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.