A brief history of wedding rings from a mid Victorian perspective. This article first appeared in Appleton's Journal of Popular Literature, Science, and Art in July of 1869.]
From a recent work, by Edward J. Wood, on "The Wedding-Day in All Ages and Countries," we glean a few interesting facts in reference to the wedding-ring. The use of the ring, both in betrothal and marriage, seems to be of very old date. Among the ancient Hebrews the selection of a bride, always made by the parents of the lover, was followed by an espousal, which was confirmed by oaths and accompanied by presents. These gifts were probably the origin of the gift of the ring.
In the first meeting of the servant of Isaac and Rebekah, he seeks her favor by the present of a massive earring and two bracelets. After the consent of her parents, there were more costly gifts - "jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment." In later days, it was the custom for the bridegroom to place a ring upon the finger of the intended bride. It is not certain how early this custom began. There is no mention in the Bible of betrothal finger-rings; but, in Genesis xli. 42, a ring is mentioned as a token of fidelity or friendship, and, in Luke xv. 22, of adoption.

No reference to rings was made by the Talmudists, and these is an opinion that they were not used in the Mosaic days, but came in at a later period as an economical substitute for dowry-money. The modern Jews still attach more moment to the breaking of glass, not as a bond of union, but a suggestion that the union is irrevocable, as the damage to the crystal; also as a suggestion of the frailty of life, and a portent of the punishment of infidelity.

"Whatever may be the fact as to the use of marriage-rings in the Bible days," says the author, "monkish legends relate that Joseph and Mary used one, and moreover, that it was of onyx or amethyst. It was said to have been discovered in the year 996, when it was given by a jeweller from Jerusalem to a lapidary of Clusium, who had been sent to Rome by the wife of a marquis of Etruria, to make purchases for her. The jeweller told the lapidary of the preciousness of the relic; but he despised it, and kept it for several years among other articles of inferior value. However, a miracle revealed to him its genuineness; and it was placed in a church, where it worked many curative wonders. In 1473, it was deposited with some Franciscans at Clusium, from whom it was stolen; and ultimately it found its way to Perusia, where a church was built for it, and it still performed miracles; but they were, as Hone says, trifling in comparison with its miraculous powers of multiplying itself. It existed in different churchs in Europe at the same time, and, each ring being as genuine as the others, it was paid the same honors by the devout."

In modern Greece there are two rings used - gold for the bridegroom, and silver for the bride - which are frequently interchanged by the two in token of union and of domestic equality, the higher value of the ring of the husband, however, still marking his superiority.

In the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, the Italians used betrothal-rings, which were generally of silver, inlaid with niello. The bezel was oval or circular, and the shoulders of the hoop formed sleeves from which issued hands that clasped. The medieval Italians esteemed the diamond for espousal-rings, from its supposed power of maintaining concord between husband and wife.

Among the Anglo-Normans, the ring was always worn on the middle finger of the right hand, while in the latter part of the seventeenth century the wedding-ring was often worn on the thumb. The Quakers reject the ring as a remnant of Pagan superstition, and in the time of the Commonwealth the Puritans endeavored to abolish it for the same reason.

Although a ring is absolutely necessary in a Church-of-England marriage, it may be of any metal, and of any size. Some years since, a ring of brass was used at Worcester at a wedding before the registrar, who was threatened with proceedings for not compelling a gold to be employed. A story is told of two paupers, who came to the church and requested to be married with the church-key, as the parochial authorities had not furnished them with a ring. The clerk, feeling some delicacy about using the key, fetched an old curtain ring from his own house, and with that article the marriage was celebrated. The church-key was used in lieu of a wedding-ring at a church near Colchester, early in the present century; and that was not a solitary instance within the past one hundred years in England. The Duke of Hamilton was married at May Fair with a bed-curtain ring. Notes and Queries for October, 1860 relates that a ring of leather, cut transversely from a finger of the bridegroom's glove, was used as a substitute for the wedding-ring on one occasion. A clergyman unjustifiably stopped a wedding in India, because the bridegroom offered a diamond ring instead of the kind generally in use.

Wearing the ring on the fourth finger of the left hand is due to the belief of the ancients that a vein of that finger ran directly to the heart, and that the nuptial sign was thus joined to the seat of life. The fact that the soft metal is less worn or injured on the finger of that hand may have much to do with it. It is said, however, that the ring originally worn among the Anglo-Normans on the right hand of the bride was changed to the left, or inferior hand, in token of subjection. The particular finger is also said to be favored from an old custom of placing the ring on the first finger in the name of the Father, on the second in the name of the Son, and on the third in the name of the Holy Ghost. This usage probably grew up at the time of the Arian controversy.

One of the earliest and prettiest forms of betrothing-rings was the gemmal ring, once used by the Anglo-Saxons, and probably derived from the French or Normans. It was of two or three links, fastened on a hinge, and joining in one ring. Sometimes, when the two flat sides and the central ribbon joined, there were male and females hands to clasp at the union. A heart above these signified love, fidelity, union. At betrothal, the man and woman were often actually linked by a finger in each end of the three-hooped chain, and then, severing them, each kept the part held, and the witness the third, until all became the property of the bride of marriage. A gemmal ring of nine interlaced loops still exists. These often had posy verses upon the flat inner surface.

Fictitious rings of rushes were once used in England to delude girls into a mock marriage. A bishop of Salisbury, in 1217, put a stop to the sport by declaring the rush-ring contract legal. An old writer says: "Well, 'twas a good worlde, when such simplicitie was used, sayes the old women of our time; when a ring of a rush would tie as much love as a gimmon of golde."

Have you ever wondered why wedding rings are worn on the fourth finger of the left hand? In ancient Egypt, people believed there was a special vein in the body. This vein, known as the "vena amoris" or vein of love, connected the left ring finger directly to the heart. For this reason Egyptians felt that wearing a ring on this finger was the ultimate symbol of undying love.

It wasn't until the late 1800s that the diamond wedding ring grew in popularity. Even though the tradition of offering a diamond ring began in the 1400s, diamonds were not readily accessible. In 1870, African diamond mines made it possible for the public to share in the splendor.


Wedding Ring
It is hard to predict the exact origin of the wedding ring. Its origin is rather uncertain and is rife with superstition and mythology. Papyruses which dated back to the ancient Egyptian civilization depict wedding rings. Historians have rather confirmed that the tradition of wedding rings originated from the land of the Pharaohs. Engagement or betrothal rings were used in the pre-historic times but the wedding ring is relatively a new tradition.

In ancient times, accepting a wedding ring carried a lot of meaning. The wedding ring was accepted as a binding agreement between the husband and the wife. The wife rather became the private property of the husband, a holding of sorts. And the wedding ring also represented protection to the wife.

The early Egyptian wedding rings were circular bands, which were simple to look at and were crudely crafted from indigenous materials such as hemp and reeds. Since the eternal circle signified eternal love and devotion so it was in the form of a circular band. The circle also represented the joining of two halves to create a whole. These wedding rings had a very short lifespan approximately one year. But someone who desired a more permanent token of eternity crafted such rings of ivory, leather and other sturdy materials.

Later on metals replaced the earlier hemp and reed wedding rings. It is said that the Romans moved to lead, while the other civilization preferred brass and copper wedding rings. Gold became a metal of choice. The early Irish couples insisted on gold wedding rings as the other metals were considered to bring in bad luck and rather constitute an illegal marriage. But couples who were unable to afford a gold wedding ring went for other metals.


The earlier designs of a wedding ring were crude and were adorned with semiprecious metals in an attempt to disguise the handiwork but the color of the stones had lot significance. For instance a wedding ring with a red ruby signified the heart, the ring with a blue sapphire signifies the skies and the heaven, and the rarest diamond signified the indestructible bond of marriage.

There was a superstition that the fit of the wedding ring had to be perfect. It was believed that a loose fitted wedding ring would lead to a sloppy marriage, and even cause the couples to break apart. If the ring was too fit it would doom the couple to a suffocating and painful marriage.

In ancient times wedding ring was worn in the ring finger on the left hand as it is worn today. The significance of the ring finger or the third finger is that, the vein in this finger is connected directly to the heart. This thought was propagated by the Egyptians and was adopted as truth by the Greeks and the Romans and is believed by lovers till date.

Early Christian marriages had a ritual to wear the wedding ring in the third finger, as the priest recited ?in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit?, he would take the ring and touch the thumb, the first finger and then the second finger. And while uttering ?Amen?, he would then place the ring on the third finger, which sealed the marriage. Even today this practice of wearing the ring in the third finger is still prevalent. But there was a short period during the Elizabethan era, when wedding ring resided on the thumb. During the World War II, double ring ceremonies gained popularity as the young soldiers shipped off to war.

Not Just a Piece of Jewelry

Wedding rings are not just pieces of jewelry but they are symbol of eternal love, romance and devotion to each other. From the comfort point of view since wedding rings are to be worn for the rest of your life, you should select a wedding ring that should not only be gorgeous and beautiful but also comfortable, trendy and go well with your style statement.

Also it is upon your choice to decide whether you want identical rings for yourself and your beloved or if the bride and groom will have different rings. Then you have to decide about the material and the style. These days it is not that you have to go with the yellow gold wedding ring but you can also go for beautiful titanium, platinum and white gold rings. The white rings are in fashion because they can go with any outfit even after marriage. Celtic wedding rings, solitaire diamond wedding rings, and other gemstone rings are also in fashion these days. But if you are really looking for a unique and top quality wedding ring that would indeed look great for a long time you can at best go for a platinum wedding ring. A platinum ring does not glitter as much as gold rings, which make it, look very chic.

White gold ring is another popular choice with modern couples. Lot of people prefer the brilliance of a white gold wedding ring, so white gold solitaires are very fashionable now. Titanium rings also look great for wedding and engagement. It looks similar to white gold, but feels much lighter and is also less expensive.

Also you and your beloved may wear the wedding ring the rest of your lives but ring fashions can change. And it is prudent on your part to select a ring that best suits your personality.

But the Super Eagles' German coach can count himself fortunate after Uganda's Cranes had a goal disallowed in the last minute. Forward Nwankwo Kanu scored the all-important goal after 73 minutes in a tight affair between the group leaders and the team in second place. Nigeria have now won all three of their Nations Cup qualifiers, and their nine points are five more than second-placed Uganda.

The match is a clear indication that all is not well with the Eagles yet.
There are some Eagle that are not fit to be part of the team.
Here is a critique analysis of the play to player performance.

1.Austin Ejide- Definitely not better than Vincent Enyeama.He showed some naivety with crosses.The goal that was disallowed was caused by him, he committed himselfby running out of his box but indecision to go after the ball made the roving ugandan striker nod ahead of our defender.He was not really tested. 4/10

2.Isaac Okoronkwo.The worst player on the Pitch from both sides.
He made school boys mistakes and caused a lot of errors that almost caused us the match.
His Performance is dreadful for a professioal player who has played at the highest level in Ukraine.
My personal opinion is that that shaould be his last game for the Eagles. 2/10

3.Taye Taiwo. His shot on goal that hit the cross bar was the only moment Taye creditably played.His other moments were dreadful. his tackles, timing, passes, defensive agility and technical acumen.Taye is not the best left back in the country.4/10

4.Rabiu Afolabi. Good performance can still improve. 6/10
5.Joseph Yobo. The man in the Middle should know that as of date he's is the most experienced eagle defender so he should act like one.He needs to work on his control,concentartion and aerial battles.Performance 5/10

5.Seyi Olofinjana. His job is to win and distrubute balls, he failed in that category. He's not the best in that position. 3/10

6.Chris Obodo. Lacked confidence in the match, should work on his game for big matches. Failed in the midfiled to distrubute balls for the attack. 4/10

7.Osaze Odemwingie. Best eagle on the pitch. would performed better if allowed to operate with Marins in front.Best eagle now 8/10

8.Kanu Nwankwo. For his goal , he clearly showed his experience and predatory instinct in the box.
Should started from the bench. 7/10

9.Obafemi Marins. Didn't get quality services from the Mid field.Good figthing abilities.6/10

10.John Utaka. Came in alte in the game. would done better from the start.4/10
11.Obinna Nwaneri. Did well to cover for Okoronkwo 5/10

Over all the Eagles played below par, some has said the Pitch was a factor but i think the players lacked co-ordination and strength.

Water is a fundamental part of our lives. It is easy to forget how completely we depend on it. Human survival is dependent on water -- water has been ranked by experts as second only to oxygen as essential for life. The average adult body is 55 to 75% water. 2/3 of your body weight is water (40 to 50 quarts). A human embryo is more than 80% water. A newborn baby is 74% water. Everyday your body must replace 2 1/2 quarts of water.The Water you drink literally becomes you! Since such a large percentage of our bodies is water, water must obviously figure heavily in how our bodies function. We need lots of fresh water to stay healthy. Aside from aiding in digestion and absorption of food, water regulates body temperature and blood circulation, carries nutrients and oxygen to cells, and removes toxins and other wastes. This "body water" also cushions joints and protects tissues and organs, including the spinal cord, from shock and damage

Every process in our body occurs in a water medium. We can exist without food for 2 months or more, but we can only survive for a few days without water.
Most people don't drink enough water. The body responds to this water deficiency in a variety of ways, which we frequently see as illnesses. When, many symptoms decrease. Ongoing dehydration may cause actual disease as the body struggles to maintain itself with insufficient water

Although water covers more than 70% of the Earth's surface, only 1% of the Earth's water is available as a source of drinking water

Water is the world's greatest life source. Yet, in many parts of the world, water resources are scarce. Over a billion people live without access to safe drinking water, and droughts caused by water scarcity threatens the livelihoods of many more. Furthermore, water scarcity causes environmental damage, such as the loss of rare and beautiful habitats.

World Day of Water is an initiative that grew out of the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro. This year's theme of the Day is "Coping with water scarcity".
Water is the world's most useful natural resources.Water is used for cooking, washing, bathing and other household activities.

The scarcity of water in Lagos state as been a trying experience for its Settlers.In suburb Communities there is no good water for the residents to drink from.
Water scarcity has been an endemic problem with government administartion in Nigeria,as we celebrate nature's freest gift i implore the relevant authorities to look into the supply of good quality water for people to drink from. I wonder how life would be like if there are no good water for us to drink from.
The responsibility to provide good water and end scarcity is an obligation that must be achieved by all responsible governments.
This is a message to all aspiring office seekers in the next elections.Water should be a tool for a good campaign for you to secure your votes.

There is a surprising connection between the quality of our water and healthful longevity. There are many health benefits of increasing the amount and quality of the water we drink. All over the world and throughout time, wherever you find the most contaminant-free water... you find the healthiest, most vibrant civilizations.

Nigerians are today the happiest people on earth even without quality water to drink.There is scarcity of water from rural community in lagos, to another suburb comminity in Kano,Calabar, Ibadan and other major cities.The deveasting effect of oil spillages in the Niger Delta areas has made it impossible for residents to hace access to good water.
How long shall we continue to suffer from a gift freely given by nature to us all.
As we celebrate the World's water day,the Nigerian Government must provide quality water for us all.
The need to end scarcity of water is a responsibility to be embarked on by concerned Nigerians.Water must be Free.Water must be avaialble in every homes.

Nigeria tops happiness survey

The survey confirms money does not buy happiness
A new study of more than 65 countries published in the UK's New Scientist magazine suggests that the happiest people in the world live in Nigeria - and the least happy, in Romania.

People in Latin America, Western Europe and North America are happier than their counterparts in Eastern Europe and Russia.

HAPPINESS AROUND THE WORLD
The happiest
Nigeria
Mexico
Venezuela
El Salvador
Puerto Rico

The least happy
Russia
Armenia
Romania
Source: New Scientist

Nigeria has the highest percentage of happy people followed by Mexico, Venezuela, El Salvador and Puerto Rico, while Russia, Armenia and Romania have the fewest.

But factors that make people happy may vary from one country to the next with personal success and self-expression being seen as the most important in the US, while in Japan, fulfilling the expectations of family and society is valued more highly.

The survey appears to confirm the old adage that money cannot buy happiness.

PATH TO HAPPINESS
Genetic propensity to happiness
Marriage
Make friends and value them
Desire less
Do someone a good turn
Have faith (religious or not)
Stop comparing your looks with others
Earn more money
Grow old gracefully
Don't worry if you're not a genius

The researchers for World Values Survey described the desire for material goods as "a happiness suppressant".

They say happiness levels have remained virtually the same in industrialised countries since World War II, although incomes have risen considerably.

The exception is Denmark, where people have become more satisfied with life over the last three decades.

The study was carried out in 1999-2001 and published for the first time by New Scientist this week.

Consumerism

Researchers believe the unchanging trend is linked to consumerism.

"New Zealand ranked 15 for overall satisfaction, the US 16th, Australia 20th and Britain 24th - although Australia beats the other three for day-to-day happiness," New Scientist says.

The survey is a worldwide investigation of socio-cultural and political change conducted about every four years by an international network of social scientists.

It includes questions about how happy people are and how satisfied they are with their lives.

Although such surveys are not new, they are being increasingly taken into account by policy makers, the magazine says.

We thank the magazine for its research.
UP Nigeria, for the first time we are been credited for the right reasons.
To say Nigerians are the happiest people on earth is a joy to me.But what baffles me despite our economic hardship, poverty level, High Inflation, Unemployment, Insecurity, Police brutality and Obasanjo's Fight with Atiku, we could still be happy. It means we can practically achieve whatever we want to if we so choose.
Thumbs up for all Nigerians.
Yours100% Nigerian