Lang ho chi minh

All of 12 years old, Bao Minh’s worst fear is not of ghosts. He’s also not afraid of heights. But he looks at stairs with some dread. Climbing the stairs is among the least favorite activities for this boy who lives in a premium apartment in Hanoi, alongside running or even walking for more than five minutes. Any body movement that gets him sweating is looked upon with disfavor by Minh. "I do not work out or play sports. Why make your body suffer when you can enjoy the air-conditioning with a snack?" he said, sitting on a couch with eyes glued to his favorite TV show. Each week, Minh gets reluctantly active for about 15 minutes during his physical education (PE) sessions, and he hates this school subject the most. He passes with a minimum score in every test. Minh’s story can be told of more and more young boys and girls across the country, especially in major cities. While the country gets kudos for the sight of the elderly up and about, exercising and … [Read more...] about All work, no play plus smart devices: kids turn couch potatoes

Nguyen Thi Kim Phuong is 42 and she fears what middle age will do to her face. Like many of her friends, she sees cosmetic surgery as a way to extend her youthful looks. Phuong originally planned to undergo a face-lift procedure and nose job at a beauty clinic in Saigon's District 10 next month that would cost her more than VND80 million ($3,438). But she's changed her decision, fearing for her life after a series of plastic surgeries went fatally wrong at private clinics in Vietnam's southern metropolis. "I want to look younger and more beautiful as the Lunar New Year is coming near. But I'm afraid of dying and I don't dare to risk my life," the grocery store owner said.   "They (beauty clinic consultant staff) guaranteed that the surgery would be 100 percent successful and advised me to keep an optimistic mind. "But these recent deaths and accidents from plastic surgery in private clinics have really scared me. It seems that going under the plastic surgeon's knife in Vietnam is … [Read more...] about For better or worse: botched plastic surgeries scare Vietnamese women

Capital begins celebrations for Mid-Autumn Festival (12-09-2005) A girl checks a lantern on sale on Ha Noi’s Hang Ma Street, which is known for making Mid-Autumn lanterns and paper toys. — VNS PHoto Truong Vi HA NOI — Nearly one thousand children, tourists and residents in Ha Noi attended an Old Quarter Mid-Autumn Festival on Saturday evening, ahead of the nationwide celebration on September 18. The event, organised by the city’s Department of Culture and Information and Hoan Kiem District’s People’s Committee, will take place every night this week in the streets of Dong Xuan and Cau Dong and featured a variety of children’s song-and-dance performances, mid-autumn treats and seasonal shopping. Local lanterns shine As the celebration approaches, Viet Nam’s traditional paper-made lanterns have become a favourite choice for toy buyers this year. This is good news for local traditional lantern makers who have been losing their shares … [Read more...] about Capital begins celebrations for Mid-Autumn Festival