Latest news with #superstitions
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- General
- South China Morning Post
Gifts you must avoid giving in Chinese culture, from clocks and shoes to pears
Many objects are considered auspicious in Chinese culture. Red items , for example, are thought to be lucky because of the colour's associations with good fortune and prosperity – red clothing is commonly worn during Lunar New Year as it symbolises new beginnings. But there are also items that are considered unlucky, especially when given as a present. Giving the wrong present can risk ill will for years to come. Below are five things you should never give as a gift according to Chinese superstitions and customs. 1. Timepieces Giving timepieces as gifts is a no-no in Chinese culture. Photo: Shutterstock While watches are commonly given as gifts in the West, in Chinese culture it is considered a faux pas to give someone an object that tells time. This is because in Cantonese and Mandarin, song zhong – meaning 'to gift a clock' – sounds like 'to gift the end', which refers to the ritual of sending someone off at the end of their life. Accordingly, giving a timepiece – whether a wristwatch, a pocket watch, a vintage grandfather clock or a modern alarm clock – means you wish death upon the recipient. If you receive a timepiece as a present, you can avoid misfortune by giving a nominal amount of money to the giver to indicate you are not receiving a gift but rather paying for the object.
Malay Mail
4 days ago
- Malay Mail
‘Stop exploiting her name': Family forced to cordon off UPSI crash victim's grave amid surge in superstition seekers, supernatural claims
BESUT, June 29 – The grave of Nurly Shahirah Azman, who died in a bus crash involving Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students in Gerik, Perak, has been cordoned off by her family to prevent superstitious activities at the burial site. Sinar Harian reported that her brothers and a relative installed the barrier rope at around 6.30pm on Saturday at the Kampung Gong Pasir Muslim Cemetery in Kerandang here. 'We appreciate all the prayers offered for her, but we urge people not to engage in superstitious acts or exploit her name for personal gain,' her brother, Mohd Najmuddin Azman, reportedly said. 'Our family set up this barrier to curb such unhealthy practices and to remind the public to observe proper decorum when visiting the grave.' The family also planted shrubs and laid small white stones over the grave to cover the soil. Mohd Najmuddin said the family would also conduct periodic patrols as people continued to visit the grave since the day of the accident. This comes as a Facebook user alleged that some visitors had taken soil from the grave and smeared it on their children's faces. He also warned that the Besut Islamic religious office will take action against those found performing superstitious rituals at the grave site. Another Facebook user also claimed that the grave had a fragrant scent, and that they had come to visit in order for blessings to rub off on them. Nurly Shahirah, 23, was a hafizah — one who memorises the Quran. She was among 15 UPSI students who died when a bus carrying 42 passengers veered off the East-West Highway near Gerik on June 9. Hundreds have visited her family's home and grave, seeking supernatural blessings and boons — with viral social media posts even showing the direction to reach there. A total of 48 individuals were involved in the incident, with 13 pronounced dead at the scene and two more succumbing to injuries in hospital.
National Post
20-06-2025
- Sport
- National Post
Up Close: Meet Roughriders receiver KeeSean Johnson
Article content Article content Any game-day superstitions? Article content 'Since I had children, I have to talk to my children before I go out there and play, before I leave the locker room … That's who I do it for, obviously. That's what I strive for is to give them the best life. Article content 'I talk to my mom, talk to my dad. Me and my mom, we say our prayer together; me and my dad, we talk ball together. Article content What would you be doing if you weren't playing football? Article content 'If wasn't playing football, I would probably be coaching or probably helping somewhere with the youth, doing something in that form. Article content 'That's always something I enjoy is spending time with younger kids and being able to give them something positive and showing them a positive role model. Article content 'Growing up in a tougher area, obviously you see different things, and you can still, you know, the sky's the limit. You can do whatever you want, whatever you put your mind to. No one tells you no other than yourself.' Article content 'No, my mom worked so hard to take that stress off of me and just let me and my brother be kids when we were kids and let us focus on school. Article content Article content 'She worked really hard. That was something that she always took pride in, working really hard and making sure if we do good, we get things that we want. And that's what I kind of try to throw into my kids now — as long as you do what you need to do, I can provide for your life and take stress off you to have you focus on what you what your goals are.' Article content Article content 'I'm pretty good at bowling. I can say that. I got into that when I was in Philly. One of my teammates, him and his mom took it really serious. Article content 'I went with them one day and it was like, 'OK, I'm not good at bowling, like at all.' And then it's kind of just, the competitor in me, started to just go, ended up buying my own balls and figuring it out. And now I'm pretty good at bowling. Article content 'When I'm back home, me and my boys, we tend to have a day here and there to go out and bowl.' Article content What else should people know about you? Article content 'I'm very competitive. I don't like losing. Losing is something that's not in me; I could take it, but it's not in me. Article content Article content 'I don't like losing; don't like being wrong. I like to go out there and I try to do my best to be right. I try to do my best on the football field. Article content 'In life, there's obviously ways that you can be wrong and learn different things, but on the football field, I try to do my assignments (and) make sure I know my assignments.' Article content
The Sun
12-06-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Half of new parents believed pregnancy myths that turned out to be FALSE – which ones do you think are right?
FOOD cravings and bump size are among the most common myths expectant parents believe. But half of parents believed myths during pregnancy that turned out to be false, according to new research. 1 By just looking at the bump and analysing pregnancy cravings, the challenge is to decide if it's a boy or a girl. According to these commonly believed myths, carrying the baby high in the womb means it's a girl, while lower means a boy. And salty or sour cravings point towards a boy whereas those craving sweet things are carrying a girl. It comes after research, commissioned by Vitabiotics Pregnacare, found 47 per cent of new parents originally believed well-known myths during pregnancy that they later realised weren't all true. A poll of 1,000 parents of children aged 0-10 found 11 per cent of those believed having sour cravings during the first trimester indicated you were expecting a boy. While the same percentage (11 per cent) thought carrying the baby high up in the womb meant you would be welcoming a little girl to the world. And 12 per cent believed that experiencing an influx of spots on your skin also indicated a female. But 79 per cent feel at least a few of the superstitions about pregnancy that they'd heard about and believed in ended up coming true. As a result, 51 per cent of those who had heard of a superstition used this to try and predict their baby's gender. With 44 per cent of these trying the 'swinging ring test' - where you tie a ring to a string and swing it over the belly to see which way it moves. Carly Sandland, doula and founder of The Doula Club, which matches pregnant women with doulas to provide support to families during pregnancy, labour, birth and postpartum, said: 'As a doula, I've heard every pregnancy myth going. 'Carrying high? Must be a boy. Bad skin? Definitely a girl. Craving savoury food? That's obviously a boy. 'It's amazing how confidently people will make these calls - even from complete strangers in the supermarket. 'What this research shows is how common these myths still are - and how many people believe them, even just a little. 'But why not enjoy the guessing games? Have a laugh at the wild ones, and let people guess if they must. But don't let any of it carry more weight than it deserves. 'Myths aren't facts. And they definitely aren't a substitute for understanding your own body and the right professional advice. 'If something feels off, ask questions. If it doesn't sit right, trust yourself.' Parents-to-be who have heard about pregnancy myths also believed severe morning sickness would suggest a female baby, while mild sickness pointed towards a boy (14 per cent). While 10 per cent thought jumping up and down vigorously after sex would stop conception happening. It also emerged 30 per cent of those who tried to use a superstition to guess the baby's gender had a go at the 'key test', where the expectant parent is observed picking up a key and if they opt to grab it by the narrow end, it means a girl is due. And while 53 per cent of new parents asked friends and family for advice about their baby's arrival, 42 per cent turned to Google – and 23 per cent searched social media. But 13 per cent of parents who had heard about myths or superstitions claim they influenced their expectations of pregnancy 'a lot', according to the figures. A spokesperson for Vitabiotics Pregnacare added: 'Of course, not all of these tales are rooted in fact - but they can still be surprisingly persuasive. 'While these stories are usually fairly harmless, it's always best to check anything that may be concerning or unusual with a midwife or medical professional.' Top 20 myths expectant parents believed 1. Severe morning sickness means it's a girl/ mild or no morning sickness means it's a boy 2. Eating spicy food can induce labour 3. Having clear skin means it's a boy/ having bad skin means it's a girl 4. In your third trimester, if you're carrying high it's a girl and low for a boy 5. Craving sweets means it's a girl/ salty or sour foods means it's a boy 6. A round belly means it's a girl/a pointed belly means it's a boy 7. If you gain weight in your face, it's a girl/ if you gain weight in your hips and thighs, it's a boy 8. Avoiding spicy foods will prevent colic in the baby 9. A baby's heart rate above 140 bpm indicates it's a girl/ below indicates it's a boy 10. You shouldn't breast feed if you're ill 11. Jumping up and down immediately after intercourse will prevent conception 12. After intercourse, a hot bath or a heating pad on the stomach prevents conception 13. If the dark belly line extends above the belly button it means it's a boy/if it stays below the belly button it means it's a girl 14. Using the missionary position helps to conceive a girl 15. Eating yams increases fertility 16. You should only eat plain food while breastfeeding 17. If you're moodier, it's a girl/ if you're more relaxed, it's a boy 18. Dreaming about having a boy means you're having a girl, and vice versa 19. If when you swing a ring over your belly it moves in a circle it's a girl/ if moves back and forth it's a boy 20. Expectant parents will deliver babies similarly to the way their mothers did
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Are ghosts real? A social psychologist examines the evidence
Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you'd like an expert to answer, send it to curiouskidsus@ Is it possible for there to be ghosts? – Madelyn, age 11, Fort Lupton, Colorado Certainly, lots of people believe in ghosts – a spirit left behind after someone who was alive has died. In a 2021 poll of 1,000 American adults, 41% said they believe in ghosts, and 20% said they had personally experienced them. If they're right, that's more than 50 million spirit encounters in the U.S. alone. That includes the owner of a retail shop near my home who believes his place is haunted. When I asked what most convinced him of this, he sent me dozens of eerie security camera video clips. He also brought in ghost hunters who reinforced his suspicions. Some of the videos show small orbs of light gliding around the room. In others, you can hear faint voices and loud bumping sounds when nobody's there. Others show a book flying off a desk and products jumping off a shelf. It's not uncommon for me to hear stories like this. As a sociologist, some of my work looks at beliefs in things like ghosts, aliens, pyramid power and superstitions. Along with others who practice scientific skepticism, I keep an open mind while maintaining that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. Tell me you had a burger for lunch, and I'll take your word for it. Tell me you shared your fries with Abraham Lincoln's ghost, and I'll want more evidence. In the 'spirit' of critical thinking, consider the following three questions: People may think they're experiencing ghosts when they hear strange voices, see moving objects, witness balls or wisps of light or even translucent people. Yet no one describes ghosts as aging, eating, breathing or using bathrooms – despite plumbers receiving many calls about toilets 'ghost-flushing.' So could ghosts be made of a special kind of energy that hovers and flies without dissipating? If that's the case, that means when ghosts glow, move objects and make sounds, they are acting like matter – something that takes up space and has mass, like wood, water, plants and people. Conversely, when passing through walls or vanishing, they must not act like matter. But centuries of physics research have found nothing like this exists, which is why physicists say ghosts can't exist. And so far, there is no proof that any part of a person can continue on after death. Never before in history have people recorded so many ghost encounters, thanks in part to mobile phone cameras and microphones. It seems there would be great evidence by now. But scientists don't have it. Instead, there are lots of ambiguous recordings sabotaged by bad lighting and faulty equipment. But popular television shows on ghost hunting convince many viewers that blurry images and emotional reactions are proof enough. As for all the devices ghost hunters use to capture sounds, electrical fields and infrared radiation – they may look scientific, but they're not. Measurements are worthless without some knowledge of the thing you're measuring. When ghost hunters descend on an allegedly haunted location for a night of meandering and measurement, they usually find something they later deem paranormal. It may be a moving door (breeze?), a chill (gap in the floorboards?), a glow (light entering from outside?), electrical fluctuations (old wiring?), or bumps and faint voices (crew in other rooms?). Whatever happens, ghost hunters will draw a bull's-eye around it, interpret that as 'evidence' and investigate no further. Personal experiences with ghosts can be misleading due to the limitations of human senses. That's why anecdotes can't substitute for objective research. Alleged hauntings usually have plenty of non-ghostly explanations. One example is that retail establishment in my neighborhood. I reviewed the security camera clips and gathered information about the store's location and layout, and the exact equipment used in the recordings. First, the 'orbs': Videos captured many small globes of light seemingly moving around the room. In reality, the orbs are tiny particles of dust wafting close to the camera lens, made to 'bloom' by the camera's infrared lights. That they appear to float around the room is an optical illusion. Watch any orb video closely and you'll see they never go behind objects in the room. That's exactly what you'd expect with dust particles close to the camera lens. Next, voices and bumps: The shop is in a busy corner mini-mall. Three walls abut sidewalks, loading zones and parking areas; an adjacent store shares the fourth. The security camera mics probably recorded sounds from outdoors, other rooms and the adjacent unit. The owner never checked for these possibilities. Then, the flying objects: The video shows objects falling off the showroom wall. The shelf rests on adjustable brackets, one of which wasn't fully seated in its slot. The weight of the shelf caused the bracket to settle into place with a visible jerk. This movement sent some items tumbling off the shelf. Then, the flying book: I used a simple trick to recreate the event at home: a hidden string taped inside a book's cover, wrapped around the kitchen island, and tugged by my right hand out of camera range. Now I can't prove there wasn't a ghost in the original video. The point is to provide a more plausible explanation than 'it must have been a ghost.' One final consideration: Virtually all ghostly experiences involve impediments to making accurate perceptions and judgments – bad lighting, emotional arousal, sleep phenomena, social influences, culture, a misunderstanding of how recording devices work, and the prior beliefs and personality traits of those who claim to see ghosts. All of these hold the potential to induce unforgettable ghostly encounters. But all can be explained without ghosts being real. Hello, curious kids! Do you have a question you'd like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to CuriousKidsUS@ Please tell us your name, age and the city where you live. And since curiosity has no age limit – adults, let us know what you're wondering, too. We won't be able to answer every question, but we will do our best. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Barry Markovsky, University of South Carolina Read more: Is the Loch Ness monster real? Hearing ghost voices relies on pseudoscience and fallibility of human perception Why magical thinking is so widespread – a look at the psychological roots of common superstitions Barry Markovsky does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
