DECK THE HOLIDAY'S

   Thaipusam   is  a  Hindu  festival celebrated mostly by the  Tamil  community on the full moon in the  Tamil month  of  Thai  (January/February). It is celebrated not only in countries where the Tamil community constitutes a majority, but also in countries where Tamil communities are smaller, such as  Mauritius ,  Singapore  and  Malaysia .    The word  Thaipusam  is derived from the month name  Thai  and  Pusam , which refers to a star that is at its highest point during the festival. The festival commemorates the occasion when  Parvati  gave  Murugan  a  vel  "spear" so he could vanquish the evil demon  Soorapadam . There is a misconception among people that Thaipusam marks Murugan's birthday; however, it is believed that Vaikhasi Vishakam, which falls in the Vaikhasi month (May/June), is Murugan's birthday. Origin    Skanda (or Murugan) was created during one of the battles between the Asuras (or to be more specific Soorapadman) and the Devas. At

    Benjamin Franklin once wrote in a letter to a friend:  "in the world nothing can be said to be certain except   death and taxes".  When the inevitable happens, funeral rites, rituals, and ceremonies must be undertaken. Funeral customs are as old as civilization itself, and they vary from region to region.     In many cultures and religions, cemeteries (from the Greek  koimeterion  or Latin  coemeterium , meaning sleeping place) are used for death ceremonies, burial, mourning and memorial. Unusual or historical cemeteries have also become popular tourist attractions....cemetery tourism, the  "dark"  side of tourism, is a growing phenomenon around the world.     Here is a list of the top 10 unusual and most visited cemeteries: Cimetiere Des Chiens - Cimetiere des Chiens , a cemetery for dogs and other domestic animals, is said to be the world's oldest public pet cemetery. It is located in  Asnieres-sur Seine , a commune in the no

Tiramisu Dip Espresso, marsala, and mascarpone cheese whipped into an airy dessert dip. Difficulty:  Easy |  Total Time:  10 mins |  Active Time:  10 mins  |  Makes: 3 1/2 cups (8 to 10 servings) By turning  tiramisu  into a dip, you skip all the hassle of making the traditional trifle without losing any of the flavor. We liked strawberries and various cookies as dipping instruments, but the dip could also be spooned into individual cups with a few ladyfingers for a quick, elegant dessert. Game plan:  The dip can be made up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated in a covered container. This recipe was featured as part of our story on summer dips. INGREDIENTS 12 ounces mascarpone cheese (about 1 1/2 cups) 8 ounces ricotta cheese (about 1 cup) 1/2 cup granulated sugar 2 tablespoons brewed espresso 2 tablespoons Marsala or Kahlúa 1 teaspoon cocoa powder 1/2 cup finely chopped bittersweet chocolate INSTRUCTIONS Place mascarpone in a stand mixer fitte