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Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Online Games: a Threat for Extinction of Outdoor Game

When I was in my school age, everybody is very excited to jump off to their seats right after class. Because at those times, we can now play our game called “patintero”. There’s no limit on the players for as long as both teams have an even line-up. This game is every exciting, not only fun but can also test your ability to think fast and practices your decision making. Also it involves cardio fitness exercise and speed. So it’s like playing and at the same time learning and exercising. There are a lot of games out there that can provide those kinds of benefits, just like hide and seek, Basketball, Volleyball, “tumbang preso”, playing with marbles, playing cards, and a whole lot more. It can make you feel young again.

But the kids now a day are preferred to play online or LAN games like DotA rather than outdoor games. Whole day staring at their monitors, clicking on their mouse and waiting for their characters to level up and some of those games are most likely exposing some violent act. They also pay not only for the time that they consume but also they will buy card for the purpose of that piece of crap, it doesn’t make any sense. I don’t get the point. Where’s the good beneficence that this online games provide? Others might say that, its fun or challenging or what so ever. The reality is, they spending their money for some non-sense business and then not even a single move of muscles it cannot provide.

If this act will continue without a proper guidance from the parents, these children will end up a rebellious and criminal minds in the near future. In related to health and fitness, prolong use of computer (online gaming freak) will be likely acquired symptoms like carpal tunnel syndrome (A condition characterized by pain and numbing or tingling sensations in the hand and caused by compression of a nerve in the carpal tunnel at the wrist.), blurring of vision or worst is muscle atrophy (shrinking of muscles).

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

History of Playing Cards

playing cards
The playing cards of today were made for a reason. And the reason behind this is for recreational purposes. However, technically, card games were derived from the games that were played using the Chinese dominoes or tiles. It was when paper dominoes were shuffled and dealt by the Chinese in new games.

Though the earliest authentic references to playing cards in Europe dated back to 1377, other sources show that the Europeans only imported these 4-suited decks with court cards from the Islamic Empire before 1370. Etymological evidences showed however, that the Arabs introduced the playing cards to the Europeans in the second half of the 14th century.

Playing cards really originated in China as early as the 9th century during the Tang Dynasty (618–907). According to Ouyang Xiu (1007–1072) of the Song Dynasty, in the middle of the Tang Dynasty, card games already existed. In fact, paper rolls which were used back then, was replaced by sheets of pages during the 9th century.

During 1370’s, before the cards were spread out to the northeast, towards the rest of Europe, it was first established in Italy. However, since it became a form of gambling, many laws and ordinances banned the playing of these game cards. There were at least three records between 1367 and 1378, stating that playing cards were banned in Europe.

In the 14th century, with the invention of woodcuts, Europeans began the mass production of playing cards. On the Renaissance period, the idea of pictures being painted on the back of the playing cards came from Tarot cards at that time.

During the 15th century, the invention of the French, German, and Latin suit systems gave way to a new era of playing cards. Each has its own distinct symbols representing their own cultures. It was the French designs which consist of spades, clubs, diamonds, and clubs, that became the standard in England. Then the British colonies in America had a great demand for the new set of playing cards, which was answered by a large quantity of supply from the makers at French.

The new set of playing cards had officially arrived in the United States during the 1800’s. The Yankees had some major contributions on the playing cards such as the invention of the Joker, double-headed court cards (to avoid the nuisance of turning the figure upright), varnished surfaces (for durability and smoothness in shuffling), indexes (the identifying marks placed in the cards’ borders or corners), and rounded corners (which avoid the wear that card players inflict on square corners).

Monday, August 17, 2009

Communication and Socialization

cellphones
Communication nowadays is becoming an important aspect in daily life. A person, who loves to socialize and interact to other people through communication, would gain information and awareness about his surroundings. In the past, long distance communication seemed impossible to achieve but because of technology, mobile devices were made.

Cellular phone device is one alternative way of reaching long distance communication. Through the use of cellular phone device, our way of living has heavily changed. A cellular phone is a small device with a keypad for typing messages and a small screen to monitor the activities and read received messages. This device is manufactured by big companies such as Nokia, Sony, Samsung, Motorola etc. They have different cellular phone units with different costs depending on the features that it possesses.

Because of the rapid growth of technology, old cellular phone units are fast becoming obsolete in order to give way to newer models. These newer models have a better performance than compared to the old ones because it has a built in camera attached to it. It also has a voice messaging feature, a bluetooth device, is WIFI ready and has many other features.

Despite its difference in terms of features, the old and new phones would need sim packs from telecommunication companies in order to operate properly. In the Philippines, there are currently four companies, who are engaging in telecommunication services. These companies are Smart, Globe, Talk and Text, and Touch Mobile. They compete with each other in order to gain numerous subscribers. Each of them provide unique services and features which makes them different from each other.