Friday, February 27, 2009
Busy again
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Be aware, Be alert and Be Safe
Working!!!
Proven and effective process of Job hunting
Upset
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Being healthy
My dog
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Blog of the day
New Laptop
Front view:- Compaq Presario Laptop with AMD Athlon™ X2 QL-60 Dual-Core Processor
- Lithium-ion battery
- AC power cable
- Software: HP Photosmart Essentials, DVD Play; Microsoft Works; muvee autoProducer; Cyberlink DVD Suite; Adobe Acrobat Reader and more
- Owner's manual
- AMD Athlon™ X2 QL-60 dual-core processor*
Features HyperTransport™ and AMD PowerNow!™ technologies and Enhanced Virus Protection.** - AMD dual-core technology
Enables you to work or play with multiple programs without impacting performance; 1MB L2 cache for efficient system processing. - 2GB DDR2 memory
For multitasking power, expandable to 3GB. - Multiformat DVD±RW/CD-RW drive with double-layer support
Records up to 8.5GB of data or 4 hours of video using compatible DVD+R DL and DVD-R DL media. - 15.4" WXGA high-definition widescreen display
With BrightView technology and 1280 x 800 resolution showcases your movies and games with stunning clarity. - 160GB SATA hard drive (5400 rpm)
Offers spacious storage options and fast read/write times. - NVIDIA GeForce 8200M graphics
With up to 895MB total available graphics memory. Built-in Altec Lansing speakers deliver rich sound. - DVD Play controls
Provide quick and easy access to your favorite DVD movies. - 3 high-speed USB 2.0 ports
For fast digital video, audio and data transfer. - Built-in high-speed wireless LAN (802.11b/g)
Wirelessly connects to the Internet. - Built-in 10/100Base-T Ethernet LAN
With RJ-45 connector and high-speed 56 Kbps modem for flexible wired Web connectivity options. - Weighs 6.4 lbs. and measures just 1.7" thin
For portable power. - Good battery life
Of up t - Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium Edition operating system with Service Pack 1 (SP1) preinstalled
Software package included with Photosmart Essentials; 60-day trial version of Microsoft Office 2007 Student and Teacher edition also included.
- AMD, AMD Arrow logo, AMD Athlon, AMD PowerNow!, HyperTransport and combinations thereof are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
*This model number indicates relative software performance among this AMD processor family. - **AMD's Enhanced Virus Protection provides additional protection against buffer overflow viruses. AMD and its partners strongly recommend you continue to use third-party anti-virus software as part of your total security solution.
Dancing
Jamming with the music
Monday, February 23, 2009
Chat room for Seniors
Blogging world
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Auto Insurance
Sunday
Safety is top priority in choosing a diet pills
Money matter
Money plays an important role to everyone. It is a necessity that everyone must have. But with our economy today, we may experience some difficulties to have enough for our needs and wants. Since I knew what money is, how important it is, how to earn it and how to spend it, it helps me develop my skills especially on budgeting. I know what my top priority is and how am I going to spend my money wisely. I grew up having everything that I want but, destiny decided that I must experience some difficulties in life. With this experiences, it thought me well to use and spend my money in a proper way. I will share some to you.*I always have limitations on my spending. It's like I want something that I really can't afford to have, so I won't insist anymore to have it or maybe someday I can afford to buy it.
*I always set my priority before spending.
*I use my extra money to spend and the money that is allocate for something to be paid off.
*I just buy things that are necessary. It's like buy what you need first before thinking of buying what you want to have.
* Save as much as you can as a back up fund in case of emergency.
Those simple things that I have mentioned really help and thought me how to spend wisely. They use to tell me that I am so tight with money and I am not really fond of shopping but it's the reality that thought me what to do. We all have different style or different ways to spend our money but when do we start to spend wisely if everything is gone, if you are not earning anymore or worst if you are disabled. Money is really tough right now, so make the best out of it and spend properly.
Fast weight loss made easy
Unemployment Rate
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.0 | |
| 2000 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 3.8 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.9 | |
| 2001 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 5.3 | 5.5 | 5.7 | |
| 2002 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 5.9 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 5.9 | 6.0 | |
| 2003 | 5.8 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 6.0 | 6.1 | 6.3 | 6.2 | 6.1 | 6.1 | 6.0 | 5.8 | 5.7 | |
| 2004 | 5.7 | 5.6 | 5.8 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.5 | 5.4 | 5.4 | 5.5 | 5.4 | 5.4 | |
| 2005 | 5.2 | 5.4 | 5.2 | 5.2 | 5.1 | 5.1 | 5.0 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.8 | |
| 2006 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.4 | |
| 2007 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.9 | |
| 2008 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 5.1 | 5.0 | 5.5 | 5.6 | 5.8 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.6 | 6.8 | 7.2 | |
| 2009 | 7.6 |
As shown in the diagram, this is the current situation of unemployed individual. It is pretty obvious that it is increasing every month and reaches its down stream every year. This is very sad. Just imagine the families of this individual who are not employed. I just want to show this for us to know how tight how economy right now and let us always be thankful to God of what we have in our daily lives.
Guide to webhosting
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Three Ladies in a Sauna
WERE SITTING IN A SAUNA. SUDDENLY THERE WAS A
BEEPING SOUND.
THE YOUNG WOMAN PRESSED HER FOREARM AND
TH E BEEP STOPPED. THE OTHERS LOOKED AT HER
QUESTIONINGLY. 'THAT WAS MY PAGER,' SHE SAID. I HAVE A
MICROCHIP
UNDER THE SKIN OF MY ARM.
A FEW MINUTES LATER, A PHONE RANG. THE SECOND YOUNG
WOMAN LIFTED HER PALM TO HER EAR. WHEN SHE FINISHED, SHE
EXPLAINED,
'THAT WAS MY MOBILE PHONE. I HAVE A MICROCHIP IN MY
HAND.'
THE OLDER WOMAN FELT VERY LOW -TECH. NOT TO BE OUT
DONE, SHE DECIDED SHE HAD TO DO SOMETHING JUST AS
IMPRESSIVE. SHE
STEPPED OUT OF THE SAUNA AND WENT TO
THE BATHROOM. SHE RETURNED WITH A PIECE OF TOILET
PAPER HANGING FROM HER REAR END.
THE OTHERS RAISED THEIR EYEBROWS AND STARED AT HER.
THE OLDER WOMAN FINALLY SAID.........WELL, WILL YOU
LOOK AT THAT....I'M GETTING A FAX!!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Married Chat City
I stay at home all the time and it is really boring for quite sometime if I am not doing anything. I chat with friends online if I get a hold of them. I chat with my family back in the Philippines if I get a hold of them and I chat with my husband when I get a hold of him. This is just the usual routine that I am used to and I want to be involve to something else that will not make me bored, that will not make me feel I am always tired and something that I can spend my time with and keeps myself busy. As I was browsing the web, I found Married Chat City where you can chat with married men and women for free. Where a load of married people from everywhere in the world come together in chats and enjoy themselves for 100% free! It is so amazing to found this website to where I could meet different people around the world. Awesome! The nice thing about it also is it's 100% free. So it is worry less and just gain friends online. Register now and start gaining friends around the world with married chat city.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
SMS
Most people are texting nowadays or what we also call " short message sent " or sms. Since cell phones was built everyone was into texting as another way of communication. It is pretty helpful because aside from calling you can also send a message to your love ones wherever they are. My husband and I use to text a lot especially when his at work but we do we really know the history of texting or sms? To begin with SMS was created as part of the GSM Phase 1 standard in Europe. The first SMS message to be sent was determined to have occurred in 1992 from a PC to a Vodafone cellular phone on the GSM network in the United Kingdom. This was a one-way communication from the PC to the phone. The new application of this technology developed in the 1998-1999 timeframe is two-way SMS communication.A new service offered by AT&T in 1996 was a key driver in wireless protocol development . AT&T Pocket-Net was an subscription based offering and only provided for one-way communication. The service was limited to specialized phones to retrieve online information (schedules, phone book, email and limited internet access). The service was not widely accepted, , however, the idea spurred development of key technology and protocols for wireless messaging. This research led wireless phone equipment manufacturers to develop Internet phones.
In 1999, the GSM association facilitated network to network messaging in the United Kingdom. This removed some of the current limitations that exist in the United States with network specific protocols and equipment. There is currently a GSM North American Association working to create cross network messaging feasible in the United States. "The addition of interworking between network operators who are competing in the same geographical market gives customers to both networks the opportunity to use SMS in the same way as they do voice. Just as they can make a voice call to each other's phones, so too can they send short messages to each other.
During October of the year 2000, AT&T completed 2 years of testing to allow two-way SMS messaging across their existing TDMA mobile network. AT&T is currently rolling out this service at low prices to gain market absorption and is beginning to target the young adult population as evidenced by Europe's trends in that demographic for this service. The growth rates noted in table 1 below are astounding and should provide AT&T and other wireless service providers in the United States strong optimism for the demand of 2-way SMS messages.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Easy Money
Computer is out!
Excellent Achievement of Laura Diaz
Being a new member to the community have lots of adjustment to make especially with the television shows that I am use to watch. It was hard for me at first because I have no idea about it but as time goes by I am starting to like some shows here in the States such as survivor series, amazing race, American Idol and most shows on CBS particularly the headline news at 5 in the afternoon. One of my favorite anchor is Laura Diaz. I like the way she deliver her news report. She really is the queen of broadcasting. But how did she reach this success? Here's some brief information about CBS Anchor Laura Diaz. Laura Diaz was born in Santa Paula. Her parents were farm workers trying to build a life for their children. At the young age of four, Laura and her family moved to the Santa Clarita Valley. When they arrived her family spoke little English and Laura learned then what family and friends were all about. Laura's teachers were very supportive and enthusiastic about her teachings. Laura attended a much-less crowded William S. Hart High School. At the time Laura was in high school our small town began to ignite into what it is today. While at Hart Laura was on the cheerleading squad and took much interest in her schooling.
After graduating from Hart, Laura went on to earn her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. And that is where her journey begins. While attending Cal Poly Laura took on an internship at IBM Communications and it was there that she realized what she was supposed to do. She loved to write and above all, she loved public speaking.
Diaz landed her first job in television at KSBY-TV in San Luis. Which later followed with a job as a reporter and a substitute anchor in Fresno for KFSN-TV. With a giant smile on her face she says, "It was the best of times and the worst of times. I was in charge of shooting every shot, writing my own stories, and editing them as well." All in a days work for a struggling reporter trying to make it to anchor position.She's been anchor to different television network such as KSBY-TV in San Luis, a substitute anchor in Fresno for KFSN-TV and an a reporter for KABC-TV. Diaz Diaz has covered historical stories that have occurred in southern California over the years; Stories such as the First Interstate Bank fire, the Northridge earthquake and the Los Angeles Riots. Being an anchor since 1983 Laura Diaz pave her success as the first Hispanic woman to ever hold such a title. Not only that, she was given a big break on 2002 as she moved to CBS news. 'Til then her continued success were overflowing. She is truly a great example of achieving something in your life which always possible if you work hard on it just like what Laura Diaz did. To know more about her just visit Visit Anchor Laura Diaz Online.
Just Human
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Auto Insurance
Ten Tips for Starting and Running a Successful Small Business
Here's Ten Tips for Starting and Running a Successful Small Business:
1. Save up as much money as possible before starting. All too often, people go into business without any savings, exclusively using loan money from friends, banks, or the SBA. They except to be able to start paying the loans back right away with their profits. What these business owners don't realize is that it can take months or years to make a profit. And once a lender discovers a business isn't as profitable as expected, the lender is likely to call in the loan or refuse to renew it for another year. Often new business owners then have to take out home equity loans or use credit cards to pay off their loans (which puts their home and credit rating at risk).
A better plan is to save up as much of the needed investment money as possible, including your living expenses for the first year, or even two. Odds are that your business won't be profitable for one to two years. Even if you get plenty of business coming your way -- and your customers pay you on time, which isn't always a sure thing -- you'll want to be able to invest most of that money back in the business for space, equipment, advertising, and insurance needs.
2. Start on a shoestring. Think small. Don't rent premises if you can work somewhere else, and don't hire employees until you can keep them busy. (You can hire independent contractors or temps in the meantime.)
People who start their small business on the cheap, often in a garage, den, or some other scavenged space, and create their first goods or services with more sweat than cash, have the luxury of making their inevitable rookie mistakes on a small scale. And precisely because their early screw-ups don't bury them in debt, they are usually able to learn and recover from them.
3. Protect your personal assets. When you go into business for yourself, you are usually personally liable for all judgments and debts that the business incurs. This includes business loans, taxes, money owed to suppliers and landlords, and any judgments against the business as a result of a lawsuit. If you don't protect yourself, a creditor can go after your personal assets, such as your car and your house, to pay for these debts.
While you can protect yourself against lawsuits by buying business liability insurance, this won't help you with business debts. If you will be running up big debts, consider forming a corporation or limited liability company (LLC). Just one person can form either of these types of businesses.
4. Understand how -- and if -- you will make a profit. You should be able to state in just a few sentences how your business plans to make a substantial profit. For starters, you need to know your costs: how much you'll spend purchasing inventory, paying the rent, compensating any employees, and covering what is likely to be a surprisingly long list of other costs. Then you can figure out exactly how much you need to sell each month, for how many dollars, to cover those expenses and have an adequate profit besides. These numbers are all you need to create a "break-even analysis."
5. Make a business plan, no matter how short. Understanding your profit numbers and creating a break-even analysis is the first step in making a business plan. For most small companies, the key portions of a business plan are the break-even analysis, a profit-and-loss forecast, and a cash flow projection. (Projecting your cash flow is key and will make or break your company: Even if your business is getting plenty of work or selling its products, if you're not getting paid for 90-180 days, you're not going to survive unless you've planned for it.) With a cash flow spreadsheet in place, as well as a profit-and-loss forecast, you can tinker with your business idea and improve it before you start -- and continue to use them after you start.
Creating a business plan also allows you to determine what your projected start-up costs are (how much money you'll need to save) and what you marketing strategies are (how you'll reach customers to make sales). If you can't make the numbers work on paper, you won't be able to make them work in real life.
6. Get and keep a competitive edge. Building a competitive edge into the fabric of your business is crucially important to long-term success. Some ways to get this edge are by knowing more than your competitors, making a product that is hard or impossible to imitate, being able to produce or distribute your product more efficiently, having a better location, or offering superior customer service.
One way to hold on to your competitive edge is to protect your trade secrets -- confidential information that gives you a competitive advantage in the marketplace. Examples of trade secrets include customer lists, survey methods, marketing strategies, and manufacturing techniques. To protect your trade secrets under the law, you need to take steps to keep the information confidential. This includes marking documents "Confidential," using passwords to protect computer information, using nondisclosure and/or noncompete agreements, and limiting access to employees with a reasonable need to know the trade secrets.
Another way to keep your competitive edge is to react quickly to bad news. Once you see that your business faces some kind of adversity, you need to come up with a plan to deal with it immediately. This may involve moving your offices, introducing a new product or service, or developing a better way to reach customers.
AOS
Friday, February 13, 2009
Special gift to someone special
Valentines gift from parents in law
Televison Transformation
Busy
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Diet pills - Nuphedragen
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Scrabble
Scrabble is one of my favorite game. It is fun and at the same time you gain new words that you haven't encounter before. This is how it is played:In SCRABBLE, players take turns creating words out of their seven letters. Each player places a word on the board on his or her turn. Words must connect to other words already on the board, either horizontally or vertically.
Each letter has a number that shows its point value. Your score is based on the point value of each letter in your word, multiplied by the premium squares on the board.
On your first turn, drag a word from your rack to the center of the board. Drag or type each letter separately, then click on a square to drop the letter.
Words you can play include:
- Two letters or more
- NO proper names or other capitalized words
- NO abbreviations
Your word can read across or down.
- Words must be readable from left to right (across) or from top to bottom (down).
- Words cannot be played from bottom to top, or from right to left.
- Words cannot be played diagonally.
The object of the game is to score more points than your opponent!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
USB Adapter / Converter
USB Adapter / Converter is a huge help nowadays because it will make your work a whole lot easier. I remember before that I needed to download some pictures to my computer and I can't find my USB cord so I immediately bought a replacement. In the store, the sales associates suggest to use the USB Adapter / Converter because it will be more accurate and very user friendly. It's true and it made my work a lot easier and a lot faster. I am so glad that our technology nowadays is producing innovative gadgets for an easy way of living.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Chinese New Year
I have a Chinese blood and when I was still in the Philippines, we do celebrate Chinese New Year. But this year that I am here in the States now, I missed it. My mom use to buy some stuff that brings good luck to our family before the celebration. Chinese has so many beliefs and traditions. Some were applicable to some of us and some are not. But I do believe with their belief and tradition. But where does Chinese New year started and how it is celebrated. What are the traditions and beliefs that comes with it? When it is celebrated? Here's some preview of Chinese New year.Chinese new year 2009 falls on 26th of January, 2009. The Chinese New Year is celebrated as the symbol of spring's celebration. In fact in China the Chinese New Year is still called the Spring festival. It is celebrated after the fall harvest and before the spring planting season. The date of the Chinese New Year is always changing and is dependant on the Chinese calendar. Emperor Huangdi in the year 2637 B.C.E invented the Chinese calendar.
The Chinese calendar is a combined solar/lunar calendar and is somewhat similar to the Chinese calendar. For the purpose of determining the dates of the Chinese New Year some astronomical calculations need to be taken care of. Firstly, we need to determine the dates for the new moon. The new moon is the black moon that is when the moon is in conjunction with the sun.
The date of the new moon is taken as the first day of the new month. Secondly those dates are determined when the sun's longitude is the multiple of 30 degrees. These dates are termed as Principal terms and are used for determining the number of each month.
Traditional Celebration of the Chinese New Year
Of all the traditional Chinese festivals, the new Year was perhaps the most elaborate, colorful, and important. This was a time for the Chinese to congratulate each other and themselves on having passed through another year, a time to finish out the old, and to welcome in the new year. Common expressions heard at this time are: GUONIAN to have made it through the old year, and BAINIAN to congratulate the new year.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Fireproof movie
A few days ago, we watched the movie "fireproof". It was an amazing and the casting are great. The story has really brought some lessons to the viewers of this movie. It is a combination love, faithfulness, dedication, honesty, loyalty and submission. The characters had portrait a very significant role on this movie. It will also remind us on how great God is in our lives. I truly recommend this movie to watch. It is a must and so worth it to watch. Here are some information about the movie "Fireproof"Directed and produced by the Kendrick brothers of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Ga., “Fireproof” tells the inspiring story of a fireman and his struggle to save his faltering marriage from ending with his newfound faith and with the help of the “Love Dare,” a 40-day spiritual guide that utilizes Scripture to reveal what true love is.
With a budget five times larger than Sherwood Pictures’ last movie, “Facing the Giants,” “Fireproof” debuted over the Sept. 26-28 weekend at No. 4 with $6.5 million in ticket sales, marking the year’s second highest grossing opening weekend return of any film released on 1,000 screens or less.
The movie went on to rake in over $33 million in ticket sales on a $500,000 budget, making it the fifth highest grossing Christian film of all time behind “The Nativity Story.”
While the numbers may not be so impressive by Hollywood’s standards, what has been shining more brightly for the movie has been the testimonies that have come out from couples whose relationships and even faiths were rekindled or saved through the movie.
Harris Malcom, who plays John Holt, father of Caleb, said he and his on-screen and off-screen wife Cheryl were worshiping one evening at a church where the pastor made note of their attendance and their parts in the movie.
“This man came and said, ‘Thank you, my wife and I are back in church because of Fireproof,’” he said, recalling his meeting with one of the church attendees.
The movie also spawned a best-selling book that started as a plot device in the film until audiences repeatedly requested copies for themselves.
Both the movie and book have garnered the support of churchgoers and conservative moviegoers as well as several national groups, including Focus on the Family, Outreach, FamilyLife, The Marriage CoMission, America's Family Coaches, AMFM, Marriage Alive Communications, and MarriageToday. Influential figures such as marriage expert Gary Smalley and Bubba Cathy of Chick-fil-A have also worked to spread word of the movie.
Now, with “Fireproof” making its exit from theaters, attention has been turned to the upcoming DVD, which features a number of bonus features, including "Making of FIREPROOF: TV Special," Commentary from the Kendrick brothers, Fireproof in 60, Firegoofs, and Rescued Scenes.
There is also a Special Collector's Edition available exclusively through Christian stores and their online venues that has additional bonus material, including the music video for Casting Crowns' "Slow Fade" and a video blog that takes fans behind the scenes week-by-week during the shooting. The Special Collector's Edition DVD will also have dubbing in both Spanish and Portuguese, as well as captions in those languages as well as French, Chinese, Russian, Korean, Arabic, and English, making it a potential international ministry tool.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Get Away
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Sunday, February 1, 2009
Super Bowl 43
What exactly is the SuperBowl Weekend?Superbowl weekend is the largest party weekend in The United States for sport fans and party participants alike. Not only that but this year is going to return to the sunshine state of Florida in Tampa. It’s going to all go down for the first time in Tampa, Florida.
Be prepared for al all out assault of activities and celebrity parties that will occur all weekend You do not want to miss all the excitement as over 250,000 make there way to Tampa for the largest party get together in the country.
What happens at the superbowl?
There are all types of parties, activities, concerts, staged events and so much more that happen all weekend but you can stay on book4buy.com to watch the update about SuperBowl. Even, if you could care less about the game, the parties in Glendale for the Superbowl will be legendary.
How Much Does It Cost To Attend superbowl 2009?
Most of your cost will come down to getting a place to stay and getting around. Hotels typically raise prices during the weekend to meet the high demand. Depending on how close you want to be towards that action sets the standards on the pricing.
book4buy.com suggestion:
You can get tickets to Super Bowl 2009 on Ticketsnow.com or what ever up to you, You can make Reservation on Tampa, Florida Hotels if you wish and be carreful when you attent this superbowl 2009 (The 43rd Super Bowl (39th if you consider the post NFL era).
Rumors Super Bowl XLIII,super bowl 43, superbowl 2009?
Advertising costs are rumored to be around $3 million per commercial.
Confirmed advertisers include Anheuser-Busch, Pepsi and Doritos.
The day of hearts
It's the month of February and as we all know this month is the day of hearts. On February we observe the most romantic celebration for everyone which is the Valentine's Day. But come to think of it, where and how does Valentine's day started and what does it mean.
The History of Valentine's Day
Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday? The history of Valentine's Day — and its patron saint — is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has long been a month of romance. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred.
One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men — his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.
Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.
According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl — who may have been his jailor's daughter — who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France.
While some believe that Valentine's Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine's death or burial — which probably occurred around 270 A.D — others claim that the Christian church may have decided to celebrate Valentine's feast day in the middle of February in an effort to 'christianize' celebrations of the pagan Lupercalia festival. In ancient Rome, February was the official beginning of spring and was considered a time for purification. Houses were ritually cleansed by sweeping them out and then sprinkling salt and a type of wheat called spelt throughout their interiors. Lupercalia, which began at the ides of February, February 15, was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.