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Tuesday 31 January 2017

Free soda: France bans unlimited sugary drink refills

Restaurants and other spaces catering to the public in France have been banned from offering unlimited sugary drinks in an effort to reduce obesity.

A soda fountain in New York (file image)

27 January 2017

It is now illegal to sell unlimited soft drinks at a fixed price or offer them unlimited for free.
The number of overweight or obese people in France is below the EU average but is on the rise.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends taxing sugary drinks, linking them to obesity and diabetes.
Self-service "soda fountains" have long been a feature of family restaurants and cafes in some countries like the UK, where a soft drinks tax will be introduced next year.
The new law [in French] targets soft drinks, including sports drinks containing added sugar or sweeteners.

Obesity in Europe

Of people aged 18 and over in EU countries...

15.9%
are obese


  • Highest obesity in Malta 26%
  • Second lowest is Italy 10.7%
  • France 15.3%
  • Among children across EU 5.7%
Getty Images
All public eateries, from fast-food joints to school canteens, are affected.
The aim of the law is to "limit, especially among the young, the risks of obesity, overweight and diabetes" in line with WHO recommendations.
A recent Eurostat survey of adult obesity put the French at 15.3%, which is just below the EU average of 15.9%. France was slimmer than the UK (20.1%) but fatter than Italy (10.7%).
Past the age of 30, nearly 57% of French men are overweight or obese, according to a report published in October by the French medical journal Bulletin Epidemiologique Hebdomadaire.
Some 41% of women in the same age category are also overweight or obese, the study found.

Soft drink controls that fizzed or went flat


Bottles of Coca Cola on a supermarket shelfImage copyrightGETTY IMAGES

  • Before the all-you-can-drink ban, France already had a soft drinks tax, and vending machines are barred from schools

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-38767941

Monday 30 January 2017

How much fruit is REALLY in your soft drink?

The shockingly small amounts in famous brands revealed (and there is more in a fizzy J20 than in a whole carton of cranberry juice) 


  • Graphic by Ship It Appliances reveals how much juice is in 65 popular drinks
  • Appletiser contains the most with 100 per cent real fruit juice
  • J20 fizzy drinks have 32 per cent juice compared to 27 per cent in Ocean Spray
  • Bottom of the list is Tizer, Gatorade Fruit Punch and Mountain Dew 


We all know that fizzy drinks aren't exactly good for us - but if they're fruit-flavoured, we might expect them to contain at least some real fruit juice.
But a new graphic reveals the shockingly small amounts of real fruit in some of the most popular soft drink brands, from Oasis drinks to Ribena.
Others on the other hand may surprise you for containing much more fruit than you may realise, including Appletiser and J20 drinks. 
This is the ultimate guide to how much fruit juice is in your favourite soft drinks. 
A new graphic reveals how much real fruit juice is really in your favourite soft drinks, from Appletiser to Ribena
A new graphic reveals how much real fruit juice is really in your favourite soft drinks, from Appletiser to Ribena
These 10 soft drinks contain the least amount of real fruit juice of the 65 bottles compared in the graphic, including Mountain Dew and Vimto
These 10 soft drinks contain the least amount of real fruit juice of the 65 bottles compared in the graphic, including Mountain Dew and Vimto
The graphic by Ship It Appliances compares the fruit content in 65 of the UK's most popular fruity soft drinks, ranking them from top to bottom based on how much real fruit they contain.
Shockingly, only two drinks are made up of at least 50 per cent fruit, with only 11 containing more than 20 per cent fruit. 
The fruit content in some drinks will surprise you more than others.
Surprisingly, J20 fizzy drinks contain more fruit juice than a whole carton of cranberry juice
Surprisingly, J20 fizzy drinks contain more fruit juice than a whole carton of cranberry juice
Rubicon's Still Guava contains 18 per cent real fruit juice - more than Orangina or a Capri Sun, which only contain 13 or 12 per cent real fruit juice
Rubicon's Still Guava contains 18 per cent real fruit juice - more than Orangina or a Capri Sun, which only contain 13 or 12 per cent real fruit juice
Topping the list is Appletiser, which proudly states on its label that it is simply 100 per cent carbonated apple juice. 
But the second place may be a pleasant surprise to many. The graphic reveals that the 'posh' Fentimans Mandarin & Seville Orange fizzy drink contains 58 per cent real fruit juice.
Other pleasant surprises include Rubicon's Still Pomegranate, which contains 36 per cent real fruit juice, and J20 drinks, which contain 32 per cent real fruit.
Oasis juice drinks only contain five per cent real fruit juice - the same as in a fizzy Fanta or Lilt
Oasis juice drinks only contain five per cent real fruit juice - the same as in a fizzy Fanta or Lilt
Many drinks contain as little as five per cent real fruit juice, including Tango and Oasis
Many drinks contain as little as five per cent real fruit juice, including Tango and Oasis
But shockingly, they rank above a cranberry juice drink by popular brand Ocean Spray. Its juice only contains 27 per cent real fruit.
Ribena Blackcurrant only contains six per cent real fruit juice. 
Many of the drinks on the list contain as little as five per cent fruit juice - or none at all.
Oasis juice drinks only contain five per cent fruit juice, while Vimto 's fizzy drink only contains 3 per cent. 
And if you think cloudy lemonade might contain a high percentage of lemon juice, you'd be wrong as Ben Shaws Cloudy Lemonade only contains 2 per cent real fruit juice.
At the bottom of the list with no real fruit juice at all is Tizer, Coca-Cola Cherry, KA Karnival Krush, Gatorade Fruit Punch and Mountain Dew.  
Brands have been contacted for comment by MailOnline. 
Cancer council warns 10 teaspoons of sugar in soft drink can
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Saturday 28 January 2017

CHINESE NEW YEAR: Zodiac People



Customs and Taboo

DURING Chinese New Year, some Chinese families still follow traditional beliefs and observe taboos.

These cultural practices are observed to avert misfortune and bad luck.
In modern times, however, many beliefs have been discarded as the younger generations consider customs outdated or plain old superstitions.
For example, after the winter solstice (approximately Dec 21), the home is spruced up to prepare for the new year.
Spring cleaning takes place on the 24th day of the 12th lunar month. It is believed the cleaning rids the home of the preceding year’s bad luck, and prepares it for good luck.
On this day too, all household gods are also given a send-off; they return on the fourth day of Chinese New Year. 

Click here to view the infographics.


Source: http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2017/01/27/chinese-new-year-customs-and-taboos/

Google's Latest Doodle Heralds the Year of the Rooster


lunar-new-year-2017-hong-kong-taiwan-china-5718568032272384-hp2x
Google's Doodle welcoming the Year of the Fire Rooster.


Google's Latest Doodle Heralds the Year of the Rooster

Jan 27, 2017

The letters spelling out Google were festooned in red Friday to herald the 2017 Lunar New Year in Google's latest Doodle.

The doodle — which features firecrackers, fried dumplings and traditional Chinese decorations — marks the turning of the Chinese zodiac from monkey to rooster. Each year of the Chinese zodiac is associated with both an animal and one of five elements. 2017 is the year of the fire rooster, which according to lore is "trustworthy, with a strong sense of timekeeping and responsibility."

Lunar New Year — which is sometimes called Chinese New Year even though it is celebrated across East Asia — falls on the first new moon between Jan. 21 and Feb. 20 each year, Google explains. It's a time for families to clean their houses, gather together and enjoy festive meals. And just like Christmas, it's also, notoriously, a time when older relatives bug singletons about why they don't have a boyfriend or girlfriend, young couples about when they're going to get married, and newly weds about why they don't hurry up and have a baby already.

Along with grandmotherly prodding, Lunar New Year is marked by firecrackers and lion dances, in which revelers don papier-mâché masks and flash silken tails to crashing cymbals. The din and the prominence of the color red were traditionally thought to scare off the nian, a mythical beast said to attack ancient villages every New Year’s Day.


2017 CHINESE NEW YEAR: Google Doodle


Happy Lunar New Year 2017!


Chinese New Year 2017 in London

Celebrate the Year of the Rooster in London, with the biggest Chinese New Year celebrations outside Asia. Every year, hundreds of thousands of people descend on the West End to wish each other "Xin Nian Kuai Le" (Happy New Year in Mandarin) or "San Nin Faai Lok" (in Cantonese).

29 January 2017


Photo: James O Jenkins

Chinese New Year 2017 in London Event Programme


The Chinese New Year festivities in Central London are free to attend and take place in Trafalgar SquareChinatown and across the West End.



Chinese New Year Parade

The theme of the celebrations for this year is “China: Today & Yesterday”, celebrating Chinese cultures past and present.
The day kicks off at 10am with a colourful Chinese New Year parade that snakes its way from Charing Cross Road (just to the north of Trafalgar Square) to Shaftesbury Avenue. This lively event features six hand-crafted floats and the largest gathering of Chinese lion and dragon dance performers in the UK.

Trafalgar Square

Events take place in Trafalgar Square from 11am, as screen shows and a thanksgiving ceremony are followed by firecrackers, speeches and the Lions’ Eye-Dotting Ceremony at 12pm.
Don’t miss the spectacular Flying Lion Dance at 12.50pm, before the Dragon Dance and a range of performances take place on the main stage. You’ll experience everything from puppetry, acrobatics and martial arts, to drumming, classical music and Chinese rock hits!
The day ends in Trafalgar Square with a grand finale featuring martial arts, traditional sounds and a stunning light show with special effects from 5.30pm.



West End Stages

Elsewhere in the West End, you’ll see special performances from 12pm until 5pm on two stages. Discover family shows by music and martial arts specialists on Shaftesbury Avenue’s Family Stage. Meanwhile, over on Charing Cross Road’s Hong Kong Stage, you’ll find performances celebrating the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover to China, with lion dances, drumming and music shows.

Chinatown

Head to Chinatown from 12pm until 6pm, where you’ll be able to get up close to lion dances and have a chance to snap photos with Chinese Zodiac Animals and the Lucky Money God. Don’t forget to sample the special Chinese New Year menus at Chinatown’s many restaurants for special festive treats.
Find full details of the events organised by the London Chinatown Chinese Association in the free downloadable guide [PDF 1MB], and check out the latest news and travel information for the 2017 Chinese New Year events in London.
See our Top 10 Tips for Chinese New Year to make the most of your time at the event and read our tips on how to stay safe in London. Make sure to also book a hotel near Chinatown to stay near the heart of the action.


About Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year is a huge festival among Chinese communities in London and across the world.
Based on the lunar and solar calendars, the actual date of Chinese New Year varies, but always falls between late January and mid-February. Each year in the Chinese calendar is represented by one of the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac. Find out more about the traditions of Chinese New Year.
Chinese New Year 2017, the Year of the Rooster, falls on 28 January, with the Trafalgar Square and Chinatown celebrations taking place the following day.
Find out more things to do during Chinese New Year in London, including special Chinese New Year events throughout London.
Source: http://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/event/4733685-chinese-new-year-in-london

Chinese New Year 2017: Theresa May's message



10 Downing Street 


Published on 26 Jan 2017
Prime Minister Theresa May sends her best wishes to everyone in Britain, China and around the world celebrating Chinese New Year. Read the Prime Minister's message: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ch...

Follow us on:

www.gov.uk/number10


Do we really know what is Chinese New Year?

Among the 1.2 billion Native Chinese Speakers in the world (Chinese language reference at Ethnologue (16th ed, 2009) , FEW would actually use the phrase “CHINESE NEW YEAR” to greet/resemble the celebration. 

  

CNY

1.) “Happy Chinese New Year”
Among the 1.2 billion Native Chinese Speakers in the world (Chinese language reference at Ethnologue (16th ed, 2009) , FEW would actually use the phrase “CHINESE NEW YEAR” to greet/resemble the celebration. The “Chinese” new year phrase is very much a “western” product to facilitate racial profiling, capitalising on the celebration of Spring Festival. If the same logic was to be applied to similar celebrations for other cultures/ethnics, you will have the following celebrations
– Happy Malay / Arab New Year for Maal Hijrah
– Happy Indian / Tamil New Year for Ponggal or equivalent for other races
– Happy Kadazan / Dusun New Year for Kaamatan or Gawai
– Happy Caucasian New Year for 1st of January
– Happy Japanese New year for 1st of January
which doesn’t make sense.
How do Chinese Native speakers then refer to this celebration/ festival as?
1.) 春节快乐 – Happy Spring Festival
2.) 农历新年 – Happy Peasantry/Farmer Calendric New year (Note that the Calender that chinese uses places emphasis on the 24 节气 or 24 seggregation/categorization of “seasons” which is the point of reference for our ancestors (Mainly peasantry farmers) pertaining farming.
3.) 阴历新年 - Happy Lunar New Year
4.) 新春快乐 - Happy New/Arrival of the Spring
5.) 年节 - Festival of “year”/Nian
6.) 过年 - “Passing” of the “Year”/ “nian”
none, literally, of the chinese / mandarin / verbal / lingual connotation of the festival would have anything to do with the “Race”. the chinese’s 5000 years old ancestry root that celebrate this festival probably didn’t even know that they are called “Chinese”.
I think this is why we have to resume to the proper name of the festival. I would urge everyone to use the greeting of
HAPPY SPRING FESTIVAL. it means the same thing to chinese people, and it becomes less “racially exclusive”. The Koreans celebrates the spring festival too on the same day as the chinese. you don’t greet them “Happy Korean New Year” right 🙂
______________________________________________________________
2.) The history on the “DATE”of “Spring Festival”.
First, your average Chinese- Malaysian friend will tell you that the Spring Festival starts on the 1st day of the Lunar Calendar used by ancient Chinese. Whilst it is true today, that wasn’t really the case in the past.
in “Shang 商” Dynasty, the “celebration of Spring Festival/new year” was on the first day of ” la 腊 “ month (12th month) , which is the month before current “first month”.
in Zhou 周 and Qin 秦 Dynasty, the celebration of new year was on the first day of the 10th month and 11th month respectively.
It is not until the Han 汗 Dynasty that the Celebration of New year / spring festival was celebrated on the 1st day of the “YUAN” month, or the “First month”. this is reflecting the concept of 行夏之時 – Xing Xia period by the Confucianists. this date was carried on for all dynasties until today.
______________________________________________________________
3.) The GREAT CONFUSION on the “Celebration of Spring Festival” and the story of “Rituals of Fire crackers and wearing Red”
If you call up a Chinese Malaysian friend, and ask them the “History of Celebrating the Spring Festival”, they will tell you the story of “NIAN Monster”.
The story of Nian goes like this : Every Winter-Spring, a monster by the name of “Nian” (now resemble “year”) comes out from the mountain/forest/jungle to kill/eat/destroy villagers and their properties. The villagers in China were so fearful of the Nian Monsters but none knows what to do about it. One day, when the Nian Monster attacked a village, one villager hit the wok with a spoon and the monster was frigthened by it. They also realize that the monster is afraid of RED colour stuffs. villagers then gathered to hit and make noise, including firing fire crackers to chase the Nian Monster away, at the same time decorated everything in RED to scare the monsters further. after which, the elder would give the younger money 压岁钱 as “blessings” for surviving the monster attack, and young would stay awake throughout the night to “protect” the elders against the attack of “monsters” 守岁 . and of course, wearing brilliant and bright red.
however, this story is NOT the story of the celebration of Spring Festival. This is just the story/origin of the “playing fire crackers” and “wearing red colour stuff”.
The real story of Spring Festival or the Lunar New Year is VERY DULL AND DRY AND BORING. you can skip this part if you’re expecting something juicy or alluring. However if you wish to know more about the chinese culture on this festive season, read on :
Whilst it’s very hard to ascertain the real origin of the celebration, Archeologist and Historians deduced that the celebration started during the Yin Shang dynastic period “殷商时期” (based on Si Ma Qian’s SHI JI 司馬遷. 《史记·殷本纪》)around 3700 years ago. It was the celebration to offer prayers to Deities, signifying the end and the beginning of the year “岁末年头祭神”, and prayers to the ancestors “祭祖活动(臘祭)”. The earliest legend of the celebration started since the time of “Yao Shun” 尧舜, who is on of the greatest general after the Yellow Emperor (黄帝) who is the first ancestor of the Han/Chinese race/ethnic. in the “Er Ya Shi Tian”, 《爾雅·釋天》, it is said that the celebration of a “year” periodic was named differently in different dynasty, and the “YEAR” word that we use today, which is “NIAN”, was used in the “ZHOU” 周 dynasty. “夏曰歲 in XIA dynasty, it’s called “SHUI”,商曰祀 in SHANG Dynasty, it’s called “SHI”,周曰年 in ZHOU Dynasty, its called “NIAN”。
Earlier Chinese Scripture of the word “NIAN”/Spring Festival/Year has the image (pictograph) of “ripe paddy”, which connotes the celebration of “harvest”. in the “Shuo Wen Zi JIe” or the record of explanation of Ancient Chinese word, it says that the word “Year/NIAN” means the ripen of Crops “《说文解字》:“年,谷熟也。从禾千声。”
Therefore, do not be confused by the story of NIAN monster and the story of Spring Festival Celebration. the logical deduction is, Chinese people celebrated the Spring Festival WAY WAY WAY before the appearance of the NIAN MONSTER story, or if it’s real, the NIAN MONSTER. The Nian Monster gave rise to the ritual of Celebrating Spring Festival through lighting up fire crackers, and wearing red, but it doesn’t explain the origin of the celebration of almost 4000 years old.
______________________________________________________________________
4.) ANG PAU? or the Red Packet.
The Story of Ang Pau is rather straight forward and simple : blessings from elderly to the younger through the giving of money sealed in red packet. there are many sayings and presumptions on how the traditions on this red packet are to be practiced, IE only the married are to give, and unmarried one to receive.
However, please be mindful that majority of the 1.5billion mandarin speakers don’t know what “Ang Pau” means. Ang Pau is the Hokkien word for “red packet”.
Among South East Asia Mandarin speakers, it’s called “Hong2 Bao1红包 ”
but in China and Mainland, it’s called “Ya1 Sui4 qian2 压岁钱 “,
in Hong Kong or Among the Cantonese, its called “Lai See ” 利事
Hokkien people call it “Ang Pau”.
The wide use of the word “ANG PAU” in Malaysia among other alternatives of the Red Packet is mainly attributed to the early infusion and assimilation of the Peranakans in Melaka and Penang, who are mainly HOKKIENS. the Cantoneses, Hakkas and others don’t call it “Ang Pau”. only the Hokkiens and Malays and None Mandarin / Dialect speaking Chinese in Malaysia (Bananas).
__________________________________________________________
5.) Do you actually know what is the meaning of “Gong Xi Fa Chai (Mandarin)”, “Gong Hei Fat Choy (Cantonese)”, “Giong Hi Huat Chai (Hokkien)” etc? 恭喜发财 。
it literally means “Congratulation and Make more Money”. I think the Chinese might be the only ehtnic in this world that use the greeting of “make more money” as the primary greetings during the New Year / Spring celebration. Imagine during 1st January, westerners greet each other “Happy New Year! Make More money!” LOL. Very uniquely chinese indeed I must say.
___________________________________________________________
6.) the song “Gong Xi Ni’ 恭喜 恭喜 恭喜你 was not originally a New Year/ Spring Festival Song. It’s a Song commemorating Japanese Surrender post World War Two.
The song gong xi gong xi gong xi ni has nothing to do with spring festival or Chinese new year. ORIGINAL LYRICS was composed by 民国歌仙 陈歌辛 (a notable composer during min guo era , chen ge xian) in 1945 to commemorate the end of second sin o – Japanese war (WW2). it is only later on, that songstress Yao Li姚莉 and her brother, amended the second phase and fourth phase, which was ORIGINALLY written as WARFARE PROPAGANDA, into the chinese new year friendly ‘winter gone and spring came” phase. it was sang by the siblings without any heavy drums or percussions. just light music with only Guitar as accompaniment.
_____________________________________________________
7.) The “Human” birthday on the 7th day of the new year
Many Chinese still celebrates the 7th day of the new year as “human day”, signifying the day in which Human being were created by 女娲 Nu Wa the goddess. (note that the chinese believes on creationism was really really really mild – almost near none believe, unlike the Abrahamic followers’ believe on God’s creation of men).
Legend has it that Nu Wa first created Chicken on the First day, Dog on the second day, Pig on the Third day, Sheep on the Fourth day, Cow on the Fifth day, and Horse on the Sixth day. On the Seventh day, she created Mankind. Therefore Chinese people would celebrate the Seventh day as “Human day” and greet each other “HAPPY BIRTHDAY”.
_____________________________________________________
8.) Birthday of the Jade Emperor on the 9th day, and why you see the Hokkiens people burn their sugar Cane
Legend also has it that the 9th day of the New year is the birthday of the Jade Emperor, or 天公诞 / heavenly birthday. Mainland China would make prayers to the Jade Emperor in temple, while the HOKKIENS people would pray to the Jade Emperor with “Sugar Cane”.
Why Sugar Cane?
in Ming and Qing Dynasty, the Hokkien territories were always subjected to invasion by the Wo Kou倭寇 (Japanese Pirates). ever since the Ming Dynasties, Wo Kou / Japanese Pirates invade the Hokkien territories shores constantly.
in one particular year around 1500 ++, the Japanese Pirates launched a large scale invasion into the Hokkien Province. The Ming Court sent a large troop of army to fight off these pirates. Rest of the civilians and peasants ran off and hide inside a Sugar Cane forest and hide there for the night, from the first day of New Year until the 9th day. On the 9th day, the pirates were defeated and only then the civilians went back to celebrate their new year (hence, “little new year”). they also made this day the “birthday of Jade Emperor”, being the Patron Deity that they prayed for safe and security. As such, every 9th day of the new year, Hokkiens would prepare sumptious offerings and sugar cane to the Jade Emperor as gratitude for his blessings.
___________________________________________________
I hope this few points gave you a rather deeper and different understanding about the Spring Festival 🙂 it is after all a celebration of 4000 years old and modifications / twisting of traditons are inevitable. Nevertheless, the preservation of it’s spirit and essence for such long years deserve due recognition by the celebrators to it’s detail and history.
HAPPY SPRING FESTIVAL, and MAKE MORE MONEY (GONG XI FA CHAI)!!
Tai Zee Kin

Source: http://taizeekin.com/2017/01/