Some Fascinating Facts About Valentine’s Day

1. St. Valentine wasn’t just one person.

Many people know that Valentine’s Day is named after St. Valentine. But did you know there are actually two St. Valentines? Nobody knows for sure if the holiday originally celebrated St. Valentine of Rome or St. Valentine of Terni, both of whom were martyred. Legends say that St. Valentine of Rome was a priest who defied the Roman Emperor Claudius II’s ban on soldiers getting married and continuing to marry couples in secret. Other stories say that he helped Christians escape Roman prisons and fell in love with the jailer’s daughter, writing her a letter signed “From your Valentine.”

2. Valentine’s Day has its roots in an ancient Pagan festival.

Valentine’s Day also has pagan roots alongside its connection to St. Valentine. It may have originated in Lupercalia, a festival of fertility celebrated on February 15 in ancient Rome. Lupercalia was dedicated to the Roman god of agriculture, Faunus, and the founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus. It was celebrated with animal sacrifices and gently slapping women and crop fields with goat hides dipped in blood, which was thought to help fertility.

3. In the 1300s, it officially became a holiday associated with love.

The origins of Valentine’s Day are murky. But it is thought to have been made a holiday in the fifth century when Pope Gelasius outlawed the celebration of Lupercalia. It wasn’t until much later that it became associated with romance. In the Middle Ages, it was believed that February 14 was the start of birds’ mating season. Chaucer cemented the connection between Valentine’s Day, birds and romance with his 1375 poem “Parliament of Foules,” writing, “For this was on Seynt Valentynes day, / Whan every foul cometh ther to chese his make.” The rest, as they say, is history!

4. Cupid has roots in Greek mythology.

Watch out around Valentine’s Day, or else you may be struck by Cupid’s arrow. According to Time, the ubiquitous cherub can be traced back to 700 B.C. In Ancient Greece, Eros, the Greek god of love, was depicted as a handsome young man and had the power to make people fall madly in love. Over time, he was adopted by the Romans and became known as Cupid, his image changing to the little boy with the bow and arrow. Because of his love-inspiring powers, he became linked to Valentine’s Day by the turn of the 19th century.

5. The first Valentine was sent in the 15th century.

According to History.com, the oldest Valentine we have record of is from 1415. Charles, Duke of Orleans, wrote it to his wife while he was a political prisoner in the Tower of London. One of the lines in the poem? “I am already sick of love, My very gentle Valentine.” Swoon!

6. Not until the 1840s did we get the first mass-produced Valentines.

In the 17th century, people started exchanging cards and letters with their lovers and friends. But the first mass-produced Valentines didn’t arrive on the scene until the 1840s. Known as the “Mother of the American Valentine,” Esther A. Howland sold cards with lace and ribbons that commercialized Valentines in America.

Color Clash : Yet Another Addictive Game

Oh what have I done? I find myself so addicted to this little game. It;s called Color Clash and it’s so much fun. Dive into the thrilling battle arena where strategy meets vibrant chaos! In this card game players fight between ? red and ? blue to capture territory by coloring the arena. Each card unleashes unique units with special abilities to outmanoeuver opponents and dominate the game. Fight, strategize, and color your way to victory! Are you ready to claim the palette of power?

It’s a little strategic game and you play blue and your opponent will play red. Your aim is to either get all the squares in your colour or have more than your opponent when the time runs out. You have various weapons and – dare I say – warriors at your disposal. Your weapons include Spin fire, cannons, meteor, a Yeti, a dragon, a Twinkle Fairy, Igloo with minions, ray guns, a Knight, Storm Maiden, Battery, Panther (kinda like a Batman figure with boomerangs), saw, rockets etc. These will all either increase your colours or destroy the opponents weapons. Your stratergy is to ensure that your weapon that you choose, with gaps in between, will destroy theirs and get your colours still increasing.

I downloaded this game a few days ago and I am so addicted to it. I think I am playing 20 to 25 games a day and this is during the week – I dunno how many I play this Saturday and Sunday! It’s so fun to play and you can increase or power up your weapons and try out new ones that you unlock as you go along. You play against another person and as the game is free there will a lot of adverts in between completing a game and starting a new one. I give it 4 outta 5 stars!

Snake Clash : A Fun Way To Gobble Up Some Time

Welcome to one of the best games as voted in 2023, Snake Clash – the ultimate snake battle survival game that takes slithering to a whole new level! Immerse yourself in this slithering adventure, where you start as a hungry snake and aim to become the biggest and strongest snake in the Snake Clash universe! Snake Clash is a line-drawing game. The goal is to create the longest snake.

You do this by gobbling up the yellow balls, smaller snakes and the coins. The bigger you grow the faster you can eat bigger and bigger snakes that increase your size that much faster. If you have a huge snake you can defeat the Boss Snake of that round. That’s how you get to the next round. Also the other snakes are out to get you and make themselves bigger and you have to avoid being eaten by a snake that is bigger than you.

Oh and you can choose from various skins. It’s a lot of fun but it does have too many ads which can get frustrating as you wait for the next turn.

Fun Worms Game To Play On Your Phone Or Laptop

Worms Zone is an Io arcade game where you join the fight to become the biggest worm in Worms Zone. You must eat as much food as possible to grow bigger. Slither your way towards the power-ups to get an edge. This .io game is addictive!

How to Play Worms Zone

WormsZone.io is survival of the fittest. You’re a worm, and you must eat and grow to be big and strong. Who knew being a worm could be so much fun? Remember to trap your opponents so you can get all of their delicious food. Pressing the left or right mouse button, you can turbo-speed your worm. Use it sparingly and tactically to sprint towards big rewards ahead of the other players. As you get larger, you get slower. Turbo also becomes more costly for your score, so use it sparingly when you are big and plentifully when you are small.

Worm Outfits

Pick an outfit fitting for the common worm. As you level up in the game, you can treat your worm to funkier and more colorful designs. Head to the worm’s wardrobe on the main menu to pick a fresh new outfit.

Game Options

Head to the options menu to choose your favorite colors for the game. You can also pick between 3 different food types. You can find the options menu at the bottom right of the main menu.

There are various game modes to choose from. These are:

  • Infinity – Keep playing and growing your worm until you fail.
  • Time – a 7-minute game featuring double points and coins
  • Treasure Hunter – Look for treasures on the map
  • Seasonal – these are time-limited modes that appear during seasonal periods of the year

Zombie Frontier 4 : Shoot all the zombies

Yet another zombie shoot out game – I have an addiction!

Zombie Frontier 4 is an action game where you need to infiltrate a city that has been overrun by zombies. In the first part of this FPS saga, you must be quick to fire at these living dead.

The visuals in Zombie Frontier 4 show the action from a first-person point of view. Armed with different guns and high-precision missiles, you must make your way through different scenes and shoot the zombies. You can rotate the camera however you need to while tapping the action buttons to shoot or reload. It’s important to remember that on some occasions it may be necessary to shoot your enemies more than once to wipe them out.

From the main menu in Zombie Frontier 4, there is an extensive map that you can consult to locate the different infected zones. While you earn rewards, you’re fighting to rid the entire city of zombies. This is not an easy task; evil is expanding at a staggering rate, and you must make the most of your weapons to be victorious. The dynamic controls in Zombie Frontier 4 help you to swiftly intercept all the zombies. Try to free the city from these infected beings by shooting at your enemies as quickly as you can. But don’t forget, you also need to defend yourself to avoid being killed at the hands of these hoards.

Blockudoku : A Mix of Sudoku & Block Puzzles

Blockudoku is an original combination of sudoku and block puzzle games. It’s a simple yet challenging puzzle you won’t be able to put down. Match blocks to complete lines and squares to remove them. Keep the board clean, and beat your high score. Keep the board in a block puzzle! Test your IQ and win the block puzzle game! Block Sudoku Puzzle has multiple shapes of blocks for you to play. It is simple to play but keep challenging yourself.

It works as a good focus exercise game.

Your goal is to remove lines and squares by matching blocks. To do this:

  • Drop the blocks on the 9×9 grid.
  • Complete lines and squares to keep the board clear.
  • You get one point for one small cell. If you complete a line or square, you will get extra points.

The game ends when there’s no more space available on the board to put the blocks you get. I give it a 4.5 outta 5!

Some Fun & Interesting Facts About Funko Pops

Here are some interesting facts about Funko Pops:

  1. Origins: Funko Pops were created by the company Funko, which was founded by Mike Becker in 1998. The first Pop! figure was released in 2010.
  2. Design: The iconic design features a large, round head with small black eyes, a simplistic body, and a small mouth. This distinctive look is inspired by the “Vinyl” figures produced by Funko, which include various other lines like Dorbz and Mystery Minis.
  3. Variety: There are thousands of Funko Pop! figures, covering a wide range of themes including movies, TV shows, comics, video games, and more. They have licenses with major franchises like Star Wars, Marvel, Disney, and many others.
  4. Collectibility: Some Funko Pops become highly collectible, with rare or exclusive figures fetching high prices on the secondary market. Limited editions, convention exclusives, and certain character variants are particularly sought after.
  5. Size: Most Funko Pop! figures stand about 3.75 inches tall, but there are also larger versions known as “Super Sized” Pops! that can be up to 10 inches tall or more.
  6. Popularity: Funko Pops have become a cultural phenomenon and a significant part of pop culture collecting. Their popularity has led to a wide range of collaborations and special releases.
  7. Customization: Funko offers a service called “Pop! Yourself,” allowing fans to create custom Funko Pop! figures that resemble themselves or anyone they choose.
  8. Packaging: Each Funko Pop! comes in a clear plastic box that has a window for display. The boxes often feature artwork related to the character and are designed to be easily stackable for collectors.
  9. Variants: Many characters have multiple variants, such as different outfits, poses, or chase versions, which are rarer and harder to find.
  10. Cultural Impact: Funko Pops have made appearances in various forms of media and events, including television shows, movies, and comic conventions, further cementing their place in pop culture.

If you’re a collector or just curious, there’s a lot to explore with Funko Pops!

Some Facts About Old Spice

  • Old Spice is named for the reassuring, nostalgic fragrance of this invigorating perfume made with spices.
  • Old Spice, the world’s best selling men’s fragrance, was originally a perfume for women. In 1934, William Lightfoot Shultz founded the Shulton Company and, in 1937, he created Early American Old Spice based on his memory of his mother’s rose jar, which held a combination of roses, cloves, herbs, and other spices.
  • In 1938, Shultz introduced Old Spice for Men, featuring the famous colonial clipper ship on the bottle. In keeping with the aftershave’s nautical theme, the Old Spice bottle, originally made from pottery, was designed to look like a buoy out at sea.
  • During World War II, American soldiers, needing to protect their skin from infection after shaving on the battlefield, were issued Old Spice Aftershave. When they returned home, many former G.I.s continued using Old Spice—pleased by the crisp, clean, masculine scent and invigorating tingle.
  • The iconic porcelain Old Spice bottle was produced in Belgium and colored with Egyptian sand.
  • The original ships featured on Old Spice bottles were the Grand Turk and the Friendship. Other ships used on Old Spice packaging include the Wesley, Salem, Birmingham and Hamilton.
  • In 1992, Procter & Gamble replaced the clipper ship on the Old Spice bottle with a Sailboat/Yacht logo.
  • Actor John Bennett Perry, father of Friends star Matthew Perry, starred as the sailor in Old Spice commercials in the 1970s.
  • On The Tonight Show in 2007, Jay Leno joked, “Old Spice? Isn’t that who David Beckham is married to?”
  • In 2008, Procter & Gamble switched from the classic Old Spice bottle to three sizes of shatter-resistant polyethylene terephthalate bottles, with the same porcelain-like appearance of the iconic Old Spice bottle. The bottle retains its original shape, as a beacon of consistency in an ever-changing world.
  • In 2008, comedian Will Ferrell starred in commercials for Old Spice, playing his character Jackie Moon from the comedy movie Semi-Pro. In the commercials, Ferrell calls Old Spice “the finest street-legal antiperspirant you can get outside of Mexico that’s not poisonous.”

3 Norwegian Siblings Born On February 29th

This year being a Leap year, I was looking at things that have happened or are unique about this special day, which comes as often as the World Cup or the Olympics (summer & winter) when I remember a little fact that I read a long, long time ago. Back in 1990 or so I think, from a copy of the Guinness Book Of World Records. Leap Day gives the rest of us an extra 24 hours every fourth year to get around to those tasks we just never seem to have time for, but for one Norwegian family Leap Year brings something extra special.

The Henriksen family from Andenes on the island of Andøy can claim a distinction shared by no other family in the world. Siblings Heidi, Olav and Leif-Martin all share a Leap Day birthday. Heidi was born on February 29th, 1960. Olav came four years to the day later and Leif-Martin made his entry into the world four years after that. Their mother, Karin, is believed to be the only woman to ever give birth on three Leap Days.  The Henriksens said that their unusual birthdays have netted them a long line of international media appearances since their mother was added to the 1980 Guinness World Records for her impeccable timing in delivering babies.

Somewhat incredibly, Leap Day also has another – and sadder – meaning for the family as well. The siblings had a nephew who passed away from cancer on February 29th, 2008. Since then, they say that the day has been a mix of joy and sadness. They haven’t celebrated in a big way since.

The Nestasia 1.2 Litre Stainless Steel Tumbler With Handle Straw & Lid

So you know about the Stanley tumbler craze. I even wrote a post about it a few days ago and well it seems that I have fallen trap to it as well. Well, sort off. So the Stanley Tumbler is available in India via Amazon.in but for huge sums of money. I found a few of them here for the prices anywhere between Rs.8,000 to 16,000 and one even priced at Rs.19k.

Then I had a check on ebay UK to see if I could get one for a decent price even with the shipping to India. No go there as everything was expensive. So finally I checked on Amazon India and Flipkart to see if there were similar styled tumblers with a 1 litre capacity that were made by Indian companies that I could use. I searched and settled on two brands – House of Quirk and Nestasia!

House of Quirk looks good but I found Nestasia’s designed and over all look much better. They come in 4 colours – black (which I almost picked but it;s too common), Pink (which I would not be caught dead with), Mint (which is written as green on Amazon) and Lavender (which is written as purple on the Amazon website) which what I selected I as thinking about the Mint Green one but did select Lavender instead for some reason. I do love it no that I have it with me.

The Nestasia 1.2L Tumbler with Handle Straw & Lid is an Insulated Reusable Stainless Steel Water Bottle which is a Leak Proof Mug for Office, Gym, Traveling. It’s a casual non-slip, break resistant, scratch resistant an it claims that it will keep hot drinks hot for 6 hours or cold drinks cold for 6 hours. I like it so far.

Some Awesome Facts About The World’s Largest Cruise Ship : Wonder Of The Seas

Wonder of the Seas is the ultimate vacation for all ages. With 18 decks, eight unique neighborhoods, adventures of all kinds, a wide variety of food and drink, and jaw-dropping entertainment, the world’s largest cruise ship has something for everyone.

  • 40+ – Restaurants, bars and lounges to choose from! You can visit six different places each day of the week, if you wanted to, and enjoy everything from Southern comfort food to Italian cuisine and New England-inspired dishes. 50 different wines, 400 – Different cocktails, wines, beers and zero-proof cocktails available throughout Wonder.
  • Wonder of the Seas is 362 metres (1,188 feet) long, which is about the same length as 12 blue whales or 3.3 football fields! Wonder of the Seas has a beam of 66 metres (215 feet).  There are 18 decks on Wonder of the Seas and 11 of these have cabins. These are accessed by a whopping 24 guest elevators, with more elevators that are just for crew members. She can accommodate 5,734 based on double occupancy. However, if every bed on the ship is in use, then this ship can accommodate up to 7,084 as well as 2,204 crew members.
  • You may be wondering how fast Wonder of the Seas can go? Well, the top speed is 22 knots, which equates to 25.31716 miles per hour. However, the ship usually sails much slower than this as the speed is dictated by the itinerary and the weather.
  • Wonder of the Seas was built in 2022 in Saint-Nazaire, France by the shipbuilder Chantiers de l’Atlantique. Like many Royal Caribbean ships, she was registered in Bahamas. The ship cost $940,000,000 to build. She was Christened by Marie McCrea and made her maiden voyage on March 4, 2022.
  • 150 – That’s how many feet above sea level The Ultimate Abyss, the tallest slide at sea, is—it’s 10 stories of high speeds, lights and sound effects. 11 – Ways to play at Wonder Playscape, the new, open-air space for kids that’s decked out with slides, puzzles, games and interactive experiences. 3 – High-speed waterslides to race your friends. They’re known as The Perfect Storm.
  • Infinite – Activities and places for teens and younger kids, including dedicated areas like Social100 and The Patio for teens, and Adventure Ocean, Splashaway Bay aqua park and Wonder Playscape for the youngest in the family.
  • From the open-air AquaTheater, where slackliners, high divers, aerialists, synchronized swimmers and more perform, to Studio B, home to Olympic-level ice skaters, get ready to be wowed by Wonder‘s entertainment across four “stages”—air, ice, water and theater.
  • You can have your pick of a variety of different suites and staterooms, whether you’re traveling as a family with young kids or a couple on a romantic getaway. 2,867 – Rooms to choose from, your home away from home after taking on the great sights and experiences in destinations you’ll visit, like Rome. 40 – Different types of suites and staterooms across several neighborhoods—like Boardwalk and Central Park—and those for two, three, four and more.
  • Wonder of the Seas was designed with a high roller casino area in lieu of a jazz club to appeal to the Asian cruise market. When Royal Caribbean changed plans to keep Wonder of the Seas in the United States, they decided to keep the VIP room.

Black Friday sale For The IPhone 15 In India

The iPhone 15 is available with a Rs 8,000 discount offer, which is great because Apple launched it just 3 months back in India. As part of the Black Friday sale, the iNvent store is currently giving two offers on the latest iPhone, which effectively brings down the price of the iPhone 15 to Rs 71,900. Here are the details about the iPhone 15 deal and whether you should consider buying it or not. Before we get into the deal, it is important to note that iNvent is Apple’s authorised seller.

On iNvent store’s website, the iPhone 15 is currently listed with a starting price tag of Rs 76,900, which is down from its original price of Rs 79,900. This means that customers are getting a flat discount of Rs 3,000 on the site. There is also an additional Rs 5,000 cashback offer on HDFC bank cards, which will effectively bring down the price to Rs 71,900. So, the total discount here is Rs 8,000 on the device. But, do keep in mind that this iPhone 15 discount offer is visible only on the black colour model.

The iPhone 15 is a great phone that you can buy right now if you can afford to spend around Rs 72,000 in India. It comes with a new 48-megapixel camera system with support for 4K Cinematic mode, a faster chipset, a new punch-hole display design, and a USB-C port.

Boat Stone 1200F Bluetooth Speakers

My current BlueTooth speakers which is a Boat Stone one that I bought over 3 years ago, is having some issues. The battery doesn’t get charged the way it is used to as now it lasts for less than a 3rd of the time that it used to. I decided that it is time to replace it and I placed an order for the Boat Stone 1200F which is what you see here. It looks so cool, that I can’t wait. I will get it tomorrow.

Noise Buds Venus With Up To 30db ANC & 40 Hours Of Playtime 

Noise has launched the Buds Venus, the newest member of the Buds Series of TWS earbuds. This comes after the launch of Air Buds Mini 2 TWS earbuds a few weeks ago. This is an in-ear style earbuds that have 10mm drivers and is powered by Quad Mic Environmental Noise Cancellation Technology, thus offering enhanced call quality. The earbuds also provides Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) of up to 30dB and an impressive total playtime of 40 hours. Thanks to its Instacharge Technology, you can enjoy 120 minutes of playtime with just 10 minutes of charging. Additionally, it features a 45 ms low latency mode, a Hyper Sync connection, and IPX5 water resistance for added convenience.

Noise Buds Venus Specifications

  • 10mm drivers
  • Connectivity: Bluetooth v5.3
  • SBC, AAC codec support
  • Touch controls
  • Quad mic with Environmental Noise Cancellation Technology for Calls
  • Up to 30dB ANC support
  • Up to 40 hours of total playback time (without ANC)
  • AI Voice Assistant support
  • Fast Charging: Instacharge fast charging support, provides 120 mins of playback in just 10 mins of charge
  • Low latency of 45ms
  • Hyper Sync Technology
  • IPX5 Splash and Sweat Resistance
  • 1-year warranty

The Noise Buds Venus TWS comes in Cosmic Black, Lunar Ivory, Galaxy Green, and Stellar Brown colours. It will be available on company’s website and Amazon.in at an introductory price of Rs. 1,699

Left to Survive: Shooter PVP

Left To Survive is a game about life after apocalypse – zombies have enslaved the Earth and survival war has begun! Life is no longer what it used to be: humans are fighting for survival, and the Earth belongs to the undead from now on.Survive against zombies using rifles, grenades, shotguns, and anything in your arsenal to secure safe havens and save survivors. Build your encampment to defend yourself against enemy attacks. Get to the chopper and lay waste on enemy bases to steal their resources. Battle other players in solo and team multiplayer tournaments. Band together with other human factions.

Players will play through a story-driven PvE campaign that contains many different levels where your marksmanship with various weaponry will be put to the test. Gathering resources and building up your base are the key progression methods, as you need stronger guns and armour to tackle more difficult missions. Other game contents like PvP battles are offered in addition to customization of your character. While free to play, the cash shop can be obtrusive but overall it’s a fun game that offers a nostalgia trip especially due to the arcade feels.

Into The Dead 2 : Another Zombie Shooting Game I Am Getting Addicted To

In a world overrun with zombies, how far will you go to survive? Journey through the zombie apocalypse in a race to save your family. Arm yourself with an arsenal of powerful weapons and do whatever it takes to survive. Maim, mow down, and massacre the Dead — anything to keep moving! In a world where no one is safe, how far will you go to make it out alive?

What is it with me and the Zombie shooting games? I feel a certain satisfaction in killing off those glassy eyed mouth-breathers. If only I could never get killed off in the story. But yeah it’s a lot of fun and very creepy indeed. I love it. Rate it 4 outta 5 stars!

Features:
• Evolving story with multiple action-packed chapters, dozens of stages and hundreds of challenges.
• Powerful weapons and ammo perks — unlock and upgrade melee weapons, firearms, explosives, and more!
• Varied gameplay — fire from military gun emplacements, slay the hordes from atop vehicles, stab them to stay alive, or risk going after them on foot.
• Multiple, immersive environments — discover different locations, from oil fields and military bases to campsites and rural farm communities.
• Ever-increasing zombie threats — adapt your tactics to annihilate different hordes, including armored and running zombies.
• Additional story events — navigate them all, from burning forests to frozen mountain tops.
• Daily and special event modes — prove your skills to win exclusive prizes.
• Loyal canine companions — fend off zombies and stay protected in the field.
• Play campaign mode offline.

Boult Maverick Earbuds From Boult Audio

This is the Boult Maverick earbuds from Boult Audio in which Boult provides two true wireless earphones, one charging case, a Type-C charging cable, a warranty document, the user manual, and two extra ear-tips in a small but sturdy cardboard box that’s well suited to be a gift. And that’s exactly how I received this; as a gift from a friend of mine. She gave it to me as I had accidentally met her at a hospital and while there I had seen her Boult Maverick an admired them. She decided to gift it to me, not knowing that I had bought another one – the Boat Immortal 121.

The compact black charging shell comes with a translucent lid that is beautifully highlighted by the turquoise LED light strip circling the front of the case. It gently pulses several times when the case is opened and is easy to locate in the dark without being intrusive. The device features :

  • Combat Mode for gaming: Switch on the Combat mode and enjoy seamless gameplay with 45m/s latency.
  • 35 Hrs total playtime with gaming mode on, and 7 hrs playtime on a single charge. You may run out of things to play, but you’ll not run out of battery.
  • Lightning Boult Fast charging: 10 mins charge delivers 120 mins of playtime. A quick fix for anything impromptu.
  • High-end progressive LED lights that enhances your gaming and entertainment
  • Zen Technology Environmental Noise Cancellation shuts out distractions so you can focus on what matters.
  • It has IPX5 water resistanc
  • Quad Mic ENC
  • Type C Fast Charging (10Mins=120Mins)