The big day of football is almost near.  It’s the biggest game of the year and the most watched TV show on earth.  NFL Super Bowl XLIII features the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals. 

The games is on Sunday, February 1, 2009 at 6 PM EST on NBC. 

If the Super Bowl is not shown live where you are, you can watch it online for free.  Just click the link below.  The screen is small, but at least you can watch it.  Don’t miss out on this special event!

To read more about the Super Bowl go to http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/43 

This year’s halftime show features Bruce Springsteen.  Also, don’t miss those expensive commercials!  This year 30 seconds of airtime for a commercial costs a record US $3 million! 

The new Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen movie trailer will also make its debut.  Don’t miss it!

Here’s the link. Or you can click on the picture below.

http://www.channelsurfing.net/

The new season of Lost, Season 5, has begun.  In case you missed it, you can watch the new season online for free.  Here are the links for Season 5 episode 1, 2 and 3. 

Lost Season 5, Episode 1 “Because You Left”

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNjc2OTA1NDA=.html

Lost Season 5, Episode 2 “The Lie”

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNjc2OTA1Mjg=.html

Lost Season 5, Episode 3 "Jughead"

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNjg3NDkyNjA=.html

AskMen.com's Top 99 Most Desirable Women is an annual list ranking the famous females deemed to be the year's most alluring.

See the Top 99 Most Desirable Women of 2009. Click the image below to see the list, pictures and bios of each woman. 

Heres the url: http://www.askmen.com/specials/top_99_women/ 

Pictures below of the top women. Roll your mouse over the picture to see their name.

Download Britney Spears new song called Womanizer.  Just Right Click on the link below and Save As Target.

http://cdn1-96.projectplaylist.com/e1/static12/mp3/2666910.mp3

Lyrics below:

Superstar
Where you from, how's it going?
I know you
Gotta clue, what you're doing?
You can play brand new to all the other chicks out here
But I know what you are, what you are, baby
Look at you
Gettin' more than just a re-up
Baby, you
Got all the puppets with their strings up
Fakin' like a good one, but I call 'em like I see 'em
I know what you are, what you are, baby
Womanizer, Woman-Womanizer
You're a womanizer,
Oh womanizer, Oh you're a womanizer, baby
You, you, you are
You, you, you are
Womanizer, womanizer, womanizer
Boy, don't try to front
I, I know just-just what you are, are, are (x2)
(You) You got me going
(You) You're oh so charming
(You) But I can't do it
(You) Womanizer
Boy, don't try to front
I, I know just-just what you are, are, are (x2)
(You) You say I'm crazy
(You) I got you crazy
(You) Your nothing but a
(You) Womanizer
Daddy-O
You got the swagger of a champion
Too bad for you
Just can't find the right companion
I guess when you have one too many, makes it hard
It could be easy, who you are, that's just who you are baby
Lollipop
Must mistake me as a sucker
To think that I
Would be a victim not another
Say it, play it how you wanna
But no way I'm ever gonna fall for you, never you, baby
Womanizer, Woman-Womanizer
You're a womanizer,
Oh womanizer, Oh you're a womanizer, baby
You, you, you are
You, you, you are
Womanizer, womanizer, womanizer
Boy, don't try to front
I, I know just-just what you are, are, are (x2)
(You) You got me going
(You) You're oh so charming
(You) But I can't do it
(You) Womanizer
Boy, don't try to front
I, I know just-just what you are, are, are (x2)
(You) You say I'm crazy
(You) I got you crazy
(You) Your nothing but a
(You) Womanizer
Maybe if we both lived in a different world
It would be all good, and maybe I could be ya girl
But I can't 'cause we don't
Womanizer, Woman-Womanizer
You're a womanizer,
Oh womanizer, Oh you're a womanizer, baby
You, you, you are
You, you, you are
Womanizer, womanizer, womanizer
Boy, don't try to front
I, I know just-just what you are, are, are (x2)
(You) You got me going
(You) You're oh so charming
(You) But I can't do it
(You) Womanizer
Boy, don't try to front
I, I know just-just what you are, are, are (x2)
(You) You say I'm crazy
(You) I got you crazy
(You) Your nothing but a
(You) Womanizer
Boy, don't try to front
I, I know just-just what you are, are, are (x2)
Womanizer, Woman-Womanizer
You're a womanizer,
Oh womanizer, Oh you're a womanizer, baby

There are a lots of fake money going around, so it’s best to be wise and careful with money.  When you receive a 100 RMB, checking each bill to make sure it’s authentic is a wise and prudent plan.  I saw this from another website and it’s pretty good. 

25 ways to improve your health….

1) Brush twice a day!

2) Dress right for weather.

3) Visit the dentist regularly.

4) Get plenty of rest.

5) Make sure your hair is dry before going outside.

7) Eat right.

8) Get outside in the sun every once in a while.

9) Always wear a seatbelt.

9) Control your drinking of alcoholic beverages.

10) Smile! It will make you feel better.

11) Don’t over indulge yourself.

12) Bathe regularly.

13) Read to exercise the brain.

14) Surround yourself with friends.

15) Stay away from too much caffeine.

16) Use the bathroom regularly.

17) Get plenty of exercise.

18) Have your eyes checked regularly.

18) Eat plenty of vegetables.

20) Believe that people will like you for who you are.

21) Forgive and forget.

22) Take plenty of vacations.

23) Celebrate all special occasions.

24) Pick up a hobby.

25) Love your neighbor as yourself.

Do all these things and you will be a happier, healthier person!

Check out pictures of the weirdest restaurants in the world.

View Full Album

Or click the link below for a slideshow:

http://cid-da3e08396ceedb11.skydrive.live.com/play.aspx/Weird%20Restaurants%20of%20the%20World?ref=1

All good and true photos. 

View Full Album

Or click the link below for a slide show:

http://cid-da3e08396ceedb11.skydrive.live.com/play.aspx/Only%20is%20xxx%20Country?ref=1

Take a look at Chinese safety pictures. 

View Full Album

Or you can use the link below for a slideshow:

http://cid-da3e08396ceedb11.skydrive.live.com/play.aspx/Chinese%20Safety/work%7C_safety%7C_001.jpg?ref=2

See pictures of things that happen only in China.  Well, some of them. 

View Full Album

Or you can use this link too:

http://cid-da3e08396ceedb11.skydrive.live.com/play.aspx/Only%20In%20China/only%7C_in%7C_china%7C_1.jpg?ref=2

These are some of my favorite love songs. There are so many, so here are just a few.  You can click the link to download and listen.  Enjoy!

Carrie Underwood – Inside Your Heaven

Freddie Jackson – You Are My Lady

James Ingram with John Tesh – Give Me Forever I Do

Mary Chapin Carpenter – Grow Old With Me

Whitney Houston – If You Say My Eyes Are Beautiful

Jim Brickman & Martina McBride - Valentine

Kellie Coffey – When You Lie Next To Me

Boyz II Men – On Bended Knee

Peter Cetera & Crystal Bernard – Forever Tonight

Sammy Kershaw – You Are the Love of My Life

Sheriff – When I’m With You

Steve Tyrell – Just the Way You Look Tonight

Stephen Curtis Chapman – I Will Be Here

Trisha Yearwood – How Do I Live

Whitney Houston – One Moment In Time

在右上角的我的博客，您可以点击下面的图片看到了我的博客翻译成中文。这是使用谷歌翻译，所以可能不准确。或点击下面的图片。

On the top right of my blog, you can click the picture seen above to have my blog translated into Chinese.  It’s using Google Translate, so it may not be totally accurate. 

In my spare time, I like to play a little online poker.  No real money, just for fun.  Recently, I’ve been playing Governor of Poker.  It’s not against real players, but it’s still fun.  Check it out.  Click the picture below to open it up and play.  Have fun!

Alternate website at:

http://www.2flashgames.com/f/f-Governor-of-Poker-6320.htm

Really Cute animal pictures!

Check out the Cute Animals Photo Album

Click the link below:

http://cid-da3e08396ceedb11.skydrive.live.com/play.aspx/Cute%20Animals%20Part%202?ref=1

I’ve lived in China for more than two years now and I can’t say the traffic has improved.  Each month, traffic seems to get worse.  More cars, more e-bikes and more people fill the streets. 

There seems to be no traffic law whatsoever.  The general rule seems to be, if your car can fit, just go for it.  Wrong way, wrong side of the road, red light, green light, oh, those are just suggestions.  You don’t have to follow them. 

Parking – well, again, if your car can fit, just park there.  Doesn’t matter if the sidewalk, driveway or the middle of road.  There are so many traffic accidents everyday, but people don’t seem to care.  I guess this is China’s way of population control? 

What’s a blind spot? Chinese drivers don’t seem to know what a driver’s blind spot is.  They make turns or blind intersections with no yield whatsoever.  They just keep driving without slowing down.  When I first came here, I was visiting the countryside.  The driver made a quick right turn onto a high speed highway without even stopping! There was a building on the left corner, so you couldn’t see oncoming traffic.  As we pulled onto the highway from the turn, there was a big truck right on our tail.  I thought I was going to die! Whatever happened to yielding on blind corners?

In most countries, sidewalks are for pedestrians.  In China, sidewalks are for pedestrians, bicycles, baby strollers, wheelchairs, e-bikes, cars, trucks, basically whatever fits.  As a pedestrian, no matter where you are outside your home, you must be careful not to get run over by something with wheels.

As many have said, driving in China is relatively new with many inexperienced drivers.  Imagine all the drivers are 16 and just got their license.  It’s scary!

As for traffic law enforcement, well, that’s a joke.  Police rarely give tickets and if they do, as long as you know the right people, you can get your ticket/fine canceled.  In the city where I live, they do have a lot of traffic webcams which take pictures of traffic violations. They are then sent to you traffic tickets via mail. 

From a birds eye view, the country has all the infrastructure for traffic, like painted dividers, double yellow lines, cross-walks, stoplights, etc.  But these are just guidelines.  There’s really no law in actually using these lines or technology.  I think a quote from Pirates of Caribbean describes China’s traffic law enforcement best:

Elizabeth: You're pirates. Hang the code, and hang the rules. They're more like guidelines anyway.

Jack Sparrow: I thought you were supposed to keep to the code.
Mr. Gibbs: We figured they were more actual *guidelines*

Right now, driving is relatively new in China, so it will take some time to adopt, implement and enforce traffic laws.  But with so many accidents and deaths, you would think the improvement would come a little sooner rather than later. 

Here are some excerpts from different articles about Chinese traffic:

Although crash statistics are not very reliable, nearly 100,000 people reportedly died in road traffic accidents in more than 450,000 traffic accidents during 2005 in China, and 26 percent of those deaths involved pedestrians and automobiles.

“Pedestrians jumping tall, metal barriers between sidewalk and street in order to jaywalk”

“Bicycles, motorbikes, and the latest newcomer—electric bikes—sharing sidewalks with pedestrians to provide more room on roadways for cars”

“Haphazard law enforcement”

“Fading crosswalks because the cost of maintaining even this least expensive pedestrian crossing option is too high”

“Dangerous behavior by pedestrians, whose lack of experience with motorized vehicles causes them to misjudge risk”

“there are reports of a growing number of deaths and injuries among children on China’s roads”

Part of the problem is unfamiliarity with motorized traffic and how long it takes a vehicle, such as a bus, to stop for a pedestrian in the road. Parents, too, who are used to jaywalking tend to override instructions given to children at school on when and where it is safe to cross a street

Further complicating pedestrians' safety was a decision by transportation officials to move bicycles, motorbikes, and the newest fad—electric bikes—from roadways to a center lane on sidewalks. Now pedestrians must dodge swarms of bikers as they make their way to bus stops and intersections at the edge of the sidewalks

Pedestrians cross under a little-used sky bridge.

Pedestrians don’t want to walk all the way to a sky bridge to cross the road.

Here’s a video from an Australian reporter about driving in China

Women drivers!

Shanghai Lady Drives Off with Tow Truck

Celebrities are pretty, but without their makeup, they can look quite scary!

Check out these photos.  If you don’t know the celebrity, just rollover your mouse to find out who it is.

Watch the NFL Playoffs and many more sports and TV programs live online for free.

On www.channelsurfing.net you can watch live TV programs online for free, no downloads required.  When you click on the show, a pop up will open. 

See the screenshots below of the Minnesota Vikings vs. Philadelphia Eagles playoff game.  The screen is small, but if you’re out of the country and can’t watch the NFL, it’s better than nothing. 

Next week’s NFL Divisional Playoff matches that you can watch online are:

Saturday, January 10

Baltimore Ravens at Tennessee Titans 4:30 PM EST

Arizona Cardinals at Carolina Panthers 8:15 PM EST

Sunday, January 11

Philadelphia Eagles at NY Giants 1:00 PM EST

San Diego Chargers at Pittsburgh Steelers 4:45 PM EST

www.channelsurfing.net

The website only lists today’s TV sports programs, so you may not see a future event on the site.  Just bookmark the website and when the event occurs and you want to watch it, just open the site and it should be there.  I’m hoping to watch the next NCAA Bowl games here as well as the BCS Championship game.  Remember, TV programs are shown live, so be sure to account for time differences.

FEDEX BCS National Championship Game

Thursday, January 8

No. 2 Florida vs. No. 1 Oklahoma 8:00 PM EST

www.channelsurfing.net

The website also has other programs you can watch live online for free too.  Here’s a list of some of the other programs/channels/sports you can watch online:

CNBC News

CBA Basketball

ATP Tennis

NBA Basketball

World Series of Poker

NCAA Basketball

NCAA Football

NHL Hockey

MLB Baseball

Soccer

Rugby

and much more, like CBS, CNN, Spike TV, The Movie Channel, CW….! 

I was looking for a website to watch the NFL Playoffs live online for free and I found a website which is pretty good.  It’s www.channelsurfing.net.  A lot of websites for watching TV online require downloading software or a one time fee, but on this website,  you can watch absolutely free with NO downloading.  Just click on the link and a pop up will open up with the TV.  I just finished watching the Cardinals beat the Falcons on NBC.  Getting ready to watch Colts vs Chargers.  Go Colts! 

Go to www.channelsurfing.net and watch for free! 

You can also watch other sports too.  NBA, NHL, NCAA as well as some movies.