A Thankful Letter To My Professor!

Dear Professor,

Today I want to thank you for all your helps during this semester. At the beginning of this semester, my listening was really poor. When I listened to the public radio I could only understand 25%. The public radio was really the “Foreign Language”. Every time I turned on the radio, I was a little bit scared, because I couldn’t understand. The first month of this semester, I didn’t finish the listening assignment, I am very sorry professor. I did listen to the assignment, but even I listened 3 times, I still couldn’t understand what they were talking about. I didn’t know what should I write about it. To be honest, at the beginning of this semester, the radio from New York Times’ Business Section was really hard. I almost lost my confidence. I didn’t want to cheat myself so I didn’t copy from the internet.

And then I talked with you professor, I was so happy that you did accept my opinion. And the listening assignment changed to Boston Radio Show Archive Section. Now I really enjoy this section. The first time I listened to this program, it was hard for me to catch up everything. I did the dictation at the first time. I listened to one sentence and then stopped it. I wrote down the sentence that I heard. Although it’s slow, but for the beginner like me, dictation did help me to understand the core meaning of the long article. Each archive I can write down 20 pages. Then I organized the whole dictation pages and summarize it. Add my own opinion to it, finally my assignment finish. After several times’ practice, I did improve my listening skills. Now I can listen to the whole archive without dictation and summarize the main idea after I listen to it. And the biggest improvement is I can understand 80% now. Except some idioms and slangs which some of them I don’t know.

Thank you very much professor! Without your help, I can’t improve my listening so quickly. You are my commander and I am your soldier. Every morning when I have my breakfast and listen to the public radio, I feel that how wonderful life is!

Professor, I hope you can keep reading my blog. This is not my final one, I will keep working on it. I really enjoy doing it now. When I want to say something, I want to type it into my laptop and post it on my blog.

I hope we can become friends, I learned a lot from you, not just knowledge but also wisdom.

Regards!

Cloud

      

Jasmine Flowers!

What a beautiful jasmine flower
What a beautiful jasmine flower
This beauty in full bloom scents the air
and deserves lots of praise for its sweet and white
Let me pick some flowers
and send to others
Oh, jasmine flowers, jasmine flowers
好一朵美丽的茉莉花
好一朵美丽的茉莉花
芬芳美丽满枝桠
又香又白人人夸
茉莉花呀茉莉花

Jasmine Flowers is a very famous folk song in China, it was sung by the top one Chinese singer Miss Song Zuying at Vienna's Golden Concert Hall in 2004. I hope all of you enjoy it!

 

Obama’s Afghanistan Speech

On December 1 President Barack Obama speaks to cadets during a nationally televised address at the US Military Academy in West Point, New York. In his speech he talked four problems. First, why the USA army entered Afghanistan? Second, why the USA needs to deploy 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan? Third, what the USA troops and the international troops have done in Afghanistan? Lastly, what is the aims of the USA at Afghanistan?

For the first question, Obama said on 9.11 of 2001, nineteen Al-Qaeda members hijacked four airplanes and used them to murder nearly 3,000 people. “They struck at our military and economic nerve centers. They took the lives of innocent men, women, and children without regard to their faith or race or station…” Because the base of Al-Qaeda was in Afghanistan and the members of Al-Qaeda were harbored by the Taliban, a ruthless, repressive and radical movement that seized control of Afghanistan. So the USA and its alias came to Afghanistan in order to destroy the Al-Qaeda’s terroristic networks and the illegal Taliban government who harbored the Al-Qaeda members.

For the second question, although a legitimate government was elected by the Afghan people, this country has been hampered by corruption, the drug trade and insufficient Security Forces. The Al-Qaeda and Taliban are not completely annihilated and they often threat the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Therefore the new Afghan government needs the USA and the United Nations’ help to keep stable. “When I took office, we had just over 32,000 Americans serving in Afghanistan, compared to 160,000 in Iraq at the peak of the war. Commanders in Afghanistan repeatedly asked for support to deal with the reemergence of the Taliban, but these reinforcements did not arrive. That's why, shortly after taking office, I approved a long-standing request for more troops” Obama said. Deploying more troops to Afghanistan is not to let them stay there forever but to let them remain the stability of the Afghan society. President Obama promised that by 2011, all of the USA troops will withdraw from Afghanistan.

Since the USA troops entered Afghanistan, they have made great progress. Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan have been scattered and the high-ranking Al-Qaeda and Taliban leaders have been killed. A legitimate provisional government was established under President Hamid Karzai and an International Security Assistance Force was established to help bring a lasting peace to this war-torn country. This year the USA and its allies prevent the Taliban from stopping a presidential election. In Pakistan, that nation's Army has demonstrated its largest offensive in years.

Lastly Obama interpreted the aims of the USA at the Afghanistan war is to deny al Qaeda a safe-haven, to reverse the Taliban's momentum and to deny it the ability to overthrow the government, and to strengthen the capacity of Afghanistan's Security Forces and government as to be able to take lead responsibility for Afghanistan's future. “Unlike Vietnam, we are joined by a broad coalition of 43 nations that recognizes the legitimacy of our action. Unlike Vietnam, we are not facing a broad-based popular insurgency. And most importantly, unlike Vietnam, the American people were viciously attacked from Afghanistan, and remain a target for those same extremists who are plotting along its border” Obama commented.

After listening to Obama’s speech, I think this speech is full of positive meanings. First it makes the young American people understand that Afghanistan war is a just one. All of the USA troops entering Afghanistan have very clear targets. Secondly this speech explicitly explains the necessity of troop supplement, which makes Obama’s plan of deploying 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan easier to get ratified by the Congress. Thirdly, this speech tells American people’s hope for peace in Afghanistan to the worldwide people. The aims of the USA entering Afghanistan are not to occupy it and take away its natural sources, but to make Afghanistan peaceful and become its partner.

Let’s look forward to the withdrawing of the USA troops from Afghanistan in 2011. Let’s bless a peaceful Afghanistan.

Four things learn from China!

Today I read the New York Times, November 23, 2009. There is one article: Five things we need to learn from China. The author of this article hopes that while the U.S. remains mired in an economic funk, China drives ceaselessly forward, U.S. could learn something from China. I think there are four things can learn from China.

First, Be Ambitious.
China likes to set goals, make plans and focus on moving the country ahead. China likes to make everything on plans. The high speed highways, the high speed train lines. We learn it from Soviet Union. I think sometimes be ambitious is efficient. From our first leader Chairman Mao, we keep the old five-year plans and stood them on our head. Some of my classmates ask me why Chinese students are good at preparing for the test. I told them we are good at setting goals. Our goal is pass the test and get high score.

Second, Education Matters
In China the elementary school students have to have class every Saturday. They learn Math and Science or English. Chinese students are always ahead of American students in math and science. For us the math in GRE test is so easy. Like our middle school Math. That’s why a lot of accountants in America are Chinese. Some western critics said China’s education is overdone, the system stresses rote memorization, which drives kids crazy. I agree part of the comments. It did give us a lot of pressure. I spent most of my time on study. But on the other hand, I already get used to the pressure when I was a kid. Now I feel ok, fine. And every time when I helped my classmates do their math, I am so happy. Although my language is a little weak, my math is pretty good. And most of us master two or more foreign languages. We learn it from 13-year-old. Thank you for the education system, we are smarter now.

Third, Look after the elderly
In China, when people get old, they will live with their children. In my family, my grandpa and grandma live with us. My dad and mom take care of them. Grandma and grandpa are very happy live with us, because they never feel lonely. I have been to a nursing house in America to visit my friend’s Dad. My friend Wangchao has been in Boston for 30 years, her Dad has been here 20 years. The old man had been in the nursing house for 10 years. During the past 10 years, the old man did nothing just waiting for the death. He couldn’t speak English, could communicate with other old women and men in the nursing house. He is extremely lonely and his brain stop working. Every time I went to visit him the only word he could say is: Hi! I gave him a lot of mercy. Compare to my grandpa in China, the old man’s life is terrible. My grandpa is already 85 years old .Every day he reads newspaper, plays games with my cousin, and even cooks for us. Wonderful! Because my grandpa lives with us, he is not lonely, he is happy every day and his brain keep working every day! Every weekend, my grandpa chats with me through cell phone about the politics in China even in America! See, how big the difference is!

Fourth, Save more!
Chinese like save money, Americans like use money! I think the main reason of the big recession is more and more people can’t pay back the money which they lend from the banks. So the bank broke and followed the big recession. I think Americans should learn a little from Chinese. My friend who is a typical American, always borrow money from the bank, he borrowed $50,000 and bought a BMW. When he has some emergencies he has to ask help from his friends. Sometimes not always have friends have money waiting for him.

Above all, that’s I think America should learn from China!

New Hampshire

This Thanksgiving I share the time with my friends in the church. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day! As a Christian I should go to church every weekend to visit my sisters and brothers. But I am a bad Christian, in order to earn money I have to work on weekend, so I have been 7 months didn’t go to church. I missed my friends so much. So I decide to go New Hampshire to have Thanksgiving Day together with my friends.

During the 7 months I worked in the hospital as a Personal Care Attendant, I worked in other people’s house as a baby sitter. I worked at Dunking Donuts sell coffee. I met so many people during this period. Some of them treat me so bad and hurt my heart. The employer didn’t pay me enough money, the customer has bad attitude to me, people looked at me in an arrogant way. I can’t feel love, friendship, kindness. Only in the church I can feel love and peaceful. People console each other, we are the people who realize our guilty and want to repent. But most people don’t think they are wrong, they keep doing guilty things. Sometimes when I really hurt by other people, I cried. Not because I am so weak, I am so sad. I am sad for the world.

Ernest Hemingway said: The world is wonderful, we should strive for it! I don’t agree with the first part, but I believe we should strive for it!

At New Hampshire sisters and brothers together sing the Hyms. We hike the mountain, play the Kayak on the lake, eat turkeys together. At that moment, I felt love and friendship. When they know I had difficult time live in America, they pray for me. They try to find ways to help me. I felt like I was in a family and people do care about me. I don’t know what the truth of the world, but I don’t believe in Money, rights and power. In today’s society, most people’s idol is Money! Most people working very hard to buy a BMW, the tiffany Jewelry, a huge house near the ocean in order to satisfy our body and conceit.

Several days ago, I had a conversation with my boss. He always benefits himself, but fucks everyone else. I said the biggest difference between I and him is: If both of us earned 10 million dollars, he will spend 10 millions dollars by himself on house, drug, car, or even prostitute. But I will donate 8 million to Children who had cancer, who still struggle with hunger. That’s why I had never depression even I failed. I am struggle not for myself only.

New Hampshire is a place I can wash my heart, when I donate the money to children who had cancer, to students who didn’t have enough money for school, I feel very happy. Even now I am still worry about my own tuition. But I know they are harder than me, at least I have enough food to eat.

I know god is always with me. When I was a teenager, I was the one who is very selfish and only care about myself. But something happened to me and I changed. I am happy I have more and more responsibility for the society. Thank God!

I believe we should strive for the world!

H1N1 Swine Flu!

The host Jane Clayson has one 3-years old and one 5-years old. Last week one of her daughter’s friends was ill. Later he felt so sick that he had to go to the hospital. Test came positive back for H1N1, swine flu. As the mother of the two little kids, she feels a little bit afraid. The public health officials tell us that children are in the high risk group. Jane Clayson’s William 2 weeks ago got the swine flu shot. The nurse told him washed his hands often and with sanitizer. The public health group also announced that an increase of the flu influence this week. The H1N1 viruses are moving target. A lot of people have focus on the vaccine. It’s not enough to go around. So many people are waiting for the vaccines. It’s frustrating to public officials, doctors and nurses who trying to both manage and help people. The host visited one clinic all the people wore face respirator. Most people feel better within a week. Some people get pneumonia which is the serious illnesses and some die. People in line wait for hours to get the H1N1 flu shot. The officials were informed that there is another delay. They have to ask the patience of the public. Within a few weeks, there will be more vaccine. There will be 15 to 20 clinics open every week. They hope the vaccine growing on time and can be shipped to the patients on time. Pregnant women and young children should first get the vaccine. 540 children have died in this country. The Boston Globe reported this morning that at Bay State 65% of laboratory confirmed cases are children under 18 years-old. This flu still hits toward the younger population. The swine flu is unpredictable. Sometimes one part of the city is bad, or one part of the city is not bad. And we don’t completely understand the reason for this. Does it hit the urban areas or suburban areas? In the spring, Boston is the hardest city that be hit in this country. We have 4 neighborhoods that very hard to hit. Some of them are hardly hit at all. Two thirds of the pregnant women looking for the vaccine but they can’t get it. That is very true statistics that suburban areas are very hard to find vaccine, even the health care provider. The professor suggests that first parents should be patient. The vaccine should be out at the beginning of December. Second, wash your hands with sanitizer. Third, stay home and don’t touch somebody when he is sick.

One listener said he thought the public media made the flu overblown. The doctor said he didn’t think the flu was overblown, everybody should get the vaccine and they should get it every year. Because there is good evidence that this vaccine did protect people. It doesn’t protect 100%. It’s like the seat-belt. When you get into the car, you get the seat-belt. Someone concerns the safety of the vaccine. The production process has been tested very well. This has been through testing to clinical trials. Within 20 or 30 years, it has safety record.

A lot of people complain that they think government should pay more money to improve the technology. They think the vaccine should out faster. The vaccine grows in eggs and produced from eggs. There is new technology available now. It has been tested, it has been go through licensed. The important is the vaccine vaccinates the massive people.

Apples!

Today I listen to Boston radio, the title is: Apple Season In New England. The question-master David Boeri first shows several special varieties of apples of New England. The first kind is lamb abbey permain, the second kind is porter which is the apple comes from Massachusetts, the third one Harrison which is the extinct one, it looks ugly, but it has the fabulous taste. He then introduces the Nashoba wine. The first one cyser honey apple wine, it was very popular when sugar was very expensive and honey was available. The second one is dry apple wine. In 1900, New England colonies lived on sweet cider. It was so important for them at that time.

Americans are called apple pie because apples are everywhere, in the stores, in the farm land, and even in the yard. They find an apple tree which very old probably 60—70 years old. It is from generation to generation and generation. It about 50 feet tall and the fruits are sweet. It’s amazing.Then the master of this program interviewed Bob, the owner of a big orchard. Bob followed his father and uncle and became the orchard owner. In 1910, one barrel of apple is $3 in New York. At that time New England is the Global Maker. The apples were sold to England, Chile, South Africa, and even China. Bob, his wife and their son come every fall from New Jersey. The farm stands next to their house. Bob says it’s a labor of love. Every fall they sell their apples on sale. They sell their land as real estate.

The primary reason for planting apple tree was hard cider for hundreds years ago. It was the preferred drink of Commonwealth, the pilgrim, and the colonies. The second president John Adam drank a tanker for breakfast. The wine makers are very classical in New England. Boston has nowhere can compete with those farms’ prices and taxes. In 1995, with the local and estate contribution, Tack bought the big farm when he was 30 years old. He is a software engineer. His parents and in-laws work for free to help him manage the farm. Every fall he sells apples and attract so many families come to pick apples. He puts a lot of decorations for his orchard. When he saw more and more families come he said it worth it.

Then one listener called and asked how they could stop the super market from using apples from China and apple products like apple juice. The master answered now the world juice markets are dominated by China. It’s tuff and that’s something on the horizon. The Chinese planted a lot of apple trees 10 years ago. China now becomes the largest apple producer in the world. The state of Washington produced about 5% of the apples in the world. America imports the apples a lot from China. It has been coming in for several years now.

Some point of views.

Today I read an article from New York Time, November 9, 2009. The author is Allan Sloan, a professional economy critic. He believes that the government uses trillions of dollars to help the giant financial institutions bail out is wrong. He doesn't agree with many economists said the Great Recession has ended. He lists that unemployment is marching toward 10% and the house foreclosures are still rising. He is very angry that the salary of the employee is 150,000; but the bonus is 250,000. People who work at Wall Street they send their children to $40,000-a-year private schools, and they live in Manhattan. According to the Time’s poll, 63% of the respondents feel the Wall Street executives’ pay is completely out of line. He also mentions that 60 trillion of government money flowing into GM and Chrysler. He said the money didn’t use to help the retiree’s pension. He called the CEOs pigs.

I think the author is extremely angry, he stand by the side of Main Street, I feel the American’s economy is becoming worse and worse. Almost every international student can’t find job now. Because so many old employees were laid off. Some of my friends had no jobs and they had to go back to China.

I have a friend her husband owned 3 buildings at Bacon Hill, her family rent the 3 buildings to the tenants, and they charge the renting fees. Because the bad economy, there are less and less tenants rent their studios. This year they don’t have enough money pay for the mortgages. They sell 2 buildings in order to pay back the money to the bank. 3 years ago the building they owned each one worth 4 million dollars. This year each of the building just sold at 2,900,000. They lost 1 million.

As an international student, I can truly feel the bad recession, I agree with the author the economy is still bad. I had a job at Dunking Donuts, the tips the customers gave us is less and less. 3 0r 4 years ago, the co-worker told me he can get 5-6 dollars one hour. Now I can only get 1 dollar one hour, sometimes 50 cents one hour. I think people have no money, so they don’t give tips. I think it’s like a big circle, customers have no money. All the employees earn less money, so they don’t buy extra stuff, just the basic needs. The result is everyone has less money. It’s the bad circulation.

Actually I don’t know how to fix the bad economy, it’s too complicated for me to find a way to solve the giant problem. I just use my eyes to watch, to observe, and to think. I know that the year salary of Blankfein who is the CEO of Goldman Sachs is 1,000 times of the average worker. That’s the system. I have no comments about it because I don’t want to judge the system good or not.

I like to keep observing and thinking.

Drinking and driving!

Last week I read an article: SADD fakes deaths to teach lesson. SADD is students against drink driving grogram. This program is help teenagers not to drink and drive. At Holliston High School SADD used an untrue announcement that two of the most popular students had been killed by a drunk driver. After heard this, students began to cry and grieve, and for several minutes they believe their classmates were dead. Teachers tried to tell students that this could happen to them or someone close to them.

Some of the students and their parents got angry because they thought it was too traumatic. One girl was dismissed from school when she became highly emotional. One student said: it was the worst possible way to do it. They didn’t have to go to such an extreme that made people cry. But the school stands behind its decision to support SADD. The school believed that it would be the most effective way to make students think twice about driving while drunk or drinking at all. Most kids started saying they wouldn’t take the risk. Students swear they will never drink and drive again.

I think it is a good grogram to teach teenagers not to drink and drive. I believe teenagers’ threshold of terror is very high. Kids don’t believe something like this serious could really happen to them. And from this program they do believe this would happen to them or someone around them. There is a poem named: Death of an innocent. Here I want to share with you.
I went to a party mom, I remembered what you said.
You told me not to drink mom, so I drank soda instead.
I really felt proud inside, mom, the way you said I would.
I didn’t drink and drive, mom, even though the others said I should.
I know I did the right thing, mom, I know you were always right.
Now the party is finally ending, mom, as everyone is driving out of sight.
As I got into my car, mom, I knew I’d get home in one piece.
Because of the way you raised me, so responsible and sweet.
I started to drive away, mom but as I pulled out into the road.
The other car didn’t see me, mom, and hit me like a load.
As I lay there on the pavement, mom, I hear the policeman say,
The other guy is drunk, mom, and I’m the one who will pay.
I’m lying here dying, mom, I wish you’d get here soon.
How could this happen to me, mom? My life just burst like a balloon.
There is blood all around me, mom, and most of it is mine.
I hear the medic say, mom, I’ll die in a short time.
I wanted to tell you, mom, I swear I didn’t drink.
It was the others, mom. The others who didn’t think.
He was probably at the same party as I.
The only difference is he drank and I will die.
Why do people drink, mom? It can ruin the whole life.
I’m feeling sharp pains now. Pains just like a knife.
The guy who hit me is walking, mom, and I don’t think it’s fair.
I’m lying here dying and all he can do id stare.
Tell brother not to cry, mom. Tell daddy to be brave.
And when I go to heaven, mom, put: Daddy’s girl on my grave.
Someone should have told him, mom, not to drink and drive.
If only they had told him, mom, I would still be alive.
My breath is getting shorter, mom. I’m becoming very scared.
Please don’t cry for me, mom. When I needed you, you were always there.
I have one question, mom, before I say good bye.
I didn’t drink and drive, so why am I the one to die?

I really like this poem, I was deeply moved. I am the one who had a car accident 5 years ago. I was hit by a drunk driver. I am the lucky one who still alive, but I have some problems on my backbones and my knees, so now every week I do two times physical therapy, it hurts me all the time, I can’t sit too long, either stand too long. So when I read the poem, I felt like talking about myself.
I hope I can join the SADD or MADD programs to help others away from these risks. I wish everyone safe and healthy.

Keep smiling!

Last week I watched CNN, it said that at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center there are clinical trials on whether laughter is a healing power. A five-year-old boy Shawn Mellen has pneumonia, and his doctors dropped by with his lunch. Everyday Dr. Stubs, Dr. tricky, and Dr. Noodles have their clown rounds. Researchers want to get a handle on the medical impact the clown care unit may have on the patients. The doctors find that when they come into a hospital room, the energy is usually fairly low. And through music, through juggling, through fun, they get that energy vibrating. They think the best time to leave is when the whole room is shimmering with positive, vital, life energy. After the patients being in uncomfortable states in surgery, the clown helps kind of bring the patients back to their childhood and want them to get out of that unit and facilitate their healing.

But there is no hard evidence that clowns really do help the healing process. Hence, the study will keep year- long at this hospital. The doctors measure the physiological indices such as heart rate, blood pressure, amount of medications given, amount of time in the recovery room. There is plenty of anecdotal proof that clowns make both the patients and the parents feel better. The parents feel it relieves a lot of tension, especially when they are waiting. I believe that laughter may indeed be the best medicine.

I believe when people in a bad mood for a long time he or she will get disease. And laughter and good mood will help people’s immune system to kill the virus and bacteria. I have read a journal that actually everyone has the cancer cells in our body. In normal condition, our immune system can produce body to kill the cancer cells. But when people frustrated, or bid depression, the immune system will be weak. So the cancer cells will reproduce quickly. And then people get cancer. I think the best way to keep away from decease is keep a good mood everyday, keep the regulated daily life, and have the healthy diet.

Keep smiling, away from decease!

Money challenges brotherliness.

Alan Lewis, chief executive of Grand Circle Travel. Hank Lewis, Alan’s younger brother, who runs Vantage Travel in Boston. Both of them are successful businessman. They were good brothers. They bought a cruise ship together, and purchased a vacation home together on Purgatory Road in Middletown, R.I. They donated several million dollars in honor of their late father to fund the West End Boys & Girls Club in Allston. Alan provided millions of dollars in support of educational, cultural, and humanitarian organizations in Boston.

Last year, Alan borrowed $10 million from his brother Hank Lewis. Alan used the money into his business, but last year’s economy is bad. So Alan couldn’t give back the money to his brother. At last these two brothers suited each other on court.

After I read the news, I felt a little bit sad. People can easily break up the friendship, the brotherliness because of money. This happened to my family too. My grandpa has 4 apartments, each of them are different sizes, he want to give each of his child one apartment as a gift. My other uncles fought with each other to get the biggest apartment, except my Dad, who believes that brotherliness is much more important than money. In the end, my youngest uncle got the biggest apartment. From then on my older uncle has never talked with him. Every time they met, looked like the enemies. My grandpa was so sad, he gave the apartments to his children as gifts, he didn’t want them became enemies. My dad got the smallest apartment but we are happy.

I think for Alan and Hank, 10 million dollars is not a very big deal. They can easily donate several million to a club. For them, it’s not worth become enemies just for 10 million. If they can get together and get through the bad economy, I believe they can earn more money in the future. Hurt each other and no cooperation in the future is too bad.

Now Hank does his own business without his brother. And he is going to get rid of the vacation house which he shares with his brother on Purgatory Road. Just like the husband and wife begin to divorce. Maybe several years later, Hank and Alan will find out that two brothers work together is much better than work alone. And then they can forgive each other and understand each other. As people get older, they will become more mature. They will find out what is more important than money.

I hope they can recover the brotherliness soon.

Who's happier, women or men?

Today I listened to CBS news, there is a research about: Who is happier, Women or Men? The journal of Happiness Studies says that women are happier than men, but only until their late 40s. The journal takes an example: Hugh Hefner, a man who gets happier as he gets older-and his girlfriends get younger.

Amy Dickenson, the advice columnist for the Chicago Tribune, said that middle age could be a turning point. The study surveyed 47,000 people, considered happiness levels of men and women. The result is women are happier than men in their 20s. Because men’s lackluster love lives and low-paying first jobs. After 48, men are happier, because by then men are married and better off financially.

Tom Smith, the professor of Chicago University, said women make the transition to adulthood much easier than men. When women hit 48, they worry about raising kids, and worry about aging parents, also worry about aging themselves. They use Botox and body shapers to keep youth.

When women and men get older and older, they both become very happy, that’s the good news. They begin to realize what is important in life. They become maturity.I think the most important thing in people’s lives is not good-looking. It’s should be happiness, virtue, and self-satisfaction. I can’t understand so many film-stars in order to keep the beauty to do a lot of surgeries which are bad for their health. No worth to do that. Finally we will be old. I will not worry about getting old. It’s the nature circulation. I hope all the women will be happy when they get old.

Good Luck Chinatown!

The first month I arrived in Boston, I have been eating a lot of times at Chinatown because I haven’t used to eating American food. The food of Chinese restaurant delivered is not the authentic Chinese food. They have already changed to American style. The chef puts more sugar and less pepper. To be honest, I don’t like Chinatown. As a Chinese I should like it, but all the streets of Chinatown are very filthy, the trash bags are dancing on the roads. I still remember the worst experience I had at Chinatown. Last year I went to a Vietnam restaurant in Chinatown, I ordered a bowl of extra large shrimp noodle. At the first spoon, I saw a piece of hair, so I asked the owner to change a new one for me. 10 minutes later, the owner brought me a small size noodle, her excuse was I have already ate, I couldn’t get the same size. I was so mad, because I was still hungry after I had that little noodle. After that bad experience, I have never tried again.

I don’t believe the words written in the article. The shops and restaurant can’t attract such a big group of consumers. The jade jewelry sold in Chinatown is fake, the quality of the commodity is low. I have a friend who were born at wakefield said Chinatown is the Combat Zone. It was a red light district full of strip joints and hookers and pimps doing business on the sidewalk. He explained the word hooker means prostitute. Chinatown has a bad reputation in native American’s heart. They feel scared of Chinatown.

In my opinion, the first stuff Chinatown should do is clean the street, each owner of each shop should take care of the front area. Maybe after they clean the roads, they can attract more customers. For travelers it is appealing go to the nice restaurant. I have been to North End so many times, every time after I finished the food I got a nice mood. Because the environment is wonderful, the people there are polite, everything is better than Chinatown. I think that’s the reason North End can attracts more consumers.

It’s very interesting that American areas are very distinct from each other. Like brookline live the Juish people, Dochester gathered the African Americans. And the good area and bad area are extremely different. Chinatown was assumed by Bostonian the “Bad Area”. It is very hard to change the bad reputation in people’s heart which is already exist. Like the bad area Dochestor of Boston. When people hear the name, they will assume the place where the crimes happen frequently. Chinatown is in the same situation. When people hear the name they always imagine the word disgusting. I hope Chinatown will become better and better. But it takes time!

I am proud of China!

Last week about 60 Chinese students of BU watched the TIANAN’MEN parade, we got together to celebrate our motherland’s 60 years anniversary. When we sang the national anthem of China, I cried. I am so proud my motherland is becoming stronger and stronger. More and more Chinese students can study abroad in the best universities in the world.

At the same time I read a lot of analysis from the newspapers and journals of America, the one really impressed me is one comment from New York Times. It was published on October 2, 2009 on New York Times. The comment first describes the parade and cites President Hu Jintao’s speech. And also it cites some comments from professors of universities. Most of the words the journalist used is negative. I don’t agree with the journalist’s views.

First, he said the 60th-anniversary celebration was kitschy and indisputably retro. For me the celebration is great, we want to show the world now we stood rock-firm in the east of the world. We already stop the time conquered by other countries. I think for the Europeans like Italians, English, they can’t imagine how bad the country was occupied by others, they can’t imagine Chinese people’s feeling, from 1840, the Opium War, to Oct. 1,1949, Chinese people suffered 110 years war. People were killed by the foreign military, culture relics were robbed by the foreign military, girls and women were raped by foreign soldiers, gold and silver were robbed by foreign military. Even today, I have seen a lot of precious culture relics are stored at England Metropolitan Museum. We suffered for such a long time. The reason why we were conquered by other countries is we were so weak, my motherland were so weak at that time. We have no guns, no cannons to protect our country. Backwardness leaves China vulnerable to attack. Now, for the 60 years development, Chinese people have made unremitting efforts to realize the goal of rejuvenating the nation. The aim of the 60-years celebration is show the world China is not weak any more, we will not let other countries occupy our country again. Now we are an independent country.

Second, the journalist seemed totally disagree with communism, maybe for westerners China’s Communist Party, and the communist country looks like the monster. They are so scared of communist. Last year, when I first arrived at Boston, so many American ask me: Is China very poor, so you escaped from China and come to America? I told them No, now more and more Chinese students come to America to study, they can afford the expensive tuition, even better than some of Americans. For example, BU charge a lot of tuition every year, it is expensive for American families too, but Chinese students’families can afford it. This proves that there are a lot of Chinese families not poor.

Until now I still keep my view that China was poor not because of the communist, it is because the over 100 years war. When America developed the economics, China was fighting with other countries, we did not have chance to develop our economics. We use 60 years to develop our economics and now China becomes the biggest developing country in the world. The progress is not easy, I am so proud of it.

Support my motherland!

Long live China!

Climate policy of Obama administration is delayed

An article “Obama Administration Pushes Climate Talks into 2010” published on The New York Times September 17 introduces the Obama administration’s plan for new emissions pact which will be billed on the coming United Nations Climate Summit in Copenhagen this December. From this article, we can see Obama administration is not ready for the new emission pact. All of the preparation work for it, called “Plan B” is trickled into 2010.

Why cannot the Obama administration give a prompt and effective solution to response to the new emission pact? Certainly, you can say now the Council has more important bill to be discussed. The health care reform called “Plan A” has squeezed much time and vigor from both the House and the Senate. But climate-change legislation as a significant part of Obama's first-year accomplishments is the same important.

As we know, how to reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission has become an important economic problem. “One percent of global GDP is required to be invested to mitigate the effects of climate change, and that failure to do so could risk a recession worth up to twenty percent of global GDP.” So Bush administration didn’t ratify the Kyoto Protocol in 2001 just after Bush was elected as president in order not to increase the economy strain, which led to GHG emission of USA in 2004 increases 15% comparing with that in 1990. To control the GHG emission, the Obama administration promises US will enter a cap and trade system to limit global warming. On June 26, 2009 American Clean Energy and Security Act, a cap and trade bill was passed in the House of Representatives. This act shows Obama administration’s attitude and goal. But how to implement the act is still a challenge for the Obama administration in the current economic situation.

Economic factors are more prominent and more critical in the climate problems, in spite there exist political factors. It will be expected how Obama administration controls the GHG emission without impeding the USA economy recovery.

Vote and Employment

This Wednesday Massachusetts State Governor Deval Patrick said he wants to organize Massachusetts employees to boycott Hyatt hotels after the failure of his third attempt to persuade the company to take back its decision to replace the housekeepers at three Boston-area Hyatt hotels with lower-wage workers from a Georgia staffing firm.

I think this is a conflict of politics vs. economy. As a statesman, Patrick surely hopes every employee could keep his/her job during the worst economic period in decades, especially at the period of his hotly contested race for reelection. He hopes to get more people’s support and needs more votes from the populated employees. But the current economic situation is not optimistic. Many companies have to reduce their sizes, even get bankrupt. Unemployment has become a serious social problem. More and more people lose their jobs since last October.

As a star in the hotel industry, Hyatt also cannot avoid the business depression. The layoff appeared in Boston area last month proves Hyatt has the same economic problem with many other companies. Otherwise it will not fire 100 sophisticated housekeepers who have serviced for it for more than 20 years at the risk of violating the employment law and suffering the criticism of the public.

Given profit is the only seek of each company, the layoff from Hyatt is reasonable. But the layoff will unavoidably bring negative effects to Hyatt. First it will definitely affect the company’s fame at least in the great Boston Area. People cannot accept such a big chain company fired the sophisticated workers only for saving $7 per hour. Especially, the fired employees have been hurt. They get so angry. The plea for boycotting Hyatt has also got the support from other politicians and business owners. Second, the business in this area will be affected. “The National Employment Lawyers Association canceled its contract with the Hyatt Regency Boston and is searching for another Boston hotel to host its October seminar.” So I don’t think this is a good way for Hyatt to fire these housekeepers.

Of course, I don’t support Patrick’s decision. As a sitting Governor, his decision will influence the judgment of many innocent people who don’t know the truth, because he is a State politician with much power. His calling for a boycott will possibly lead the employment to a worse direction. In addition, his behavior will probably be regarded as his private aim – for votes. So the criticism to Patrick’s decision from different people is predictable.

Based on the above analyses, I neither agree with the Patrick’s decision or the Hyatt’s coldhearted layoff. Patrick should take advantage of his personal influence and administrative power to look for more employment chances for these fired housekeepers. Hyatt should do some positive things to amend the bad effect due to the layoff. All in all, the government and the private companies must be in good cooperation to avoid more unemployment.

Comments on Obama's Speeh!

Last Friday I watched President Obama’s Speech to Congress, in the speech, Obama first analyzed the economy situation of America, and then he encouraged Americans to get through the difficult times. Obama hoped the congress can pass the new health insurance bill, he said there are a lot of problems which should be solved in current health insurance. He promised the new health insurance would help the recovery of the economy.

I support Obama’s proposal, American’s health insurance now has many disadvantages, people pay a lot of money, but get not good service. The new health insurance will help people pay less money and get more better service, many countries in Europe have very good health insurance, compare to them American’s health insurance need to improved. I don’t know why so many Americans protest on the street to against Obama, Obama already promised that the tax for the family which less than a quarter million won’t rise. But the middle class people don’t trust Obama, they think the money for the new health insurance have to get from their pocket.

I think the other thing is American people scared of socialism, they believe Obama’s new health insurance will change American into a socialist country. The poor people who can’t afford the health insurance will get benefits from the new health insurance bill, about 15% Americans don’t have the health insurance. So many Americans have never out of America, they imagine the socialism is very bad, they think China is very poor because of socialism. I come from China, the reason Chinese people are poor is not socialism, the reason is from 1840 to 1949 China suffered over 100 years wars, and we have large population, it’s not easy to feed 1,4 billion people for a country, even for America, if America has to feed 1,4 billion people, it’s not easy too.

I think president Obama wants every American citizen has health insurance, he does not want to see American only belong to rich people, his purpose is very good, poor people also have the rights to go to college, go to hospital, have health insurance. On the back of every dollar, there is one sentence “In God, We Trust”, I think it is the spirits of American’s founding fathers, I hope Obama will win, and it’s very important for him during his political life. I support him!

God bless him!