Seven Castles

http://spaces.msn.com/members/sevencastles

May 17, 2008

Non-stick cello-tape

Solar powered flashlight

A black highlighter pen

Glow in the dark sunglasses

Inflatable anchor

Smooth sandpaper

Waterproof sponge

Waterproof teabags

AC adapter for solar powered calculators

Fireproof matches

Fireproof cigarettes

Battery powered battery charger

Seatbelts for motorbikes

Hand powered chainsaw

Inflatable dartboard

Silent alarm clock

A pedal powered wheelchair

Braille drivers manual

Double sided playing cards

Ejector seats for helicopters

May 16, 2008

Over our lifetimes we meet a lot of different people, some become true friends, others become acquaintances, and some are just passing contacts. Most of the time we cannot determine whether the person we meet will become a close friend until we have spent some time with them. True friendship thrives on trust, inspiration and comfort, but never fades away; in fact it grows better with time.

Nothing is hidden between true friends. They know your strengths and weaknesses, and accept your positive and negative qualities. They will never question your motives. They will let you do your thing and advise you on problems that are troubling you. They stand by you and will not run away when you need them. They lend you their shoulders to cry on and they support you in whatever way they can. Sometimes what they have said may hurt but they are only advising you out of love to prevent you heartache in the future. They will let you vent your anger. They will sooth you, cheer you up and just are there for you when you need someone there. They will just listen to your problems…

Few true friends do we find in our lifetimes, but when we do recognize someone to fit the label of a True Friend, we need to cherish that relationship for all that it is worth. 

May 15, 2008

A videoconference is a set of interactive telecommunication technologies that allow two or more locations to interact via two-way video and audio transmissions simultaneously. It differs from videophone in that it is designed to serve a conference rather than individuals.

Videoconferencing technology enables the participants of the conference to see each other. With audio-conferencing, people can only hear the voice that is enough for project discussion among the employees. But businesses often need interactions with the clients for finalization of the deal, the status of the ongoing project, client reviews and so on. Videoconferencing helps in arranging virtual meeting where the guests need not assemble at a single place. If the host and the guests have videoconferencing equipments, then the effect of face-to-face meeting can be neared using videoconferencing technique. It is also very helpful in conducting training sessions where the trainer is at a different location. The conversation can be between two people in private offices (point-to-point) or involves several sites (multi-point) with more than one person in large rooms at different sites. Besides the audio and visual transmission of meeting activities, videoconferencing can be used to share documents, computer-displayed information, and whiteboards.

As with any conferencing technique, videoconferencing requires a connection bridge to connect the groups participating in the conference. Videoconferencing requires the video and audio signals processed and compressed by the codec to transmit these signals via the telecommunication links that already exist. The compression software is also essential that is used by the codec. The receiving end also uses the codec to process the incoming signals so that video and audio can be separated and diverted to the respective devices. A microphone and a speaker are essential for voice transmission. To display the video, a monitor is required. If the group has a larger number of people, then LCD projectors can be used for increased visibility.

Depending on the equipments used for conferencing, the videoconferencing systems fall under three major categories. For business meetings, that require one-to-one discussions, the integrated USB desktop units can be used where screens of larger size are commonly used. Set top units can be used if the budget is low as the video can be connected to existing televisions or VCR. Standalone devices are used for personal communication and they have small screens attached to each user.

In videoconferencing, the room where the group is gathered plays a major role in the success of the virtual meeting. The acoustics of the room mainly determines the quality of the audio transmitted. For a successful conference, the audio and the video must match with each other. Any distortion in the signal or any disturbance in the room will have a negative impact on the meeting. The amount of light in the room must be ample so that the camera records the video clearly. To ensure this, fluorescent lights are used. Low power lights are avoided. Windows must be covered with screens to avoid unnecessary sunlight coming in, as the shade is undesired in a virtual meeting.

The videoconferencing room must be furnished without ambiguity. The decoration must be pretty and simple. Generally, the group members are seated in a long round wide table and the camera is placed such that the entire group is covered. The members must be seated comfortably to look elegant in the video. The external noise must not enter the conferencing room. There is also an option available for the companies to rent videoconferencing rooms. These rooms have ample equipments and will be furnished accordingly so that the arrangement and maintenance are taken care of by another service provider. This can be an affordable choice when the company requires virtual meetings to be held less occasionally.

Some etiquette is to be followed by the participants of videoconference. The persons must speak clearly and loudly and they must be seated at the correct distance from their mike. Unnecessary and casual non-verbal gestures are to be avoided, as they may be annoying for the other participants seeing the video. All the necessary applications and presentations must be ready before the conference starts. All the participants must be seated in their respective places before the conference starts. When these are followed, then the virtual conference will definitely be a success for the company.

May 14, 2008

If the 1980s created Yuppies (young urban professionals) and the 1990s brought us Bobos (bourgeois bohemians), the 2000s may be giving rise to a new kind of elite: YAWN – Young And Wealthy but Normal. Though sounding like a pretty silly acronym, YAWN is like Yuppies Version 2.0, updated for an environmentally conscious, philanthropy-crazed age. Whereas Yuppies were materialistic, shallow and elitist, they are supposed to be altruistic, down-to-earth and globally aware.

They are people in their twenties to forties who are usually wealthy through their own work. Many of them are self-made millionaires and have a lot of disposable income. However, they prefer to live simple lives away from excessive consumerism. They usually live very much beneath their means and like to purchase local produce. They are also more environmentally friendly and philanthropic because they want to save the world with their money and they really think they could do it. They live relatively muted lives and they do not have as much entertainment value as other rich people, and thus the Sunday Telegraphy of London coined the acronym YAWN to indicate that these people live somewhat boring lives, just doing good deeds, staying relatively private, and raising good kids.

The ultimate status symbol for a YAWN is a personal foundation, rather than a private yacht or jet (though many have those, too). The YAWN uniform is jeans, a recycled T-shirt and charity bracelets. The patron saint of Yawn-hood is Bill Gates.

The concept of social responsibility may have contributed to the emergence of this new class of wealthy individuals. All in all, these individuals can be a great benefit for society because they redistribute a vast amount of wealth for social good. However, it may be difficult to become a YAWN because it can be very tempting for wealthy young people to be drawn to more extravagant lifestyles.  

May 13, 2008

Pu'er tea is a type of tea made from a "large leaf" variety of the tea plant and named after Pu'er County near Simao (now named Pu'er City), Yunnan, China. It has been famous as a medicinal tea. Modern medical science has shown that the health benefits of the tea may be more than just Chinese folklore. It helps to reduce cholesterol in the blood stream; reduce body weight; reduce high blood pressure, heart and liver diseases related to high saturated fat diets; detoxify the liver; prevent intestinal infection, digestive problems and constipation; and prevent the formation of cancer cells in the body due to its anti-oxidants

The tea is traditionally made with leaves from old wild tea trees of a variety found in southwest China as well as the bordering tropical regions in Burma, Vietnam, Laos and the very eastern parts of India. Due to the scarcity of old wild tea trees, the tea made using such trees blended from different tea mountains of Yunnan are highly valued, while more and more connoisseurs are seeking the tea with leaves taken from a single tea mountain's wild forests.

The history of the tea can be traced back to the Eastern Han Dynasty. In Tang Dynasty, it was the favorite tea of the nobleman of the time. The tea over the centuries has been used as a form of currency in China and an important international trading item.

It is said that the unique taste of the tea was developed because it took weeks to transport the tealeaves by horseback to the town to be processed. During this transportation period the tealeaves would begin to ferment in the humidity and release a strong, fragrant aroma, which people found quite pleasant. A special technique of tea fermenting developed and the tea was thus created.

The secret of making the tea has been closely guarded in China for centuries. The tealeaves are collected from growers of a special broad-leaf tea tree, related to ancient prehistoric tea trees. The leaves go through two types of fermentation, which gives this tea its unique characteristics; a mild, but distinctively earthy flavor. The tea requires a minimum of ten years to mature and gets only better with age. The teas are much like fine wines, which become smoother and more balanced with age. The teas are much lower in tannins than other teas due to the special processing method that it undergoes.

The tea can be purchased as either raw/green or ripened/cooked, depending on processing method or aging. The tea can in turn be roughly classified on the tea oxidation scale as either a green tea or post-fermented tea, respectively. Unlike other teas that should ideally be consumed shortly after production, the tea can be drunk immediately or aged for many years. As such, the teas are often classified by year and region of production much like wine vintages.

The tea is typically available as loose leaf or as cakes of compacted tea. While there are many forgeries of the tea on the market and real aged tea is difficult to find and identify, it is still possible to find the tea that is ten to fifty years old, as well as a few from the late Qing Dynasty. Indeed, tea connoisseurs and speculators are willing to pay high prices for the older tea, upwards of thousands of dollars per cake. A couple of years ago, tens of thousands of people in South China's Guangdong Province collect the tea, traditionally dubbed "grandpa's tea" there for being gentle on the stomach, seeing it as an investment, something that will appreciate in value. Some traders are hoarding as much as tens of tons of the tea each.

The tea is well known for the fact that it is a compressed tea and also that it typically ages well to produce a pleasant drink. Through storage, the tea typically takes on a darker color and mellower flavor characteristics. Often the tealeaves are compressed into teacakes or bricks, and are wrapped in various materials, which when stored away from excessive moisture, heat and sunlight mature the tea. Pressing of the tea into cakes and aging the tea cakes possibly originated from the natural aging process that happened in the storerooms of tea drinkers and merchants, as well as on horseback caravans on the Ancient Tea Route used in ancient Yunnan to trade tea to Tibet and more northern parts of China. Compression of the tea into dense bulky objects likely eased horseback transport and reduced damage to the tea.

It is best to use boiling water with the tea, so that it will release its earthy flavor. Steeping two to three chrysanthemum blossoms with the tea adds a natural sweetness to the tea and will smooth the earthy flavor of the tea. 

May 12, 2008

As a working professional it is expected from you to understand the culture of your workplace and thus, it becomes essential to follow some basic professional etiquette. The basis of professional etiquette stands on the ethics of respecting other individuals in your workplace and displaying courteous behaviors while business interactions. Professional etiquette can have long-lasting and far-fetched impact on professional life; be it your personal career growth or a rising business for your company. Your professional etiquette can thus put you in the good/bad book of your immediate boss or potential clients.

There are some basic professional etiquette tips you can follow to make a great impact on everyone in your company.

Conversation Etiquettes

Avoid talking about topics that evoke opinions or emotions. 

Always listen to others attentively. A good listener is always dear to every client. Speak only when the other person has finished talking instead of interrupting in between.

Keep a low but clear and calm voice while conversing. Your tone should always be polite.

While conversing always look into the eyes of the other person and avoid showing your back or looking elsewhere.

Keep your conversations short and to the point instead of getting into irrelevant topics and discussions. Remember this is a business talk and not a family reunion.

Maintain your sobriety and politeness even if the client speaks something offensive or rude and avoid replying back in harsh tone/words.

Avoid fidgeting with your dress or putting your hands on the face while in a conversation.

Handshake Etiquettes

When shaking hands always offer a firm handshake with your fingers titled down and your thumb up. However, ensure your handshake is not so firm that it crushes or hurts the other person's hand. This indicates that you are dominant.

Limit the time of handshakes to two to three seconds and take your hand back gracefully.

Avoid patting on the back of the hand.

While shaking hands, greet the person by looking into his/her eyes.

When meeting people of celebrity status you should never offer your hand first and place them in an awkward situation. 

Dressing Etiquettes

Always wear neat and nicely pressed formal clothes. Choose corporate shades while you are picking up clothes for your office wear.

Women should avoid wearing exposing dresses and opt for little but natural make-ups. Men need to keep their hair (including facial hair) neatly trimmed and set.

Always polish your shoes.

Keep your nails clean.

Wear clothes you are comfortable in and can carry well. This is very important while you are in a business meeting or client presentation.

Introduction and Greeting Etiquettes

When you are getting introduced, either shake hands or nod your head.

If you are in charge of introducing other people always introduce the lower ranked person to the higher ranked one.

When first introduced, stand up to meet or greet the person.

When exchanging business cards, it is polite to look at the card and make some sort of comment, even if it is just a confirmation.

Electronic Communication Etiquettes

While communicating with your colleagues, seniors or clients through emails, always address the person with "Dear", "Hi" or "Hello" followed by a title (Mr./Mrs./Miss etc.) and his/her name and end your mail with "Yours Sincerely" or "Yours Truly", whatever suits best with your name and designation. Also, always mention a "Subject" to all your official mails.

Keep official mails preferably short and precise. However, if the subject demands elaborate details and explanations, go ahead but use a friendly formal language instead of a casual one.

While speaking over telephones, always greet the other person while starting and ending the call. Always speak politely.

Include your contact details and the date while sending faxes.

While participating in conference calls introduce all the participants to each other at the beginning.

Dining Etiquettes

Always be courteous while official dinners. Offer the seat to your guest first. If you are the guest, be punctual and thank the host for the dinner.

Avoid opening your mouth and chewing food.

Initiate conversations while waiting for the food.

Avoid pointing the knife or fork towards the other person while eating and speaking.

Allow your guest to select the menu and wine.

If something unwanted has gone to your mouth, place the napkin in front of your mouth tactfully and bring it out instead if putting your hand inside the mouth to get rid of it.

Avoid talking when there is food in your mouth.

Learn the basic table manners before you go out to dine with a potential client or an important business meet.

General Etiquettes

Always be punctual at your workplace.

Switch off or put your mobile/cell phones in silent mode while in a conference call, business meeting or corporate presentation. In case it is an urgent call, you need to take excuse yourself and take permission from the others for taking the call.

Avoid digging your nose in public.

Use handkerchiefs when you are coughing/sneezing in public.

When in a meeting room, always stand up to greet the seniors if they arrive after you.

Try to ignore and overlook funny or embarrassing involuntary sounds, including farts, when in a meeting or official conversation.

If you have forgotten somebody's name ask him/her politely saying that you are sorry that you cannot remember the name.

Always keep a comfortable distance while conversing with others. Avoid standing or sitting too close to the other person. An arm's length would be ideal to maintain the comfort zone.

Be careful while smoking and drinking when you have company. Find out if the person is comfortable with your smoking. Avoid excessive drinking when in a client meet.

It would be nice if you hold the door for the person who is coming immediately behind you.

May 12, 2008

Mavis Fan (born on February 27, 1977) is a Taiwanese pop singer who also plays flute and piano. Since her parents separated when she was just two years old, it was her mom who raised her. She was attracted to music ever since she was a child, as her mom, an aspiring singer, had put all of her own musical dreams in her and forged her unbreakable bond with music. She was sent to learn the flute and piano at the tender age of three, joined an elementary music class at seven, and even penned her class's graduation song at twelve. She and her mom led a tight life. Her mom had to sing at bars to afford her tuition for the best music school in Taiwan.

She began to sing on stage at 14. She used to be a successful idol, running around in videos, singing children's songs. When she entered the Taiwan music scene in the mid-1990s, she was first packaged as a sweet little girl in mini skirts. Her music company came up with the idea of featuring children's songs on her albums. Her first records got incredible sales, so that each album sold over a million copies, thus giving her nickname - "Little Witch of Music".

However, 1998 saw her astonishing transition with the album "Darling". She not only proved herself to be a good songwriter, but also stunned the media with her true colors by getting a buzz cut. She rebelled against her past and adopted a more mature image, singing in a variety of pop styles for a more general audience and making moody love songs haunting to many a heart. She is known for the high standards she sets on all her works. She believes that high-quality work is essential for winning the respect of music lovers.

Although she had flowers and applause, she said she was not content. Rumors said she developed depression during her transition period, because she put herself under too much pressure to produce good music. Reports of her crying in public, eating disorders and not talking, continued for nearly five years. She saw doctors, took pills, pierced her body and got a tattoo to relieve her pain. She even tried to jump out a hotel window once and would have succeeded if her boyfriend had not caught her in time.

The saying goes that a girl changes 18 times as she grows up and she is a good example. Time has brought about many changes to both her life and her music, but her passion for expression has never changed. She never stops exploring what she is capable of and looking for ways to surprise her audience. In the past few years, she has set up her own music workshop, starred in a movie and written songs for pop stars.

Her film debut was in "The Private Eye Blues" in 1995. She played the role of A-Su in the 2005 film "About Love".

Since her last album in 2004, she has remained low key with only occasional news about her independent music label. Now she only sings for her own pleasure, and marketing is the least of her concerns. She will stage her first Chinese mainland concert on May 23. For the Shanghai concert, she says she has overcome her depression and will even sing some of her early songs but "in a different style". 

May 10, 2008

A keen analyst: Thoroughly confused.

Accepts new job assignments willingly: Never finishes a job.

Active socially: Drinks heavily.

Alert to company developments: An office gossip.

Approaches difficult problems with logic: Finds someone else to do the job.

Average: Not too bright.

Bridge builder: Likes to compromise.

Character above reproach: Still one step ahead of the law.

Charismatic: No interest in any opinion but his own.

Competent: Is still able to get work done if supervisor helps.

Conscientious and careful: Scared.

Consults with co-workers often: Indecisive, confused, and clueless.

Consults with supervisor often: Very annoying.

Delegates responsibility effectively: Passes the buck well.

Demonstrates qualities of leadership: Has a loud voice.

Displays excellent intuitive judgment: Knows when to disappear.

Displays great dexterity and agility: Dodges and evades superiors well.

Enjoys job: Needs more to do.

Excels in sustaining concentration but avoids confrontations: Ignores everyone.

Excels in the effective application of skills: Makes a good cup of coffee.

Exceptionally well qualified: Has committed no major blunders to date.

Expresses self well: Can string two sentences together.

Gets along extremely well with superiors and subordinates alike: A coward.

Happy: Paid too much.

Hard worker: Usually does it the hard way.

Identifies major management problems: Complains a lot.

Indifferent to instruction: Knows more than superiors.

Internationally know: Likes to go to conferences and trade shows in Las Vegas.

Is well informed: Knows all office gossip and where all the skeletons are kept.

Inspires the cooperation of others: Gets everyone else to do the work.

Is unusually loyal: Wanted by none else.

Judgment is usually sound: Lucky.

Keen sense of humor: Knows lots of dirty jokes.

Keeps informed on business issues: Subscribes to Playboy and National Enquirer.

Listens well: Has no ideas of his own.

Maintains a high degree of participation: Comes to work on time.

Maintains professional attitude: A snob.

Meticulous in attention to detail: A nitpicker.

Mover and shaker: Favors steamroller tactics without regard for other opinions.

Not a desk person: Did not go to college.

Of great value to the organization: Turns in work on time.

Quick thinking: Offers plausible excuses for errors.

Requires work-value attitudinal readjustment: Lazy and hardheaded.

Should go far: Please.

Slightly below average: Stupid.

Spends extra hours on the job: Miserable home life.

Stern disciplinarian: A real jerk.

Straightforward: Blunt and insensitive.

Strong adherence to principles: Stubborn.

Tactful in dealing with superiors: Knows when to keep mouth shut.

Takes advantage of every opportunity to progress: Buys drinks for superiors.

Takes pride in work: Conceited.

Unlimited potential: Will stick with us until retirement.

Use all available resources: Takes office supplies home for personal use.

Uses resources well: Delegates everything.

Uses time effectively: Clock-watcher.

Very creative: Finds 22 reasons to do anything except original work.

Visionary: Cannot handle paperwork or any project that lasts less than a week.

Well organized: Does too much busywork.

Will go far: Relative of management.

Willing to take calculated risks: Does not mind spending someone else's money.

Zealous attitude: Opinionated.

May 9, 2008

What do you think of using MSN at work? If you are the boss of the company, will you allow your employees to use it at work or you will block the port in the firewall?

Using MSN at work for work purpose is perfectly fine. It is especially so if used to communicate with fellow colleagues in different offices and buildings. Some companies use MSN to communicate with their clients because it will save them money on a phone bill.

Most companies have monitoring programs. There have been lots of cases where employees have been fired for excessive Internet usage or blogging while on company time. The practice of blocking MSN sounds stupid. I think this concept of MSN usage is similar to phone usages at office. One cannot stop a person from spending too much time chitchatting on the phone. Employees need to be mature enough to manage the usage and to do the right things. Bosses just have to trust their staff. There is no point to block usages as people will only try to find new ways and spend more office-time to beat the system.

Some people never use MSN at work, although they are allowed to. It distracts too much and they do not want to MSN while working.

Some use MSN at work but they use the Web-version messenger because the boss has blocked off the ports for the installed MSN program on the computer. They will log on and off during the day. The browser-based version of MSN is trés crappy and slow and basic, but it does the job.

Some will only let it on by putting the "Away" sign so less people will disturb them during their work time.

I have both MSN and QQ on during work. We even use this instead of email to communicate with each other and share the documents.

By the way, I have a friend who is a troublemaker and likes playing pranks on the plain dumb by hijacking MSN. He changes his MSN so that his Display Name, Avatar and even his personal message of the day is exactly the same as someone else and then messages another random person in the office with some random requests and that has some hilarious results! Obviously this will only work if they do not spot his email address at the top of the chat window! 

May 8, 2008

Do you like to visit your old schools? Are you interested in a school reunion of any kind? Do you think of your teachers on any special occasion?

You might always remember your teachers, but do they remember you forever, as they have hundreds, or even thousands of students?

Perhaps some teachers do remember you, not by name but by face. Teachers that you had an extremely close relationship would also remember you. If you stand out in any way or form, teachers also remember you. But if you left the schools at a time long, long ago, though you could remember the days when you were there, most of the teachers that taught you have already left, and things have changed a lot.

Some love visiting their old schools. One of the coolest things that could happen is their teachers become their friends.

Some rarely visit their old schools, because they kept moving and switching schools when they were young.

Some hated their old schools for one reason or another, so they will never go back. To them, schools suck. They do not need to go back to a building where they probably suffered most to remember a few memories worth cherishing.

Old schools hold bittersweet. When there is an opportunity of school reunion or something like that, come back to visit the teachers you liked. Do not forget to sign in and leave your information there for future contact. Donate some of your giveaways to your teachers for use in their classroom or the school, e.g. books or games. Sometimes teachers will notice something different about you that did not exist when they had you. If you are male and have grown facial hair, they may notice this difference, and if you are female and have painted your nails, they may notice this.

May 7, 2008

Shandong cuisine, one of the Eight Culinary Traditions of China, is derived from the native cooking styles of Shandong, an eastern coastal province of China. The cuisine is famous for its wide selection of material and use of different cooking methods. The raw materials are mainly domestic animals and birds, seafood and vegetables. The masterly cooking techniques include quick frying, quick frying with corn flour, stewing, roasting, boiling, using sugar to make fruit, and crystallizing with honey.

The cuisine consists of two major styles. Jiaodong style encompasses dishes from eastern Shandong like Fushan, Qingdao, Yantai and surrounding regions, characterized by seafood cooking, with light tastes. Jinan style includes dishes from Jinan, Dezhou, Tai'an and surrounding regions, famed for its soup and utilizing soups in its dishes.

As early as the Spring and Autumn Period (more than 3,000 years ago), Shandong was territory of Qi and Lu. Both states were economically and culturally developed. Because they bordered the sea, and had mountains and fertile plains, they had abundant aquatic products and grains as well as sea salt. The people of the area have stressed seasonings and flavorings since ancient times.

Created during the Yuan Dynasty and gradually spreading to Beijing, Tianjin, Northeast China, and the palace where it influenced the imperial food, the cuisine is considered the most influential in Chinese cuisine, with majority of the culinary styles in China having developed from it. Modern day schools of cuisine in North China, such as those of Beijing, Tianjin and Northeast, are all branches of the cuisine. Also, the typical dishes in most North China households' meals are prepared in simplified Shandong methods.

Though modern transportation methods have greatly increased the availability of ingredients throughout China, the cuisine remains rooted in its ancient traditions. Most notable is the staggering array of seafood, including scallops, prawns, clams, sea cucumbers and squid, all of which are well-known in Shandong as local ingredients of exemplary quality.

Shandong is a large peninsula surrounded by the sea, with the Yellow River meandering through the center. As a result, seafood is a major component of the cuisine. The most famous dish is the sweet and sour carp. A truly authentic sweet and sour carp must come from the Yellow River. In addition to sweet and sour carp, typical courses in the cuisine include braised abalone with shells, fried sea cucumber with fistulous onion, fragrant calamus in milk soup, quick-fried double fats (a very traditional dish consisting of pork tripe and chicken gizzards), and Dezhou stewed chicken, known throughout the country. The chicken is so well cooked that the meat easily separates from the bone although the shape of the chicken is preserved.

Beyond the use of seafood, Shandong is somewhat unique for its wide use of corn, a local cash crop that is not widely cultivated elsewhere. Unlike the sweet corn of North America, Shandong corn is chewy and starchy, often with a grassy aroma. It is often served simply as steamed or boiled cobs, or removed from the cob and lightly fried.

Shandong is also well known for its peanut crops, which are fragrant and naturally sweet. It is common at meals in Shandong, both formal and casual, to see large platters of peanuts, either roasted in the shell, or shelled and stir-fried with salt. Peanuts are also served raw in a number of cold dishes that hail from the region.

Shandong is also distinct from most of China's other culinary traditions in its wide use of a variety of small grains. Millet, wheat, oat and barley can be found in the local diet, often eaten as porridge, or milled and cooked into one of the many varieties of steamed, baked and fried breads or buns, pancakes, crisp cakes, and big cakes stuffed with minced meats.

Despite its rich agricultural output, Shandong has not traditionally used the wide variety of vegetables seen in many southern styles of Chinese cooking. Potatoes, tomatoes, cabbages, mushrooms, onions, garlic and eggplants make up the staple vegetables in the Shandong diet. Grassy greens, sea grasses, and bell peppers are also not uncommon. The large, sweet cabbages grown in central Shandong are renowned for their delicate flavor and hardiness. As has been the case for generations, these cabbages are a staple of the winter diet throughout much of the province, and are featured in a great number of dishes.

Possibly Shandong's greatest contribution to Chinese cuisine has been in the area of brewing vinegars. Hundreds of years of experience combined with unique local methods have led to Shandong's prominence as one of the premier regions for vinegar production in China. Unlike the lighter flavored, sharper vinegars popular in the southern regions, Shandong vinegar has a rich, complex flavor which, among some connoisseurs, is considered fine enough to be enjoyed on its own merits.

May 6, 2008

Facial painting, the colorful dressing on actors' faces, is formed through dramatic artists' long-term practice and their understanding and judgment of the roles in plays. By using transformable and exaggerated figures, professional spectators would easily tell the characteristic of a role. In this way, it is called "the picture of hearts". There are certain formats of the facial painting in the aspect of color, type and shape. Usually, eyes, foreheads and cheeks are painted like wings of butterflies, swallows and bats.

The origin of facial painting can be traced back to the Southern and Northern Dynasties Period more than 1,400 years ago when leading actors used to wear masks. As the operatic arts developed performers gradually took off their masks and painted colorful patterns on their faces instead since it was difficult to show facial expressions behind a mask.

During the heyday of Peking Opera in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), performers carefully studied facial structures and analyzed the personalities and appropriate facial characteristics of operatic characters. Various colors were used to identify the roles of the performers and to reveal a character's moral and spiritual roles, as well as other defining characteristics. Essentially, the unique makeup allows characters on stage to reveal them voicelessly.

In Peking Opera, facial painting is the most eye-catching element. Its colors are of great importance in revealing the age, profession and personality of a character. Originally, only three colors were used - red, white and black - each with its symbolic meaning. Red is the color of loyalty, integrity and courage; black suggests a serious and taciturn disposition, including strength and roughness; white reveals a crafty and suspicious character. Later, other colors were gradually incorporated, such as purple - the symbol of solemnity, serenity and a sense of justice; yellow, representing intelligence and calculation or bravery when used in warrior roles; blue shows uprightness and stubbornness; green indicates bravery and irascibility; and gold and silver are sometimes used on the faces of immortals, demons and monsters. Different colors can also distinguish nobility from the common folk, goodness from evil or loyalty from treachery.

Although painted faces are extremely stylized in their colors and patterns, no two painted faces are alike. For example, there are more than 100 face painting styles designed for Xiang Yu, the ruler of the Western Han Dynasty, and each one is very different.

Facial painting is worth appreciating for its artistic value. It functions not only as an adjunct to entertainment but also as part of a cultural language that acts as a bridge between the actors and the audience. Painted faces not only are used in facial make-up on the stage, but also have become a popular theme in Chinese folk art. Paper-painted faces made by artists sometimes look even more beautiful than those used on stage. In recent years, painted faces have developed into an independent art in China.

May 5, 2008

Face changing is an ancient Chinese dramatic art. Performers wear brightly colored costumes and move to quick, dramatic music. Their faces are vividly colored, for they are wearing masks. However, within a fraction of a second, their masks change, revealing completely new and vibrant visages.

Face changing is the most amazing stunt in Sichuan Opera. A performer in a black cap and black mantle flourishes his arm and twists his head, and his face changes into a horrible black face. He turns around, and in the blink of an eye, a frivolous white face emerges. He turns around yet again, and a splendidly colored face suddenly appears!

Face changing first appeared in Sichuan Opera during the reign of the Qing Dynasty Emperor Qianlong (1736-1795). The changing of types of facial painting and colors reflect a character's mood - red representing anger and black extreme fury - just as in fairy tales.

Face changing was first used in a story about a hero who stole from the rich to help the poor. When feudal officials caught him, he changed his face to puzzle them and escaped as a result.

In the very beginning, this art was far simpler than it is today. Performers put oil on their faces and applied colorful powder from a container placed in a hidden corner on the stage. When they blew onto the powder, it would be absorbed onto the face. But in spite of these professional performances, no one knew how the artists were able to blow the powder in order to make the facial makeup so accurate in no more than a few seconds. Another method involved hiding the colored powder on the performer's palms. They would then mop it up onto their faces with oil.

In the 1920s, opera masters began using layers of masks made of oiled paper or dried pig bladders, which they could peel one after another in the blink of an eye. Performers change masks in quick succession with a wave of the hand or by turning around. True professionals can change some 10 masks in just 20 seconds. By raising their hand, swinging a sleeve or tossing their head, an actor uses different masks to show different emotions, expressing invisible and intangible feelings through visible and tangible masks. From green to blue, red, yellow, dark and gold, the masks of Sichuan Opera display fear, tension, slyness, desperation, outrage, and so on.

This marvelous stunt makes one wonder why in a country where there are so many different games of opera, only Sichuan Opera contains such an amazing stunt. Although its origin cannot be determined, face changing is not as easy to do as one might think from seeing the quick changing performed on stage. The inventor of face changing must have been very romantic.

Face changing was once a skill that was only passed on to men, but now there are some women face-changing performers who add a somewhat charming flavor to this historic art.

Hong Kong entertainment star Andy Lau once brought the traditional face-changing performance of Sichuan Opera into the limelight by persuading one of the three face-changing masters in China to accept him as an apprentice. However, as a national treasure, the secret skills of face changing cannot be revealed just to anyone. Unfortunately, face changing performances can be seen everywhere in Chengdu's entertainment venues, from nightclubs to bars, even massage centers.

May 4, 2008

Daniel Chan was born on September 3, 1975 in Shanghai. He studied at St. Teresa's School and California International School.

He started singing in 1993. He became a student of Tai Sze-Chung, a famous singing teacher in Hong Kong, who is also the teacher of Leon Lai. He signed a contract with Tai's "Sing Fai" entertainment company in 1994 and later signed a singing contract with Polygram Records Ltd. He released his first album, "Open the Sky", in 1994 with Kelly Chan, Joyce Yau and Ray Chan. He went on to launch a successful singing career, conquering the hearts of fans with songs like "Be Happier Than Me", "Unique Feeling in the Heart" and "Guitar".

He was popular in 1997-1998, but he had gone through ups and downs in his singing career. He is a poor guy who had too much bad gossip following him so his career is really bad. I think he really got affected after the death of his manager and his break-up with Cecelia Cheung. His luck is not really good after all those things!

He seems like disappearing from the circle. Focusing more on his career as actor in recent years, he finally returns to the music scene after a long hiatus. His new album "Love Moments" features fifteen tracks with four brand new songs including "Easy Come Easy Go". Fans can also look forward to favorites like "Psychological Game", "Guess, Guess, Guess" and "Lend Me Your Shoulder".