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Love It Or Hate It: YFB Zen Pants in Hershey

kymmeisme — Thu, 15 May 2008 21:44:06 -0700

China South Gate

beijingtours — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 18:17:53 -0800

Guangzhou, China, as the South Gate of China are known. This rich metropolis and the capital of Guangdong Province. In the center of Guangdong province, located north of the Pearl River Delta. One of the first "open" cities in China, the population increased enormously. Together with its population, Guangzhou, the economy is growing. Rich history, Guangzhou, the capital city for three Chinese dynasties was. Tourism is an important industry in the region today, and it attracts a lot of important historical, and cultural monuments, which attract visitors from around the world. The main tourist areas and urban areas in the northern part of the city. Some famous shrines, churches, mosques and temples: Guangxiao temple is a popular place of pilgrimage for Zen Buddhists. There is also one of the oldest mosques in China in Guangzhou. Built in 627, the mosque Huaisheng not open to the public. Other historical churches, Shishi Heart Church, one of the oldest church structures in Guangzhou. Visitors are also invited to the flower Liurong pagoda in the temple, on the 6 th century travel organization. Quiet and beautiful, this is well preserved, seventeen-story pagoda is justly famous. The interesting part of the history of Guangzhou is located on Shamian Island. This small island has been settled for several hundred years, the only place in China, the European subsidiaries. Its architecture is very unique in this region. Chinese medicine market is an unusual place right in front of Shamian. The front looks like any other modern market, but it is built on a network of ancient, narrow streets. Shops, traditional Chinese herbs are behind the facade. Open a new historic site, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial, dedicated to the founder of the Republic of China and the Huangpu Military, which was formed by him. Sun Yat-sen in the local hero, and the monument is a popular place. Museums and galleries are located in Guangzhou. Guangzhou City Art Museum houses a collection of over 10,000 works of art, many of which are traditional Chinese painting and sculpture. For more contemporary art, be sure to visit the Guangdong Art Museum collection includes an impressive collection of contemporary Chinese art. Political history is an important issue in Guangzhou, many museums and historical sites. Among the most interesting are the Guangzhou Uprising Museum, dedicated to the site of the first communist government buildings in the city and the peasants' party, Movement Institute, founded by Mao Zedong, a Communist training center. Exhibitions and festivals are an important part of Chinese culture throughout the year, and Guangzhou will present several public holidays. One of the largest and most important is the Chinese New Year Spring Festival celebration of fifteen of the first lunar month. Colorful and fun, Dragon Boat Festival in May or June. This is reminiscent of the poet Qu Yuan, who drowned in a protest against the government. Dragon Boat Race at the Pearl River during the festival. Autumn Cantonese moon cakes, the culmination of the Mid-Autumn Festival. Lamps and ferries complement holiday. In addition, in the coming winter is a holiday - the winter solstice with great holidays duck, sausage and flour dumpling soup. There is plenty to see and do in the charming city of Guangzhou. This is an important city, and a worthy destination for any visitor to China. Here i offer you some hotels in Guangzhou you can choose to stay
Riverside Hotel Guangzhou Huashi hotel Guangzhou White palace hotel Guangzhou Nanyangroyal Hotel Guangzhou Guang sha hotel Guangzhou Ocean Hotel Guangzhou Euro asia Hotel Guangzhou Grand royal hotel Guangzhou Phoenix City Hotel Guangzhou Landmark Hotel Guangzhou

Shaolin Temple

beijingtours — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 19:54:18 -0800

Shaolin Temple
The Historical Birthplace of Zen Buddhism in China and Shaolin Kung Fu

Overview:

Shrouded by the Song Shan mountain range, Shaolin Si or temple looks as if it’s floating as you approach it. Most Westerners know Shaolin from martial arts movies - Shaolin Kung Fu was born here. But it is more famous in Asia as the birthplace of the Zen Buddhism movement. Visitors come to Shaolin to study Kung Fu, meditate in the ancient surroundings or to enjoy an ancient historical place that is by all means, off the beaten path. For whatever reason you come, Shaolin Temple is worth a visit.

Location:

Shaolin Temple is located in the foothills of the Song Shan mountain range just fifteen minutes outside the town of Dengfeng, which is about two hours away from Zhenzhou, the provincial capital of Henan. Buses run from Zhengzhou and Luoyang, another larger Henan city, to Dengfeng. Alternatively, if you are staying in Zhengzhou or Luoyang, you can arrange a day tour from your hotel.

History:

Shaolin Temple was established by Buddhabhadra, a monk from India who came to spread Buddhism in China over 1,500 years ago. Soon after opening, another Buddhist monk from India came and established Shaolin as the center of Zen Buddhism in China. But only a few years later its doors were closed in the wake of anti-Buddhist sentiments at the imperial court. Over its 1,500 year history, Shaolin’s teachings have been both patronized and banished by various emperors. Flourishing today, Shaolin Temple has a long and variegated history. Read a more complete History of Shaolin Temple here.

Features:

Shaolin Temple complex can be thought of as three major sights within the compound. You will enter through a main gateway where the tour buses park and you can purchase your entry tickets. This area has been refurbished to support hoards of tourists – there is a large plaza flanked by souvenir vendors on both sides. Don’t buy anything on the way in – you’ve got a long day ahead of you and you can buy it, if you still want it, on the way out.

Area One – Kung Fu Performance: After you enter the complex, you will walk ten minutes or so to the Kung Fu performance hall. If you can manage getting there early in the morning, you’ll see students of all ages practicing outside in the grassy fields next to the walkway. The KungFu Performance is very geared for tourists with flashing lights and an announcer with a microphone. But don’t let this deter you, the performance of these young boys is incredible. We saw a sculpted teen pierce glass with a needle and another break a metal bar with his arm. The skill and concentration is palpable; the performance is not to be missed.
Area Two – Shaolin Temple: After the performance, you can take electric cars or walk another fifteen to twenty minutes to the temple itsel.Shaolin Temple is set upon the mountainside. You’ll enter at the bottom and make your way up through the multiple halls to the top. The buildings are all in very good condition; money flowing in from the popularity of the temple for tourists as well as student fees have given the temple plenty of money to support renovations.
The temple complex follows a south-north axis and you’ll pass through a multitude of halls and buildings. Two of the highlights are the Hall of a Thousand Buddhas, also called the Training Hall, where you can see depressions in the cobbled floor left from monks training over hundreds of years. The second is the Shadow Stone where you can see Bodhidharma’s shadow burned into the rock from his years of meditation (see also A history of Shaolin Temple for more about Bodhidharma.)
Area Three – The Pagoda Forest: Another half-kilometer walk through a wooded path will bring you to the Pagoda Forest where there are nearly 250 stone and brick pagodas ranging from the Tang, Song, Jin, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties (618-1911). If you can escape the vendors walking around with prayer beads for sale, it is really quite lovely to wander through this quiet wooded place.

Getting There:

Most visitors use Zhenzhou as a base for making the day trip to Shaolin Temple. Day tours can be arranged from your hotel and this is certainly the most relaxed way to go. Your hotel can arrange for a car and a guide and I’d highly recommend this if you have the means as you will certainly get the most out of your visit. Alternatively, buses to Dengfeng city and Shaolin Temple depart from the long-distance bus terminal in Zhengzhou. See the article Visiting Zhengzhou, "Getting There" for more information on this. You can then make your own way around the complex.

Essentials:

Opening hours: 8am-7pm, daily, all year. Recommended time for visit: half-day (minimum). If you can, spend the whole day so you have plenty of time to wander around the temple complex and even take a stroll in the mountains or up the hill to Bodhidharma’s cave.

Tips:

There is electric car service to transport you from one area to the next. I’d recommend making the walk on the way, but taking the car on the way back to the parking lot.
Lunch: There are restaurants offering such delicacies as “free-range chicken” in little villages that abut the temple complex. Hawkers stalk visitors and make a very grand claim to your guide and you about their offerings. I would highly recommend avoiding these places unless you are very comfortable with questionable surroundings and food. There’s a vegetarian restaurant on the compound run by Shaolin nuns, this is your best option.

Maggie Gyllenhaal Likens It's Complicated to Her Parents' Divorce

kty — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 11:46:25 -0800

By Jeffrey Slonim and Blane Bachelor
While she may not appear in It's Complicated, Maggie Gyllenhaal felt a special personal connection to the romantic marital comedy – because of her own parents' recent divorce after 30 years of marriage, the actress told a private, star-studded gathering Tuesday. Gyllenhaal said she laughed and cried throughout the movie, which stars Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin as a couple trying to sort out their relationship after their legal split. "I'm kind of in the thick of all that, and it's nice to laugh about it a little," said Gyllenhaal, who presented the It's Complicated stars with the best ensemble cast award at the National Board of Review Awards, at Cipriani's 42nd Street in Manhattan. Gyllenhaal, 32, also said that she and her mom, 63-year-old screenwriter Naomi Foner, who on Christmas Eve split from director Stephen Gyllenhaal, recently dished about men over a bottle of wine, "which we never would have done before she got divorced. She told me about the sexy Zen Buddist Ping-Pong-playing married carpenter who had been hitting on her." Gyllenhaal proved delightfully open with the audience at Tuesday's ceremony, where the assembled included George Clooney, his Up in the Air costar Vera Farmiga, Gabourey Sidibe, Morgan Freeman and Woody Harrelson. "I'm not the most objective audience for the movie, because my parents, who have been married for thirty years are getting divorced," Gyllenhaal told everyone. And though there were plenty of parallels between her family's situation and the movie, Gyllenhaal did joke about one major difference: "I don't think [my parents are] sleeping together anymore."

How to strip DRM off iTunes music and convert M4P to MP3

grudedeng — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 22:29:07 -0800

The music downloaded from iTunes is DRM protected as M4P, or "protected AAC". If you want to play this kind of music beyond Apple environment (iTunes, iPod, iPhone, Apple TV), you need to remove the DRM and convert it to (DRM free) MP3, WMA, WAV format or else.

The following guide is going to show you how to convert iTunes M4P to MP3 for non-Apple mobile players like Zune, PSP, BlackBerry, mobile phone, Creative Zen, Sansa Fuze, G1/Gphone, xbox 360, PS3. It introduces three methods for converting M4P to MP3:

1. Burning and ripping CD in iTunes
2. Convert M4P to MP3 using Digital Music Converter

1. Burning and ripping CD in iTunes

a. Insert a CD-R or CD-RW disc into your CD-ROM drive.
b. Burn the iTunes M4P playlist to make an Audio CD. You cannot select the "MP3 CD" option since it requires the DRM protected iTunes M4P files be converted to MP3.
c. After the Audio CD is successfully burned, insert the disc into your CD-ROM drive again. Then you can use iTunes or Windows Media Player to import the music tracks on the burned disc as MP3 files.

2. Convert M4P to MP3 using Digital Music Converter

It is very easy and fast to convert M4P to MP3 using Digital Music Converter (Free Download):

a. Add iTunes M4P files.
b. Choose "MP3" as the output format
c. Press the "Start" button.

Now you can get the DRM free music by clicking the "Browse" button next to "Output path" and play it on your mp3 player, cell phone, windows media player and other portable players without any restriction.

Take a look at the full DRM Removal Software Review!

How to rip DVDs on Windows and Mac OS

eolo1112 — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 02:21:32 -0800

Here I am glad to share two nice DVD Ripper programs with you: One is a DVD Ripper for Mac, the other is a DVD Ripper for Windows. With them, whatever you are a Mac user or Windows user, you could easily rip encrypted DVD or decrypted DVD to any other video and audio formats so as to enjoy them on your portable devices anytime and anywhere. And below are their instructions, Key Features, System Requirements.
Part 1: DVD Ripper for Mac1. Overview:This DVD Ripper for Mac is straightforward software that allows users to convert DVD to video of various formats including AVI, WMV, MOV, 3GP, MPEG, MP4, AAC, and MP3 etc. It realizes merging different titles and chapters and converting to one file. Supporting various output audio/video formats, users can always find one they need. Pavtube DVD Ripper for Mac also allows users to edit DVD before converting through cropping and trimming the DVD.
2. Key Features:Rip DVD to Audio/video of various formats for Mac UsersExport audio/video of high qualitySplit DVD(Pavtube DVD Ripper for Mac enables users to split the entire DVD to different titles and chapters.)Trim the DVD(It also allows users to trim favorite parts of the movie if they don't want to convert the entire movie to video.)Crop the DVD(It also allow users to crop DVD and define the size of video screen and which part you want to covert to video as you wish.)Various Profiles for Users to Choose
Ophone converter is a new video converter for old video formats.
3. System Requirements1G Hz or above PowerPC G4/G5 or Intel processor.Mac OS X (including Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger and 10.5 X Leopard) on iMac, MacBook, Mac Pro, etc.512 MB physical RAM (memory) or more.1024*768 or higher resolution display.
Part 2: DVD Ripper for Windows1. Overview:The best DVD Ripper(For Windows) is professional as well as easy to use DVD ripping software. It is versatile application and users can use it either to backup DVD to hard disk or to convert DVD movies to AVI, WMV, MPG, MP4, MOV, and 3GP, AAC, MP3, W4A, WMA, WAV and AC3 etc. In addition, it can convert DVD to iPod, iPhone, Zune, Creative Zen, iRiver, PSP, Xbox360, Pocket PC and Apple TV etc. Pavtube DVD Ripper rips fast and exports excellence only.
2. Key Features:Support Various Output File TypesExport video of total audio/video/subtitles synchronizationSplit DVD into Titles and Chapters AutomaticallySupport DVD Specific Features: Subtitle, Audio Track, and AnglesSet Video/Audio Effect; Trim Video; Crop Video
3. System RequirementsWindows NT4.0 + SP6/2000/XP/VistaMemory: 64MB at least512MB hard disc space or aboveMicrosoft DirectX 9.0 or aboveWindows Media Player 9.0 or aboveDVD-ROM

[NEWS]Pavtube Blu-Ray Ripper for Mac 2.0

eolo1112 — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 02:20:33 -0800

Pavtube Blu-Ray Ripper for Mac is a powerful and independent DVD and Blu-Ray DVD Ripper and Converter which enables you directly to copy your DVDs or Blu-Ray DVDs on your hard disc for playing, to rip and convert your Blu-Ray DVD movies and general DVDs, even the protected DVDs and Blu-Ray DVDs (MKB 10 version above not applicable), into other popular audio and video formats like AVI, ASF, MPEG, MP4, WMV, MKV, MOV, FLV, SWF, RM, 3GP, AAC, AC3, MP3, OGG, WAV, WMA, M4A, etc to playback on your beloved portable players such as iPod, iPhone, Apple TV, Zune, Blackberry, PSP, Creative Zen, Xbox, etc.The SAV shall connect for receiving and displaying the MP4 Resource.
With Pavtube Blu-Ray Ripper for Mac you can:Directly rip, convert and backup DVDs (*.vob) and Blu-Ray DVDs (.*m2ts).
Could directly rip and backup protected DVDs and Blu-Ray DVDs.
Excellent output video/audio sync quality and fast converting speed.
Compress big Blu-ray DVD movies into smaller size.
Support VFW codec encoding and 5.1 channel audio output.
Convert DVD, Blu-Ray DVD to MOV, MP4 to edit in iMovie, Final Cut Express/Pro.
Key Features:Rip DVDs and Blu-ray DVDs directlyThis Pavtube Blu-Ray Ripper for Mac could directly rip DVDs, Blu-Ray DVDs, even the special protected one, to other audio and video formats.
Directly Backup DVDs and Blu-ray DVDs on hard disc for playingSupport directly backuping DVDs and Blu-Ray DVDs, even the protected one on your hard disc for playing.
Support all popular mobile devicesConvert Blu-Ray DVD and general DVD to multi-colored multimedia devices: Apple TV, iPod, iPhone, GPhone, PSP\PS3, XBox, Mobile Phone, etc.
Super high ripping speedIts advanced coding technology quickens the conversion speed. With this Mac Blu-Ray Ripper, you can convert DVD, Blu-Ray DVD 1.5 or 2 times faster than other similar tools.
Wonderful Audio-video sync qualityThe newest audio-video sync technology enables you to have a high quality output video without any audio/video out of sync problems.
Built-in codecIts built-in codec will not install codec to your computer, so as to avoid the unexpected codec problem. Clouds A WMV resource made using PhotoStory 3.
Edit DVD and Blu-Ray DVD clipsThis program is has powerful editing functions, such as: trimming and cropping video area, adding watermark, adjusting special effect, replacing audio, and more.
Capture still images from DVD and Blu-Ray DVD movieThe program supports to capture the snapshots images, which can be used as wallpaper or editing elements.
Merging and splitting functionIt can rip DVD and Blu-Ray DVD movies into some titles and chapters. You can choose one part or several as required to convert. Moreover, merging multiple files into a single one is possible absolutely. So merging or splitting is up to you!Collection of 7610 3gp media player freeware, shareware download.
System Requirements1G Hz or above Intel processorMac OS X 10.5 above (including Mac OS X 10.5 X Leopard，Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard) on iMac, MacBook, Mac Pro, etc. 512 MB physical RAM (memory) or more1024*768 or higher resolution displayOptical Drive: DVD-ROM, Blu-ray Drive
http://download.pavtube.com/blu-ray-ripper-mac/blu-rayrippermac_setup.zip

34+ Inspiring Favicons Designs

entawana — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 07:29:49 -0800

Favicons are a dime-a-dozen so many in the vast ocean that is the internet.
What makes Favicons so special, is that its essentially an extension of your website’s brand. It’s important to be distinctly unique so that current visitors will remember the icon and associate it with your site.
I surfed various sites and galleries for favicons that caught my eye.
Check out my list of 34+ favicons below :

Letters & Numbers

– Favicon Description : Phatbrush is a Photoshop Brush Resource Site
– Favicon Description : 10Steps is a Photoshop Tutorial Website
– Favicon Description : SmashingMagazine Blog for Designers
– Favicon Description : Twitter known for it’s service and tweeting
– Favicon Description : Nintendo known for Nintendo System (Mario!)
– Favicon Description : WashingtonPost is a well known news journal.
– Favicon Description : Google well known Dominant Search Engine
– Favicon Description : LinkedIn known as professional networking
– Favicon Description : NYTimes national newspaper
– Favicon Description : Vimeo upcoming video uploading serice
– Favicon Description : Imeem website for music , videos & photos
– Favicon Description : Vandelay Designs a Design Blog
– Favicon Description : E-Forum
– Favicon Description : Formula1 It’s all about racing

Unique Characters & Mascots

– Favicon Description : DeviantArt is a community for every type of artist
– Favicon Description : Alienware makes elite computers
– Favicon Description : Mozilla created the popular FireFox Browser
– Favicon Description : ThinkGeek is a site for Tech Enthusiasts
– Favicon Description : Pepsi (Who doesn’t like Pepsi ?)
– Favicon Description : Apple The computer company (Ipods also)
– Favicon Description : Dkiroku appears to be an asian design blog
– Favicon Description : Meropar is an asian virtual pet-site
– Favicon Description : FeedBurner widely known RSS service
– Favicon Description : LiveJournal online journal
– Favicon Description : McDonalds fast food restaraunt
– Favicon Description : The Design Blog (Self Explanatory)
– Favicon Description : NDesign Studio Design Blog
– Favicon Description : FamFamFam WebIcons Resource
– Favicon Description : Elevenmedia Web Portfolio
– Favicon Description : NimbuPani (Lemon Water) Portfolio
– Favicon Description : Gnome A linux based O.S.
– Favicon Description : Css Zen Garden Blog about CSS
– Favicon Description : Nefariomonzon Gallery Website
– Favicon Description : Smug Mug A place to host photos

Favicon Resources & Galleries

Favicon Generator – Create your own Favicon.ico for free
FineIcons Favicon Gallery – Favicon Gallery
The Favicon Gallery – Another Favicon Gallery
Mpp’s Favicon Gallery – Yes one more inspirational Favicon Gallery
E-Consulant’s Favicon Gallery – 15,000+ Favicons Gallery , YIKES !

Vanessa Hudgens Turns 21 with a Surprise Party

kty — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 19:54:09 -0800

By Jennifer Garcia
Vanessa Hudgens got a big surprise Monday night – a group of about 100 friends gathered at East Restaurant & Lounge in Hollywood to celebrate her 21th birthday. Hudgens, decked out in a black mini dress with lace cut-out arms, arrived with beau Zac Efron in a chauffeured Audi Q7, and "when she walked in was completely surprised!" says a guest at the party. Guests including Ashley Tisdale, Selena Gomez, Brittany Snow, and Corbin Bleu greeted her, while DJ Zen Freeman handled the tunes for the night, playing a mix of hip-hop and top 20 hits. Efron gave a heartfelt speech – wishing Hudgens a very happy birthday and encouraging guests to have a fun night. Partygoers noshed on East signature dishes including the crab cakes and scallops on the half shell while mingling and dancing. Hudgen's red velvet birthday cake was presented to her about an hour into the party. "She seemed overjoyed and grateful for the whole experience," says the guest. "Zac and Vanessa were adorable together," says another guest. "They were smiling at each other and laughing and are really sweet to each other. Great couple."

Traditional to Transitional Living Room makeover on a budget

dezignerwannabe — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 06:57:03 -0800

Our 90's Traditional living room just wasn't working for us anymore and we wanted an update however we were on a tight budget. I basically de-clutterized the space and added in some asian accents to create a more zen feel. I replaced the sofa/chair with an L-shaped modern sofa and added rust/orange pillows and curtains for a punch of colour. The vase and centerpiece I found at Big Lots; the chinese warrior statues, leopard throw & accent pillows I found at Steinmart. The mirror over the fireplace and chinese foo dog from HomeGoods/TJMaxx and the sofa from Ladlows on sale! I spent a total of $58 on the accessories and the sofa was on sale for $1,200 down from $2,200
Before:

After: