| Flocking to Mexico to Mark Mayan Calendar End Posted: 21 Dec 2012 08:33 AM PST | Thousands of tourists visit the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza in Mexico's Yucatan state. They are waiting for the Mayan calendar cycle to come to an end on December 21. Full story: Thousands of new age mystics, spiritual adventurers and simple curiosity seekers are flocking to the Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza. This as the site gears up for the end of the Mayan calendar cycle on Friday. Many visitors are members of new age tour groups that focus on December 21st as a time for a spiritual awakening. [Jane, American Tourist]: "This was supposed to usher in a golden age of humanity. Some others feel that there is still some turmoil and there has to be a kind of purification of the planet and the break-down that we're seeing and the turmoil we're seeing around socio-economically politically is part of that upheaval. People are waking up to how this isn't working so well." Other visitors, however, are unimpressed with the mystical and apocalyptic interpretations of the Mayan calendar. [Jade Salvador, Spanish Tourist]: "That day has become too commercialized as the end of the world. It's simply the end of the Mayan calendar, as time goes on we will realize there is a continuity. Primarily, it's interesting from the minute you step foot on this land, not only because of the date." [Carlos Villanueva, Anthropologist]: "This is simply the end of the 13th Baktun. Another will start, until we arrive at the 20th. The rest is propaganda based on marketing that uses terror and ignorance to <b>...</b> | Views: 98 5 ratings | | Time: 01:52 | More in News & Politics |
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| Mayan calendar believers prep for end of the world Posted: 21 Dec 2012 07:54 AM PST | Tourists arrive in Sirince in western Turkey, believed to be one of the few places on earth not affected by the Mayan "end of the world" prophecy, while a French town of the same repute stays quiet. Full Story: Tourists arrive in Sirince in western Turkey, believed to be one of the few places on earth not affected by the Mayan "end of the world" prophecy, while a French town of the same repute stays quiet. December 21 marks the final day of the ancient Mayan calendar as doomsdayers seek refuge in Sirince, Turkey. The ancient Greek town is believed to be one of the few places on earth not affected by the "end of the world," prophecy. Some say they just came to the town to have fun. [Alp Ankircioglu, Turkish Tourist]: "They said that it is going to be the end of the world so we just thought that it is going to be a great opportunuty to have a party here." Meanwhile, in the French mountain village of Bugarach, residents woke to an unexpected calm. Media frenzy has overrun the tiny town for weeks following rumours that nearby mountain, the Pic de Bugarach, harbours aliens that will rescue the village from the apocalypse. [Eric Frysselinard, Aude Prefect]: "Today we have no crowds in the village so I observed that our organisation, the police, has dissuaded people from coming to the village." Some say the end of the Mayan calendar signals doom, while others say it simply marks the start of a new cycle. For more news and videos visit ☛ ntd.tv Follow us on Twitter ☛ http Add <b>...</b> | Views: 99 1 ratings | | Time: 01:08 | More in News & Politics |
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| Jane Fonda Turns 75 on Mayan D-Day Posted: 21 Dec 2012 07:36 AM PST | American actress Jane Fonda will celebrate her 75th birthday today (Friday). She's a strong supporter for women's rights and is also a political activist. Full Story: Hollywood star Jane Fonda is turning 75 today. The award-winning actress, who won Oscars for her roles in "Klute" and "Coming Home", has most recently appeared in a new HBO series "The Newsroom". Fonda is also a strong supporter of feminist causes and is well-known for her political activism. She was a strong opponent to major American wars, such as Vietnam, and more recently the military conflict in Iraq. [Jane Fonda, Actress]: "I remember 50 years ago when there weren't any women in positions of power in Hollywood. And it's important now that that's slowly beginning to happen. That we celebrate our successes, our achievements. That we mark those victories and we encourage the young ones coming up to not give up." Her birthday will also coincide with a special date in the Mayan calendar. According to traditional belief, December 21, 2012 marks the end of the world. But Fonda doesn't seem too nervous about this doomsday theory. She recently told US TV host Jimmy Kimmel that it is believed to be a date when cosmic paradigms will shift and things get better. | Views: 9 1 ratings | | Time: 01:17 | More in People & Blogs |
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| The Science of the End of the World- Dec 21, 2012 Posted: 20 Dec 2012 10:52 PM PST | NASA Explain The Mysteries Of The Mayan Calendar Full script: "The end of the world is nigh! Grab your teddy bear, say goodbye to your loved ones, for the end of days is upon us!!" Well, not according to NASA. Top US science boffins recently gathered on google hang out to discuss why they think December 21st will be just another day. NASA's chief "near earth" guru Don Yeomans says no rogue planets, asteroids or comets are approaching our world. Head of "Living with a star" program Lika Guhathakurta says the suns solar flare activity is the calmest it has been for 50 years. And most importantly of all, leading archeoastronomer Dr. John Carlson says the doomsday prophets have got it all wrong, and even the much fabled Mayan calendar doesn't predict the end of the world. So what's all the fuss about? Well, alongside studying distant galaxies for NASA, Dr. Carlson has also been researching Mayan astonomy for over 30 years. He says that to understand the Mayan calendar properly, all you have to do is check the dashboard of your car. Yes, much like the milometer on your favorite vehicle, once the cycle gets back to nought, it simply starts all over again. And in case you are in any doubt, check this out. Leading global scientists believe the earth was created around 14 billion years ago. But to the Mayans, this is just small fry. They recorded vast astronomical ages that make todays scientists look like goldfish trapped in a bowl, and measured billions of billions of years, in <b>...</b> | Views: 398 9 ratings | | Time: 01:58 | More in Science & Technology |
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| Netizens Say All is Well on December 12, 2012 Posted: 20 Dec 2012 03:40 PM PST | It's still Thursday here in the US, but for residents in China, it's Friday, December 21—the last recorded day on the Mayan calendar. In the lead up to this day, rumors including three-straight days of darkness sparked a candle shopping spree. Others built shelters they hoped would get them through the end of days. Chinese police also began rounding up individuals they say were spreading doomsday rumors. But according to Weibo users, December 21st appeared to be like any other day. The only thing that caused some alarm was the weather forecast. Temperatures in the capital Beijing plummeted suddenly on Thursday. Over the weekend, residents there can expect the coldest December nights in 10 years. Saturday's low is expected to be only 5 degrees Fahrenheit. Beijing's rumor fearing authorities have already told residents not to link the freeze to any talk of the end of the world. For more news and videos visit ☛ ntd.tv Follow us on Twitter ☛ http Add us on Facebook ☛ on.fb.me | Views: 101 2 ratings | | Time: 00:54 | More in News & Politics |
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| New Dumpster Signs Spark Outrage After Boys' Death Posted: 20 Dec 2012 03:39 PM PST | "Humans and animals prohibited from entering. Violate at own risk". This appears to be fair warning for these dumpsters along the streets of Bijie city, in Guizhou province. But the signage has created uproar on China's Internet. That's because in November, five young boys died inside one of these dumpsters. They had crawled in one night, lit a charcoal lantern to keep warm, and were found dead the next morning. They died from carbon monoxide poisoning. [Mr. Li, Resident of Bijie City]: "Authorities did this to show people that they have given you fair warning, and if you still go in, then it's your own fault, not the government's. It's actually a very irresponsible attitude." The victims, aged 9 to 13-years-old, were all cousins. They were part of China's "left behind children"--rural kids whose parents have left to find work elsewhere. In this case, the boys were left with their grandma, and they were known to wonder around the streets of Bijie. But locals say the new signage is hardly a solution for kids like them. [Mr. Li, Resident of Bijie City]: "The authority should solve the problem of children left at home and homeless children...then there won't be homeless kids, and they won't get into the dumpsters anymore." One netizen had a suggestion for what Bijie authorities should do instead. He wrote on his Weibo account, quote, "Children can't read, animals can't read, only the government knows how to read. So please, get into the dumpster yourself." This isn't the <b>...</b> | Views: 72 3 ratings | | Time: 02:05 | More in News & Politics |
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| Southern Weekly's Exposé on Wang Lijun Snatched Off Shelves Posted: 20 Dec 2012 03:38 PM PST | An exposé on Chongqing's former police chief Wang Lijun has reportedly been pulled off the shelves. Observers say it's another sign that Chinese leaders are still far from ready for scrutiny. This latest edition of the Southern Weekly features the man now behind bars. The Guangdong-based media conglomerate is known for its bold reporting that sometimes crosses China's murky censorship lines. The edition came out on Monday, and was reportedly snatched up within hours. By that evening, booksellers said no more were available, and the edition has been recalled. [Zhu Jianguo, Shenzhen Author] "The public hoped this exposé could be used to reflect on the country as a whole. But this is obviously what the regime wants, so it has to stop the story. This shows that even though some people are happy this might be another wave of reform, it's probably just wishful thinking." In February, Wang Lijun inadvertently exposed one of the biggest political scandals for the Chinese regime, after he fled to a US consulate. The Southern Weekly focused on Wang's complex relationship with ousted Party secretary of Chongqing, Bo Xilai. It also revealed how their infamous crime-fighting campaign frequently relied on brutal torture. The 8-article collection alleged Bo had ordered Wang to set up a massive surveillance and intelligence network in Chongqing, including using GPS technology to track individuals. It also said Wang was obsessed with his public image. [Guo Yongfeng, Shenzhen Author <b>...</b> | Views: 36 2 ratings | | Time: 02:27 | More in News & Politics |
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| China's Blue Book Anti-corruption Efficacy Questioned Posted: 20 Dec 2012 08:38 PM PST | Follow us on TWITTER: twitter.com Like us on FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com China's Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) recently released the second part of the anti-corruption Blue Book. It claims, the corruption take many shapes and forms, and the situation is critical. The Blue Book shows that nearly 60% of the Chinese urban and rural residents, have obvious confidence in the anti-corruption work of the last 5 years. However, the true feelings of the people are not the same. Let's take a look at the report. CASS released 'China Anti-corruption Construction Report No.2' on December 19th, after a questionnaire investigation of people in all industries. The report says, in 2011, the national discipline inspection organs sanctioned 4843 county level cadres or above, and recovered a property of 8,44 billion Yuan. The Blue Book says: 'In the context of globalization, ressources, finance, culture, information, etc., are all fast-moving multi-nationally, or integrating, through the modern information technology. The manifestations of corruption also changed, for example: the corruption spreads from individuals to groups; corrupt means changed from dominant to recessive, circuitously extorting money, etc.' However, the Blue Book claims that nearly 60% of Chinese urban and rural residents have obvious confidence in the anti-corruption work of the last 5 years. This is roughly the same as 2011, with a slight increase. Mr. Zhang, from Tianjin, was suppressed, because of reporting <b>...</b> | Views: 34 1 ratings | | Time: 04:14 | More in News & Politics |
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| First CCP Newspaper Chief Editor Apologizes for June 4th Posted: 20 Dec 2012 08:03 PM PST | Follow us on TWITTER: twitter.com Like us on FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com Media reported that Beijing media professionals recently disclosed that Xu Zhuqing made a first public apology to reporters and editors who were punished for involvement in the "June 4th pro-democracy movement" of 1989. In 1989, Xu was then-chief editor of China Youth Daily, a mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The report reviewed that the apology gave a perfect end to Xu's political career. Boxun.com quoted informed sources, saying that on his retirement farewell in 2004, Xu Zhuqing openly apologized to his colleagues who had been punished for participating in the June 4th pro-democracy movement. The report said that as a vice-ministerial level CCP cadre, Xu Zhuqing is the first chief-editor of a CCP central newspaper who has made such a pubic apology. Li Datong, former senior editor of the China Youth Daily, says that in 1989, many CCP officials did not act of their own free will. Li Datong: "Every person of integrity has such feelings. In 1989, those officials had to do something, but in fact, that was not their own free will. So he apologized for this when he retired." During the 1989 pro-democracy movement, China Youth Daily published on the front page a large photo of its journalists and editors walking in the march. The report said that in facing the slander of "4-26 Editorial," the newspaper's journalists and editors and Beijing's media professionals jointly released an open <b>...</b> | Views: 12 0 ratings | | Time: 03:42 | More in News & Politics |
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| Li Xiaopeng Elected Governor, How Far Can Li Peng Send Him? Posted: 20 Dec 2012 08:00 PM PST | Follow us on TWITTER: twitter.com Like us on FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com The Chinese Communist Party of Shanxi province made a decision on December 19th naming Li Xiaopeng,the eldest son of Li Peng, former CCP Prime Minister the acting governor of Shanxi. Overseas media alleged that the long-cherished wish of Li Peng has come true: Li Xiaopeng has been promoted to acting governor after being elected alternative member of CCP Central Committee during the 18th Congress. Then, how far can Li Peng send Li Xiaopeng who has a very bad political reputation in his career? It's one of the focuses of the outside world's media. Is Li Xiaopeng's appointment as acting governor of Shanxi due to the good home education by Li Peng his father? Or is it Li Peng's arrangement that has extended his family's power in the regime. The oversea Chinese media belives that the real reason is the continuing political impact of Li Peng 's time in office. It's widely known that Li Xiaopeng is the eldest son of the former Prime Minister Li Peng and his wife Zhu Lin. He used to be the leader of China's "Huaneng Group"and "Huaneng International". He has been called an "Asian Power King". Analysts have pointed out that Li Xiaopeng's working experience is simple, he has never worked at grass root level. It will be difficult for him to understand poor Chinese. In recent years, every change of Li Xiaopeng's position has attracted the attention of the outside world. During the CCP's 18th Congress, oversea <b>...</b> | Views: 1 0 ratings | | Time: 03:43 | More in News & Politics |
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| Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan Visits US Posted: 20 Dec 2012 07:57 PM PST | Follow us on TWITTER: twitter.com Like us on FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com Wang Qishan, Vice Premier of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), who is in charge of long-term trade, has recently arrived in the US with the delegation. This visit is to attend the US-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT). On December 19, both sides committed to find a solution for trade differences between the two countries. Analysts believe this is a game between the two countries. It is affirmed that ultimately, the United States will gain the upper hand. The CCP might recede to make the US keep silent on human rights, and relieve the political pressure. Wang Qishan attended the 23rd JCCT on December 18 and 19 in Washington DC. CCP media reports said Wang Qishan led a large delegation, composed of more than 20 government departments. This includes foreign affairs, commerce, science and technology, finance and others. Wang Qishan's visit to the United States not only marks the first time for new CCP leaders to visit after the 18th National People's Congress. It also marks the first interaction at high levels, after Xi took the position of the CCP General Secretary, and Obama was re-elected. Xie Tian, professor at the School of Business at University of South Carolina of Aiken highlights that China-US trade disputes have existed for a long time. In accordance with the plight of the Chinese economy, it is very difficult to solve this problem. Prof. Xie Tian: "The biggest differences <b>...</b> | Views: 14 1 ratings | | Time: 04:04 | More in News & Politics |
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