Sally, Sam, Christine, Cedric and Sharon

15 Jan 2011 - In a few weeks we will enter the Year of the Rabbit, and a friend gave me the 2011 Chinese Almanac in preparation. It is full with useful and not-so-useful hints and tips, and the coming days it will keep me busy discovering my destiny. From what I got so far, the prediction is that my year will be "stable", which seems a euphemism for "boring". Some how, I have the feeling hat Year of the Rabbit will not be boring at all, so let's ee who is right. However, I was immediately drawn to the chapter about "Naming Your Pets". It is argued that naming pets is no different from naming babies. One first has to determine the birthday of the pet. The nature of a name is determined by the pronunciation: names of Wood begin with a dental consonant, names of Fire nature begin with a palatal consonant, and so on. According to Chinese wisdom an animal of Metal nature would suit me best, and I should name him/her Sally, Sam, Christine, Cedric or Sharon. I don't think I will ever have a pet ...

Ai Weiwei

14 Jan 2011 - Most of the time I like to keep the tone of message of this blog light, but sometimes there is a need to raise more serious issues. And as I care a great deal for China and the Chinese people these serious often have to do with the Middle Kingdom. BBC reports that demolition workers have torn down the Shanghai studio of Ai Weiwei - a move he says is linked to his pilitical activism. Mr Ai said that it only took a day for the workers to flatten everything. He initially had permission to build the studio, but later the permission was revoked under claims that he had failed to follow planning procedures. Mr Ai called the demolition order "ridiculous". Ai Weiwei is one of China's most famous contemporary artists, and he was involved in creating the Olympic "Bird's Nest" stadium in his hometown Beijing. He has been an outspoken critic of China's leaders and the human rights situation in the country.

Sharks in Queensland

13 Jan 2011 - The news wires are vbuzzing with the unprecedented floods in Queensland, Australia. On top of the misery and dismay caused by the rising waters, the local population is now reported to be confronted with a new challenge: sharks swimming in their backyard. Residents of the town of Goodna reported spotting a dangerous bull shark. These sharks are known to attack human beings, and it is feared that they are agressive and looking for food. And not only sharks are causing havoc, there are also reports of crocodiles at drift and of poisonous snakes swimming in the waters. The local advice to avoid the waters all together, but that is easier said than done when your living room in under water.

Pandamania

12 Jan 2010 - For the first time in nearly two decades two giant pandas will be brought from China to the United Kingdom. The two animals will be brought to the Edinburgh Zoo. The project represents the culmination of five year of diplomatic negotiations at a high level. One wonders what it is that makes the panda so engaging? According to Ron Swalsgood, Director of Applied Animal Ecology it is because the panda reminds us of ourselves. "they eat sitting up with their hands and their special pseudo thumb", he told the BBC. Zoo visitos love to see pandas eating and they are often amazed by the way they handle their food. The classic pose of the panda eating his food resembles a man or woman sitting on the floor. Mr. Swalsgood also believe we love pandas because of their distinctive eyes. Their eye patches look their eyes look bigger. I went to see Pandas in Hong Kong's Ocean Park, but all did was shit. Maybe we admire that too.

Lady Gaga - The Icon

10 Jan 2010 - The recently renovated Groninger Museum in the city of Groningen in the northern part of The Netherlands is considering a major exhibition on pop diva and fashion icon Lady Gaga. A spokesperson of the museum confirmed the news after the initiative came out through local media. The museum - with its outlandish  design an icon by itself - is known for its forward-thinking and trend-setting exhibitions. The spokesperson commented that Lady Gaga is a worldwide role model for fashion and style, for example when she recently appeared in a meat-dress during the MTV awards. Of course the museum hopes that the diva herself will attend the opening ceremony, but the media attention will no doubt benefit this small museum in one of the corners of the country (yet only 2 hours from Amsterdam). Bono visited the museum a few years ago to attend the onening of en exhibitiomn on the work of Dutch photographer Anton Corbijn. 

Great Picture (28)

9 Jan 2011 - The new year is a week old (so far, so good), but I came across this picture by Parool photographer Elmer van der Marel about a fireworks enthusiastic guy in Amsterdam.It looks a bit mysterious and dark, yet it is very happy occasion. I am only a bit confused there is no snow to see ... The country was covered in a white blanket all over - so when was the picture taken?

Sport and Sex

9 Jan 2011 - Sex sells and every successful sportsmen and woman will have to ask themselves at a certain moment in their career how to get in touch with inner ancient Greek and expose themselves. Most recently examples of David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo in their Emporio Armani briefs were all over the snazzy magazines. US cyclist Victoria Pendleton was photographed naked for Sports Monthly and a reader commented: "I want to be a saddle." In the original Olympics athletes competed in the nude covered only in olive oil massaged in by what these days would be described as ball boys. The aim was to prevent rivals treading on your toga and to glorify the god-like physics of the competitors. Maybe there were darker underlying reasons too?  Anyway, British tennis star Andy Murray, often described as a geek, has now posed for US Vogue looking mean and muscular in the gym. The pictures were made by famous star photograher Mario Testino and one hardly recognizes the scrawny, rugged, moody teenager. It is probably a shrewd career move for the tennis star who seems a bit stuck in the rankings..