#but now it's the 5th highest domestic opening ever

[blackwallywest]

black panther made a 3 day total of $201 million. happy black history month

[piyablog]

Current Affairs [12th March 2021] - All Important Events

विज्ञान और प्रौद्योगिकी मंत्रालय की नेशनल लेबोरेटरी फॉर साइंटिफिक कंप्यूटिंग (LNCC) ने कहा, नॉवल कोरोनावायरस, SARS-CoV-2 का एक संभावित नया संस्करण ब्राजील के कई क्षेत्रों में पाया गया है ।

NCRB celebrates its 36th Inception Day

National Crime Records Bureau, NCRB celebrated its 36th Inception Day on 11 March 2021.

Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla presided over the function.

NCRB is an Indian government agency responsible for collecting and analyzing crime data as defined by the Indian Penal Code and Special and Local Laws.

It is headquartered in New Delhi and was set up in the year 1986.

Fare hike of 19% for all commercial vehicles

In J&K, in order to provide relief to commercial passenger transporters, the govt, has approved a fare hike of 19% for all categories of commercial passenger vehicles.

The decision has been taken based on cost analysis of fuel rates, toll tax, operational and maintenance cost, and losses incurred due to lockdown.

The previous fare revision took place two and a half years ago.

Read about JK Bank Banking Associate Recruitment here!

J&K Academy of Art to become a society now

The Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture, and Languages is all set to be a society now, following the directive by the government.

The Administrative Council has approved the proposal to register the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture, and Languages as a Society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.

It will be governed under the chairmanship of the Lieutenant Governor.

Read about JK Bank PO Recruitment here!

Plantation scheme to come up in J&K

The Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Council have approved the implementation of a high-density plantation scheme in the horticulture sector.

It will be launched with the support of the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd.

It will be implemented for apple, walnut, almond, cherry, litchi, and olive among others over an estimated area of 5500 hectares for 6 yrs.

Read about Government Schemes and Policies here!

US President signs 1.9 trillion dollar package

US President Joe Biden has signed the 1.9 trillion dollar coronavirus rescue package into law.

He characterized the measure as historic legislation aimed at rebuilding the backbone of the country.

The passage of the bill marked the first major legislative achievement of the new administration and a Congress that is now under full Democratic control.

Uttarakhand completes ONORC reform

Seventeen States have operationalized the ‘One Nation One Ration Card system’.

Uttarakhand is the latest one to complete the reform.

States completing One Nation One Ration Card system reform are eligible for additional borrowing of 0.25 percent of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP).

Accordingly, the center has granted additional borrowing permission of 37,600 crore rupees to these states.

Read about Major Points about Uttarakhand here!

PLI scheme approved

Chemicals and Fertilizers Ministry has accorded approval for the promotion of domestic manufacturing of critical key starting materials, drug intermediates, and active pharmaceutical ingredients under the Production Linked Incentive scheme.

Earlier the Union Cabinet had approved it for Pharmaceuticals over a period of Financial Year 2020-21 to 2028-29.

The Scheme will benefit domestic manufacturers.

Read about RCFL Recruitment here!

    Digitization of records of Mahatma Gandhi

Union Culture Minister Prahlad Singh Patel on 11 March 2021 inaugurated ‘Digitisation of 4 cr 50 lakh pages of Records and Exhibition on Mahatma Gandhi and the Non-Cooperation Movement.

It was launched on the occasion of the 131st foundation day of the National Archives of India.

Out of the total archive of nearly 18 cr pages, about 4 cr 50 lakh pages will be digitized in the first phase.

Brahma Kumaris’ Chief passes away

Brahma Kumaris’ Chief Administrator Dadi Hriday Mohini passed away on 11 March 2021.

Dadi Mohini was appointed as the Chief Administrator of the organization after the death of its former Chief Dadi Janki a year ago (in March 2020).

The Brahma Kumaris is a spiritual organization that teaches a form of meditation that focuses on identity as souls, as opposed to bodies.

Read about Obituaries Here!

Lou Ottens, the inventor of the cassette, passes away

Lou Ottens, the Dutch engineer who invented the audio cassette tape, passed away on 7 March 2021.

He also engineered the concept of magnetic tape players and computer discs (CDs).

Ottens founded the cassettes in1960s when he was employed with tech giant Philips.

ONGC acquires 5% stake in Indian Gas Exchange

Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) signed a Share Purchase and Shareholders Agreement (SPSHA) with the Indian Gas Exchange (IGX) and the Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) on March 10, 2021.

As per the agreement ONGC has acquired 5 percent equity in IGX.

ONGC is aligned with the government’s vision of increasing the share of gas in the energy mix to 15% by 2030.

Read about ONGC Apprentices Recruitment here!

PM to flag off padayatra from Sabarmati Ashram

PM Modi on 12 March 2021 will inaugurate the curtain-raiser activities of ‘Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav’ to commemorate 75 years of India’s independence.

He will also flag off the freedom march or ‘padayatra from Sabarmati Ashram.

The padayatra will be undertaken by 81 marchers from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad to Dandi in Navsari.

A journey of 241 miles will end on April 5, lasting for 25 days.

UK: 5th country to cross 125k Covid-19 deaths

On 11 March 2021, the UK became the fifth country to reach 125,000 Covid-19 deaths and 125,403 Covid-19 cases.

The UK has one of the highest death rates per capita in the world, with 188.33 per 100,000 residents.

The UK has become the 5th country following the United States, Brazil, Mexico, and India.

India has reported the fourth highest death toll of 125,168 deaths from Covid-19.

APEDA launches its first virtual trade fair

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority launched its first virtual trade fair on 10 March 2021.

The fair will be concluded on 12 March 2021.

It will boost the export of agricultural and processed food products.

266 Indian and international buyers from various countries have registered for the virtual fair.

1st Quad leaders’ summit to be held on Mar 12

The first Quad leaders’ summit will be held virtually on 12 March 2021.

PM Narendra Modi, PM of Australia Scott Morrison, Japanese PM Yoshihide Suga, and US President Joseph R Biden will participate in the 1st Leaders’ Summit of the Quadrilateral Framework.

The Leaders will exchange views on practical areas of cooperation towards maintaining a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.

    Iran, Bahamas & Benin receive Indian vaccines

Iran, Bahamas, and Benin received ‘Made in India’ Covid-19 vaccines on 11 March 2021.

Vaccines were dispatched under the ‘Vaccine Maitri’ program of the Government of India.

India’s Vaccine Maitri program aims to aid poor countries amidst global pandemic.

ADB raises $307 million from first panda issue

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has raised $307 mn from its first panda bond issue in more than a decade, representing its largest-ever borrowing in an Asian local currency.

The bond pays a 3.2% annual coupon and features a five-year bullet maturity redeeming in March 2026.

Proceeds of the bond will be added to ADB’s ordinary capital resources.

SEBI forms an expert group

SEBI has formed a group of experts to examine the feasibility of introducing Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs) like structures in India

The group, formed under Sebi’s Primary Market Advisory Committee (PMAC), has been asked to submit its report at the earliest.

SPACs are formed to raise capital in an initial public offering (IPO).

Read about SEBI Grade A here!

Mobile Digital Movie Theatre vans flagged off

Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu flagged off 5 Mobile Digital Movie Theatre vans of the Dept of Information and Public Relation from DK Convention Centre premises in Itanagar on 11 Mar’21.

These will be stationed at East Siang, Kurung Kumey, Lower Subansiri, Namsai, and Tawang districts. 

These will facilitate effective dissemination of information on policies and programs of the govt.

Samsung sets up an innovation lab in Delhi

Samsung Electronics has set up an innovation lab at Delhi Technological University (DTU).

It will promote joint research and training on domains such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and computer vision.

Engineers at Samsung R&D Institute, Noida, (SRI-N) will work on collaborative research projects with DTU students and faculty members.

[recentanimenews]

The Quintessential Quintuplets – 19 – Commencement of Hostilities

The War for Fuutaro begins not with a whimper, but with the bang of a two-stroke engine and the flash of a headlamp. Nino, ready to give up on Fuu once and for all, tells her stepdad she and her sisters are going to keep living on their own a while. Stepdad is poised to shit on the new home they made, but Nino is rescued by Fuutarou, her white knight on his motorbike steed.

Motorbike rides through the city are tailor-made for romantic scenes, as Nino is literally embracing Fuu from behind, and they’re all alone on their buzzing island. So after she finds his exam scores in his pocket (the lowest he’s ever had, though he doesn’t blame them) and he’s thinking about the end of their student-teacher relationship, Nino shoots her shot, telling him she loves him.

Fuutarou doesn’t react at all, which both confuses and frustrates Nino as they join the other sisters. There are other signs of hostilities commencing between sisters even as they share bites of their disparate deserts as thanks for helping each other out. Ichika realizes Miku said she’d confess if she had the highest scores, but Ichika got them…so does that mean it’s okay for her to confess?

As Miku seemingly shot herself in the foot with her wager and Ichika wavers, Nino keeps going for it, joining Fuutarou in the back and even helping wash the dishes with him, another lovely domestic activity. On her way out, she tells him to forget what she said on the bike, that it must’ve troubled him and she went too fast.

In response, Fuutarou genuinely asks: What is she talking about? He couldn’t hear whatever she said on the bike due to the wind. She tells him never mind and scoots off, seemingly glad he didn’t hear her since it means things can go back to the way they were. But then Nino, and QQ, does something I didn’t expect: she marches right back to the kitchen and tells him she loved him.

She has him recall her saying there’s one girl on the planet who’d fall for him, saying “That girl is me. Too bad for you!” Just excellent stuff. I’m so proud of Nino. Poor Ichika can only listen in horror from behind the wall.

Nino says she doesn’t expect a response, but if I were Fuutarou, not giving one wouldn’t sit right with me. Alas, he’s so thrown for a loop he’s unsure how to proceed, and her confession just sits out there. A day or so later Fuu encounters Miku at a supermarket she insists she went to not to see him, but…to enter into a contest with a grand prize of tickets to an onsen.

Because of that white lie, and all the more practical lesser prizes, both Miku and Fuu enter into the contest…and to their mutual surprise, both of them win! While Fuu takes his family and looks forward to being away from the quints to rest and think on things, he learns the quints are on vacation with their stepdad, who’d prefer if it was a vacation away from Fuu.

Nino approaches Fuu like it’s no big dealio, and it’s not—for her! She did what none of the other quints who like him had the courage to do: risk everything by making those feelings plain. With the ball in his court, Nino can relax and keep pushing to become “girlfriend material”. When she calls him Fuutarou, Miku immediately perks up. Also, Itsuki wants to speak to Fuu later.

That night, Fuu finds a note in his cubby saying “courtyard, midnight”, but finds Itsuki in the lobby instead. She asks him straight-up what he thinks their relationship with them (the sisters) is. When he uses the tired “partners” line, she says it’s time to “put and end” to that relationship. Confused and distraught, Fuu takes hold of Itsuki…and gets flipped head-over-heels by the old man at the desk—who is the quints’ grandfather!

The next morning, Fuu calls Itsuki, who assures him she never met with him last night. They meet at the baths, where Fuu tells her about the impostor, who I’m guessing was Miku (because it sounded most like her). Whoever it was, they were trying to do what Nino was initially going to do: separate from him altogether to avoid the heartbreak of rejection.

Right on cue, Nino prepares to join Fuu in the mixed bath (Itsuki is over on the women’s side), but Fuu, having been fooled last night, ruins things by asking her who she is, even though he was pretty sure it was Nino. Itsuki tells him she wanted to ask why the others are acting so odd, something even the typically dense Fuu has noticed.

When Fuu says they’re not “partners” working toward the same goal anymore, Itsuki corrects him: after all they’ve been through, can’t they both admit that what they truly are now is plain old friends? For Itsuki and Fuu, perhaps. But for those who have fallen in love with him, it’s not that simple.

Episode Seven Quintuplet Ranking:

Nino: Comes out with guns blazing, but all of these early victories make me fear that she’s being set up for some kind of fall down the road. The future aside, the motorbike ride, kitchen re-confession, and mixed bath visit were all sublime. I recommend Fuu marry this girl yesterday. Total Points: 28 (1st)

Itsuki: Seems to be cementing her role as Fuu’s trusty pal and confidante, as well as continuing her role as Ambassador to the United Quintuplets. If this is a long-game strategy, she hasn’t shown her hand, but hey, they’re talking! Total Points: 24 (2nd)

Miku: Between losing to Ichika at exams and to Nino at…everything else, Miku seems to be in dire straits. At the same time, she hasn’t given up yet… Total Points: 17 (5th)

Ichika: …Which is more than I can say for this one. Ichika continues to harbor a negative, defeatist attitude. She couldn’t capitalize on the opening Miku gave her because she was waiting for someone to tell her if it was okay to act. Then again, there wasn’t much she could have done against Nino. Total Points: 18 (Tied for 4th)

Yotsuba: If it wasn’t Miku disguised as Itsuki in the lobby, maybe it was Yotsuba. It’s how I explain why recedes into the shadows after the bakery celebration. I’m not really sure what (if anything) she’s up to, but it’s not happening on-screen. Total Points: 18 (Tied for 4th)

By: sesameacrylic

[kpopduckjill]

BTS Guide for Adults, a Reason to Their Key to Success

[Source] http://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=047&aid=0002170908

[Translator’s Note: I saw this article floating on twitter and thought it’d be super important to translate for i-armies. Sometimes it feels like BTS doesn’t get enough love in Korean media and also that their music is only for teens but this highlights that they are making headways into gaining popularity in Korean media and within older generations!]

[Split open and listen to K-pop] BTS who has earned worldwide fame has grown with splendid performance and SNS as the groundwork

[Oh My News Writer: Kim Sang-hwa, Editor: Oh Su-Mi]

'Split open and listen to K-pop' is a corner where we serve a variety of stories about popular music in Korea. We deliver reviews for popular works, industry trends, and other various content. <Editor's Note>

▲ This past year BTS gone past Korea and solidified their place as a group that has fanatically excited the world.

ⓒ  BigHit Entertainment

The hottest name this year in domestic pop is BTS. Even in their infancy during their debut (June 2013 debut) they were known for their unusual name more than their music. Although they slowly gained fame, compared to preexisting groups it seemed that they were lacking to shape up to definitively become a top trend.

However, with releasing their hit songs 'I Need U', 'Run', etc in 2015 as a starting point, they started a march towards fame without hesitation that can only be described with the expression 'to sprint without brakes'. And now they've risen to become a group that is acknowledged on the world stage.

And yet with all that the older generation, especially for the middle-aged and elderly generation who find keeping up with the daily changes and flow of music overwhelming, their awareness of BTS is, as ever, unfamiliar. The content below will explain why BTS has gotten popular and gained fame, and serve as a short guide for the middle-aged and elderly generation who have yet to realize the reason for their fame. For passionate fans, the content will be insufficient b far. It's also difficult to capture everything about them in one article so we ask for your understanding ahead of time.

BTS's Fame that is Adults Are Unacquainted With

▲ As ever, the popularity and even name of BTS is unfamiliar to the older generations.

ⓒ BigHit Entertainment

The landscape of music in 2017 is completely different than that of 10-20 years ago, with the 1st generation of idols with groups such as H.O.T., Sechkies, S.E.S., and Finkl, and the 2nd generation with DBSK, SS501, etc. Even with selling hundreds of thousands of albums their aren't many in the older generation who know the names of these groups. Generating all their profit from fandoms, the 21st century music market focuses their activities mainly on targeting passionate consumers. The need to appeal to older generations has rather faded.

Starting with the main consumers of the idol market, teens (people aged 10-19), the difference in temperature of popularity amongst younger generations and older generations can only feel vast. At least for mothers whose children like BTS the situation is a bit better. BTS has gathered their fandom via communicating through Youtube, VLive, and other SNS platforms. They also don't appear on variety shows that can help make BTS feel more familiar to older generations due to their busy overseas schedules. This is one of the reasons why the older generation might be unacquainted with BTS.

Bang Shi-Hyuk's first idea was not an idol group but a hiphop group

▲ Compared to today, in their debut days BTS made strong music incorporating gangster rap amongst other genres.

ⓒ BigHit Entertainment

Nobody could have predicted that BTS would rise to the position they are at now five years ago when they debuted in 2013. Bang Shi-hyuk CEO (BigHit Entertainment, songwriter), who produced BTS also was one of these people.

As a popular songwriter of JYP, Bang Shi-hyuk entered the music industry through winning 'Yu Jae-Ha's Music Contest'. Compared to a considerable number of songwriters who have pushed for lyricism such as Cho Kyu-Chan, Go Chan-Yong, and Yu Hee-Yul, Bang Shi-Hyuk solidified his position in trendy pop and dnace music. This was a bit of an peculiar path. Alhtough he did create many songs like Baek Ji-Young's representative track 'Like Being Hit by a Bullet'.

Bang Shi-Hyuk's original idea was not to create an idol group, but a hip hop group with many members like N.W.A. or Wu-Tang Clan. We can suppose that he was able to come up with an unconventional concept because he's lived a music life that was different from others.

Although he made contact with rapper Beenzino and the winner of Show Me the Money 4 produced by Mnet, rapper Basick, he wasn't able to bring his idea to fruition. The team frame was created with Rap Monster (currently active under the moniker RM) at the center and while preparing for debut, the team's direction and members changed.

'Strong' music when they debuted...  the success of <The Most Beautiful Moment in Life> series (HYYH) that showed flexibility

▲ Popular songwriter Bang Shi-hyuk. He is the origin of BTS.

ⓒ BigHit Entertainment

If you examine their 2013 debut single, <2 Cool 4 Skool>'s title track 'No More Dream' to the 2014 mini 2nd album <Skool Luv Affair>'s 'Boy in Luv' that is used in various audition programs as a competition song, the tracks are quite different than BTS's music today.

Simply put, this is because with so-called 'strong' hip-hop music, they set forth a front, with H.O.T.'s 'Downfall of the Warrior' or Seo Taiji and the Boys's 'Come Back Home' coming to mind. Even today, hip-hop is a main genre in BTS's music. But if you consider that today BTS evenly accomodates EDM and trendy pop sounds, their sound has changed significantly since their beginning. This (their sound in the beginning) played a part in setting them apart from teams that appeared at a similar time and also helped grow their fandom. However, it seemed that this 'strong concept' was also a impediment to building their popularity. During this process, the success of the <The Most Beautiful Moment in Life> series that started in 2015 was their turning point.

BTS’s I Need U Dance Practice: https://youtu.be/hvUZb9NT7EY

These works sung of the youth of an anxious era and highlighted BTS's features. With a flexible melody that was hard to find in their earlier work, the HYYH series was the ignition that secured their fandom.

Part 1's title track 'I Need U' created a large sensation that led to not only boy groups but many girl groups to cover the track, and Part 2's 'Run' with its components of rock music attempted many musical variations. Their perfectly in sync choreography and extravagant performance that is now their trademark was also a large component of their popularity as well.

In 2015, 2 years after their debut, BTS achieved first place at a music program and sold 520,000 copies of <The Most Beautiful Moment in Life> part 1 and part 2 placing their names among the ranks of popular idol groups.

Past the domestic stage to the world stage

With the settlement of the <The Most Beautiful Moment in Life> series with <The Most Beautiful Moment in Life  Young Forever> and their second full album <Wings> BTS combined their success to win a daesang at the year end music awards. Up until this point, there isn't much difference from other popular idol groups.

However, as if they were thoroughly well-known, BTS has raised a great sensation in the overseas markets and have launched them to be 'world stars'. Of course as in the past and as it is today, overseas tours and other activities earning foreign profit falls under the category of normal activity but BTS has acquired fans from a larger range and has achieved a differentiated success.

BTS’s FIRE Dance Practice: https://youtu.be/sWuYspuN6U8

Videos of BTS's brilliant performances have propagated through the work via Youtube and other SNS platforms. BTS's videos lack nothing in capturing the hearts of the public in the American pop market which hasn't seen another boy group emerge after One Direction.

In 2017 with their special album <You Never Walk Alone> and <LOVE YOURSELF 承 'Her'> which sold as many as 1,400,000 copies domestically, and having won an award at the Billboard Music Awards, having performed at the American Music Awards, having appeared on three popular talk shows on public American TV networks, and with plans to appear on a New Year's special show (Dick Clark's Rocking Eve) BTS is paving their own path that no one has walked on before.

Their success factor... what they have yet to show us infinite

▲ On the 5th, Billboard reported that BTS's 'Mic Drop' (Steve Aoki remix) will rank 28th on the Billboard Hot100 and have the highest rank as a k-pop group in history.

ⓒ BigHit Entertainment

[I] will shortly organize the last five years of BTS's path. To be honest, with all this it may still not be enough for the older generations to understand why BTS is so popular and is the top trend. Then, it might be helpful to hear from Bang Shi-Hyuk CEO, who created BTS, on why they have succeeded.

On the 30th of last month, MAMA held their 2017 Professional Awards in a hotel in Hong Kong. On that day, Bang Shi-Hyuk gave the keynote speech on 'BTS's success and their coexistence with the Western Music Market', and I have condensed the speech into three points.

"Coexistence between mainstream culture and alternative culture"

"Coexistence between traditional media and new media"

"Coexistence of a fandom that transcends ethnicities and countries"

It is true that Psy's 'Gangnam Style' in 2012 raised a larger sensation. Through this song the potential to raise k-pop, that was the exclusive property of k-pop enthusiasts, to the mainstream showed promise, but unfortunately did not sustain strength. This is because it was not built on the foundation of a loyal fandom.

BTS, on the other hand, has shown potential over the past two years that built on a strong fandom, they could rise to mainstream culture. This statement is made with the optimistic meaning that BTS will not simply stay put at where they are today.

BTS’s DNA Dance Practice: https://youtu.be/GEIU_7v40Dw

As of late, it has been a while since it is absolutely important to communicate and promote on SNS platforms and the internet. BTS, too, is active in using such platforms and has succeeded in raising a reaction that is greater than with other groups. This has caused others who don't know about BTS to also have interest. Also, as this is a shift from promotion that happened primarily through mass media to promotion that focuses on the artist individually, this is a subject that is worth paying attention to. Through this method, the formation of a diverse fandom is something that BTS can be proud of and is also the groundwork their popularity.

Unlike preceding (sunbae) groups that have gained popularity in mainly China, Japan, Southeast Asia, and other Asian regions, BTS's fandom is encompassed of fans from all over the world, including the U.S., Europe, and South America. Through the medium of music, they have shown us the coexistence of a fandom that transcends ethnicities and countries. Just in time, BTS's single 'Mic Drop' (Steve Aoki Remix) has placed 28th on the Billboard Hot100 Single chart as the highest placing k-pop group in history.

For these seven young men who have yet to show us more, the results they have produced up to now will not be the peak of BTS, but a starting point for yet another type of success.

Copyright (c) Oh My News (citizen reporter), distribution and redistribution without notice is not allowed

Extra text | This post has also appeared on Kim Sang-hwa's personal blog (http://blog.naver.com/jazzkid) Oh My News allows duplicate distribution since the author wrote it by his or herself.

[Comments]

true****

They have started to dig into the 30-40s middle-aged to elderly segment at an alarming pace. The distribution of different age groups on the comments on BTS articles is proof. There are many auntie and uncle fans like myself who are sorry we recognized them so late

myma****

Congrats to Bangtan and Bang Shi-hyuk~ When I see things like this it highlights that not only are the artists important, but the planning ability of a supportive company is also important. To compare with another group, in Gukkasten's case with the best vocal ability of Ha Hyun-Woo and with music that would sit well overseas, without the planning of their company it seems they just fade away. I'm personally a bit sad...

gjgo****

I hope that they continue with the same belief and faith as in the beginning. Bang CEO, Bangtan, and Armies let's be together forever!!!!!!

[nativeoftheworld]

Tears in Taiwan

There is an image I have burned into me of the stunning Taiwan from decades of accumulated experiences stacked atop of the knowledge that this is my parents’ homeland. Taiwan has the previously tallest skyscraper in the world: Taipei 101. At the highest level, the observatory, you can catch a glimpse of the mountainous regions and rock formations through the clouds and mist. Somewhere on those mountains grow lychee fruits aplenty, and somewhere by those trees is a dear friend of mine trying to pick a few for his afternoon snack. The path towards those mountains pass by farmers’ fields and shrine graves amidst exotic flora. If you continue along that path (with a few minor twists and turns), you'll eventually encounter my mom’s middle school, the soymilk place my dad would go to every night because it was the only option, the noodle restaurant that my mom’s family frequented ever since the current owner’s mother was running the business, and the bakery full of goodies right beneath the apartment I've lived in for years. At one point, there was a taxi driver who would wait for us right outside the bakery because he knew we would need a ride to my grandma’s house, and it always had perfect timing—not a single skipped day. This fanciful idea of Taiwan blurs whenever I actually exist in the shoddy excuse of a country; the air stinks of malordorous chickens being inhumanely slaughtered and rotting homeless citizens being inhumanely neglected, the run-down concrete buildings never recovered from their most recent earthquake disaster, and the people can be far too socially conservative to the point of blatant racism and sexism. Needless to say, I have my qualms about this country just like the rest of the politically active citizens (not even counting the actual politicians, who are passionate enough to bring out the fists against each other). One would be the backwards culture of the elders; domestic violence is treated like it is common, animal welfare laws barely exist and only human-owned animals are considered, and women are seen as failures if they are not married by the age of 30. Of course, the younger citizens living in a more globalized digital world are generally different and much more progressive. All of them have been less judgmental than expected whenever I tell them my beliefs, which I do when requested because there is never a reason to lie (except to save someone’s life, which is a philosophical/ethical thought experiment that might become a lot less hypothetical during this trip). The macrocosm of Taiwan cannot compare to its microcosms: yesterday my grandma put out an opened can of dog food for the area’s cats to eat. It turns out that the three felines had long since moved away (or maybe they didn't have a taste for dog food—our chihuahua sure didn't), but memories of the cats and dogs my grandma would rescue and clean up from off the street are pleasant. She did accidentally overdose one of the cats by trying to give it uncut Tylenol to soothe its battle wounds, but we don't mention that. Almost everything you'll ever need is accessible by walking, and always affordable. Many street foods cost less than a dollar and are incredibly mouthwatering, and socks cost around 10¢ a pair. Once you exit the night market and its fake stars (but, boy, is that area LIT), you can generally enter a department store that looks like a conspicuous consumer would think the decor too fluffily luxurious, but still buy the clothing, undeterred by the hiked-up prices because you get what you pay for, right? If only quality worked that way—the world would certainly be a just one if that were the case. And so I continued wishing that the world worked that way as I heard the news that my best friend and our mutual human rights activist friend were in danger because the Taliban was cracking down on openly leftist secular social media figures, and most of Taiwan faded away into a panicked frenzy of searching for wifi for any updates and trying to comfort the friends in danger for simply thinking differently and caring about human rights, and I thought that this was wrong. It was unequivocal in its wrongness, yet simultaneously not worse than what commonly happened in a lot of the world, because Pakistan has never been kind to activists or journalists, yet for the longest time my eyes glazed over all international news that did not concern me or change my view of reality. I ignored all middle eastern happenings and injustices until the day I became best friends with someone who had such deep love in her heart for even the least sympathetic people and a brilliant mind to execute her agenda of doing good, and that's when everything I've ignored until then decided to hit too close to home. There is a sense of surreality whenever your cozy little conception of life decides to implode on you, especially for someone who leaned towards observation and dissociated analysis as much as I did. I was in Taiwan, and I could barely read Chinese (since I had about 2,9700 characters to go before I could consider myself literate). My human rights activist friend was in China, and my best friend was still in the US—thankfully, they would be most likely safe as long as they stayed in their respective countries, but the Taliban already had plans to take away one of them as soon as they arrived at the Pakistani airport. If they sought political asylum, they would never see their families again. If they didn't, they would never see anything again. The answer seemed simple, but it was a hard decision to make. Should they thank the Taliban for essentially making it for them? Family is a core value for the Taiwanese as well, and while I do my best to keep who I am and who I want to be as unaffected by culture as possible, I cannot imagine how my mother would feel if I were in mortal danger (or I suppose I already know perfectly well what would occur, but we don't talk about that as well . . . ). I can't imagine a world in which I couldn't know for sure the state of my mother’s wellbeing, and for my human rights activist friend there's that looming adult fear that your children, so innocent and loving, are going down a darker path alone, or with people who do not have their best interest in mind. What can you do from afar but toss and turn while trying to rest, knowing that there is nothing you can do? Creating a better world starts with us, and with protecting those who care for us and our freedom of choice. In Taiwan, this would call for the oversight of government officials to keep their corruption in check, and more help for the underserved in the community (women, children, indigenous/minorities, and animals), eventually leading to a cultural shift. In Pakistan, this would call for protecting their citizens from the violence of its military simply for stating their truth (which is really the only way for a society to progress). In each of us, it would call for reflection, reorientation, and (most importantly) action, because we can all use whatever power we have to create the world we want to live in, one where everyone wants to exist in someday. I am leaving Taiwan on Feb. 3rd. My best friend is leaving the United States on Feb. 5th, and her fate will remain unknown to me if she can't find a way to contact me, and that frightens me more than I can bear. I have been to enjoy all that Taiwan has to offer (as my human rights activist friend enjoys all that China has to offer) with the weight of several worlds on the back burner. The silence from most people on these is deafening, and the cost is so much higher than they will ever know. Somewhere in the world, someone who could've been a lover, a child, or a best friend is suffering right now, and you have the means to prevent it. Will you?

[charllieeldridge]

Trip Announcement! Exploring Portugal by Campervan

I can’t believe I’m actually writing a post about an upcoming trip! Lately, our updates have been all about quarantine and lockdown, but a lot can happen in just a couple of months. 

We’ve been in Portugal since February 22nd and while we were able to travel around Lisbon and see and do a lot in the beginning, that slowly changed. 

Here we are more than 3 months later and we have yet to see anywhere else in Portugal! Not even further than a few blocks from our apartment.

We’ve felt so welcomed, safe and blessed to be here in Lisbon during this pandemic, and we’re very happy with our decision to have stayed put during all of the chaos. 

After more than 2 months of being in a State of Emergency, we’re now in a State of Calamity which sounds bad, but it’s actually a step in a positive direction.

It seems like there’s finally some light at the end of the tunnel.

Restaurants have opened up, so we went to this one with a view

While measurements are still in place (changes in business hours, mandatory use of masks, lower capacity in restaurants, and hand sanitizer use), things are improving here in the country.

We’ve been experiencing a gradual opening of restaurants, gyms, cinemas, malls, beaches, shops….and CAMPSITES!

While we’ve been taking advantage of the opening of restaurants and amenities in Lisbon (drinks with a rooftop view and steakhouse visits!), since being in our apartment and in a city for so long, we’re definitely craving nature, which Portugal has in spades.  

Check Out Our Announcement Video

The Serendipitous Email

Nick and I have never travelled by campervan. We’ve moved around the world by plane, train, bus, boat, scooter, car, horse, camel, and foot but have never explored by campervan.

The funny thing is, over the years we’ve talked numerous times about one day having a van and potentially living “Van Life”.

Friends of ours have done it, or are currently doing it, and we know of many people who rent campervans to travel around the countries they visit. 

But for some reason, we just haven’t experienced this way of travel. Yet.

During the lockdown, we were researching and binge-watching YouTube videos about van life (we had a lot of time on our hands), and had thought that would be a great way to get around when things open up.

On May 5th we received an email from Indie Campers, which is a Portuguese company with campervans around Europe (Spain, France, Italy, Iceland, Germany…to name a few).  

The Active model with Indie Campers

They had found our website and saw that we were digital nomads currently in Portugal and were interested in collaborating with us. 

This email literally came just days after we were searching the internet for ways to travel that didn’t include boarding an airplane. And in fact, we had been on the Indie Campers website as well. 

It was incredibly serendipitous, and after a bit of back and forth, it was agreed that when Portugal opened up for domestic travel, we’d hit the road in one of the Indie Campers’ campervans! 

The Campervans

There are a wide variety and styles of campervans to choose from on Indie Campers website, but after checking out a few and figuring out which ones were available here in Lisbon, we’ve decided on the Active model. 

This isn’t a van that we plan on living in forever, it’s a holiday vehicle, so we wanted something compact that would allow for easy driving, maneuvering through narrow roads, and parking.

Plus, we (I) really wanted to make sure the van had a toilet. 

Among other features, The Active has a shower, toilet, electric cooler, curtains for privacy, a cleaning kit, a bedding kit, kitchen kit, a gas stove, and a large bed. Plus, roadside assistance is included, which is a bonus.

Because it’s meant for 4 people, there are actually two beds in this van usually (sort of like bunk bed style). But the one we’re renting will be converted so we’ll just have the one bed — which is great as it’ll make the van feel more open, bright and spacious.

We’re also getting a couple of add-ons. A little BBQ and an outdoor table with chairs which will be great for eating and working at, as well as a wifi router to help us continue running the businesses(es) while on the road.

When we pick up the campervan, we’ll get a full rundown on how to fill the water tanks (clean and grey), empty the toilet and manage the auxiliary battery usage. 

The Itinerary 

Bordered by nothing more than the Atlantic Ocean and the country of Spain, the small, compact country of Portugal has a lot to offer. 

While there are 7 regions in the country, Portugal is probably most famous for the Algarve which is home to some stunning rocky cliffs and the turquoise Atlantic Ocean. This is a holiday hotspot for Portuguese people and many other European nations as well.

For wine-lovers, some fo the best wine to ever touch our lips has been from here in Portugal!

99 bottle of wine on the wall, 99 bottles of wine…

From the Douro Valley and Alentejo to Lisboa and Beira, there are wineries and unique grape varietals found in different wine districts all around the country. 

Then, there are the mountains and National Parks — which is what we plan to focus on during our 10-day road trip.

Central Portugal is a region of contrasts. Torre, the country’s highest mountain in the Serra da Estrela range (1,993 meters / 6,539 feet), sits alongside stunning coastal towns.

The region is home to forests, beaches, wine routes, and Portugal’s famous sheep cheese —  queijo da serra.

Finally, we plan to visit the Northern reaches of the country to enjoy the natural beauty of the Peneda-Gerês National Park. While Portugal is home to many Natural Parks and Reserves, this is the only National Park in the country.

Plus, the north is known for its small traditional villages and gastronomic delights.

Since we’ve lived on a gorgeous Caribbean island for many years, we don’t plan to check out the beaches of Portugal (yet), but instead, we’re looking forward to staying in campsites and enjoying the rivers, lakes, and forest.

Our hiking gear and Nick’s fishing rod are packed and ready to go!

Is It Safe to Travel Right Now?

We’re not promoting or recommending travel at this time. Always follow the laws and measurements put in place by the country, city, or municipality you are living in. 

Having said that, since things have opened up here and the government has announced that it’s safe and permitted to travel around Portugal, we are quite comfortable minimally traveling around domestically by campervan. 

What better way to practice social distancing than by travelling with our own vehicle — which also acts as our restaurant and accommodation?!

Typically, on a 10-day road trip, we would probably make about 5 stops, but because we want to work while we’re travelling around, and since it’s important to limit our interaction with people, we don’t want to move around too much. 

We’ll probably only spend time in 3 different campsites (and exploring the surrounding areas!) before returning to Lisbon.

Nick’s fishing gear is ready and waiting!

There are still hygiene measurements in place and we have masks that we’ll wear when entering into any shops, or when we need to talk with others. 

When it comes to travelling, I think moving around by campervan is the safest and most convenient way right now.

We’re Ready For The Road!

With all the restrictions in place around the world right now, and with people concerned about getting sick, or not being able to obtain travel insurance coverage, I think domestic travel by land will be the new norm for a while. 

Renting a campervan is the optimal way to travel safely, while being self-sufficient when it comes to eating, drinking, sleeping, and moving around.

We’re really looking forward to experiencing this style of travel and sharing it with you. Stay tuned for tips and advice for travelling by campervan, the do’s and don’ts, what rentals include, the overall cost, pros & cons, and itinerary details from Portugal as well.

Don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter, and follow our YouTube channel, Facebook and Instagram for photos, videos, and articles. 

The post Trip Announcement! Exploring Portugal by Campervan appeared first on Goats On The Road.

Trip Announcement! Exploring Portugal by Campervan published first on https://travelaspire.weebly.com/

[readbookywooks]

In which Passepartout undergoes, at a speed of twenty miles an hour, a course of mormon history

During the night of the 5th of December, the train ran south-easterly for about fifty miles; then rose an equal distance in a north-easterly direction, towards the Great Salt Lake.

Passepartout, about nine o'clock, went out upon the platform to take the air. The weather was cold, the heavens grey, but it was not snowing. The sun's disc, enlarged by the mist, seemed an enormous ring of gold, and Passepartout was amusing himself by calculating its value in pounds sterling, when he was diverted from this interesting study by a strange-looking personage who made his appearance on the platform.

This personage, who had taken the train at Elko, was tall and dark, with black moustache, black stockings, a black silk hat, a black waistcoat, black trousers, a white cravat, and dogskin gloves. He might have been taken for a clergyman. He went from one end of the train to the other, and affixed to the door of each car a notice written in manuscript.

Passepartout approached and read one of these notices, which stated that Elder William Hitch, Mormon missionary, taking advantage of his presence on train No. 48, would deliver a lecture on Mormonism in car No. 117, from eleven to twelve o'clock; and that he invited all who were desirous of being instructed concerning the mysteries of the religion of the "Latter Day Saints" to attend.

"I'll go," said Passepartout to himself. He knew nothing of Mormonism except the custom of polygamy, which is its foundation.

The news quickly spread through the train, which contained about one hundred passengers, thirty of whom, at most, attracted by the notice, ensconced themselves in car No. 117. Passepartout took one of the front seats. Neither Mr. Fogg nor Fix cared to attend.

At the appointed hour Elder William Hitch rose, and, in an irritated voice, as if he had already been contradicted, said, "I tell you that Joe Smith is a martyr, that his brother Hiram is a martyr, and that the persecutions of the United States Government against the prophets will also make a martyr of Brigham Young. Who dares to say the contrary?"

No one ventured to gainsay the missionary, whose excited tone contrasted curiously with his naturally calm visage. No doubt his anger arose from the hardships to which the Mormons were actually subjected. The government had just succeeded, with some difficulty, in reducing these independent fanatics to its rule. It had made itself master of Utah, and subjected that territory to the laws of the Union, after imprisoning Brigham Young on a charge of rebellion and polygamy. The disciples of the prophet had since redoubled their efforts, and resisted, by words at least, the authority of Congress. Elder Hitch, as is seen, was trying to make proselytes on the very railway trains.

Then, emphasising his words with his loud voice and frequent gestures, he related the history of the Mormons from Biblical times: how that, in Israel, a Mormon prophet of the tribe of Joseph published the annals of the new religion, and bequeathed them to his son Mormon; how, many centuries later, a translation of this precious book, which was written in Egyptian, was made by Joseph Smith, junior, a Vermont farmer, who revealed himself as a mystical prophet in 1825; and how, in short, the celestial messenger appeared to him in an illuminated forest, and gave him the annals of the Lord.

Several of the audience, not being much interested in the missionary's narrative, here left the car; but Elder Hitch, continuing his lecture, related how Smith, junior, with his father, two brothers, and a few disciples, founded the church of the "Latter Day Saints," which, adopted not only in America, but in England, Norway and Sweden, and Germany, counts many artisans, as well as men engaged in the liberal professions, among its members; how a colony was established in Ohio, a temple erected there at a cost of two hundred thousand dollars, and a town built at Kirkland; how Smith became an enterprising banker, and received from a simple mummy showman a papyrus scroll written by Abraham and several famous Egyptians.

The Elder's story became somewhat wearisome, and his audience grew gradually less, until it was reduced to twenty passengers. But this did not disconcert the enthusiast, who proceeded with the story of Joseph Smith's bankruptcy in 1837, and how his ruined creditors gave him a coat of tar and feathers; his reappearance some years afterwards, more honourable and honoured than ever, at Independence, Missouri, the chief of a flourishing colony of three thousand disciples, and his pursuit thence by outraged Gentiles, and retirement into the Far West.

Ten hearers only were now left, among them honest Passepartout, who was listening with all his ears. Thus he learned that, after long persecutions, Smith reappeared in Illinois, and in 1839 founded a community at Nauvoo, on the Mississippi, numbering twenty-five thousand souls, of which he became mayor, chief justice, and general-in-chief; that he announced himself, in 1843, as a candidate for the Presidency of the United States; and that finally, being drawn into ambuscade at Carthage, he was thrown into prison, and assassinated by a band of men disguised in masks.

Passepartout was now the only person left in the car, and the Elder, looking him full in the face, reminded him that, two years after the assassination of Joseph Smith, the inspired prophet, Brigham Young, his successor, left Nauvoo for the banks of the Great Salt Lake, where, in the midst of that fertile region, directly on the route of the emigrants who crossed Utah on their way to California, the new colony, thanks to the polygamy practised by the Mormons, had flourished beyond expectations.

"And this," added Elder William Hitch, "this is why the jealousy of Congress has been aroused against us! Why have the soldiers of the Union invaded the soil of Utah? Why has Brigham Young, our chief, been imprisoned, in contempt of all justice? Shall we yield to force? Never! Driven from Vermont, driven from Illinois, driven from Ohio, driven from Missouri, driven from Utah, we shall yet find some independent territory on which to plant our tents. And you, my brother," continued the Elder, fixing his angry eyes upon his single auditor, "will you not plant yours there, too, under the shadow of our flag?"

"No!" replied Passepartout courageously, in his turn retiring from the car, and leaving the Elder to preach to vacancy.

During the lecture the train had been making good progress, and towards half-past twelve it reached the northwest border of the Great Salt Lake. Thence the passengers could observe the vast extent of this interior sea, which is also called the Dead Sea, and into which flows an American Jordan. It is a picturesque expanse, framed in lofty crags in large strata, encrusted with white salt-- a superb sheet of water, which was formerly of larger extent than now, its shores having encroached with the lapse of time, and thus at once reduced its breadth and increased its depth.

The Salt Lake, seventy miles long and thirty-five wide, is situated three miles eight hundred feet above the sea. Quite different from Lake Asphaltite, whose depression is twelve hundred feet below the sea, it contains considerable salt, and one quarter of the weight of its water is solid matter, its specific weight being 1,170, and, after being distilled, 1,000. Fishes are, of course, unable to live in it, and those which descend through the Jordan, the Weber, and other streams soon perish.

The country around the lake was well cultivated, for the Mormons are mostly farmers; while ranches and pens for domesticated animals, fields of wheat, corn, and other cereals, luxuriant prairies, hedges of wild rose, clumps of acacias and milk-wort, would have been seen six months later. Now the ground was covered with a thin powdering of snow.

The train reached Ogden at two o'clock, where it rested for six hours, Mr. Fogg and his party had time to pay a visit to Salt Lake City, connected with Ogden by a branch road; and they spent two hours in this strikingly American town, built on the pattern of other cities of the Union, like a checker-board, "with the sombre sadness of right-angles," as Victor Hugo expresses it. The founder of the City of the Saints could not escape from the taste for symmetry which distinguishes the Anglo-Saxons. In this strange country, where the people are certainly not up to the level of their institutions, everything is done "squarely"--cities, houses, and follies.

The travellers, then, were promenading, at three o'clock, about the streets of the town built between the banks of the Jordan and the spurs of the Wahsatch Range. They saw few or no churches, but the prophet's mansion, the court-house, and the arsenal, blue-brick houses with verandas and porches, surrounded by gardens bordered with acacias, palms, and locusts. A clay and pebble wall, built in 1853, surrounded the town; and in the principal street were the market and several hotels adorned with pavilions. The place did not seem thickly populated. The streets were almost deserted, except in the vicinity of the temple, which they only reached after having traversed several quarters surrounded by palisades. There were many women, which was easily accounted for by the "peculiar institution" of the Mormons; but it must not be supposed that all the Mormons are polygamists. They are free to marry or not, as they please; but it is worth noting that it is mainly the female citizens of Utah who are anxious to marry, as, according to the Mormon religion, maiden ladies are not admitted to the possession of its highest joys. These poor creatures seemed to be neither well off nor happy. Some--the more well-to-do, no doubt-- wore short, open, black silk dresses, under a hood or modest shawl; others were habited in Indian fashion.

Passepartout could not behold without a certain fright these women, charged, in groups, with conferring happiness on a single Mormon. His common sense pitied, above all, the husband. It seemed to him a terrible thing to have to guide so many wives at once across the vicissitudes of life, and to conduct them, as it were, in a body to the Mormon paradise with the prospect of seeing them in the company of the glorious Smith, who doubtless was the chief ornament of that delightful place, to all eternity. He felt decidedly repelled from such a vocation, and he imagined--perhaps he was mistaken-- that the fair ones of Salt Lake City cast rather alarming glances on his person. Happily, his stay there was but brief. At four the party found themselves again at the station, took their places in the train, and the whistle sounded for starting. Just at the moment, however, that the locomotive wheels began to move, cries of "Stop! stop!" were heard.

Trains, like time and tide, stop for no one. The gentleman who uttered the cries was evidently a belated Mormon. He was breathless with running. Happily for him, the station had neither gates nor barriers. He rushed along the track, jumped on the rear platform of the train, and fell, exhausted, into one of the seats.

Passepartout, who had been anxiously watching this amateur gymnast, approached him with lively interest, and learned that he had taken flight after an unpleasant domestic scene.

When the Mormon had recovered his breath, Passepartout ventured to ask him politely how many wives he had; for, from the manner in which he had decamped, it might be thought that he had twenty at least.

"One, sir," replied the Mormon, raising his arms heavenward --"one, and that was enough!"

[entmtbiz]

Chinese Lunar New Year Cup IBF World Championship Attracts Nearly 400 Million Viewers

IBF Events Achieved Outstanding Results in China

MACAO, Feb. 17, 2017 /PRNeswire/ -- According to statistics from CCTV, the predominant state television broadcaster in China, four bouts of the CCTV Chinese Lunar New Year IBF World Championship are listed among the top 10 programs of its CCTV-5 channel's audience ratings during the Chinese Spring Festival. Nearly 400 million people from all over the world watched the bouts. Experts say IBF has achieved outstanding results in promoting professional boxing in China.

Cai Zongju Becomes China's First IBF Female Champion on the 2017 CCTV 5th Chinese Lunar New Year IBF World Championship

A New Record of the Audience Rating

The IBF World Female Mini Flyweight Championship Fight between Cai Zongju and Etsuko Tada topped the list with an audience rating of 1.06%; the IBF Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship Fight between Carlos Takam and Marcin Rekowski came in second place with 0.66%; the IBF Asia Bantamweight Championship Fight between Ge Wenfeng and Melmark Dignos came in fourth with 0.65%; the IBF Asia Youth Middleweight Championship Fight between Wang Feihu and Aleksei Podkolzin was ranked tenth at 0.57%. 

The CCTV Chinese Lunar New Year Celebration Cup, along with the CCTV Spring Festival Gala, have been called "the CCTV's Classics of Chinese New Year Celebration," which are very popular among Chinese all over the world and the CCTV Chinese Lunar New Year Cup also appeals to celebrities from the boxing field and sports fans around the world. It has been held for 5 consecutive years.

Now, the Cup has become the CCTV's most distinctive brand of TV programs that combines Chinese traditional culture and entertainment elements with top sporting events. It also utilizes diversified forms of TV programming to present a classic top-level sport games for global audiences.

The highlights of the events were two world championship title bouts in Macao. These two bouts, rated with four stars by BOXREC.com, were the IBF World Junior Bantamweight Championship Fight between Jerwin Ancajas and Jose A. Rodriguez, and the IBF World Female Mini Flyweight Championship Fight between Etsuko Tada and Cai Zongju. These are the highest level bouts ever presented on the CCTV Chinese Lunar New Year Cup since its foundation five years ago. In the most important bout of the Cup, Chinese boxer Cai Zongju defeated Japanese fighter Etsuko Tada, the then IBF World Female Mini Flyweight Champion, and became the first IBF World Champion from China.

"The cooperation between the CCTV Chinese Lunar New Year Cup and IBF this year brought the event to an international level; it became a classic New Year celebration program and the most authoritatively professional boxing event in China," said Zhang Xiaotong, the producer of the CCTV Chinese Lunar New Year Cup. "CCTV-5 diligently produced nearly 600 minutes' live programming of the event on 29 and 30, January, 2017, and the audience rating and the viewer share respectively got first place in the country during China's biggest festival. It indicates that boxing has become much more popular in China."

A Boost to Macao's Economic Development

This is the first time that CCTV and IBF jointly organized such a big event in Macao. Alexis Tam Chon Weng, the director of the Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture of Macao government, said, "It will be helpful for Macao to build the World Tourism Leisure Center through the integration of international sport events into Macao's economic development."

Wang Ruihang, the president of IBF China said, "The cost of accommodation, round trip air tickets and catering are very expensive in Macao during the Spring Festival, and even with hotel rooms being triple their off-peak price, supply still falls seriously short of demand during the festival." "I'd like to thank Rejoy Group, one of the major organizers who provided strong financial support and effective organization and management service for the project. Of course, the Central Government Liaison Office in the Macao and Macao SAR Government's special support also laid a foundation for the success of the event."

The sponsors of the event including the Venetian, the Wynn Palace, Air Macau and Suncity Group showed their intense will to strengthen cooperation with IBF. They believe IBF's games will not only enrich Macao citizens' recreational and sports activities, but also improve the city's tourism appeal greatly during the Chinese Spring Festival. What's more, the event showed the new image of the city's social and economic development very well.

Stimulating Domestic Professional Boxers' Morale

During the two-day event, the excellent performance by the Chinese fighters boosted the Chinese boxers' morale greatly, especially when Cai Zongju defeated Etsuko Tada and Cai's international ranking rose from 4 star to 5 star. 

Other Chinese young fighters including Ge Wenfeng, Wang Feihu, Xiang Jing, Sun Xiangxiang, Yu Yahong and Xie Lili also performed very well. Ge Wenfeng finally become the IBF Asia Bantamweight Champion and Sun Xiangxiang became IBF China's first Lightweight Champion. Their solid technique and professional competence impressed the judges and audience deeply. They are very promising fighters who have the possibility to win the championship in the near future.

Accelerating Professional Boxing's Popularity

In preparing for the event, the organizer and the creative team made great efforts to integrate Chinese Lunar New Year's elements with the games in order to fully display traditional Chinese culture. For instance, they adopted "Chinese red" as the basic color tone of the venue and hung a dozen large-scale Chinese traditional palace lanterns in the venue.

Du Wenjie, Senior Sports Journalist from Chinese Sport Daily, commented that the high quality of the 2017 5th CCTV Lunar New Year Cup is derived from the hard work by IBF China in the past years.

According to Wang Ruihang, IBF China aims to provide a top-of-the-line professional boxing platform for boxers worldwide. Its mission is to quickly popularize boxing and improve the healthy development of the sport in order to provide an inexhaustible impetus for China's sport culture and social development. To achieve this goal, IBF China initiated Chinese Professional Boxing Tournaments in 2015, and the mechanism opened a channel for Chinese professional boxers to compete on the world platform.

Daryl J. People, the president of IBF Global, said, "IBF headquarters attaches great importance to the promotion of professional boxing in China and it will give full support to IBF China." "We are willing to provide more chances for excellent Chinese boxers to strive for world titles and intercontinental titles in the coming future."

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Read this news on PR Newswire Asia website: Chinese Lunar New Year Cup IBF World Championship Attracts Nearly 400 Million Viewers