Chinese New Year

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

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The Chinese New Year always coincides with the Lunar New Year. This year is known as the Year of the Snake; officially beginning at 12:01 a.m. February 10th, 2013 and extends through January 30th, 2014. This fifteen day new year celebration is so important to Asians that, traditionally, they do not go to work for much of this period.

Day One

The first day, which starts at midnight, gives honor to the God of Heaven and Earth. People do not cook on this day. No animal products are consumed. This is believed to increase longevity and is especially observed among Buddhists. Folks keep away from any harm that may be caused by knives and other sharp objects.
On this special occasion, people visit with senior members of their family, salute them, and exchange red envelopes which consist of money. Joy is expressed by setting-off fireworks and firecrackers.

The Second Day

On the Second Day, people pray to their ancestors as well as to God to bring them good luck and prosperity in the coming year. Married women stay at home or go home for a visit.

The second day is also considered as the birthday of all dogs; therefore people are kind to dogs and customarily give them doggy treats.

Business men, especially those of Cantonese descent, conduct a prayer known as ‘Hoi Nin’ to bring good luck to their businesses in the forthcoming year.

Third and Fourth Day

On these two days, the in-laws are paid respect by sons-in-law. To prevent arguments, it is believed that home visits should not be done on these two days. This is a good time visit the gravesites of loved ones who have past away during the past three years.

Day Five

This day is called ‘Poo Woo’, the day in which people welcome the God of Wealth and stay in their homes. It is considered to be the birthday of the Chinese God of Wealth. People do not visit the homes of others, since it is believed to bring bad luck.

Natives of Northern China eat dumplings in the morning of the fifth day.
Natives of Taiwan re-open their businesses on this day to bring good luck to their businesses.

There is a fire works display to impress the God of Wealth.

The Sixth Day

People pray to God for their good fate and wellbeing on this day. This is a day to visit with loved ones, relatives and friends; but, not close family members.

Day Seven

The Seventh Day celebrates the birthday of the Human Being. Everyone is one year older on this day. We eat noodles to enhance longevity and raw fish (yusheng) for achievement. This is the day that farmers exhibit their crops. They make seven drinks out of seven vegetables on this day.

Day Eight

The Eighth Day is our Family Reunion Dinner to celebrate the eve of the birthday of the Jade Emperor. From this day onward, people start to return to work.

Day Nine

The Ninth Day is the birthday of the ruler of heaven—the Jade Emperor. People pray and give offerings to God.

The Tenth Day

People continue to celebrate the birthday of the Jade Emperor. They invite their friends and relatives for dinner.

The Eleventh and Twelfth Day

Folks continue to invite their relatives and friends over for dinner.

Day Thirteen

It is the day when people eat only pure vegetarian food to clean their system, because of the mass consumption of food during last two weeks. It is also a day devoted to Guan Yu, the God of War. Business men pray to this God to overcome all the difficulties in their path.

The Fourteenth Day

This day is for the preparation of the Lantern Feast that is to be held the next day.

The Last Day

On this day people carry lanterns, light candles and walk through the street to bring good fortune. Rice dumplings are consumed on this day. This day marks the end of all celebrations of Chinese New Year. Happy New Year...!

Chanukah * Diwali * Christmas * Kwanzaa

In the western hemisphere, the Winter Solstice marks the first day of winter; the day with the least amount of daylight hours. During this period of time, we compensate by lighting candles, trees, windows, our lives and our hearts with joy and goodwill.


A Festival of Lights is herald in by lighting eight candles in celebration of Chanukah from December 8 through December 16th in 2012.
The United States celebrates the five day Hindu light festival called Diwali, which explodes in pyrotechnics on December 12th signifying the triumph of light over darkness, intelligence over ignorance....
We then decorate every thing in sight with LED lights in preparation for the Twelve Days of Christmas beginning on December 25th.
The day after Christmas is a week long lighting of symbolic candles in the Kwanzaa tradition beginning December 26th until January 1st. As clocks struck midnight through each time zone fireworks erupted in celebration of the New Year.
All of this illuminated beauty culminates on January 6th with the Epiphany, Three Kings Day also known as the 'Day of the Lights.'

May your New Year be illuminated...

International Tolerance Day

We are forever changed by a monster cloud system that covered one eighth of our earth called Super Storm Sandy, ravaging from the Caribbean to Canada, blistering through 17 states in the US; exploding floods, fire, famine, fights over fuel, while fusing family and friends. As of this date, many folk remain evacuated by this awe filled phenomenon. The storm’s ferocity was exacerbated by the rising tides of a full moon. We must face the fact that because weather patterns have changed, we must rethink rebuilding in some areas and we must consider that some people will never be able to return home again.

Today is International Tolerance Day. Sandy proved that there are many things that we cannot control, but we can control ourselves. Instead of tolerating one another, we would be better served to embrace and nurture each other. To that end, HICAP 2012 – 2013 has coordinated with Emily Miller of Pencil.org, an organization that aligns business professionals with a New York City Public School principal. Ms. Miller partnered me with Principal Ramona Pizarro of Home Instruction Schools. Because Principal Pizarro’s schools are located in all five boroughs, many were displaced; therefore, some of her instructors are now reassigned. My position in this partnership is to assist in providing the proven technological support and hardware necessary for success and graduation through 2013.

On November 14, 2012, Ms. Miller and I met with Principal Pizarro at the Terence Cardinal Cooke Health Care Center to observe instructors with some of our most severely disable students. Instructors do not call the children disable; they are called, 'Specialty'. It takes a special human being to do this work. These teachers are a gift to the students and to their families. While there, we witnessed a physical breakthrough of a paraplegic student excited by the iPad and its applications, using his fine motor skills to make a selection. That day I, also, attended a memorial service at the health care facility's chapel for a much beloved student who passed away. Upon hearing how the caregivers and instructors were indelibly affected by this warm soul, by the end of the service; I, too, felt that knew that student.

The iPad has proven to be most beneficial to this population of students. Home Instruction Schools need approximately 200 more iPads for the 275 teachers who are charged with educating approximately 5,000 students throughout this school year. At this point, I am seeking assistance from everyone on earth. We must make sure that these children have the same opportuntiy for success that other individuals take for granted.

How to use www.hicapv.blogspot.com

The site that you are on will be used to transmit general information about the Harlem Internet Computer Access Program—HICAP, and give Internet Society updates www.isoc.org. This page will no longer carry educational information.
To access current HICAP educational discussions and relevant information, go to: www.hicapv.blogspot.com.
All posts are in alphabetical sequence. New Students please read the facts written in white; followed by the pink supplemental lessons.
Advanced Students' base knowledge allows them to go directly to facts written in blue, utilizing the white writings as a refresher.
If you have questions or need translation for any language, e-mail me: merlebush1@gmail.com or call: 347.871.8675.
Because I reside in North America, my real-time reference for science based aurora and meteor sightings is from this perspective. Data shared on HICAP sites is for the expressed purpose of promoting further investigation by the reader.

Welcome to HICAP 2012 -2013 Session

This blog will serve as a periodic update of HICAP advancements with noted celebrations and observances shared. Acting as a guide, we reach out to all with interest in the boundless educational resources offered via the Internet. A synopsis of relavant resources will be shared at our Virtual Learning Lab: www.hicapv.blogspot.com.

At the Virtual Learning Lab, information posted in:
White is Intro to Computing; Pink is Intermediate Reading; Blue is Advance Discussion.

Enjoy!

2012 - 2013 HICAP Coursework

2012 – 2013 HICAP will cover:

• Wireless Fidelity Access to the Internet via computer, phone, games, mobile devices
• Intro to Technical Terminology
• Frequency—AM, FM; oscilloscopes
• Bandwidth—The Currency of the Internet
• Bits, Bytes
• Binary Code on ASCII Table
• Scientific Notation
• Qubits
• The Earth’s Core—Compasses, Lodestones, Magnets
• Periodic Table of Elements—gold, copper; semi-conductors and insulators
• Function of Light Emitting Diodes
• Mastering Gaming with Konami Codes

Supplemental Coursework:
Mars
Living Reef.org

The Sun
Aurora Borealis in the northern hemisphere
Aurora Australis in the southern hemisphere
International Meteorological Organization—imo.org

Observed Holidays:
2012
November—Thanksgiving: November 22, 2012
December—Raising Cane Party & Welcome Winter Solstice: 12/12
2013
January— Enjoy New Year Celebrations throughout the world: 1/9
February—Chinese New Year: 2/10 through 2/24
February—Black History Month—honors NASA Director, Charles Bolden
March—Women’s History Month
March—Spring Equinox: 3/20
April through May—HICAP in Review
June—Graduation Celebration: June 12, 2013

After September 26, 2012, for synopses of HICAP discussions, go to: www.hicapv.blogspot.com

HICAP is EXPANDING

Because the Internet was designed to connect and share knowledge, for the ISOC HICAP 2012 - 2013 Session, we will expand to serve all ages, all languages and folks of all abilities; any place in the world.

The site that you are currently viewing will continue to provide updates of our goals and progress.

Beginning September 26, 2012, you can access our Internet  technology coursework at the HICAP Virtual Internet Learning Lab: www.hicapv.blogspot.com.