Thursday, July 31, 2008

Pnyin - Jolie set to buy luxury Los Angeles pad




? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Gossip






Jolie set to buy luxury Los Angeles pad


(WENN)
Updated: 2007-08-13 09:54





Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie has been house hunting in Los Angeles
without longtime partner Brad Pitt.

The Tomb Raider star privately viewed a $2 million luxury villa in Laurel
Canyon.

Current owner Wolfgang Wind says, "It was very strange because it was
just her, no bodyguard, no assistant, no nanny, no kids and no Brad.

"I had no idea who the potential buyer was until I saw her.

"She looked extremely skinny. She was very flattering and said the house
was extremely nice and I am hoping that she'll make an offer."

Jolie recently quashed rumors her relationship with Pitt is on the rocks,
insisting the pair has "blind faith" in each other.








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Pnyin - Lohan's ex bodyguard blames parents for her wild behaviour




? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Gossip






Lohan's ex bodyguard blames parents for her wild behaviour


(WENN)
Updated: 2007-08-10 09:22



Both of Lindsay Lohan's parents are responsible for her bad behaviour,
according to the actress's longterm bodyguard Tont Almeida.

Almeida, who worked for Lohan for three years until 2005, claims Dina and
Michael Lohan failed to provide the 21-year-old with any structure - and
kept her working to pay for their lifestyle.

He tells In Touch magazine, "From a young age, she dealt with her
father's physical, emotional and drug abuses as well as her mother's
drinking."

Almeida also claims he had to pull Michael off his daughter - then 16 -
after he stopped the car he was driving "and dragged her out of the car,
pushed her up against the hood, screamed at her and called her a slut."

He adds that Dina frequently "let her do whatever she wanted, just to
keep her happy and working. (At her 16th birthday party) Lindsay drank
whatever she wanted - I saw her drinking beer and mixed drinks with my
own eyes (without Dina's intervention)."

He says, "Lindsay was the family cash cow - and she (Dina) resented it.
They counted on her to pay their bills...I saw Lindsay exhausted, begging
her mother for some time off."

In the interview, Almeida goes on to claim Lohan's parents allowed her to
sleep with ex-boyfriend Aaron Carter when she was 15 and he 14, and that
he caught her sniffing white powder in a nightclub when she was 18. He
also alleges that the actress cut herself and threatened suicide during
miserable teen years.

?

?








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Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Free Chinese Lesson - "Jonny Quest" riding to the big screen




? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Movies






"Jonny Quest" riding to the big screen


(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-08-08 19:48



LOS ANGELES - The cult Hanna-Barbera adventure series "Jonny Quest" is
being revived as a potential movie franchise by Warner Bros. Pictures.

Inspired by radio shows, comic strips and James Bond movies, "Quest" told
the thrilling stories of a young boy who accompanied his scientist father
on extraordinary escapades. Also in the mix were his adopted brother from
Calcutta, his pet bulldog pup, and the government agent assigned to
protect them.

The primetime sci-fi adventure series aired on ABC during the 1964-65
season. It was cancelled not because of low ratings but because it was
too expensive to produce.

A new series was introduced in the late 1980s. Several comic books series
were also published. Various attempts to bring "Quest" to the big screen
came to naught.

The latest attempt was sparked by Adrian Askarieh, a childhood fan of the
show. He will produce with Daniel Alter. Dan Mazeau has been hired to
write the screenplay.























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Chinese Mandarin - Aniston, Clooney throw their money behind Obama




? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Gossip






Aniston, Clooney throw their money behind Obama


(ANI)
Updated: 2007-08-07 17:24



Hollywood stars Jennifer Aniston and George Clooney are financially
supporting the presidential campaign of Barack Obama, the junior US
Senator from Illinois.

?

Fundrace 2008, a new database on the Huffington Post Web site, shows that
Anniston has donated 2,300 dollars to Obama's campaign, which is the
maximum donation allowed for the Democratic primary.

?

Actress Halle Berry has also contributed 2,300 dollars to the fund that
is being spent on the Illinois senator's campaign.

?

George Clooney, Will Smith, Tyra Banks, and Jamie Foxx are the other
celebrities who have lent their support to Obama.

?

Anther Democratic Party member Hillary Clinton, the junior US Senator
from New York, has got a financial support from Donald Trump Jr., who has
donated 4,000 dollars to her campaign.

?

She has also got over 4,600 dollars from Martha Stewart, reports People
magazine.

?

Among Republican celebrity supporters, Kelsey Grammer has donated 2,300
dollars to Rudolph Giuliani's campaign, and Ferris Bueller's Day Off
actor-turned-TV commentator Ben Stein donated 750 dollars to Team Rudy.

?

Brad Pitt and Mel Gibsons' names were not found in the database.


?







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Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Chinese Pinyin - Pamela confirms romance with Las Vegas magician




? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Gossip






Pamela confirms romance with Las Vegas magician


(IANS)
Updated: 2007-08-06 15:52



Hollywood siren Pamela Anderson has confirmed that she is seeing Las
Vegas illusionist Hans Klok.

The Baywatch beauty is currently performing with Klok as his assistant in
his magic shows.

She told American TV chat show host Craig Ferguson: 'There's a lot of
love backstage. It's very physical, it's very loving.'























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Chinese Studies - Kate Moss's Doherty detox: Can she kick the habit?




? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Gossip






Kate Moss's Doherty detox: Can she kick the habit?


(Daily Mail)
Updated: 2007-08-04 10:53



The contrast could not have been greater. As a private jet carrying Kate
Moss and a group of friends touched down in Marbella this week, Pete
Doherty was holed up in a dingy flat fashioning a crude crack pipe out of
a miniature whisky bottle.

Blissfully unencumbered by logic, her ex-boyfriend was, between puffs of
cocaine, regaling those in his company with assurances that his junkie
days were a thing of the past. Crack, it seems, doesn't count.

Meanwhile, 1,000 miles away (literally), Kate's choice of pick-me-up
provided a diametrical contrast.

In place of class A drugs and strong liquor, she was partaking in nothing
stronger than goji juice and acai berries 鈥� the very latest in
fashionable super foods.

What a difference a month makes in the troubled life of Britain's most
famous - or infamous - supermodel.



Kate Moss and Pete Doherty: Leading very different lives

For the Mail can reveal that a concerted campaign of rehabilitation has
been mounted by Kate's family and close advisers 鈥� and it is already
beginning to bear fruit.

Her mother, Linda, as well as her long-standing modelling agent and
mentor Sarah Doukas and a host of legal and PR advisers are leaving
nothing to chance as she emerges from the wreckage of a monumentally
destructive liaison.

"It's not an exaggeration to say Kate's life is at stake here," says a
source close to the family.

"Pete's like a drug to her. It's as if she's addicted to him and even
though she knows he's bad news, she can't help being drawn to him.

"Now she's finally kicked him out, she's come to her senses and realised
her life is a mess. It's like she's woken up after a nightmare. So she's
on a campaign to sort herself out and get healthy 鈥� and everyone is
clubbing together to make sure it succeeds."

One impeccably placed source told the Mail that the change wrought in
Kate by the break-up had been "startling".

"She's drinking two litres of water a day, having lots of facials and
beauty treatments, cutting back massively on the booze and doing her best
to get to bed early," says the source.

"That's unheard of for Kate. She always did whatever she wanted, whenever
she wanted and still looked amazing. But something fundamental has
changed."

Indeed, whisper it quietly but the queen of effortless rock'n'roll chic
has even broken the habit of a lifetime and started. . .working out.

An old friend of Kate's, with impeccable rock'n'roll credentials of his
own, told the Mail this week: "You wouldn't recognise her 鈥� she's even
been going to the gym, which you'd never have caught her doing before.

"The last few weeks have been hard for her. Breaking up with Pete hit her
so hard. But every time I see her now, she's a little bit better, a
little bit brighter in the eyes. She's getting back on form again and
it's great to see."

The strategy 鈥� described by some friends co-opted to help out as
Operation Phoenix 鈥� hinges on a complete break from the past.

Kate has already burned a stack of gifts, love letters and song lyrics
given to her by Pete during their relationship.

Caution prevails, however, as there have been many false dawns when Kate
appeared to have jettisoned Pete only to go back to him 鈥� which drove
her family, and mother Linda in particular, to their wits' end.

To prevent history repeating itself, Kate has been placed under an
informal 24-hour 'Pete watch' by friends, to make sure she doesn't "fall
off the wagon" and phone him.

She has had the locks changed at her North London home and has told
friends she is selling it to banish the bad memories. Since splitting
from Doherty after an argument four weeks ago, she has not spent a night
at home and has changed her phone numbers.

"She hasn't been on her own either," says a friend who has spent time
with her during this self-imposed exile. "One of us has always been with
her because she needs support. A couple of days after Pete left, she
phoned him and started singing into his answer phone.

"It was a moment of weakness which she massively regrets and since then
she's begged everyone to help her stay away from him. He's been phoning
all of us, trying to get through to Kate, but she's told us not to even
tell her when he's called. She can stop him from sweet-talking his way
back in."

Kate's regret will no doubt have become all the greater since Pete sold
the tale of her lovestruck crooning (the song was Moon River, apparently)
to a tabloid newspaper.

In a rambling interview this week, he described her as a "nasty old rag",
accused her of physically abusing him by kicking him in the head and said
that by the end, their relationship had become "like the Vietnam war".

Thankfully for Kate 鈥� who was so infuriated by his betrayal she hurled
a glass at a wall and smashed up a treasured picture 鈥� she has been
surrounded by support.

She has stayed at the Surrey mansion of Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie
Wood (who loaned her a vintage Rolls- Royce for the duration of her stay)
and with celebrity hairdresser James Brown, among others. Sadie Frost and
the actor Rhys Ifans have also been at her side.

And while her representatives have remained resolutely silent 鈥�
refusing yesterday even to discuss her upcoming professional commitments
鈥� the Mail understands plans are in place for a major career push when
she returns from Spain.

She is preparing to launch a hair care range with James Brown, who has
styled her hair for years, and retail billionaire Sir Philip Green is
keen to continue working with her after the success of her Topshop range
of clothing.

And despite recent barbs about her allegedly declining looks, a
well-placed source says she will soon be modelling in a high profile
campaign for Roberto Cavalli, among others.

"She's finally woken up and is taking much better care of herself now,"
says the source. "She'll be around for a long time to come 鈥� you'll
see."

There is, however, one nagging concern, with potentially devastating
consequences. Throughout their union, Pete was frequently seen with a
camera in his hand, and the Mail understands he has photographs and
footage which Kate is "extremely worried" could find its way into the
public domain.

Given that he has spoken to the press already in return for money, her
concerns are well founded.

Precisely what Pete has images of remains unclear. But it is understood
that Kate's circle have been sufficiently concerned to discuss the
prospect of asking him to sign a confidentiality agreement.

The problem with this plan is that Pete is now regarded as a 'loose
cannon', negotiating deals for interviews not through his management or
record company, but rather a loose collection of affiliates with whom he
whiles away the hours drinking and taking drugs.

"It's a tense time for everybody around Kate at the moment," says the
family friend. "Every morning they're on tenterhooks, wondering what will
be in the paper. Pete just can't be trusted."

Kate also has more pressing concerns. Despite making great strides in the
past month, friends say she remains in the early stages of recovery from
the traumatic break-up.

One close female friend says: "She's not just mourning the loss of a
boyfriend, it's the loss of a dream. She really wants another baby and
thought Pete would be the dad. Now she's back to square one."

Another friend, who had dinner with her in a top London hotel last month,
said that while she was "generally fine", there were "definitely moments
of melancholy".

"She didn't actually say the word, but it was clear that she's still very
much in love with Pete,' says the friend.

"She seemed to think she was teaching him a lesson by sending him to
Coventry. She told me: 'This is just the shock he needs 鈥� he can't
handle it when the people he loves refuse to talk to him.'

"She kept going out of the restaurant to smoke and that was when she
looked sad, like a 14-year-old who's been dumped by the coolest lad in
school."

But she is not a schoolgirl 鈥� she is a 33-year-old woman with a young
daughter to support and a multi-million-pound business resting heavily on
her slight shoulders.

For now, she can lick her wounds at her luxurious hideaway in Marbella.
But she has not become one of the most highly paid models in history
without a tough streak, and the Mail understands she has been keeping a
weather eye on her business concerns for the past month.

Two of the principal figures offering her advice are, as usual, staying
out of the limelight: her father, Peter, and Jefferson Hack, the
respected publisher and father of her four-year- old daughter Lila Grace.

Peter is a director of her sole company, Skate Enterprises Ltd., and her
anchor in the midst of many a storm.

He has kept an eye on the financial side of her business 鈥� which is due
for another substantial injection of cash from her lucrative Topshop
fashion range 鈥� while mum Linda and Kate's friends concentrate on her
emotional recovery.

"Peter's role is as a listener," says a close family friend. "But even he
has made it clear to Kate that she needs to forget about Pete once and
for all. And when her dad sticks his neck out like that, Kate pays
attention."

So at face value it seems the fatal attraction between Kate and Pete has
breathed its last. That is certainly what her friends and family would
have you believe.

Symbolically, Kate has given her former lover the epithet 'slug' (because
"he's slimy and leaves a trail of mess in his wake"), preferring not to
utter his name.

Pete, meanwhile, is due back in court next week following his arrest in
May for possession of drugs. His spiral towards lonely oblivion
continues, while Kate is surrounded by loved ones determined to shield
her from his negative influence.

Yet for all their good intentions, logic dictates that one day Kate will
meet Pete. And when that happens, given the sorry track record of their
relationship, who would bet against grim history repeating itself?








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Monday, July 28, 2008

Learn Chinese online - Getty museum to return 'Aphrodite' to Italy



? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Theater & Arts






Getty museum to return 'Aphrodite' to Italy


(AFP)
Updated: 2007-08-02 19:16



ROME?- The Getty museum has agreed to return a prized statue, dubbed "The
Aphrodite," to Italy following an acrimonious dispute over allegedly
looted antiquities, the two sides announced Wednesday.

Under a bilateral agreement that resolves most aspects of the
long-running dispute, the museum will "transfer to Italy 40 objects,
including the Aphrodite," formally called the Cult Statue of a Goddess,
in 2010, the Italian culture ministry said in a joint communique with the
Los Angeles museum.

The rare fifth-century BC statue made of marble and limestone was at the
centre of the dispute between the museum and Italian authorities, who
claimed it was illegally exported and demanded its immediate return.

The two sides agreed however to postpone discussion of the fate of
another hotly disputed work, the "Statue of a Victorious Youth," pending
the outcome of legal proceedings under way in Pesaro, Italy.

Dating from the 4th century BC, the work often referred to as the Getty
Bronze is considered one of the greatest bronze statues to survive from
ancient Greece and was acquired by the Getty for nearly four million
dollars in 1977.

The statue was found by Italian fishermen in international waters, but
Italy says it was illegally exported.

The Getty, set up by US oil billionaire and collector J. Paul Getty and
one of the world's richest art museums, insists it never knowingly bought
illegally uncovered artifacts.

Italian prosecutors, however, felt they had a clear-cut case against the
museum, and in July 2005 Getty curator Marion True went on trial in Rome
for conspiring to traffic in stolen antiquities.

True, who had been with the Getty for 20 years, was asked to retire, but
the museum is paying for her defence against the charges, based on a
decade-long investigation.

The Aphrodite is among the artefacts at issue in the trial.

True and co-defendant Robert Hecht, a prominent art dealer in his 80s,
both deny wrongdoing in the case, which emerged out of an investigation
into the activities of a former gallery owner Giacomo Medici, who is
currently appealing a 10-year jail sentence in Italy.

Another apparent casualty of the scandal is Barry Munitz, president of
the trust that runs the Getty Museum, who resigned in February this year
"so both the institution and I can move forward," according to a
statement.

It said Munitz "would not receive a severance package" and, "without
admitting any wrongdoing, pay the Getty Trust 250,000 dollars (183,000
euros) in order to resolve any continuing disputes with him."

The agreement between Rome and the Getty, similar to ones reached with
the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art,
also calls for "ample cultural collaboration that will include loans of
significant art works, joint exhibitions, research and conservation and
restoration projects."

Wednesday's communique states: "Both sides say they are satisfied that an
accord has been reached after long and complex negotiations, and now they
are proceeding towards renewed collaborative relations."

Italy initially identified 52 works at the Getty as being of Italian
origin and illegally trafficked.

Rome said the Getty could keep six of them, while the museum offered to
return 25, leaving 21 objects still in dispute, including the Aphrodite
and the Getty Bronze.

Following the agreement, only five artefacts including the Getty Bronze
remain in suspense.

Greece has also asked the Getty to return a number of ancient art objects
which it believes were stolen and smuggled out of the country.























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Speak Chinese - "American Idol" grooms kids at camp




? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Television






"American Idol" grooms kids at camp


(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-08-01 10:09



Shouting "Good, good, take it home now" from a chair in front of an
outdoor stage, dance instructor Masau Dibinga directs about a dozen
teenagers as they gyrate and bust hip-hop dance moves.

"Come on Crystal, you're in the spotlight now," she says to one girl over
booming music. "You better pay attention," she shouts to the group. "Here
we go! Here we go!"

Welcome to the first Idol Camp, a 10-day performance arts retreat run by
the producers of "American Idol" for 12- to 15-year-olds with budding
dreams of Hollywood fame, a zeal for being on stage and -- in many cases
-- an encyclopedic knowledge of the highest-rated U.S. television show.

The creators and producers of the TV reality search for the next pop star
are planning to expand their summer camp over the next few years and are
filling a void left by steep budget cuts that have squeezed arts programs
in U.S. public schools.

"So much funding for performing arts programs has been drying up over the
last few years, so we are really just trying to fill that gap and
encourage kids to extend themselves, take risks and pursue their dreams,"
said Felicity Carr, a director at FremantleMedia, which co-produces
"American Idol."

She said the camp in northwestern Massachusetts, which costs $2,900 a
week including accommodation and meals, may be expanded next year from
one month to three months with a West Coast summer camp possibly added a
year later.

"Ideally I would like to see our program reaching all around the U.S. and
also touching kids from a whole variety of backgrounds and different
cultures," Carr said, noting the camp offers scholarships for children of
low-income families.

"KIND OF NERVOUS"

A typical day begins with workshops featuring professional tips from
industry insiders -- from singers and musicians to producers and even the
stylists of the hair and wardrobes of "Idol" stars.

After that, stretched through the day, are elective activities, including
singing solo, performing in a band on stage, music video production,
improvised acting, choreography, set-building and basic auditioning.

"I was kind of nervous at first," said Stephen Dexter, who at age 13
already has an agent in California and big ambitions to act and sing in
Hollywood. "I was scared to perform in front of everyone, but it's
definitely a good experience."

Jasmine Edwards, 14, who sings in a choir at a performing arts school in
Boca Raton, Florida, said she discovered a hidden talent -- drumming --
during one exercise.

"I hope I can broaden my horizons," she said.

Like most of the camp's 700 kids, these two are avid "Idol" fans -- each
with strong opinions about the acerbic style of judge Simon Cowell.

Edwards says Cowell is too harsh. Dexter wants to sing in front of him.
"I'd like to see what he says," Dexter said.

The camp ends with a concert for the parents.

Camp director Donna Luther said the atmosphere is noncompetitive. But the
camp does not shy away from links to a show known for blunt judges and
harsh truths.

The camp's blue-and-white logo is designed in the mold of the one used
for "American Idol" -- printed on tents and materials across the campus.

"Our kids are starting their journeys as performers and we are
contributing to enriching their journeys as performers," said Luther, who
has taught performance arts in Massachusetts for about 30 years.

RANGE OF TALENT

In some ways, the camp is doing a job many U.S. schools have abandoned as
budgets tighten and school districts feel pressure to perform well in
standardized tests in math and English under President George W. Bush's
signature No Child Left Behind education policy.

"American schools used to do everything, including music. Now they are
really trying to narrow their mission and of course there are
trade-offs," said Tom Loveless, an education specialist at the Brookings
Institution in Washington.

"There has been a narrowing of the curriculum because of the heavy
emphasis on reading and mathematics, and often one of the first things to
go is music."

But Idol Camp offers something schools can never dream of matching: the
"American Idol" brand and the whiff of commercial success generated by
the country's most-watched TV series.

Kids who demonstrate exceptional talent on the stages under white tents
around the private campus will likely get a glimpse into the art of
networking, although camp officials stress that is not a goal.

"The talent ranges but I think there is a group of very elite musicians
here," said Jon Peter Lewis, a singer who finished eighth on "American
Idol" in 2004 and teaches singing and other performing arts at the camp.

While there are no talent scouts from music labels at the camp, he said,
"there's definitely going to be some connections that these kids are
going to be able to make for their benefit."

"But they are minors and all that would be dependent upon them and their
families," Lewis said. "That's not an aspect to the camp that I think is
emphasized, but it's there."























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Sunday, July 27, 2008

Chinese Studies - Climbing high to blessed coolness




? ?



CITYLIFE / Travel






Climbing high to blessed coolness


By Lu Rong
Updated: 2007-07-31 09:31





As the temperature keeps climbing, it takes a lot of patience to stay in
the oven of Shanghai. Even the dust in the air seems roasted. So why not
slip away to somewhere cool for a refreshing holiday?

?

Besides Yellow Mountain, there are many other mountain resorts for you to
go to ward off the heat. Here's a list for your reference.

?

Mogan Mountain

?

In Deqing County of Huzhou City in northeastern Zhejiang Province, Mogan
Mountain has been listed as one of the "Four Best Summer Resorts" in
China. Covered with lush fresh bamboo, the mountain with an average
elevation of 500 meters has a tranquil atmosphere.

?

Hundreds of springs and waterfalls make the mountain the best place to
escape the summer heat.

?

The scattered villas in the mountain of different styles provide tourists
with pleasant accommodation as well as local specialities.

?

Transportation: It takes around two to three hours by coach from Shanghai
Railway Station or the Bus Station on Qiujiang Road via Huzhou to Mt
Mogan. Or you can get a shuttle bus in Hangzhou.

?

Admission: 65 yuan

?

Tianmu Mountain

?

West of Hangzhou, Tianmu Mountain is called "a natural botanic garden"
because more than 2,000 plant species grow there. The reserve is
particularly well known for the rare huge ancient forests, where the wild
gingko of Mesozoic era can be found.

?

It is also a paradise for several hundred animal and bird species, 30 of
which are endangered such as the cloud leopard and the black muntjac. Tea
grown in the valleys covered in mist has an unmistakable taste.

?

Transportation: First get to Hangzhou and then take a bus to Lin'an at
the West Bus Station.

Admission: 80 yuan





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Chinese Pinyin - 'Ugly Betty' wins at 22nd Imagen Awards




? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Television






'Ugly Betty' wins at 22nd Imagen Awards


(AP)
Updated: 2007-07-29 23:21



LOS ANGELES - The TV comedy "Ugly Betty" and the film "Pan's Labyrinth"
won top honors Saturday at the 22nd annual Imagen Awards.?




Actress America Ferrera arrives at the 22nd Annual Imagen Awards
in Los Angeles on Saturday, July 28, 2007. [AP]

"Babel," the critically praised movie that weaves stories set in Mexico
and four other countries, lost in four categories.

The Imagen Awards honor contributions by and about Hispanics in the
entertainment industry.

ABC's "Ugly Betty," which has received 11 Emmy nominations, was named
best prime-time television program. Its star, America Ferrera, who is in
the running for an Emmy, was named best TV actress and also received the
Imagen Foundation's Creative Achievement Award.

The show's Ana Ortiz won for best supporting actress.

"Pan's Labyrinth," the surrealistic movie about a young girl who turns to
fairy tales to escape the brutality of fascist Spain, was named best
picture.

Mexican director Guillermo del Toro got the directing award and Ivana
Baquero, the movie's 13-year-old star, was best actress.

Mel Gibson's brutal Mayan epic, "Apocalypto," lost for best picture but
Gerardo Teracena and Dalia Hernandez were chosen best supporting actor
and actress.

More than 2,000 people attended ceremonies at the Walt Disney Concert
Hall.




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Saturday, July 26, 2008

Learn Chinese - Malaysian Food Festival








? ?



CITYLIFE / what's on








Malaysian Food Festival

(cityweekend)
Updated: 2007-07-27 09:57





Beijing will hold a "Malaysian Food Festival" in the Coffee Garden of
Shangri-La's Kerry Centre Hotel in conjunction with a spectrum of events,
festivals and shows organised by the Malaysian Embassy during "Malaysia
Week".

Throughout the 12 days of the festival, the hotel's Coffee Garden will
offer diners sumptuous spreads of culinary delights that will reflect the
diversity of tastes from across Malaysian states. Guest Chefs Mohammad
Adha bin Yusuf and Hairy Ismail bin Abdul Rahman from Shangri-La Hotel,
Kuala Lumpur will present a rotating menu of dishes on the daily lunch
and dinner buffet.

The Food Festival is held in conjunction with a range of events being
organised to celebrate "Malaysia Week" (27鈥�31 August 2007) at The Kerry
Centre Hotel, Beijing. Organised by the Malaysian Embassy in Beijing to
celebrate 50 years of nationhood in conjunction with "Visit Malaysia
2007", the line-up of events encompasses the field of visual, performing
and culinary arts, from art demonstrations and photo exhibitions to
traditional dance and song, and cooking displays.

Malaysian Food Festival
Date: Aug 20 - 31 2007
Location: 1 Guang Hua Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing
Tel: 010-6561-8833 ext. 6636

?

?











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Learn Chinese - Paris Hilton's charity behaviour




? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Gossip






Paris Hilton's charity behaviour


(WENN)
Updated: 2007-07-25 17:39





?

Paris Hilton

Socialite Paris Hilton's promise to do more charity work following her
release from jail is being carried out - the socialite has started work
helping to raise funds for children with spinal cord injuries.

She was at Life Rolls On Foundation's 4th annual Night By the Ocean
auction on Sunday in aid of her close friend Jesse Billauer - a former
professional surfer who founded the charity after he was paralysed.

The Simple Life star paid $17,500 for a surfing lesson with Billauer and
Adam Sandler.

She said later, "It's a great organisation. It gives people hope and I'm
really happy to be here to support Jesse."

And Hilton's charitable nature doesn't stop there, adding, "I was just at
the Los Angeles Children's Hospital visiting all of the kids and
premature babies in the cancer ward.

"I met with philanthropists and they're doing a summit with five major
charities and we'll be doing stuff all over the world. I'm excited."

Hilton was released from Lynwood, California's Century Regional Detention
Center last month after being jailed for violating her probation from a
2006 drink driving arrest.








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Friday, July 25, 2008

Learning Mandarin - 'Potter' star keeps mum about birthday




? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Gossip






'Potter' star keeps mum about birthday


(AP)
Updated: 2007-07-24 09:22




?


?

Daniel Radcliffe, the movies' Harry Potter, appears on the NBC 'Today'
television show in New York, in this July 11, 2007 file photo.[AP]

Media reports of "Harry Potter" star Daniel Radcliffe gaining access to
huge amounts of cash when he turned 18 Monday were overblown, his
publicist's office said.

"It's not a big deal today," said a woman who answered the phone at the
office of Radcliffe's publicist. She refused to give her name, saying she
wasn't an official spokeswoman.

She refused to elaborate, saying Radcliffe's finances 鈥� and birthday
party 鈥� were a personal matter.

Radcliffe, who was 11 when he was first cast as the schoolboy wizard in
the films based on J.K. Rowling's novels, is gaining access to a $19
million investment fund, People magazine reported in its July 23 issue.

British newspapers have estimated that he has a total net worth of $35
million, with two more movies in the "Potter" series yet to be filmed,
the magazine said.

"Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," the latest movie starring
Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson, is now in theaters.

Rowling's seventh and final book in the series, "Harry Potter and the
Deathly Hallows," was published Saturday.








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Chinese Pinyin - Keri Russell's "Mission Impossible": to be sexy








ENTERTAINMENT / Special Coverage








Keri Russell's "Mission Impossible": to be sexy

Updated: 2006-04-27 17:51







Keri Russell is part of the cast of young showbiz stars that spawned from
Disney's The All New Mickey Mouse Club, which also included Britney
Spears, Christina Aguilera and members of 'N Sync. Keri became famous
thanks to the lead role she held on the TV series Felicity before its
demise in 2002, but since then, you can catch her on the big screen in
movies like We Were Soldiers (2002), The Upside of Anger (2005) and
Mission: Impossible III (2006).


Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
















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Thursday, July 24, 2008

Learn Mandarin online - The sexy new mom-Katie Holmes








ENTERTAINMENT / Slideshows








The sexy new mom-Katie Holmes

Updated: 2006-04-20 14:15





Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise

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Learn Chinese online - Teen pregnancies on rise during summer break








/ Page 5








Teen pregnancies on rise during summer break
By Zhang Kun
Updated: 2007-07-25 07:07




SHANGHAI: More teenage girls have been calling this city's only
accidental pregnancy hotline since the summer vacation started.

"We have seen a 12 percent increase in phone calls, and a 23 percent
increase in abortion procedures," Dr Zhang Zhengrong from the 411
Hospital told China Daily.

"Many girls use their summer vacations to deal with these problems."

He added that more accidental pregnancies are likely to happen during the
summer.

"Some people will come to us right before the new semester starts," Zhang
said.

The 411 Hospital set up its accidental pregnancy hotline for teenagers
about two years ago. It has since helped more than 20,000 people, nearly
half of them students.

"I am a first-year college student. I had unprotected sex with my
boyfriend and found myself pregnant. Can I have the operation at a lower
price? I have no money," reads a message on the hotline's webpage.

The hospital does offer discounted prices for women with financial
difficulties. It has spent 400,000 yuan on such patients, said Zhu
Weijie, a spokesperson for the hospital.

"We have also found an increase in the number of pregnancies involving
people who meet through the Internet," Zhang said. "Young girls seem to
find it more relaxing and more open talking with strangers on the Web.
Men often ask to meet a girl in person.

"But after they have sex, and the girl becomes pregnant, the man often
disappears. The girl, who once thought she was in love, often finds she
barely knew the man."

Only about 20 percent of the girls who have come to the hospital were
accompanied by their parents, Zhang said. The others were reluctant to
let their parents know about their troubles. Many ended up coming with
their friends.

Casual sex has also resulted in an increase in the prevalence of sexually
transmitted diseases. About half of the patients who have had abortions
had gynecologic infections, Zhang said. "These youngsters showed an
obvious lack of sex education."

The sex education offered at schools has often been found to be lacking,
and few youngsters feel free to discuss sex with their parents.

"I found that a lot of them learned about sex from the Web," Zhang said.

Of the students who have had abortions, 10 percent were from junior
middle schools, 20 percent were seniors and 25 percent were college
students. Students from professional training schools accounted for a
surprising 45 percent.

"Some come in after their eighth week of pregnancy," Zhang said. "Some
come in quite late, and have to go through induced labor."

Earlier this month, the Shanghai Population and Family Planning Committee
held an education campaign, calling on parents and school administrators
to speak with youngsters about sex.


















China Daily PDF Edition











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Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Learning Chinese - Rowling bids her boy wizard goodbye








ENTERTAINMENT / Movies






Rowling bids her boy wizard goodbye

(AP)
Updated: 2007-07-20 09:06





Undated handout picture of British author JK Rowling, made available
Thursday July 19, 2007. [AP]

Harry Potter's life hangs in the balance. Millions of fans are holding
their breath. Meanwhile, his creator is baking a cake — and keeping her
secret.

On Saturday, readers around the globe will learn the schoolboy wizard's
fate with the publication of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," the
seventh and final book in J.K. Rowling's fantasy series. Will Harry
defeat his evil nemesis, Lord Voldemort, and restore order to the
wizarding world? Will he die in the attempt, as many fans fear — and as
Rowling, an expert narrative tease, has hinted?

"Harry's story comes to a definite end in book seven," is all she will
say a few days before publication, serving up tea and home-baked sponge
cake in her comfortable Edinburgh house. Writing the final words of the
saga felt "like a bereavement."

That sounds ominously final. So have we really seen the last of the staff
and students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?

"Because the world is so big, there would be room to do other stuff,"
Rowling says carefully. "I am not planning to do that, but I'm not going
to say I'm never going to do it."

Rowling (her name rhymes with bowling, rather than howling), looking
relaxed in jeans and a sweater, shoulder-length blonde hair stylishly
cut, has wildly mixed emotions at leaving behind the character she
conjured up during a train journey across England in 1990: a neglected,
bespectacled orphan who learns on his 11th birthday that he is a wizard.

She's enjoying the absence of pressure from publishers and fans clamoring
for the next installment in Harry's adventures. And she's reveling in the
chance to focus on normal life with her husband and three children.

But after finishing the last book, "I felt terrible for a week."

"The first two days in particular, it was like a bereavement, even though
I was pleased with the book. And then after a week that cloud lifted and
I felt quite lighthearted, quite liberated," she says.

"Finishing is emotional because the books have been so wrapped up with my
life. It's almost impossible not to finish and look back to where I was
when I started."

It has been an extraordinary journey. When Rowling created Harry Potter,
she was a struggling single mother, writing in cafes to save on the
heating bill at home. Now, at 41, she is the richest woman in Britain —
worth $1 billion, according to Forbes magazine — with houses in
Edinburgh, London and the Scottish countryside.

Her first book, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone," was published
in 1997, with a print run of less than 1,000. Rowling's publisher
suggested she use gender-neutral initials rather than her first name,
Joanne, to give the book a better chance with boys. Lacking a middle
name, she took the K from her paternal grandmother, Kathleen.

By the time the book appeared in the United States in 1998 — as "Harry
Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" — Harry was on his way to becoming a
publishing phenomenon.

The six Potter books have sold some 325 million copies in 64 languages,
including Latin and Ancient Greek. "Deathly Hallows" has an initial print
run of 12 million in the United States alone; more than 2 million copies
have been ordered from Internet retailer Amazon.

The novels have produced five movies, mountains of toys, a riot of
Internet fan sites and scores of companion books — from academic studies
to parodies to pop psychology. A theme park, complete with Hogwarts
castle and Forbidden Forest, is to open in Orlando, Fla., in 2009.

The launch of each new book is now accompanied by choreographed chaos and
military-level security. No book is sold until a minute past midnight on
Saturday.

The series' success has been "a once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon," said Joel
Rickett, news editor of trade magazine The Bookseller. "It has brought a
new generation to reading — got kids absorbed in huge hefty hardbacks
the way they wouldn't have been," he said.

While some critics have dismissed the books as lightweight kiddie fare,
others have been impressed by their moral complexity and darkening tone.
Death haunts Harry Potter, who was orphaned at the age of 1 when
Voldemort killed his parents. He loses his godfather Sirius Black in the
fifth book and his beloved headmaster Dumbledore in the sixth. No wonder
fans fear for Harry's future.

Rowling was profoundly affected by the death of her own mother from
multiple sclerosis in 1990 at the age of 45.

"My mum died six months into writing (the books), and I think that set
the central theme — this boy dealing with loss," Rowling says.

And she makes no apologies for exposing children to death.

"I think children are very scared of this stuff even if they haven't
experienced it, and I think the way to meet that is head-on," she says.
"I absolutely believe, as a writer and as a parent, that the solution is
not to pretend things don't happen but to examine them in a loving, safe
way."

Rowling says her success has been "the experience of a lifetime." But it
also has brought an intense level of pressure, scrutiny and criticism. In
the United States, her book tours have attracted thousands of screaming
children, but also death threats. Some Christians have called for the
books to be banned, claiming they promote witchcraft.

But it's only now that she realizes just how intense the pressure has
been at the center of the Harry Potter whirlwind.

"I was very lonely with it," she says. "It's not like being in a pop
group, where at least there would be three or four other people who knew
what it was like to be on the inside. Only I knew what it was like to be
generating this world as it became bigger and bigger and bigger and more
and more people were invested in it.

After producing a book a year between 1997 and 2000, Rowling took a
break. There was a three-year gap between the fourth book, "Harry Potter
and the Goblet of Fire," and "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,"
published in 2003. During the gap, Rowling met and married Neil Murray, a
Scottish doctor. They live in Edinburgh with their children David, 4, and
Mackenzie, 2, as well as Jessica, Rowling's daughter from her first
marriage to a Portuguese journalist.

Rowling now seems reconciled to her success. She says she lives a normal
life and is rarely recognized in the street, although her graystone town
house on a tree-lined street is protected by an 8-foot stone wall and
iron security gates. Like the neighborhood — a leafy literary enclave
that's also home to crime novelist Ian Rankin and "No. 1 Ladies'
Detective Agency" writer Alexander McCall Smith — the house exudes solid
affluence, rather than extravagance.

The modestly sized lawn holds a soccer net and a colorful plastic jumble
of children's toys. In the tidy family room, are crowded bookshelves, an
aquarium, photo albums and board games — the trappings of any
middle-class family's life.

Rowling predicts that some of Harry's fans will dislike "Deathly
Hallows." But she is proud of it. "The final book is what it was always
supposed to be, and so I feel very at peace with that fact," she says.

As for the future, she says she has no plans.

"I can never write anything as popular again," she said. "Lightning does
not strike in the same place twice.

"I'll do exactly what I did with Harry — I'll write what I really want
to write, and if it's something similar, that's OK, and if it's something
very different, that's OK.

"I just really want to fall in love with an idea again, and go with that."










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Chinese Pinyin - Penelope Cruz is obsessed with karaoke parties








ENTERTAINMENT / Movies






Penelope Cruz is obsessed with karaoke parties

(Zee News)
Updated: 2007-07-18 10:56





Penelope Cruz

Actress Penelope Cruz has revealed her obsession for karaoke parties that
she throws for her friends.

The Oscar nominees said that though guests at her party are quite
inhibited by the idea at first, they later land up fighting for the
chance to grab the microphone.

"I have a machine at home. Sometimes I do karaoke parties: everyone
arrives saying they're not going to sing, but everybody sings. They all
say, 'I'm too cool for karaoke,' and then they are fighting for the
microphone, Contactmusic quoted her, as saying.

Meanwhile, the actress recently denied reports that she had a panic
attack on board a flight from Newark to Barcelona, as a result of which
the flight was delayed by an hour and 40 minutes.

The rep said that when the Oscar nominee was informed that the flight
would be delayed by four hours, she decided to disembark.








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Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Chinese Studies - Victoria Beckham's US media blitz backfires








ENTERTAINMENT / Gossip






Victoria Beckham's US media blitz backfires

(AFP)
Updated: 2007-07-17 10:33









Victoria Beckham, seen here 13 July 2007, and her attempts to woo the US
media since arriving in Los Angeles soccer star husband David appear to
have backfired, with critics savaging a reality show to be broadcast
Monday.[AFP]



NEW YORK (AFP) - Victoria Beckham's attempts to woo the US media since
arriving in Los Angeles soccer star husband David appear to have
backfired, with critics savaging a reality show to be broadcast Monday.

"Victoria Beckham: Coming to America," was originally intended as a
mini-series, but trimmed to a one hour special by the NBC network.

Billed as a revealing special that "delves into Victoria's
larger-than-life world to reveal, among other things, her wicked sense of
humor and style," the show failed to impress the mainstream media.

The New York Post gave the show a damning zero-star review, slamming the
pop-star turned fashion figure as "relentlessly self-promoting" with
"vapid, condescending behavior" in a show described as "an orgy of
self-indulgence."

"You'll sit there slack-jawed at the gall of these people who think we
are that stupid," the Post's reviewer wrote in a scathing broadside, also
laying into the couple's "nightmarishly overdone rococo mansion" in
Beverly Hills.

"The 'special' which NBC calls an 'exclusive' inside look at Victoria's
larger-than-life life smacks of too much fame, too much money and too
much time spent believing the hype for all concerned," the paper wrote.

The New York Times was no more forgiving in its write-up, describing
Victoria Beckham as being "somewhat famous for being sort of famous, and
is photographed a lot in Britain."

"She does appear to be pleasant and not without a sense of humor. But
that isn't quite enough to carry viewers through an hour of house
hunting, sunbathing and applying for a driver's license," the paper's
reviewer said.

"There has to be something going on behind the scenes because there is no
other way to explain so much time and videotape spent on the moving
arrangements of Mr. Beckham's wife.

"If she can retain viewers past the first commercial break, then the
results will be conclusive: either there is a vast, media-controlling
conspiracy afoot, or there is no such thing as celebrity ditz-fatigue,"
the paper said.

The US media has been having a field day since the couple arrived in Los
Angeles last week, when David began a new chapter at the LA Galaxy soccer
club, with the pair appearing on magazine covers, chat shows and
television specials.








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Chinese Mandarin - Fighting family violence for gender equality








/ Page 5








Fighting family violence for gender equality
By Chen Jia
Updated: 2007-07-16 07:01




A young woman drops in at a government social relief shelter with her
child, begging not for money, but for food. The experienced staff,
trained in handling domestic violence cases, see the fear in her eyes and
are quick to detect the inconsistencies in her statements. Thanks to
their patience and persistent but sympathetic questioning, out comes a
sad tale.

That happened a year ago in a town in East China's Shandong Province.
Today, the woman, surnamed Dong, works as a translator in Xuzhou in East
China's Jiangsu Province. She is proficient both in Russian and Korean.
And most importantly, she is free - from her husband's regular beatings
and the constant fear she used to live in. Her main concern now is to
give her child the good life that it deserves.

How did this miracle come about? After listening to her tale of torture,
the employees of the Shandong social relief shelter, part of a pilot
national network for domestic violence victims, contacted their
colleagues in Xuzhou. They made all the necessary arrangements for Dong's
rehabilitation there, giving her a chance to start life anew.

The two shelters in the neighboring provinces are blazing a new trail in
protecting the rights of women and children. According to Xuzhou
Anti-Domestic Violence Shelter program chief Ma Li, their "pioneering"
work is part of an ongoing national program. What's more, the Ministry of
Civil Affairs (MCA) is considering introducing the domestic violence
intervention scheme in 1,200 social relief shelters across the country.



A woman throws punches at a rubber boxing dummy, with the words "family
violence" marked on its chest, at a catharsis club in Chongqing. The
facility serves exclusively for women battling depression and family
violence. Tang Ming


Government social relief shelters usually offer those seeking help -most
of them beggars - a few free meals, a few nights' free lodging and a free
train ticket back home. But victims of severe domestic violence - most of
whom are women and children - need not have to return home. And since
they are likely to continue living in fear in shelters in their home
towns, they are shifted to other places.

In the past 15 months, the Xuzhou shelter has received 196 woman victims,
and the employees have helped four of them find jobs and start a new life
in another city. Apart from providing lodging and medical care, the
shelter also offers psychological counseling and legal help to the
victims.

Sometimes providing a free ticket back home is like depriving them of the
chance to learn to deal with domestic violence, Ma said on Friday on the
sidelines of a forum supported by the United Nations Development Fund for
Women.

This is just the first step in a noble mission, he said. "So many women
are in need of help." A survey sponsored by All China Women's Federation
revealed violence was part of about 35 percent of the 270 million
families in China, with most of the victims being women. The nature and
severity of the violence varies, though.

Also, surveys conducted in different places in the past two years have
shown that at least 20 percent of divorce cases stem from family violence.

Xuzhou's pilot program is funded jointly by the MCA and China Gender
Facility, set up in 2004 to meet the UN's millennium development goals
(MDGs) and reduce gender inequality in the country. Initiated by the UN
Theme Group on Gender (UNTGG), the China Gender Facility comprises UN,
multilateral and bilateral development agencies and international NGOs.

Since its launch, the program has provided funding for 16 pilot programs,
such as the one in Xuzhou. It has reviewed the condition of women
suffering from HIV/AIDS, migrant workers and senior citizens.

The innovative and catalytic projects aim to enhance awareness and
knowledge of the people and advocate policy change. "The size of the task
ahead of us is daunting," Constance Thomas, director/representative of
International Labor Organization and the UNTGG chair, said at Friday's
forum. According to UN Development Program, China is 81st on the list of
177 countries in the global Gender Development Index.

Participants at the forum were told that despite the past couple of
decades of high economic growth and significant progress in poverty
alleviation, gender disparity is still a problem in China. In fact, it's
a major "stumbling block" toward achieving the Millennium Development
Goals.

"But we gain courage and confidence from the valuable experiences and
good practices already achieved and the partnerships the UN has built
through the China Gender Facility," Thomas said.

Hopefully, the work being done by shelters like the ones in Shandong and
Jiangsu will be emulated across the country and build the momentum toward
achieving gender equality in China.


(China Daily 07/16/2007 page5)
















China Daily PDF Edition











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Monday, July 21, 2008

Speak Chinese - Enjoy an easy life in a busy city







CITYLIFE / Odds & Ends






Enjoy an easy life in a busy city

(chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2007-07-13 09:09



It's well known that people in big cities live a hectic life. While they
are busy at work on weekdays, they are also occupied on the weekends or
on their holidays spending money to have fun. Many people feel they are
caught up with tight schedules. But things can be different. With a few
helpful tips, you can enjoy an easy life in a busy city.


When you are at work:

1. Write a list of what you need to finish each day and specify the
amount of time allocated to each task. Follow the list, you will save
time that might be wasted on choosing between tasks, and it will also
urge you to maintain high efficiency. Use the time saved to take a rest
when you finish each item, by drinking a cup of coffee, browsing some
magazines, or just taking a break from your desk and computer by standing
up, stretching your body and looking out of the window.

2. Find your own working style and don't care too much about other
people's comments. If you want to listen to some music while working,
then put on some headphones so you won't don't bother your colleagues. If
you need a quiet working environment but one of your colleagues just
can't stop talking, then go out to a coffee shop, finish your work and
then come back. The most important thing is to finish your tasks on time,
which earns you salary.

3. Mind your own business. Avoid passing short messages, emails, or
gossiping about a colleague behind his or her back. Rumors can distract
you from work, so try to avoid them and concentrate on your task at hand.

4 Learn to say "no." It's nice to help a colleague when he asks you for
help, but it gets tiring after he asks you to help solve his problems
every time. . So learn to say "no" the third time when you have helped
him twice.

5 Turn down unnecessary appointments. Networking is important for work as
well as life, yet you don't need to attend every event. Learn to say
"Sorry, I already have an appointment tonight," or "Sorry, I'm busy,
would you mind next time?" Reserve some time to yourself, even just for
daydreaming.


When you are off work:

1. Set aside the "Turn Off" time. Treat yourself with a period of time
when all your communication tools like mobiles, telephones, and Internet
are turned off. Spend this time with a book and a cup of tea. Rest your
mind as well as your body.

2. Go home for dinner. Say bye-bye to get-together meals, KTVs or bars.
Go home tonight and have dinner. Comfort your stomach with some delicious
homemade dishes and spend more time with your family watching TV or DVDs.
Sometimes it's not that bad to be a couch potato.

3. Streamline the weekend schedule. On the weekends, some people try to
pack their weekends with various exercise classes, from yoga to spinning.
The result is a worn out body that you drag to work on Monday. How about
actually having a relaxing time off? Have a good sleep, get up whenever
you like, and then if you still have time, go to a beauty salon or spa.
This is real relaxation.

4 Reward yourself with regular get-aways. Get away from city life like
computers, mobile phones, buses, and cars. Go to the countryside with
waters and trees where you can spend a whole afternoon soaking in the
sunshine.

Edited by Alice Yang






















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Tibet and know more interesting tour routes leading to this divine place.
Please click here!

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� Time for beer!

� Enjoy an easy life in a busy city

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Eating out: Soup to bowl you over
Bars&Cafes: Master-level enjoyment
Weekend&Holiday: Blooming marvelous
Shopping: Consuming passion
What's on: Scenes and heard







Shanghai Guide


Eating out: Melting in the hotpot
Bars&Cafes: Get the party started
Weekend&Holiday: More changes like this
Shopping: Think print
What's on: Huaiju Opera in Shanghai





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