Thursday, July 31, 2008

Chinese Pinyin - Lindsay Lohan?a 'model patient' in rehab




? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Gossip






Lindsay Lohan?a 'model patient' in rehab


(WENN)
Updated: 2007-08-13 19:46





Troubled actress Lindsay Lohan has been dubbed "a model patient" by
insiders at the Utah rehab clinic she checked into earlier last month,
despite claims to the contrary.

In a U.s. TV exclusive which aired on Friday's Entertainment Tonight, a
silhouetted former Cirque Lodge patient suggested the actress is getting
celebrity treatment from carers and is difficult with staff.

But TMZ.com claims the opposite is true, according to their sources.

Insiders at the Oren, Utah clinic, considered one of the best rehabs in
America, claim Lohan is taking her third counselling camp stint of 2007
very seriously, attending every meeting, working with psychologists and
even agreeing to take on menial tasks she's handed.

These include washing dishes and cleaning toilets.

TMZ.com sources claim the woman who took her claims about Lohan to the
media dropped out of a sister clinic "against medical advice" days after
the actress checked herself in and would only have had access to her
through meetings.








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Chinese Studies - Scorsese's Rolling Stones film delayed until 2008




? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Movies






Scorsese's Rolling Stones film delayed until 2008


(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-08-10 21:31



LOS ANGELES?- The theatrical release of Martin Scorsese's concert
documentary about the Rolling Stones has been postponed by seven months
to sometime next April, distributor Paramount Classics said on Thursday.

A spokeswoman said the Viacom Inc.-owned studio needed more time to set
up the promotional campaign for "Shine A Light," noting that the band is
busy touring Europe until August 26.

The film, whose title comes from an old Rolling Stones gospel song, was
shot during two performances at New York's Beacon Theatre last fall, when
guest performers included bluesman Buddy Guy, rocker Jack White of the
White Stripes, and pop singer Christina Aguilera.

Scorsese, who often uses Rolling Stones compositions in his movies, was
in Rome early last month to screen a rough cut of the film for the band.
The documentary originally had been set to open in theaters on September
21.

The Rolling Stones recently released a four-disc DVD documenting various
stops on the 2006 leg of their "Bigger Bang" world tour. Singer Mick
Jagger is also preparing for the October release of an album compiling
tracks from his various solo endeavors.























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Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Free Chinese Lesson - In the mood to splurge?



? ?



CITYLIFE / Odds & Ends






In the mood to splurge?


By Xiao Changyan (China Daily)
Updated: 2007-08-09 09:26



Want to pamper yourself with the most luxurious things from around the
world? A high-end fashion capital offering everything for the discerning
shopper, Beijing will never disappoint. Just stepping into the following
five-star hotels located in the city, you will find yourself spoilt for
choice from world-famous brands like Louise Vuitton and Gianni Versace to
exquisite limousines and valueless jewelries; you are sure to find just
what to suit for royals and magnates.

?

The Peninsula Palace Beijing?


Renamed from The Palace Hotel following a $34 million upgrade, The
Peninsula Palace Beijing is a premier hotel in Beijing for business and
leisure travelers. What earned the hotel its luxury name is its so-called
"mini fifth avenue"- the Peninsula Arcade, one of the most prestigious
shopping arcades in Beijing, which features 50 premium international
brands.

?

The arcade occupies the hotel's basement, ground, and mezzanine floors
with 50 exclusive designer boutiques. It offers a wide selection of
luxury brands and designer labels, ranging from fashion and tailoring to
jewelry and leather goods, including Tiffany, Ferragamo, Zegna, Louis
Vuitton, Gucci, Huge Boss, and Gianni Versace. Many boutiques are the
first and the only stores of their brands in China, such as Chanel,
Giorgio Armani, Hermes and Baccarat crystal.

?

Shopping here requires a bulging purse, as there are few items that are
sold below 1,000 yuan.

?

Following are some popular exclusive brands in the arcade.

?

Hermes reopened its Chinese flagship store in the hotel at the end of
last year after renovation. The 180-square-meter store displays all
ranges from the prestigious French brand, such as hand made leather bags,
silk scarves, leather accessories, and fashions. Women can also enjoy
private tailoring in the store.

?

Wolford is the ultimate global luxury brand in leggings and body wear for
women, founded in Austria in 1949, known for premier products, such as
the new generation of tights.

?

Baccarat glassworks, founded under the patronage of King Louis XV in
1764, has been making superb crystal since 1817. Glasses, decanters,
bowls and vases made in France are all available in its store in
Peninsula Hotel.

?

Dormeuil provides luxury menswear and accessories that embodies more than
150 years of tradition, elegance and style in England.

?

Location: 8 Goldfish Lane, Wangfujing
Tel: 010-85162888




?? ?? 1?? 2?? ??

?? ?? 1?? 2?? ??
























Feature ?




Pilgrimage to Tibet If you want to get a detailed Travel Handbook to
Tibet and know more interesting tour routes leading to this divine place.
Please click here!

Yunnan New Film Project Ten female directors from China! Ten unique
sights from mysterious Yunnan Province!Yunnan New Film Project,Travel
with the film.Wanna know more? Please click here!




Editors' Picks ?




* Master storyteller has something to say
* Lookng after your skin naturally
* Evocative scents in a glass of wine
* Go on a shopping spree to discount stores
* Teatime!





Beijing Guide ?


Eating out: Mouth-watering magic
Bars&Cafes: Catch underground bands
Weekend&Holiday: An Oasis at Shichahai
Shopping: Ice up your world
What's on: Smoke society





Shanghai Guide ?


Eating out: An institution in the making
Bars&Cafes: The new money
Weekend&Holiday: Band of gypsies
Shopping: Chinese made delicacy
What's on: Teenage wasteland





Learn Chinese, Learning Chinese, Learning Materials, Mandarin audio lessons, Chinese writing lessons, Chinese vocabulary lists, About chinese characters, News in Chinese, Go to China, Travel to China, Study in China, Teach in China, Dictionaries, Learn Chinese Painting, Your name in Chinese, Chinese calligraphy, Chinese songs, Chinese proverbs, Chinese poetry, Chinese tattoo, Beijing 2008 Olympics, Mandarin Phrasebook, Chinese editor, Pinyin editor, China Travel, Travel to Beijing,

HSK - 11




? ?



CITYLIFE / Photos






11



Updated: 2007-08-08 10:41































Feature ?




Pilgrimage to Tibet If you want to get a detailed Travel Handbook to
Tibet and know more interesting tour routes leading to this divine place.
Please click here!

Yunnan New Film Project Ten female directors from China! Ten unique
sights from mysterious Yunnan Province!Yunnan New Film Project,Travel
with the film.Wanna know more? Please click here!




Editors' Picks ?




* Master storyteller has something to say
* Lookng after your skin naturally
* Evocative scents in a glass of wine
* Go on a shopping spree to discount stores
* Teatime!





Beijing Guide ?


Eating out: Mouth-watering magic
Bars&Cafes: Catch underground bands
Weekend&Holiday: An Oasis at Shichahai
Shopping: Ice up your world
What's on: Smoke society





Shanghai Guide ?


Eating out: An institution in the making
Bars&Cafes: The new money
Weekend&Holiday: Band of gypsies
Shopping: Chinese made delicacy
What's on: Teenage wasteland





Learn Chinese, Free Chinese Lesson, Learning Materials, Mandarin audio lessons, Chinese writing lessons, Chinese vocabulary lists, About chinese characters, News in Chinese, Go to China, Travel to China, Study in China, Teach in China, Dictionaries, Learn Chinese Painting, Your name in Chinese, Chinese calligraphy, Chinese songs, Chinese proverbs, Chinese poetry, Chinese tattoo, Beijing 2008 Olympics, Mandarin Phrasebook, Chinese editor, Pinyin editor, China Travel, Travel to Beijing, Travel to Tibet

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Chinese Tutor - Works by Monet, Brueghel stolen from museum



? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Theater & Arts






Works by Monet, Brueghel stolen from museum


(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-08-07 10:05




?


French impressionist Alfred Sisley's 1890 landscape 'Lane of Poplars at
Moret-sur-Loing' was
one of four paintings stolen by thieves from Nice's Cheret Museum August
5, 2007.[Reuters]

Armed thieves marched into an open museum in the southern French city of
Nice and stole four paintings by Impressionists Monet and Sisley, and
Flemish painter Jan Brueghel the Elder, police said on Monday.

The four men, wearing masks and helmets, forced staff at Nice's Cheret
Museum to lie on the ground on Sunday before they took the works of art
and left at around 1 p.m. (7 a.m. EDT).

Police said the men were probably working to order as the stolen works --
Claude Monet's "Cliffs near Dieppe," Alfred Sisley's "Lane of Poplars at
Moret-sur-Loing," and Brueghel's "Allegory of Water" and "Allegory of
Earth" are well known, making them hard to sell.

"They are priceless works, not at all negotiable on the market," the
museum's deputy curator, Patricia Grimaud, told Reuters, adding it was
not the first time the two Impressionist paintings had disappeared.

In 1998 Jean Forneris, the museum's curator at the time, stole the pieces
in a theft he organized with two accomplices.

He was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison in 2002, of which
3-1/2 years were suspended.

?























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Chinese Tutor - 24 hours in Xi'an




? ?



CITYLIFE / Travel






24 hours in Xi'an


By Nishita Mehta-Jasani
Updated: 2007-08-06 10:00







The seat of imperial China for more than 2,000 years, Xi'an once rivaled
the ancient cities of Rome and Constantinople in its power and grandeur.

The easternmost center of trade on the Silk Route, it was a melting pot
for merchants from Persia, Arabia and Hindustan selling silks, furs and
spices. Though Xi'an has embraced modernization, it still remains an
archaeological marvel and one of China's premier tourist destinations.

8am: Stock up on breakfast and head for the site of the Terracotta Army,
an hour's drive away. Unearthed in 1974 by a peasant farmer (whom you can
meet in the souvenir shop), the clay battalion is Xi'an's Pole Star. View
the three excavated catacomb mud vaults who protect a grand menagerie of
life-like soldiers-each unique in its features, expressions and military
status, all of which were destined to be Emperor Qin's afterlife army.

11am: Head back to the city, stopping at the Mayfirst Hotel's self-serve
canteen on Dong Da Jie for a quick, economical meal of steamed buns and
noodles, with ice lollies for dessert.

1pm: Visit the south gate of the City Wall. The 14km-long fortification
encloses Old Xi'an and is best appreciated on a bicycle (available for
rental at RMB 20/hour). Take a leisurely two-hour circumambulation of one
of China's best preserved city walls-its watch towers hinting of past
splendor, and looming construction sites foreshadowing the city's future
fa莽ade.

3:30pm: Pay quick homage to the triple-eaved Bell Tower on Nan Da Jie,
the city's focal point, then head toward the Great Mosque, via the Drum
Tower.

4pm: The Great Mosque at Hua Jue Xi'ang provides a tranquil escape from
the twisting alleys and commotion leading up to it. Enjoy a meditative
moment amid the Sino-Islamic pavilions. Save the bazaar shopping for
later when it livens up.

5:30pm: Stop at the Big Goose Pagoda on Yanta Lu. It's an arduous
62-meter climb to the top, but worthwhile for the panoramic city views.
The pagoda is a memorial tomb for Emperor Gaozong鈥檚 mother and a
library of ancient Buddhi-st scriptures.

7pm: Continue to an atypical tourist destination, Tang Paradise/Tang
Dynasty Lotus Park. This 165-acre park is part of a government campaign
to recreate the Tang gardens. Don't be surprised if your olfactory senses
are tickled; this USD 157 million park is the world's largest outdoor
fragrance project. Look out for the majestic water screen and attend the
splendid sound, light and fireworks show (from 8:30-9pm) by the Purple
Cloud building.

9pm: Return to the Muslim Quarter (which should be bustling by now) for a
late street food dinner. Sample freshly marinated lamb kebabs and beef
soup with brick-oven flat bread prepared by Muslim Hui minority chefs.

10pm: Spend the rest of the evening in the effervescent night bazaar
dusting off layers of soot from silver ornaments and miniature warriors
in search of a prized souvenir of your day in Xi'an.銆€

TRAVEL PACK

Mayfirst Hotel (Wu Yi Fandian)
Location: 351 Dong Da Jie
Tel: 029 768 1098

Tang Paradise (Da Tang Fu Rong Yuan)
Location: Qujiang Resort
Tel: 029 8551 1888

Bell Tower Hotel (Zhong Lou Fandian)
Location: 110 Nan Da Jie
Tel: 029 8760 0000























Feature ?




Pilgrimage to Tibet If you want to get a detailed Travel Handbook to
Tibet and know more interesting tour routes leading to this divine place.
Please click here!

Yunnan New Film Project Ten female directors from China! Ten unique
sights from mysterious Yunnan Province!Yunnan New Film Project,Travel
with the film.Wanna know more? Please click here!




Editors' Picks ?




* Master storyteller has something to say
* Lookng after your skin naturally
* Evocative scents in a glass of wine
* Go on a shopping spree to discount stores
* Teatime!





Beijing Guide ?


Eating out: Mouth-watering magic
Bars&Cafes: Catch underground bands
Weekend&Holiday: An Oasis at Shichahai
Shopping: Ice up your world
What's on: Smoke society





Shanghai Guide ?


Eating out: An institution in the making
Bars&Cafes: The new money
Weekend&Holiday: Band of gypsies
Shopping: Chinese made delicacy
What's on: Teenage wasteland





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Monday, July 28, 2008

Chinese Character - Print a red snapper



? ?



CITYLIFE / Weekend & Holiday






Print a red snapper


(Shanghai Daily)
Updated: 2007-08-03 10:55





A Japanese master print maker will give a public demonstration Sunday of
the art of gyotaku, the art of "fish printing" with fresh fish and
scallops at the Shanghai Ocean Aquarium.

Gyotaku, the Japanese art of "fish printing" with fresh fish and sea
creatures, beckons fish as well as art lovers to the Shanghai Ocean
Aquarium on Sunday.

They can make their own artistic fish prints under the instruction of
Mineo Ryuka Yamamoto, Japanese fisherman and master print maker.

This is the third time Yamamoto, president of the International Fish
Print Studio, has held public a workshop and demonstration in Shanghai.

He has awed people with his skills in making cod fish, haddock, salmon,
seashells and other marine life into stunning works of art.

His demonstration of gyotaku art will start tomorrow with two closed fish
print workshops inside the aquarium.

Yamamoto says he will first demonstrate the printing of an emperor red
snapper, and afterwards he will instruct the classes in printing scallops
on a T-shirt.

Sunday will also be a public arts carnival for "fish printing" as 200
people will join Yamamoto in printing scallops on a long polyester cloth
in the outdoor plaza of the aquarium.

Gyotaku art, dating to the 18th century, was first developed to preserve
a true record of the size and characteristics of fish caught by Japanese
anglers.

It seems simple, but patience, caution, creativity and numerous steps are
necessary.

In fish printing, paper or silk are placed over a fish (or a shell or
leaf), then inked tampos (cotton balls dipped in ink) are pressed
carefully against the fabric, rendering a perfect image of the subject.

A master of this genre, Yamamoto really enjoys the light-hearted process
of gyotaku. First he catches the fish, then he makes an accurate and
artistic image - then he eats his catch.

In past decades, the artist has studied and worked with printmakers all
around the world. His students also come from around the world.

Yamamoto has also applied the art of Gyotaku to record and print a horse
and a tiger (life-size models). After that, a lotus is easy.

Public workshop and demonstration
Date: August 5, 5-7pm
Venue: Outside plaza of Shanghai Ocean Aquarium, 1388 Lujiazuihuan Rd,
Pudong
Admission: Free for those with receipts for a ticket within the past one
week
Tel: 021-5877-9988























Feature ?




Pilgrimage to Tibet If you want to get a detailed Travel Handbook to
Tibet and know more interesting tour routes leading to this divine place.
Please click here!

Yunnan New Film Project Ten female directors from China! Ten unique
sights from mysterious Yunnan Province!Yunnan New Film Project,Travel
with the film.Wanna know more? Please click here!




Editors' Picks ?




* Master storyteller has something to say
* Lookng after your skin naturally
* Evocative scents in a glass of wine
* Go on a shopping spree to discount stores
* Teatime!





Beijing Guide ?


Eating out: Mouth-watering magic
Bars&Cafes: Catch underground bands
Weekend&Holiday: An Oasis at Shichahai
Shopping: Ice up your world
What's on: Smoke society





Shanghai Guide ?


Eating out: An institution in the making
Bars&Cafes: The new money
Weekend&Holiday: Band of gypsies
Shopping: Chinese made delicacy
What's on: Teenage wasteland





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Study Chinese - Scary Spice files paternity petition




? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Gossip






Scary Spice files paternity petition


(AP)
Updated: 2007-08-02 08:40





?

Melanie 'Scary Spice' Brown, left, and her attorney Michael Maroko take
questions
during a news conference Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2007, in Los Angeles.[AP]

Scary Spice went to court Wednesday to try to scare up some child support
from Eddie Murphy.

The 32-year-old singer, whose real name is Melanie Brown, filed a
petition in Superior Court that seeks to legally establish Murphy as the
father of her 4-month-old daughter, Angel Iris Murphy Brown.

Brown will also seek sole custody and reasonable child support, attorney
Gloria Allred said at a press conference.

"I am here today for one reason and one reason only; her name is Angel,"
Brown said. "Angel is my baby and Eddie's. She will always know that she
was planned and wanted by both of us."

Arnold Robinson, a spokesman for the 46-year-old actor, declined to
comment.

Brown said she and Murphy dated for four months in 2006 before mutually
deciding to conceive a child.

"The relationship was in full swing right at the beginning of my
pregnancy," Brown said, adding that she was shocked when Murphy later
said he was not sure he was the baby's father.

Allred said Murphy took a DNA test in June.

The test "established paternity but paternity has not been legally
acknowledged," she said in a statement.

Brown, who dated Murphy last year, gave birth to her daughter April 3.
She listed Murphy as the father on the birth certificate.

Murphy has five children from his marriage to Nicole Mitchell Murphy, who
filed for divorce in 2005.

He got engaged last week to film producer Tracey Edmonds, according to
Adris Debarge, Edmonds' executive assistant.

Brown also has an 8-year-old daughter.

The Spice Girls recently reunited for a tour that is scheduled to begin
later this year.

?























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Sunday, July 27, 2008

Chinese Mandarin - I Know Who Killed Me




? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / New Releases






I Know Who Killed Me



Updated: 2007-07-30 09:45




?


An idyllic small town is rocked when Aubrey Fleming, a bright and
promising young woman, is abducted and tortured by a sadistic serial
killer. When she manages to escape, the traumatized girl who regains
consciousness in the hospital insists that she is not who they think she
is and that the real Aubrey Fleming is still in mortal danger.

Production Status:







?
Released

Genres: Thriller

Running Time: 1 hr. 50 min.

Release Date: July 27th, 2007 (wide)

MPAA Rating: R for grisly violence including torture and disturbing gory
images, and for sexuality, nudity and language.

Distributors:
TriStar Pictures




Production Co.:
360 Pictures




Filming Locations:
Los Angeles, California, USA

New York, New York, USA






Produced in: United States























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Learn mandarin - Junk food addict Amy Winehouse struggles to put on weight



? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Gossip






Junk food addict Amy Winehouse struggles to put on weight


(ANI)
Updated: 2007-07-30 11:53





?

Amy Winehouse

British singer Amy Winehouse's worryingly thin physique has attracted a
lot of attention.

The soul singer is said to be a junk food addict and a chocoholic, but
she still struggles to gain weight.

In an interview ahead of her ICA gig, the 23-year-old, who married Blake
Fielder Civil in May, recently revealed that she had to get her wedding
ring resized because she kept losing it.

"I had to have my wedding ring resized. It got too big and I kept
losing," the Daily Mail quoted her as saying.

At the event, the singer made her fans wait for about 50 minutes as she
went to Selfridges.

"Amy was busy stocking up on eye make-up at the Stila counter. Giles
Deacon was hosting a party for Intel at the Moet & Chandon champagne bar
and Amy was invited up for a drink but said she had a gig to go to," a
source said.

However, the 'Rehab' singer gave a delightful performance at the gig,
which came as a relief to her long-waiting fans.

The singer has been dubbed the female Pete Doherty and is becoming more
and more infamous as a no-show.

Winehouse's self-destructive behavior has made many worry that one of
Britain's young talent is doomed.








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Saturday, July 26, 2008

Chinese Class - "Lost" world offers game, mobisodes, books




? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Television






"Lost" world offers game, mobisodes, books



Updated: 2007-07-27 19:08



SAN DIEGO - Although Comic-Con International lost a scoop when ABC
executives let slip this week that actor Harold Perrineau would rejoin
the cast of "Lost," fans attending the show's panel Thursday were still
rewarded with the first look at the video game based on the show.

Included in the more-than-hourlong discussion by the show's
co-creator/executive producer, Damon Lindelof, and executive producer
Carlton Cuse were 30 seconds of footage of the game being developed by
Ubisoft.

And there's more to come from the "Lost" universe, Lindelof said.

"It will allow us to focus our time and energy into creating separate
medias like the game, mobisodes, another 'Lost Experience,' and we have a
couple of cool book ideas that tie into the show," he said. "This will
allow us to really supervise that stuff and be involved."

The first-person action game for the Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation
3 and PC will be released in February to coincide with the debut of the
fourth "Lost" season. Gamers will be able to play as a survivor of
Oceanic Flight 815, exploring familiar locations, unraveling mysteries
and puzzles as well as interacting with the main characters on the show.

Cuse noted that development of the game by Ubisoft's Montreal studios is
in its early stage but promised it will be a "really cool" experience for
fans.

Perrineau appeared during the panel, and though he offered little details
on his character's return, he did say he had known about the move for
some time but kept silent while he did other projects, including the film
"28 Weeks Later."























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Chinese Studies - Nicole Richie set to break her silence




? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Gossip






Nicole Richie set to break her silence


(ANI)
Updated: 2007-07-26 15:06





?

Nicole Richie

Nicole Richie is all set to break her silence on a series of TV shows
that will run a three-segment interview with the socialite.

The programme will be aired beginning on Aug 2nd and 3rd, followed by
20/20.

Richie will talk to Diane Sawyer about her imminent 90-day jail term for
a 2006 DUI case and her baby bump, which she and her beau Joel Madden
have not discussed so far.

Richie, who is a repeat offender, is due to appear in court on August 16,
reports Us Magazine. com.

The 25-year-old suddenly seems to have switched to low profile, for she
has been spotted dining at less-glamorous Chili's in upstate New York.

Richie was also spotted slumping in her car near a few suburban malls,
where Madden was performing.








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Friday, July 25, 2008

Learn Chinese - OK! has 'heartbreaking' day with Spears




? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Gossip






OK! has 'heartbreaking' day with Spears


(AP)
Updated: 2007-07-25 08:59




?


?

Britney Spears arrives to the showing of Kimora Lee Simmons' Baby Phat
fall 2007 collection in this Feb. 2, 2007 file photo during Fashion Week
in New York.[AP]

Britney Spears has spilled her story to OK! magazine. In a statement to
celebrity news Web site TMZ, OK! Editor-in-Chief Sarah Ivens said the
magazine had "spent a heartbreaking day with Britney Spears and witnessed
first-hand an emotional cry for help that will leave you shocked and sad."

"This week, on newsstands Friday, the truth will be told," Ivens said.

The statement was posted Tuesday on TMZ's Web site. A day earlier, TMZ
said it had "learned that Britney's self-arranged photo shoot and
interview with OK! Magazine was a complete disaster" and that her
behavior during the interview was "nothing less than a meltdown."

OK! publicist Brian Strong said the magazine wouldn't publish photos of
Spears from the shoot due to legal reasons. He said OK! would deliver "a
very real account" of its interview with the 25-year-old singer.

The Associated Press was attempting to locate a representative for Spears.

Earlier this month, Spears apologized for attacking a photographer's car
with an umbrella in February, saying at the time she was preparing to try
out for a movie part and got carried away.

The incident took place during the same period in which Spears shaved her
head, got new tattoos and was seen partying hard in Los Angeles clubs.

Not long after, the erstwhile pop star, more recently derided as a pop
tart for her highly public forays into midnight carousing, checked into a
monthlong stay in rehab.

Spears filed for divorce from aspiring rapper Kevin Federline in
November, just two months after giving birth to the couple's second
child, Jayden James. Their older son, Sean Preston, was born in September
2005.























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* Negotiators 'hopeful' in Korean hostage crisis
* US to curb Iran with Gulf army deal
* Illgal gov't charges fuelling soaring house prices
* Penalties vary as kids die in hot cars
* Official urges Dalai Lama to abandon secessionist





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Learning Chinese - Annual Harbin International Beer Festival opens




? ?



CITYLIFE / Travel






Annual Harbin International Beer Festival opens


(CRI)
Updated: 2007-07-23 09:58





Musicians perform at the opening ceremony of the sixth Harbin
International Beer Festival opened in northeastern Chinese city of Harbin
on Saturday, July 21, 2007. [Photo: northeast.cn]?




The sixth Harbin International Beer Festival opened on Saturday in
Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.

Harbin, the first Chinese city to brew beer, boasts a beer culture of 107
years. It also ranks among the cities with the highest average per capita
beer consumption in the world!

The city launched the annual international beer festival in 2002. This
year the event will last for 15 days till August 5.

Many top beer manufacturers from Germany, the United States, Denmark and
Japan, as well as China, are taking part in the occasion.

























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Pilgrimage to Tibet If you want to get a detailed Travel Handbook to
Tibet and know more interesting tour routes leading to this divine place.
Please click here!

Yunnan New Film Project Ten female directors from China! Ten unique
sights from mysterious Yunnan Province!Yunnan New Film Project,Travel
with the film.Wanna know more? Please click here!




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* Lookng after your skin naturally
* Evocative scents in a glass of wine
* Go on a shopping spree to discount stores
* Teatime!





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Eating out: Mouth-watering magic
Bars&Cafes: Catch underground bands
Weekend&Holiday: An Oasis at Shichahai
Shopping: Ice up your world
What's on: Smoke society





Shanghai Guide ?


Eating out: An institution in the making
Bars&Cafes: The new money
Weekend&Holiday: Band of gypsies
Shopping: Chinese made delicacy
What's on: Teenage wasteland





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Thursday, July 24, 2008

Chinese Class - Keith Richards could suffer brain damage








ENTERTAINMENT / Music








Keith Richards could suffer brain damage
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-05-10 08:46





Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones sits in a bus upon his arrival at
the Pudong international airport in Shanghai, China, in this April 6,
2006 file photo. Doctors are concerned Richards could suffer from brain
damage after undergoing two surgeries following a fall while holidaying
in Fiji, the New Zealand Herald reported on Wednesday. (Nir Elias/Reuters)

WELLINGTON - Doctors are concerned Rolling Stones guitarist Keith
Richards could suffer from brain damage after undergoing two surgeries
following a fall while holidaying in Fiji, the New Zealand Herald
reported on Wednesday.

The newspaper said Richards had undergone an operation at a hospital in
New Zealand on Monday to relieve a blood clot on the brain which involved
drilling a hole through the skull. Subdural hematoma can be caused by
mild knocks to the head.

His London publicists confirmed on Monday that he had surgery but did not
disclose the details. They said it was a success and he was expected to
recover in a few weeks.

The Herald said Richards had his first operation on April 28 to stop
bleeding in his skull.

A spokesman at the Ascot Hospital in Auckland declined to comment on the
report.

Richards' two daughters -- 21-year-old Theodora and 19-year-old Alexandra
-- were also reported to have arrived at Auckland's Ascot Hospital on
Tuesday to join their mother at Richards' bedside.

The 62-year-old rocker had been under medical observation in Auckland
following the fall in late April.

Richards was flown to Auckland after the accident while holidaying in
Fiji following the end of the Japan, China, Australia and New Zealand leg
of a world tour.

Along with lead singer Mick Jagger, Richards has been the backbone of the
Rolling Stones since the 1960s.

His history of arrests and drug abuse in younger years has given him the
reputation as rock 'n' roll's ultimate survivor. He pokes fun at his
checkered past by greeting concert audiences with the catchphrase, "Good
to be here, good to be anywhere."

He has suffered his fair share of freak accidents.

In 1998, he broke three ribs and punctured a lung falling from a ladder
while reaching for a book in his library. In 1990, one of his fingers got
infected after he punctured it on a guitar string. In both cases, the
Stones were forced to postpone concerts.













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Chinese Class - Espionage cloud hangs over Alonso title revival








/ Page 24








Espionage cloud hangs over Alonso title revival

Updated: 2007-08-03 06:46






BUDAPEST: The Formula One circus arrives in Budapest this weekend as the
'espionage' case between Ferrari and McLaren drags on and the title race
really begins to hot up.

Two weeks ago in Germany, Fernando Alonso stole a dramatic victory for
McLaren, executing a daring overtaking move on Ferrari's Felipe Massa in
the closing stages of the race.

Heading into Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix the Spaniard is just two
points behind his English rookie teammate Lewis Hamilton who remains top
of the driver's world championship.

Alonso's pursuit of a third consecutive driver's title is now looking a
serious possibility and his joy on the Nurburgring podium showed just how
important he felt the victory was.

He is now looking forward to competing on a Hungaroring circuit for which
he has a special affinity.

"It was great to take the win in Germany and I hope to achieve the same
result in Hungary," Alonso said.

"I have some good memories from this track, as I took my first Formula 1
victory here.

"The track will always be special to me. I usually enjoy the race so am
looking forward to racing there this year with McLaren. It is a very slow
track but also tough physically because of the conditions, which are
usually very hot.

Alonso is drawing confidence from the way he and Hamilton excelled to
take a McLaren 1-2 at Monaco earlier this season on a similarly
claustrophobic, twisting track to the Hungaroring.

But one man who does not buy into this theory is Ferrari's Finnish driver
Kimi Raikkonen who insists he can still make up the 18-point deficit to
Hamilton and claim the world title.

"Everybody says that McLaren has to be stronger than us here; but I don't
think that this will be the case," he said.

"We have taken a big step forward since the race in Monaco and it will be
really interesting to see how competitive we are over the weekend."

"I still believe that it's possible for me to win the title: just look at
the last race and you can see that everything can happen."

The race at the Nurburgring was certainly packed with incident.

Raikkonen was forced to retire with a mechanical problem while a
spectacular crash in qualifying left Hamilton doubtful to even take part
in the race.

Though he did manage to line up on the grid, Hamilton could not force his
way into the points positions and he will now look to bounce back in
Hungary after his amazing run of nine consecutive podiums came to an end.

How the 22-year-old rookie recovers from his first major setback will be
a major point of interest in Hungary.

Both McLaren drivers had hoped to arrive in Budapest without the shadow
of the espionage drama hanging over them.

But the saga is dragging on after the World Motor Sport Council referred
the case to the FIA International Court of Appeal.

On July 26 it was found that McLaren had possession of confidential
Ferrari information but no penalty was issued as it was impossible to
prove that the information had been of any benefit to the English team.

But after the Italian Automobile Club intervened on Ferrari's behalf this
week, FIA president Max Mosley sent the case to the court of appeal where
it will be heard once again at the end of August.

Predictably the two team's responses to this decision were polar
opposites. McLaren expressed regret that the issue had not been swept
away while Ferrari claimed a victory for justice.

Back on the track, two new drivers will take Formula One race seats this
weekend.

Former BMW driver Sebastian Vettel, 19, who became the youngest driver to
earn a world championship point earlier this season, will replace Scott
Speed at Torro Rosso and Japan's Sakon Yamamoto will step in to partner
young German Adrian Sutil at Spyker.

AFP


(China Daily 08/03/2007 page24)
















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Wednesday, July 23, 2008

HSK - Oprah Winfrey is richest female celeb








ENTERTAINMENT / Gossip






Oprah Winfrey is richest female celeb

(IANS)
Updated: 2007-07-20 15:36





Oprah Winfrey

Television hostess Oprah Winfrey is the richest female celebrity in the
world.

Oprah pipped Sandra Bullock, Madonna, Julia Roberts and Nicole Kidman to
sit pretty at number one spot in OK! Magazine's Top 10 Female
Breadwinners list, with a $1.5 billion net worth.

Some other celebrities in the top 10 are Christina Aguilera, Halle Berry
and Jessica Alba, also the youngest star on the list.









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HSK - Wandering hands on the bus spark panda-monium




? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Hot Pot Column






Wandering hands on the bus spark panda-monium


By Erik Nilsson (China Daily)
Updated: 2007-07-19 15:09



I had been making small talk with this middle-aged Chinese man I met on a
bus from Beijing bound for Tianjin for about 20 minutes when he suddenly
seized my hand and started tenderly caressing it.

He had a very serious look on his face, and I suspect I also got one when
he started stroking my palms. Surely, I was curious about his intentions,
but I was taking this whole scenario in stride.

Suddenly, his eyebrows jumped towards his hairline, and he gasped. "Ooh!"
he barked.

While I remained silent, I shared the same feeling - but perhaps for
different reasons.

"You will become very, very rich at age 35!" he informed me excitedly. My
sense of "ooh!" turned into a feeling of "aha!" as I realized this fellow
was reading my future as imprinted on my palm.

"And you will live to be 100 years old!" he exclaimed through a
snaggle-toothed grin, as he traced a fingertip along my palm's furrows.

"Well," I thought, "that gives me a good 65 years to blow the big bucks I
will apparently come into."

Since then, I've been thinking about how I should spend this pending
fortune. I think many guys who would find themselves in this situation
might buy a huge house and move in with a beautiful woman.

And I believe this is what I'd do also - except, instead of moving in
with a lovely lady, I'd prefer to bunk with a pet panda.

I'd buy my cuddly buddy truckloads of the finest bamboo-chute nibbles and
swimming pools brimming with top-grade tipple. My new roomie and I would
feast fanatically, eating, drinking and being merry all day, every day.

I could buy a DVD store's stock and a souped up entertainment system, so
when we are done banqueting, my panda pal and I could put our feet - and
paws - up to rub our swollen bellies and watch movies until our eyeballs
ooze out of our skulls.

With my newfound fortune, I would pander to my panda's every whim.

But then, I began to worry: What if things didn't work out with our
living arrangement? What if my panda pal started getting annoyed with me
leaving my socks in the middle of the living room floor and squeezing the
toothpaste from the middle of the tube rather than from the bottom? I'm
not the best roommate, and it could become a bear of a problem in this
case.

I heard about a guy in Australia who had the same thing happen with his
koala buddy when they moved in together. According to the rumor mill,
things got pretty hairy between him and his fuzzy friend in the end, and
the fur really flew when they fought.

So, I really don't know what to do now. I need some guidance about the
direction my future life should take and whether or not I should seek to
cohabitate with a rare and adorable Ailuropoda.

There's no rush; apparently, I've got about three quarters of a century
left to figure it out. And I have a pretty good idea of where to seek the
answers. I just need to board a few more outgoing busses from Beijing and
hope to meet another palmist who could lend a helping hand.

(China Daily 07/19/2007 page20)























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Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Chinese Speaking - Letters and Blogs








/ Page 11








Letters and Blogs

Updated: 2007-07-18 07:04




Noodle breakfast

Comments on Liu Shinan's column "Correct, timely government intervention"
(China Daily, July 11)

This plan will make things even worse for the people of Lanzhou.

Suppose you are a restaurant owner in Lanzhou who is told to charge no
more than 2.5 yuan for a bowl of noodles.

The only way to stay in business is to hold down the cost of ingredients.

So with grain prices rising this month in China and the wholesale cost of
your noodles going up, the only option is to cut either the amount or the
quality of the beef going into the bowl.

That just reduces the protein content of an already skimpy product.

The result is an even less nutritious breakfast. More empty carbohydrates
from white flour and less protein from less beef.

Looking forward to more students and office workers falling asleep in the
mornings in Lanzhou as the quality of their breakfast goes down.

Wang

On the China Daily website

If it's not the market price, it won't last long. The points you raised
are not quite enough to justify government intervention.

Mike

On the China Daily website

I agree with the comments about the price of food and other items at
airports in China.

As in Lanzhou, the government ought to put in place some measures. It is
not so much about monopolizing the price, but about protecting consumers
from unlawful price hikes.

Ben

On the China Daily website

The beef noodle market in Lanzhou should become a monopoly? This is quite
ridiculous.

The government should focus on public security. Your proposed
intervention into the daily market mechanism will definitely distort it.

Sanmao

On the China Daily website

An excellent article! To expand on it, health, food, education and
transportation should all have some form of government control.

If left to "market forces", we'd have the worst aspects of human nature
influencing those essential areas cited above. It's not what we want.

Mopy

On the China Daily website

Readers' comments are welcome. Please send mail to Letters to the Editor,
China Daily, 15 Huixin Dongjie, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029 China.
Send faxes to (86-10) 6491-8377. Send e-mail to opinion@chinadaily.com.cn
or letters@chinadaily.com.cn or to the individual columnists. China Daily
reserves the right to edit all letters. Thank you.


(China Daily 07/18/2007 page11)
















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Chinese Studies - Anne Hathaway game to bare it all








ENTERTAINMENT / Movies






Anne Hathaway game to bare it all

(IANS)
Updated: 2007-07-16 15:42





Anne Hathaway

Svelte Hollywood actress Anne Hathaway says she is willing to shed her
clothes on camera if the role demands it.

'The Princess Diaries' star feels that the no-nudity clause many
actresses have in their contracts is silly, Marie Claire magazine
reported.

She says: 'I don't actively search for (movies) that I can get naked in.
It's not the most fun requirement of the job, but nor is it something
that I would ever not do a job because of. It is what it is. Some people
choose not to do it on moral grounds; I think that's a shoddy argument.'











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Monday, July 21, 2008

Salmonella found in a Mexican-grown jalapeño

Government inspectors finally have a big clue in the nationwide salmonella outbreak: They found the same bacteria strain on a single Mexican-grown jalapeno pepper handled in Texas — and issued a stronger warning for consumers to avoid fresh jalapenos.

But Monday’s discovery, the equivalent of a fingerprint, doesn’t solve the mystery: Authorities still don’t know where the pepper became tainted — on the farm, or in the McAllen, Texas, plant, or at some stop in between, such as a packing house.

Nor are they saying the tainted pepper exonerates tomatoes sold earlier in the spring that consumers until last week had been told were the prime suspect.