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WASHINGTON Balenciaga Speed Trainer Knit High Rosse Bianche Italia , Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of people filled the courtyard of the Smithsonian American Art Museum Saturday for a Chinese Lunar New Year celebration, which featured dragon dances and other traditional Chinese folk artforms.


Chinese Ambassador Cui Tiankai and Smithsonian Secretary David Skorton kicked off the event with a dragon awakening ceremony, during which they painted color onto a dragon's eyes.


"Xin Nian Kuai Le," Skorton wished the some 7 Balenciaga Speed Trainer Knit High Olive Bianche Italia ,500 visitors happy new year in the Chinese language to mark the Chinese Lunar New Year of the Rooster.


The event, co-organized by the museum and the Chinese embassy, invited Chinese craftsmen from Beijing to make sure that Washingtonians can experience an authentic Chinese festival.


With musical performances, dances Balenciaga Speed Trainer Knit High Bianche Italia , paper cutting, calligraphy, painting, dough sculpting and bristle dolls Balenciaga Speed Trainer Knit High Nere Bianche Italia , the event presented both traditional and modern traits of the Chinese culture to its visitors.


Five-year-old Julia and her older brother Henry, who was seven, made quite a splash at the bustling figure making corner, where they were taught by a Chinese craftsman how to make a crawling caterpillar with only a straw and a piece of paper.


"This is the second year (that I came) Balenciaga Triple S Low Top Grigie Rosse Blu Italia ," Julia said, happily recounting that last year she had her face painted into a monkey for the Year of the Monkey. "It is so fun!" she said.




CANBERRA， Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Australian government has overnight scrapped a controversial Parliamentary perk which allowed former federal politicians to travel on the taxpayer dollar， in what is the latest step in the crackdown on MP expenses.


Following the nation's "expenses scandal"， in which Health Minister Sussan Ley stepped down following revelations she used taxpayer money to fly to the Gold Coast to purchase property， the Senate voted to scrap the Life Gold Pass which allowed retired ministers to take ten free， return domestic business class flights each year.


The Senate also voted in favor of implementing a Parliamentary perks watchdog which would oversee MP expenses.


Australia's Special Minister of State， Scott Ryan told the Senate that the new changes would go a long way to regaining public faith in the Parliamentary system.


"The Life Gold Pass for parliamentarians is a relic of a bygone era. Politicians must be accountable for their use of taxpayer dollars，" Ryan said.


"These important and timely reforms will be delivered in the coming months."


The decision to scrap the perks didn't come without opposition， however; Liberal Senator Ian Macdonald was a vocal in support of the perks， saying Parliamentarians work too long and too hard -- "in a job where there's no privacy and no down time" -- not to receive some benefits after their life in Canberra.