$33 million instead of my prediction: $35 million March 31, 2011
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Missed by $2 million.
拍案驚奇 台灣版 March 31, 2011
Posted by hslu in China, Chinese Food, Food, Taiwan.Tags: Asia, Donghae, 陳雲林, head table, Japan, Taiwanese American, Taiwanese people, 台灣, 商場現形記, 拍案驚奇, 主桌
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This can only happen in Taiwan.
And Taiwanese society as a whole should be ashamed because of this.
I called it “拍案驚奇台灣版,” “pai1 an4 jin1qi1 tai2 wan1 ban3.”
You can google 拍案驚奇 and see what it means. Basically it illustrates how a person is surprised by what he or she sees that he couldn’t help himself or herself but to slam his palm on the table.
He or she is flabbergasted.
Let me set this up by saying that 陳雲林 is a very powerful man.
You most likely do not know who 陳雲林 is but this is not important. Let me just say that 陳雲林 is from China and 陳雲林 has the final say on which company or which person in Taiwan can make a lot of money. Thousands of millions of dollars in the next few years. He is also the key person who can determine who and which company in Taiwan will make a lot of money who weren’t included in this run of negotiation between China and Taiwan.
When Taiwanese played the host to wine and dine 陳雲林 in Taiwan, it is only natural that many Taiwanese wanted to get 陳雲林’s attention. Up to now, everything is business as usual because this is the way business is being done in China and Taiwan, as well as in the United States.
Here is where things got out of hand.
The head table was where 陳雲林 sat and many Taiwanese businessmen and women fought tooth and nail to get a seat at this table.
Nothing out of ordinary here either. This was human nature.
Well, apparently the fight was so heated, the host couldn’t decide who got to sit at the 主桌 “zhu3 zhuo1″ or head table they came out with this 21st century version that out-done everything we saw in China’s 5,000 year history.
Head table usually is round and it normally sits 10, 12 and sometimes up to 16 people.
The original plan for the 陳雲林 party was a 17-seat, round head table.
The final Taiwanese version was a 42-seat, rectangular table where the guys at the end of the table couldn’t see the face of 陳雲林 let alone hearing what he was saying at all times.
Take a look yourself and see how things are done in Taiwan:
This is 商場現形記 台灣版.
This is the epidemy of sucking up Taiwanese style.
陳雲林 smiles to his guests but laughs at his guest’s behavior deep down.
Is this the proudest moment of Taiwanese people?
The hidden message from this picture is this:
If you want to make it in Taiwan’s government or business, you have to suck up. Not just suck up. You have to suck up hard.
This is the Taiwanese way: in and out of the government and in the business world.
In the hospital too!
This is something I hate the most!
What’s wrong with America in “American Beauty” March 31, 2011
Posted by hslu in Uncategorized.Tags: Academy Award, Adolescence, American Beauty, Cheating on his wife, Closet Homosexual, Drug problem in school, drug pusher, Family, first date, Gun violence, Home, Homosexual, liberals, Netflix, Older man falls for a teenager girl, One night stand, Oscars, PARENTS, run away from home, Teenage daughter, United States
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I watched “American Beauty” for the first time last week through Netflix.
I can think of 20 things how bad America is portrayed in this film.
1. Going to a hotel after their first date
2. One night stand while married to a man
3. Cheating on his wife
4. Older man falls for a teenager girl
5. A teenager thinks friend’s Dad is cute
6. Teen girls mature so young
7. Drug problem in junior high school
8. Dad has no clue his son is a drug pusher
9. Boy cheating on his Dad
10. Teenage daughter hates her father and mother
11. Teenage daughter thinks her Dad is a total loser
12. Cheating in the family
13. Gun violence
14. Marital problem in the bedroom
15. Homosexual Neighbors
16. Closet Homosexuals
17. Teenagers plan to run away from home
18. Five Oscars for a sick film like “American Beauty”
19. A whole bunch of liberals who makes up the Oscar nomination committee.
20. Liberals in general in the entertainment industry who put out poisons like “American Beauty” to brain wash teenagers and even younger kids.
This is NORM in the American society.
This is NORM among American teenage girls.
This is NORM among American teenage boys.
How can the United States not going downhill?
There is nothing to stop it!
The movie made me sick. Do not let your young teenagers watch this and other similar films.
My Mother March 31, 2011
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中國人自古以來就注重傳統﹐注重家教﹐注重以中國文化和中國的價值觀來教養下一代。
媽媽尤其是如此。
今天﹐我把我從媽媽的一生中體會出的一點感想告訴媽媽的孫子﹐孫女﹐外孫﹐和外孫女。給我和你們做參考。
媽媽和爸爸恩恩愛愛六十五年。在這漫長的歲月里﹐爸爸是媽媽生活的中心﹐也是她心裡隨時牽掛的人。天冷要他填衣。太陽大了要他戴帽子。下了班精心地為他做飯。每次出門媽媽的包包里永遠帶着一點吃的東西生怕爸爸肚子餓血糖低影響他的健康。雖然媽媽近來行動不方便﹐她卻時時提醒爸爸注意台階小心上下樓梯走路要看到走。媽媽在1972年4月中央日報上寫着﹕“女性雖孱弱﹐對待丈夫卻有無法比撳的韌性與耐力。”還有一點媽媽也常記在心的就是﹕媽媽尊敬爸爸。因為媽媽說﹕“丈夫是需要妻子的體諒﹐安慰﹐疼愛﹐鼓勵和尊敬的”。
除了爸爸媽媽的心理就是我們五個小孩。我們家有七個人每個人的個性不同年齡不一樣。媽媽對每個人的個性﹐優點和缺點都搞的一清二楚。她在1967年11月中央日報寫的一篇短文中說﹕”我要有各種才能個性與耐力﹐才可應付他們父子六人”。她還說﹕我常常得”週旋於他們父子六人之間﹐探問﹐征詢﹐解說﹐協調“來應付我們。媽媽把我們一個一個的從小帶到大﹕由小學﹐中學到大學﹐研究所。再把我們一個個的送到美國。沒有媽媽辛辛苦苦的養育之恩和不厭其煩的教導這是萬萬不可能的。
媽媽做老師三十幾年不但敬業而且非常進取不時的唸書充實自己。為了我們家和她自己﹐她一有機會就唸書。媽媽唸書可不像現在的小孩子如此輕鬆﹕現在的小孩子三點坐巴士回到家。先吃個點心﹐喝杯牛奶﹐打開電視﹐玩一兩個鐘頭的電動游戲, check facebook and tweeter﹐ IM 朋友聊個天 等吃完了晚飯拍拍屁股拿本書面對著電腦看一兩個鐘頭一天也就這麼過了。媽媽天不亮就起來了。先生火做早飯。再給每個人做便當﹐叫我們起床。我又是一個懶鬼天天叫我好幾次才起得來就像小寶一樣。叫我起來後﹐照顧我們吃飯﹐幫我們收拾書包送我們出門上學。自己再扒兩口飯然後騎着腳踏車上班。有時她還得冒著大風大雨和大太陽半個多鐘頭才到學校。四點半五點下班﹐快六點才到家。生火煮飯洗菜炒菜做飯給我們吃。洗了碗還要看看明天吃什麼準備一下。八九點以後才空出一點時間又要看我們做功課又要改學生作業改考卷。等弄完了我們﹐才剩下一點時間看看書寫文章。媽媽做老師一流﹕由小學﹐到國小﹐到中學都是唸書然後一步一步考出來的。為的還不是我們日子能過得好一點。媽媽由國小轉到市立初中﹐國小的校長還到市立初中來找媽媽回去因為媽媽書教的太好了。可是媽媽躲在教室不敢出來見他因為在市立初中可以多拿一些錢。空出的時間還媽媽寫文章投稿。前前後後在台灣有名的報紙上登出了兩百三十幾篇文章。媽媽好幾次得到最優秀老師獎是憑她的實力爭取到的。媽媽這個優良教師還真不是蓋的。
媽媽非常節儉絕不浪費。什麼東西都捨不得丟因為媽媽總能找到其他的用場。洗米時絕不讓米流走。以前我們家不富有錢不多﹐買了肥豬肉﹐除了有毛的豬皮不用以外﹐其他的全派上了用場。有時把肥肉熬出豬油﹐豬油渣炒菜用﹐豬油伴飯加一點醬油還真好吃呢。我喜歡吃甜的﹐我就用豬油伴熱飯加糖﹐三口兩口就吃完了也不記得留兩口給媽媽吃。那時我們年輕﹐衣服不經穿。穿出個洞﹐媽媽一針一線慢慢地補。那時我年輕愛漂亮還不肯穿補過的衣服或褲子﹐嘟個嘴怪媽媽不給我們買衣服。完全不知道當家的難處。沒有媽媽省吃儉用我們那能唸大學更別想來美國了。
媽媽炒菜是一流的。做菜有板有眼很有秩序很有條理。爸爸好客﹐媽媽也全力支持。每到月底發餉了﹐我們家就請客。爸爸的同學朋友大部分都單身常常來我們家吃飯喝酒。一來就是七八上十個擠得家裡熱熱鬧鬧的。媽媽一兩天前就去菜場買菜。我有時就陪著她走在她邊上幫她挑菜提菜籃子。請客當天我就幫忙殺雞﹐清理魚﹐剝荳子﹑切菜。她炒菜我打雜端盤子洗碗。有時她會告訴我那個該先炒那個該後炒﹐有時也給我嘗一嘗菜的味道。家里廚房小爐子火不大﹐媽媽照樣一盤一盤輪流的端出來。每個菜上桌時都是熱騰騰的。客人吃的高高興興一直誇獎媽媽手藝好。日子久了我也由媽媽那學了一兩手。有一次﹐我跟媽媽說切香菇可以斜刀切顯的大一點。媽媽笑著對我說﹕“我在廚房炒了幾十年的多菜﹐這怎麼會不知道呢﹖”她接著又跟我說﹕“這叫班門弄斧﹐孔夫子門前賣文章。”你看﹐我又由媽媽那多學到了一點。另外﹐也學到了媽媽爸爸好客的精神。等我和妻子結婚後﹐我們家也常常熱鬧非凡﹐常常有 Party。我太太也好客時時幫我招待朋友。客人一來就是十幾個。大家 吃我做的飯﹐Karaoke ﹐聊天談股票討論房地產。時時呆到晚上一兩點客人都捨不得走。有一次我們在 TEXAS 的家竟擠了四十幾個人。我照樣和媽媽當年一樣一個菜一個菜的搬出來。炒的菜不見得個個好吃到那裡可是那個請客炒菜的技術和方法都是那時在媽媽邊上學來的。
媽媽從不說別人的閒話﹐不喜歡虛榮﹐不拍別人的馬屁﹐也不跟其他人比來比去。在台灣我們還小時媽媽生活清苦可是從不怨天尤人。媽媽不時地告訴我要我盡自己的能力做事。做一個正正當當的人。愛自己的妻子﹐愛自己的家。愛自己的孩子。媽媽不但告訴我要怎麼做﹐媽媽一直以身作則默默的影響了我的一生。
如今媽媽雖然走了﹐媽媽的笑容﹐媽媽的榜樣﹐媽媽對我們的犧牲﹐媽媽對我們豪無保留的關懷我們兄弟姐妹都會長記在心。我也希望媽媽的孫輩們記住我的話以你們的奶奶外婆做榜樣﹕做一個正正當當的中國人﹐愛妻子﹐愛丈夫﹐愛你們的家。並且用中國的傳統價值觀念來教導你們在美國出生的小孩。
幾年前我聽到一首台灣歌﹐歌名叫“家後”也就是“妻子”的意思。我第一次聽到這首歌我就很喜歡因為我覺得這條歌是為媽媽寫的。歌詞寫的是一位妻子跟她結婚多年的先生說的話。中間有這麼一段﹐你們仔細聽了﹕
吃好吃丑無計較 怨天怨地嘛袂曉
你的手我會甲你牽條條
因為我是你的家后
穿好穿丑無計較 怪東怪西嘛袂曉
你的心我會永遠記條條
因為我是你的家后
阮將青春嫁置恁兜 阮對少年跟你跟甲老
人情世事已經看透透
有啥人比你卡重要
阮的一生獻乎恁兜 才知幸福是吵吵鬧鬧
媽媽你先走了。老天一定會好好地照顧你的。因為你用你的一生照亮了爸爸﹐照亮了我們﹐照亮了好多你的朋友和同事也照亮了你千百個學生。
媽媽你安心的先走吧。不要有什麼顧忌﹐我們會好好地照顧爸爸的。我也會好好地照顧我的妻子和小孩。我也知道你會在天上會保祐爸爸也會保祐我們大家的。
媽媽﹐我們以後再見。
西塘古镇 March 31, 2011
Posted by hslu in China, Travel.Tags: A&J's, China, Chinese New Year, 腊肉, 酒, 虹橋火車站, 西塘古镇, 高鐵, Joe Biden, Mission Impossible III, New Year, Northern Virginia, Renminbi, Shanghai, Tom Cruise, Train station, 嘉善縣, 對聯, 小餛飩, 左岸咖啡, 我的青春誰做主, 桂花湯圓, 横批, 浙江省
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西塘古镇 is an ancient city about 25 miles from Shanghai in 浙江省嘉善縣”zhe4 jiang1 sheng3 jia1 shan4 xian4,” or the County of JiaShan in Zhejiang Province.
Bao saw an article on the Internet promoting this city and asked me to take her over there on a day trip.
I found out that we could take a high-speed train at Shanghai train station and assumed that it was the main train station in the center of the city.
Well, it wasn’t. We needed to go to 虹橋火車站 on the west side of the city instead. We got there via subway and bought the 1 pm ticket to 嘉善縣. Tickets to almost every city on the railroad network could be purchased at one of probably 20 or more automated ticketing machines. If we needed assistance, we had to walk to a different section of the train station and someone over there could help us.
While waiting we went to one of the four restaurants on the second floor of the train station to have a cup of coffee. The small restaurant was packed with customers and judging by the prices on the menu, I guessed that most of the customers were either rich businessmen, rich businesswomen or party officials on expense account. Common people on 2,000 renminbi a month could not afford this kind of spending at all.

The name of the cafe was called 左岸咖啡 "zuo3 an4 ka1 fei1" Left Bank Cafe. 68 Renminbi for a latte and a regular coffee. Not cheap even by Northern Virginia standard.

We used to do this around Chinese New Year at our home in Taizhong. Mom and Dad made sausages from scratch, air-dried ducks, 腊肉 "la4 rou4" BBQ pork Chinese style and air-dried chickens. Seeing this dried in the cold air certainly bought back some fond memories from the old days. Wow, that was 50 years ago.

Take a closer look of the 對聯 "dui4 lian2" and see if you can see something unique about it. Hint: same five words>

百轉千回在塵外 "bai3 zhuan3 qian1 hui2 zai4 chen2 wai4." 不論你如何鑽營﹐到頭來還是在紅塵之外. 也就是說人生苦短,不要為名利而鑽營, 拼命去拍馬屁. 到頭來還是落的一场空。

豆腐花"dou4fu3 hua1" also called 豆花 "dou4 hua1" Silken Tofu or soybean custard. Literally it means soy bean flower.

A mini series on Chinese TV called "我的青春誰做主" "wo3 de4 qing1 chun1 shui2 zuo4 zhu3" was filmed at this restaurant. The name of the mini series means: Who will decide my youth?

桂花湯圓 "gui4 hua1 tang1 yuan2" Sweet rice balls with dried "Sweet Tea Olive." Comfort food in the winter time.

The best wonton soup I have ever had: paper thin skins practically melted in your mouth. Very little meat hence: small wonton 小餛飩 "xiao3 hun2 tun1." Lots of onions just the way I like it. Clear chicken broth was so flavorful that I could never inmitate. Make sure you try it when you visit here. Only 5 renminbi; about 90 cents. 1000 times better than what you can get from the A&J's in Northern Virginia.
弱國無外交A weak country has no diplomacy March 30, 2011
Posted by hslu in Uncategorized.Tags: Cruise Missile, Libya, Oil, Tripoli, World Affair
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A weak country has no diplomacy. China was in this exact position after WW II and was betrayed by America, England, France and Soviet Union.
Libya is taking a beating from the US and the other because Libya has no military to speak of and no friends strong enough to go against the US in UN.
The country is flat with no place to hide. It is an easy target from the air. Ti American fighter pilots, Libya tanks look like ducks from the air.
The US may be in it for Libya’s oil if a pro-democracy and pro-US government is established but nothing is that easy when Obama didn’t know whom he was friends with.
Well, the devil is all un the details.
What if Qaddafi win and the so-called Revel lose?
Also interesting to note is that the main street news media called the opposition rebels instead of “Freedom Fighters.”
Why?
But I am afraid that the attack will make Muslims all over the world hate the Americans even more.
You can also expect that more western soft target in Europe and US will face more terrorist attacks in coming years.
Message from Obama to other Muslim countries March 23, 2011
Posted by hslu in Global Affair, Islam, Military, Obama, Politics.Tags: Libya, Nuckear weapon, Obama
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If you gave up your nuclear weapon, you are a sitting duck when we decided to attack you.
Interior Decoration in Shanghai March 22, 2011
Posted by hslu in China, Shanghai.Tags: condo, Interior Decoration, Pudong, Shanghai, 浦東, 上海
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We went to an interior decoration store in Shanghai because we bought a small condo and plan to decorate the inside later this year.




























