Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year, There are many ways to ring in the Year of the Dragon in Toronto. Some events kick off on Friday and the celebration continues for two weeks. If ever the world needed a dragon – the most powerful and auspicious Chinese zodiac sign – to distract from dire Mayan predictions, this is it. Come Sunday, millions of families worldwide will come together to feast and celebrate as the dragon breathes life into the new year.

It’s the Year of the Water Dragon – the only mystical creature in Chinese astrology, a creature that stirs excitement among Chinese zodiac followers for its strength, luck, intensity and vitality.

“The dragon is very important. It’s majestic, a sign of authority,” said Angela Chan, vice-president of Toronto’s Chinese Cultural Centre. “We hope that in the year of the dragon, the economy will pick up.”

Though often called Chinese New Year, the annual celebration (also called the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival) is celebrated by Vietnamese, Korean and other Asian populations worldwide. It’s tied to the lunar-solar Chinese calendar and falls on different days every year.

The marathon 15-day celebration is a time of renewal and well-wishing, of spending time with family, feasting and giving thanks.

Customs and traditions vary by location, but most families will gather on New Year’s Eve – this year on Sunday – to clean house, feast on dumplings and set off fireworks to usher in the New Moon.

Homes are often cleaned and decorated with blossoming flowers (they symbolize new life), tangerines and candy trays – all intended to bring good fortune and happiness in the year to come

“There’s a lot of preparation involved,” said Hong Kong-born Chan, who has continued to uphold New Year traditions since moving to Canada more than 20 years ago.

Then on Monday, New Year’s Day, elders will present the family’s young generation with red paper pockets (lai see in Cantonese) stuffed with lucky money.

Dr. David Chuenyan Lai, a now-retired University of Victoria geography and Asia-Pacific studies professor, remembers Chinese New Year as a child in Hong Kong. The young Lai would wake up first thing on New Year’s Day and kneel before his elders.

“Wishing you prosperity (Gung hay fat choy in Cantonese),” he would say, receiving lai see in return.

“It’s all about family,” said Lai, who still lives in Victoria.

Historically, Chinese New Year celebrations involve 15 days of honouring the household, family ancestors and the gods. It’s a food- and family-centric holiday, celebrated with traditional feasts, often involving whole fish, chicken and uncut noodles.

Celebrations traditionally end with a lantern festival, hand-painted lanterns often suspended from home windows or carried in procession beneath the full moon.

In China, the new year means millions of people will board planes and trains homeward bound to eat, relax and spend time with family. It’s one of the busiest travel times of the year, said Lai.

Chinese Zodiac

Chinese Zodiac, Rat aggressive; Buffalo worker’s smile and his friend Tiger the cat or rabbit prudent spiffy the Dragon, the wise snake, horse talented, goat sweet, joyous Monkey; the proud rooster, the faithful dog, and Pig scrupulous. So he decided to found the Chinese calendar on these animals in the order they came to listen. Each animal has a year dedicated to his nature, and animals run in a 12-year cycle.

Much of Chinese philosophy is built around the belief in the five elements and their ability to interact with and build relationships. The five elements of metal, water, wood, fire and earth, were a driving force in Chinese culture almost from the beginning. In Chinese tradition, the five elements interact to influence its destiny, with the astrological sign of the year of birth.People born during the years 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987 and 1999 are most fortunate to be born in the year of the rabbit. If you or someone you know is a rabbit … head high, it will be an interesting year. In Chinese mythology, the year of the Rabbit symbol represents longevity and it is believed that the rabbit has a close relationship with the moon. Westerners can refer to man in the moon, but when the Chinese peer to the moon, what they see is the date of rabbits by a rock, holding a cup that overflows with the elixir of immortality. As symbols go, this is considered one of the most beautiful.
However, I was born in the Year of the Snake, characterized by a spirit deep and sophisticated approach of love and life. According to the literature, people Snake lot of sympathy for others and try to help those less fortunate. They are known to be attractive, intense and calm at the surface! On the other hand, people are often quite vain snake, selfish and a bit stingy. Well, forget that part.
I’m also a big fan, of course, Chinese food! It is customary to eat the cooked fish when marking the Chinese New Year, according to the people of Chengdu 1, a favorite restaurant in the Plaza Shopping Pilgrim, 89 Pompton Ave., and Cedar Grove. At another fantastic restaurant Chinese, Ma TS, staff dined Shanghai dumplings and honey walnut chicken when they celebrated the Year of the Rabbit a little early. (It is located at 199 Bellevue Avenue, Montclair.)
In addition to food and astrology, I am intrigued by these aspects of Chinese culture: the beautiful calligraphy, traditional music and opera, fashion beautiful and complicated history. And with apologies to my beloved cats, I think the Shih Tzu, very elegant little dog of China, is appealing. Its name means “Lion Dog” because the dog was bred to look like guardian lions in traditional Chinese art.

Which is a different system than we are accustomed in the West. Chinese astrology, more than 5,000 years, paints a portrait of personalities. He tries to explain how people react to life stress, challenges and relationships based on birth year.
Chinese astrology is based on animals that make up the signs, the 12 equal parts of the Chinese zodiac. They are animals that have appeared in response to an invitation to all the stories and traditions.

In the Chinese zodiac, the rabbit is the fourth in a cycle of 12 animals that represent each Chinese New Year, with the year of the rabbit within 3 February 2011 to January 22, 2012.

America’s top diplomat Hillary Clinton urged revelers to “continue to work together in this New Year to deepen our friendships and make progress on the challenges we face.”

“President Obama and I are committed to the people of the Asia-Pacific – committed to strengthening our ties with traditional allies, to make new friends and working to establish constructive relations throughout the region,” she said, noting the important contribution of Asian Americans.

Nancy Pelosi, Democratic leader in the House of Representatives, welcomed the Lunar New Year as an opportunity to “celebrate a rich culture and heritage, a time to reflect on the past year, embrace the possibilities of the future, and j ‘I look forward to a year of hope and prosperity, optimism and opportunity. “

Chinese New Year Calendar

Chinese New Year Calendar, (AFP) – President Barack Obama sent their best wishes for the Lunar New Year, which starts Thursday, while revelers across the United States and around the world prepares to usher in the Year of the Rabbit. ”

“As people of all cultures and religions are welcome in the new year we all celebrate our families and our ancestors, and enjoy the company of our loved ones,” Obama said in a statement, noting that many Americans celebrated the new Chinese calendar.

“Many Asian Americans focus on the rich traditions of their heritage, reminding us again that the strength of America comes from the richness of our cultures and diversity of our people.

“I wish all who celebrate the new year of peace, prosperity and good health,” he added.

In the Chinese zodiac, the rabbit is the fourth in a cycle of 12 animals that represent each Chinese New Year, with the year of the rabbit within 3 February 2011 to January 22, 2012.

America’s top diplomat Hillary Clinton urged revelers to “continue to work together in this New Year to deepen our friendships and make progress on the challenges we face.”

“President Obama and I are committed to the people of the Asia-Pacific – committed to strengthening our ties with traditional allies, to make new friends and working to establish constructive relations throughout the region,” she said, noting the important contribution of Asian Americans.

Nancy Pelosi, Democratic leader in the House of Representatives, welcomed the Lunar New Year as an opportunity to “celebrate a rich culture and heritage, a time to reflect on the past year, embrace the possibilities of the future, and j ‘I look forward to a year of hope and prosperity, optimism and opportunity. ”

Although most Chinese inaugurated on Thursday Lunar New Year with joy and festivities, people in the affected areas of China mourns victims of the most important day for family reunion, but they prayed for a better future.

The public was allowed to return to the earthquake-leveled Beichuan County to mourn their deceased relatives from Thursday, the first day of Chinese New Year according to the lunar calendar.

Beichuan, in Sichuan Province in southwest China, was abandoned after all the survivors of the earthquake that struck a rare May 12, 2008 have been resettled in areas adjacent to the end of the month.

A crowd of people started to enter the county seat Thursday morning after presenting proper identification.

They brought food and flowers, lighted candles, and whispered to their original sites ravaged, praying for peace for the dead and a better life for the living.

The county seat will be open for a week until the end of the leave of seven days the Spring Festival.

Thousands of people are expected to Beichuan, where 15,645 people lost their lives because of the earthquake measuring 8.0 that have about 80,000 dead or missing in Sichuan and adjacent areas.

Most survivors had already moved into new homes in Yongchang town, about 23 km, when the Chinese central government decided to relocate the entire population of Beichuan to a new location rather than reconstruction in the county.

North-western Qinghai province, many villagers in Yushu County, where a 7.1 magnitude earthquake killed about 2,200 people in April 2010, dropped all the holidays on Thursday.

Many woke up early so they can pay tribute, Scripture songs and burn incense to those killed in the earthquake, then return to normal life.

Nganggug Zhaxi, who has just moved into a new apartment at the end of last year, has prepared various foods and dishes.

Nganggug in his 40s said his family received any government so that their life is perfectly assured. He hoped his son would be enrolled in a university this year.

Zhouqu County in Gansu Province, where a massive landslide killed more than 1,700 dead or missing in August last year, many survivors gathered for dinner and watched TV shows after the mourning loved ones, killed in the disaster.

It Xinchang, a farmer from the village most affected Yueyuan, said his greatest hope is to move into a new house as soon as possible and begin a new life.

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year, (AFP) – go home for Chinese New Year used to mean squeezing into trains, dilapidated crack their way through the campaign.

But this year, many are opting for the comfort and the growing network of high speed trains in China, even if it means paying an average of more than three times – raising the concern of the not-so-rich are losers.

“The high-speed trains do not enjoy the middle segment and low-income population,” Zhao Jian, a professor at the Institute of Economics and Management of Beijing Jiaotong University, told AFP.

“They can enjoy the rich, giving them another option travel. But we build the tracks to promote economic development, not to serve one particular group of people. ”

China’s railway network at high speed, already the world’s largest, is growing rapidly. Railways Minister Liu Zhijun said last month it expected to reach 13,000 kilometers (8,000 miles) this year, a jump of more than 50 percent from 2010.

Trains offer an elegant respite from the overcrowding often experienced by tens of millions of people travel for the Lunar New Year, the most important festival in China, which this year falls on Thursday.

The one-week vacation is sometimes the only opportunity this year for families to reunite. And the main railway station in Beijing, many travelers said they would be happy to pay more if it meant going home earlier.

“I got up this morning to get a ticket, nor have I had at 10. I could not get a seat so I’ll be standing 16 hours on the train to go home, “Changming Zuo, who was heading north-eastern city of Harbin, told AFP.

“I prefer a high speed train at least I get a seat, but tickets sold,” said 24-year-old who works in the hospitality industry.

Wang Zhiguo, vice-minister of railways, said Sunday that so far, nearly 20 percent of all rail passengers had opted for high-speed trains during the period of travel.

But some passengers, experts and state media have even expressed fear that the fast trains have left people no choice but to pay more of their small salaries for tickets.

Weidong Liu, a migrant worker in the eastern city of Hangzhou, said he had to pay an extra 400-yuan ($ 60) for his family to return home this year – a third of his monthly salary.

“For us, 400 yuan is a lot of money. With this money we could buy many things for the festival,” he told the Xinhua news agency after failing to get regular at home Tickets for the neighboring province of Jiangxi.

The resentment has spread online, creating a popular buzzword – “bei gaotie” -, which means having to buy more expensive tickets because the normal trains are no longer available.

“The Ministry of Railways said problems during the Chinese New Year arise because there are not enough transmission capacity, adding that this (capacity) significantly increased this year,” one user online wrote on sina.com Web’s most popular portal.

“But unfortunately, they only increased transport capacity of high speed trains, which are too expensive for migrant workers, who have now set up their bikes home.”

Gerald Ollivier, senior infrastructure specialist at the World Bank in China, however, says that the railways at high speeds could actually benefit the poorest of the population.

“Part of the population has grown from traditional trains travel at high speed railway, which releases the seats, they would have used the traditional train,” he said.

“The high speed train essentially expands the range of options available for travel to the Chinese population. But the real test is whether the trains are full at peak hours, and if so, then it is demand. ”

Copyright © 2011 AFP. All rights reserved.

Honor the Year of the Rabbit on a tasty feast. Here, the celebrity chef Ming Tsai shares his recipe for ginger and star anise braised chicken steamed rice.
Ingredients
4 stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into pieces, roll 1/2-inch, cut or conventionally
2 large onions, 1/2-inch dice
1-teaspoon black pepper
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 / 4 bunch flat-leaf parsley
2 star anise
2 tablespoons minced ginger
1 / 2 cup naturally brewed soy sauce or tamari sauce naturally fermented
2 quarts chicken broth fresh or low-sodium canned chicken broth and a little more if necessary
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
A 5 – to 6-pound whole chicken, wing tips folded back
Preparation
1. In a stockpot or other large, wide pot or large casserole, combine celery, carrots, onions, pepper, bay leaves, thyme, parsley, anise, ginger and soy sauce. Add stock and season with salt and pepper.

2. Season the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan, breast side up. It must be completely covered with stock, but if not, add more.

3. Cover and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 penalty minutes. Turn off heat and let stand the saucepan, covered, 30 minutes to 1 hour (do not cook the chicken again after 30 minutes). Remove chicken and strain the broth, reserving the vegetables. Cut the chicken and serve with vegetables and bowls of broth.

Groundhog Day 2011

Groundhog Day 2011, January 31, the 31st day of 2011 with 334 to follow. The moon is waning. The morning stars are Mars, Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune. The evening stars are Mercury, Saturn and Venus. Those born on this date are under the sign of Aquarius. They include American patriot (OOTC: APAT) Gouverneur Morris, who wrote the articles of the Constitution of the United States in 1752, Austrian composer Franz Schubert in 1797; western novelist Zane Grey in 1872, comedian Eddie Cantor in 1892, Tallulah Bankhead actor in 1902; boxer Jersey Joe Walcott in 1914, radio and television personality Garry Moore in 1915; Baseball Hall of Fame member Jackie Robinson, the first African American to play baseball in the major leagues In 1919, actor / singer Mario Lanza in 1921, actors Carol Channing in 1921 (90 years) and Joanne Dru in 1922, novelist Norman Mailer in 1923, civil rights leader Benjamin Hooks in 1925, actors Jean Simmons 1929, Suzanne Pleshette in 1937, Jessica Walter in 1941 (70 years) and Minnie Driver in 1970 (age 41), Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands in 1938 (73 years), Baseball Hall of Fame member Ernie Banks in 1931 (80 years) and Nolan Ryan in 1947 (64), and singer Justin Timberlake in 1981 (30 years). On this date in history:
In 1929, the Soviet Union expelled communist revolutionary Leon Trotsky. He was assassinated in Mexico in August 1940.

In 1945, U. S. Army Pvt. Eddie Slovik, 24, was executed by firing squad for desertion. His was the first execution for desertion from the United States since the Civil War.

In 1950, U.S. President Harry Truman announced he had ordered development of the hydrogen bomb.

In 1953, nearly 2,000 people died when the North Sea flooded the Netherlands.

In 1958, Explorer 1, the first successful satellite of the United States, was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida

In 1961, NASA launched a rocket carrying the Chimp Hamp in space.

In 1982, the Israeli Cabinet has agreed to a force of peacekeeping multi-national to act as a buffer between Israel and Egypt in the Sinai Peninsula.

In 1990 the first McDonald’s opened in Moscow.

In 1995, after the U.S. Congress does not act quickly, U.S. President Bill Clinton used his emergency powers to provide financial difficulties in Mexico with $ 20 billion in loans.

In 1996, a suicide bombing at the main bank of Sri Lanka has killed nearly 100 people and injured over 1,000.

In 1999, an international team of scientists reported was traced the predominant strain of the AIDS virus in a subspecies of chimpanzees living in parts of Africa.

In 2000, Illinois Gov. George Ryan halted all executions in his state after several death rows were found innocent of crimes for which they were to be put to death.

In 2001 a Scottish court meeting in the Netherlands has convicted a Libyan man in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am flight 103. The plane exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing 270 people, including 11 on the ground.

In 2003, 18 people on a bus were killed when a bomb destroyed a bridge near Kandahar in southern Afghanistan.

In 2005 a U.S. judge in Washington ruled the process of determining “enemy combatants” at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, was unconstitutional.

In 2006, Samuel Alito was confirmed by the Senate of the United States as an associate judge on the Supreme Court of the United States by a 58-42 vote. He succeeded retiring Justice Sandra O’Connor.

In 2007, arrest warrants for 13 CIA agents were issued by a Munich court related to the alleged abduction of a German citizen for questioning terror.

In 2008, the U.S. presidential primary, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton continued life for the Democratic nomination while John Edwards came out. On the Republican side, John McCain, once a hard time staying in the race made his move with wins in South Carolina and Florida, Rudy Giuliani ended his bid.

In 2009, Republicans chose Michael Steele, former Lieutenant Governor of Maryland, head of the GOP National Committee, he was the first African American to hold this position.

In 2010, U.S. stocks ended the first month of the New Year on a downward trend, the Dow Jones industrial average recording a one-month decline of 3.5 percent and closed at 10,067.33, the Nasdaq Composite showing a decline of 5.4 percent and the Standard & Poor’s 500 index down 3.7 percent.

A thought for the day: it was Dag Hammarskjold who said: “Never measure the height of a mountain until you reach the top Then you’ll see how it was low.” Today is Tuesday, February 1st, the 32nd day of 2011 with 333 to follow.
The moon is waning. The morning stars are Mars, Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune. The evening stars are Mercury, Saturn and Venus.

Those born to date are under the sign of Aquarius. They include composer Victor Herbert in 1859, Hattie Caraway of Arkansas, first woman elected to the Senate in 1878, director John Ford in 1894 National Hockey League executive Conn Smythe in 1895, actor Clark Gable in 1901, Poet Langston Hughes in 1902, humorist SJ Perelman in 1904; cabaret singer Hildegarde Loretta Sell in 1906, film and special effects director George Pal in 1908, actor Stuart Whitman in 1928 (83 years), former Russian President Boris Yeltsin In 1931, singer Don Everly, rock parodist Ray “Dr. Hook” Sawyer and comedian Garrett Morris, all in 1937 (74 years), Sherman Hemsley actor in 1938 (age 73), actor / director Terry Jones ( “Monty Python’s Flying Circus”) in 1942 (69 years); journalist Jessica Savitch in 1947, singer Rick James in 1948, actor Billy Mumy in 1954 (57 years), Princess Stephanie of Monaco and actor Sherilyn Fenn , two in 1965 (age 46), singer Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of Elvis Presley and his ex-wife of Michael Jackson in 1968 (43 years), and actor Michael C. Hall in 1971 (40 years). On this date in history:
In 1790, the U.S. Supreme Court convened in New York for its first session.

In 1861, Texas seceded from the United States.

In 1865, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln signed the 13th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which abolished slavery.

In 1896, Giacomo Puccini’s opera “La Boheme” premiered in Turin, Italy.

In 1946, the Norwegian Trygve Lie of Norway was chosen as the first Secretary General of the United Nations.

In 1968, the communist Viet Cong began a major offensive of the Vietnam War with a fierce attack on the South Vietnamese city of Hue.

In 1979, Ayatollah Khomeini, symbol of the Iranian revolution, returned to his homeland.

In 1991, South African President FW de Klerk announced he would seek repeal of key laws on which the apartheid system was founded.

Also in 1991, at least 1,200 people were killed in an earthquake that struck Afghanistan and Pakistan.

And in 1991, 34 people were killed and 24 others injured when a USAir plane hit a SkyWest plane on a runway at Los Angeles International Airport.

In 2001, former U.S. President Bill Clinton said he and his wife would return and 86,000 in gifts they received in 2000 and 104,000 dollars but keep others that they received before 2000.

In 2003, space shuttle Columbia disintegrated during its descent over the southern United States. The seven astronauts aboard were killed.

In 2004, suicide bombings targeting the two main Kurdish party headquarters in the northern Iraqi city of Irbil killed 100 people and injured many others.

In 2004, 251 people were trampled during the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.

In 2004, during the show Super Bowl, Justin Timberlake ripped off part of Janet Jackson’s costume, exposing her right breast and what has triggered strong criticism, a Federal Communications Commission investigation and a hefty fine for CBS. Timberlake apologized, blaming a “wardrobe malfunction.”

In 2006, Ben Bernanke became the chairman of the Federal Reserve, replacing Alan Greenspan, who served for 18 years.

In 2008, an estimated 100 people were killed and another 123 injured in suicide bombings by two women in Baghdad PET market.

In 2009, the rebels have held three artillery attacks on Sri Lanka, killing at least nine people as the latest bombing hit a hospital ward for women and children.

Also in 2009, Iceland has sworn in its first woman Prime Minister Johanna Sigurdardottir.

In 2010, U.S. President Barack Obama has proposed a budget of 3.8 trillion and for the year 2011 with a projected $ 1.6 trillion deficit.

Also in 2010, a woman suicide bomber blew up amid a procession of Shiite pilgrims in Baghdad, killing 41 people and injuring over 100 others.

A thought for the day: “A mind once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.” Oliver Wendell Holmes said. Today is Wednesday, February 2nd, the 33rd day of the year 2011 with 332 to follow.
It’s Groundhog Day in the United States.

The moon is waning. The morning stars are Mars, Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune. The evening stars are Mercury, Saturn and Venus.

Those born on this date are under the sign of Aquarius. They include French statesman Charles de Talleyrand in 1754; psychologist Havelock Ellis in 1859, Irish novelist James Joyce in 1882, Charles Correll, Andy of radio “Amos and Andy” program in 1890; National Football League co- founder George Halas in 1895 hotel magnate Howard Johnson in 1897, the violinist Jascha Heifetz in 1901; novelist Ayn Rand in 1905, columnist Liz Smith in 1923 (age 88), actor Elaine Stritch in 1925 (86 years); musician Stan Getz in 1927, comedian Tom Smothers 1937 (74 years); singers Graham Nash in 1942 (69), Eva Cassidy in 1963 and Shakira in 1977 (34), actor Farrah Fawcett in 1947, model Christie Brinkley 1954 (57 years), and actor Michael T. Weiss in 1962 (49). On this date in history:
In 1653, the city of New Amsterdam was incorporated. It was later renamed New York.

In 1848, war between the United States and Mexico formally ended with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. It involved the surrender of Mexico to the United States the territory that became the states of New Mexico, Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah and parts of Colorado and Wyoming, in exchange for 15 million.

In 1876, the National Baseball League was formed, with teams from Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, New York, Philadelphia, and St.

Source: http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews/articleid/4832150