Google welcomes lunar new year with animated doodle

Google on Thursday welcomed the Lunar New Year with an animated doodle of a sheep/ram triggering fireworks after hitting a tree.

The animation on Google's homepage (www.google.com) showed the animal being startled after the fireworks explode and eventually form the word "GOOGLE."

Clicking on the doodle will take the visitor to a Google Search Results page for "Lunar New Year."

Filipinos on Wednesday night and Thursday morning joined the Chinese community in welcoming the New Year with fireworks and programs.



On Thursday, parades are expected in parts of the country, particularly in Manila's Chinatown, to celebrate the Chinese New Year. — Joel Locsin/ELR, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Singapore wins intl lion dance contest

The 8th International Lion Dance competition kicked off in Singapore's Chinatown on Saturday (February 7) evening.

Fourteen teams from 10 nations across Asia, including Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indonesia, China, Thailand and Myanmar brought their lions to life, jumping across the stage, ferociously blinking and shaking their heads in front of a cheering audience.

"We are getting ready to show our most perfect competitive style," said Liang Tiao Yuan, one of the members of the team that had flown all the way from Beijing to take part in the contest which is in its eighth year.

Many of the teams integrated various martial art forms into their traditional, acrobat performances, all to the sounds of clashing cymbals and beating drums.

The contest was set against the backdrop of hundreds of goat-shaped lanterns and thousands of shimmering gold coins that are festooning Chinatown, and is one of Singapore's Lunar New Year celebration events.

"Well one of the things I want to do while I'm living here is experience one of the things that are very Singaporean, and this is something that my friend Angela invited me to, and it's just something exciting to experience and take in Singapore at the same time," said Becky Clarke, an American living in Singapore.

One of the teams from Singapore emerged as the competition winner with a colourful performance. Taiwan followed in second place and another Singaporean team came in third.

The Myanmar team wowed the crowd, but didn't score with the judges.

"I am a fan of lion dance, so every year I make my way over here to watch it. But I think the results are not up to my expectations. I was hoping the Myanmar team would win, but too bad. Although I'm Singaporean, but I thought one of the Myanmar teams really did very well", said David, a Singaporean lion dance fan.

The Year of the Sheep (or Goat, or Ram) according to the lunar calendar will begin on February 19, but the decorations festooning Chinatown will be on display for over six weeks, from January 31 to March 19. — Reuters

Chinese community welcomes Year of the Horse with fireworks, dragon dances

A countdown, fireworks, and lion and dragon dances highlighted the Filipino Chinese community's welcome for the Year of the Horse on Thursday night and Friday morning.

On Thursday night, dragon and lion dances were held in the city's Binondo and Escolta areas, radio dzBB reported.

The celebration continued early Friday with firecrackers being lighted, radio dzBB's Carlo Mateo reported.

Many Filipino Chinese also visited temples to offer prayers seeking good luck for the year ahead.

Some still bought round fruits and tikoy, which they believe will bring good luck and family togetherness.

Aquino greets Tsinoys

Meanwhile, President Benigno Aquino III sought a deeper partnership with the Filipino Chinese community in nation building in the new year.

In his message to the Filipino Chinese community, Aquino relayed his wishes that the festivities inspire them to expand their circles of goodwill within and beyond their community.

"Let your proud heritage energize your already dynamic bloc, that you may deepen your partnerships with our fellowmen in forging an even more equitably progressive Philippines. May today’s festivities reinforce your bond with your families and inspire you to expand the circles of goodwill within and beyond your community," he said.

Aquino, in his message, also upheld the solidarity between Filipinos and Filipino Chinese, saying the nation finds strength in diversity.

"Our nation finds strength in our diversity: finding common ground in our citizens’ shared aspirations and heading towards our goals through unity, mutual respect, and positive engagement. May we uphold our solidarity, as we clear our people’s path to resurgence and realize the next chapters of our revitalization," he said. — LBG, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Google welcomes Year of the Horse with animated doodle

Google joined the world in welcoming the Year of the Wooden Horse with an animated doodle on the eve of the Lunar New Year.

Visitors to Google's homepage (www.google.com) were greeted with a doodle of a young girl riding a – you guessed it – a wooden horse, and a boy with a lantern and firecrackers.



Clicking on the doodle will take the visitor to a Google Search Results page for "Chinese New Year 2014."

In the Philippines, preparations by Filipinos and Chinese alike for the Lunar New Year peaked this week.

Manila's Chinatown district had been busy in past days with shoppers looking for lucky food and charms.

On Thursday, groups started performing the traditional dragon dance to welcome the New Year, even as several stores opened early in anticipation of a last-minute customer rush.

Several people bought round fruits, sticky tikoy and even small plants believed to bring good luck and wealth, radio dzBB's Carlo Mateo reported.

A report on UK's The Independent said the celebration usually begins on Chinese New Year's Eve, which marks the end of the Year of the Snake.

"At Chinese New Year people traditionally wear red clothes and give children 'lucky money' contained in red envelopes. The color red symbolises fire to drive away bad luck," it added.

Families also reunite and gather at each other's homes to celebrate and eat together.

Households thoroughly clean the house to sweep away ill fortune and make way for good luck.

"Those born in the Year of the Horse are believed to be cheerful, skillful with money, perceptive and witty. Famous people born in this year include actress Halle Berry, Rembrandt and singer Aretha Franklin," the report added. — LBG, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com