Happy Chinese New Year

[hotdoge3]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story....jectid=10491275

nzherald.co.nz - Home Rat coins for cunning punter

New Zealand Mint has produced 30,000 Year of the Rat coins.

New Zealand Mint has produced 30,000 Year of the Rat coins.They are often associated with cunning and filth - but they are about to be immortalised in a limited number of special,

silver coins.

According to the Chinese New Year, which began yesterday, 2008 is the Year of the Rat.

Yesterday marked the first day of the year 4706 in the Chinese calendar and to celebrate the occasion, New Zealand Mint has

produced 30,000 Year of the Rat coins.

The coins, which can be bought online for $79, feature an engraving of a rat in relief colour on a blue background with the

inscription "Year of the Rat 2008".

On the other side, the coins carry a $2 denomination and an image of Queen Elizabeth II.

Each coin weighs 31.1 grams and is 40.7mm in diameter. The coins are made in New Zealand but issued in the Pitcairn

islands.

New Zealand Mint general manager Mark Sutton said yesterday that throughout Chinese history, the rat had been welcomed as a

bringer of material prosperity.

"The rat is considered to be intelligent and cunning and we think that anyone picking up one of these coins will obviously

display both those traits."

* For more information go to www.newzealandmint.co.nz THE RAT

* The Year of the Rat is the first of 12 animal signs in the Chinese zodiac, therefore people born in the Year of the Rat

are said to be leaders, pioneers and conquerors.

* Because of this they see themselves as a cut above everybody else. They are active, physically and mentally, and tend to lead busy lives.

* They are best known for their charm and intelligence, which often wins them admiration. However, they sometimes hunger for power and money and their greed can lead them into a destructive trap.

Source: www.holymtn.com/astrology/rat.htm (PS) I was born in the year of the dog in new zealand

[YoKenny]

Actually the Chinese New Year started Feb. 7th:

Chinese New Year

The Year of the Rat

Chinese New Year is the longest and most important celebration in the Chinese calendar. The Chinese year 4706 begins on Feb. 7, 2008.

Chinese months are reckoned by the lunar calendar, with each month beginning on the darkest day. New Year festivities traditionally start on the first day of the month and continue until the fifteenth, when the moon is brightest. In China, people may take weeks of holiday from work to prepare for and celebrate the New Year.

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/chinesenewyear1.html

I was born in The Year Of The Rooster:

http://www.c-c-c.org/chineseculture/zodiac/Rooster.htm

[DennisD]

Happy Chinese New Year to you as well hotdoge3.

Can I understand from your post that you are Chinese? I was wondering where you were from, and if you are from China, as far as I know, you're the only Chinese member we have.

If you're not Chinese, please forgive my curiosity, but I was thinking that coin image would make a nice avatar.

[JDPower]

Can I understand from your post that you are Chinese?

I don't think he'd get the Chinese new year wrong if he was

BTW I'm a sssssssnake

People born in the Year of the Snake are deep. They say little and possess great wisdom. They never have to worry about money; they are financially fortunate. Snake people are often quite vain, selfish, and a bit stingy. Yet they have tremendous sympathy for others and try to help those less fortunate. Snake people tend to overdo, since they have doubts about other people's judgment and prefer to rely on themselves. They are determined in whatever they do and hate to fail. Although calm on the surface, they are intense and passionate. Snake people are usually good-looking and sometimes have marital problems because they are fickle. They are most compatible with the Ox and Rooster.

[DennisD]

I don't think he'd get the Chinese new year wrong if he was

I knew that, (really ), but it was polite to return the greeting, and being Chinese would explain hotdoge3's occassional struggle with the English language.

But hats off to anyone who has to work in a different language. It's more than I could do.

I await with bated breath to find out where you're from hotdog.

I appear to be the Tiger. I like that.

[login123]

Happy new year, Hotdog3.