Vol. 53, No.5
Serving the San Gabriel Valley Since 1966
Febuary 04, 2015
Special Section
Local Events
Entertainment
Sports
Poetry
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Chinese Lunar New Year: The Year of the Ram by Jo Anne Disney El Monte
The Chinese Lunar New Year begins on February 19, 2015. This is the “Year of the Ram.” However, I have also seen it referred to as the Year of the Sheep or Goat as well. Auspicious New Year posters, cascading firecrackers, little decorative rams and various assortments of ornaments each dangling from an endless knot, “a Buddhist symbol of longevity,” can be seen in preparation for the Chinese New
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Year. People born under that sign are said to be “very serene and calm.” The Chinese Lunar Calendar names each of the 12 years after an animal. Legend has it that Buddha summoned all of the animals to come to see him before his death. Only 12 came to pay their respects. As a reward, Buddha named a year after each animal in the order that they arrived: the Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Ram (Sheep or Goat), Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. The Chinese believe the animal ruling the year in which a person is born has significant influence on personality saying, “This is the animal that hides in your heart.” Chinese astrology says that if you are born under “the Year of the Ram,” your
lucky colors are brown, red and purple; lucky numbers are 2 and 7; and lucky flowers are the carnation and the primrose. According to Chinese students I spoke to, if you were born under the sign for the year, then you should wear red all during the year for good luck. So in the days before the New Year, families clean their homes “in order to sweep away any ill-fortune and to make way for good incoming luck.” They also buy new clothing and shoes which symbolize a new beginning for the New Year. Homes are decorated with decorative red scrolls with themes of “good fortune” or happiness.” It is also a tradition to visit family members on New Years. What do some of
Courtesy photo: Central Midori
the symbols represent? It is than one needs every year;” said that red posters “simply firecrackers represent luck mean good fortune and joy;” in the coming year; and lana fish image symbolizes terns symbolize “pursing the “having more Chinese New Year continued on page 4
Arcadia High School Band and Color Guard in Superbowl Commercial by CBSLA.com Arcadia
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A local school whose band has garnered national attention by performing in the Rose Parade 14 times will appear in a Super Bowl ad this Sunday. Two weeks ago, a crew came to Arcadia High School to shoot the NFL spot using the nationally ranked band, which most recently appeared at the 2015 Rose Parade. “I was thrilled. It’s a oncein-a-lifetime opportunity you’ll never get to do again,” Jessica Repko, a band member, said. As CBS2’s Amy Johnson reports, 300 students were filmed for about five hours in varying scenes around the campus. “We have a really high quality percussion program as well as band,” Seth Murphy, the band director, said. It’s still not clear to the cast or band members just how long or how many of them will be in the commercial that airs Sunday.
Isabell Liao, another band member, said she doesn’t normally watch the Super Bowl but plans to watch this year “mostly for the commercials.” The Apaches are headed to Hawaii in December to represent California at the annual Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade.
Photos courtesy of Arcadia High Facebook