Happy New Year

Happy New Year. May 2014 bring you happiness beyond belief.

Here are some images of New Year celebrations from around the world.

New Year's Eve, London

New Year's Eve, Scotland

New Year's Eve, Moscow

New Year's Eve, Kuala Lumpur

New Year's Eve, Victoria Harbor, Hong Kong

New Year's Eve, New York

New Year's Eve, Great Wall, China

 

New Year's Eve, Taipei

CHINESE PROTITS - UM - PROTESTS

You got to hand it to the Chinese. They sure know how to protest. I'll protect those islands any day.


Photo courtesy CRI

BREAST MASSEUR

Okay, time for a career change. After reading how Xia Jun became the first man in China to be a certified Breast Masseur after only 3-months of training, I'm packing my bags and heading to China with a dream to be the second certified Breast Masseur.

And for those of you who think it's just about the chance to fondle breasts, look at the reasoning of Xia.

Xia has stated that having his female employees sent for the same training would not be a wise investment, citing fears of high employee turnover after acquiring new breast-massaging techniques. Instead, Xia wisely suggests that it'd be more cost efficient to have his male managers teach his female employees the necessary breast-massage techniques.

See? Teach the men how to do it and they can teach the women, because if you send women to be trained they'll leave their jobs to be professional Breast Massage Therapists, as opposed to sending the men to learn and then teach the women because then the women won't leave their jobs. Totally makes sense.

Photo courtesy Shanghaist or some creepy lurking guy.

LIVING ON THE FRINGE

The posts from me have been few and far between lately. One of my shows has been accepted into the NYC Fringe Festival and I have been busy with paperwork and logistics. Oy.

I'll have a website for the show up and running in a few weeks, but you can go here to get a taste of the show.

I'll be back in blogging mode soon.

CRIPPLING SNOW IN CHINA

As most of you already know, China has been crippled by a series of freak snow storms. The damage so far has been estimated to be at $7.5 billion.

The hardest hit area is the Hunan province, and in particular -

the city of Chenzhou, where 1.2 million have been without electricity for eight days.

Chenzhou is where our daughter's orphanage is located. According to Half the Sky

Chenzhou CWI, Hunan – still facing the most difficulties of the orphanages we’ve reached. They’ve had no electricity or running water for 8 days and there is almost no possibility that power will be restored before New Year’s Eve (the 6th of February.) Because of the blackout, the hospital is closed. The banks are closed so staff is contributing personal funds to buy food, coal and diapers. Prices are skyrocketing as all roads to Chenzhou remain impassable. Families in Chenzhou are now rationed and can only buy 4 packages of noodles per family. The Civil Affairs Bureau delivered 3 sacks of rice to the institution. They are using candles but the cost per candle has gone from 20 cents to 5 yuan (70 cents) per candle. They are using coal to keep warm but the price of coal is skyrocketing.

Half the Sky is a non-profit organization that strives to ensure that every one of China's orphans has a caring adult in her life. They have set up an emergency fund to help those affected by the snow storms. Please give if you can. If you can't give, please spread the word. Thank you.

OH CRAP! YEAH, THAT WAS ME AS WELL

Dubya, State of the Union Speech, Jan 2008 -

"In the long run, Americans can be confident about our economic growth."

Feb 1, 2008 -

China’s latest export is inflation. After falling for years, prices of Chinese goods sold in the United States have risen for the last eight months...Because of new cost pressures here, American consumers could see prices increase by as much as 10 percent this year on specific products — including toys, clothing, footwear and other consumer goods — just as the United States faces a possible recession.

1.3 BILLION DONUTS, PLEASE

Dunkin' Donuts, proud sponsors of my high BMI, is going to open 100 stores in China. The first store will open in Shanghai.

I'm booking my ticket to China now.