It is finally snowing in Beijing... Announced @ [9:51 AM]
红花会 Notice Board
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Taiwan quake cuts off much of Asia Internet Posted: 27 December 2006 1840 hrs
HONG KONG - Internet and phone services were disrupted across much of Asia on Wednesday after an earthquake damaged undersea cables, leaving one of the world's most tech-savvy regions in a virtual blackout.
From frustrated traders seeking in vain for stock quotes to anxious newshounds accustomed to round-the-clock updates on world events, millions of people from China to Japan to Australia were affected.
The disruption was widespread, hitting China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong and elsewhere, with knock-on effects as far away as Australia for companies whose Internet is routed through affected areas.
There was no chaos on the stock exchanges or any of the other doomsday scenarios, but reports that services could be down for weeks were dramatic enough.
South Korea's information and communication ministry said all six undersea fibreoptic cables off Taiwan were hit, causing major disruption. All services, except for exclusive business lines, returned to normal shortly afterwards as they were switched to other systems.
But officials could not put a timeframe on when business lines would be fixed. "It is not a matter of days," said Hong Seoung-Yong, a ministry official handling the problem. "It will take longer than that to repair the damaged lines."
A 7.1-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Taiwan on Tuesday night, which was followed by several smaller quakes in the region, apparently damaged the vast network of underwater cables that enables modern communication.
"The Internet capacity in Taiwan is about 40 percent now, so the service is jammed," said a spokesman for Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan's largest phone company.
A spokesman for CAT Telecom, Thailand's communication authority, said Internet services had been disrupted across the country.
"Those whose businesses mainly rely on Internet communication have been affected. They can't do anything," he added.
Phone services in some countries were also disrupted, in particular for calls to the United States.
"Several undersea data cables were damaged," said a spokesman for PCCW, Hong Kong's biggest telecoms company.
Service providers quickly tried to redirect customers to the cables that had not been affected but the reduced capacity was no match for the normal workload of users, leaving an Internet service that was painfully slow or non-existent.
"It's a nightmare, basically, because we have no idea what is going on in the markets today," said Steve Rowles, an analyst with CFC Seymour in Hong Kong, who echoed others in saying that damage was limited due to year's end.
"It has happened on the right day as a lot of people are away for holidays, so there's low trading volumes," he said.
In China, web users in cities as far apart as Beijing in the north and Chongqing in the southwest reported difficulties accessing overseas websites, state media reported, after several undersea cables belonging to China Telecom were cut.
The Tokyo Stock Exchange, the world's largest bourse outside of New York, was functioning without problems, a spokesman said.
The Hong Kong stock exchange also said it was also working without problems, but after-hours crude trading in Singapore was affected as traders reported they could not access the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex).
NTT Communications, the long-distance call business of Japan's largest telecom firm Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp., said 1,400 toll-free phone lines and 84 international lines used internally by companies were affected.
The crux of the trouble seemed to be in the underseas routes near Taiwan, which providers would try to bypass in favour of other routes through Europe, said a spokesman for Japanese telecoms firm KDDI Corp, Satoru Ito.
"If there is too much traffic on that route, it might get blocked up and further slow down Internet connections," Ito said.
- AFP /ls
Announced @ [9:48 AM]
红花会 Notice Board
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Funny Dishes Names
While eating in China... check out these dishes... They have damn funny english names...
宫爆鸡丁 – The temple explodes the chicken cube
酱爆鸡丁 – The sauce explodes the chicken cube
干锅仔鸡 – Fuck a chicken
油麦菜 – Rape flower
红油百叶 – One hundred leaves of sesame oil
Aren’t they really creative? Ha… Ha…
Announced @ [2:42 PM]
红花会 Notice Board
Friday, December 01, 2006
One Piece News: Straw Hat's New Ship is Ready!!!
For those who don't read the manga...This is a preview of it for you...
Announced @ [9:54 AM]
红花会 Notice Board
Thursday, November 30, 2006
PMS SURVIVAL TIPS
Note:A must watch for guys!
Announced @ [5:11 PM]
红花会 Notice Board
Monday, November 27, 2006
Naruto Fillers end this February It's confrimed in this week's manga chapter, the moment we've all been waiting for, the end of these damn Naruto fillers. The Japanese Naruto anime series will return to the manga's original storyline this february. Also note that the series itself will be getting a new title: "Naruto: Shippuu-den," which translates to "Naruto: Hurricane Chronicles." Also note there's a Naruto: Hurricane Chronicles movie announced for next summer. From: Naruto-Kun.com Announced @ [7:43 PM]
红花会 Notice Board
Saturday, November 25, 2006
Naruto News:
Next Spring (2007) for Naruto Anime Part 2 to start... Still have to endure one more season of Naruto fillers...
Announced @ [6:26 PM]
红花会 Notice Board
Thursday, November 16, 2006
How to make China a respected nation ?
One day China can become a well respected nation in the world community of nations, when its government, society and people are gradually transformed from the existing pit of material darkness to one of enlightment. That can happen when the realization occurs:
1. That liberty and freedom are inherent qualities in humans. 2. Human rights and respect for life is real success of civilizations. 3. Money is not the meaning for existence. 4. Greed and avarice only bring a future of darkness. 5. People have souls which is more important than money. 6. Worshipping money is not a civilized thing to do. 7. Enriching the mind with freedom is real happiness. 8. Being humble and accepting shortcomings is not a sign of weakness. 9. There is no need to suffer from any inferiority complex that only promotes negative atttitudes. 10. Tell their char bors to shave their fucking armpits (added by another commenter) 11. Tell their people to stop talking so loudly on their fucking handphones on public transports. (added by another commenter)
I am sure China will change for the better in the future and become a respected member of the world's community of nations. But it will take time, maybe 50 years time, and the rest of the world must show patience and understanding for this to happen.
GST to be raised to 7%: PM Lee By Farah Abdul Rahim, Channel NewsAsia Posted: 13 November 2006 1832 hrs
SINGAPORE: The Goods and Services Tax will be increased to 7 percent from 5 percent presently.
This was announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in Parliament on Monday.
However, when the rise will be implemented, will be decided later.
Speaking in Malay, Mandarin and English, Mr Lee explained that the hike was necessary to finance the enhanced social safety nets, needed to help the lower income group and he emphasised that the offset package would more than counter the rise in GST.
While Singapore's current model to tackle the widening income gap is sound, Mr Lee said the government would take on two approaches to deal with the new environment - to strengthen the safety nets and tilt the balance in favour of the lower-income groups who do not benefit from the fruits of economic growth.
To do this, government spending will have to go up. The government now spends some 15 percent of its GDP - one of the lowest in the world.
"This is inevitable over the next 5 to 10 years. Infrastructure investments will cost money - R&D is to cost $5b over the next 5 years; as medical technology improves, people age and more will go to hospitals to get more treatment, so spending is bound to go up. As we tilt the playing field across the board, the lower income will be getting another boost, not just once in a while. Therefore its better to start building resources now so that when we spend more, we have the means to do so," said Mr Lee.
To finance this, indirect taxes or the Goods & Services Tax will have to go up.
"It will give us precious extra resources to implement social programmes like Workfare later on. Our aim is to help the lower income groups and the elderly, not to increase their burdens. When we implement the GST increase, it's not just the GST increase, it's the package which will fully offset the impact of the GST increase and begin to strengthen the social safety nets and tilt the balance in favour of the low income groups - we will not just raise the GST but we will have a comprehensive offset package," said Mr Lee.
This package will be weighted more to the middle and the low income groups, especially the elderly, and it will more than offset the GST increase.
"It is not just an offset package to deal with the GST. It is a whole set of measures which we are taking in order to tilt the playing field in favour of the lower income group, which is what we have to add and tally in the balance, and my purpose is to help the lower income group. For the middle income, it will be generally about ok; for the higher income, I think the higher income should end up paying more overall. It's part of being one society. I'm not going to tax 15% on income tax, I'm not going to tax 25% from GST the way the Scandanavians do, but I have to make the adjustments of 2% which I think is fair and I think Singaporeans will support," added Mr Lee.
He explained that it is better to do the increase now when the economy is doing well, rather than wait till later. This will give the government time to see how this adjustment can be managed, and to cope better with the unknown forces of globalisation over the next 5 to 7 years.
More details of the GST increase will be announced on 15 February 2007, which is Budget Day. Mr Lee added that Second Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam would deliver the Budget speech.
Another change will be the amending of the Constitution to allow the government to tap the capital gains received from investing the national reserves. - CNA /dt
Announced @ [9:37 AM]
红花会 Notice Board
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
The Hairy Mail
Click here to see the Hairy Mail of Hong Hua Hui
Announced @ [1:41 PM]
红花会 Notice Board
Dear Hong Huas,
Please read the following article... this is so funny... does Harry's Island ring a bell?
___________________________________
Eighth Wonder submits $5.5b bid for Sentosa Integrated ResortBy S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia Posted: 31 October 2006 1550 hrs
SINGAPORE: The final bidder for Sentosa's Integrated Resort project, Las Vegas-based Eighth Wonder, revealed its S$5.5 billion plans to develop what it calls "Harry's Island" on Tuesday.
Eighth Wonder's Chairman Mark Advent intends for Harry's Island to be iconic, creative and one-of-a-kind.
He has lined up an international star-studded cast to work with him in developing the Sentosa project.
"There is a spirit that is special about Sentosa regardless. It is an amazing place. It is a lush tropical serene paradise, and now it is evolving as a place for commerce, hospitality, residential and, ultimately in the future, an integrated resort," Advent says.
"So it's a very fine balance to figure out that place where all of these different elements could co-exist in a manner that is sensitive to all. Ultimately, when you isolate it into an integrated resort directive, there is a huge opportunity to create world-class excitement, entertainment, must-see appeal just by the type of project we are proposing," he adds.
When completed, Harry's Island will have 10 world-class, luxury and family-oriented hotels.
Among the new features is a tree house with family suites and a 7,500-seat Caldera Theatre with nightly spectacular shows.
Louis Parenteau, President of Dragone Entertainment, says: "Our main concern of this venture would be to create a show which will be done for the Asian people, that people recognise themselves in this show and, at the same time, we want it to be an attraction to a worldwide public.
"People in Singapore have already seen the touring show which Franco Dragone has created. The permanent shows of the nature that we are talking here is of a totally different, totally different world. The theatre itself and all the mechanics and technical are done so that you create a universe which is totally peculiar to the show.
"Our shows are not using any language exactly for that purpose because we want the show to be accessible to a larger public. But we want people here in Singapore, China and Malaysia to feel this is going to be something which belongs to this market and will grow as our shows are always work-in-progress."
Harry's Island will create nearly 15,000 jobs, including 5,000 in the food and beverage business.
For the health-conscious, there will be a wellness centre and spa retreat run by doctor and writer Deepak Chopra.
Soccer fans will benefit from a football academy and stadium with Brazilian soccer star Pele giving his inputs.
Eighth Wonder says it wants to turn Harry's Island into a global, world class, must-visit destination.
If it wins the bid to construct the Sentosa Integrated Resort, it hopes to achieve the vision of attracting at least 15 million tourists annually by 2014.
The company believes it can recover its investments by 2015, by generating S$5.6 billion in visitor-spending in five years.
The Singapore government has indicated that the winning bid for the Sentosa IR would be known in December. - CNA/so
Announced @ [10:06 AM]
红花会 Notice Board
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Smurfs Halloween Special Cartoon w/Commercials 1986
For the Hong Huas... relax on anime today and have a little treat to an old cartoon for Halloween today...
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Announced @ [9:55 AM]
红花会 Notice Board
Monday, October 30, 2006
Nabey!!! Blogger(blogspot) is being blocked in China AGAIN…
Initially I thought it was some server breakdown or upgrade from blogspot, because I can't access it on last Thursday... then it was Friday... Saturday... then Sunday... and then today... Basically I cannot see or view any site with .blogspot.com again... so it is back to square one... It was being blocked/banned by China.
China considering blogger registration system Monday, October 23rd, 2006 In response to media reports, the Internet Society of China (ISC) confirmed that a blogger registration system was being considered by the Ministry of Information Industry, though no official policies have been made. The system would require all bloggers–including those who write under pseudonyms–to register with authorities under their real names.
The Great Firewall of China The net police do not make the reasons for such actions public, but Chinese bloggers point out that DynaWeb, an anti-censorship service run by overseas Chinese, had been using a blog on blogspot.com to publish proxy server addresses that allowed users to get around the Great Firewall. The authorities’ blanket blockade affected all China’s bloggers, leaving them suddenly unable to reach their journals. Announced @ [11:02 AM]
红花会 Notice Board
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Light A Million Candles
The innocent victims of Internet child abuse cannot speak for themselves. But you can. With your help, we can eradicate this evil trade. We do not need your money. We need you to light a candle of support <http://www.lightamillioncandles.com/>. We're aiming to light at least One Million Candles by December 31, 2006. This petition will be used to encourage governments, politicians, financial institutions, payment organisations, Internet service providers, technology companies and law enforcement agencies to eradicate the commercial viability of online child abuse. They have the power to work together. You have the power to get them to take action. Please light your candle at lightamillioncandles.com or send an email of support to light@lightamillioncandles.com. Together, we can destroy the commercial viability of Internet child abuse sites that are destroying the lives of innocent children.
so please support them by going to lightamillioncandles.com it is just only lighting up a candle to show your support...
宫爆鸡丁 – The temple explodes the chicken cube
酱爆鸡丁 – The sauce explodes the chicken cube
干锅仔鸡 – Fuck a chicken
油麦菜 – Rape flower
红油百叶 – One hundred leaves of sesame oil 
