It was in around 600 BC that a man called Bian He discovered a large piece of jade in the hills of the kingdom of Chu. Excited by this discovery he rushed down to present it to the ruler, unfortunately for Bian He the King failed to recognize this plain uncut rock as being jade and ordered that Bian He have his legs cut off. Only years later was the jade recognized for what it was. Some eight hundred years after its discovery the First Emperor had that jade made into his Imperial Seal.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
India's Plan to Counter China
India has a long border with China. To be precise the border is 4057 km long and is not yet delineated. The border is a legacy of the British rule and certain parts like Arunachal Pradesh are not recognized by China as a part of India. They claim it as part of Tibet.
To offset this Chinese claim particularly in the East the Indian Army has carried out a revamp in strategy and organization to ensure that a repetition of the 1962 debacle does not take place. In the West the Chinese have already occupied Aksai Chin in Ladakh an area of 30,000 square miles and as such have no further claims. India despite all the noise has tacitly accepted Chinese occupation of Aksai Chin and there are no plans to recover it from China's grip. But the eastern border is a different kettle of fish and with the Chinese claim on Arunachal Pradesh the situation is volatile. The Chinese claim Arunachal Pradesh as they maintain that in 4000 years of Indian History it was never a part of India, but was part of the Tibetan empire.
India has inherited the border from the British and as a successor state claims Arunachal Pradesh as a part of India. The line of control in the east thus needs to be beefed up to prevent the Chinese from creating any incident.
New Divisions and Proactive Approach
The Army has now formulated a 'proactive approach' against China so as to be able to react in the quickest time possible. The Indian army has thus been building up its offensive capability and factoring a worst case scenario where India could be faced with a two front war with both China and Pakistan.
The Army has now raised two more mountain divisions for operations in the east. This involves a troop strength of over 35,000 with its head quarters at Zakama (Nagaland) and Misamari, close to Tezpur in Assam. Misamari also has an excellent airfield and I have operated from there. In addition a local brigade of Arunachal Scouts is raised, which is a great help as these are locals who know the topography of the East very well.
To offset this Chinese claim particularly in the East the Indian Army has carried out a revamp in strategy and organization to ensure that a repetition of the 1962 debacle does not take place. In the West the Chinese have already occupied Aksai Chin in Ladakh an area of 30,000 square miles and as such have no further claims. India despite all the noise has tacitly accepted Chinese occupation of Aksai Chin and there are no plans to recover it from China's grip. But the eastern border is a different kettle of fish and with the Chinese claim on Arunachal Pradesh the situation is volatile. The Chinese claim Arunachal Pradesh as they maintain that in 4000 years of Indian History it was never a part of India, but was part of the Tibetan empire.
India has inherited the border from the British and as a successor state claims Arunachal Pradesh as a part of India. The line of control in the east thus needs to be beefed up to prevent the Chinese from creating any incident.
New Divisions and Proactive Approach
The Army has now formulated a 'proactive approach' against China so as to be able to react in the quickest time possible. The Indian army has thus been building up its offensive capability and factoring a worst case scenario where India could be faced with a two front war with both China and Pakistan.
The Army has now raised two more mountain divisions for operations in the east. This involves a troop strength of over 35,000 with its head quarters at Zakama (Nagaland) and Misamari, close to Tezpur in Assam. Misamari also has an excellent airfield and I have operated from there. In addition a local brigade of Arunachal Scouts is raised, which is a great help as these are locals who know the topography of the East very well.
Renewable Energy in China
Renewable energy or power is helping China to complete its economic transformation and accomplish energy security. China quickly has shifted along the way of renewable energy advancement. In 2007, about 17 percent of China's electrical power originated from renewable sources, headed by the earth's biggest number of hydroelectric generators. In 2009, China had a total set up capacity of hydropower of 197 GW. Higher numbers of expense in renewable energy systems and installations as well as technology improvements have increased significantly during the entire 2000s in China. Expenditure in renewable has become part of China's economic stimulus system. Experts from Tsinghua University and Harvard University have discovered that by 2030 China could fulfill all of its electrical power needs from wind energy. Renewable energy in China indeed looks promising.
Wind power
China has the greatest wind resources on earth (three quarters of the resources are offshore). As of 2008, China is the 4th biggest developer of wind energy, (next to the United States, Germany, and Spain). Wind energy in China accounted for 12.2 GW of electrical power producing capacity towards the end of 2008. China had total set up capacity of wind power as much as 26 GW in 2009. The country has recognized wind energy as a crucial development part of the nation's economy. It has become the earth's biggest producer of wind turbines, overtaking Germany, Denmark, United States and Spain.
Wind power
China has the greatest wind resources on earth (three quarters of the resources are offshore). As of 2008, China is the 4th biggest developer of wind energy, (next to the United States, Germany, and Spain). Wind energy in China accounted for 12.2 GW of electrical power producing capacity towards the end of 2008. China had total set up capacity of wind power as much as 26 GW in 2009. The country has recognized wind energy as a crucial development part of the nation's economy. It has become the earth's biggest producer of wind turbines, overtaking Germany, Denmark, United States and Spain.
The History of Chinese Fans
The earliest surviving example of a fan from China is from a tomb in Hubei and dates to the Warring States Period (475 to 221 BC).
Most of the earliest fans that have been discovered have been from the old Kingdom of Chu where the fan seems to have been more firmly embedded into the culture than anywhere else. These Chu fans come in two categories; those up to two meters in length and designed to be wielded by servants, and those around 10 to 12 inches in length and are intended for personal use.
The first written record of fan appears in the Han Dynasty and coincidently is written on a fan. The Han Dynasty also sees the poem 'Ode to Bamboo Fans' by Ba Gu. At this time in history fans could be made from bamboo, ivory or wood - feather fans were particularly popular in Eastern China.
However it is in the Song Dynasty (960 to 1127) that the fan really comes into its own as an object of both art and culture. While the first person to have painted on a fan was supposedly Wang Xizhi in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, it is in the reign of Song Emperor Huizong that the Imperial Painting Academy was established and the favoured medium was to paint on fans. At first most of the images painted on fans were landscapes but as the Dynasty went on then they began to experiments and paint scenes from nature - eventually the fan became a popular medium for calligraphy and poetry.
It was in 988 that the first 'folding fans' come to China. They are recorded as coming from Japan as a part of a tribute being sent to the Emperor. They did not immediately take off in China as they were seen as something for the lower classes; this was predominantly a consequence of the fact that they could not be painted in the same way as the large fixed fans and they did not require servants to use them so did not have the same social cachet.
Most of the earliest fans that have been discovered have been from the old Kingdom of Chu where the fan seems to have been more firmly embedded into the culture than anywhere else. These Chu fans come in two categories; those up to two meters in length and designed to be wielded by servants, and those around 10 to 12 inches in length and are intended for personal use.
The first written record of fan appears in the Han Dynasty and coincidently is written on a fan. The Han Dynasty also sees the poem 'Ode to Bamboo Fans' by Ba Gu. At this time in history fans could be made from bamboo, ivory or wood - feather fans were particularly popular in Eastern China.
However it is in the Song Dynasty (960 to 1127) that the fan really comes into its own as an object of both art and culture. While the first person to have painted on a fan was supposedly Wang Xizhi in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, it is in the reign of Song Emperor Huizong that the Imperial Painting Academy was established and the favoured medium was to paint on fans. At first most of the images painted on fans were landscapes but as the Dynasty went on then they began to experiments and paint scenes from nature - eventually the fan became a popular medium for calligraphy and poetry.
It was in 988 that the first 'folding fans' come to China. They are recorded as coming from Japan as a part of a tribute being sent to the Emperor. They did not immediately take off in China as they were seen as something for the lower classes; this was predominantly a consequence of the fact that they could not be painted in the same way as the large fixed fans and they did not require servants to use them so did not have the same social cachet.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
VJ-ing on LiveoMusic!!!!!
YO!!! I'm going to be the guest VJ on LiveoMusic.com tomorrow night!
Veejaying!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And it's LIVE! You guys can tune in tomorrow and send SMSes to
1. ask me and Mint questions or
2. respond to the things we say or
3. just kajiao us.
^.^
If you haven't heard of LiveoMusic, it's okay. It's because it's new. It's
Asia's First "Live" Video Station!
It's somewhat like a radio station, except that other than playing songs for you guys, you get to see us "Live"in the studio each time the show airs. Radio stations have done it, but here at LiveoMusic, it's not an option, it's A MUST-DO for you to actually tune in.
You'll get to see all the weird things we do as the songs are playing, or catch little habits we have, if anyone likes twirling with their hair or biting their lips or something. You'll get to see the clothes we wear, our ugly and pretty faces, and yeah, all that. Interesting?
I've never VJ-ed in my entire life, and vlogging doesn't exactly count because we can still edit vlogs. LIVE means once you do stupid things, it becomes eternal and recorded for all to see. O.O *bites my newly done Halloween extension nails*
Okay here's the thing - tune in on Wednesday, Deepavali night, at (GMT+8 time) 8pm, and click on "WATCH LIVE NOW", as shown here on their homepage:
I'm on their Live show "WuSuoBuTan". Give me and Mint your fullest support! I want to see you guys there alright? ;)
8pm sharp, at LiveoMusic.com, 'LIVE" on WuSuoBuTan!!!!
And remember, you guys can interact with us!
Happy Deepavali! ;)
VJ-ing on LiveoMusic!!!!!
YO!!! I'm going to be the guest VJ on LiveoMusic.com tomorrow night!
Veejaying!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And it's LIVE! You guys can tune in tomorrow and send SMSes to
1. ask me and Mint questions or
2. respond to the things we say or
3. just kajiao us.
^.^
If you haven't heard of LiveoMusic, it's okay. It's because it's new. It's
Asia's First "Live" Video Station!
It's somewhat like a radio station, except that other than playing songs for you guys, you get to see us "Live"in the studio each time the show airs. Radio stations have done it, but here at LiveoMusic, it's not an option, it's A MUST-DO for you to actually tune in.
You'll get to see all the weird things we do as the songs are playing, or catch little habits we have, if anyone likes twirling with their hair or biting their lips or something. You'll get to see the clothes we wear, our ugly and pretty faces, and yeah, all that. Interesting?
I've never VJ-ed in my entire life, and vlogging doesn't exactly count because we can still edit vlogs. LIVE means once you do stupid things, it becomes eternal and recorded for all to see. O.O *bites my newly done Halloween extension nails*
Okay here's the thing - tune in on Wednesday, Deepavali night, at (GMT+8 time) 8pm, and click on "WATCH LIVE NOW", as shown here on their homepage:
I'm on their Live show "WuSuoBuTan". Give me and Mint your fullest support! I want to see you guys there alright? ;)
8pm sharp, at LiveoMusic.com, 'LIVE" on WuSuoBuTan!!!!
And remember, you guys can interact with us!
Happy Deepavali! ;)
Monday, October 24, 2011
One Day
Went to catch this with buddy Denzel last night, and to be honest, he suggested the show, booked the tickets, and I went into the theatre with absolutely no idea what to expect from the show, with only the knowledge that Anne Hathaway is in it (and I kinda like her).
I guess that allowed me to watch it with no expectations, and with an open mind like an empty sponge waiting to be filled with, may I say this, overwhelming emotion.
2 people. In love with each other yet who just do not seem to get together. Always at the wrong stage of each others' lives. Never ready. Best friends since graduation, and it's a long series of hit and miss.
Set in London (My favourite place of all time. I love all things British, somehow. Even the accent.), and Paris, 2 cities I could so relate to. A smart woman, deep in thinking, beautiful, and funny in her own way, always feeling for the same one man. The man she loved so much, handsome and charming, who could potentially be so many things, always doing the wrong things that made him so screwed up.
Maybe a lot of you girls, possibly even a few guys, can relate to the show, maybe it's just me. But it touched my heartstrings and yanked forcefully at them. Yes One Day made me smile, made me go quietly in my mind in exasperation "Why? Why like that??? What the fuck?" and gripped my heart to tears.
It's one show since Moulin Rouge, A Walk to Remember and Sweet November that makes me go "I love this show to bits". Worth watching, really. =)
2 trailers. I couldn't make up my mind which to show you. So here's both:
Friday, October 21, 2011
That Biker Chick @ Queen's Flea!!! (September)
Did you miss our flea last month at Queensway? Almost all my helmet designs were on display!!
Of course due to the lack of table space not all the colours of each model were displayed.
My companion for the day....remember this fan? It was from Marks & Spencer.
And companion number 2 - Chirpy Mint Mint!!!
She's my godsis. If you don't know her yet, she's also a fellow blogger and singer. She recently went on a trip to Nikoi Island OMG!! Heard so much about the place! It's a private island can~~~ (Was supposed to go with her but I had work commitments T.T) All I could do was read about it on her blog....*cries*)
Anyways, I'll be her guest host on liveomusic.com this coming Weds! Stay tuned for updates!
She's my godsis. If you don't know her yet, she's also a fellow blogger and singer. She recently went on a trip to Nikoi Island OMG!! Heard so much about the place! It's a private island can~~~ (Was supposed to go with her but I had work commitments T.T) All I could do was read about it on her blog....*cries*)
Anyways, I'll be her guest host on liveomusic.com this coming Weds! Stay tuned for updates!
And one more companion! Helmet girl Huixian in my green Adidas jacket. This one is my REAL flesh and blood sister~ (Sisters rule!)
She very poor thing lor, it rained midday and the tent was too small, in the end she got ALL wet. Luckily I brought a jacket along if not she'll just look like a dropped-soup-chicken. (Can imagine? Lol~ I always laugh when people say 落汤鸡, cos I will picture it and I will think it's damn funny!!! Okay nvm.)
She was having fun trying on all my helmets (esp the full-faced ones) that day~ Lol.
She's having her O's now - Good luck Xian! I look forward to the flying colours which will be coming my way! ^.^
And to all of you who are mugging hard (last minute) for your O's, GAMBATTE!!! I give you strength!
Some of the full-faced helmets on display that day:
I rushed my business namecards especially for the flea okay... But at least that's done. =)
Want to place orders can send sms to the above number. =)
Open-face:
And this is my favourite~!
Not cute meh? ^.^ And it's in Pearl Pink okay. Like the Pearl Whites you'd see on select cars, this pink has a slight shimmer to it.
Naise~
More designs (the full collection) are available on www.thatbikerchick.com!
If you are unsure of the size, let us know. We will bring the different sizes for you to try on upon delivery. ;)
PrettyRidersMustHavePrettyHelmets^.^BecauseWeAreFemale,
P.s. You can read my motorcycling blog at thatbikerchick.blogspot.com. It compiles all my past (and future) articles about riding, and riding as a female in sunny/wet Singapore~
That Biker Chick @ Queen's Flea!!! (September)
Did you miss our flea last month at Queensway? Almost all my helmet designs were on display!!
Of course due to the lack of table space not all the colours of each model were displayed.
My companion for the day....remember this fan? It was from Marks & Spencer.
And companion number 2 - Chirpy Mint Mint!!!
She's my godsis. If you don't know her yet, she's also a fellow blogger and singer. She recently went on a trip to Nikoi Island OMG!! Heard so much about the place! It's a private island can~~~ (Was supposed to go with her but I had work commitments T.T) All I could do was read about it on her blog....*cries*)
Anyways, I'll be her guest host on liveomusic.com this coming Weds! Stay tuned for updates!
She's my godsis. If you don't know her yet, she's also a fellow blogger and singer. She recently went on a trip to Nikoi Island OMG!! Heard so much about the place! It's a private island can~~~ (Was supposed to go with her but I had work commitments T.T) All I could do was read about it on her blog....*cries*)
Anyways, I'll be her guest host on liveomusic.com this coming Weds! Stay tuned for updates!
And one more companion! Helmet girl Huixian in my green Adidas jacket. This one is my REAL flesh and blood sister~ (Sisters rule!)
She very poor thing lor, it rained midday and the tent was too small, in the end she got ALL wet. Luckily I brought a jacket along if not she'll just look like a dropped-soup-chicken. (Can imagine? Lol~ I always laugh when people say 落汤鸡, cos I will picture it and I will think it's damn funny!!! Okay nvm.)
She was having fun trying on all my helmets (esp the full-faced ones) that day~ Lol.
She's having her O's now - Good luck Xian! I look forward to the flying colours which will be coming my way! ^.^
And to all of you who are mugging hard (last minute) for your O's, GAMBATTE!!! I give you strength!
Some of the full-faced helmets on display that day:
I rushed my business namecards especially for the flea okay... But at least that's done. =)
Want to place orders can send sms to the above number. =)
Open-face:
And this is my favourite~!
Not cute meh? ^.^ And it's in Pearl Pink okay. Like the Pearl Whites you'd see on select cars, this pink has a slight shimmer to it.
Naise~
More designs (the full collection) are available on www.thatbikerchick.com!
If you are unsure of the size, let us know. We will bring the different sizes for you to try on upon delivery. ;)
PrettyRidersMustHavePrettyHelmets^.^BecauseWeAreFemale,
P.s. You can read my motorcycling blog at thatbikerchick.blogspot.com. It compiles all my past (and future) articles about riding, and riding as a female in sunny/wet Singapore~
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
The Most Important Dress In Your Life
That crazily-tight, corseted, super-padded-insewn-bra, possibly ridiculously long-trained gown.
It has to be THE wedding dress.
Sometime ago I mentioned I did a bridal photoshoot...
Remember this picture? It was my blog banner some time back. =)
No I don't have such skinny legs. Was supposed to have if I have gone for the liposuction procedure that Dr Jonathan Lee was going to sponsor before my then-artiste-management company halted the whole process with the "You cannot do this kind of thing publicly because you are an ARTISTE, what more a KIDS' SHOW HOST!" theory. Means want to do also must do in private.
Yes of course I understand where they are coming from, but still...it was something I had promised Qiu I would do together with her boob job, and something I really really wanted. And here was my opportunity to get it done sponsored for educational purposes (we had wanted it to be a sharing process for viewers and readers who have been considering the procedure), as well as the fact that it would lessen my stress levels each time I go for fitting for whatever new shows that comes. Killing 2 birds with one stone, why not?!
Okay okay, because in Singapore, people can still be quite conservative and reprimanding towards artistes who portray the "wrong image" as we are supposedly role models.
Conflicts and contradictions abound!
But knowing the local TV and entertainment scene and how "handsomely paid" we are (hur hur hur), even if I wanted to do it in private, it will take me a loooong time to save up for the procedures. Especially since I am not the kind who is fat in just one area. My fat deposition is kinda even, except on my face. So everywhere it's a bit fat here, a bit fleshy there, just not enough for people to go "WAH LAO SHE GOT DAMN FAT LEGS CAN!!!"
Don't really want to spoil the dress, so the photographer Derrick Ong has done some onscreen-liposuction for me. Lol~ Yes, that art we call PhotoShop, which I have yet to go pick up.
By the way, yes, Derrick is that famous wedding photographer who has won numerous awards for wedding photography. Go check out his site for his works. Who knows when you'll need his service? *wink*
The following pictures require a lot of courage to post up, and by doing so I know I am subjecting myself to harsh remarks and comments by flamers from EDMW and random haters who will just smirk at me. But I'm not here to lie, I'm not skinny. And this blog is essentially, Silver Ang, As Is.
And I have been trying to keep my weight down for as long as I can remember, in case you think I'm some lazy arse who just overeats too often and refuses to move. I try okay..god knows how long I have been trying...
This is the reason I don't really dare wear short skirts. Because though my legs are not hunomongous, they aren't what would turn people on either. Short and stubby. Maybe DSLR cameras don't like me. My self-taken pictures were NEVER this fat....
Gosh...I've always admired girls like Qiuting and Geck Geck for being skinny and having skinny legs, because it was something I never, ever, in my entire lifetime, had. I tried dieting, exercising, been on all kinds of weight-loss pills, but the only things that would go are
- My boobs
- My face
- My tummy
My arms and legs, LIMBS, just wouldn't become skinny. (I actually cried for a few days when I was told I couldn't do the procedure back then, because I was so looking forward to what could have been done for me.)
Anyway, till the day I figure out how to lose those inches off my arms and legs, I shall rely on long dresses (THANK GOD they're in fashion), and jeans. Oh, and the expertise of those skilled in the art of PhotoShopping.
Anyway, back to the gowns. As I was saying, I'll want to do justice to the gowns/dresses, so I'll only pick those pictures where I don't look fat, or have been lovingly edited by Derrick Ong at 2am that night after the shoot. =)
When I have enough spare cash again the first thing I will fix are those legs. Lol~
Eh it's A LOT of difference okay!
The gown, by the way, belonged to Joanna's customer. The train is fully detachable so you have an option of whether to keep it or not. <3
All gowns are from JV Bridal Gowns.You know how wedding gown rental can sometimes go up to $2-5k? And should you want to BUY that gown it would cost you a good $8-10k. JV Bridal has a huge range of quality gowns you can choose from. Or, if you'd like, they can custom-make gowns for you at a fraction of the price. Saw a Vera Wang gown but could never afford it? Show JV Bridal pictures of what you want, and chances are, they will be able to replicate one specially for you.
And yes, you get to keep the gowns, most of them for less than $1000 a piece. Cheaper than rental, don't you think?
That's me with the other model Alina, and Joanna, the mastermind behind JV Bridal. Time to watch me transform~~~
P.s Makeup and hair (eh I was told when I got there I had to do my own hair okay, and I didn't have ANYTHING other than a couple of pins and a rubber band. Lol~) done by Yours Truly (aka myself)
不错啦哈？
我真的只是脸瘦而已咯~
I am lucky to have a naturally sharp face, though to the professional eye, that face could go smaller, especially since I am in entertainment.
Ah~ The continuous quest for improved beauty~
One more shot before we head out for our shoot!
Derrick working his magic on Alina and the gown.
While I wait and snap away from behind him...
Joanna told me this dress was going for about $800. Can you believe it?
When I get married years down the road, I'll definitely order my dress from her! (Hey, weddings are expensive okay...if I can save $1000, that's about the price of a wedding banquet table!)
The quality of the dresses and the embellishments are really good, and comparable to those you would get from the bridal shops.
All these obviously self-taken shots were not photoshopped la of course, because I don't know how. Only those that Derrick took were. I think DSLRs have the ability to "maximise my potential". LOL!
Long dress good~ ^.^
Another dress worn by Alina:
The details at the back make this seemingly conservative gown quietly sexy.
I've received countless emails asking me about the short dress I was wearing on my blog banner...yes, the very dress in that very first picture in this post... (ignore my legs)
The dress is short, flirty, and playful, and I think it would make for a very cute ROM dress, you think?
So now you know. JV Bridal Gowns --> http://www.jvbridalgowns.com
Visit their website for the amazing range of beautiful gowns. We want to wear the most beautiful gowns on our wedding, and now we can without worrying about how much they will cost us. ^.^
Special thanks to Joanna for having me onboard as one of her models.
Gowns/Dresses by JV Bridal Gowns.
Professional Photography by Derrick Ong.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)