'm older than 5 which puts me in the "and up" group of readers.  Picture books are wonderful quick reads and are just like a primer on a particular topic.  They usually have great illustrations and the non-fiction books present the info like a quick summary.  It whets your appetite and if you choose to do further research, you can search for books in the Juvenile/Young Adults section of the library for a more mature advanced reading level.
 

Extraordinary Women from the Muslim World

 

Celebrate National Pizza Month

It’s October.  That's right.  We have an entire month to “officially” celebrate eating pizza because October is National Pizza Month. 

Sharing this pizza extravaganza. 

Mangia!  Mangia! * :)

Easy Vegan Pizza 

Low Carb Pizza Recipes

Quick and Simple Pizza Empanadas

Gluten Free Pizza That’s Actually The Real Deal

Amy's Single Pesto Pizza 7 oz (5 PCS) + Sundesa, BlenderBottle, Classic With Loop

Easy Fruit Pizza Recipe

Gourmet Pumpkin and Bacon Pizza

15-minute Bacon Spinach Breakfast Pizza

EES shares recipes, cooking tips and all things foodie!

Everyday Exotic Spices

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* Mangia! Mangia!

Italian Terms, Proverbs, and Sayings Using the Word Mangia

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Entertainment : Films to Inspire You to Travel

Used to travel on official government business when I was a civil servant. Because my kids were young and my husband worked for himself, it was easy to arrange my work travel around the summer time when the kids were not in school.  Part of me misses the fun and excitement of seeing new places when traveling.

 
Another part of me is glad to stay at home since many things have happened to not make traveling "safe" and there is an added layer of stress.  Also, there are no funds allotted for travel in my budget.

But if you can't afford to travel, there are definitely other ways to satisfy your wanderlust or vacation dreams. Always looking for foreign film recommendations anyway. Found this list. It is a great list to satisfy both of my ardent desires. 

12 Films to Inspire You to Travel (@travelwithpedro)

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More links if you have a travel “itch” you need to “scratch”:

• The 10 best cities in the world, according to travelers

• Top 10 Most Surprising Things Banned in China (Might want to know if you're going there. The first item on this list was not a really a surprise. Although one wonders why it is even that much of a "priority" to ban it. (???) )

• 10 Cities for Creative People - WORLD OF WANDERLUST (Austin, Texas USA made this list. YAY!)

Content first appeared at Persona Paper, Jan 2016.

For Book Lovers : The Jefferson Key: A Novel by Steve Berry

Internationally known, Steve Berry, is a New York Times bestselling author who has published numerous novels and short stories. His works have been translated into 40 different languages and are circulated in 50+ countries. His writings are available in all formats: Kindle Edition, Paperback, Hardcover, Audible Audio Edition, audio CD and audio cassette. They make for good reading or good listening!  "The Jefferson Key" debuted on the Indiebound’s Indie Bestseller List for the week ending May 29, 2011.

The Jefferson Key: A Novel

EXCERPT from Publisher's Summary: “Four United States presidents have been assassinated - in 1865, 1881, 1901, and 1963 - each murder seemingly unrelated and separated by time.

But what if those presidents were all killed for the same reason: a clause in the United States Constitution - contained within Article 1, Section 8 -that would shock Americans? …”

Presidents of the United States of America | Lists of Rulers | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art

"A complete list of all United States presidents in chronological order, with birth and death dates and links to related content."

Entertainment : Classic Movies and History

What do classic movies, Frank Capra, Maurice Chevalier, Ginger Rogers and Otto Preminger have in common? Each is part of an exceptional classic movie that illustrates history as part of their story. ...

Hope you enjoy this article as much as I did!
 

Classic Movies As Illustrated History - Seekyt

Classic Movies As Illustrated History - Seekyt

Classic Movies and History What do classic movies, Frank Capra, Maurice Chevalier, Ginger Rogers and Otto Preminger have in common? Each is part of an exceptional classic movie that illustrates history as part of their story. More reading, related pages: You Can't Take It With You Ginger Rogers, Melting Ice Queen 7 Movies I Love ...

It's a Wonderful Life: Classic Movies on the Radio

( Narrated by: James Stewart, Frank Capra; Length: 28 mins)
* * Xmas tree via glitter-graphics.com

English: Screenshot of Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed in the American film It's a Wonderful Life (1946). The film lapsed into the public domain in the United States due to the failure of National Telefilm Associates, the last copyright owner, to renew. See film article for details. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)