HSK Exam - Stars grace the cover of Vanity Fair "Africa Issue" 2007

ENTERTAINMENT / Most Viewed Photos in 72 Hours






Stars grace the cover of Vanity Fair "Africa Issue" 2007

(Aceshowbiz)
Updated: 2007-06-07 11:07





Rocker Bono helps bringing the biggest issue ever of the Vanity Fair
magazine with his becoming the guest editor for its July issue. The
result? It's A.W.E.S.O.M.E. The Vanity Fair "Africa Issue" 2007 features
20 covers shot by celeb fave Annie Leibovitz, all of which reflect Africa
and its huge supporters.


1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18










Top Entertaiment News




� Spike Lee eyes film on U.S. black soldiers in WW2

� Richie frets about maybe going to jail

� Tom Sizemore handcuffed at LA court

� Jolie: `We have family sleep on Sundays'

� Spears is subject of unflattering photos





Today's Top News




� China, Costa Rica set up diplomatic ties

� President in Germany for G8 meet

� Gaokao pioneers: Don't make a fuss

� Bush says Russia won't attack Europe

� HK Basic Law 'guarantees democracy'





Most Commented/Read Stories in 48 Hours








Learn Chinese, Chinese language, 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

Learning Mandarin - Pics of Lindsay Lohan holding knife to pal's throat emerged

ENTERTAINMENT / Gossip






Pics of Lindsay Lohan holding knife to pal's throat emerged

(ANI)
Updated: 2007-06-04 14:54



London - The disturbing side of Lindsay Lohan's cocaine addiction came to
light when pictures of her holding a knife to a pal's throat at a party
emerged.



Lindsay Lohan (file photo)

A source revealed that the pictures, taken four months before she was
admitted to rehab for the second time, gave an indication of how 'out of
control', Lohan's life had turned.

"These photos are very worrying. Lindsay is so out of control. She should
not be left within a million miles of a knife. The states Lindsay gets
herself into she is lucky to be alive," News of the World quoted the
source, as saying.

A friend of the actress also revealed that Lohan is having a difficult
time settling in at the Promises Clinic in Malibu.

"On the first night she couldn't stop crying. Since then she's refused to
follow the rules and keeps having hissy fits about people," the pal said.

A source also revealed that now that the actress has checked herself back
into rehab, her family is taking every precaution that she does not leave
the place, and this includes paying for three guards to be with her, and
taking away her mobile phone.

"The clinic even took her mobile from her to make sure she can't call
people who are a bad influence on her," the source said.

But she went berserk so they gave her a new phone with only the numbers
of her family, publicist and agent on it. Now her friends just want her
to stay in rehab for as long as possible. Only then will she be safe,"
the source added.







Related Stories



� Dad claims: Lindsay Lohan addicted to 'hillbilly heroin'
===========================================================================
� Lindsay Lohan checks into rehab
===========================================================================
� Lindsay Lohan booked on suspicion of DUI
===========================================================================
� Lindsay Lohan is the new face of Jill Stuart
===========================================================================
� Lindsay Lohan a presenter at MTV Movie Awards
===========================================================================










Top Entertaiment News




� Johnny Depp wins at MTV Movie Awards

� Paris Hilton upstages MTV Movie Awards

� 'Pirates' sinks but stays on top

� Paul Newman donates $10 mln to Kenyon College

� Queens of the Stone Age enter new "Era"





Today's Top News




� 3 killed, 300 injured as quake rocks Yunnan

� China rejects US warning on toothpaste

� Putin warns on US missiles in Europe

� China stocks plunge in panic selling

� Most stocks will be traded normally





Most Commented/Read Stories in 48 Hours








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

HSK Exam - Actor Thompson says he'll run for U.S. president

ENTERTAINMENT / Gossip






Actor Thompson says he'll run for U.S. president

(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-05-31 16:24



WASHINGTON - Hollywood actor Fred Thompson said in an interview that he
plans to run for U.S. president in 2008, joining a crowded field of
Republican candidates.

"I can't remember exactly the point I said, 'I'm going to do this,'"
Thompson said of his planned presidential run in Thursday's edition of
USA Today.

"But when I did, the thing that occurred to me: 'I'm going to tell people
that I am thinking about it and see what kind of reaction I get to it.'"

Thompson, a 64-year-old social conservative, said he was planning a
campaign that will use blogs, video posts and other Internet innovations
to reach voters turned off by "politics-as-usual" in both parties, USA
Today said.

On Wednesday, a long-time friend and political adviser said Thompson had
tentatively decided to run for president and that he has quit his role on
the TV crime series "Law & Order."

"His mind is made up to run if interest continues to be as intense as it
is," Tom Ingram said in a telephone interview.

Thompson, who won election twice as a Republican senator from Tennessee,
will now begin raising money to gauge support, added Ingram, who serves
as chief of staff to Sen. Lamar Alexander, also a Tennessee Republican.

Late on Wednesday, "Law & Order" creator Dick Wolf said Thompson had
asked to leave the show where he has played New York District Attorney
Arthur Branch for five seasons.

"I've spoken to Fred today, and although he told me he has not made a
firm decision about his political future, he felt that given the creative
and scheduling constraints of the upcoming season, he asked to be
released from his responsibilities to the show," Wolf said in a statement.

Thompson joins a crowded Republican field with no dominant choice.
President George W. Bush, prohibited from running for a third term in
November 2008, is set to leave office in January 2009.

The current front-runners include former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani,
Sen. John McCain of Arizona and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

Ingram said Thompson held a conference call with fund-raisers on Tuesday
and it was decided that he would "test the waters" by setting up a
preliminary committee.

Ten men are already running for the Republican nomination and former
House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia also is
weighing a campaign.

Thompson was first elected to the Senate in 1994 to fill Democrat Al
Gore's seat when he became vice president. He maintained a solid
conservative voting record.

(Additional reporting by JoAnne Allen in Washington and Dean Goodman in
Los Angeles)
















Top Entertaiment News




� Film producers seek to accommodate Lohan's rehab

� Jolie applauds US increase for orphans funding

� Lohan's dad: Lindsay hooked on OxyContin

� Justin Timberlake launches record label

� Paris, Nicole now Lindsay fully loaded





Today's Top News




� Smoking deaths to double without action - WHO

� Algae outbreak sparks water panic

� Experts: Anti-terrorism law on cards

� US imposes penalties on China paper

� Stock market dives 6.5% after tax hike





Most Commented/Read Stories in 48 Hours








Learn Chinese online, 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

Learning Chinese - Thin line paper-cut

NI HAO from China






E-ZINE / photo






Thin line paper-cut


Updated: 2007-05-29 11:34





Thin line paper-cut, a distinctive genre of Chinese paper cut, originated
from Yueqing, Zhejiang Province. According to local historical records,
thin line paper-cut appeared and developed in the Southern Dynasty.
Different from the plain and bold northern style, Yueqing thin line
paper-cut features a delicate and exquisite style and a rich south China
charm.


1 2 3 4










Where to Enjoy




� 'Made in Hong Kong'

� Dali, a place one never wants to leave

� Drama: I Love You, You Are Perfect, Now Change

� Hami: A City of History on the Silk Road

� Collections at Taipei Palace Museum





Editor's Picks




� From Titian To Goya

� 'Made in Hong Kong'

� Youngsters Flock to Tai Chi Classes

� Tai Chi Chuan, the Art of Slow Movements

� Dazu Rock Carvings





Hot Topics




� Youngsters Flock to Tai Chi Classes

� Are Traditional Festivals Crumbling like Cake?

� Protect the Returned Cultural Treasures

� China Bulldozes Its Urban Heritage: FT

� Gigantic Zongzi for Festival





Previous Issues




� Cultural Heritage Festival in Chengdu

� Chinese Drinking Table Guide

� Qin Mausoleum and Terracotta Warriors

� A Chinese Carnival in Spring

� The Secret to Chinese Cooking





An American in China






� Matt Doran : A Rugged Great Wall Trip




� Orr Shtuhl :A Patch of Heaven







Learn Chinese, Chinese Mandarin, 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

Chinese Mandarin - Brangelina: Hollywood saints or just bonkers?

ENTERTAINMENT / Gossip






Brangelina: Hollywood saints or just bonkers?

By Paul Scott (Daily Mail)
Updated: 2007-05-26 09:20



She wants to rescue another orphan - but only if it's the right colour.
He's trying to save the world at ��2m lobster and champagne parties. Are
Brad and Angelina Hollywood saints ... or just bonkers?

A huge black four-wheel-drive Audi people carrier tears down the narrow
streets of Prague, and without warning screeches to a shuddering halt.
Slowly, a tinted rear window descends as an emaciated arm appears and
points a bony finger, ET-like, in the direction of a bemused passing
pedestrian.

Seconds later, the car roars off again before stopping at an exclusive
school in the city. There the bird-like and brittle figure of Angelina
Jolie emerges and, flanked by a contingent of suited bodyguards, delivers
her five-year-old son Maddox to morning class.

These unscheduled stops on the school-run have become something of a
regular occurrence in recent weeks since the actress, her lover Brad Pitt
and their family set up home in the Czech capital while she works on her
latest film.

Invariably the passers-by she points out to her son in this predominantly
white city are black or Asian.

And the reason for this strange behaviour? Miss Jolie is keen, according
to those close to her, to seek the boy's advice about the exact skin
colour she should choose for the next addition to her "rainbow coalition"
of adopted children.

Angelina has decided, she has told friends, that her fifth child will
come from Africa. She already has Cambodian orphan Maddox, five, a
two-year-old Ethiopian girl called Zahara, Shiloh, her natural baby
daughter with Pitt, who celebrates her first birthday tomorrow, and the
most recent arrival, three-year-old Pax Thien from Vietnam.

The beautiful Angelina is said to have chosen Pax - the boy she adopted
in a blaze of publicity at the end of March - because of his uncanny
likeness to her eldest son. Now, she has decreed, Zee - as Zahara is
known to her famous parents - must have her own lookalike too, so she
will not feel left out.

Welcome to racial profiling Hollywood-style. Not, it should be said, that
such behaviour is the extent of the eccentricity of Tinseltown's hottest
but increasingly bizarre couple.


Witness Pitt's performance hectoring guests this week at a ��300-a-head
charity party the pair threw during the Cannes Film Festival, to
celebrate the premiere of A Mighty Heart, in which 31-year-old Angelina
gives a bravura performance as Mariane Pearl, the wife of Wall Street
Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, who was beheaded by Islamic extremists.


Pitt, whose slicked back hair and dinner suit on the red carpet lent him
an uncanny resemblance to Robert Redford in The Great Gatsby, is said to
have button-holed VIPs at the soiree, in a villa in the grounds of the
luxurious Hotel Du Cap, to share his dark pronouncements about the state
of the planet and the effects of global warming.

At the same time, Pitt, who has taken over four suites at the hotel for
his family costing ��9,000 a night, was playing up his globally conscious
credentials in public, saying: "I look at my kids and know they will
inherit this world. I want to do all I can to throw our weight in and
make it a little better."

A noble intention, but somewhat at odds with his own carbon footprint,
which, it has to be said, has reached gargantuan proportions of late.

Bored while his girlfriend films her latest movie Wanted, Pitt has had
his eight-litre, 250mph Bugatti Veyron shipped over from California to
Prague to give him something to do. (It is the sort of
nine-miles-per-gallon, ��700,000 boy-toy racing car that every
self-respecting eco-warrior should own).

And when he has time to take a break from looking after the children, he
is indulging his love of the air by having daily two-hour helicopter
lessons (paid for by her generous film company) so he can add a chopper
to the private plane he pilots.

As if that were not polluting enough, the couple, who travelled to France
by private jet, are said to be in negotiation with an Italian firm to
take delivery of a ��100million super yacht.

The 280ft vessel, which comes complete with its own glass-fronted
submarine that can be launched from its hull, has eight decks, seven
lifts and can carry eight limousines, three helicopters and a seaplane.
It comes fitted with his and hers "wellness centres", sauna and spa baths.

It will even dwarf the RM Elegant, the yacht moored this week off the Cap
d'Antibes, which hosted the "party to end all parties". The shindig saw
the couple join 200 guests who had paid up to ��100,000 each, for a
charity event hosted by Warner Brothers to help end genocide in the
Darfur region of the Sudan (it also served to publicise Pitt's appearance
in Ocean's 13).

On hand to entertain this oh-so-socially aware celebrity set, which
included Matt Damon and Al Pacino, were circus acts and magicians, while
they dined on lobster and beef with truffles, and sipped their way
through 500 bottles of Krug and Cristal champagne.

No wonder then that back in Tinseltown the knives are out for the couple,
known universally by their combined moniker Brangelina.


While La-La Land has been rife for months with rumours about the strained
state of their relationship (they hardly silenced the snipers with a glum
performance on the red carpet this week), Angelina has found that her
Mother Teresa image has taken something of a dent.


She has come in for a torrent of abuse in America over claims she has
been shamelessly using her children to get herself publicity. Her cause
was not helped when it emerged that, while she has been telling anyone
who will listen that she intends to take a year off to spend with her
ever-increasing brood, she has lined up at least two more highly paid
movie roles.


The couple have not been slow to put their children before the camera
when the mood has suited them. Less than a week after their most recent
adoption of Pax Thien, which means Peaceful Sky (it was chosen by the
couple, who didn't like his original name, Pham Quang Sang), Angelina was
posing on the cover of Hello! magazine with the three-year-old. In their
defence, she did give the reported ��1million she received for the
pictures to charity.

Nonetheless the couple, who are said to have argued over Angelina's
determination to go through with the adoption, were later accused of
fast-tracking the previously strict legislation about foreigners taking
children out of the country.

Meanwhile there are dark - and, it should be said, fanciful - rumours
doing the rounds about her "close" friendship with up-and-coming
28-year-old British actor James McAvoy, with whom she stars in the
thriller Wanted.

Earlier this month the Glasgow-born actor was forced to issue a denial
over the tittle-tattle about him and his new leading lady.


At the same time, one Hollywood gossip website has christened Brad
"America's Number One Desperate Househusband" over his transformation
from sex god to nappychanging earth father (he has become the legal
guardian of Maddox and Zahara).

Pitt, who was still married to his first wife, Friends star Jennifer
Aniston, when he met the formidable Miss Jolie on the set of Mr And Mrs
Smith in 2004, is said to carry out most of the child-rearing chores.

He is taking, on her insistence, cooking lessons because she maintains
that their multi-cultural family must eat the indigenous foods of their
homelands.

Indeed, while her career flourishes (the Tomb Raider actress has received
rave notices for her role as French-born Mrs Pearl), Pitt has experienced
his first potential cinematic flop.

This month he learnt that his "poetic" film about the life and death of
outlaw Jesse James, in which he stars, will be released only in a small
number of American art house cinemas.

Studio heads at Warner Brothers are said to have pulled funding after
failing to persuade Pitt, 43, who has ��20million of his money tied up in
the project, to turn the slow-paced drama into an action-packed
blockbuster.

Miss Jolie has her own share of troubles. This week, as she put herself
on show in France, she appeared painfully thin and drawn. According to
some within her entourage she has "barely eaten" since the death from
cancer of her mother Marcheline Bertrand in January.

This week a clearly fragile Angelina broke down in tears on U.S. network
television as she admitted: "It's been a heavy year. I lost my mum too
young."

A further cause for concern is an alleged ��50million threat to kidnap
one of their children. While in Europe, the couple have hired a team of
highly trained and mainly British security men to protect them.

Not that it has stopped them keeping an unusually high public profile as
they attempt to play down those rumours about the "dire state" of their
relationship.

Earlier this month, and just as reports in the U.S. claimed they were
undergoing counselling, their staff tipped off photographers that they
would be enjoying a "romantic dinner" at a tiny Prague restaurant.

Now is not a good time for unwanted gossip, particularly as the couple do
not want to draw attention away from Miss Jolie's role in A Mighty Heart,
which Pitt produced through his company Plan B and which is already being
tipped to win her a second Oscar.

So it is all the more embarrassing for the couple that Miss Jolie should
go blurting out to one interviewer who questioned her about their
relationship: "So many parents today do separate and they still have a
commitment to the children."

And heart-throb Brad is said to have agreed to re-shoot kissing scenes
with his glamorous co-star Megan Brown during filming of his latest film,
The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, in a bid to tone them down and
pacify Miss Jolie.

A source close to the couple told the Mail: "If they look unhappy it is
because they are. Angelina has been very down over her mother, and Brad,
for all his posturing about saving the world, is a big kid who loves
nothing better than driving round in his latest toy.

"They have become so far removed from reality they have no clue how they
appear to anyone outside their friends and coterie of celebrities."

No wonder, then, that Miss Jolie is taking her mind off things by
choosing the skin tone of that next addition to the United Colours of
Brangelina.










Top Entertaiment News




� Scorsese shares film secrets at Cannes

� Bono and DATA to receive Liberty Medal

� Third "Pirates" sets sail for Memorial Day record

� Keira Knightley wins damages over weight slur

� Heche says estranged husband is a liar





Today's Top News




� Exchange rate could float in a wider band

� Financial assets see 33% growth

� Nation to launch anti-piracy crackdown

� Al-Sadr calls for US pullout from Iraq

� Bush: Import US beef, quicken yuan revaluation





Most Commented/Read Stories in 48 Hours








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

Learn mandarin - More attractive after becoming mother

CITYLIFE / Hip & New






More attractive after becoming mother

(chinanews.cn)
Updated: 2007-05-24 11:21


A recent survey shows that 60% of career women born in the 1980s become
more charming after giving birth to babies. They wear fashionably, pursue
a high life quality, and treat others more gently, the Shanghai Evening
Post reported.

The result was released by Zhaopin. com over the weekend.

Song Ying is a working mother in a foreign-funded company. Although she
has become a mother, she keeps her figure very well and follows the
fashion. When going off from work, she often finds time to go shopping
with her friends or go to a fitness center. On weekends, she has parties
with her husbands and friends. For Song Ying, being a mother is just
another new stage in life. Such life should be colorful as well.

Of the 6,000 people taking part in the survey, 12.9% feel that they
cherish fashion more after becoming mothers, and 45.2% think that they
themselves and the career women they know all dress in a more mature,
sedate and professional way after becoming mothers.

Over half of the career people think that they themselves or the career
women they know all display the charm of a mature lady after giving birth
to babies. 60% of the career women become more gentle and lenient with
others.

In addition, over half of the respondents say that after becoming
mothers, their relations with other career mothers have become closer and
over 80% of the respondents say the favorite topic of most career mothers
is about kids.










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




� The privileges of being a woman

� Time for the birds

� Have morning exercises

� Creating a high-quality lifestyle

� Amid wheeler-dealers, an urban playground





Beijing Guide




Eating out: Not your usual tofurkey
Bars&Cafes: Drinking for thinking men
Weekend&Holiday: Under your skin
Shopping: Shopping with magic
What's on: Clowning Around







Shanghai Guide


Eating out: Businessmen hangout
Bars&Cafes: Liquored up
Weekend&Holiday: A tropical and exotic night
Shopping: Kenzo unveils concept store
What's on: Kids are full human beings





Learn Chinese online, 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

Chinese language - Puffing smoke rings through hoop dreams

ENTERTAINMENT / Hot Pot Column






Puffing smoke rings through hoop dreams

By Ben Davey (China Daily)
Updated: 2007-05-22 14:37



I had just finished coughing up a lung on the sideline of a baking indoor
Beijing basketball court when the smell of cigarette smoke wafted into my
nostrils. With a mouth as barren as the Taklimakan desert I reached for a
bottle of water that had gone lukewarm and looked up to see who was
disobeying the conspicuous "No Smoking" signs located next to all the
exits.

There they were, the Chinese guys I was playing against, merrily sucking
back a few coffin nails as sweat dripped off their chins. They weren't
pathetically panting for air like I was, and instead of sucking on water
bottles, with the desperation of someone whose car had broken down in the
desert, they took casual sips. They even spat some a little out to rub
their shoes in for grip.

Grip, on a court like this one, is a pipe dream, especially when the wind
from the emergency doors regularly spreads a fresh blanket of dust over
the wooden boards. Basketball can be a hazardous game at the best of
times, what with all the flailing limbs, awkward contact and time spent
in the air. Some players jump higher than others but one thing remains
the same: As soon as you leave the ground you become vulnerable. On a
slippery surface, even the most disciplined defensive players can
involuntarily crash into you while those with less ability are about as
in control of their own actions as early morning patrons of Sanlitun bar
district.

I had already copped a shoulder to the jaw, a stiff arm to the nose and
had my legs taken out from under me several times. Perhaps this lack of
traction is the reason why my mostly Chinese opposition chose not to make
the game too physical. Members of the team I was playing in, made up
mostly of expats, didn't mind getting a little physical but by and large,
the other team were content to use their skill to score baskets. Still,
this doesn't mean that Chinese players were in any way intimidated by
their foreign counterparts. If anything they seemed remarkably composed
in contrast to the overseas contingent whose faces were redder than a May
Day parade.

I am Australian, a place often referred to as the sunburnt country. It
gets hot there and it's part of the national folklore to embrace a tough,
pioneering spirit. A popular stereotype of men from Down Under is the
rugged bushman that battles the elements while managing to father 18
offspring, build his own house, muster a herd of cattle and drink 24
beers in one sitting while working on a bronze tan. I am lily white, have
difficulty nailing picture hooks to walls and am scared of cows. On top
of this, I hate the blasted heat.

So perhaps it was fitting then, that my Chinese sporting opponents remind
me of just how far removed I am from my countrymen's masculine ideal by
gleefully blowing smoke rings courtside as my major organs liquefied.
Adding insult to injury, one of them was wearing jeans.

At that temperature, and if the laws of good taste permitted, I would
have considered playing in underwear. Who knows, I could have used my
fair complexion as a weapon to blind defenders on my way to the hoop.
Maybe next weekend.


(China Daily 05/22/2007 page20)










Top Entertaiment News




� 'Heroes' first season ends with boom

� Amy Winehouse marries in U.S.

� Julia Roberts to star in drama about murdered conservationist

� Angelina Jolie plays slain reporter's wife

� Sly fined for importing restricted drugs





Today's Top News




� Optimism high at second trade talks

� Audit body vows closer scrutiny

� Hang Seng, DBS win local status

� Iraq makes plans for quick US pullout

� Iraq makes plans for quick US pullout





Most Commented/Read Stories in 48 Hours








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

Chinese Pinyin - Anna Nicole Smith in posthumous role at Cannes

ENTERTAINMENT / Gossip






Anna Nicole Smith in posthumous role at Cannes

(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-05-19 08:24





Model Anna Nicole Smith is pictured at a Los Angeles party in this May 9,
2002 file photo. Smith, whose death grabbed world headlines this year,
makes a posthumous appearance at Cannes in a science fiction comedy
straight from the B movie tradition. [Reuters]

CANNES, France - Former Playboy model Anna Nicole Smith, whose death
grabbed world headlines this year, makes a posthumous appearance at
Cannes in a science fiction comedy straight from the B movie tradition.

"Illegal Aliens" casts the silicone blonde as one of a "Charlie's
Angel"-style trio formed "when three aliens morph into super-hot babes
and arrive to protect the earth from the intergalactic forces of evil."

The film, which is being shown by producers in special market screenings
away from the main festival, is unlikely ever to win prizes like the
Palme d'Or awarded for top film in the Cannes competition.

But it is in keeping with a tumultuous career that took Smith from
small-town Texas via a strip club to marriage at 26 with an 89-year-old
oil billionaire, Playboy magazine and endless tabloid television
appearances.

The tone is set from the outset, when a cartoon spaceship shoots by with
the inscription "My other ride is Uranus" on the back and the film is
light years away from the highbrow fare on show further along the
Croisette.

Whether or not the producers can be accused of cashing in on her untimely
death, they certainly make no attempt to minimize her role and at one
point the three heroines recline on a sofa, watching the real Anna Nicole
Smith on television.

Smith died of an accidental overdose of prescription drugs in February,
triggering a media frenzy over her burial, custody of her 6-month-old
daughter and the future of her estate.












Top Entertaiment News




� Anna Nicole Smith in posthumous role at Cannes

� Madonna releases new song for charity

� Daniel Craig puts 007 on hold for WWII drama

� Cruise: 'Childhood inspired me to make films'

� Jones tops "Pie" with strong acting debut





Today's Top News




� Central bank raises interest rates, reserve requirements

� China widens yuan trading band

� Sinopec building up oil reserve

� Olympics pressure campaigns 'will fail'

� Central bank: Interest rate hike possible





Most Commented/Read Stories in 48 Hours








Learn Chinese, Learning Mandarin, 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

Chinese Class - Cannes opens with Asian take on US road movies

ENTERTAINMENT / Latest Album






Cannes opens with Asian take on US road movies

(AFP)
Updated: 2007-05-16 15:46





British actor Jude Law and US singer Norah Jones playing in the film "My
blueberry nights" by Chinese director Wong Kar Wai who will become the
first Chinese filmmaker to open the Cannes film festival.[AFP]

A road movie set in the United States, directed by a Hong Kong filmmaker
and starring soft-note singer Norah Jones is to open the Cannes film
festival in France Wednesday in a showy bow to the event's global
credentials.

"My Blueberry Nights", by director Wong Kar Wai, is to get the full
red-carpet treatment when it kicks off the 10-day festival under the
glare of international media.

Jones -- who is making her big-screen debut after a string of top-selling
soulful albums -- was expected to make the premiere with Wong and
co-stars Jude Law, Rachel Weisz, Tim Roth and Natalie Portman.

The movie, the first of 22 films competing for Cannes's prestigious Palme
d'Or prize, is Wong's first English-language feature after such arthouse
hits as "2046" and "In the Mood for Love".

Its selection underlined the growing influence of Asia in Cannes and in
world cinema generally, and of the enduring fascination with US culture.

Over the course of the festival, other top-grade directors will be
presenting their latest titles, including previous Palme winners Quentin
Tarantino with "Death Proof", the Coen brothers with "No Country for Old
Men" and Emir Kusturica with "Promise Me This".

Out of competition, "Sicko", the latest documentary by Michael Moore (who
won the Palme three years ago with "Fahrenheit 9/11") will be one of the
hottest tickets.

And Cannes's star power, normally in no short supply, will be turned up
to a blinding level one night next week when most of the cast of "Ocean's
Thirteen" turn out.

George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Al Pacino and Andy Garcia, as well
as director Steven Soderbergh are all expected to show.

But the celebrity glamour and the competition for the festival trophy are
only the glitzy mask of an event that this year is celebrating its 60th
anniversary as the undisputed international movie showpiece.

From Thursday, the business side of moviemaking will be the focus for
10,000 industry types buying and selling one billion dollars' (700
million euros') worth of celluloid in the Cannes Market, a sprawling zone
of stalls and tents that spills out onto the beach.

"We've always been the most innovative market," said Jerome Paillard, the
head of the market.

Some 900 films are to be shown to potential buyers in that section, part
of the 4,000 titles up for sale.

With so many films to see -- and with judgement sometimes compromised by
Cannes's punishing side programme of parties and cocktail dos -- there
was no certainty that critics or movie executives would be picking the
best of the crop in every case, however.

As Jorgen Kristiansen, the head of acquisitions for Scanbox, a
Scandinavian company buying movies for DVD distribution, put it:
"Sometimes you make mistakes -- every year we make mistakes.

"But if you get one (film) out of 10 right, that makes up for it."












Top Entertaiment News




� Cannes' glittering 60th edition opens

� Hilton's jail term cut to about 23 days

� Bloom beats Pitt to top hottest hunks list

� Spears thanks fans for their prayers

� Bo Diddley hospitalized after stroke





Today's Top News




� Chinese premier pledges currency reforms

� Substantive help urged for Africa

� Blair warns against US isolation

� Fixed asset investment accelerates

� US: Private trade talks can be more fruitful





Most Commented/Read Stories in 48 Hours








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,

Learn mandarin - Beijing's Kerry Center Hotel gets top honors

CITYLIFE / Hip & New






Beijing's Kerry Center Hotel gets top honors

(chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2007-05-08 16:23






Left: Eric Fiedler, Managing Director of Hewitt Associates, Asia Pacific
Right: George Yang, the General Manager of Shangri-La's Kerry Centre
Hotel Beijing



The Kerry Center Hotel has won awards for the "Best Employer in Asian
2007" and "Best Employer in China 2007" by Hewitt Associates, world's
foremost provider of human resources consulting and outsourcing services.

The study, was presented last month in partnership with The Wall Street
Journal Asia and in collaboration with local partners. The awards provide
a definitive benchmark against which an organization can effectively
measure how effective it is in providing a workplace that engages the
intellectual and emotional commitment of their employees. While revealing
how Asian organizations are achieving a real competitive advantage
through their staff, the study also indicates where the organization as
it strives to be an "employer of choice."

Kerry Center Hotel general manager George Yang said, "These outstanding
achievements have set a new milestone in the history of The Kerry Centre
Hotel, Beijing. They will be an inspiration to the entire team.

"The key to this success rests in the guidance offered by "The Shangri-La
Way" which encompasses training, commitment to the development of people,
and creating an environment where our colleagues may achieve their
personal and career goals," he continued. "A strong employer brand is
another critical factor for companies aspiring to be Best Employers," he
added.

Kerry Center Hotel, Beijing belongs to Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels
and Resorts, which currently manages 50 hotels under Shangri-La and
Traders brands with over 24,000 rooms. Shangri-La hotels are five-star
deluxe properties featuring luxurious facilities and attentive service.











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




� Creating a high-quality lifestyle

� Amid wheeler-dealers, an urban playground

� Mom's the word

� Enjoy a comfortable life in an economical way

� From office worker to superman





Beijing Guide




Eating out: Master Kong's brilliant beef
Bars&Cafes: Back with a new image
Weekend&Holiday: Oozing sax appeal
Shopping: Superb cut
What's on: Tough shells to crack







Shanghai Guide


Eating out: A celebration of Japan and Brazil
Bars&Cafes: Season of brasserie comes
Weekend&Holiday: Detoxify yourself
Shopping: Undiscovered gem
What's on: Two cities in tune





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,

Free Chinese Lesson - Portman endorses microloans for women

ENTERTAINMENT / Movies






Portman endorses microloans for women

(AP)
Updated: 2007-04-30 08:58





Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman says that for many of the world's poorest women, a small
loan can change their lives.

The actress said in an interview for ABC's "This Week" that aired Sunday
that she has met mothers younger than she is who had to work in poor
conditions for low pay because that was the only job available to them.

"And then they're able to get a loan and start their own business out of
their own house and be with their children," Portman said. "It changes
the whole system."

Portman, who starred in the last three "Star Wars" films, has been
working with FINCA International, an organization that provides small
loans to people in developing countries.

"If a woman can't tell her child, 'I can feed you tomorrow, I can pay for
your school,' then where do they go? What do they do? What do they
choose? It's really trying to reach the poorest of the poor and offering
banking services to them," she said.









Related Stories



� Natalie Portman considers lesbian affair
===========================================================================
� Poll shows Halle remains sexy at 40
===========================================================================
� Jude gets closer to Natalie
===========================================================================
� Natalie Portman and Bernal back together?
===========================================================================
� Natalie Portman eyes screen version of Israel book
===========================================================================
� The Master of time: Wong Kar-wai in America
===========================================================================










Top Entertaiment News




� Portman endorses microloans for women

� "Survivor" guru Burnett marries actress

� British, US stars call for action over Darfur

� Michael Douglas wants to kill Catherine Zeta-Jones in a film

� Bjork wows at Coachella music festival





Today's Top News




� Rebels 'release' Chinese hostages in Ethiopia

� China raises bank reserve ratio to 11%

� New policies to boost cross-Straits ties

� Fire from crash melts Calif. freeway

� Hu, Lien stress cross-Straits peace





Most Commented/Read Stories in 48 Hours








Learn Chinese, Chinese School, 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

Learning Chinese - James Brown's band plans series of shows

ENTERTAINMENT / Music






James Brown's band plans series of shows

(AP)
Updated: 2007-04-25 08:12


NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Soul Generals, the band that backed musical icon
James Brown for his last 20 years, will carry on the Godfather's legacy
with a series of appearances this year.

The 17-piece band, with three backup singers, will begin the shows on
Brown's birthday, May 3, at the Apollo Theater in New York. The theater
is where a raucous celebration was held after Brown died �� and the same
stage for a 1956 concert that launched him into the international
spotlight.

"We're the only ones who can keep his legacy alive," said his son, Daryl
Brown, lead guitarist and band leader of the Soul Generals. "It'll be a
tribute to him for the rest of the year."

Members of the band have done a couple of informal shows since Brown died
Dec. 25, but the group is now booking public appearances by the full band
for the first time since his death.

"We'll bring the music back," Daryl Brown said in a telephone interview
from Augusta, Ga.

There will be no attempt to replace "the Godfather of Soul" with the same
single performer out front during the whole show. Instead, band members
will take turns in the spotlight.

"Everyone will do a song special to them," Daryl Brown said.

Venisha Brown, a daughter of James Brown, will be one of the performers
featured.

"She dances better than he did," said Waldo Weathers, a sax player in the
band for the past 15 years.

Weathers, who lives in Nashville, said it's a chance for the band to
prove they can entertain without their longtime leader.

"Some people have been trying to talk bad about us, saying we couldn't
perform without him," he said. "We're going to show them. It's pretty hot.

"Once they get an earful, they'll see. He's dead but his music lives on."

Daryl Brown said the shows will be therapeutic.

"We all needed time to regroup. We'll get to do what he told us: to stay
together. He said he wouldn't be around forever and we could go a long
way, and we decided to do it."

He said he expects the band to be booked for the rest of year.

"If I don't ever get to come home, it'll be all right with me," Brown
said.











Top Entertaiment News




� Brando documentary examines the actor's actor

� Beyonce's special edition hits copyright snag

� Hugh Grant wins libel case

� Britney set for 'semi-secret' comeback gig

� 'X-Men' spin-offs 'Magneto' and 'Wolverine' planned





Today's Top News




� China to act on pollution, warming gases

� Yang a popular choice as FM

� Hu, Lien stress cross-Straits peace

� US captures senior Al-Qaida operative

� Yang Jiechi named new FM, replacing Li Zhaoxing





Most Commented/Read Stories in 48 Hours








Learn Chinese, Chinese Mandarin, 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

Speak Chinese - New marine animals to entertain Shanghainese

CITYLIFE / Photo Gallery






New marine animals to entertain Shanghainese

(CRI)
Updated: 2007-04-13 09:54





The photo features Cerianthus mauam, a type of coral with flying
tentacles that can produce toxic liquid. Starting from this Wednesday,
April 11, 2007, visitors to Shanghai's Changfeng Ocean World are able to
have a closer look at more marine animals at this aquarium, along with
sea lily and Cerianthus maua that were introduced from Indonesia.[Photo:
Xin Min Evening News]



1 2 3










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




� Top ten backpackers' favorite hotels in China

� Play hide and seek with summer sunshine

� 36 hours in Shanghai

� Solo travel, why not?

� Make yourself an "S" plan!





Beijing Guide




Eating out: Save shroom for soup
Bars&Cafes: Hip and cute to boot
Weekend&Holiday: Best-kept holiday secrets
Shopping: Discounts & bargains
What's on: Double take







Shanghai Guide


Eating out: Culinary chameleon
Bars&Cafes: Rock and renovated
Weekend&Holiday: Have a chef at your home
Shopping: Always France
What's on: Portraits reflect real life





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

Speak Chinese - Tell No One

ENTERTAINMENT / Photo Gallery






Tell No One


Updated: 2007-04-02 13:53





Director:Guillaume Canet

Cast:Francois Cluzet, Kirstin Scott-Thomas, Marie-Jos��e Croze

Genre:Action Thriller

Synopsis:

Based on the famous Harlan Coben novel, the story follows Alex who has
rebuilt his life since his wife's murder eight years ago, finishing
medical school and establishing himself as a paediatrician, but he's
never forgotten the woman he fell in love with in second grade. And when
a mysterious e-mail arrives on the anniversary of their first kiss, with
a message and an image that leads him to wonder whether Margot might
still be alive, David will stop at nothing to find the truth that's
eluded him for so many years.


C��sar Awards nominations 2007
Best French film
Best director (Guillaume Canet)
Best actor (Fran?ois Cluzet)
Best supporting actor (Andr�� Dussolier)
Best soundtrack (Mathieu Chedid aka M)
Best Photography (Christophe Offenstein)
Best sound
Best editing

C��sar Awards 2007
Best director (Guillaume Canet)
Best actor (Frangois Cluzet)











Top Entertaiment News




� Brando documentary examines the actor's actor

� Beyonce's special edition hits copyright snag

� Hugh Grant wins libel case

� Britney set for 'semi-secret' comeback gig

� 'X-Men' spin-offs 'Magneto' and 'Wolverine' planned





Today's Top News




� China to act on pollution, warming gases

� Yang a popular choice as FM

� Hu, Lien stress cross-Straits peace

� US captures senior Al-Qaida operative

� Yang Jiechi named new FM, replacing Li Zhaoxing





Most Commented/Read Stories in 48 Hours








Learn Chinese, Chinese School, 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

Chinese Online Class - Six outdoor activities for spring

CITYLIFE / Odds & Ends






Six outdoor activities for spring

(lifestyle.com)
Updated: 2007-03-23 10:32



Spring's gentle breeze, blooming flowers and green grass tell us it's
time to go outdoors, breathe fresh air, bask in warm sunshine and refresh
yourself from cold winter. Lots of activities suit the cheerful season,
let's check out.

Group barbeque

Have chicken wings and beef slices preserved overnight, then call several
friends and go barbeque together in a sunny day. Don't forget pokers.

Horse riding

To most people, horse riding is kinda a luxurious sport because it is
expensive. A good horse may have the same price as a BMW sedan. Besides,
you need take preliminary training courses before you're qualified for
riding horses. The courses cost a lot of money as well.

Spring is a good season for the sport. The earth is not as frozen as in
winter, which won't make horse tumble.

If you'd like to have a try, don't forget take breeches and gloves with
you. Boot, helmet and horsewhip can be rented at the equestrian clubs.



Beijing

Jade Lake International
Health Club Dong No.1 WoodsPark, Jinzhanxiang, Chaoyang District 010-843411
55
Horseman Club inside the woods by ChaobaiheRiver bank, Shunyit 010-89489340
Shanghai
Shanghai Huihuang Equestrian Club No.517, Sanlin Xinhualu 021-50848898
Shanghai Horseman China Equestrian Club No.1858, Sanlu Gonglu, Pudong 021-6
4110049

Golf

In early spring, you need a wool vest when playing golf. Reservation is
needed.

What you need: A bag containing a whole set of golf shafts, gloves and
shoes. Don't forget have a comfortable golf polo.



Beijing

Beijing Willow Golf Club No.76 Beisihuan Xilu, Haidian District 010-8262889
9
Beijing Huanqiu Golf Club Jia No.36, Liangmaqiaolu, Chaoyang District 010-6
4368181

Shanghai

Shanghai Lujiazui Golf Club No.501, Yincheng Zhonglu, Pudong 021-58797537
Shanghai Lake Malaren Golf Club No.6655, Hutailu, Baoshan 021-56590008



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




� Six outdoor activities for spring

� Chase flowers

� Spring dances on your tongue

� BBS helps to be more beautiful

� Spring makeup, natural color





Beijing Guide




Eating out: Sweets in the Hutongs
Bars&Cafes: Wine in the granary
Weekend&Holiday: Pamper those pinkies
Shopping: Storing with style
What's on:








Shanghai Guide


Eating out: Capital concept rolls into Shanghai
Bars&Cafes: Find two in one
Weekend&Holiday: Spring ideal for luxury
Shopping: Shanghai Tiffany & Co. store opens
What's on: This saxophonist has a Chinese heart





Learn Chinese, Learn mandarin, 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,

Pnyin - Beijing subway trains get security cameras

CITYLIFE / Hip & New






Beijing subway trains get security cameras

(Shanghai Daily )
Updated: 2007-03-12 10:36


Beijing subway operator will complete installation of cameras inside
Metro Line 1 and 2 subway trains before the end of the month to improve
management.

The Metro operation company has equipped 108 subway carriages with
cameras, the Beijing Evening News reported on Sunday.

Each car has two cameras. The operator will install cameras on the other
300 train cars of the two lines by the end of the month, the newspaper
said.

The move is expected to help the operator monitor the lines and take
immediate measures in case of any emergency, the News said, citing the
company.

The operator will also install 1,558 cameras on the 42 subway stations of
the two lines.

Also, 180 old cars serving Line 1 will be replaced by new ones by May
next year.

Sixty cars on Line 2 will be replaced with new ones, and additional 84
cars will be put into use to expand the operational fleet.

Beginning in July, the operator will install automatic ticket-selling
machines on the stations along the two lines.










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




� Health care in Spring

� Delicacies from minorities

� Experience Beijing's Siheyuan hotels

� Get your discount before dinner

� Traditional Lantern Festival celebrations





Beijing Guide




Eating out: Buen and then some
Bars&Cafes: MAO hits Beijing
Weekend&Holiday: Temple treats
Shopping: Zara comes
What's on: In praise of the piano







Shanghai Guide


Eating out: New chef upholds fine tradition
Bars&Cafes: Also love
Weekend&Holiday: Spring music
Shopping: On the dark side
What's on: Teenage memory in black and white





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,

Chinese Online Class - China has the largest shopping malls

CITYLIFE / Hip & New






China has the largest shopping malls

(CRI)
Updated: 2007-03-02 10:35






The largest shopping center in the world is located in Dongguan, China's
Guandong Province. The center opened in 2005 and occupies 660,000 sq
meters. [File Photo: CRI Online]

Four of the world's largest shopping malls are in China, including the
two largest, according to a new list published on the Forbes website.

The largest shopping center in the world is located in Dongguan, China's
Guandong Province. The center opened in 2005 and occupies 660,000 sq
meters.

The second largest is the Golden Resources Shopping Mall in Beijing. The
five-floor building has 557,000 sq meters of floor space and opened in
2004.

The other two shopping malls in China on the Forbes list are also in
Beijing and Guangzhou and both opened in 2005. The Beijing mall covers
310,000 sq meters, while the other covers 280,000 sq meters.

Eight of the malls on the list were in Asia. The construction work on six
of the malls only finished in the last 3 years.



The second largest is the Golden Resources Shopping Mall in Beijing. The
five-floor building has 557,000 sq meters of floor space and opened in
2004. [File Photo: CRI Online]











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




� Traditional Lantern Festival celebrations

� Lantern festival events

� Use credit cards for more gifts and discounts

� Light up your life with red!

� Fortune, luck and joy





Beijing Guide




Eating out: A real peach
Bars&Cafes: Cue those hazy student days
Weekend&Holiday: A place to enjoy tea culture
Shopping: Trend-setting Soho
What's on: Art and Olympics







Shanghai Guide


Eating out: Laudatory lunches in triplicate
Bars&Cafes: Come in couple
Weekend&Holiday: From New Jersey with love
Shopping: Spring pedals
What's on: Rare Omegamania watches displayed





Learn Chinese, Learning Mandarin, 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

Pnyin - How to get by if you're a Laowai

CITYLIFE / Hip & New






How to get by if you're a Laowai

(cityweekend)
Updated: 2007-02-15 11:19



Whether you're a newcomer to China or just completely clueless regarding
what's in store for the next week or so, City Weekend is here to make
sure you don't miss out on the festivities and frantic craziness that is
Chinese New Year.

For one thing, take some advice from Andrew Hustad, an experienced
laowai: "Stay as far away as humanly possible from the train and bus
stations. Everyone in China travels home for the holidays, so imagine the
largest crowd you've ever seen, and multiply that by a thousand." The
Chinese New Year or "Spring Festival" signals the largest human migration
on the planet as native Chinese from all over the world return to their
hometowns to enjoy reunion dinners and a week of vacation. So take it
from us, stay put in Beijing and make use of this survival kit; you'll
not only survive, but enjoy all that Beijing has to offer.


Blow Something Up

According to legend, there was once a beast - the fearsome Nian - which
would come down from the mountains, sneak into people's houses and devour
whomever it could get its claws on. The only things the Nian was scared
of were the color red and extremely loud noises. Beijing residents were
easy pickings for the Nian before 2005 when the ban on fireworks inside
the city was lifted. So light up like there's no tomorrow, just be
careful not to blow a finger off. The Beijing Government is even
instituting special 30-minute no-traffic zones inside the 5th Ring Road
beginning at 11:45 p.m. on February 17. Cars will not be allowed to drive
through any one of 64 select communities (the number could increase to
100) so that people will be free to blow up as much as possible. To get
your hands on some fireworks, go to any one of 2,500 designated stands
around town. They're easy to spot. But we recommend you head out beyond
the fifth ring to Huairou to score the best stuff.


Eat and Drink Like a Pig

Baijiu: Anywhere from 80 to 120 proof, this potent potable is available
in a myriad of different varieties and flavors. This is the stuff you
want if your idea of ringing in the New Year is blacking out while
singing terrible KTV. Two brands come especially recommended: Wulianghe
Maotai and Kongfu Jiajiu (the stuff Confucius would drink with his mates).


Dumplings: Spring Festival is a time for families to make and eat
dumplings together. It symbolizes togetherness. Mrs. Huang, a newly
arrived expatriate, discovered first hand at a Din Tai Fung class that
"they are indeed tricky little things to make. What I learned is that
it's not so much the secret recipe as it is the technique." Make your
own, buy frozen ones or order a plate from quality restaurants like
Hongmao Jiaozi (Tel: 6495-9311) or Gu Zhen Huang (Tel: 010-6613-9641).


Niangao: "Sticky cakes" or "year cakes" are a sweet treat especially
enjoyed during Spring Festival. While not exactly a traditional favorite
in Beijing (they're more popular in southern China), you should give them
a taste regardless. If you're lucky enough to snag one shaped like a
fish, you'll be rich and prosperous in the coming year.



Get the Gear

Hongbao: These "red envelopes" are presented as gifts to children and
loved ones (even ayi's) during the New Year. While the red on the outside
symbolizes good luck, they're packed with green, blues and reds. Ka-ching!


Chunlian: A temporary decoration placed on the entrances to homes
containing happy, uplifting or hopeful messages about the coming year.
The first line is on the right side, the second line on the left and a
third line placed on the top. It is also common to hang an upside 'fu' in
the middle which carries with it connotations of good fortune. Lito
Zhang, native Beijinger, says, "It's very important that every year we
decorate the house with chunlian. Equally important is to watch the CCTV
Spring Festival TV show aired on Feb. 18. Every Chinese family does this
while having dinner; it's a modern tradition."



Where To Use It

The Chinese Culture Club rediscovers lost New Year's traditions by taking
over a small suburb just outside the city for a day of fun and
festivities. Director Feng Cheng likens the annual outing to "something
like shooting a film." Check it out on Monday, Feb. 19 from 9 a.m. to 4
p.m. RMB150/per person. Tel: 010-6432-9341, or check
www.chinesecultureclub.org.

For those in the mood for a truly Chinese experience, we recommend you
check out any one of the city's numerous temple fairs. These virtual
carnivals are fun for the whole family, featuring all kinds of special
games, foods, and performances. They typically begin Feb. 18 and last
anywhere from a couple days to half a month. Admission doesn't run more
than RMB10, and parks are typically open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tel:
010-6714-4336 (Longtanhu Park); 6336-0067 (Baiyunguan) or 6354-4994
(Daguanyuan).



What NOT To Do

Do not sweep the floor for the entirety of the Spring Festival. If you
do, all of your good luck and fortune for the coming year will be swept
away.

It's unlucky to talk about death for the first few days of Spring
Festival. Even if someone drops dead in front of you, change the topic of
conversation.

On New Year's Eve, at the stroke of midnight, every door and window
should be flung open to let the new year in and the old year out (as well
as whatever that smell is coming from the fridge).

Make sure to get your hair cut before Spring Festival, because even
getting a light trim during the holiday is considered bad luck. To avoid
any problems, we recommend shaving your entire head before the New Year
even begins.










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




� DIY dumplings

� Horoscopes help you find the special gifts

� Romantic Valentine's Day dinner

� Jazz up your life

� Sports' dress codes





Beijing Guide




Eating out: Not over, not under
Bars&Cafes: The need for speed
Weekend&Holiday: Olympic temple fairs come
Shopping: Gift ideas for Valentine's Day
What's on: Addictive viewing







Shanghai Guide


Eating out: Shishas not included
Bars&Cafes: Electro and grunge
Weekend&Holiday: Open-bar madness
Shopping: Top 5 underground malls
What's on: Anything but hype





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

Learn Chinese - The high price of love

CITYLIFE / Odds & Ends






The high price of love

(China Daily)
Updated: 2007-02-06 09:10



To marry for money or for love, this old question is taking on new
meaning for Chinese youth in today's consumption saturated culture. A
post entitled "Will you marry your boyfriend with no house or car?" at
the popular portal website Tianya forum, has triggered a hot debate.

Posted last October, there were more than 18,000 visitors to the site,
and more than 500 replies in just a couple of days.

"It's a catch-22. If you're marrying for money, you feel like you're
selling yourself. If you walk into a marriage for love, in five or 10
years, you will realize that love doesn't pay your house mortgage, your
phone, gas, or electricity bills," says Marsha Zhao, a communication
officer for a foreign company in Beijing.

The newly-married Zhao swears her marriage is a result of pure love.

"Think about this," she says. "My husband has less of everything than I
do. In education, he holds a bachelor's, I have a master's. He makes much
less money than I do, and he doesn't even have a permanent residence card
for Beijing. You know how much your parents care about that!"

Earning 100,000 yuan ($12,500) a year, 50 percent more than most of her
peers working as newspaper reporters, the 25-year-old says buying a house
or having a baby is not a priority on their agenda.

"We want our own apartment but the prices are outrageous. We just cannot
afford one." The young couple now live in an apartment provided by Zhao's
parents.

This love match aside, a recent online survey conducted by the
Beijing-based China Youth Daily survey center indicates that marriage
does have a price.

According to Fang Yihan, an editor at the survey center, 58.8 percent of
men and 51.6 percent of women believe there is a "starting price" in
marriage.

Among the 10,050 female respondents, 47.4 percent thought it's OK for a
man to have no car, but not OK to have no house when it comes to
marriage, while 39.3 percent of the 8,962 male respondents agreed.
Meanwhile, 7 percent women said they wouldn't consider marrying someone
with no house or car, and 11 percent men said they wouldn't propose to
their girl friends if they had no car or house.

Millionaires looking for pretty partners gather at the "Love Boat" party
on "Captain One" cruise in Shanghai last November. Gao Er'qiang

A typical representation of one side of the views said, "I'd rather weep
inside a car instead of smiling from the back seat of a bicycle."

Olivia Jiang, 25, is still looking for her Mr Right. By Mr Right, she
means a perfect combination of love and wealth.

"I don't really care if he has a house or a car, but he must have money.
No matter how deeply you love each other," she says, "the marriage would
sooner or later be ruined by financial difficulties."

Working for an international consulting company in the capital, Jiang
finds her monthly salary of 7,000 yuan ($875) can hardly meet her needs.
She wants to buy a pair of her dream shoes, but she will have to wait
until the shoes are on sale. "Even so, they will still cost more than
1,000 yuan ($125)," Jiang says.

For Jiang, her ideal husband would be one making at least 100,000 yuan
($12,500) a month. Then they wouldn't have to worry about a mortgage, a
car, or the cost of raising a child when starting a family.

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




� Horoscopes help you find the special gifts

� Romantic Valentine's Day dinner

� Jazz up your life

� Sports' dress codes

� The high price of love





Beijing Guide




Eating out: The Revolution lives on!
Bars&Cafes: VJ meets DJ at Centro
Weekend&Holiday: Summer Palace to hold "Royal carnival"
Shopping: Gift ideas for Valentine's Day
What's on: Love dance







Shanghai Guide


Eating out: Reignite the spark
Bars&Cafes: Cave-like club
Weekend&Holiday: Forefront of celebration
Shopping: The way to a girl's heart
What's on: Lovers of 'Era'





Learn Chinese, Learn mandarin, 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,

Study Chinese - How to sell a veil in a China shop

ENTERTAINMENT / Hot Pot Column






How to sell a veil in a China shop

By Raymond Zhou (China Daily)
Updated: 2007-01-25 10:25



You may go watch The Painted Veil for Edward Norton or Naomi Watts, but
you're actually helping the Chinese film industry unless you buy a
pirated disk, in which case you chip in only to the underground economy,
the guys who grease the machine of the business so much that the wheels
drip with oil and threaten to spin out of control.

The movie is partly a Chinese production, and judging by word of mouth it
should have grossed some decent box office gloss. But, no! The Chinese
investors could not even recoup their marketing costs.

What went wrong? Obviously, to come under the curse of the golden flower
is to put it delicately a curse. The force unleashed by Double Zhangs
(director Zhang Yimou and producer Zhang Weiping) pulverized most
competitions that happened to be in their way. But there're more factors
at play.

During a recent forum at Peking University, to which I was invited, a
line-up of experts attempted a diagnosis. The consensus was, it is a nice
picture with international ambitions, done with polish and style, but it
could not have survived the take-no-prisoners environment of Chinese
cinema.

The academic guys pinpointed one deficiency: not enough Chinese elements.
The story is too focused on the English couple that the Chinese are
reduced to virtually walk-on roles. "For all I know, it could have
happened in Vietnam," noted one.

The accusation is both right on and not fair. The original Somerset
Maugham tale uses China as an exotic locale to enhance the marriage
crisis. Think of it. The first adaptation, starring Greta Garbo, did not
even venture out of the Hollywood soundstage. John Curran, director of
the current version, did tons of research and added a wealth of
background material to enrich details.

Unlike the professors who were all very serious, the representatives from
Web companies were much younger (in their early 20s) and oozed cool. The
lad from Sina gave the impression that he was participating in a hip-hop
concert. Wearing his beanie hat so low that his eyes peeped out
nonchalantly from his slouched position, he said he could not relate to
the movie. There's absolutely nothing in the movie we can hype as a
marketing hook, added another. And they stand for the bulk of filmgoers.

"Right, the husband in the movie is not pleased with his wife
figuratively reaching out the wall with red flowers, but today's kids
don't have that annoyance. You guys can change girlfriends every week,"
scoffed an older guy.

Then came the climax of the panel discussion, delivered by someone from a
media institution some would describe as stolid, bloated and out of touch
with reality. He disagreed with both camps. The movie has lots to do with
China if only one knew how to spin it, he insisted.

The gentleman went on to re-interpret the plot: The wife cheats while in
Shanghai, but once she realizes how noble her husband's work is, she
gains respect for him and finds peace and harmony in the ultimate
sacrifice. So, after he dies, she has an easier time resisting corporal
temptations. What could be more Chinese than that? It's a positive
response to the harmonious society.


(China Daily 01/25/2007 page20)










Top Entertaiment News




� Restaurant group objects to K-Fed ad

� Paris Hilton's private items sold on Internet

� Universal music downloads for all players long way off

� Alba and Cruise team up for horror film

� Spears and Cohen still going strong





Today's Top News




� Young officials rapidly climb succession ladder

� Hu to discuss Darfur on Sudan visit

� Former drug head faces graft probe

� Hu: Nurture a healthy online culture

� China set to curb foreign waste imports





Most Commented/Read Stories in 48 Hours








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

Speak Chinese - Naomi Campbell pleads guilty in NYC to assault

ENTERTAINMENT / Gossip






Naomi Campbell pleads guilty in NYC to assault

(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-01-17 09:21




Supermodel Naomi Campbell arrives for her court appearance in New York
January 16, 2007. Campbell pleaded guilty in Manhattan Criminal Court on
Tuesday to assaulting her housekeeper with a mobile phone and was
sentenced to five days community service. [Reuters/Keith Bedford]

NEW YORK - Supermodel Naomi Campbell pleaded guilty in Manhattan Criminal
Court on Tuesday to assaulting her housekeeper with a mobile telephone
and was sentenced to five days of community service.

Campbell, who appeared in court in black pants, gray tweed
double-breasted jacket and dark sunglasses, was also fined $363 and
ordered to attend anger management classes after pleading guilty to
third-degree assault.

The British beauty was initially charged in March 2006 with second-degree
assault and faced up to seven years in prison.

Prosecutors said in court documents Campbell threw the phone at Ana
Scolavino, 42, during a dispute over a pair of jeans. They said the phone
hit the woman in the back of her head, opening a wound that required four
staples to close.

Campbell did not comment as she left court.

Campbell, 36, is no stranger to controversy and has blamed her hot temper
on lingering resentment toward her father for abandoning her as a child.

In June, a second maid, Gaby Gibson, said the celebrity struck her in the
head. She has also filed a civil lawsuit accusing Campbell of personal
injury, employment discrimination, civil assault and battery.

In July, former assistant Amanda Black also sued Campbell, saying she was
subjected to a series of "verbal, physical and emotional attacks" by the
model shortly after she was hired by her in February of 2005.

Campbell was arrested in October in London on suspicion of assault after
a woman alleged she had been attacked at a London residence. Campbell's
spokesman said the model had done nothing wrong and there had been a
misunderstanding.

In February 2000, she pleaded guilty in a Canadian court for assaulting
another former assistant with a telephone. In that case she paid the
assistant an undisclosed amount of money and attended anger management
classes.

Spotted on the streets of London's Covent Garden tourist area when she
was 15, Campbell was the first black model to the grace covers of French
and British Vogue.

She has acted in several films, co-wrote a novel and launched her own
cosmetics products.











Related Stories



� Campbell: "It's been a tough year"
===========================================================================
� Campbell to start a family
===========================================================================
� Naomi Campbell returns to the catwalk
===========================================================================
� Supermodel Naomi Campbell arrested in London
===========================================================================
� Supermodel arrested in London
===========================================================================
� Fergie tops leg poll
===========================================================================










Top Entertaiment News




� Keith Urban out of rehab to go on tour

� Jolie Pitt move to New Orleans, report says

� 'Babel, "Dreamgirls' win top Globes

� Hudson Murphy, Streep win Golden Globes

� Nick Lachey not ready to wed





Today's Top News




� Hong Kong curbs entry of pregnant mainlanders

� Veteran revolutionary Bo dies at 99

� Nuke power security a key concern

� Rightist threats raise fears in Japan

� Commerce Minister: Huge trade surplus to be reduced





Most Commented/Read Stories in 48 Hours








Learn Chinese, Chinese Online Class, 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

Learn Chinese - Oscar watchers narrow list of top film nominees

ENTERTAINMENT / Movies






Oscar watchers narrow list of top film nominees

(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-01-07 10:41





Sharon Leal Beyonce Knowles and Anika Noni Rose in a scene from the film
'Dreamgirls' in a photo courtesy of DreamWorks Pictures. Hollywood
experts on Friday narrowed their guesses for best film Oscar candidates
after seeing this week's key award nominations. [Reuters]

Hollywood experts on Friday narrowed their guesses for best film Oscar
candidates to a short list including widely touted musical "Dreamgirls"
and crime thriller "The Departed," after seeing this week's key award
nominations.

Close behind on the short list are comedy "Little Miss Sunshine" and
searing cultural drama "Babel." Several industry pundits caution that the
final spot on the list of five vying for the movies' top honor could go
to one of a range of films.

"The Queen," an inside look at the British royals, director Clint
Eastwood's "Letters from Iwo Jima," which tells the Japanese side of the
World War II battle, September 11 drama "United 93," and the comeback
story this season, "Bobby," about the legacy of former U.S. Senator
Robert Kennedy, are all being given a shot -- if even a slim one in some
cases.

"It's an incredibly stable group, but it will be a wide open race" when
the five nominees are named, said David Poland, who runs the
Moviecitynews.com Web site.

The world's top film awards, the Oscars -- or Academy Awards -- are given
out annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in
Beverly Hills, made up of actors, actresses, directors, producers and
other movie industry professionals. This year, Oscar nominees will be
named on January 23, and winners will be unveiled in a star-filled
Hollywood gala on February 25.

This past week, nominees unveiled by the Producers Guild of America and
Screen Actors Guild helped define top contenders because many guild
members are also Oscar voters. And over the next 10 days, several crucial
events take place in the Hollywood sport of Oscar watching.

On Tuesday, the Directors Guild of America, names its nominees and
historically DGA contenders correlate strongly with Oscars. "The
Directors Guild will influence the race greatly. It always does," said
USA Today critic Claudia Puig.

OF GUILDS AND GLOBES

Critical favorite "Letters" would see its Oscar chances rise if the
directors single out Eastwood. The same is true for Britain's Stephen
Frears with "The Queen" and Paul Greengrass for "United 93," and
"Babel's" position as a true Oscar contender would solidify if Mexico's
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu made the DGA's list.

Two days later, the Writers Guild of America picks nominee for
screenplays, and on January 15, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association
gives out its Golden Globe awards, which will help indicate choices in
the best actor and actress Oscar races.

The experts said the best actress race appears to be down to five
candidates who mirror SAG's picks this week.

Those five are Helen Mirren playing Queen Elizabeth in "The Queen," Judi
Dench as a manipulative teacher in "Notes on a Scandal," Meryl Streep
portraying a wicked fashion editor in "The Devil Wears Prada," Spanish
beauty Penelope Cruz as a working-class woman in "Volver" and Kate
Winslet playing a woman in an extra-marital affair in "Little Children."

"We seem to have these ladies locked in," said Tom O'Neil, columnist for
Theenvelope.com.

The race for best actor is less settled. The sure things seem to be
Forest Whitaker playing dictator Idi Amin in "The Last King of Scotland,"
Peter O'Toole as an older man smitten with a young woman in "Venus" and
Will Smith portraying a man overcoming life's obstacles in "The Pursuit
of Happyness."

Leonardo DiCaprio also seems to be a good bet, but the question is for
what role: a diamond smuggler in "Blood Diamond" or an undercover cop in
"The Departed."

Finally, relative newcomer Ryan Gosling playing a drug abusing teacher in
low-budget "Half-Nelson" is given an edge to make the fifth Oscar
nomination spot.









Related Stories



� Film dialogue featured on official Oscar poster
===========================================================================
� Oscar nominee kills husband, self
===========================================================================
� Oscar poster a font of famous film lines
===========================================================================
� Oscar shortlists seven for visual effects honors
===========================================================================
� Oscar likely to frown on two-timers Leo, Clint
===========================================================================
� Early Oscar boosts given to Eastwood
===========================================================================










Top Entertaiment News




� Man tried to blackmail Oprah, FBI says

� Oscar watchers narrow list of top film nominees

� Lohan to have surgery to remove appendix

� J.Lo honored by People en Espanol

� Faye Wong gets new business?





Today's Top News




� Prospects brighten for hostage release in Nigeria

� Government to increase imports

� Review 'not a signal of lenience'

� Bias is a 'way of life in jobs'

� Chinese rescue group arrives in Nigeria





Most Commented/Read Stories in 48 Hours








Learn Chinese, Learn Mandarin online, 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,