Learn Chinese online - Brad?Pitt?tames Jolie's lesbian libido?

? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Gossip






Brad?Pitt?tames Jolie's lesbian libido?


(Daily Telegraph)
Updated: 2007-08-13 18:46





Angelina Jolie claims she is so satisfied with her partner Brad Pitt that
she is giving up women and kinky sex.

"I have never hidden my bisexuality," she told France's Public magazine.

"But since I've been with Brad, I abandoned women. Now there is no room
for that or S&M in my life."

However, model Jenny Shimizu, Jolie's former lesbian lover, doesn't think
even Brad Pitt can tame Jolie's lesbian libido for too long.

"She loves danger and dabbling in the dark side," Shimizu, 40, told
Britain's News of the World.

"Angelina is an unbelievable lesbian lover. That's where she gets her
kicks - not playing happy families with one man."

But Public magazine quoted Jolie as saying she is still very happy with
Pitt because he believes in her.

"He lets me talk to whomever I want," she said. "He has complete blind
faith in me."

Jolie had a steamy long-term lesbian relationship with model Jenny
Shimizu, whom she met on the set of the 1996 flick Foxfire.








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Learning Chinese - More "Sex" puts Mr. Big on big screen

? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Movies






More "Sex" puts Mr. Big on big screen


(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-08-10 21:17



LOS ANGELES?- Carrie Bradshaw and Mr. Big's happily ever after (or lack
thereof) will play out on the big screen.

After weeks of speculation, Chris Noth has closed a deal to reprise his
iconic character from "Sex and the City" in the upcoming feature based on
the hit HBO series.

The four stars from the series -- Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall,
Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon -- came aboard in early July when the
long-gestating feature moved forward after New Line Cinema came on board
to finance and distribute it.

Production on the film -- written by and to be directed by the series'
executive producer Michael Patrick King -- is slated to begin in
September in New York.

Noth stars on NBC's "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," which also shoots in
New York, and he will work on both projects simultaneously.

The series finale of "Sex" ended with Mr. Big flying to Paris to profess
his love for Carrie (Parker) and bring her home to New York.























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Speak Chinese - Two kids are all that Zeta-Jones can handle

? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Gossip






Two kids are all that Zeta-Jones can handle


(ANI)
Updated: 2007-08-09 19:37





Actress Catherine Zeta-Jones is happy with her two kids and doesn't plan
to have any more.

The 37-year-old has a son Dylan and a daughter Carys with hubby Michael
Douglas, and insists that her life is just too hectic for her to take
care of any more kids.

"I'd love to but my life is so hectic. I'm very happy with one of each.
They're healthy, happy, funny ... so I'm done," Contactmusic quoted her,
as saying.

The Oscar winner revealed that an experience at the age of 17 during her
time on a production of 42nd Street on London's West End made her realize
that looking after babies was not an easy task.

"I had a room in a single mum's house, with this baby. I'd never changed
a (diaper) before and she asked me one morning if I could look after the
baby and I was like, 'What? I've got rehearsals at 3, and I don't know
whether I can do it ... don't leave me alone with a child!'" she said.























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Learn Chinese online - Online singing contest is on

? ?



CITYLIFE / what's on








Online singing contest is on

By Xu Wei (Shanghai Daily)
Updated: 2007-08-08 10:32

Summer is a good season to indulge your passions and let off some energy.
Lovers of singing whose dreams of stardom have so far been confined to
karaoke bars are welcome to compete in a public singing contest initiated
by Channel In, Love Radio and SMGBB.

?

The contest aims to select from the city's grassroots karaoke talents
those who are keen to showcase their singing skills on a wider stage.

?

Before this Sunday, the registration deadline, anyone or any amateur
singing group can first upload their original singing clips at
k.smgbb.cn. No admission fee is required. So far about 5,000 karaoke
talents have registered and uploaded more than 6,000 clips of various
kinds.

?

The best 20 contestants will be decided by the votes of Netizens. They
will have the chance to present roadshows at some of the bustling
downtown areas of the city - namely Wanda Plaza on Saturday and Sunday;
Daning International Business Plaza on August 18 and Carrefour Jinqiao on
August 19.

?

They will also promote themselves as guest performers on "Happy Time," a
popular TV program broadcast live on Channel In.

?

Over the past month, more than seven million Netizens have voted online.
The best 10 contestants came into view on August 7.

?

The jury for the contest will be composed of well-known singers, pop
music producers and critics. The winner will be chosen at the end of this
month. Channel In will telecast the finals live on August 22, August 29
and September 5.

?

Organizers revealed that they will also host an outdoor concert at
Century Plaza in Nanjing Road Pedestrian Mall on September 8. Apart from
the karaoke talents, pop singers such as Melody Jiang and Huang Ling will
also perform at the concert.

?

The concert with music stars, local TV hosts and the talented contestants
who have emerged from the competition will be more like a huge party to
which all music lovers are invited to join in the carnival atmosphere.

?

?











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wooden puzzle, one-piece toilet, RC hovercraft, photo album, prom dress,
pocket bike, Vaginal Speculum, Samurai Sword, String Panty and PVC Pipe.





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Learning Chinese - About the film

? ?



CITYLIFE / About the film






About the film



Updated: 2007-08-07 09:33



About the film:

On the last day of school, Mouth, a 15 year old teenager with a love for
the game of basketball and his best friends Monkey and Jason run into Li
Wei, the captain of the high school basketball team & his entourage. Li
Wei continuously makes their lives a living hell and the results of their
building conflict ends up taking all parties to the finals of annual
3-on-3 basketball tournament. Having to face the biggest bullies on the
court; will the boys prevail and win back their pride?

Synopsis:

Our story begins on the last day of school during final exams in Beijing,
China, with Mouth, an unconfident introverted shy 15 year old, and his
best friend Monkey, an undersized energetic loudmouth.

As they get ready for the start of summer vacation and their transition
into high school, Mouth to his surprise, has just started his first
relationship with the smartest and prettiest girl at school, Xiao Xiao,
and the future is looking bright. What would be awesome summer turns
sour, when Monkey's cousin, Jason, a Hip Hop loving ABC (American born
Chinese) with attitude arrives into town and gets them on the wrong-side
of Li Wei the arrogant and cocky captain of the high school basketball
team.

To make matters worse, Mouth's humble father Lao Lin, works for Li Wei's
powerful and rich father Li Jian Guo. Mouth desperately tries to avoid
any more trouble, but Jason convinces the boys to take revenge and stand
up for their dignity. The boys score a minor victory, but as a result Li
Wei vows to make their lives a living hell.

Mouth's life takes a turn for the worse during Monkey's birthday party,
when Li Wei and his friends show up and destroy the party humiliating
Xiao Xiao and the boys. Angry and pushed over the edge, Mouth attacks Li
Wei and ends up damaging public property and injuring Li Wei. The police
show up along with their fathers resulting in Lao Lin groveling to Li
Jian Guo from being fired and also forcing him to get a second job in
order to payback the damages caused by Mouth's mess. Frustrated, Mouth
gets into a fight with Xiao Xiao, breaks up with her and life hits an all
time low. In order to pay back the damages Mouth, Monkey and Jason enter
the annual 3-on-3 basketball tournament in hopes of winning the grand
prize money.

During the tournament Mouth and his team's under-dog appearance and
remarkable performances make them the crowd and more importantly media
favorites much to the dislike of Li Jian Guo. He must do something to get
these kids out of the tournament as soon as possible because they are
stealing the thunder away from his own son's team, the two time defending
champions. The night before the semi-finals, Mouth鈥檚 father discovers
that his son has failed his final exams, and lashes out hitting his son
in anger. During the semi-finals, Mouth plays horribly causing a huge
fight between him and Jason. Out of a fluke they manage to win a birth to
the finals against none other than Li Wei, but unable to settle their
differences, will the boys have what it takes to overcome impossible odds?

?























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!




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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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Learn Chinese - The Bourne Ultimatum

? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Box Office top 10






The Bourne Ultimatum



Updated: 2007-08-06 09:14





All he wanted was to disappear; instead, Jason Bourne is now hunted by
the people who made him what he is--legendary assassin. Having lost his
memory and the one person he loved, he is undeterred by the barrage of
bullets and a new generation of highly-trained killers. Bourne has only
one objective: to go back to the beginning and find out who he was. Now,
in the new chapter of this espionage series, Bourne will hunt down his
past in order to find a future. He must travel from Moscow, Paris and
London to Tangier and New York City as he continues his quest to find the
real Jason Bourne--all the while trying to outmaneuver the scores of
cops, federal officers and Interpol agents with him in their crosshairs.

Production Status:











Released

Logline: Legendary assassin Jason Bourne uncovers mysteries of his past,
which puts him in the cross-hairs of a superkiller.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Thriller, Adaptation and Sequel

Running Time: 1 hr. 51 min.

Release Date: August 3rd, 2007 (wide)

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for violence and intense sequences of action.


Distributors:
Universal Pictures

Production Co.:
Kennedy/Marshall Company, Ludlum Entertainment, MP Beta




Studios:
Universal Pictures




Filming Locations:
New York, New York, USA

Madrid, Spain

Paris, France

London, England

Riga, Latvia

Tangier, Morocco

Toronto, Canada

Berlin, Germany






Produced in: United States























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Study Chinese - Parker:'STAC ruined my body'

? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Television






Parker:'STAC ruined my body'


(WENN)
Updated: 2007-08-03 09:52




?


Sarah Jessica Parker

?

Actress Sarah Jessica Parker may not be so happy about reviving her
famous character for the movie version of Sex and the City.

The star, who played Carrie Bradshaw in the popular TV series, has
complained that hours of wearing designer high heels in the show has
destroyed her body.

The actress has revealed that filming a character that ran around New
York City in Manolo Blahniks for 18-20 hours a day, has completely shot
her knees.

It appears the star has even less in common with Carrie, after she
declared she isn't a fan of her character's favourite tipple,
cosmopolitans, either.

Plans for the movie previously ran into trouble with rumours Kim
Cattrall, who plays man-eater Samantha Jones, was refusing to sign up.

Sex And The City ran for six seasons before it ended in 2004, amidst
reports of behind-the-scenes rivalry between Cattrall and Parker.

?























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HSK Exam - Photographers: Spears threatened us

? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Gossip






Photographers: Spears threatened us


(AP)
Updated: 2007-08-01 19:59



LAS VEGAS - Britney Spears threw a baby bottle and threatened two
photographers after they took pictures of her leaving a Las Vegas spa,
the photographers said in a statement Tuesday.

Spears yelled "I am going to kill you!" and cursed at Andrew Deetz, a
photographer who says he was beaten by Spears' bodyguard on Thursday,
according to a statement released by Deetz's lawyers.

Deetz, 24, is preparing to sue, his lawyers said. The other photographer
involved was Kyle Henderson, 23. They both work for a celebrity
photography company called Flynet Pictures, which sells to such
publications as People and US Weekly, according to Daniel Kogan, a
spokesman for Deetz's lawyers.

The men were taking pictures of Spears, 25, as she and her children 鈥�
22-month-old Sean Preston Federline and 10-month-old Jayden James
Federline 鈥� left the spa at the Wynn Las Vegas casino-hotel around
11:30 a.m., accompanied by two bodyguards.

One bodyguard, Cesar Julio Camera, 37, pushed Henderson against the wall
until Wynn security intervened and asked Henderson to leave, the
statement said.

As they were about 30 paces away and walking in the opposite direction,
Camera attacked Deetz from behind, threw him on the ground and punched
and kicked him until security pulled him off, it said.

Afterward, Spears ran toward Henderson but was stopped by security, and
then threw a baby bottle at him, it said.

Then, in front of several other hotel guests and bystanders, Spears
threatened to kill Deetz and said he should get a restraining order
against her because she was going to kill him or hire someone that would,
it said.

Camera also told Deetz on July 23 outside the Lisa Kline boutique in
Beverly Hills, "I have unfinished business with you," the statement
alleged.

Spears' lawyer Gary Stiffelman declined to comment.

Wynn Las Vegas released a statement confirming that Spears stayed at the
hotel and left on Thursday, but also declined to discuss the
confrontation.

"We respect the privacy and do our utmost to maintain the anonymity of
our guests," it said.

Las Vegas police issued a summons for a charge of battery to Camera, the
only person cited. He could face up to six months in county jail and a
$1,000 fine if convicted.

Stiffelman's office would not relay messages to Camera seeking comment,
and The Associated Press was unable to find a phone number for him.








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Chinese Class - Lohan's dad withdraws drug test request

? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Gossip






Lohan's dad withdraws drug test request


(AP)
Updated: 2007-07-31 15:25





?

Michael Lohan, Lindsay Lohan's father, arrives at Family Court
in Westbury, N.Y. Monday, July 30, 2007.[AP]

Lindsay Lohan's father withdrew a request to have his estranged wife
tested for drugs as the pair were in divorce court on Monday.

Michael Lohan had previously suggested that Dina Lohan's drinking and his
own drug use may have contributed to the substance abuse problems
plaguing their starlet daughter.

He said he felt the move would improve his chances of being granted
visitation rights with his children. He currently is permitted only
telephone calls with his daughter Aliana, 13, and her brother, Dakota,
10. Because Lindsay, 21, and her brother Michael Lohan Jr., 19, are no
longer minors, they are not subject to the edicts of Family Court.

Michael Lohan is doing "everything he possibly can to reunite with his
children," his attorney, John DiMascio Jr., after the brief court
proceeding.

Dina Lohan, who was accompanied by her mother, Ann Sullivan, was not
impressed.

"There never should have been an order," she told reporters who swarmed
her as she walked to her car.

Family Court Judge Stacy D. Bennett said she was awaiting the results of
a review by a family therapist, which is due Sept. 6. In the meantime,
the judge repeated a previous admonition for the couple "not to make
disparaging comments in the presence of the children."

The Lohans are due back in divorce court Aug. 10.

Last week, Lindsay Lohan was arrested for investigation of misdemeanor
driving under the influence and driving with a suspended license, and for
felony cocaine possession. She was released on bail and insisted in an
e-mail to an entertainment reporter that she was innocent of the
allegations, which came just two weeks after she was released from her
second stint in rehab this year.

?























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Learn Mandarin online - Usher wedding cancelled

? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Gossip






Usher wedding cancelled


(WENN)
Updated: 2007-07-30 11:07





?

Usher

Usher's wedding has been mysteriously scrapped.

The R&B superstar was hoping to wed his pregnant fiancee Tameka Foster on
Saturday afternoon at record executive Antonio 'L.A.' Reid's home in Long
Island, New York.

Flowers, catering and even entertainment by Usher's pal Robin Thicke was
booked when the "Yeah!" singer's publicist announced the ceremony was
cancelled earlier in the day Saturday.

The singer's spokeswoman, Patti Webster, says, "No additional information
will be given regarding the circumstances of the cancellation, but we
hope the privacy of this matter will be respected."

Webster refused to comment on whether or not the couple had split.

Usher announced his stylist girlfriend Foster was pregnant in January and
the couple confirmed engagement reports in June.

News of the wedding cancellation comes just days after tabloids reported
Foster has a secret criminal past.

In the current issue of the National Enquirer, Foster's half-sister has
spoken out about the stylist's past--including a romance with a drug
dealer, who was 'executed' by a rival gang.

Valencia Foster told the tabloid, "Tameka is giving him (Usher) a
big-time snow job."

The half-sister reveals she was sworn to secrecy when Usher went home to
Oakland, California, to meet his future in-laws recently.

She adds, "(He said) 'You know all the family secrets--tell me about
them.' Before I could say a word, Tameka kicked me so hard under the
table she almost put a hole in my leg. Then she pulled me aside and
whispered, 'Don't tell him anything.'"

But Valencia couldn't keep quiet--she told the Enquirer her half-sister
was once involved with a married drug dealer and she was arrested twice,
allegedly serving 20 days behind bars for petty theft.























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Study Chinese - "Still Life" director back to Venice

? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Movies






"Still Life" director back to Venice


(CRIENGLISH.com)
Updated: 2007-07-27 14:40





?

A scene of Jia Zhangke's new documentary "Useless." The film is set to
compete for the Horizons Documentary Prize at this year's Venice Film
Festival. [ent.sina.com.cn]

Venice Film Festival's favorite Chinese director, Jia Zhangke, will take
his newly-finished documentary to compete for this year's Horizons
Documentary Prize.

The event's organizer will announce all nominations on Thursday. However,
the Shanghai-based Oriental Morning Post says Jia Zhangke has been
informed that "Useless" was named an official contender, citing sources
close to the director.

The film, finished earlier this month, focuses on Chinese fashion
designer Ma Ke and her clothing line Useless. Ma Ke reportedly will
appear at the festival to show her support.

Jia Zhangke was the winner of last year's Golden Lion award, the
festival's highest prize, for "Still Life."

The upcoming festival, opening on August 29, will feature heavy Chinese
involvement. Besides Zhang Yimou heading the all-director jury, actor
Jiang Wen is eyeing the Golden Lion for his third directorial work "The
Sun Also Rises." "Blood Brothers," with John Woo as its supervisor, has
been selected to close the festival on September 8.

Oscar-winning director Ang Lee is also likely to present his new
art-house work "Lust, Caution," which stars Hong Kong veteran Tony Leung
and Chinese American musician Lee-Hom Wang.























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Learn mandarin - Daniel Craig to become Britain's highest paid actor

? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Movies






Daniel Craig to become Britain's highest paid actor


(Daily Mail)
Updated: 2007-07-26 11:31



Daniel Craig has reportedly signed a 拢13 million contract to reprise his
role as James Bond.

The multimillion pound deal will make Craig Britain's highest paid actor
as the 39-year-old is expected to receive 拢5 million for the next film,
and another 拢8 million for a third outing.

?


?


Bond is back: Daniel Craig will reprise his role as
super-spy James Bond for a reported 拢13million

?

Craig won a huge pay rise following the box office success of his first
outing as Bond, Casino Royale, which took over 拢300 million at the box
office to make it the biggest-grossing Bond film ever.

?

The fee is said to be twice the amount he originally negotiated with
production company Eon.

?




?

Paid in full: The actor who made his name in television drama Our Friends
from the North has signed up for two more outings as the famous British
spy

?

Leon Forde of movie magazine Screen International, said: "The fact is
that he's become integral to the success of the Bond franchise and I'm
not surprised that he's been given a new contract.

?

Forde added: "Eon are obviously doing everything they can to keep him on
board."

?

Chester-born Craig first made his name in Our Friends In The North in
1996 before starring in films such Sylvia, Road To Perdition and Munich.

?









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Chinese Mandarin - John Lennon's son is no copycat of his dad

? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Gossip






John Lennon's son is no copycat of his dad


(ANI)
Updated: 2007-07-24 17:27



Beatles' star John Lennon's son, singer-songwriter Julian, denies copying
his dad's political protests in making an environmental issue film.

Julian produced a documentary 'The Gathering: Return of the Whale
Dreamers' about an aboriginal tribe and its special relationship to
whales.

The film, which also touches on a lot of environmental issues, has
received many awards and was shown at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival.

The 44-year-old revealed that he admired his dad's fight against Vietnam
War and everything he did, but he was not 'jumping on the bandwagon'.

"I admire what he did enormously. But we are not jumping on the
bandwagon," he added.

He insisted that he started his work 10 years ago and it was not followed
by 9/11 happenings and nor was a copy of politician Al Gore's
environmental campaign.

"We never did it to make money, we started ten years ago so we were
before Al Gore and 9/11," he said.























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Chinese Class - Mamma Mia! into Beijing

? ?



CITYLIFE / what's on








Mamma Mia! into Beijing

(britishcouncil)
Updated: 2007-07-23 09:47



Following its hugely successful run throughout 2006, the International
Tour of Mamma Mia! will come to Beijing for a 2 week run from the 7 until
the 19th August 2007. Over the last two years, the International Tour has
already performed in Dublin, Edinburgh, South Africa, Tallinn, Lisbon,
Paris, Brussels, Paris, throughout Germany, Vienna, Zurich, Belfast and
has already been seen by over 1.3 million people. This summer, Mamma Mia!
will be coming to Shanghai Grand Theatre and Beijing Poly Theatre.

Inspired by the story-telling magic of ABBA's timeless songs, writer
Catherine Johnson's sunny, funny tale of family and friendship unfolds on
a Greek island paradise. On the eve of her wedding, a daughter's quest to
discover the identity of her father brings 3 men from her mother's past
back to the island they last visited 20 years ago.

The production features 22 of ABBA's hits including: Chiquitita, Dancing
Queen, I Have a Dream, Knowing Me, Knowing You, The Winner Takes It All,
Super Trouper, Take a Chance on Me and Voulez-Vous.

Commenting upon this exciting announcement for Beijing Poly Theatre,
General Manager of the presenter China Arts and Entertainment Group Zhang
Yu said: "Attracting the World's No.1 show is a fantastic coup for The
Beijing. Mamma Mia! is sure to be a huge hit in Beijing and we are
delighted that we have been selected as the next China port of call for
the International Tour following its season in Shanghai in July 07."

Mamma Mia! is the global smash hit with currently 11 productions playing
worldwide. As well as the original London production which opened in 1999
and the International Tour, Mamma Mia! is also playing Broadway, Las
Vegas, North American Tour, Hamburg, Stuttgart, Madrid, Stockholm, Osaka
and a Russian-language production has recently opened in Moscow.

Global Producer Judy Craymer was first inspired to create a musical using
the music of ABBA to tell an original story in 1987. Since its stage
premiere in 1999, Mamma Mia! has gone on to gross over 拢155 million at
the UK Box Office and over $2 billion worldwide. More than 27 million
people have seen the show worldwide.

Judy Craymer says: "We're thrilled that the Mamma Mia! International Tour
is coming to Beijing and will play at the prestigious Beijing Poly
Theatre. We hope that Beijing audiences will also embrace Mamma Mia! and
we very much look forward to visiting this exciting city."



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?? 涓婁竴椤�?? 1?? 2?? 涓嬩竴椤�??



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?











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Chinese Mandarin - Using wheat to fight the sand

CITYLIFE / Hip & New








Using wheat to fight the sand
(Beijing Today)
Updated: 2006-05-05 13:51



Wheat has become the new weapon to prevent sand pollution in Haidian
District. The administration of the district predicted that wheat might
take the place of a proposed artificial green belt.


Thirty grams of wheat seeds have been planted in abandoned land by a
construction site near Madian Xi Lu. Meng Jingyi from the administration
said, "The idea of planting wheat emerged from group discussion. It takes
two or three years to grow a lawn, while wheat is much faster. It takes
only seven days to sprout, so by July there will be a green barrier. The
wheat roots can keep the soil locked in and store water."

Meng also emphasized that economy is an important factor when considering
environmental protection. Compared with a green net costing thousands of
yuan, wheat is much cheaper. "We spent only one hundred yun on the wheat
seeds. We, along with the construction company, will take care of the
wheat. A natural shield is always better than an artificial one."However,
using wheat as a green belt is still being tested and it will take time
to see if it is feasible.

Guo Jiasong from the Wheat Center of Beijing Academy of Agriculture and
Forestry Sciences said, "Wheat can grow in any kind of earth. Though it
grows much faster than grass it has to be planted each year. The best
season to plant is autumn, and harvest in May or June. If it is planted
in spring, the wheat usually grows eighty to ninety centimeters high and
dies after the summer. For long-term protection grass is perhaps more
suitable.
















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Learn Mandarin online - Letters and Blogs

? ?



/ Page 11






Letters and Blogs

Updated: 2007-08-01 07:04

Sex slaves

Comment on "US House urges Japan to apologize for WWII sex slaves" (China
Daily web, July 31)

The Japanese society should take this opportunity to be proactive in
reflecting upon past crimes and come to terms with themselves and the
rest of the world. Please visit the concentration camp museums in
Germany, please talk to the German education ministry on how to educate
youngsters on dealing with war crime issues.

In Austria it is a crime to deny the holocaust but in Japan politicians
get elected when they deny all the misdeeds.

Chance for Japan

On China Daily website

Safety of exports

Comments on "Xenophobia at heart of product panic in US" (China Daily,
July 31)

I can certainly see that while it is true that China needs to tighten up
control over the smaller companies producing foodstuff, the US
politicians need to realize that branding a produce from China as a China
problem, is in very bad taste. Besides, in the long run the US may be
badly hit when the what goes around comes around.

The US has to show more confidence in the future.

China has the capability of being a self-contained market with a
population the size of Europe+N.America+Latin America together.

Think longer term.

Malik

on China Daily website

While the US government may have indeed exaggerated the extent of China's
product safety issue for political purposes, the notion that US concern
over China is linked to xenophobia and by the author's intimation to
racism is wobbly at best. Indeed, concerns over the impact of China's
export growth (i.e. from food quality to employment) span economic and
ethnic classes.

By linking US concerns over product safety in China with xenophobia the
author downplays the challenges that policymakers in China face in
establishing regulatory systems for export industries. Ensuring the
safety of exports in China is a real issue and certainly not one to be
dismissed as entirely driven by xenophobia.

Ke Yizhi

on China Daily website

Pet owners

Comments on Liu Shinan's column "It's a dog's life for man's best friend"
(China Daily, July 25)

You should give more emphasis that pet owners should be held accountable
for their dogs and the injuries they cause. Do a survey, how many pet
owners actually pick up the mess dogs leave.

Pet owners have rights, so do non-pet owners. But common areas must be
free of dog droppings.

Pang

Via e-mail

The article encourages people to either learn how to take care of their
pets, not get a pet if they do not really want one, or to just leave
another person's pet alone.

A passerby

On 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 08/01/2007 page11)

?

?










China Daily PDF Edition
?










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Chinese Class - One new friend every month

? ?



CITYLIFE / Hip & New






One new friend every month


(chinanews)
Updated: 2007-07-20 13:58




A recent report shows that Chinese residents make one new friend every
month on average. The new friends include people they get to know through
face-to-face talks, people who left their contact information before, and
those they get to know through online chat.

The report was released by the Horizon Research consulting firm.

By closely analyzing the figures, it can be found that 40% of the Chinese
people did not make any new friend in the past one month, while 44.6% of
the people made less than 3 new friends.

However, the report shows that many Chinese people want to get into
contact with new friends, and nearly half of them hope that they can make
at least 1-3 new friends every month.

It also reveals that Chinese people keep a hostile attitude towards
strangers and are not willing to contact strangers. Although many people
would like to have a chat with their housemaids, waiters or taxi drivers,
most (60%) are reluctant to respond to a stranger who come to speak with
them on streets or at railway stations.

It might be due to the same reason that only 40% of the Chinese people
think they "love to make new friends with strangers." On the other hand,
most Chinese think that they feel comfortable only when they are with
acquaintances.

In addition, the report shows that the ways that Chinese people make new
friends are relatively limited. Most people get to know new people at
work or with the help of their old friends. Few Chinese expand their
social network actively. Less than 10% of Chinese make friends at bars,
Internet cafes, or clubs, which are normally considered as good places to
make friends.


























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Learn Mandarin online - Orlando Bloom's mixed response from critics

? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Movies






Orlando Bloom's mixed response from critics


(WENN)
Updated: 2007-07-19 13:08





Orlando Bloom [AFP]

Hollywood hunk Orlando Bloom's London West End debut has been met with
mixed reviews from critics, with many insisting his role is too small to
prove himself on the stage.

The Lord Of The Rings star, 30, plays Steven, one of three brothers in
David Storey's play In Celebration at the Duke of York Theatre.

Critic Michael Billington from The Guardian writes, "Bloom lends Steven
exactly the right sense of haunted taciturnity and withdrawn moodiness."

The Daily Telegraph's Charles Spencer says, "...While a brilliantined and
moustached Orlando Bloom spends the entire evening looking pale and
interesting. It's not a challenging role but he remembers his lines and
doesn't bump into the furniture."

The Times' Benedict Nightingale writes, "Superficially it's an
unrewarding part, because he spends most of the time looking wan and
saying little but that he's 'fine', but an important one."

Meanwhile, WhatsOnStage.com's Michael Coveney declares, "He says very
little and rarely commands the stage."

Trade paper Variety's David Benedict, "It's still a gamble to put a man
largely cast for his ability to deliver looks - not lines - into a play
all about things spoken. That the gamble doesn't really pay off
artistically, however, is not entirely Bloom's fault... As Steven, Bloom
wears a moustache in a (failed) attempted to age up so he is believable
as the father of four children, but he spends the evening in diffident
moody introspection. He indicates his character's gathering distress but
lacks the skill to reveal the reasons for it."























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Learn Chinese online - Rehab saved Urban and Kidman's marriage

ENTERTAINMENT / Gossip






Rehab saved Urban and Kidman's marriage

(ANI)
Updated: 2007-07-17 18:16





Keith Urban & Nicole Kidman (L)

Country star Keith Urban insists that his 90 day stint at the Betty Ford
clinic in Palm Springs, California, is what saved his marriage to Nicole
Kidman from collapsing.

The singer entered rehab for alcoholism in October 2006, shortly after
the couple wed in June that year.

Urban however, insists that entering rehab at the time was one of the
wisest decisions that he had ever made, for not only did it save his
career, but also more importantly his marriage.

"My wife was away. She hadn't really been away before, and it came as a
shock to me to be alone and not prepared for it; alone with this thing
that I had, this big monkey on my back. Not going in would have cost me
my career at the very least, and my marriage would have been gone,
anyway," Contactmusic quoted him, as saying.

"That real cleansing and surrendering everything is what was really
needed for me. I realised, 'This is the crossroads of my life. If I want
a life, this is the time to take charge.' It sounds strange, but I'm glad
it happened.

"There's no doubt that what it's done for our marriage has been truly
divine. It has brought my wife and me to a place that may never have
happened for us," he added.











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Chinese Tutor - Consuming passion

CITYLIFE / Shopping






Consuming passion

By Beijing Weekend (Beijing Weekend)
Updated: 2007-07-16 11:09


Beijing's new fame as a shopper's paradise just stepped up a notch, with
numerous malls sprouting across the city, and yet more to come in the
run-up to the Games.

The capital's retail sector is entering a new stage of development, with
the number of malls to reach its peak by 2008, said Dennis Luk, director
of the retail department under Beijing Colliers International.

It's good news for the city's stylish lads and lasses, with several new
centers opened just in time to stock summer's hot new looks. Here's a
rundown on some of the unique characteristics being seen as the retail
big guns fight for your Mao.

SOHO Shangdu

This new complex is heaven for young girls in search of the latest
fashions. Located in the northwest corner of Chaoyang District, SOHO gets
an avant-garde facade, combining irregular and upside-down triangles
designed by acclaimed Australian Federation Square architect, Peter
Davidson. It boasts an astounding scale of one 5-storey, 37,000 square
meter vertical shopping street, one 8-storey business building and one
24-storey office tower.

The biggest feature here is the variety of small shops, covering
everything from jewelry and delicate handicrafts, to beauty salons and
chic clothes imported from Japan and South Korea. Though most are not
famous brands, all goods look quite trendy with comparatively low prices,
aiming at the fashionable young under 30 years old.

There are more than 400 small shops and boutiques in the building, though
at time of press just one-third of these were open for trading at the
brand-new center. To celebrate the opening, shops have slashed prices by
half.

Of those stores up and running, there are quite a few specializing in
artworks that are worth visiting. As-wishes on the third floor features
pottery in natural rough and simple styles. To keep the natural touch of
the products, the pottery is fired by wood instead of gas or coal.

On the second floor there are two shops focusing on handmade accessories
and artworks ?Tiantangyan features Nepalese and Tibetan jewelry,
cushions, delicate handmade clothes and scarves with strong exotic
flavor, while Shicaotang provides handmade leather products, from ordered
shoes to toys.

The complex also houses two open-air atriums, ideal for holding fashion
shows and small concerts. Another highlight, the five sunken gardens,
turns the shopping trip into a light-hearted experience.

Food here is OK. You can taste snacks from all around China, such as the
authentic Yunnan Rice Vermicelli and Shanxi Cut Noodle.

Location: 8 Dongdaqiao Lu, Chaoyang District

Wangjing Jiamao Shopping Center

This mall is more like an entertainment center, boasting a gym and beauty
clubs, various restaurants, and small indoor amusement parks for
children. Most brands there aim at middle and high-end customers, for
instance, CK, Touch and Fox. The entire fourth floor provides complete
ranges of products for kids and pregnant mothers, which has proved
popular with families.

Food is given a big presence here, with more than 50 restaurants
featuring different tastes. As Wangjing attracts many of Beijing's
Koreans, there is a special Korean cuisine zone on the second floor.

Concern for the shopper touches every corner of the mall. There is a tea
room on each floor providing free drinks for customers; in most toilets
there are special places for mothers to change baby's diaper.

One disadvantage is that the mall only has parking for 500 cars, creating
headaches on weekends.

Location: Guangshun Beidajie, Wangjing, Chaoyang District.

Landao Jinuu Department Store

It is the only large-scale shopping center on the North 5th Ring Road in
Beijing. Focusing on high-end clothes, the 15,000-square-meter mall
gathers more than 300 brands, such as Adidas, Nike and L'oreal.

Location: 1 Anningzhuang Donglu, Xisanqi, Haidian District






















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Beijing Guide




Eating out: A little sum-thing tasty
Bars&Cafes: The communal punchbowl
Weekend&Holiday: To the moon and back
Shopping: Consuming passion
What's on: Gone batty







Shanghai Guide


Eating out: Time for the lanes
Bars&Cafes: A town to have fun
Weekend&Holiday: More changes like this
Shopping: Think print
What's on: Sticking it to the man





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Chinese School - Hollywood, movie fans shy away from "torture porn"

ENTERTAINMENT / Movies






Hollywood, movie fans shy away from "torture porn"

(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-07-14 09:15


LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Torture, it seems, doesn't pay at movie theater
box offices like it used to.

In recent years, films dubbed "torture porn" have been the darlings of
many a Hollywood producer looking to make a quick buck. The latest such
release, "Captivity," opens in theaters on Friday.

But the popularity of movies like blood-and-guts thriller "Hostel: Part
II" and zombie flick "28 Weeks Later," appears to have waned, prompting
some to wonder if the trend is on its way out.

The answer is yes, depending on the type of movie and whether that genre
includes the latest box office hit or miss.

"The horror genre has had more ups and downs over the years -- maybe only
musicals have more," said Paul Dergarabedian of box office tracker Media
By Numbers. "I think what happens is subgenres like (torture) become
popular, then play out."

Dergarabedian noted the old Universal Pictures' monster movies such as
"Frankenstein" were hugely popular in the 1930s, but eventually died off.
In the 1950s, horror was represented by alien invasion flicks such as
"The Thing from Another World," but these went the way of the graveyard,
too.

This current wave of horror films seems to have begun in 2004, when
Dergarabedian tracked 19 of the movies that raked in more than $1 billion
at U.S. and Canadian box offices. The figure was roughly double the $525
million from 13 movies in 2003.

Hits in 2004 included "Freddy vs. Jason," at $82 million, and "The Texas
Chainsaw Massacre," at $80 million, both from New Line Cinema. In 2005,
Lionsgate Entertainment's "Saw" hauled in $55 million and spawned two
sequels.

NO APPETITE FOR BLOOD

In each of 2005 and 2006, Media by Numbers tracked 26 horror movies with
gross box office receipts of $841 million and $811 million, respectively.
Midway through 2007, some 20 scary flicks have reached silver screens and
more than 20 others are expected in coming months.

Youth-oriented, supernatural thrillers and fright flicks like "1408" ($56
million) and "Disturbia" ($79 million) are working. But adult-themed
torture fantasies have mostly failed.

"Hostel: Part II" was expected to at least match the $47 million of
2006's "Hostel," but has only generated $17 million in the United States
and Canada. "28 Weeks Later" hoped to reach the $45 million of 2005's "28
Days Later" but made only $28 million.

Those numbers do not bode well for "Captivity" and upcoming flicks such
as "All the Boys Love Mandy Lane" and "Saw IV." Hollywood producers know
it and blame the downturn on a glut of horror in theaters.

"It's overkill," said Courtney Solomon, president of After Dark Films,
which is behind "Captivity," the story of a man and woman trapped and
tormented in a basement. "I think audiences have said, 'I've had enough.'
It's as simple as that."

Anticipating the end of the torture flick trend, After Dark has adjusted
its development plans to steer away from a large number of torture
movies, Solomon said.









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Chinese Tutor - "Cool School" paints vivid picture of L.A. art scene

ENTERTAINMENT / Movies






"Cool School" paints vivid picture of L.A. art scene

(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-07-12 10:29


LOS ANGELES - Documentarian Morgan Neville has fashioned a spirited
riposte to the groundless cliche that Los Angeles is a cultural wasteland.

Rather than delve into individual backgrounds, "The Cool School" uses a
wealth of archival material and up-to-date interviews to paint a group
portrait of the artists, curators and collectors who built an influential
gallery scene in Beat-era Los Angeles. Narrator Jeff Bridges lends the
smart script -- by Neville and journalist Kristine McKenna -- the perfect
Southern California intellectual hipster tone. Jazz tracks propel the
playful visual mix of black and white and color.

A selection of the recent Los Angeles Film Festival, the film is
scheduled for a fall theatrical run before screening on PBS' "Independent
Lens" in 2008. Its chief appeal is to aficionados, but viewers with even
a cursory knowledge of modern art will find plenty to enjoy in the
lessons of "Cool School."

In the face of East Coast chauvinism and local red-scare censorship, Los
Angeles' Ferus gallery became an art-world destination soon after opening
its doors March 15, 1957. It was not in Manhattan but at Ferus' La
Cienega Boulevard site that Andy Warhol's first gallery show went up. An
unlikely partnership between Walter Hopps, a biochemistry major with a
passion for abstract expressionism, and Ed Kienholz, whose groundbreaking
assemblages would make him a world-renowned artist, Ferus became a
crucial hub in the city's emerging avant-garde scene. Self-promoting
theatrics abounded, but beneath that surface was an ambitious and serious
sense of experimentation.

This was a time, of course, when Venice rentals were cheap and "poetic
poverty," as one participant puts it, was possible. Barney's Beanery
served as de facto clubhouse for the bohemian set, which shared the bar
with Bekins employees. But it wasn't all easy street; Wallace Berman's
Ferus show was closed by the vice squad for obscenity, the artist carted
off to jail. In its brief nine years, Ferus faced its fair share of
struggles, but "Cool School" presents a convincing case for its
revivifying effect on the region's museums.

Neville doesn't avoid dismissive naysayers, but it's those speaking from
the inside who give the film its intimate edge. Besides many of the
artists, those interviewed include Ferus owner Hopps; his second partner,
the more commerce-oriented Irving Blum; and Shirley Nielsen, who ended up
marrying both of them. Artists and scenesters Dennis Hopper and Dean
Stockwell puff on cigars as they reminisce; Frank Gehry explains why he
gravitated to painters and sculptors rather than fellow architects.
























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Learning Mandarin - The Simpsons Movie

? ?



ENTERTAINMENT / Coming Soon






The Simpsons Movie



Updated: 2007-07-11 13:49



Theatrical Release
7/27/2007

Synopsis:
Homer Simpson must save the world from a catastrophe he himself created.

Studio
Twentieth Century Fox Animation

Director
David Silverman

Cast Credit
Dan Castellaneta
Pamela Hayden
Julie Kavner
Albert Brooks
Tress MacNeille
Nancy Cartwright
Yeardley Smith
Minnie Driver
Erin Brockovich
Hank Azaria
Harry Shearer?

























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Chinese Tutor - Cooling shares boost savings

/ Page 15








Cooling shares boost savings
By Chen Weihua
Updated: 2007-07-11 06:46




The rocky stock market has helped put a stop to fleeing bank savings in
Shanghai.

Household savings in Chinese financial institutions in the city increased
by 6.09 billion yuan in June, according to the Shanghai head office of
the People's Bank of China, the country's central bank.

That was a contrast to a decrease of 25.89 billion yuan recorded in May,
when stock prices continued to soar, as did the number of new accounts
opened.

Analysts said the rise in bank savings was largely due to the fading
appeal of the stock market, which entered a stage of correction in June
after the central government began various measures to cool the market.

New accounts opened by Chinese investors in the A-share market have
plunged from about 300,000 a day a month ago to a current daily count of
fewer than 100,000.

According to the central bank report, bank savings continued to be
withdrawn and invested in other sectors beginning in the second half of
last year, but the trend was reversed in June.

More than 70 billion yuan in bank savings in Shanghai was diverted to the
capital market in the first four months of this year, according to
previous central bank reports. A 25.89 billion yuan decrease in bank
deposits in May was the biggest monthly drop since January 1999.

In addition to household savings, corporate deposits in Chinese financial
institutions in Shanghai also grew 66.12 billion yuan in June.

The report from the central bank's Shanghai office said there have been
drastic changes in current corporate deposits in the first half of the
year, reflecting fluctuations in the stock market.

While the drain on savings has slowed, the reviving property market in
the city might become a new concern for local banks.

Housing prices in Shanghai have started to rise again over the last few
months.

Home loans issued by the city's domestic financial institutions chalked
up a 4.55 billion yuan increase in June, some 3.69 billion yuan over May
and two-thirds of the total increase for the first half of the year.

Housing loans in Shanghai started to decline in July 2005 after the
central government announced measures to cool the property market.


















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Chinese Tutor - My Best Friend

ENTERTAINMENT / Coming Soon






My Best Friend


Updated: 2007-07-09 14:59





Francois is a middle-aged antique dealer. He has a stylish apartment and
a fabulous life, but at a dinner with a group he considers his dearest
acquaintances, he is blindsided by the revelation that none of them
actually likes him. He's arrogant, self-centered and harsh, and they
don't believe he knows the meaning of friendship. His business partner
Catherine makes him a bet: if he can produce his best friend, she will
let him keep the massive Greek vase he acquired that afternoon on the
company tab. If not, it's hers. Having accepted the wager, Francois
naively tears through his address book, trying to shoehorn an
increasingly unlikely series of contacts into the all-important role.
Moving through Paris, he keeps encountering a trivia-spouting,
big-hearted cabbie named Bruno. Bruno's chatty, lowbrow ways grate
against Fran?ois' designer temperament, but he covets the other man's
easy way with people. He convinces Bruno to teach him how to make friends
and sets about learning the "Three S" rule: being sociable, smiling and
sincere--although, for him, they don't come easy. Ultimately, Francois'
victory will depend on Bruno's naivete in playing along, but what's the
cost of cheating at friendship?

Also Known As: Mon Meilleur Ami
My Best Friend

Production Status: In Production/Awaiting Release

Logline: A snobbish art gallery owner gradually comes to realize how
unpopular he really is. He strikes up a relationship with a
working-class, boorish taxi driver whom he in reality loathes, but tries
to pass off as his best friend.

Genres: Art/Foreign and Comedy

Running Time: 1 hr. 34 min.

Release Date: July 13th 2007 (limited)

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some strong language.

Distributors: IFC Films

Production Co.: Fidelite Films, TF1 Films Productions, Lucky Red

Financiers: Wild Bunch

Produced in: France
























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Ravers lose vision at laser light show

Dozens of partygoers at an outdoor rave near Moscow last week have lost partial vision after a laser light show burned their retinas, Russian health officials said on Monday.

Moscow city health department officials confirmed 12 cases of laser-blindness at the Central Ophthalmological Clinic, and daily newspaper Kommersant said another 17 were registered at City Hospital 32 in the center of the capital.

Attendees at the July 5 Aquamarine Open Air Festival in Kirzhach, 50 miles northeast of Moscow, began seeking medical help days after the show, complaining of eye and vision problems, health officials told Reuters.