梅党

http://www.merylstreep.com.cn/

Censorship

Behind each attempt to remove a book or video, or block an internet connection is the magic wand belief: if the item is eliminated, the thought is gone.

--"How the Mind of a Censor Works", Social Library Journal, Jan. 1996, p. 24.

同名同姓

http://name.renren.com/xingming/zhangzhan97818.html

Professor Germaine Greer (National Portrait Gallery, Canberra)

http://www.portrait.gov.au/site/exhibition_subsite_borland4.php

Germaine Greer (born 29 January 1939) is an Australian-born writer, academic, journalist and scholar of early modern English literature, widely regarded as one of the most significant feminist voices of the later 20th century.

山东新泰称网传"23岁女副局长生活照"非本人

http://news.163.com/10/0224/17/60AALBO8000120GU.html

One of the girls toward the middle of the video (not the person mentioned in the title) looks REALLY like my classmate.

NOVA @ PBS

iridium
exquisite
velvet ice

The Bank of New York Mellon

BNY Mellon Corporation (NYSE: BK) is a global financial services company formed on 1 July 2007 as result of the merger of The Bank of New York and Mellon Financial Corporation.[5] The company employs about 42,900 staff worldwide and has over US$928 billion in assets under management and $20.2 trillion in assets under custody and administration.[4] It operates in six primary financial services sectors including asset management, asset servicing, wealth management, broker-dealer and advisory services, issuance services, and treasury services.[6] It is the oldest banking corporation in the United States, tracing its origins to the establishment of the Bank of New York in 1784, by American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton.

The Hart-Scott-Rodino Act (HSR)

The Hart-Scott-Rodino Act established the federal premerger notification program, which provides the FTC and the Department of Justice with information about large mergers and acquisitions before they occur. The parties to certain proposed transactions must submit premerger notification to the FTC and DOJ. Premerger notification involves completing an HSR Form, also called a “Notification and Report Form for Certain Mergers and Acquisitions,” with information about each company’s business. The parties may not close their deal until the waiting period outlined in the HSR Act has passed, or the government has granted early termination of the waiting period. For more information about the program, read our Introductory Guides. The FTC administers the premerger notification program, and the staff of the Premerger Notification Office is available to answer questions about how and when to file.

Ash Wednesday (2010.2.17)

Ash Wednesday, in the Western Christian calendar, is the first day of Lent and occurs forty-six days (forty days not counting Sundays) before Easter. It is a moveable fast, falling on a different date each year because it is dependent on the date of Easter. It can occur as early as 4 February or as late as 10 March.

Ash Wednesday derives its name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of adherents as a sign of repentance. The ashes used are typically gathered after the Palm Crosses from the previous year's Palm Sunday are burned. In the liturgical practice of some churches, the ashes are mixed with the Oil of the Catechumens[1] (one of the sacred oils used to anoint those about to be baptized), though some churches use ordinary oil. This paste is used by the minister who presides at the service to make the sign of the cross, first upon his own forehead and then on those of congregants.

Valentine's Day, Chinese New Year fall on same day this year, a rare occurrence

Valentine's Day, Chinese New Year fall on same day this year, a rare occurrence

By Kelly Roncace

February 14, 2010, 4:17AM

This year, when two sweethearts romantically refer to each other as “tiger” on St. Valentine’s Day, it will have an entirely different meaning.

St. Valentine’s Day 2010 (today) falls on the same day as the Chinese New Year, which just happens to be the Year of the Tiger.

According to Dr. Elizabeth VanderVen, assistant professor of history at Rutgers University-Camden, the tiger represents courage and bravery. The Chinese believe the tiger protects their homes from three dangers: ghosts, fires and theft.

A rare happening, St. Valentine’s Day and the Chinese New Year have only coincided three times since 1900.

According to writer Carol Patton, the holidays won’t fall on the same day again until after 2030.

Patton said this could give couples, even those who are not of Chinese descent, some new traditions to explore on St. Valentine’s Day.

“Even if people aren’t Chinese, they can still use its traditions to attract new people, express their love to family and friends or even deepen their love with spouses or partners,” she said.

According to Patton, Chinese tradition says the color red helps to set the mood, so consider sprinkling red rose petals on pillows, or place the Chinese double happiness symbol under pillows for a romantic evening.

Or someone searching for a new love should make a list of all the physical and personality traits they want in a partner, and then burn the list in a fireplace or ceremonial bowl on the Chinese New Year so heaven will hear the wishes and respond, according to Chinese culture.

Ray Ally of www.rayally.com and X Ray: China said much of China’s Generation X/Y population are catching on to Western cultures and holidays such as Valentine’s Day.

Ally writes, the popularity of western holidays in China is driven by Internet savy 18- to 29-year-olds who want to experience the Western culture.

VanderVen said in China, Valentine’s Day is considered a “young person’s” holiday.

“Young people may be slightly pulled between whether to focus on family or their girlfriend or boyfriend or friends,” she said. “But my guess is that the Chinese New Year will trump Valentine’s Day.”

VanderVen said Chinese New Year is the most important holiday in the culture’s calendar.

“The Chinese calendar is one of the oldest calendar’s in history,” she said. “It’s one of the longest unbroken time sequences in history.”

She said, dating back to around 2953 B.C., the calendar is based on the lunar cycle.

“In simple terms, when the moon is full it’s considered a new month,” she said. “The New Year always falls between the end of January and Feb. 15.”

Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day have some things in common, though, such as colors and gifts.

“Red is the color of the new year,” VanderVen said.

People celebrating the new year tend to wear red, as well as those celebrating Valentine’s Day.

For the western holiday, red symbolizes love, but for the Chinese holiday red is lucky.

VanderVen said in China and Chinese communities here in the United States, people will try to harmonize the two holidays and celebrate them together.

“But to the Chinese, the New Year is the most important one,” she said. “The Chinese are very good at establishing compatibility and harmony.”