http://www.isnare.com/?s=author&a=ALfie+Mella Writing ALfie Mella Mon, 07 Feb 2005 00:00:00 +0800 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=719&ca=Writing “Literature is also an art, for it can be learned. It can be demonstrated not only by the gifted few but also by those who have acquired such literary skills. As the saying goes, ‘Geniuses are born; scholars are made.’ Therefore, everyone can avail of the literary skills and become a littérateur.”—R... Culture ALfie Mella Mon, 07 Feb 2005 00:00:00 +0800 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=720&ca=Culture The ancient Chinese had a strange custom known as foot-binding. This practice, which persisted from the tenth to the twentieth century, caused severe lifelong disability for millions of elderly women. According to a study conducted by the University of California at San Francisco in the United State... Poetry ALfie Mella Mon, 07 Feb 2005 00:00:00 +0800 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=739&ca=Poetry Is this the perfect moment for writing a sad poem? Raining hard, feeling like a bard Holding a pen, lost in thoughts Outpouring, as raindrops softly and quietly Kiss the grass on the backyard lawn As always, I’m alone and lonesome Nine months have passed, yet everything’s virtually the same Would... Culture ALfie Mella Mon, 07 Feb 2005 00:00:00 +0800 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=741&ca=Culture Perhaps you heard of a child born with “crab hands”—instead of having five fingers, his arms end in two thick appendages that look like the pincers of a crab. In the Philippines, many folks would most likely blame this on 'paglilihí.' According to a longstanding Filipino belief concerning 'paglilih... Culture ALfie Mella Mon, 07 Feb 2005 00:00:00 +0800 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=742&ca=Culture Holidays and festivals are among the most important aspects of Icelandic culture. They mirror not only Iceland’s character but also that of its people. Icelanders await and prepare for these lavish celebrations with reverence and anticipation. An Age-Old Custom ============= In Iceland, as in any ot... Culture ALfie Mella Mon, 07 Feb 2005 00:00:00 +0800 http://www.isnare.com/?aid=743&ca=Culture Perhaps the most popular realm in Thai mythology, Himapan Forest is the invisible woodland believed to exist in the Himalayas, in the India-Nepal border, just below the equally legendary Buddhist heaven. The fabled forest is home to a great number of mythical beasts that have become symbols of exemp...