Shenghua the ‘blast puppy’ is melting hearts on social media

Lifestyle

Aug 19, 2015

After explosions devastated parts of the Chinese city of Tianjin, social media in the country has been fascinated to one hopeful story from the incident.

Over 72 hours after the warehouse blasts which devastated the city, rescue workers found a mongrel puppy wandering through the rubble.

The puppy has not been claimed by an owner but the soldiers on the scene who examined the dog said it was “miraculously unscathed”.

The images of the puppy have gone viral and have provided a rare opportunity for some good news coming from the Chinese media in recent times.

A blogger from the area wrote about the pup now named Shenghua:

"This is Shenghua [which translates to 'Biochemistry' in Chinese] – he was rescued by a chemical specialist team in Tianjin. The puppy wouldn't even leave its rescuers, such loyalty."

One user left this comment on the story:

"This is more than just any old animal story – Reading it among all the doom and gloom of Tianjin [coverage] literally lifted my spirits.”

The pup is described as playful and curious by the rescue workers at the site. As of now, the puppy is refusing to leave its rescuers at the blast site.

Instead Shenghua is sticking around to provide some fluffy relief for the workers despite many social media users hoping a new home will be found soon.

You can now EAT collagen? This Chinese beauty craze is CRAZY

Aug 14, 2015

by Amber Saunders

One beauty editor for Elle magazine, April Long, travelled to China to see if the beauty craze of eating collagen was actually real… and what she found there is somewhat shocking.

April recalls how she arrived at a restaurant and subsequently spotted a number of unusual food items on the menu.

Intrigued, she went to talk to the chef about what was on offer.

"Young women, especially, come here to eat donkey hide," the chef told her, adding: "they believe it keeps them beautiful".

The tradition of consuming certain foods to rejuvenate the complexion is a very old one in China, with the practise of ingesting donkey skin dating back to the first century BC.

The theory behind the tradition is that eating something that has a lot of collagen in it will then produce collagen in their own skin as well.

But does it actually work?

Heaps of Chinese and Japanese women absolutely swear by it, with pharmacies and supermarkets in that part of the world filled with fruit-flavoured shots, collagen-infused marshmallows and even a collagen beer called Precious.

They consume an average of 5g of collagen per day. In contrast, in this part of the world we're used to eating skinless and boneless everything, so our diets are virtually devoid of collagen.

April remarked after her trip that "we're only beginning to understand the difference it makes".

But will women living on this side of the world buy into the trend?

Even though there is no hard evidence supporting the craze, Chinese and Japanese women often look much younger than their years – something plenty of Western women would love to tap into.

We're a bit undecided on this one – but don't be surprised if you begin to spot donkey hide in your local health food cafe sometime soon!

Man loses his FOOT as yet another horror escalator accident takes place

Aug 4, 2015

by Amber Saunders

A Chinese cleaner from Shanghai has become the next victim of a terrible escalator accident which took place late yesterday evening.

In yet another escalator malfunction, the cleaner was seen mopping the moving escalator when one of the moving steps collapsed and trapped his foot underneath.

The mishap was caught on video and has now been watched by more than 95,000 YouTube users.

In the same clip, which some viewers may find distressing, the cleaner is seen panicking and shouting for help. Onlookers rush to his assistance, but sadly they were unable to rescue his foot from the broken step.

It is said that the emergency services took nearly 20 minutes to relieve him from the trap before he was rushed to hospital. Unfortunately doctors were not able to save his foot and the man will now have to get it amputated.

This news comes just a week after footage of a brave mother trying to save her child before she plunged to her death through a faulty metal plate emerged online. The 30-year-old had to throw her son to safety before she fell to her death.

It took four men to rescue her body from the fall. An inquest said that maintenance workers recently replaced the metal panel but did not secure it with screws.

An investigation into yesterday's accident is now taking place.

Could wreckage on a beach finally solve aviation’s greatest mystery?

Lifestyle

Jul 30, 2015

by Amber Saunders

A beach cleaner has stumbled upon wreckage which may be part of MH370 – Malaysian Airlines’ missing aircraft.

The Boeing 777 plane vanished from the sky 16 months ago and despite an international search, no trace of it has been found since.

However, it seems that Johnny Begue – in discovering a 1.8metre long wing flap on the shore on the French island of Réunion – has made gone some way in solving the greatest aviation mystery of modern times.

The wreckage was half covered in sand and has barnacles stuck around its edges, and Mr Begue also came across battered luggage nearby his initial find.

Mr Begue manages a team of eight people charged with cleaning up the coastline around the town of Saint-Andre in the east of Indian Ocean territory.

Réunion itself is located east of Madagascar, some 175km southwest of Mauritius – and also some 5,600km away from the doomed jet's last-known location.

Yesterday morning, Mr Begue spotted the wreckage and with the help of his colleagues he was able to pull it away from the shore so it didn’t get swept out to sea again.

Meanwhile, Malaysian officials have now said they are “almost certain” the wing flap came from a Boeing 777 and aviation investigators are currently heading to the island to verify the findings.

It is expected that they will know whether the wreckage came from MH370 within days.

Photo de la valise retrouvée ce matin à Saint-André, près de là où l'aile a été vue hier. (photo @Linfore) #LaReunion pic.twitter.com/Dp23nq0U4l

— Antoine Forestier (@a_forestier) July 30, 2015

Locals will furthermore be questioned over the weekend in case they have picked up items – now potentially vital clues – on the beach over the last few months.

Aerial and sea support is likely to come from France, Australia, Malaysia and China, as authorities scramble to collect more debris.

Malaysia Airlines flight 370 vanished on March 8, 2014, with 239 people on board while travelling from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

A comprehensive report earlier this year into the plane's disappearance revealed that the battery of the locator beacon for the plane's flight data recorder had expired more than a year before the jet vanished.

The new thigh gap challenge – and it’s taking the internet by storm

Jun 12, 2015

by Amber Saunders

Unlike many of the social media challenges that emerge, this one you can actually try at home.

That's not to say, however, it's not without its risks.

Yes, a new internet craze has emerged that involves touching your belly button by reaching behind your back and around your waist. The activity is then, of course, captured and posted online with the hashtag #bellybuttonchallenge.

The belly button challenge began on Weibo, the Chinese equivalent to Twitter, and tens millions of posts featuring the hashtag have since been posted.

Anyone who can successfully reach their belly button by wrapping their arm around their back is incredibly slim, boasting tiny and toned stomachs.

We have all tried it here in SHEmazing! and it seems it’s largely down to your flexibility and arm length, rather than just your waist size.

For example, a photo uploaded by a more curvaceous male blogger touching his belly button took Weibo by storm.

More than 2,600 people 'liked' his effort, with one tweeting: "You go Buddha! Show the skinny girls how it's done."

According to Mail Online, users have claimed that the concept came from research by US scientists. In their study, the researchers suggested women who can complete the belly button challenge have 'good' bodies, But this research has not yet been sourced or cited – and experts say that actually, there are a number of variables that can affect your success.

We hope this is a trend that dies down soon as some people completing the challenge are beginning to use hashtags like #imnotfat, leading to concerns that those who cannot complete the challenge may feel inferior.

Chinese cinemas are encouraging people to text during films!

Uncategorized

Aug 21, 2014

by Amber Saunders

If you’re one of the few people who follow the rules in the cinema and turn off your phone completely, you’ll be missing out if you go to see a film in China!

They are launching a new program where audience members will be able to send texts about the film which will then appear on screen – after they’ve been screened, of course. God knows what might pop up otherwise.

Apparently the ‘bullet screen’, as it is known, is already a reality in Beijing and Shanghai, but we sure hope it doesn’t come to Ireland. It’d be like when you can’t get the subtitles off the TV even though it’s in English, and then you can’t stop reading them even though there’s no need – SO annoying!

This is one advancement in technology we can definitely live without. Plus, if we weren’t under the constant threat of the usher coming up and asking us to put our phones away (oh, the mortification!) we’d probably be tempted to check Facebook every five minutes. The cinema is our only escape! Please don’t ruin it!

Now that’s an interesting way to preserve peaches!

Aug 6, 2014

by Amber Saunders

Chinese shops have apparently started selling underwear peaches as novelty gifts.

The peaches which are known as “When the honey peach Ripens” in Mandarin – were sold in preparation for China’s Valentine’s Day on August 2nd.

The images of the underwear have become such a viral hit, that the creator Mr. Yao has reportedly applied for a patent for the underwear peaches.

They may be popular but they’re not cheap, as a box of underwear peaches (nine peaches) costs $80. Hmmm, we think we’ll stick to a normal box of fruit, thanks.

Want to find out what has Miranda Kerr so happy?

Jul 8, 2014

by Amber Saunders

Miranda Kerr always looks so happy – and why wouldn’t she? She’s gorgeous and she’s the proud mum of a beautiful little baby – but she’s also been getting some help in the happiness department.

The maca plant, which is found in South America, was fed to mice over six weeks and amazingly, those given the highest dose were found to exhibit the least depressed behaviour. According to research at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China, their levels of cortisol (stress hormone) decreased, while their levels of dopamine (happy hormone) increased.

Miranda Kerr is among a selection of celebs who include this miracle plant in their diet – so no wonder she looks so happy! You can buy this as a supplement in health food shops and not only is it found to help depression, but also IBS symptoms, acne and it’s also said to boost your energy and libido!

We’ll have what Miranda is having!

Places you need to see

Lifestyle

May 23, 2014

by Amber Saunders

Travelling is all about exploring new places and discovering new things. However, because it is so easily accessible it can be hard to find places that nobody has ever heard of! Why not put these pretty awesome places on your list:

Cameron Highlands, Malaysia

It’s lovely and cool here with temperatures ranging between 10°C and 21°C so head up if you get too hot.

Luang Prabang, Laos

This is a UNESCO World Heritage site meaning it is one of the world’s most protected sites.

Suzhou, China

Rich in 2,500 years of history it is not too well known by tourists – until now that is…

Mont-Saint-Michel, France

This island off France is home to a pretty magical town that is rich in history.

L-r: Cameron Highlands, Malaysia; Luang Prabang, Laos; Suzhou, China; Mont-Saint-Michel, France

S! TV BREAKING: Cara flying high for Burberry

Apr 25, 2014

by Amber Saunders

To celebrate the opening of its massive Shanghai flagship store, Burberry staged an equally extravagant runway show to let the city know in style that it has arrived in China. Watch the video for the full report.

Justin Bieber apologises for his controversial instagram photo

Celebrity

Apr 23, 2014

by Amber Saunders

It seems Justin really needs to go over his history books, especially when it comes to posting snaps of culturally significant places on his Instagram account.

Bieber caused upset, when he took a picture of Tokyo’s Yasukuni Shrine. The shrine is a religious site believed to house the souls of former Japanese military leaders responsible for war crimes in China and other parts of Asia during World War II.

Of course, Justin was not aware of the controversial history surrounding the shrine and decided to share with his followers a picture of himself bowing at the war shrine, captioned: “Thank you for your blessings.”

Eventually, the 20-year-old singer realised his mistake, deleted the photo and replaced it with a screenshot of an article about his visit.

He then went onto to send a message to apologise to anyone he had offended.

“While in Japan I asked my driver to pull over for which I saw a beautiful shrine. I was misled to think the Shrines were only a place of prayer. To anyone I have offended I am extremely sorry. I love you China and I love you Japan.”

Well at least he apologised, that’s something.