Universal Studios Singapore

Universal Studios Singapore is 20 hectares (49 acres) in size, occupying the easternmost part of the 49-hectare (120-acre) Resorts World Sentosa. There are a total of 24 attractions, of which 18 are original or specially adapted for the park. The park consists of seven themed zones which surround a lagoon. Each zone is based on a blockbuster movie or a television show, featuring their own unique attractions, character appearances, dining and shopping areas. The park features the world's tallest pair of dueling roller coasters that are based on the popular television series, Battlestar Galactica; a castle from the world of Shrek and Monster Rock, a live musical show featuring the Universal Monsters. Universal Studios Singapore has over 30 restaurants and food carts, together with 20 unique retail stores and carts located around the park. Attractions premiering are marked "Premiere" and dining outlets that are certified Halal are marked with "Halal".

Legoland

 My first shot of the Legoland

 

 

LEGOLAND Malaysia is 76 acres of adventure geared with family fun. It is packed full of more than 40 rides, shows and attractions. Nearly all of the rides are hands-on, so you can push, pull, pedal, program, steer, squirt, splash, crawl, climb and yes - build your way through a full day of non-stop fun. The park is divided up into seven themed areas. Each theme area is designed to ensure that heroes of all ages will find much to explore and enjoy at the LEGO experiment centres, roller coasters, water attractions and shows. The whole family can thus embark on a day-long voyage of discovery and adventure. 

http://www.myimart.com

Feng Shui Arrangement for Your Living Room

Basic Guidelines

1. The living room should be regular in shape.
2. The living room should be neither too small nor too big. It must have enough room to allow the energy move around.
3. It should be located in the outer half of the house.
   
4. Hang a large family portrait to enhance the importance of the family members.
5. The living room must not be higher than the dining room.
6. Do not have a mirror reflecting the main door.
7. Avoid poison arrows or protruding corners in the living room.
8. Keep the living room well lit, best achieved with a crystal chandelier.
9. Do not place furniture under exposed beams.
   
10. Do not display pictures of fierce or aggressive animals in the living room.
11. Enhance the elements of the each corner using element energizers.
12. Avoid exposed shelves in the living room, as this can send out killing energy.

http://www.wofs.com

Fingerprint recognition

The analysis of fingerprints for matching purposes generally requires the comparison of several features of the print pattern. These include patterns, which are aggregate characteristics of ridges, and minutia points, which are unique features found within the patterns. It is also necessary to know the structure and properties of human skin in order to successfully employ some of the imaging technologies.

Patterns

The three basic patterns of fingerprint ridges are the arch, loop, and whorl:

• arch: The ridges enter from one side of the finger, rise in the center forming an arc, and then exit the other side of the finger.
• loop: The ridges enter from one side of a finger, form a curve, and then exit on that same side.
• whorl: Ridges form circularly around a central point on the finger.

Scientists have found that family members often share the same general fingerprint patterns, leading to the belief that these patterns are inherited.  

The arch pattern.

The loop pattern. The whorl pattern

Kolam/Rangoli

Low Back Pain Symptoms

Pain in the lumbosacral area (lower part of the back) is the primary symptom of low back pain.

• The pain may radiate down the front, side, or back of your leg, or it may be confined to the low back.



• The pain may become worse with activity.



• Occasionally, the pain may be worse at night or with prolonged sitting such as on a long car trip.



• You may have numbness or weakness in the part of the leg that receives its nerve supply from a compressed nerve.



• This can cause an inability to plantar flex the foot. This means you would be unable to stand on your toes or bring your foot downward. This occurs when the first sacral nerve is compressed or injured.



• Another example would be the inability to raise your big toe upward. This results when the fifth lumbar nerve is compromised.

http://www.emedicinehealth.com

Neck pain

What are other symptoms that are associated with neck pain?

Neck pain is commonly associated with dull aching. Sometimes pain in the neck is worsened with movement of the neck. Other symptoms associated with some forms of neck pain include numbness, tingling, tenderness, sharp shooting pain, fullness, difficulty swallowing, pulsations, swishing sounds in the head, dizziness or lightheadedness, and lymph node (gland) swelling.

Neck pain can also be associated with headache, facial pain, shoulder pain, and arm numbness or tingling (upper extremity paresthesias). These associated symptoms are often a result of nerves becoming pinched in the neck. For example, compressing the nerve of sensation to the back of the head, which comes out of the neck, causes headaches in the back of the head. Depending on the condition, sometimes neck pain is accompanied by upper back and/or lower back pain, as is common in inflammation of the spine from ankylosing spondylitis.

http://www.medicinenet.com

AES

Automated Enforcement System (AES) cameras' locations at 14 places.

Lovely flower basket

 in Essex

http://flowersfromtoday.blogspot.com/

winter white hamsters

 My baby hamsters..2 months old.

http://camera-critters.blogspot.com

Skype

 

 

Now Skype is part of Microsoft. Together we will bring innovative technology to friends, family and colleagues everywhere. And now the future possibilities for our customers are even more exciting. We will enable more people to connect in more ways that transform and enhance their lives. And this is just the beginning.

 

Skype is for doing things together, whenever you’re apart. Skype’s text, voice and video make it simple to share experiences with the people that matter to you, wherever they are.

With Skype, you can share a story, celebrate a birthday, learn a language, hold a meeting, work with colleagues – just about anything you need to do together every day. You can use Skype on whatever works best for you - on your phone or computer or a TV with Skype on it. It is free to start using Skype - to speak, see and instant message other people on Skype for example. You can even try out group video, with the latest version of Skype.

If you pay a little, you can do more things, in more ways, with more people – like call phones, access WiFi or send texts. You can pay as you go or buy a subscription, whatever works for you. And in the world of business, this means you can bring your entire ecosystem of workers, partners and customers together to get things done. Try Skype out today and start adding your friends, family and colleagues. They won’t be hard to find; hundreds of millions of people are already using Skype to do all sorts of things together.

http://about.skype.com/

New iPad

Budapest

Schonbrunn Palace

Vienna

Vienna is a cultural haven, with a district full of art museums, a dance center and a children's museum and theater. Music lovers can attend Vienna State Opera concerts and view the homes of composers like Mozart and Haydn. At the Hofburg Palace - home to museums, the Austrian President's office, the Vienna Boys Choir and the Spanish Riding School - visitors can watch the famous Lipizzan stallions perform. Architectural landmarks such as the gothic St. Stephen's Cathedral shouldn't be missed.

http://www.tripadvisor.com

Love Padlocks

Love padlocks have existed for quite some time, though there are no certain sources for their origin. In Europe, love padlocks started appearing in the early 2000s. The reasons love padlocks started to appear vary between locations, and in many instances are unsourced. However, in Rome, the ritual of affixing love padlocks to the bridge Ponte Milvio can be attributed to the book I Want You by Italian author Federico Moccia, who later made it into the film-adaptation Ho voglia di te.

Similarly, an attribution for the bridge Most Ljubavi (lit. the Bridge of Love—now named after the love padlocks) in Serbia exists, where they can be traced to even before World War II. A local schoolmistress named Nada, who was from Vrnjačka Banja, fell in love with a Serbian officer named Relja. After they committed to each other Relja went to war in Greece where he fell in love with a local woman from Corfu. As a consequence, Relja and Nada broke off their engagement. Nada never recovered from that devastating blow, and after some time she died as a result of her unfortunate love. As young girls from Vrnjačka Banja wanted to protect their own loves, they started writing down their names, together with the names of their loved ones, on padlocks and affixing them to the railings of the bridge where Nada and Relja used to meet.

 

 

 

Courage

Here are some of our top picks for the best quotes of all time on courage:

“It takes courage to grow up and turn out to be who you really are.”
- E.E. Cummings

“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak. Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.”
- Winston Churchill

“Courage is grace under pressure.”
- Ernest Hemingway

“Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway.”
- John Wayne

“It is curious that physical courage should be so common in the world and moral courage so rare.”
- Mark Twain
“Courage is not the absence of fear but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.”
- Ambrose Redmoon

“Mistakes are always forgivable, if one has the courage to admit them.”
- Bruce Lee

“Success is never final. Failure is never fatal. It’s courage that counts.”
- John Wooden

“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says ‘I’ll try again tomorrow.’”
- Mary Anne Radmacher

“Faced with what is right, to leave it undone shows a lack of courage.”
- Confucius

http://www.dirjournal.com/info/the-best-quotes-of-all-time/

Father's Day

Father's Day Origin
The idea of a Father's Day first came in the mind of Grace Golden Clayton of Fairmont, West Virginia on July 5, 1908. Mrs. Clayton wanted to pay tribute to the fathers who had lost their lives in the Monongah Mining Disaster. However, this being a local celebration, the concept of Father's Day did not influence people living outside West Virginia. It was in the year 1910 that Sonora Smart Dodd, a resident of Spokane, Washington suggested that a particular day should be set aside for Father's Day just like there existed a Mother's Day. The first Father's Day celebration was organized by Sonora Smart Dodd on June 19, 1910 in honor of her father William Smart, who had brought up his six children single-handed. Though Sonora wanted the nationalization of June 5, her Father's birthday, as the official Father's Day date all over the world, the pastors at local churches refused to cooperate. Repeated attempts by the YMCA and the YWCA also failed to establish Father's Day as a national holiday.

Woodrow Wilson was the first American President to speak for making Father's Day an official holiday in the year 1916. His attempts were however resisted by the Congress. President Calvin Coolidge said in an interview in 1924 that Father's Day should be celebrated like a national festival, but he did not make any proclamation. Margaret Chase Smith, a Senator from Maine pointed out in the year 1957 that by ignoring the celebration of Father's Day, the nation was actually ignoring the contributions made by a father in a family. Her words were yet again ignored by the Congress. It was President Lyndon Johnson who made the first presidential proclamation in the year 1966 asking Congress to declare a date in the month of June every year as the official date of Father's Day. His attempts were honored only six years later when President Richard Nixon signed a law to make Father's day an official holiday in the US in the year 1972.

http://www.indobase.com/

Eastern Europe

The countries of Eastern Europe cover a large geographic area. This map shows Eastern Europe. Below the map you will find labels for specific regions.

1 of 24

Previous Next

Eastern Europe Map

© Digital Vector Maps - Modified by Kerry Kubilius

 

 

 

http://goeasteurope.about.com

Teacher's Day

Kuala Lumpur: Google has come up with its doodle today May 16, 2012 in Malaysia with a theme Happy Teacher’s Day.

However, the Teachers Day is celebrated across the world on October 5 every year but today the day is being celebrated in Malaysia.

This date was chosen because on the same day in 1956, the Federal Legislative Council of the Federation of Malaya endorsed the Razak Report, one of four reports of the Education Committee regarding education in Malaysia.

The document, known as the Razak Report after Tun Abdul Razak who was Education Minister at the time, has been the basis of education in Malaysia ever since. Although it is not an official school holiday, celebrations are usually held on May 16, or earlier, if it falls on a Saturday or Sunday.

UNESCO has recognised the day by adopting the “Recommendation concerning the status of teachers” and World Teachers’ Day has been celebrated annually on October 5.

http://www.thenewstribe.com/

Mother's Day

Mother's Day was brought about because of one woman's determination to honor her Mother back in 1907. Anna M. Jarvis asked the preacher to speak in her mother's memory at a church service in West Virginia in May of 1907. At this service, Anna gave 500 white carnations to the attendants. Then, the following year the church bell rang 72 times representing each year of the life of her mother. Anna's mother had organized Mother's Work Clubs in West Virginia towns before the civil war started, and she also organized a Mother's Friendship Day to help with the healing of the past war scars and bad feelings brought on by this terrible war. So, Anna started a campaign to create a formal holiday by writing letters and lobbying congressmen. And West Virginia became the first state to have an official Mother's Day in 1910. Four years later, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Mother's Day a national holiday in 1914. The actual day was set for the 2nd Sunday in May.

http://lindafm.hubpages.com

Bersih

The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections or Bersih is a coalition of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) which seeks to reform the current electoral system in Malaysia to ensure free, clean and fair elections. It was officially formed on 23 November 2006 as a joint communiqué that comprised leaders from political parties, civil society groups and NGOs. Bersih accused the independent Election Commission for manipulating the electoral process to give an unfair advantage to the ruling National Front coalition. Bersih claimed that the electoral roll was marred by irregularities such as gerrymandering, phantom voters, malapportionment and postal vote frauds. On 10 November 2007, Bersih organised the first rally with 10,000 to 40,000 turnout and held a public demonstration at Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur. Supporters of Bersih were urged to wear yellow T-shirts as a symbol of protest. The rally was often credited for the shift in political landscape in 2008 general election, when the incumbent National Front coalition failed to obtain a two-thirds supermajority for the first time since 1969.
In April 2010, the coalition became an entirely civil society movement ("Bersih 2.0") unaffiliated to any political party, and Dato' Ambiga Sreenevasan has assumed the chair of the coalition. In 2011 and 2012, two more rallies (Bersih 2.0 and Bersih 3.0) were organised seeing that the demands for the electoral reforms have not been met by the Electoral Commission.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bersih

Twelve Benefits of Music Education

1. Early musical training helps develop brain areas involved in language and reasoning. It is thought that brain development continues for many years after birth. Recent studies have clearly indicated that musical training physically develops the part of the left side of the brain known to be involved with processing language, and can actually wire the brain's circuits in specific ways. Linking familiar songs to new information can also help imprint information on young minds.

2. There is also a causal link between music and spatial intelligence (the ability to perceive the world accurately and to form mental pictures of things). This kind of intelligence, by which one can visualize various elements that should go together, is critical to the sort of thinking necessary for everything from solving advanced mathematics problems to being able to pack a book-bag with everything that will be needed for the day.

3. Students of the arts learn to think creatively and to solve problems by imagining various solutions, rejecting outdated rules and assumptions. Questions about the arts do not have only one right answer.

4. Recent studies show that students who study the arts are more successful on standardized tests such as the SAT. They also achieve higher grades in high school.

5. A study of the arts provides children with an internal glimpse of other cultures and teaches them to be empathetic towards the people of these cultures. This development of compassion and empathy, as opposed to development of greed and a "me first" attitude, provides a bridge across cultural chasms that leads to respect of other races at an early age.

6. Students of music learn craftsmanship as they study how details are put together painstakingly and what constitutes good, as opposed to mediocre, work. These standards, when applied to a student's own work, demand a new level of excellence and require students to stretch their inner resources.

7. In music, a mistake is a mistake; the instrument is in tune or not, the notes are well played or not, the entrance is made or not. It is only by much hard work that a successful performance is possible. Through music study, students learn the value of sustained effort to achieve excellence and the concrete rewards of hard work.

8. Music study enhances teamwork skills and discipline. In order for an orchestra to sound good, all players must work together harmoniously towards a single goal, the performance, and must commit to learning music, attending rehearsals, and practicing.

9. Music provides children with a means of self-expression. Now that there is relative security in the basics of existence, the challenge is to make life meaningful and to reach for a higher stage of development. Everyone needs to be in touch at some time in his life with his core, with what he is and what he feels. Self-esteem is a by-product of this self-expression.

10. Music study develops skills that are necessary in the workplace. It focuses on "doing," as opposed to observing, and teaches students how to perform, literally, anywhere in the world. Employers are looking for multi-dimensional workers with the sort of flexible and supple intellects that music education helps to create as described above. In the music classroom, students can also learn to better communicate and cooperate with one another.

11. Music performance teaches young people to conquer fear and to take risks. A little anxiety is a good thing, and something that will occur often in life. Dealing with it early and often makes it less of a problem later. Risk-taking is essential if a child is to fully develop his or her potential. Music contributes to mental health and can help prevent risky behavior such as teenage drug abuse.

12. An arts education exposes children to the incomparable.

Carolyn Phillips is the author of the Twelve Benefits of Music Education. She is the Former Executive Director of the Norwalk Youth Symphony, CT.

http://www.childrensmusicworkshop.com

 

white gold vs platinum

White gold is an alloy of gold and some white metals such as silver and palladium. White gold can be 18kt, 14kt, 9kt or any karat. For example, 18kt yellow gold is made by mixing 75% gold (750 parts per thousand) with 25% (250 parts per thousand) other metals such as copper and zinc. 18kt white gold is made by mixing 75% gold with 25% other metals such as silver and palladium. So the amount of gold is the same but the alloy is different.

Traditionally nickel was used in white gold, however, nickel is no longer used in most white gold made today as nickel can cause reactions with some people. We do not use nickel in our white gold

When white gold rings are new they are coated with another white metal called Rhodium. Rhodium is a metal very similar to platinum and Rhodium shares many of the properties of platinum including its white color.

The rhodium plating is used to make the white gold look more white. The natural color of white gold is actually a light grey color. The Rhodium is very white and very hard, but it does wear away eventually. To keep a white gold ring looking its best it should be re-rhodium plated approximately each 12 to 18 months. Most local jewelers are able to rhodium plate jewelry for a cost effective price.

http://gilletts.com.au

Birthday Celebration Ideas

Reaching the 50th birthday is a milestone that deserves one of the best 50th birthday celebration ideas. It is the beginning of the second half of life and a celebration of the first half of life. This day commands a lively, well-planned celebration. There are many ways to commemorate this once in a lifetime event, including these best ever ideas for a 50th birthday celebration.

The sentimental 50th birthday party is as fun to put together as it is to attend. This type party takes a little more time to plan as it requires input from many people. Items of nostalgia are gathered that are a part of the birthday person’s life both now and then. Pictures, tickets stubs, now-and-then items are all used to put together the decorations. Invitations for the sentimental party can be made using then and now picture of the guest. If time and images allow, this type of party can include a CD or DVD of pictures during the person’s life using music that covers their entire life period as well.  

http://www.birthdaycelebrationideas.net/

Archery

During the middle ages, archery was the lowliest form of warfare. Archers were usually the lowest paid soldiers due to the cheapness of making a bow and arrow. Many archers belonged to the peasant class because the higher classes viewed the bow and arrow as being insufficient, or to use only for entertainment. However, this low view of archery was turned around when the Vikings used archery as their main weapon which gained them large success. By the time of the 100years war, the English had learned how to use archers to their advantage, rather that using swords men, who could not fight from a distance. By this time, archery was not for the lower class, and archers were recruited as children and trained meticulously until and throughout adulthood. Every boy that was recruited was given a bow that was as high as he was, and expected to learn on it. During battle, archers would typically shoot two arrows, one from a higher route and one from a lower route. This would hit the enemy at two different angles, which made it difficult for the enemy to defend themselves. 

http://www.streetdirectory.com

Heart Attack

How to minimize your chances of having a heart attack in the first place:

• Don't smoke
• Eat a balanced, healthy diet
• Get plenty of exercise
• Get plenty of good quality sleep
• If you have diabetes, keep it under control
• Keep your alcohol intake down
• Keep your blood cholesterol at optimum levels
• Keep your blood pressure at safe levels
• Lose weight
• Maintain a healthy body weight
• Expose yourself to less stress
• Learn how to manage stress

Written by Christian Nordqvist

Mount Fuji

Mount Fuji (Fujisan) is with 3776 meters Japan's highest mountain. It is not surprising that the nearly perfectly shaped volcano has been worshipped as a sacred mountain and experienced big popularity among artists and common people. 

Mount Fuji is a dormant volcano, which most recently erupted in 1708. It stands on the border between Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures and can be seen from Tokyo and Yokohama on clear days. 

The easiest way to view Mount Fuji is from the train on a trip along the Tokaido Line between Tokyo and Osaka. If you take the shinkansen from Tokyo in direction of Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka, the best view of Mount Fuji can be enjoyed from around Shin-Fuji Station on the right hand side of the train, about 40 to 45 minutes after leaving Tokyo. 

http://www.japan-guide.com

Oshino Hakkai

Oshino Hakkai is a touristy set of eight ponds in Oshino, a small village in the Fuji Five Lake region, located between Lake Kawaguchiko and Lake Yamanakako on the site of a former sixth lake that dried out several hundred years ago. The eight ponds are fed by snow melt from the slopes of nearby Mount Fuji that filters down the mountain through porous layers of lava for over 80 years, resulting in very clear water that is revered by the locals. 

Next to one pond visitors can drink the cool water straight from the source. The ponds are quite deep and have interesting freshwater plant life and large fish that make a visit to the ponds almost like visiting an aquarium. Although the ponds have been developed into tourist attractions and can become quite crowded with visitors, they have a pleasant atmosphere as long as you do not expect untouched nature. 

http://www.japan-guide.com

Kanazawa

Kanazawa is the capital city of Ishikawa Prefecture. It is located about 180 miles northwest of Tokyo, about 140 miles northeast of Osaka, and about 90 miles north of Nagoya-city, facing the Sea of Japan. It is one of the most well-known castle towns in Japan. 

Toshiie Maeda, the lord of Kaga province, entered into Kanazawa Castle in 1583, and Kanazawa flourished as a castle town for nearly 300 years during Edo period. Many historical districts remain in the city. Kanazawa-city holds Kanazawa Hyakumangoku festival every year to commemorates the entry of Toshiie Maeda into Kanazawa Castle. 

http://gojapan.about.com

Nagoya

Nagoya (名古屋市 Nagoya-shi^?) is the third-largest incorporated city and the fourth most populous urban area in Japan.

Located on the Pacific coast in the Chūbu region on central Honshu, it is the capital of Aichi Prefecture and is one of Japan's major ports along with those of Tokyo, Osaka, Kobe, Yokohama, Chiba, and Moji. It is also the center of Japan's third largest metropolitan region, known as the Chūkyō Metropolitan Area. As of 2000, Chūkyō Metropolitan Area has 8.74 million people, of which 2.17 million live in the city of Nagoya.

The city's name was historically written as 那古野 or 名護屋 (both read as Nagoya). One possible etymology for the city's name is the adjective なごやか (nagoyaka), meaning 'peaceful'. 

The name Chūkyō (中京) is also used (chū (middle) + kyō (capital)), since it is the main city of the central Chūbu region. Various things are named after Chūkyō, for example the Chūkyō Industrial Area, Chūkyō Metropolitan Area, Chūkyō Television Broadcasting, Chukyo University and the Chukyo Racecourse.

Valentine's Day Story

"The story of Valentine's Day begins in the third century with an oppressive Roman emperor and a humble Christian Martyr.   The emperor was Claudius II.   The Christian was Valentinus.

Claudius had ordered all Romans to worship twelve gods, and had made it a crime punishable by death to associate with Christians.   But Valentinus was dedicated to the ideals of Christ; not even the threat of death could keep him from practicing his beliefs.   He was arrested and imprisoned.

During the last weeks of Valentinus's life a remarkable thing happened.   Seeing that he was a man of learning, the jailer asked whether his daughter, Julia, might be brought to Valentinus for lessons.   She had been blind since birth.   Julia was a pretty young girl with a quick mind.   Valentinus read stories of Rome's history to her.   He described the world of nature to her.   He taught her arithmetic and told her about God.  She saw the world through his eyes, trusted his wisdom, and found comfort in his quiet strength.

"Valentinus, does God really hear our prayers?" Julia asked one day.

"Yes, my child, He hears each one."

"Do you know what I pray for every morning and every night?  I pray that I might see.   I want so much to see everything you've told me about!"

"God does what is best for us if we will only believe in Him," Valentinus said.

"Oh, Valentinus, I do believe! I do!"  She knelt and grasped his hand.

They sat quietly together, each praying.   Suddenly there was a brilliant light in the prison cell.   Radiant, Julia screamed, "Valentinus, I can see!  I can see!"

"Praise be to God!"  Valentinus exclaimed, and he knelt in prayer.

On the eve of his death Valentinus wrote a last note to Julia, urging her to stay close to God.   He signed it, "From your Valentine."  His sentence was carried out the next day, February 14, 270 A.D., near a gate that was later named Porta Valentini in his memory.   He was buried at what is now the Church of Praxedes in Rome.   It is said that Julia planted a pink-blossomed almond tree near his grave.   Today, the almond tree remains a symbol of abiding love and friendship.   On each February 14, Saint Valentine's Day, messages of affection, love, and devotion are exchanged around the world."

www.olrl.org/lives/

Love You Like A Love Song

Love You Like A Love Song lyrics



[Verse 1]
It's been said and done
Every beautiful thought's been already sung
And I guess right now here's another one
So your melody will play on and on, with the best of 'em
You are beautiful, like a dream come alive, incredible
A centerfold miracle, lyrical
You've saved my life again
And I want you to know baby

[Chorus]
I, I love you like a love song, baby
I, I love you like a love song, baby
I, I love you like a love song, baby

And I keep hitting re-peat-peat-peat-peat-peat-peat

I, I love you like a love song, baby
I, I love you like a love song, baby
I, I love you like a love song, baby

And I keep hitting re-peat-peat-peat-peat-peat-peat

[Verse 2]
Constantly, boy you played through my mind like a symphony
There's no way to describe what you do to me
You just do to me, what you do
And it feels like I've been rescued
I've been set free
I am hypnotized by your destiny
You are magical, lyrical, beautiful
You are... And I want you to know baby

[Chorus]
I, I love you like a love song, baby
I, I love you like a love song, baby
I, I love you like a love song, baby

And I keep hitting re-peat-peat-peat-peat-peat-peat

I, I love you like a love song, baby
I, I love you like a love song, baby
I, I love you like a love song, baby

And I keep hitting re-peat-peat-peat-peat-peat-peat

[Bridge]
No one compares
You stand alone, to every record I own
Music to my heart that's what you are
A song that goes on and on

[Chorus]
I, I love you like a love song, baby
I, I love you like a love song, baby
I, I love you like a love song, baby

And I keep hitting re-peat-peat-peat-peat-peat-peat

I, I love you like a love song, baby
I, I love you like a love song, baby
I, I love you like a love song, baby

I love you...like a love song...

Chap Goh Mei

Chap Goh Mei is generally the last day of the Chinese New Year Festival, and the fifteenth day of the first month in the Lunar Calendar. It is also known as Yuan Xiao in the Hokkien dialect. Some people also refer to the festival as the Lantern Festival. In various region and countries, this festival is also regarded as the Chinese version of Valentine’s Day.

Chap Goh Mei is celebrated by eating grand meals with families and relatives. Prayers are conducted and offerings are made in conjunction with the festival. If you go to temples, you can see many devotees performing prayers, asking the God of Prosperity to bless them with success and wealth in the coming year. Most families give offerings to the deities in the form of candles and joss sticks, which flicker in the wind. Houses are decorated with red lanterns.

According to Chinese tradition, at the start of a new year, when there is a bright full moon shining at night, there should be thousands of colourful lanterns hung out for people to appreciate. Children will go out at night to temples carrying paper lanterns, and solving riddles posted on them. The Chinese will also enjoy a nice family reunion and eat Yuanxiao (glutinous rice ball), a dish associated with Chap Goh Mei. There would also be many festive activities such as lion dance and other unique cultural performances.

http://www.nst.com.my/channels/niexter/chap-goh-mei-1.34193#ixzz1lSfPdwLC

Abalone

 We had this abalone during the cny eve

Abalone (ⁱ/ˈæbəloʊniː/ or /ˌæbəˈloʊniː/; from Spanish abulón), from (Rumsen) aulón, are small to very large-sized edible sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Haliotidae and the genus Haliotis. Common names for abalones also include ear-shells, sea ears, as well as muttonfish or muttonshells in Australia, ormer in Great Britain, perlemoen and venus's-ears in South Africa and pāua in New Zealand.^[3]

The family Haliotidae contains only one genus, Haliotis. That genus contains about four to seven subgenera. The number of species recognized worldwide is about 100.

The shells of abalones have a low and open spiral structure, and are characterized by several open respiratory pores in a row near the shell's outer edge. The thick inner layer of the shell is composed of nacre or mother-of-pearl, which in many species is highly iridescent, giving rise to a range of strong and changeable colors, which make the shells attractive to humans as decorative objects, and as a source of colorful mother-of-pearl.

The flesh of abalones is widely considered to be a desirable food, and is consumed raw or cooked in a variety of different dishes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abalone

Meaning of the ingredients in yue sang

When putting the yu sheng on the table offers New Year greetings. 恭喜发财　Gong Xi Fa Cai meaning “Congratulations for your wealth” 万事如意 Wan Shi Ru Yi meaning “May all your wishes be fulfilled” The raw fish is added, symbolising abundance and excess through the year. 年年有余　Nian Nian You Yu meaning “Abundance through the year” The pomelo or lime is added to the fish, adding luck and auspicious value. 大吉大利　Da Ji Da Li meaning “Good luck and smooth sailing” Pepper is then dashed over in the hope of attracting more money and valuables. 招财进宝 Zhao Cai Jin Bao meaning “Attract wealth and treasures” Then oil is poured out, circling the ingredients and encouraging money to flow in from all directions. 一本万利 Yi Ben Wan Li meaning “Make 10,000 times of profit with your capital” 财源广进 Cai Yuan Guang Jin meaning “Numerous sources of wealth” Carrots are added indicating blessings of good luck. 鸿运当头 Hong Yun Dang Tou meaning “Good luck is approaching”. Carrot (红萝卜) is used as the first character 鸿 also sound like the Chinese character for red. Then the shredded green radish is placed symbolising eternal youth. 青春常驻 Qing Chun Chang Zhu meaning “Forever young”. Green radish is used as the first character 青 also sound like the Chinese character for green. After which the shredded white radish is added - prosperity in business and promotion at work. 风生水起Feng Sheng Shui Qi meaning “Progress at a fast pace” 步步高升 Bu Bu Gao Sheng meaning “Reaching higher level with each step” The condiments are finally added. First, peanut crumbs are dusted on the dish symbolising a household filled with gold and silver. 金银满屋 Jin Yin Man Wu meaning “Household filled with gold and silver” Sesame seeds quickly follow symbolising a flourishing business. 生意兴隆 Sheng Yi Xing Long meaning “Prosperity for the business” Deep-fried flour crisps in the shape of golden pillows is then added with wishes that literally the whole floor would be filled with gold. 满地黄金 Man Di Huang Jin meaning “Floor full of gold”

Why Is the Dragon the Fifth Animal in the Chinese Zodiac?

Once upon a time, the Jade Emperor prepared to select twelve animals to be recognized as the zodiac (生肖shēngxiāo) signs. In accordance with the decree, the first twelve animals to arrive on the appointed day would be selected as the animals of the zodiac. The cat asked the mouse to help it sign up, but the mouse forgot and the cat wasn’t chosen. Ever since, the cat and mouse have been enemies. Other animals wanted to choose the ox for the first place. When the ox walked into the hall, the mouse rode upon his back and was seen first. So then, the mouse took the first place in the zodiac. The tiger and dragon didn’t accept the decision, but were granted as kings of the mountain and sea in retribution. Next, the rabbit didn’t accept the other positions and ran a race with the dragon to take the fourth spot. That’s how the dragon became the Fifth Animal in the Chinese Zodiac. 

http://www.echineselearning.com/chinese-new-year-2009.html

Dragon year 2012

The dragon is a symbol of power.

Therefore in Chinese astrology the dragon person born under this Chinese Zodiac sign tends to be a "doer" – they do things and achieve power by getting things done.

A dragon can breathe out fire so the person born in the Chinese Year of the Dragon can be a hothead. Watch out if you make them angry!

However, the dragon has a soft underbelly and so in Chinese astrology the dragon person born in this Chinese Zodiac year has a "soft spot" to them. They may get angry at someone who annoys them but they also show great compassion to people in need.

A dragon has a long tongue which is often seen.

So in Chinese astrology the dragon person born in this Chinese Zodiac year has a sharp tongue – they will say things that can be quite sarcastic and biting.

The person born in the Chinese Year of the Dragon can be quite a confronting person but if you can reach their "soft heart" they are worthwhile allies.

2012 is the Chinese year of the dragon. So what does 2012 hold for a person born in the Chinese Year of the Dragon?

Such people such double their efforts in whatever they do - work, education and other projects. Their natural talent and abilities should stand out with great results.
However, watch out for that temper! Keep it in check and do not spoil your good work.

http://www.about-sichuan-china.com/year-of-the-dragon.html

story of ang pow

The first ang pow ever given
The story of ang pow dates back to the Sung
Dynasty in China. A village called Chang-Chieu was
at the time terrorised by a huge dragon-like
demon. No one dared to defeat it, not even
warriors or statesmen.

However, a young orphan, armed with a super
sabre inherited from his ancestors, fought the evil
dragon and eventually destroyed it. The villagers
were overjoyed and the elders presented the
brave young lad an ang pow filled with money for
his courage in saving them.


Since then, the ang pow has become a part of
traditional Chinese customs.

http://www.penang-vacations.com/ang-pow.html

Hero

In the end it does not really matter,

If you're a roaring 

success or a failure,

To those who love you

well and true,

You'll always be their

one and only hero.

-Lillian Too