Mayor de Blasio to Make Lunar New Year a School Holiday

Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration is expected on Tuesday to add the Lunar New Year to the New York public school calendar, allowing the city’s Asian families to celebrate an important holiday with their children without tarnishing attendance records.
Mr. de Blasio, a Democrat, pledged to make the change during the 2013 mayoral campaign, but by agreeing to the move now, he avoids a potentially political embarrassment. With a pending bill in Albany that would have added the holiday to the calendar, the mayor faced the uncomfortable prospect of the State Legislature’s enacting his own campaign pledge for him, without the imprimatur of City Hall.
The Lunar New Year is celebrated throughout many parts of Asia. When it falls on a school day, some city schools with large Asian populations have more than half their students absent that day.
“Finally, students of Asian descent will not be forced to choose between observing the most important holiday of the year and missing important academic work,” Councilwoman Margaret Chin, a Democrat of Lower Manhattan, said in a statement. “Lunar New Year is a deeply important cultural observance for nearly 15 percent of public school students, and this designation gives Lunar New Year the respect and recognition it has long deserved.”
This move comes just three months after the de Blasio administration added two Muslim holy days to the school calendar, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. Mr. de Blasio’s predecessor, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, had declined to do so, saying children needed more time in school.
In New York State, schools must have at least 180 days of instruction each year. To accommodate the new time off without losing time in the classroom, the de Blasio administration said it planned to convert two half-days to full days. The new schedule will go into effect this coming school year, with the holiday falling on Feb. 8.
State Senator Daniel L. Squadron, a Democrat whose district includes Manhattan’s Chinatown, said the inclusion of the holiday signaled, in part, the increased political presence of the city’s Asian community.
“There’s no question this reflects the changing city and the changing significance of the holiday to this city,” Mr. Squadron said.
New York is not the first city to add this holiday to its school calendar. Public schools in San Francisco, for example, have observed the holiday for several years.
The de Blasio administration made the announcement about Lunar New Year on Twitter on Monday evening, saying it was “working toward a more inclusive city.” The city also posted the news in Mandarin and Korean.

Enjoy today’s Easter eggs: they could soon become a luxury

Easter 2015 may be remembered as the end of the cheap chocolate era: cocoa prices are expected to double by 2020 as the world’s cocoa supplies run low.
According to David Guest, professor of plant pathology at the University of Sydney, the cost surge is inevitable. The squeeze is partly a result of farmers moving into higher-return crops such as coffee and maize, which are less susceptible to pests and diseases, but it is also linked to problems around the labour-intensive cultivation of cocoa trees.
“It takes about three years after you plant a tree to start harvesting,” said Guest. “You need to look after these trees properly, which requires labour. And labour shortages are a real problem in the cocoa-growing areas because of a drift of young people to the cities and people suffering from poor health.”
Another factor, says Guest, is that around 70% of cocoa beans come from west Africa, which has seen major political and social upheaval over the past couple of decades.
Demand is also growing rapidly in places that have not previously consumed a lot of chocolate – particularly China and India. In Asia, demand is now rising almost seven times faster than in Europe. Even recent bumper cocoa crops cannot keep up.

“All eyes are on Asia,” said Angus Kennedy, editor of trade magazine Kennedy’s Confection. “Demand there, and in Nigeria and Vietnam, has seen consumption increases of up to 230% a year. We are not making enough cocoa.”
Not everyone believes the picture is so gloomy. Raphael Wermuth, head of media relations at Swiss cocoa grinding group Barry Callebaut, which sold more than 1.7m tonnes of chocolate last year, says that prospects for the chocolate market are not quite as dire as some are suggesting. “The recent public announcement from the International Cocoa Association has claimed a much smaller cocoa deficit by 2020,” he said. “While we still think there will be a shortfall, we believe it will be smaller than expected as programmes aimed at increasing cocoa yields take effect.”
Other big international confectionery manufacturers, such as Mars, have forecast cocoa bean shortages of up to one million tonnes by 2020.
But for confectioners catering for in the niche chocolate market, the gloomy forecasts are of little concern. Lee McCoy, managing director of online retailer Chocolatiers, which focuses on selling speciality chocolate from around the world, said: “Although this is a big issue for large corporations, it will have little impact on retailers like us. Most people who buy cocoa for the niche market are already paying over the odds, so this will not affect our end of the scale.”
McCoy believes that, in any case, change in the industry is long overdue, and any price increase is to be welcomed. “This will be good for the people growing cocoa, because they earn next to nothing, and so the more money therer is to be passed down, the better,” he said. “At the moment, only a very small fraction of the price of chocolate actually goes to the growers and so in terms of giving people in Africa and Central America a good wage, this is an exceptionally good thing.”
He added: “It’s not just down to the industry to be aware of chocolate prices. Consumers should be looking to see where and how it has been grown.Fairtrade is a start, but directly traded is better. From our experience, going directly to growers, rather than using a middleman, means that growers get around four or five times the price.”

Hundreds march in London for equality on International Women's Day

Hundreds of women have marched in London to demand equality on International Women’s Day.
Celebrities leading the march included singers Annie Lennox, Paloma Faith and Made In Dagenham actress Gemma Arterton.
They were also joined by Dr Helen Pankhurst, the great-granddaughter of Suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst, and her 20-year-old daughter Laura.
Organisers said that at least 600 people had taken part.
Members of the crowd marched from near City Hall towards the Royal Festival Hall, with some dressed in the style of the Suffragettes.
Protesters carried banners with slogans calling for equal representation of men and women in parliament.
Faith told the crowd gathered outside the Royal Festival Hall that her mother considered being at the march more of an achievement than her recent gong for best British female solo artist at the Brit awards.
The 33-year-old later told reporters: “It goes to show how important it is that women stand together and fight for each other’s rights.
“Any one of the women over here could be any one of the women in a far-off land suffering from injustices.
“My mum was a child of the sixties and was one of the people who burned their bra and made a pact to herself never to be oppressed by a man in her life, and so wasn’t.
“She has brought me up with those beliefs, so this is way more important to her than anything.”
The singer added that she would have liked to see more men on the march.
“I think we have to acknowledge that women’s rights are human rights and it would be really good to see men and women go hand in hand on these things, because we’re all human,” she said.
Helen Pankhurst said that the most important issues facing women are gender violence and the lack of females in power.
The 50-year-old said: “The statistics on sexism through to violence of the most appalling type are still just awful.
“The other side of that is women in power – we need women on the boards, we need women in parliament, in all spheres of life to map and to show the world that a leadership with women involved in equal amounts will make a better world.”

How Does The World Celebrate Thanksgiving Day?

Thanksgiving Day celebrated in the USA in particular, is a well-recognized and popular holiday and is associated with spending time with the family, enjoying good food and of course relaxing and having fun. Families gathering to enjoy large, lavish meals are a hallmark of this holiday. Things that can be found on the dining table for the special Thanksgiving dinner include: turkey, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and gravy, some form of corn, assorted vegetables and side dishes, and pumpkin/pecan pie as dessert.

I look forward to Thanksgiving Day for many weeks before the actual big day. I love to cook, I am a total foodie, and Thanksgiving day is my time to shine in the kitchen. Of course they will not be cutting the turkey but they can do things such as: putting biscuits and crescent rolls in their baskets, placing the cranberry dressing in a pretty crystal bowl or setting the table. I like to set the table with mix and match types of settings.

I like to use an antique platter my grandmother gave me to place the turkey on. I only use this once a year and it is for Thanksgiving dinner. I also place large bowls of mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, cranberry dressing and stuffing in the middle of the table. What better way to bring friends and family together to share in the day of thanks than by hosting a Thanksgiving Day potluck.

The host is responsible for preparing the turkey, stuffing, and gravy, but your guests will be responsible for the side items and dessert. Thanksgiving Day revolves around the NFL's Thanksgiving Day Classic and their TV. The lucky few that have tickets to the game get to enjoy their Thanksgiving Day cheering on their team, front and center.

Long before any Europeans set foot in the Americas, native peoples sought to insure a good harvest with dances and rituals of Thanksgiving. Because of all this good fortune, colonists held a day of Thanksgiving and prayer on June 30. This 1623 festival proves to have been the origin of our Thanksgiving Day, because it combined both a religious and social celebration of thanks.

Here Are Some Traditional Indian Wedding Traditions We Need To Know

It is estimated by sociologists that over 90% of marriages in India are arranged marriages. This marriage model has survived for over three thousand years, surprisingly steadfast through changes and modernization of the world and the given the overwhelming media influence of Bollywood that celebrates love-marriages. Interestingly, traditional Indian marriage is ranked as having one of the highest numbers of arranged marriages that still exist amongst the various cultures in the world and yet carries one of the lowest in divorce rates. Here are some traditional Indian wedding traditions we need to know:

In the absence of a partner of choice, family members meet to discuss the prospects of their children being united in matrimony, should there be an expression of interest on both parties. Prior to that, a matchmaker is appointed with a given match criteria list and thereafter an exchange of photos by the parties.

Upon the match, the engagement date is fixed by family elders in consultation with the priest. The groom's party will bring, with a convoy of close family and friends, a gift offering to the bride's family. Customary, sweets are offered as well as other precious items such as gold and saree dresses. Hereon, the soon-to-be bridal couple will begin their romantic dating period.

During the Sangeet, which is the day before the wedding, there will be a party with song, food and dance, celebrated at the bride's home where henna based intricate patterns are applied to her hands and feet. Here, her other female-friends will also have the opportunity to apply mehendi to their hands.

The ceremony is kickstarted with the arrival of the Barrat, a formal procession that includes friends, family members of the groom and is welcomed at the venue by the bride's family. The groom is only allowed to enter after receiving the blessing from the bride's mother, in a ritual called "aarti", rotating a small earthen lamp around him.

"Jaimala" is when the bridal couple exchange garlands and is considered married. Thereafter, they will exchange vows before God, through the chanting of hymns with the priest. Next, they walk around a fire seven times, with a part of their costumes knotted together. Finally, he puts vermilion on the hair parting of the bride, and he puts on a chain around her neck, both of which she is to wear for life.

Here Are Really Some Traditional Chinese New Year Traditions

Chinese New Year is one of the most important festivals for Chinese people and Chinese people descendants around the world. It celebrates the new year according to Chinese lunar calendar; thus, the date of Chinese New Year keeps changing from year to year in Gregorian calendar. Some countries including China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, and some other Asian countries observe the festival as a public holiday.

Many traditions are performed by Chinese people and Chinese descendants before and during Chinese New Year. Here are some Chinese New Year traditions carried out by Chinese people in several Asian countries.

Cleaning the House

Before the first day of the first lunar month comes, people usually clean their house thoroughly. It is believed that cleaning the house will sweep away the bad luck from the past. Yet, the house cleaning should not be done on the first day of Chinese New Year. Otherwise, all the good luck will be swept away together with the dirt.

Decorating the House

After being cleaned, the house is garnished with decorations made from red paper banners displaying wise and fortune words. Red becomes the main color of decorations since the color is considered lucky as the symbol of life and happiness. There is a legend regarding red being the major color during Chinese New Year celebrations.

The legend tells a story about the mythical beast Nian which ate the livestock and children on the first day of lunar new year. After seeing Nian fled away from a child wearing red clothes, people found out that Nian was afraid of red color. Thus, people put many red decorations in front of the doors during Chinese New Year to keep Nian away from their house.

Giving Red Envelopes to Children

On the first day of Chinese New Year, children greet their parents and the older people a happy new year while wish for their happiness, wealth, and health. To reply the children's sincere wishes and greetings, the adults give them pocket money. The money is usually placed inside red envelopes displaying cute pictures or new year greetings.

Eating New Year's Dishes

It is common for Chinese families to gather and have a feast on the eve of Chinese New Year. In this moment, pork, chicken, duck, seafood, and Chinese New Year's cake known as niangao are served. Niangao is a Chinese cuisine in the form of round cake made from glutinous rice. Consuming niangao during the celebration of Chinese New Year is considered lucky.

Visiting Temples

Many Chinese people visit the temples on New Year's day. They pray for their good luck, health, and wealth in the upcoming years. Prayers, offering foods, and incense are also addressed to the deceased family members in the hope that they may bring luck to the family.

Here Are The Top 7 Thanksgiving Traditions

Every family or group of friends have their own little practices and traditions that they go through during holidays and special get together.

From one group of people to another, those little details might change a bit but there are a couple that stay surprisingly consistent no matter who is doing them. Part of the reason for this is because those traditions and events are passed down from one generation to the next and part of the reason is because they are done on a larger scale. Here are the top 7 Thanksgiving traditions that most Americans practice when the Holiday rolls around.

7. The Turkey Trot

For the most part, people think of Thanksgiving as a time of year when you sit around and gain a little weight. One way to counter that is to run in a local Turkey Trot. There is also a nationally run race, but quite a few communities are coming up with these on their own. These are usually just races that go a couple of kilometers and allow for a little fun activity on a day known for eating.

6. Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin Pie is more than an institution when it comes to the fall holidays. Eating pumpkin pie, or sometimes pecan pie is one of those Thanksgiving traditions that seem older than anyone can remember.

5. Travel

The Thanksgiving holiday is often a time when people are doing a ton of traveling. Most people are using the time to go see friends and family across the country, though others use the days off as a time to take a vacation. Either way, a ton of traveling is done.

4. Charity

Quite a few people feel that If you have an awful lot to give thanks for, you should help those who don’t have as much. Serving Thanksgiving dinner at a local soup kitchen or some other sort of charity is something some people consider a worthy Thanksgiving tradition.

3. Getting Ready for Black Friday

Black Friday is the biggest shopping day of the year and is generally considered the kickoff day for the Holiday shopping season. Some people map out their shopping goals or strategies and even head out to the stores to get in line right after their Thanksgiving dinner.

2. Family Get Together

Not surprisingly, this is right near the top of the list of Thanksgiving traditions. People go out of their way to spend time with their families on this day. The beginning of the Holiday season means quite a few family reunions, sometimes for the only time that year.

1. Eating Turkey

There may not be any more a beloved Holiday tradition than eating turkey on Thanksgiving. There are many variations on what comes with the turkey, but that particular bird is a big part of this Holiday.