Comparing Taiwan’s 1959 26-inch rainfall disaster with the 2005 Katrina U.S. Hurricane 比較台灣八七水災與美國颶風Katrina

Comparing Taiwan’s 1959 26-inch rainfall disaster with the 2005 Katrina U.S. Hurricane 比較台灣八七水災與美國颶風Katrina President Bush winds up his vacation and returns to White House to start his heavy September schedule with multiple tasks. It has not been an enjoyable vacation for the hardworking president. Cindy Sheehan followed him at the onset, and then the hurricane followed. A computer’s CPU can process concurrent multi-tasking, so should the President. Comparing Taiwan’s August 7, 1959 flood to the current floods in America caused by the hurricane. The Taiwan flood was a blessing in disguise. Because of the flood, Taiwan was forced to survey the land, and through this process, recombine the parcels of land, which allowed Taiwan to continue in its agricultural and industrial development. Taiwan was not finished by the flood, but Taiwan modernized its infrastructure under the leadership of the Nationalist government. In the crisis, the ROC government in Taiwan learned how to allocate the resources, and provide for the needy. The man who was assigned the task in Taiwan was KT Lee, he did a great management job in appropriating the funds, and helped founding new enterprises. KT Lee followed the tradition of great Nationalist economist Yin Zhong Rong (尹仲容). On August 7th,1959, Taichung had a big rainfall, in one day, it accumulated 660 millimeters, or 26 inches. During Katrina, the rainfall was 10 inches. In 1959, Taiwan’s meteorology technology was backward, they had no satellite cloud charts. They had no forecast that the epic rainfall was to arrive, the largest in over 60 years of meteorological record. They had no reservoirs to store the flood. So there was no prevention and aid, one night the flood surged to Taiwan’s central area. After the water retreated, on August 9th, 667 were reported dead and 408 missing, over 200,000 people became homeless. 1964 民國五十三年 具防洪、發電等多項功能的石門水庫竣工啟用。 In 1964, with the multi-purpose of preventing flood and electricity power, the ShiMeng, StoneGate Reservoir was completed and ready for the opening ceremony. 1854(咸豐4年) 美國培理艦隊停泊基隆。 Story of China, Taiwan vs. Japan’s Being Offered a Chance to Open Up and Remake itself. In 1854, American Commodore Perry’s Fleet docked at Ji Long Harbor in the North of Taiwan. Perry opened Japan’s door, and Japan started to reform, and adopted Western shipping methods. 日本在1854年被美國培理艦隊敲開鎖國大門後，幕府與各藩就曾主動採取製造西式船炮、訓練新式 This was a blessing in disguise and Japan had the advantage over China who was opened by British more than 10 years earlier, in the Treaty of Nanking, 1842, when five sea ports were forced to open for trade by the Britain. We can’t say the storm is detrimental and perhaps, this will give American people the chance to work concertedly.

General Zhang ZiZhong 張自忠將軍戰死沙場

漁光曲 Song of the Fishermen

In 1935, Song of the Fishermen was the first Chinese film that ever won an International award.

Comments by Free Mind 5月28日1940年 江邊的淒愴冷雨飄落 張自忠將軍遺體由前線運來時﹐國民政府軍政界民眾站列江邊﹐向為國殉身的英勇﹐他的棺木遺體致敬﹐無限哀傷。 On 5.28.1940 The cold rain is falling on the bank of Yangtze River in Chongqing, YiChang. General Zhang ZiZhong's body is being sent from the frontline. The Nationalist government and the people are standing on the bank to pay tribute to his coffin with great sadness. At this moment, Jiang Qing is acting in the ethnic show "Fishermen's Uprising to Annihilate the Family" to gain the favoritism from Mao Zedong. At the front the Nationalists led bitter battles against the Japanese army, but in Yenan, the Communists are utilizing the ancient folklore of Uprising to stimulate the riots against the landlords by taking advantage of an instable situation. They are able to use the theatrical art to do advertising for their own uprising to strike down the Nationalists and to persecute anyone who has some normal income or owning some land even just a little lot. 此時﹐ 江青因演“打漁殺家”﹐獲得毛澤東的青睞。 前方作戰﹐延安﹐卻積極用原本古老的正義起事﹐激起人們對不穩定局勢的暴動行為。 以民族戲劇做宣傳教導。 對地主進行鬥爭﹐打擊國民黨軍民。 1942﹐ 美國會通過中國的租界法案﹐中國學員有送往美接受空軍訓練的機會。 Story of P-40 Warhawk Pilots fought together shoulder to shoulder, China and America fought against the Japanese invasion 美國製造一萬三千架P-40飛機﹐有數十萬中美英加澳飛行員飛過它。 國民黨飛行員8。18。1944年執行轟炸日軍軍火庫﹐六架飛機﹐迫降﹐ 國民黨游擊隊救起﹐四方躲避日軍搜索。 外有日軍﹐八路﹐離開西安一兩百里。 America manufactured over 13,000 P-40 planes. Hundreds of thousands of Chinese, American, British, Canadian, and Australian pilots flew it. There were six planes on 8.18.1944 carrying the mission of bombing the Japanese arsenal warehouse, but were forced to land. They were saved by the Nationalist side of the guerrillas. They tried to escape the Japanese searching. On the outskirts they had the Japanese army, and 8th Route Communist army threatening, from Xian 100 to 200 kilometers. P40 American Major Bill Turner dropped a package, with anti-inflammation pills, a bottle of wine, 4 packs of Camel cigarettes, and some money. Then he landed to save him to open up the P-40’s stomach with wireless little door, stuffed the injured pilot in, and the plane swung back to Xian. 進言胡錦濤 還人清白與正義﹐勇于認錯﹐ 才有民族複合復興重建的可能性。 Advice to Hu Jintao Courageously return the Justice to the Nationalists, this will enable the reconstruction of Chinese people and the remaking of a newer stronger Chinese culture with grace. http://military.people.com.cn/BIG5/42964/3593215.html 宜昌發現日軍記錄：張自忠臨死有說不出的威嚴 2005年08月04日19:37 【字號 大 中 小】【留言】【論壇】【打印】【關閉】 新華社武漢８月４日電 （記者楊興國）湖北省宜昌市檔案館近日整理出的一本侵華日軍戰地記錄，再現了與以前史料不盡相同的著名抗日愛國將領張自忠壯烈犧牲的細節。　　據宜昌市檔案館保管利用科科長程錫勇介紹，過去有關張自忠將軍以身殉國的史料中，隻記載了１９４０年５月棗宜會戰期間，國民革命軍第３３集團軍總司令張自忠將軍，於５月７日親率僅剩的２個團加總部直屬特務營由宜城渡過漢水與日軍作戰。５月９日至１３日，張自忠將軍所率的部隊陷入日軍包圍之中，５月１６日下午，張自忠將軍在宜城南瓜店與日軍激戰中不幸以身殉國。至於張自忠將軍戰死疆場的細節，一直沒有詳實史料。 About General Zhang ZeZhong died for the country During May 1940, Nationalist army number 33 commander Zhang ZeZhong, led 2 Tuan and spy workers to pass Han Shui River and battle against Japanese army. From May 9th to 13th, Zhang fought in Yi Cheng city Pumpkin town and in the severe combat, he was sacrificed. There is never any detail on history.　　宜昌市檔案館收藏了一本侵華日軍戰地記錄《２３１聯隊史》，作者是侵華日軍華中派遣軍第１１軍團３９師２３１聯隊原隊長浦銀次郎，投降時任宜昌警備司令官、陸軍少將，戰后被遠東國際法庭判處無期徒刑。A Japanese has published 231 Union army history, the author was sentenced after the war by the Far Eastern Tribunal as life sentence, he was number 11 army tuan and #39 Shi battalion, team 231, team leader.　　程錫勇告訴記者，這本《２３１聯隊史》記載了張自忠將軍戰死疆場的悲壯一幕：“第四分隊的藤岡一等兵，是沖鋒隊伍中的一把尖刀，他端著刺刀向敵最高指揮官模樣的大身材軍官沖去，此人從血泊中猛然站起，眼睛死死盯住藤岡。 The history was documented as thus: How Zhang died. #4 group’s soldier, took a bayonet to hit the large built enemy highest commander and he stood up in the pool of blood and his eyes fixated at the solider. 當沖到距這個大身材軍官隻有不到三米的距離時，藤岡一等兵從他射來的眼光中，感到有一種說不出的威嚴，竟不由自主地愣在原地。這時背后響起了槍聲，第三中隊長堂野軍曹射出了一顆子彈，命中了這個軍官的頭部。他的臉上微微出現了難受的表情。與此同時，藤岡一等兵像是被槍聲驚醒，也狠起心來，傾全身之力，舉起刺刀，向高大的身軀深深扎去。在這一刺之下，這個高大的身軀再也支持不住，像山體倒塌似的，轟然倒地。” Not over 3 meters distance, Japanese solider feels a compelling dignity and was transfixed at the location. Then from the back there were gun shots, the third team leader fired a bullet to hit the officer’s head. His face had a pained look. Then the solider as if shocked by the gun shot, with all his might, hardened his heart, raised the bayonet to cut into his body. Then this large built man could not support himself anymore to fall like a mountain with a loud sound.　　程錫勇介紹說，日軍戰地記錄還寫到，張自忠將軍犧牲時著的是便服，他的荷包裡揣著“國民政府”頒發的傷殘証，日軍從中國軍官的遺物，終於認定尸體是張自忠將軍。殺害張自忠將軍的日軍，也對張將軍的忠勇深表崇敬。除文字記述之外，還附有一張張自忠將軍戰死經過圖。 In the document, it says that General Zhang was wearing civilian clothing, and in his pocket he has “Nationalist government” certificate of injured disabled card. He then identified from the body to be General Zhang, and he expressed respect toward his brevity, also enclosed how General Zhang was killed in the battle.　　張自忠將軍戰死沙場的消息傳出后，當時舉國上下為之震驚。根據當時國民政府指示，奉命增援的３８師在１６日夜奔至南瓜店，夜襲日軍，奮勇搶回了遺體。１９４０年５月２８日，張自忠將軍的遺體被運往重慶，國民政府舉行了隆重葬禮。８月１５日，延安各界人士舉行張自忠將軍追悼大會。１９８２年，中華人民共和國民政部追認張自忠為革命烈士。 虓翩G新華社 （責任編輯：庄紅韜） Nationalist sent order to attack the Japanese army on the 16th, by sending number 38 Shi Battalion, and took his body back. On May 28th, 1940, General Zhang’s body was sent to Chongqing. It had a grand memorial.

Hu Jintao with High Pitched Emphasis to Commemorate the End of World War II, One Stone Four Birds 胡锦涛高调纪念抗战胜利一石四鸟

多维邮报 2005年08月31日出版，总第 867 期 立场独立 报道迅速 观点多元 Duowei Post, published August 31, 2005, issue #867 ( 17 ) 胡锦涛高调纪念抗战胜利一石四鸟

Hu Jintao with High Pitched Emphasis to Commemorate the End of World War II, One Stone Four Birds

多维社记者综合报道／明报的报道说，中国纪念抗战60周年活动9月3日将进入高潮。国务院新闻办昨日宣布，北京将在9月2日至3日举行5场重要活动，包括大型文艺晚会、向人民英雄纪念碑献花篮、不分党派向抗战老将士颁发纪念章等，隆重纪念抗战60周年。其中，中共总书记、中央军委主席胡锦涛近日频频出现在纪念抗日战争胜利60周年的场合，分析指出，他如此高调纪念抗战胜利，从时机上看，可收一石四鸟之效。

On September 3, it will be the high point of the 60th Anniversary celebrations.

From September 2-3, in Beijing, there will be five important activities. Hu Jintao in recent days is frequently appearing in these memorial occasions. According the the analysis, he has four purposes.

令人关注的是，国民党退役将领王升、许历农等将应邀出席活动；中共总书记胡锦涛将在9月3日为10名抗战将士代表颁纪念章，而全球共有70多万人获得该纪念章。国台办副主任王在希强调，中共一直很客观评价国民党军队在正面战场的作用。国务院新闻办30日上午举行记者会，介绍本周末北京隆重纪念抗战胜利60周年的活动安排。国新办副主任王国庆、国台办副主任王在希、副外交部长吕新华和中国人民对外友好协会会长陈昊苏出席记者会。

What is notable is that the Nationalist retired general Wang Sheng, General Xu Linong are invited to attend. Chinese Communists are objectively evaluating Nationalist troops and their real engagement in the battles.

据介绍，5场重头戏中，以9月3日上午向人民英雄纪念碑献花篮和中共为抗战老战士、爱国人士、抗日将领代表颁发纪念章这两项最受关注；其中，向人民英雄纪念碑献花篮的参与者将包括中共党和国家领导人，以及来自台湾岛内的前国民党退役将士等1万人，这也是胡锦涛接掌中共后，首次主导如此大型的纪念活动。

From Taiwan, there are over 10,000 retired generals and soldiers to attend, this is the first large scale activity since Hu Jintao is in direct charge of the Communist party.

参加活动的有抗战老战士约600人，海内外爱国人士和抗日将领或其遗属约350人，来自20多个国家的国际友人或其遗属约210人。另一场备受关注的活动是在人民大会堂湖南厅举行的由国家主席胡锦涛向抗战老战士、海内外爱国人士和抗日将领代表颁发纪念章。与会的国台办副主任王在希表示，颁章仪式将有10名老战士代表出席，而获授纪念章者包括海外和国际友人共有705,172人。王在希透露，已邀请包括郝柏村、许历农、王升等在内前国民党将领及遗属参加纪念活动，除郝柏村身体不适可能无法参加，许历农和王升将如期参加。王在希表示，国家对包括回乡参加过抗战的老战士在内的复员军人都有适当补贴，对原国民党老兵来参加中国人民解放军，都按照参加解放战争或抗战时期的复员军人对待，并给予适当补贴。中国人民对外友好协会会长陈昊苏则表示，中国隆重纪念抗战胜利60周年，并不是在进行反日教育，也不是用国外的问题来转移国内人民的注意力。至于如何评价当年国民党抗战的功绩，王在希指北京一直对此有客观评价，但重申中共在抗战中的主导地位。他说：「国民党军队主要在日军进攻的正面作战，形成了与共产党领导的、以人民武装开辟的敌后战场相区别的正面战场。」对于有评论指北京利用中国人民的反日情绪、转移人民对国内社会问题的视线，中国人民对外友好协会会长陈昊苏强调，纪念抗战胜利并不是在进行「反日教育」，「我们也不是用国外的问题来转移国内人民的注意力」。但中国外交部副部长吕新华仍敦促日本领导人「坚持以史为监、面向未来的精神」。此外，描述当年国民党军队在广西昆仑关战胜日军的电影《铁血》，被禁十年后昨日解禁，后日公映。另据报道，1945年8月15日，日本天皇宣告「终战诏书」，宣布无条件投降，但侵华日军并未即时放下武器投降。9月2日，日本代表在东京湾的美军「密苏里」号战舰上，正式向盟国签署投降书。当时的国民政府遂将次日，亦即9月3日定为「抗战胜利纪念日」。中共在1949年建政后，一度将8月15日定为抗战胜利日，但到1951年改为9月3日。直至1995年抗战胜利50周年，大陆恢复纪念「9.3」胜利日，才使「9.3」成为两岸都认可的抗战胜利纪念日。苹果日报报道说，胡锦涛近日频频出现在纪念抗日战争胜利60周年的场合，包括参观纪念展、会见抗日老兵、主持政治局学习会等，也将会是本周五、周六大型纪念活动中的主角。他如此高调纪念抗战胜利，可收一石四鸟之效。

首先，在胡锦涛访美前夕，北京大规模邀请国际友人来华参加纪念活动，口头上强调的是中国抗战对世界反法西斯战争胜利的意义，实际要凸显的是中国今日作为反恐怖主义及维护世界和平的地位，有助降低中国威胁论的声调。中国外交部美大司司长何亚非30日就表示，胡锦涛将利用访美机会传递中国作为「和平的力量」的讯息。

First, before Hu Jintao visits the U.S., Beijing in large scale inviting international friends to participate in this memorial activity, from the surface it emphasizes on the resistance by Chinese in the anti-Fascist war. In reality, what it wants to emphasize in the Chinese role in anti-terrorism and to keep world peace, this is to lower the Chinese as a threat thesis. Hu Jintao will use the opportunity of visiting America, to transmit to America that China is a peaceful strength anchor of security.

第二，在中日关系僵局持续的背景下，中国官方强调，纪念抗战不是要进行反日教育，但是，其中对日施压的意味却是显而易见的。中国外交部副部长吕新华昨日又呼吁，在60年后的今日，「日本领导人应该很好地回顾历史」。

Second point, in this strained China-Japan relation background, Chinese officials emphasize that to commerate war resistance is not to have anti-Japan education, however it is pressure against Japan is very obvious. "After 60 years, today's Japanese leaders should reflect on history."

第三，有助胡锦涛延续与连战会谈所形成的国共合作共识，透过强调两党历史的关联性，显示两岸关系的历史渊源，减缓台湾「漂移」的力度和过程。

Third point, to help Hu Jintao to prolong the mutual recognition between Lian Zhan, Nationalist former party chairman, and the Communists, for the Communist-Nationalist cooperation, it emphasizes both party's historical connectivity. It exhibits both China and Taiwan's connection in the history, to relieve Taiwan from floating away and the process.

第四，胡锦涛在公开肯定国民党抗战贡献时，显然遇到中共党内阻力，因此，他才要召集政治局会议，由学者讲述抗战历史及意义，才要与抗日老兵座谈，作出安抚。胡锦涛能否摆脱党内掣肘、主导纪念活动，是其党中国位稳固与否的指标之一。

Last point, Hu Jintao openly reinforce the Nationalist contribution in the Japanese war, this obviously meets the Communist party's internal resistance, so he wanted to call for a convention from the political bureau, and to let the scholars to give lectures on the war history and its meaning. That is why he wants to have the resistance old soldiers together to have seminars to pacify them. Whether Hu Jintao can get rid of internal party friction or constraints to be the main leader of the memorial activities will be one of the indices to show whether the party position is secure.

I put the ROC flag into the Jade Cong Ceremonial Vessel for the Ancient Ritual of Communication to Heaven

玉琮 良渚文化白玉质，有浅黄色斑，器高一节。边棱处隐起人面像，眼圆，有重圈，嘴阔。用弧线勾画出圆胖脸型的两颊轮廓。头上以阴线刻变形的冠状装饰。知此写实的人物画像，在良渚玉器中是比较少见的，良渚玉器的琢治是依重竹片、竹筐、皮革、石英颗粒、鲨鱼牙等非金属工具完成的。因此，在锯切时往往在器表留下弧线琢痕；钻孔采用圆管对钻技术，孔径外大内小，并留有旋纹；孔内常常留有台痕，兽面纹上的重圈眼是田八九条直线环接而成，外圈则是由小圆管琢磨而成的。 玉琮 周 高11.6厘米 Jade Cong, Zhou dynasty, height 11.6 centimeter In the Etiquette book, Dark green jade bi for worshiping heaven, the Yellow jade Cong for the earth. 估价:RMB18000一25000青玉，多沁蚀，分别以四棱角为中线，刻3组简化神兽坟。《同礼》上说：仓璧礼天，黄琮礼地。琮是一种祭祀用具。有学者认为，玉琮的功能远远超山了祭祀土地。玉琮通过很小的体积，把中国上古时期的世界观包括在其中。琼的内圆外方表示天和地，中间的穿孔表示天地之间的沟通，从孔中穿过的棍子就是天地柱，即天梯，在绝大部分琮上有动物图像，表示巫师通过天地柱在动物的协助下沟通天地。因此，可以说玉琮是中国古代世界观和通天行为的很好的象征物。 I put the ROC flag into the Jade Cong Ceremonial Vessel for the Ancient Ritual of Communication to Heaven Cong, a long hollow piece of jade with rectangular sides. Bi is for heaven ceremony, Yellow Cong is for earth. Jade Cong’s function far exceeds to pay tribute to earth. It contains the world. Inner round, outer square, symbolized heaven and earth. The sorcerer can communicate through the posts to heaven. I put the ROC flag into the Jade Zong so I can communicate to heaven, so that Jiu Jia Hua bestows his care on us and this flag. A jade totem for round heaven and square earth would like ROC as a nation, keep its best and stay with us forever. It is our lack of efforts and love, so that ROC is largely portrayed in its most dark and negative side, and only heaven can help and explain by its grace to touch the obscure mind and solicit the honor that is due for good people. I quote Dr. Zhu to the failure of the Nationalists in presenting its true character: When facing the American Ambassador Stuart Layton, I only regret that my English is so inadequate, and if my English was at a high level as German, then our chance and fate might be so much better. The blunder of losing China was expressed by the inquiry in the Congress by Senator Joseph Kennedy. But it was all too late. We are with a modernized China, with many challenging tasks to advance and rely on high intellect for the betterment of China and the U.S.

Family Reunion Song

***合家歡*** 走遍了萬水千山，歷盡了苦辣甜酸，如今又回到了舊時的庭院，聽到了燕語呢喃，孩子你靠近母親的懷抱，母親的懷抱溫暖。經過了雨雪風霜，歷盡了艱辛困難，如今又回到了舊時的庭院，聽到了親熱的呼喚，孩子你靠近母親的懷抱，母親的懷抱溫暖。從此後我們合家團圓，莫再要離別分散，從此後我們合家團圓，莫再要離別分散，走遍了萬水千山，歷盡了苦辣甜酸，如今又回到了舊時的庭院，聽到了燕語呢喃，孩子你靠近母親的懷抱，母親的懷抱溫暖。 詞 陳蝶衣 曲姚敏 Family Reunion This song was written in celebration of the end of WWII. I walked thousands of mountains and 10,000 rivers I experienced hardship, hot, bitter, sweet, and sour Now I once again return to my old yard And I hear the swallows talking and chirping Child, come near mother’s bosom In Mother’s arms’ warm embrace I have been through rain, snow, wind, and frost All the endless difficulties Now I return to my old courtyard I heard the warm calling Child, come to mother’s arms It is a warm hug From now on we are all united as a family Never to depart and disperse From now on we are as a family together Never to leave and depart It is a song that for many is true, but for judge Yan’s second daughter, my grandmother, it came very late. When she returned to her hometown, to see the old courtyard, she felt saddened. Her father had passed away in the hardship of the approaching Japanese invasion, and with the hardworking Nationalist government in Wuhan. Her mother died of illness in Chongqing. My mother grew up with scarcity and had to go to the back hills to pick up fire wood for cooking. As the eldest, she had to help the younger brothers to bathe. She went to the best schools, but could not do very well in the school. But she was the only one who could sing this song.

Surprise! Bush throws press a party

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/nation/3326954 Aug. 27, 2005, 11:48AM Surprise! Bush throws press a party Pool coverage takes on a whole new meaning at Crawford ranch By JULIE MASONCopyright 2005 Houston Chronicle CRAWFORD - President Bush's approval ratings are the lowest of his presidency, protesters are camped a mile from his door and he's never been much for socializing. Sounds like the perfect time for a party. Bush and first lady Laura Bush hosted a dinner Thursday night for a few dozen members of the White House press corps, serving Shiner Bock, fried catfish and a selection of cold salads poolside at the ranch. It was the second time Bush used his private Crawford retreat to work his charm offensive on the press. The last such gathering was in 2003, right before he ran for re-election. The off-the-record evening was intended as a pool party, but the Washington-based press corps, who spent the past month in Texas eating barbecue, declined to wear bathing suits around each other or the buff and tanned president. The invitation was last-minute because Bush likes to restrict attendance to those who take time away from their lives and families to swelter it out with him in Texas. Still, as it often can be when strange bedfellows find themselves at a party, the evening had a somewhat awkward atmosphere. Was it work or social? Neither side seemed sure. Nothing the president said could be quoted, but it's rare that reporters get uninterrupted access to him for 90 minutes, particularly when beer is served. Bush, who gave up drinking years ago, drank a non-alcoholic Buckler. The president, looking thinner and slightly more weather-beaten since he left Washington, was ranch-casual in Wrangler jeans, brown cowboy boots and a plaid, short-sleeved shirt. Laura Bush, appearing tinier in person than on television, was friendly and relaxed, sporting a much-lightened strawberry blond wedge with bright blond streaks in the front. The correspondents, technicians, producers and others were ferried in vans to Bush's sprawling, 1,600-acre ranch in the early evening. Filing past the limestone guest house, each was greeted by the Bushes. The swimming pool sits just below the main house in a natural grove of oak trees. Surrounded by journalists, Bush sat on a low, paved limestone wall, where he was peppered with questions and made several jokes. His interlocutors stood, sat, hovered — and two dangled toes in the pool. In the fields surrounding the pool, insects buzzed and dogs dashed about. Armed Secret Service agents guarded the area. After 90 minutes, the sun was setting on the Bush ranch. Their guests were packed into the vans and driven to town. julie.mason@chron.com Comments: No wonder some news reporters are not happy because they didn’t get invited. It is getting more non-traditional down in Texas. Pool side talks with the president and nothing can be leaked out. That is not exciting news! Maybe a Hispanic song or dance, flamenco should be quite fun. What’s a true Texas color or activity? From the description, it may well be in California. Maybe more Latinos? We saw practically all Hispanic news reporting. I would not know the difference where the border is. If one wants to enjoy a Latin vacation, the president should take his entire favorite Latin group for a trip in the entire Latina America, to make social ties. Then we will enjoy much more! To be complete with real swimming, real photos. What can be leaking out anyway? President’s ranch is very huge with 1600 acre ranch. It reminds me of Hearst ranch. It has all the fun. Oak trees. Cactus taller than humans. We would have Texas Charlie steak making for barbecue. Julia Morgan designed the Hacienda Lodge. It is of Moorish Arabic and Spanish. It has mission. It was a colonial Spanish era. One co-worker told me a headless Indian warrior woman was searching for her head and scared me off in the night exercise. Some workers got Homestead land of 500 acres, and some 5000 acres. It is quite interesting. I saw a hawk with a serpent in the mouth flying high above the empty fields. The red fox was waiting in the misty morning around bend of the road possibly after foray into the grapes patch. The fox waited for me in the morning several days in a row. The coyote walking and looking outside the mission on the long paved road, but it was not domesticated. With a missionary in the Greek long robe. It is a rare experience.

Sioux Indians and Ellsworth Air Force Base

Today was an emotional day for Senator John Thune and South Dakota. The representative wiped tears behind Thune in his speech at the podium. The BRAC’s decision was to keep open South Dakota’s Ellsworth Air Force Base. The reason given: National security. The day before the deliberation day, Senator Thune said, “If you are a Norwegian, you can’t be optimistic.” South Dakota This is the land for Norwegians and Sioux. An Indian caller on C-SPAN told the station owner Brian Lamb, “You should shut the base, because Indians are treated like second class citizens.” I can understand the Sioux’s feelings, when you have your sacred ground being used as the grounds for airplanes taking off and landing to supersede their ancestral meaning. From the vein of the Black Hills, one mountain, Mount Rushmore, with 4 American presidents’ heads looking down on the sacred spot of the land, they must feel quite alienated. In 1862, Lincoln ordered the execution of many Sioux, apparently to satisfy the demands of the people. One needs to study further on Lincoln’s ideals: “Of the people, by the people, and for the people.” The people today mean all people, not any group. The Sioux and their land should be respected Some history: On November 2, 1889, North Dakota and South Dakota were admitted to the Union as the 39th and 40th states. The first European explorers, Louis Joseph and François de La Vérendrye, entered the region in 1742 and 1743. At that time, at least eight Native American tribes populated the vicinity including the Mandan, Arikara, Kidatsa, Assiniboin, Crow, Cheyenne, Cree, and the Dakota (Santee Sioux). Other than through fur trapping, exploration of the Dakotas by European-Americans was practically nonexistent prior to the 1803 Louisiana Purchase. In 1804, the Lewis and Clark Expedition wintered in present day North Dakota. While the 1832 arrival of the steamboat and the 1862 creation of the Homestead Act increased migration slightly, tension between the settlers and the Sioux discouraged potential newcomers. In 1868, the United States recognized the Black Hills as part of the Great Sioux Reservation, set aside for their exclusive use, by treaty. Nevertheless, with the 1874 discovery of gold, prospectors and the U.S. Army poured into the sacred Black Hills and onto the Sioux Reservation. In 1877, after armed resistance, the Sioux were forced to yield the Black Hills to the U.S. Government. The Sioux were annihilated at Wounded Knee. The Sioux were colonized by the Whites. Their culture was desecrated. But if we respect the land, and the customs, and the cultures, we should not learn a colonial language to understand it, but rather understand the parallel customs and lingual roots between Indian culture and that of the Chinese culture, and other elements. If you really love America, study Indian languages, not the language of the Spanish Conquistadores. This shall be my lifelong investigation and project. Lincoln’s lies America’s Disgraceful History of Military "Trials" Are we of the People, by the people, for the White People? On December 26, 1862, Abraham Lincoln ordered the largest mass execution in American history in which the guilt of the executed could not be positively determined beyond reasonable doubt His compromise was to pare the list of condemned down from 303 to 39, with a promise to the Minnesota political establishment that the federal army would eventually kill or remove every last Indian from the state. As a sweetener to the deal Lincoln also offered Minnesota $2 million in federal funds. While Lincoln emancipated the blacks, why did he do this to the red Indians? On the Black Hills Sioux Indians came from the Mongolia Black Hill. There is no record, or written language, to prove it. One can prove from the customs, and lingual roots. There is an Indian rock in the United States, which I can decode to mean Red Cliff in Chinese. There is a coincidence between Mongolian sacred ground and the Sioux Indians sacred hills. On “Huang Chang Ti Chou”. 黃腸題湊 Huang Chang Ti Chou means "Cypress Hearts Imperial Coffin of the Han Heavenly Son" With 15,000 Cypress woods, the interior core is yellow tender intestine-like color, to compose a stately solemn wall, with a forest of logs as the price to make a underground palace. In Mongolia, a Liao Queen's tomb was discovered in a sacred Black Hill, which is the official forbidden hill that no one could enter. The burial ceremony is exactly with the Han dynasty’s highest “Huang Chang Ti Chou”. 黃腸題湊With the hearts of the trees to array them in the inside and outside of the coffin. This was a ceremony only people at the very highest level could have, and was not extended to the smaller lower ranking princes or princesses. A Han Dynasty tomb with this highest form of burial was discovered in Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province. This imperial ritual became obsolete in China Proper after the Han dynasty, but was still practiced centuries later in other border areas like Mongolia.

Chief Young Man Afraid Of His Horses and village

Chief Young Man Afraid Of His Horses and village CREATED/PUBLISHED[between 1890 and 1900]. SUMMARY Young Man Afraid Of His Horses, a Native American (Oglala Sioux) man, poses with another man on horseback near a group of tepees on the Pine Ridge Agency, South Dakota. Covered wagons and families are in the camp. An agency building is in the distance.

Iraq Advice: How to Win the War

组图：阿富汗村民观看大选电影 http://www.sina.com.cn 2005年08月25日12:13 国际在线 图为在位于喀布尔西北大约240公里的巴米亚恩村，一个村民和他的孩子正坐在山坡上观看电影。

点击此处查看全部新闻图片

图为一群村民正围在银幕前看电影。

Iraq Advice: How to Win the War Here are some pictures from Afghanistan, which is making progress. 国际在线消息 2005年8月23日，一些阿富汗村民正在观看有关下月议会大选的电影。这次的电影放映下乡活动名为“新的希望”，是由萨亚拉媒体通信公司组织的，目的是为了提高公众对这次全国性议会大选的关注和增加相关信息的了解。图为阿富汗村民观看大选电影。(昆仑) A group of Afghan villagers are watching a movie about the next month’s Parliamentary election. This publicity in the countryside is named “New Hope”, and is organized by the Sayela Media Communication firm. The purpose is to raise interest and understanding about the national parliamentary elections. The picture shows the Afghan villagers watching the election film. To Quote Henry Kissinger: The Iraq War is a guerrilla war; it will take longer and is more difficult than fighting a regular army. We need a government that has the stability to control guerrilla. As Iraq is capable to control and defeat the guerrillas, we will pull our troops out. Kissinger agreed with President Bush that the principle battle is against terrorists. While the U.S. is a uniform country, Iraq has 3 ethnic groups and they have been fighting for hundreds of years. The Failure of the Constitution will be a setback. What is needed is a framework of the Constitution. Two measures are needed: One clear line that people can relate to How the war will be won. Comments: The Americans give a taste of constructing a democracy that people are excited about. Chinese Communists used the ancient mentality to embed Guerrillas with Chinese people. Skillfully, the actress JiangQing used Soong theatre figures and taught people to loot and rise up against the rich locals. During the depressed Japanese invasion time, anarchy and hunger many times gave such a philosophy a foothold to allow people to rob. A popular opera that Mao and, Chiang Kai Shek loved to watch, “Da Yu Sha Jia”, “Poor Fishermen wiping out the Rich Local Family”. Mao met Jiang Qing in 1937 when she escaped Shanghai to go to Xian, and all they did was for Mao to be steeped into JiangQing’s show and the feelings of righteous of rioting against the rich and to sew seeds of hate to justify their own violence and outbreak of terrorism. The Chinese culture has a sympathetic self-definition whenever the central system is breaking down, either by invasion or inner chaos. It has a self-immune congruity with a belief that the people are for the people, that is beyond the outside aggressors’ reach. This is the measurement of the national self-consciousness, and self-preservation behavior. So if the central court is occupied by invaders, the local gangs took on the leadership in speaking up for the people. These gangs are called ‘righteous gangs’ and they do not kill wantonly, for example, the bandits do not kill the mailmen in bandit-infested Henan region. Some bandits are cold blood killers though. This is the most different cultural archetype of the Chinese vs Western culture, as I suspect, Afghanistan, Arabs might have something of the sort. What is the archetype for the terrorists? The West many times, confused this construct as a ‘gang’, such as in Sterling Seagrave’s Soong Dynasty book, which charged the Shanghai Green Gang as a crime gang, without understanding the origin of the Green Gang was the workers union for insurance when the boats going to capital might run into catastrophe and this is an insurance group. Of course, it degenerated, but the Green Gang is not what it intends to be. There is no good translation, as there is no such cultural form that exists in the West. The Communists didn’t fight, while the Nationalists gave their lives to protect the country against Japanese invaders. Instead, they reinforced their rioting and terror movements and produced slogans, and their daughter, Lee Na, born in 1940. Americans must exist side by side with Iraqi normal crowds and marginalize the terrorists so they become the outcasts to their own people. Americans must cooperate with the Iraqi existing structures or parties, such as the three distinct ethnic lines, to advance together with American doctrines. Side by side with Iraqi traditional culture. Let Clerics be present as they are congealed within and generate congruency, and the fanatics will be isolated and weeded out. Create American education outposts. Provide an alternative to desperate suicide bombers who get foreign financial aid of $10,000 apiece from different Arab neighboring countries. America creates a better system, which offers financial credits points system for the education in new enlisted men. Oil is a national enterprise. With Americans as friendship subsidy joint venture. Allow the regional food, culture, entertainment to mingle with American culture so that both can thrive simultaneously. America must be enmeshed with the existing ethnic lines, and the cultural denominations there, rather than excluding people like the Sunni clerics who asked people to vote and preaching Americanism solo. Hand in hand, and with joint American assistance in education, and defense training, will be a humanistic alternative, that the natural force of the Iraqi people will choose the American-led system over the extremist violence.

Bush Biography

美国总统乔治-布什简介 http://www.sina.com.cn 2005年08月25日19:00 新华网 美国总统乔治-布什 点击此处查看全部新闻图片 布什与父亲一起垂钓 　　乔治·沃克·布什(George Walker Bush，习称小布什)1946年7月6日生于美国康涅狄格州，在得克萨斯州的米德兰和休斯敦长大。他的祖父是华尔街一位富有的银行家，曾是共和党参议员。其父为美国第51届总统乔治·布什。中学毕业后，18岁的布什进入耶鲁大学主修历史学。毕业后，布什进入得克萨斯州国民警卫队空军，成为一名战斗机驾驶员，直到1973年离开空军。此后，布什又在哈佛商学院求学两年。 　　再次走出校门后，而立之年的布什在父亲老友的引见下雄心勃勃地步入石油界。布什在米德兰创建了一家石油和天然气勘探公司，并在该公司工作至1986年。1989年至1994年，布什是得克萨斯“牧人”棒球队主要合伙人。 　　1994年，他竞选得克萨斯州州长并获得成功。1998年他竞选连任，成为该州历史上首位得以连任的州长。 　　2000年8月，布什被共和党提名为总统候选人。同年11月7日，布什参加了美国历史上竞争最为激烈的总统选举。最后，由美国最高法院作出裁决，布什成为美国第54届(43任)总统，并于2001年1月20日宣誓就职，正式入主白宫。他是继美国第六任总统亚当斯之后第二位踏着父亲的足印入主白宫的总统。 　　2003年5月16日，布什正式向美国联邦选举委员会提出竞选连任。2004年9月1日，美国共和党在纽约召开的全国代表大会上正式确认布什为该党总统候选人。11月，布什赢得大选，再次当选美国总统，2005年1月宣誓就职。 　　2001年10月，布什总统到上海出席亚太经合组织领导人非正式会议，并与江泽民主席举行会晤。2002年2月，布什对中国进行工作访问。 　　布什的夫人劳拉曾是一名图书管理员，他们有一对双胞胎女儿芭芭拉和詹纳，1981年出生。布什的弟弟：杰布·布什(Jeb Bush，又称约翰·埃利斯·布什 John Ellis Bush)为佛罗里达州州长。 　　相关专题：胡锦涛出访北美三国

Comment: I like the big fish.

Iraq's political compact

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2005/08/13/iraqs_political_compact/ PAUL R. WILLIAMS AND WILLIAM SPENCER Iraq's political compact By Paul R. Williams and William Spencer August 13, 2005 MOST OF the news and commentary addressing the leaked drafts of the Iraqi constitution focus criticism on the role of religion, Iraq's designation as an Arab nation, the protection of women's rights, and Kurdish autonomy. While these are key issues that must be resolved, the constitution under development is first and foremost a political compact. Although the constitution will ultimately guide the political development of Iraq, it is not being approached in an overly legalistic manner. Rather, the founding fathers of Iraq are attempting to use the constitutional process to develop a mutual understanding of the future of Iraq. We spent the month of July in Baghadad as advisors to the Iraqi Constitutional Drafting Committee. The purpose of the political compact is to weld all the factions to the idea of a united Iraq committed to the principles of pluralism and democracy. If successful, this compact hopefully will split and weaken the insurgency, allow Iraq to fend off interference from neighboring states, provide an opportunity to resurrect and restructure the oil industry, and provide a blueprint for the operation of governing structures. This compact is being negotiated in an environment where none of the major political actors have previous national political experience; for many it is their first foray into politics. There is scant historical precedent in Iraq for constitutional rule, and an absence of regional models. Despite the obstacles, the Iraqis will likely succeed due the nature of the committee chosen to represent their interest and craft the political compact. The committee is headed by Dr. Hamam Hamoudi and includes secular and religious Shi'a and Sunni, the two major Kurdish groups, women -- representing both the conservative Islamic tradition and the more secular liberal tradition, Turkmen, and other minority groups. Fortunately, the committee is not composed solely of lawyers, but rather engineers, doctors, physicists, religious scholars, historians, journalists, and businessmen. Many were exiled in Western Europe and North America, are familiar with democratic models, but retain their understanding of the factors that drive politics and law in the land of Hammurabi. A number of the groups have articulated extreme positions. This is to be expected in a constitutional negotiation, in order to test their bargaining positions and clarify opposing views. The agreement of the drafting committee to operate on the principle of consensus will sufficiently moderate these positions. What is important, and impressive, is that the committee has not reached for political expedient, yet practically devastating mechanisms such as rotating presidencies, set-aside seats in parliament and the judiciary for specific ethnic groups, sectarian distribution of executive offices, or direct international participation in the governance of the state. August 15, the day the Iraqi National Assembly will adopt the constitution, will not be the finish line. It will not be the day the United States and its coalition partners can begin political and military disengagement. Rather, it will be the day the race for political sustainability begins. The constitution adopted on that day will resemble more of a General Framework Agreement than a traditional legalistic constitution. The Constitution will set forth a number of principles and themes that will guide the next Iraq Assembly, to be elected on Dec. 15, as it implements laws and regulations which find a proper place for Islam in a modern democratic state, protect human rights, especially those of women, and secure the autonomy of Kurdistan. To insure the adoption of the constitution, the United States and its partners must provide the resources necessary for a dialogue on the constitution prior to the Oct. 15 referendum. It will also be necessary to continue extensive support for the creation of political party structures, as they are key to holding together eclectic political interests in Iraq. Most important, the United States and the international community will need to launch a program of assistance inimplementing the constitution. The newly elected Iraqi Assembly will have the political skills necessary to identify and craft solutions, but they do not possess the practical experience with creating courts, human rights commissions, banks, and other institutions. During the drafting process the nascent political factions have developed an effective means for consensus building, and for constructing bridges to resolve points of impasse. To turn the political compact into a workable constitution will require the continued development of these skills and the assistance of the United States and the international community. Paul R. Williams is the RebeccaGrazier Professor of Law & International Relations at American University in Washington. William Spencer is Washington director of the Public International Law & Policy Group. © Copyright 2005 Globe Newspaper Company. Comments: Paul Williams is the best speaker on Iraq so far, very rational. Apparently, if the Chinese Nationalists have a grievance, he can handle it, because he specializes in state-to-state conflict resolution, sovereignty, assistance in writing Constitutions, etc. I think his group acts more like an effective UN, than the current UN which is just for handouts, and conniving against the ROC to support the PRC. My project is to contact him to have him address the ROC grievances, and to bridge the gap between the PRC and ROC, as I believe the status quo cannot go on forever for Taiwan.

胡锦涛就十一五时期社会发展在河南等地调研

Hu Jintao is Surveying the Social Development in Henan Province http://news.sina.com.cn/c/p/2005-08-24/08377579362.shtml 胡锦涛就十一五时期社会发展在河南等地调研 http://www.sina.com.cn 2005年08月23日22:25 新华网 　　8月19日至23日，中共中央总书记、国家主席、中央军委主席胡锦涛在河南、江西、湖北三省考察工作。这是胡锦涛在湖北天兴洲公路铁路两用长江大桥同工程建设者亲切交谈。新华社记者鞠鹏摄 From August 19-23, Chinese Central Party Secretary, National Chairman, and Central Military Committee Chairman Hu Jintao visited Henan Province, Jiangxi Province, and Hubei Province to do his inspection work. 点击此处查看全部新闻图片 　　新华网武汉8月23日电 中共中央总书记、国家主席、中央军委主席胡锦涛近日在河南、江西、湖北考察工作，就“十一五”时期我国经济社会发展和落实科学发展观进行调查研究。胡锦涛强调，确定“十一五”时期经济社会发展的指导思想和主要任务，首先要准确认识国际国内的发展环境，准确认识我国发展的阶段性特征，准确认识我国经济社会发展面临的主要问题，准确认识实现我国经济社会又快又好发展的基本要求，在指导思想上形成共识，在实际工作中形成合力，更好地动员组织广大党员和人民群众为实现我们党提出的宏伟目标 而奋斗。 　　8月19日至23日，胡锦涛分别在中共中央政治局委员、湖北省委书记俞正声，河南省委书记徐光春、省长李成玉，江西省委书记孟建柱、省长黄智权，湖北省省长罗清泉等陪同下，到河南新乡、江西景德镇、湖北 襄樊和武汉等地，深入企业乡村、建设工地、科研院所、城市社区，同干部群众亲切交谈，实地了解落实科学发展观的情况。中共中央政治局候补委员、中央书记处书记、中央办公厅主任王刚也陪同进行了考察。 　　胡锦涛十分关心支农扶农政策落实的情况。他先后来到河南新乡县七里营镇龙泉村、江西德宇集团、湖北老河口市桃梨基地等，直接向农民群众和基层干部了解情况、听取意见。胡锦涛说，解决好“三农”问题依然是一项长期的历史任务，必须始终作为全党工作的重中之重。我们要统一思想，提高认识，搞好规划，下更大气力，把建设社会主义新农村的任务落到实处。要充分发挥城市对农村的辐射和带动作用、工业对农业的支持和反哺作用，努力实现粮食稳定增产、农民持续增收，促进农村经济社会全面发展。 　　胡锦涛重点就提高自主创新能力进行了考察。他先后来到新飞电器有限公司、金龙精密铜管集团股份有限公司、 昌河飞机工业集团有限责任公司、武汉钢铁集团公司、武汉烽火通信科技股份有限公司等企业。当了解到这些企业通过提高自主创新能力大大增强了企业的市场竞争力时，胡锦涛十分高兴。他说，提高自主创新能力，是保持经济长期平稳较快发展的重要支撑，是调整经济结构、转变经济增长方式的重要支撑，是建设资源节约型、环境友好型社会的重要支撑，也是提高我国经济的国际竞争力和抗风险能力的重要支撑。我们要把增强自主创新能力作为科学技术发展的战略基点和调整经济结构、转变经济增长方式的中心环节，努力走出一条具有中国特色的科技创新之路。 　　考察中，胡锦涛分别主持召开座谈会，听取三省省委和省政府负责同志对“十一五”时期我国经济社会发展的意见和建议。胡锦涛在座谈会上发表了重要讲话，强调指出，从国内外形势发展看，“十一五”时期我们面临的仍将是一个机遇和挑战并存、机遇大于挑战的环境，一个总体上有利于我们促进经济社会发展、但不利因素可能增多的环境。我们要居安思危，增强忧患意识，牢牢把握和切实用好重要战略机遇期，妥善应对各种挑战，实现经济社会又快又好发展。 　　胡锦涛强调，做好“十一五”时期的经济社会发展工作，关键是要坚持以科学发展观统领经济社会发展全局，推动经济社会发展转入科学发展的轨道。必须坚持发展是硬道理的战略思想，坚持把发展作为党执政兴国的第一要务，努力保持经济平稳较快发展；必须加快转变经济增长方式，积极推进经济结构的战略性调整，实现节约发展、清洁发展、安全发展和可持续发展；必须提高自主创新能力，充分发挥科学技术第一生产力的重要作用，着力解决制约经济社会发展的重大科技问题；必须促进城乡区域协调发展，推动城乡经济社会良性互动、共同发展，推进统筹区域发展和现代化建设总体布局的落实；必须加强和谐社会建设，保持社会安定团结，努力创造良好的发展环境；必须不断深化改革开放，形成一整套有利于推动经济结构调整和经济增长方式转变、提高自主创新能力、节约 能源资源的体制机制。 　　胡锦涛还视察了空军驻武汉某部，勉励官兵们发扬光荣传统，履行好新世纪新阶段的历史使命，为全面建设小康社会作出新贡献。 　　特稿：胡锦涛视察河南 对工农业发展提出建议(组图)

Mr. Red

Mr. Red He is my ideal hope for the Nationalist, with a Ming prince surname Red. Mr. Ming Prince Red Dr. Zhu Jia Hua had a Ming Palace as the Nationalist Headquarters. An unofficial Chinese prime minister during wartime, and suited to run China as a president, though he was roiled perhaps due to his unwise marriage with a low grade theatre uneducated woman. My grandfather saved him and so was to be helped by Dr. Red all of his life. Mr. Red has a tender gaze as if to protect us with his caring. He founded the Youth Party in 1938. He left WuHan to go to ChongQing, and he was the last one to leave as the Central Government official. The next day Wu Han sank. Mr. Red was ideal and Meiling Soong's favorite color and grandmother's. His other rhymed surname is bamboo and Integrity. A painting of bamboo with integrity links¸ each joint going high into sky. Ever so self-exalting and reaching to high integrity. Meiling Soong's bedroom wall panels all with bamboo. Meiling Soong used to send chocolate packages to Mrs. Zhu (so she told me when she gave me the candies), and my grandmother always gave me chocolates, it is rhymed as Zhu Ke Li, so there is a craze for it. My great aunt was a girl from Taixian and she held love in a sacred desire. A heroine figure in the Chinese Shakespeare Tang Xian Zu, Ming's great author, wrote about the feelings of love which transcends time. After leaving his post as Nanjing mayor, he went to his home Jiangxi province, to write about his ideal love of his professor's daughter in Taixian Academic College. A pure virgin looks up to him to be the secret love idol and search for his protection and blessing when in need to support the Nationalist legacy. Free Mind written for Dr. Zhu

Sunnis seek say in constitution

http://www.gazettetimes.com/articles/2005/08/22/news/nation/monnat01.txt Sunnis seek say in constitution By BASSEM MROUE Associated Press writer Groups appeal to U.S. to prevent Shiites from pushing draft throughBAGHDAD, Iraq — A day before the deadline for the new constitution, Sunni Arabs appealed Sunday to the United States to prevent Shiites and Kurds from pushing a draft through parliament without their consent, warning it would only worsen the crisis in Iraq. Leaders of the Sunni Arab, Shiite and Kurdish factions planned final talks on Monday morning according to officials of all three groups. "I am not optimistic,'' said Kamal Hamdoun, a negotiator for the influential Sunni minority. "We either reach unanimity or not.''The initial Aug. 15 deadline was pushed to Monday after no agreement was reached, and Iraqi officials have insisted they would meet the new deadline and present a final document to the National Assembly, dominated by Shiites and Kurds. But the chief government spokesman suggested another delay may be necessary.Saddam Hussein, who faces trial soon on charges he massacred fellow Muslims, promised in a letter published Sunday to sacrifice himself for the cause of Palestine and Iraq, and he urged Arabs to follow his path.The letter was delivered by the International Committee of the Red Cross to a friend of Saddam's now living in Jordan."My soul and my existence is to be sacrificed for our precious Palestine and our beloved, patient and suffering Iraq,'' said the letter, published in two Jordanian newspapers.In violence Sunday, an American soldier was killed by a roadside bomb near the northern city of Tikrit, the U.S. military said. At least 1,866 members of the U.S. military have died since the Iraq war started in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count.A Sunni Arab backlash could complicate the U.S. strategy of using the political process to lure members of the minority away from the Sunni-dominated insurgency. Washington hopes that a constitution, followed by general elections in December, will enable the United States and its international partners to begin removing troops next year.Issues holding up agreement on the draft include federalism, distribution of Iraq's oil wealth, power sharing questions among the provinces and the role of the Shiite clerical hierarchy.Vice President Adil Abdul-Mahdi, a Shiite, said 97 percent of the draft had been finished and predicted the document would be forwarded to parliament on time Monday.Government spokesman Laith Kubba said there were two options if political leaders fail to complete the draft: amend the interim constitution again and extend the deadline, or dissolve parliament.But the Sunni Arabs complained that they have been invited to only one session with the other groups since the extension was granted.As of late Sunday, Sunni Arab negotiators said they were sticking by their opposition to federalism and other demands."At a time when there are few hours left to announce the draft, we still see no active coordination and seriousness to draft the constitution,'' the Sunni Arab negotiators said in a statement.They urged the United States, the United Nations and the international community to intervene to prevent a draft that lacks unanimous agreement among all three factions, saying it "would make the current crisis more complicated.''Shiites and Kurds have enough seats in parliament to win approval for a draft without the Sunni Arabs, who form an estimated 20 percent of Iraq's population of 27 million but hold only 17 of the 275 seats in the National Assembly because so many of them boycotted the Jan. 30 elections.However, the minority could scuttle the constitution when voters decide whether to ratify it in the Oct. 15 referendum. Under current rules, the constitution would be defeated if it is opposed by two-thirds of the voters in three of Iraq's 18 provinces. Sunni Arabs form the majority in at least four.Some radical groups within the insurgency, notably al-Qaida's wing led by the Jordanian Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, oppose any constitution as an affront to Islam and have vowed to kill anyone who votes in the referendum. Sunni clerics, however, have urged their followers to register to vote.Also Sunday, the Iraqi government said neighboring Jordan has allowed Saddam's family to fund a network seeking to destabilize Iraq and re-establish the banned Baath Party.Kubba, speaking to reporters in Baghdad, cited Saddam's relatives who live in Jordan, where they have "huge amounts of money'' to "support ... efforts to revive Baath Party organizations.'' Kubba did not specify individual family members, but Saddam's two oldest daughters live in the Jordanian capital, Amman. COMMENTS: BIRTH OF EQUALITY FOR THE NEW IRAQ The U.S. should exert wisdom to help develop a constitution in which there is a "level playing field" among all ethnic groups, so that no group feels left out. This will greatly reduce the amount of insurgency, and will help reduce American casualties, so that American troops can pull out faster. There will always be extremists who oppose any consitution, but the critical group now are the moderate Sunnis, who will turn against the U.S. if they feel that they are being cheated out of the constitutional process, which is like our Bill of Rights and Declaration of Independence. It is a sacred process, the U.S. must give ample time to get the constitution right the first time, to give hope to a chaotic state.

Yangtze River Memorial

揚子江畔的水仙花 Water Saint Immortal Flowers on the Yangtze River In Memory of My Eldest Great Aunt A Misty Eyed Chinese beauty An Idealistic Bright star in the dark Searching for the brightness in human world -- Written in the Ghost Festival month Without a worry Running out of people to love Never intertwined By the bank The Water Immortal Flower Making a quiet reflection Lu Xun has a collection work entitled Morning Flower to Collect in the Evening His reflection reaching wide A trajectory spirit of China being the colonial underdog The wolf dog walking in the French Concession Long howling from ancient afar He is for every Chinese knocking on conscience We are for him to compose Little China folksong Would not jump into Yangtze River as Great Aunt For love The warning sign says, "Reflect! Go back three steps, to reflect!" But many still jumped off the Swallow Rock Cliffs I have her eyes I am in a different era Which is free Life can be a choice to reflect quietly Along a bank Just being a narcissus Water Saint Immortal Flower --Written by Free Mind 揚子江畔的水仙花 紀念我的大姨婆 她是那麼樣的充滿理想主義 擁有一對霧矇矓雙眸的美麗中國女孩 黑暗中的星子 尋求人間光明 -- 寫在鬼月節 沒有一絲擔懮 無人可來愛 永無纏繞的捆綁 在堤畔 水仙花 沉靜的照耀自己的倒影 魯迅的作品 朝花夕拾 他廣大的審思 殖民地狗的劃破中國人的精神 狼狗在法國租界走過 由古老的遙遠長嚎 他為每一個中國人叩敲良知 我們也為他譜中華小曲 不要跳入揚子江如大姨婆 為了愛 警語說﹐“回頭﹐退三步。” “一失足成千古恨” 許多人跳下燕子磯, 我有她的眼睛 是不同的年代 我是自主自由的 生命是一種選擇 來靜靜迴思的 在岸邊 僅是一朵水仙 水玲瓏不凋花朵 自由心靈祭寫

Homeland's Cotton: A Poem in Memory of Chinese General Yang Jing Yu

Impatiens; Raspberry Today, the Japanese Prime Minister saluted to a line of words. The western press did not understand it, so they erroneously reported that Japan apologized to China for World War II. The PM bowed to a sign that said “全國戰悼者追悼式", “Memorial to the Entire Country’s War Victims”. So be it. Their past crimes require the Emperor and royal family of Japan to bow to the Nanking War Memorial. Still it is in God’s hands, and no human beings can soil the spirit of my pure heroes and heroines. Yang Jing Yu: A Hometown Communist profile He was the First Route Army's commander for the Manchuria Resistance Union Army Homeland's Cotton He ran from the Japanese in Jilin, Manchuria. He fainted and hallucinated. As if his boyhood lover, Little Phoenix, was swaying her two hair braids attached with butterflies, staring at him with two clear and soft as water pupils. "Yang brother! Yang brother!" The voice is echoing like the wind from somewhere. The hill is spread with roseleaf raspberry flowers, he is laying down and smiling, listening to her gentle whisper. The cotton ball bursting out of the green calyx He pulled out to chew on it Wooden clappers with bars of unequal length like the watchman's clicks Then a pair of boots appeared in front of his dimming vision Japanese cut off his head He wanted to know how the Chinese man survived for these days and resisted so long eating the cotton balls and strips of barks With a man's tender love Still thinking about his young love In his far away hometown Ever so gentle A trace A shapeless wisp Going back to His innocent hometown My girl I finally come back to be with you. Together they are running on Their free hometown soil From the concave village His soul and Little Phoenix Are running in hometown hill Already filled with ripe raspberry flowers Resonating in the empty valley The flower season is done -- Written by Free Mind 楊靖宇 東北抗日聯軍第一路軍總司令、共產党員楊靖宇，強忍飢餓和病痛的折磨，只身一人戰斗到生命的最后一刻。殘酷的敵人剖開他的腸胃，看到的只是草根和棉絮。 故鄉的棉花。 他昏了。 仿彿看見小鳳﹐甩著二個雙辮子﹐兩隻清澈如水的眸子﹐ 楊哥﹗ 楊哥﹗ 在漫山遍野的荼糜裡﹐他躺著笑著。 家鄉的棉花 白紗團已自綠萼爆出 雪白的如她的膀子。 由袍子裡抽出一片白團﹐ 他嚼著棉花 梆子巧巧的細細打著。 然後﹐日本軍官的靴﹐近距離站在他的眼前。 日本人砍下他的腦袋。 研究這個中國人﹐怎麼活著這些時日﹖ 刨開後﹐看見一些棉花團﹐一些樹皮。 他的靈魂與小鳳 在故鄉山上自由的奔跑 宋詩歌空谷回音 已是 滿山荼糜 花事了

What is the Priority: Social Security Reform or Immigration Reform?

President Bush thinks that Social Security reform is one of the top priorities for the country. Many disagree, believing that Social Security needs some minor changes, which are not that urgent at the present time. President Bush thinks that Immigration reform should be a low priority, and that illegal immigration is not that serious of a problem. Many disagree, believing that immigration problems are at a crisis level. When President Bush examines his shrinking approval ratings, he should try to examine the reasons. It is not just about Iraq. Many members of his own party are beginning to speak out against him on many issues, such as Bill Frist about stem cell research. I believe that if Bush switched his priorities, concentrating on Immigration reform instead of Social Security reform, his ratings would improve. The border between the U.S. and Mexico is poorly guarded, and many illegal immigrants cross into the U.S. every day. The large number of illegal immigrants places great burdens upon public institutions such as the education and health system, and also leads to a higher crime rate, as drug dealers and gang members find it easy to enter and leave the U.S., committing crimes and then fleeing to avoid justice. The high crime rate places burdens on the law enforcement and legal system as well. The burden on local governments on Border States such as California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas is growing, and the net result is higher taxes and budget cuts, which reduce the quality of education and health care for the legal residents. The U.S./Mexico border would also be a likely point of entry for terrorists, so Immigration policy is part of the war on terror. In the Bay Area, many Chinese owned businesses such as supermarkets and restaurants hire Latino workers, but poor Latinos are often very racist against rich Chinese business owners, and there are more robberies and gang conflicts than before. For example, in the Bay Area, many Chinese own $1 million homes, but Latinos live in second-tier housing and are jealous of the Chinese. Meanwhile, there is a disproportionate number of Latinos in the broadcast news media such as CNN, and in the Bush administration, while there are rarely any Chinese-Americans. One of the greatest shames of American history was the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882; this is the only race that has ever been specifically excluded by a legislative body. Bush has stated that illegal immigrants are good for business, this is the view of many business owners, but only because they can profit by paying them low wages. But even if one group of business owners in Texas benefits, the rest of the public has to shoulder the burdens that the illegal immigrants place on society. Bush wants a level playing field with regards to foreign trade, but there should be a level playing field for all races in the U.S. as well. More border guards are clearly needed and stiffer penalties for illegal immigrants and those who harbor or assist them are also needed. It is often said that America is a country of immigrants, that is true, but it should be a country of legal immigrants, not of illegal immigrants.

The Injustice of California in the Presidential Election Process

http://news.findlaw.com/newsmakers/john.edwards.html Legal Professionals, seeThe Thomson Legal Record for John R. EdwardsProviding the complete litigation record for John Edwards Born: June 10, 1953, Seneca, South Carolina Occupation: United States Senator, North Carolina Prior Occupation: Trial Lawyer Education: B.S., North Carolina State University, 1974J.D., University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 1977 Can we Count on Edwards? New U.S. President in 2008 The injustice of California in the Presidential election process. Because of the electoral process and its far Western location, even though California is the most populous and economically powerful state, the Presidential elections are usually over before California’s votes are counted. Also, because California almost always votes Democratic, candidates from both parties spend very little time campaigning in California. Unfortunately, this attitude carries over after the election, and California is not respected by politicians at the national level. Because California always gets short changed, I want to help out. It has been discriminated against. We never get any relief, or declared state of emergency, despite endless earthquakes, mudslides, or fires, California receives no federal help whatsoever. California has the highest gasoline prices and the highest cost of living, but the rest of the country seems to think that California deserves all of it. Yet, Silicon Valley produces great revenues for the U.S. What’s the matter with Kansas? Bush likes Texas and Latin Americans, he doesn’t care for California. Bush looks like he likes to appoint many Latinos to top positions, they are commerce secretary Carlos Gutierrez, Attorney General Al Gonzalez, and assistant secretary of the Air Force Dominguez. Texas and California have more Latinos than whites, does Bush want Latinos to become the majority in every state? California is beleaguered and sacked in the medical field. Just take a look in the County hospital. Before we went on vacation and needed a Hepatitis shot, the hospital was all filled with Mexicans. The Heart Center trauma rooms are packed with Mexican migrant workers and construction workers. This prevents a normal patient to receive proper care, as there is so much competition from too many immigrants, legal or illegal, to prevent people from receiving timely medical help. The American taxpayers have ever so large a burden to share the cost to take care of large Latino families in their education and medical bills. California may need to turn to the Democrats to change the plight of the invasions from the borders, such as New Mexico Democrat Richardson filed a state of emergency to boost the control of criminals, drug dealers, and the terrorists crossing the border from Mexico. Edwards recently was invited to attend a New Hampshire party. Some people were telling him about the plight of some programs, such as “Operation Head Start”, and he listened to different views. I have sympathy for him because his wife Elizabeth has cancer, and she was kind enough to help out with cancer awareness. Many people in my family have had cancer, so I have a special spot in my heart for cancer victims. Bush’s view on stem cell research clashed with Bill Frist on the last day of congress. I tend to agree with the Doctor Bill Frist on this issue. If there are restrictions on medical research, the odds are too much against people with hereditary diseases like cancer and diabetes. The Democrats need to figure out a new image. They need to hammer out a new platform, rather just Bush bashing, anti-Bush all of the time.

Temporarily Inactive

This blog will be temporarily inactive until Congress returns from its August recess.