Todaynin New Orleans, quarterbacks for the San Francisco 49ers and thenBaltimore Ravens will be throwing footballs to their running backs.
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Todaynin Japan, celebrities and sumo wrestlers will be throwing roastednsoybeans plus small envelopes with money, sweets, candies, and othernprizes into the crowds around Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines. n
Todaynin Japan, celebrities and sumo wrestlers will be throwing roastednsoybeans plus small envelopes with money, sweets, candies, and othernprizes into the crowds around Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines. nn
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nThenfootball throwing, of course, is Super Bowl XLVII. The bean throwingnis part of Setsubun,nthe Japanese bean-throwing festival. Soybeans are known as “fortunenbeans.” In the past (and in some homes still) the “man of thenfamily” throws beans out the front door, into the street, or at anmember of the family who is wearing a demon mask. While he isnthrowing beans, everybody says, “Demons out! Luck in!” Then theynslam the door shut. The whole festival is meant to purify the homenbefore the start of spring.
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nMostnJapanese people do not throw beans themselves, these days, butninstead visit the local temple or shrine for the fun of scooping upnwhat the celebrities throw.
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nOthernSetsubunncustoms include wearing disguises, dressing in a way that reversesnroles (such as young children dressing as adults and adults dressingnas young children, or boys dressing as girls and girls dressing asnboys), eating uncut makizushin(a kind of sushi) and drinking ginger sake.
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nBynthe way…
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nInmentioned that today is Super Bowl XLVII….
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nbutndo you know what the Roman numerals XLVII stand for? n
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nLn= 50, X = 10, V = 5, I = 1. n
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nIfna smaller number is positioned in front of a larger number, younsubtract that smaller number from the larger number. Otherwise, younadd up the numbers.
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nX L V I I
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n10nfrom 50 plus 5 plus 1 plus 1 = 47
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nAlsonon this date:
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nPaleontologistnGideon Mantell’s birthday
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