Fun Facts

Today, the word gay has evolved to mean homosexual.  Many people can’t help but wonder how this came to be, when originally the word “gay” was used to mean “happy” and “cheerful.” Unfortunately, no matter how much we want to believe that the word “gay” has become corrupted because of the people today, it has in fact long been used to refer to something sexual.

Years ago in 1637, the Oxford English Dictionary defined “gay” as being addicted to the pursuit of physical and social pleasures.  It has come to refer to individuals who lead an immoral and loose life.  During the 1800s the term “gay” was also used to describe female prostitutes and to “gay it” stood for “to couple up” or “to copulate.”

In the year 1935, “geycat” was used to refer to a homosexual boy, and by 1966, “gay” had been used in the context of how it is used today.  It is believed that P. Wildeblood was the first to use the word “gay” to mean homosexuals in his notes in Against Law.  However, there’s no certainty to this, as male homosexuals could have been using the word already even long before it was publicized and popularized.

That is the story behind the word “gay” and how it came to mean homosexual.  It really didn’t just mean “happy” and “lighthearted” even from way before.  Several hundreds of years ago, it already had a connotation that implied a sexual tone.

Nowadays, the word “gay” has come to refer to other things.  Also, it has evolved and changed in a way that it not only describes male homosexuals, but female homosexuals as well.  Lesbians today can be referred to as gay.

Also, “gay” has other non-sexual meanings that are being used popularly by the public.  Teenagers especially, are using the word “gay” to mean activities that are boring and un-cool.  For example, when teenagers are asked to play doll with their younger siblings, they often comment “that’s so gay.”  This could also refer to something cheesy, such as a “gay song” or a “gay movie.”

Now you know how the word “gay” came to mean homosexual.  The next time you and your friends share pieces of trivia, you now have something interesting to share.  And when someone protests that “gay” is meant to be used as “cheery” or “light-hearted,” you now have an argument stating that even from years ago, it was already used in a sexual manner.

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This question may not be so easy to answer considering that as we all know living near a volcano poses a great danger when it erupts.  Perhaps if the prize can be converted to cash, many people will prefer it.  But what if it is not allowed, will you just make it as your rest house and say, “leave it to nature?”  Let’s take a look at volcanoes so we can resolve this issue.

Eruptions of volcanoes are among the most feared disasters on earth.  History accounts that a Roman City had been buried with lava during a violent eruption of a volcano in Rome thousands of years ago.  Similarly, a great number of houses, edifices and churches were buried in various parts of the world with volcanic ashes.

What causes volcanoes to erupt?

The earth’s depth is too hot causing big rocks to melt slowly becoming a thick, sticky and hot flowing magma.  Since it is less dense than the solid rock formation surrounding it, the tendency is to rise up and gather in volcano chambers.  They become so powerful that they can push anything hard to pave their way out of the chambers.

Thus, the next phase is volcanic eruption.  When the volcano erupts, this magma that has erupted is called lava.  Volcano eruption depends on how sticky the magma is.  Some volcanoes cause violent explosions while others are not.

If the magma is made up of thin layers and flows easily, gases can easily escape from it as it flows.  When this thin layered magma erupts, you can see a river of lava flowing out of the volcano.  On the other hand, if the magma is too thick and sticky, gases would remain but they create heavy pressure to escape and when they do, a violent explosion occurs.

This kind of eruption makes a big blast on the air and breaks into tiny particles known as tephra.  This tephra can be the size of tiny particles to big boulders.  Volcanic explosions are deadly and violent.  They can destroy the clouds above them to form into heavy rains that convert the lava into mud which can cause a great toll on people, animals, plants and properties along the way.

Why are there volcanoes then?

Volcanoes exist because the crust of the earth is broken into plates that float on the earth’s layer.  As these plates move around, they either push or pull each other forming craters on their sides called volcanoes.

Do Volcanoes grow?

Volcanoes grow from frequent eruptions.  The eruptions of lava and tephra are piled up in layers to form symmetry of cones with sharp sides.

Do volcanoes give any benefit to humans?

The first oceans and atmosphere on the earth came from the gases emitted by the volcanoes.  Many of the earth’s landscapes such as mountains and islands were formed by volcanic eruptions.  After the eruption of volcanoes, the lava that they produce becomes ashes that mix with the soil.  As years pass by, this soil mixed with lava becomes fertile again ready for planting.

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If you talk to God, you are praying; if God talks to you, you have schizophrenia

That is not actually true.  But it is known that if you go around saying God talks to you, most people are going to believe you are crazy.  And in some cases I’m sure they’re right.  As for schizophrenia, I believe it is so far beyond human understanding.  It is truly an unfortunate condition.  What is, even more unfortunate is people who are not able to realize that God does reveal him-self to you everyday.  And if you were to listen; it doesn’t make you crazy.  I understand that many people may refer to God by other names.  People pray to God through different means.  Some may not want to believe in God.  But it is undeniable that a greater force is running this world.  What makes the sun rise in the morning?  What makes the sun set in the evening?  And I’m not asking the “how.”  Science can explain that.  The real question is why?  We have learned everything we know from this world.  And there still is so much more to go.

The sun rises to give you light so you can move about the world.  It feeds your body and feeds the land.  What does that say to you?  When the sun disappears and your body wants to rest, what does that say to you?  Oh, I’m tired.  Why do we tire?  If you say you don’t get tired and you’re up all night, then you must be on something.  But if you’re a sacrificing parent who works graveyard, may God’s mercy and grace be on you.  If the sun were to go out altogether life would cease to exist.  Can you deny that?  If God is talking, then I am listening and call me crazy.

When people experience a sudden sense of distress or sometimes extreme joy, they look up to that great force and ask, why me?  It is a natural response that goes without belief.  It just proves that there is something greater then ourselves.  Many people turn to prayer to ask God, or whichever name you prefer to use, for what they need, whether, it is peace of mind, help, protection, or just answers.  When you ask a question, you need an answer.  How does God give us those answers?  If you think God talks directly to you, you probably need to see a doctor.  I mean no offence.  If you have a true understanding of the great force that created this world we live in then, you would know that it is too great for our mind and bodies to absorb.  It is like the sun.  You cannot look directly into it.  And we can only absorb bits at a time through the atmosphere and space.

Listening takes a great deal of understanding and patience.  It is not the norm.  People may think you are crazy if you say God speaks to you.   To speak requires words.  God does not speak to us by words, rather by inspiration.  That is why true inspiration only happens in spouts and on rare occasions.  If a schizophrenic says he was inspired by voices in his or her head then you know they’re crazy.  Voices speak and speaking takes words.  Crazy!  In fact, in order to hear God there has to be silence in your head.

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