среда, 15 апреля 2009 г.




Easter (Greek: Πάσχα) is the most important annual religious feast in the Christian liturgical year.[1] According to Christian scripture, Jesus was resurrected from the dead three days[2] after his crucifixion. Christians celebrate this resurrection on Easter Day or Easter Sunday[3] (also Resurrection Day or Resurrection Sunday), two days after Good Friday and three days after Maundy Thursday. The chronology of his death and resurrection is variously interpreted to be between A.D. 26 and 36. Easter also refers to the season of the church year called Eastertide or the Easter Season. Traditionally the Easter Season lasted for the forty days from Easter Day until Ascension Day but now officially lasts for the fifty days until Pentecost. The first week of the Easter Season is known as Easter Week or the Octave of Easter. Easter also marks the end of Lent, a season of fasting, prayer, and penance.
Easter is a moveable feast, meaning it is not fixed in relation to the civil calendar. Easter falls at some point between late March and late April each year (early April to early May in Eastern Christianity), following the cycle of the Moon. After several centuries of disagreement, all churches accepted the computation of the Alexandrian Church (now the Coptic Church) that Easter is the first Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon, which is the first moon whose 14th day (the ecclesiastic "full moon") is on or after March 21 (the ecclesiastic "vernal equinox").
Easter is linked to the Jewish Passover not only for much of its symbolism but also for its position in the calendar.
Cultural elements, such as the Easter Bunny and Easter egg hunts, have become part of the holiday's modern celebrations, and those aspects are often celebrated by many Christians and non-Christians alike. There are also some Christian denominations who do not celebrate Easter.

суббота, 4 апреля 2009 г.


Yes, it’s here again: This year April 1April Fool’s Day – falls on a Tuesday. So check out our jokes and pranks below so you and your coworkers or friends can have a laugh. Don’t worry if they seem stupid – they’re supposed to be!
1. Record the sound of squealing brakes. We recommend recording a soft click that only you will notice several seconds before the main sound begins. This will help you organize the prank more convincingly. While driving your friends somewhere, secretly switch on the tape. After you hear the click, glance in the rearview mirror and shout, "Is he blind!?" A big shock is guaranteed!


2.) This prank is a favorite and you run the risk of being discovered. Pick a random (or specific telephone number) with a group of friends and take turns calling the number and asking for, say, Andrei Ivanov. Of course, every time the reply will be, "There is and never was any Andrei Ivanov here!" With each call, the person will just get angrier. Then get a friend to call and say, "Hi, my name is Andrei Ivanov. Has anybody called for me here?"


3. Here’s another common telephone prank – and admittedly a bit stupid. Call the Durov Animal Theater and ask, "Hi, do you need a talking horse?" Without waiting for a reply, continue with, "Please, please, don’t hang up! It’s really hard to dial with a hoof."


4. On the way back from a party, while going down a busy street in a group, start up an argument about who’s the most sober. Whoever says he is must be told he has to prove it by contorting himself into some complex gymnastic pose. Then, loudly announce that he is drunk as a skunk, and explain to the bewildered victim of the prank that a sober person would never behave like that on a busy street.


April Fool's Day or All Fool's Day occurs annually on April 1. The day is generally observed by playing a practical joke on a "victim" who soon becomes known as an April Fool. This custom is thought to have started in France during the 16th century but the British are credited with bringing it to the United States.
The commonly accepted origin of April Fool's Day involves changes in the calendar. At one time, the New Year celebration began on March 25 and ended on April 1. However, in 1582, King Charles IX adopted the Gregorian calendar and accepted the beginning of the new year as January 1. Those who refused to acknowledge the new date or simply forgot received foolish gifts and invitations to nonexistent parties. The butt of such a prank was known as a "poisson d'avril" or "April fish."