History of Karate

Where Karate Began

Karate, the Japanese word for “empty hands,” was born in the Okinawan Islands as a form of self-defense, at a time when weapons were banned by invading Japanese forces. It began as te (hand), a fighting style used by the natives of the Ryukyu Islands, and was later influenced by Chinese kenpō, introduced through the Chinese families that settled on Okinawa after trade relationships between China and the islands were established.

From three Okinawan cities (Shuri, Naha, Tomari), each closely spaced but with very different societal demands, three separate styles emerged:

Shuri-te
Naha-te
Tomari-te

Collectively, these styles were called Okinawa-te or tode (Chinese hand), and over time, the styles merged slightly to become just two: Shōrin-ryū, developed near Shuri and Tomari, and Shōrei-ryū, near Naha.

Because of increasing Japanese influence, the label of te was eventually lengthened to karate-jutsu (Chinese hand art). It then changed to karate-do after an Okinawan master altered the meaning of the word kara (also pronounced tode) to mean “empty” rather than “Chinese hand.” karate-do translates into “the way of the empty hand.”-read more

World Suicide Prevention Day - 10 September, 2016

The World Health Organization estimates that over 800,000 people die by suicide each year – that’s one person every 40 seconds. Up to 25 times as many again make a suicide attempt. The tragic ripple effect means that there are many, many more people who have been bereaved by suicide or have been close to someone who has tried to take his or her own life. And this is happening in spite of the fact that suicide is preventable. 'Connect, communicate, care' is the theme of the 2016 World Suicide Prevention Day. These three words are at the heart of suicide prevention.

Connect

Fostering connections with those who have lost a loved one to suicide or have been suicidal themselves is crucial to furthering suicide prevention efforts. Although every individual suicide is different, there are some common lessons to be learned. Those who have been on the brink of suicide themselves can help us understand the complex interplay of events and circumstances that led them to that point, and what saved them or helped them to choose a more life-affirming course of action. Those who have lost someone to suicide, or supported someone who was suicidal, can provide insights into how they moved forwards on their journey. The sheer numbers of people who have been affected by suicide would make this a formidable network.read more

What Is Acid Reflux Disease?

In this article

• What Causes Acid Reflux Disease?
• What Are the Symptoms of Acid Reflux Disease?
• How Is Acid Reflux Disease Diagnosed?
• Can Acid Reflux Disease Be Treated With Diet and Lifestyle Changes?
• Can Acid Reflux Disease Be Treated With Medications?
• Is Acid Reflux Disease Ever Treated With Surgery?

At the entrance to your stomach is a valve, which is a ring of muscle called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). Normally, the LES closes as soon as food passes through it. If the LES doesn't close all the way or if it opens too often, acid produced by your stomach can move up into your esophagus. This can cause symptoms such as a burning chest paincalled heartburn. If acid reflux symptoms happen more than twice a week, you have acid reflux disease, also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

What Causes Acid Reflux Disease?read more

Sad fate of bred lions

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posted from Bloggeroid

Wait-Incredible-picture-shows-toddler-chasing-cheetah-zoo-seems

An incredible picture appears to show a toddler chasing after a cheetah at a zoo - but it's not all as it seems. 

Nadya Chandler's heart almost skipped a beat when she first saw her photo as it appeared like her three-year-old niece had got inside the enclosure with the big cat at Paignton Zoo, Devon.

However the 25-year-old quickly realised the lighting had made it appear that Layla was running on the other side of the glass, when it was in fact her reflection.read more

Littersweet Symphony: Album For Cats Released

A musician has created an album of music for feline listeners, even though he is allergic to them.

David Teie, a scientist and cellist in the US National Symphony Orchestra, raised hundreds of thousands of dollars through crowdfunding and sold 10,000 copies of his record independently.

He was then offered a deal with Universal Music and his album Music For Cats is set for release on 28 October.

Mr Teie said that the music was created based on his scientific theory that cats appreciate music through the sounds they hear as kittens, such as their mother's purr or birds chirping.read more

Is Your Memory Normal?

older. So what's the first? Umm, I forgot! And actually, by the time you reach the end of this story, you may remember only a fraction of it. Not to worry, you're not alone.

Experts say that mild memory loss is perfectly normal -- especially as we age. That's right, if you sometimes forget simple things, you're not necessarily developing Alzheimer's disease. There is a gang of people walking around just like you who occasionally misplace their keys, have that deer-in-headlights look as they search for their cars in parking lots, and can't recall the name of one new person they met at their last office party -- yes, the one from last night. And there's a reason for those character-themed floors coupled with the happy-go-lucky music in Disney amusement park parking garages.

"If we have forgotten an appointment, we begin thinking, 'Uh oh, is this the first sign of Alzheimer's disease?' and we become much more conscious, and it gets kind of a disproportionate amount of attention when it really may be something quite benign," Stuart Zola, PhD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Emory School of Medicine and director of Yerkes National Primate Facility in Atlanta tells WebMD.

Memory is the ability to normally recall the facts and events of our lives, and this takes place in three stages:read more