Today is boxing day. We went for shopping in different malls, DFO in Jindalee, small mall in Horseland, and Indooroopilly Shopping Center.
We bought a few clothes in DFO, then spent several hours in Indooroopilly Shopping Center until we were starving and thirsty. We saw the discount prices of several bread makers in Myer. We have thought about buying one bread maker since last year, but we did not buy one yet. I don't know why, but we just wanted to buy one today, so we went to check price in K-Mart, Target and Harvey Norman. After comparing the price and model, we bought our first bread maker, Breville BBM100. It is the 2nd cheapest one, $109.65 AUD. We did not buy the cheapest one, Sunbeam ..., because the kneading blade won't be able to disassemble with bread pan. We are afraid that some bread might be stuck between kneading blade and bread pan, then we won't be able to clean it well for those Sunbeam models.
Here is our test for making bread by ourselves:
1. Basic White Bread
(1) Test 1 on Dec 26, 2009
290 mL H2O
1 TBL oil (i.e. 20 mL = 16 g)
1.5 tsp salt (i.e. 7.5 mL = 9 g)
1.5 TBL sugar (i.e. 30 mL = 30 g) (ps. we used brown sugar)
3 cups bread flour (i.e. 750 mL = 450 g) (ps. we used plain flour)
1 TBL milk powder (i.e. 30 mL = 10 g)
0.75 tsp bread improver (i.e. 3.75 mL) (ps. we used 2 500mg vitamin C tablets)
1.5 tsp yeast (i.e. 7.5 mL = 6 g)
Setting: 1 (basic), medium crust color, total 3 hours
1st knead (2 min) -> 2nd knead (28 min) ->1st rise (20 min)
-> punch down (15 sec) -> 2nd rise (20 min) -> punch down (10 sec)
-> 3rd rise (50 min) -> bake (60 min)
The bread looks good, but it is a little bit too moisture and salty. We will reduce water to 280 mL and salt to 6 g next time.
(2) Test on Dec 27, 2009
280 mL H2O
1 TBL oil (i.e. 20 mL = 16 g)
0.67 tsp salt (i.e. 3.35 mL = 4 g) (ps. original receipt is 1.5 tsp salt)
1.5 TBL brown sugar (i.e. 30 mL = 30 g) (ps. original receipt is sugar)
3 cups plain flour (i.e. 750 mL = 450 g) (ps. original receipt is bread flour)
1 TBL milk powder (i.e. 30 mL = 10 g)
1 tsp lemon juice (i.e. 5 mL = 5 g) (ps. original receipt is 0.75 tsp bread improver)
1.5 tsp yeast (i.e. 7.5 mL = 6 g)
We use the same setting as test (1). The bread looks good with perfect moisture and salt taste.
(3) Test on Dec 28, 2009
Everything is the same as Dec. 27, except we added some raisin in. Still taste good.
Read more!
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Some Microwave Dishes
We like to use microwave, rice cooker, steamer, and stove to cook our dishes. Because we don't have ventilation hoods in our kitchen-living room, basically we utilizes hot steam and water to cook thoroughly our foods to minimize smell and eliminate cooking fumes.
Here are some microwave receipts we found and tried today.
Fry onion egg (洋蔥炒蛋)
We use 4 small onions, 2 eggs, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp chicken essence powder and 1 tsp cooking oil. We use a Pyrex container to do it.
Microwave 1 tsp cooking oil 2 min
-> add slice onions, microwave 2 min
-> add egg mixture, mix well, microwave 1 min
-> add 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp chicken essence powder
-> mix and microwave 1 min
-> spray some black pepper and it is ready to serve
(材料)洋蔥 2 (中/大) or 4 (小) 個，雞蛋 2只，蔥 1支 (可省略)
(綜合調味料)鹽 1/4茶匙，味精 1/8茶匙，麻油 1/4茶匙 (可省略)
(作法)
洋蔥切絲，雞蛋打散。
大碗中加油1大匙、蔥花，強微波2分，加入洋蔥絲，強微波2分，加入蛋液，強微波1分，打開箱門攪拌，加鹽、味精，強微波1分，淋上麻油即可 (ps. 可省略，或灑黑胡椒)。
豆豉排骨
(材料)小排骨..半斤●豆豉...1大匙●蔥.......2粒●蒜頭.....4粒●紅辣椒...1支
(綜合調味料)醬油....2大匙●糖......1小匙●麻油....1小匙●胡椒.....少許●太白粉..2大匙
(做法)
小排骨洗淨擦乾，以調味料,蔥(1支)切段,蒜頭2粒拌醃1小時。
大碗中加油2大匙,蔥、蒜頭、紅辣椒，強微波2分，加入排骨，強微波3分半，取出灑上蔥花、辣椒即可。
蕃茄豆腐
(材料)蕃茄....1個●豆腐....1盒●蔥花....2大匙●
(綜合調味料)鹽.....1小匙●糖.....1小匙●太白粉..少許
(作法)
豆腐切塊，蕃茄切小塊。
大碗加油1大匙、蔥花1大匙，強微波2分，加入蕃茄、豆腐、鹽、糖，強微波2分，趁熱以太白粉水勾芡，取出灑上蔥花即可。
蒜泥蒸蛋
(材料)雞蛋.....3只●蒜泥...1大匙●
(綜合調味料)醬油....1/2大匙●鹽......1/2小匙●味精....1/2小匙●豬油....1/2大匙●太白粉..1/2小匙
(作法)
雞蛋打散，加1又1/2杯水，調味料，以濾網過濾
加入蒜泥拌勻，以弱微波蒸24分。(包保鮮膜)
*蒸蛋必須用弱微波,否則質地粗糙。
三色蛋
(材料)雞蛋...2只●鹹蛋...2只●皮蛋...2只●
(綜合調味料)鹽......1小匙●味精..1/2小匙●麻油....1小匙●太白粉..1小匙
(作法)
蛋打散，鹹蛋切塊，皮蛋切塊，三種蛋混勻，加入調味料包保鮮膜，以弱微波蒸9分即可。
蔥油淋嫩雞
(材料)雞.....1隻●蔥絲..半杯●薑絲..半杯
(綜合調味料)鹽....1/2大匙●味精..1/2大匙●酒......1大匙●油......4大匙
(作法)
雞洗淨用鹽遍抹全身，放盤上包保鮮膜，強微波17分，取出待涼，切塊，上舖滿蔥、薑絲。
4大匙油，強微波3分，趁熱淋於雞上即可。
Read more!
Here are some microwave receipts we found and tried today.
Fry onion egg (洋蔥炒蛋)
We use 4 small onions, 2 eggs, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp chicken essence powder and 1 tsp cooking oil. We use a Pyrex container to do it.
Microwave 1 tsp cooking oil 2 min
-> add slice onions, microwave 2 min
-> add egg mixture, mix well, microwave 1 min
-> add 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp chicken essence powder
-> mix and microwave 1 min
-> spray some black pepper and it is ready to serve
(材料)洋蔥 2 (中/大) or 4 (小) 個，雞蛋 2只，蔥 1支 (可省略)
(綜合調味料)鹽 1/4茶匙，味精 1/8茶匙，麻油 1/4茶匙 (可省略)
(作法)
洋蔥切絲，雞蛋打散。
大碗中加油1大匙、蔥花，強微波2分，加入洋蔥絲，強微波2分，加入蛋液，強微波1分，打開箱門攪拌，加鹽、味精，強微波1分，淋上麻油即可 (ps. 可省略，或灑黑胡椒)。
豆豉排骨
(材料)小排骨..半斤●豆豉...1大匙●蔥.......2粒●蒜頭.....4粒●紅辣椒...1支
(綜合調味料)醬油....2大匙●糖......1小匙●麻油....1小匙●胡椒.....少許●太白粉..2大匙
(做法)
小排骨洗淨擦乾，以調味料,蔥(1支)切段,蒜頭2粒拌醃1小時。
大碗中加油2大匙,蔥、蒜頭、紅辣椒，強微波2分，加入排骨，強微波3分半，取出灑上蔥花、辣椒即可。
蕃茄豆腐
(材料)蕃茄....1個●豆腐....1盒●蔥花....2大匙●
(綜合調味料)鹽.....1小匙●糖.....1小匙●太白粉..少許
(作法)
豆腐切塊，蕃茄切小塊。
大碗加油1大匙、蔥花1大匙，強微波2分，加入蕃茄、豆腐、鹽、糖，強微波2分，趁熱以太白粉水勾芡，取出灑上蔥花即可。
蒜泥蒸蛋
(材料)雞蛋.....3只●蒜泥...1大匙●
(綜合調味料)醬油....1/2大匙●鹽......1/2小匙●味精....1/2小匙●豬油....1/2大匙●太白粉..1/2小匙
(作法)
雞蛋打散，加1又1/2杯水，調味料，以濾網過濾
加入蒜泥拌勻，以弱微波蒸24分。(包保鮮膜)
*蒸蛋必須用弱微波,否則質地粗糙。
三色蛋
(材料)雞蛋...2只●鹹蛋...2只●皮蛋...2只●
(綜合調味料)鹽......1小匙●味精..1/2小匙●麻油....1小匙●太白粉..1小匙
(作法)
蛋打散，鹹蛋切塊，皮蛋切塊，三種蛋混勻，加入調味料包保鮮膜，以弱微波蒸9分即可。
蔥油淋嫩雞
(材料)雞.....1隻●蔥絲..半杯●薑絲..半杯
(綜合調味料)鹽....1/2大匙●味精..1/2大匙●酒......1大匙●油......4大匙
(作法)
雞洗淨用鹽遍抹全身，放盤上包保鮮膜，強微波17分，取出待涼，切塊，上舖滿蔥、薑絲。
4大匙油，強微波3分，趁熱淋於雞上即可。
Read more!
Copenhagen Accord? Just a Political Talk
I heard from TV news that the Copenhagen Summit has reached a deal while preparing my breakfast. I was surprised and kind of excited to know what's the content. I went to check the news about the "deal" of COP15. There is no real document has been published about this "deal" on internet yet, but they just said that they have reached "a meaningful agreement". Based on the news on COP15, I found out it is just a political talk.
What's a "meaningful agreement"? Apparently I have a different definition to those politician. There is no legally-binding treaty, no target date for finalising a deal (i.e. remove an end-2010 deadline for reaching a legally binding treaty), no any more aim for emission curbs to be verifiable, and only said that "a target of limiting global warming to a maximum 2 degree Celsius rise over pre-industrial times" and "holds out the prospect of $100 billion in annual aid from 2020 for developing nations".
It is really funny. We all agree that we need to reduce the temperature rise long long time ago before this conference. But how to reach this goal is the real problem. And now they just said that we want this goal, but no practical details and enforcement for countries about how to get to this goal. It looks like a joke for me. Nice talk is easy, but act is difficult. Then it is just a lip service.
==== some links ====
US, China, India and South Africa reach deal (Associated Press, 18/12/2009 22:25)
According to a senior Obama administration official the United States, China, India and South Africa have reached a "meaningful agreement" on climate change Friday evening.
Obama reaches climate deal with emerging powers (The Reuters, Pete Harrison and Jeff Mason COPENHAGEN Fri Dec 18, 2009 6:03pm EST)
..... A draft text under discussion on Friday included $100 billion in climate aid annually by 2020 for poor countries to combat climate change, and targets to limit warming and halve global greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
But it abandoned earlier ambitions for any deal in Copenhagen to be turned into a legally binding treaty next year.
..... Under the five-nation agreement, rich and poor nations had agreed to a "finance mechanism," emissions cuts to curb global warming to 2 degrees Celsius, and "to provide information on the implementation of their actions."
..... "Given where we started and the expectations for this conference, anything less than a legally binding and agreed outcome falls far short of the mark," said John Ashe, chair the Kyoto talks under the United Nations.
COP15: Saving the planet or saving face? (Richard Black, 15:46 UK time, Friday, 18 December 2009)
1641 CET: We're into a strange dark limbo-land here.
The draft political agreement that leaders are supposed to sign today has gone through more changes than Eva Longoria at an awards ceremony.
The latest version, we're told, sheds many of the frills. It's a jeans and t-shirt job compared with the detailed couture of earlier today.
What we have, we're told, doesn't contain a commitment to a legally-binding treaty, doesn't endorse an explicit temperature target, doesn't have a target date for finalising a deal, and doesn't any more aim for emission curbs to be verifiable.
Copenhagen a cop-out (19 December 2009P, Greenpeace)
COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Two years have passed since world leaders promised all of us a deal to stop climate change. After two weeks of UN negotiations, politicians breezed in, had dinner with the Queen, a three hour lunch, took some photos and then delivered what could only be described as the 24 hour Head of State tourist brochure of Copenhagen instead of a climate treaty.
Don’t believe the hype, there is nothing fair, ambitious or legally binding about this deal. The job of world leaders is not done. Today they shamefully failed to save us all from the effects of catastrophic climate change.
The city of Copenhagen is a climate crime scene tonight, with the guilty men and women fleeing to the airport in shame. World leaders had a once in a generation chance to change the world for good, to avert catastrophic climate change. What we needed was a legally binding agreement that was fair to developing countries and ambitious when it came to emissions cuts and ending deforestation. In the end they produced a poor deal full of loopholes big enough to fly Air Force One through. We’ve seen a year of crises, but today it is clear that the biggest one facing humanity is a leadership crisis.
NOpenhagen as global leaders COP out of meaningful climate deal (01:09 19.12.09, European Greens)
Two years of arduous UN negotiations to produce a binding global climate deal look to have ended in failure. Greens have commented on the outcome.
Read more!
What's a "meaningful agreement"? Apparently I have a different definition to those politician. There is no legally-binding treaty, no target date for finalising a deal (i.e. remove an end-2010 deadline for reaching a legally binding treaty), no any more aim for emission curbs to be verifiable, and only said that "a target of limiting global warming to a maximum 2 degree Celsius rise over pre-industrial times" and "holds out the prospect of $100 billion in annual aid from 2020 for developing nations".
It is really funny. We all agree that we need to reduce the temperature rise long long time ago before this conference. But how to reach this goal is the real problem. And now they just said that we want this goal, but no practical details and enforcement for countries about how to get to this goal. It looks like a joke for me. Nice talk is easy, but act is difficult. Then it is just a lip service.
==== some links ====
US, China, India and South Africa reach deal (Associated Press, 18/12/2009 22:25)
According to a senior Obama administration official the United States, China, India and South Africa have reached a "meaningful agreement" on climate change Friday evening.
Obama reaches climate deal with emerging powers (The Reuters, Pete Harrison and Jeff Mason COPENHAGEN Fri Dec 18, 2009 6:03pm EST)
..... A draft text under discussion on Friday included $100 billion in climate aid annually by 2020 for poor countries to combat climate change, and targets to limit warming and halve global greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
But it abandoned earlier ambitions for any deal in Copenhagen to be turned into a legally binding treaty next year.
..... Under the five-nation agreement, rich and poor nations had agreed to a "finance mechanism," emissions cuts to curb global warming to 2 degrees Celsius, and "to provide information on the implementation of their actions."
..... "Given where we started and the expectations for this conference, anything less than a legally binding and agreed outcome falls far short of the mark," said John Ashe, chair the Kyoto talks under the United Nations.
COP15: Saving the planet or saving face? (Richard Black, 15:46 UK time, Friday, 18 December 2009)
1641 CET: We're into a strange dark limbo-land here.
The draft political agreement that leaders are supposed to sign today has gone through more changes than Eva Longoria at an awards ceremony.
The latest version, we're told, sheds many of the frills. It's a jeans and t-shirt job compared with the detailed couture of earlier today.
What we have, we're told, doesn't contain a commitment to a legally-binding treaty, doesn't endorse an explicit temperature target, doesn't have a target date for finalising a deal, and doesn't any more aim for emission curbs to be verifiable.
Copenhagen a cop-out (19 December 2009P, Greenpeace)
COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Two years have passed since world leaders promised all of us a deal to stop climate change. After two weeks of UN negotiations, politicians breezed in, had dinner with the Queen, a three hour lunch, took some photos and then delivered what could only be described as the 24 hour Head of State tourist brochure of Copenhagen instead of a climate treaty.
Don’t believe the hype, there is nothing fair, ambitious or legally binding about this deal. The job of world leaders is not done. Today they shamefully failed to save us all from the effects of catastrophic climate change.
The city of Copenhagen is a climate crime scene tonight, with the guilty men and women fleeing to the airport in shame. World leaders had a once in a generation chance to change the world for good, to avert catastrophic climate change. What we needed was a legally binding agreement that was fair to developing countries and ambitious when it came to emissions cuts and ending deforestation. In the end they produced a poor deal full of loopholes big enough to fly Air Force One through. We’ve seen a year of crises, but today it is clear that the biggest one facing humanity is a leadership crisis.
NOpenhagen as global leaders COP out of meaningful climate deal (01:09 19.12.09, European Greens)
Two years of arduous UN negotiations to produce a binding global climate deal look to have ended in failure. Greens have commented on the outcome.
Read more!
Friday, December 18, 2009
Copenhagen summit: Deal or No Deal?
It is almost the end of the Copenhagen summit. It seems that there is a huge gap between developing and developed countries. Are they willing to compromise and come to a deal? I doubt because each country put their benefit to the first priority.
I do agree that we should try to reduce emission, not just greenhouse gases and CO2, but also a lot of pollution, while there are still doubts and debates about CO2 and climate change. We all know that reduction should not just apply on concentration as those developing countries proposed (kg CO2 e/$GDP), but total amount (kg CO2 e/country) and the other concentration (kg CO2 e/capita and kg CO2 e/km2) should also be a very important standard.
Limiting emission by concentration (kg CO2 e per capita, km2, or $GDP), we can force developed countries such as US, many European countries, Canada and Australia to reduce their emission per capita.
Limiting emission by total amount (kg CO2 e/country), we can force developing countries such as China and India to reduce their emission. Human population is the largest source of pollution and greenhouse gases emission. It is unfair to use per capita or per $GDP to justify the high total amount emission.
And the most important factor if we really want to reduce emission is the full transparency of each country's emission, especially to the countries such as China which lie on many statistic figures.
Deal or no deal? It is on those political leaders' hands, but not on our hands. Sad, but we need to face the reality.
====== some data sources =======
List of countries by carbon dioxide emissions per capita (wiki) (1990-2006)
List of countries by carbon dioxide emissions (wiki) (2006)
International Carbon Dioxide Emissions and Carbon Intensity (US DOE) (1980-2006)
Carbon dioxide emissions (CO2), thousand metric tons of CO2 (CDIAC) - MDG Indicators (UN Statistics Division) (1990-2006)
GHG data from UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) (1990-2007)
====== some news ============
The carbon cuts promised by developing countries at Copenhagen
The US insists on transparency
In partnership with other countries, the US will try to mobilise 100 billion dollars a year for climate aid by 2020, according to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The US insists that funding will only be granted if developing countries allow for full transparency of their emissions.
Stalling in Copenhagen: Chimerica Against the World
The Spiegel Online, Christian Schwägerl in Copenhagen, December 17, 2009
China and the United States are playing a decisive role in Copenhagen. Both major powers are accusing each other of doing too little to stop the climate disaster. Europeans and developing nations are demanding the two agree to greater reductions in CO2 emissions. Will 'Chimerica' derail a real deal in Copenhagen?
(Translation in TaiwanOnline)
Read more!
I do agree that we should try to reduce emission, not just greenhouse gases and CO2, but also a lot of pollution, while there are still doubts and debates about CO2 and climate change. We all know that reduction should not just apply on concentration as those developing countries proposed (kg CO2 e/$GDP), but total amount (kg CO2 e/country) and the other concentration (kg CO2 e/capita and kg CO2 e/km2) should also be a very important standard.
Limiting emission by concentration (kg CO2 e per capita, km2, or $GDP), we can force developed countries such as US, many European countries, Canada and Australia to reduce their emission per capita.
Limiting emission by total amount (kg CO2 e/country), we can force developing countries such as China and India to reduce their emission. Human population is the largest source of pollution and greenhouse gases emission. It is unfair to use per capita or per $GDP to justify the high total amount emission.
And the most important factor if we really want to reduce emission is the full transparency of each country's emission, especially to the countries such as China which lie on many statistic figures.
Deal or no deal? It is on those political leaders' hands, but not on our hands. Sad, but we need to face the reality.
====== some data sources =======
List of countries by carbon dioxide emissions per capita (wiki) (1990-2006)
List of countries by carbon dioxide emissions (wiki) (2006)
International Carbon Dioxide Emissions and Carbon Intensity (US DOE) (1980-2006)
Carbon dioxide emissions (CO2), thousand metric tons of CO2 (CDIAC) - MDG Indicators (UN Statistics Division) (1990-2006)
GHG data from UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) (1990-2007)
====== some news ============
The carbon cuts promised by developing countries at Copenhagen
The US insists on transparency
In partnership with other countries, the US will try to mobilise 100 billion dollars a year for climate aid by 2020, according to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The US insists that funding will only be granted if developing countries allow for full transparency of their emissions.
Stalling in Copenhagen: Chimerica Against the World
The Spiegel Online, Christian Schwägerl in Copenhagen, December 17, 2009
China and the United States are playing a decisive role in Copenhagen. Both major powers are accusing each other of doing too little to stop the climate disaster. Europeans and developing nations are demanding the two agree to greater reductions in CO2 emissions. Will 'Chimerica' derail a real deal in Copenhagen?
(Translation in TaiwanOnline)
Read more!
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Poem: Spring Prospect
I just thought about this poem, Spring Prospect, today after reading news about Taiwan. I like this poem very much and I hope that I won't experience this in my life.
杜甫‧春望 (Spring Outlook/View/Scene/Prospect, by Du Fu):「國破山河在,城春草木深。感時花濺淚,恨別鳥驚心。烽火連三月,家書抵萬金。白頭搔更短,渾欲不勝簪。」 (There aresome translations for this poem, but I could not find the one I like most.)
Here is some analysis and appreciation:
春望 (東吳大學中文系許清雲教授選編)
唐肅宗至德元載(756)六月,安史叛軍攻下唐都長安。七月,杜甫聽到唐肅宗在靈武即位的消息,便把家小安頓在鄜州的羌村,去投奔肅宗。途中為叛軍俘獲,帶到長安。因他官卑職微,未被囚禁。〈春望〉寫於次年三月。
詩的前四句寫春城敗象,飽含感歎;後四句寫心念親人境況,充溢離情。全詩沉著蘊藉,真摯自然。
“國破山河在,城春草木深。"開篇即寫春望所見:國都淪陷,城池殘破,雖然山河依舊,可是亂草遍地,林木蒼蒼。一個“破"字,使人怵目驚心,繼而一個“深"字,令人滿目淒然。司馬光說:“`山河在',明無餘物矣;`草木深',明無人矣。"(《溫公續詩話》)詩人在此明為寫景,實為抒感,寄情於物,托感於景,為全詩創造了氣氛。此聯對仗工巧,圓熟自然,詩意翻跌。“國破"對“城春",兩意相反。“國破"的頹垣殘壁同富有生意的“城春"對舉,對照強烈。“國破"之下繼以“山河在",意思相反,出人意表:“城春"原當為明媚之景,而後繼以“草木深",則敘荒蕪之狀,先後相悖,又是一翻。明代
胡震亨極贊此聯說:“對偶未嘗不精,而縱橫變幻,盡越陳規,濃淡淺深,動奪天巧。"(《唐音癸簽》卷九)
“感時花濺淚,恨別鳥驚心。"這兩句一般解釋是,花鳥本為娛人之物,但因感時恨別,卻使詩人見了反而墮淚驚心。另一種解釋為,以花鳥擬人,感時傷別,花也濺淚,鳥亦驚心。兩說雖則有別,其精神卻能相通,一則觸景生情,一則移情於物,正見好詩含蘊之豐富。
詩的這前四句,都統在“望"字中。詩人俯仰瞻視,視線由近而遠,又由遠而近,視野從城到山河,再由滿城到花鳥。感情則由隱而顯,由弱而強,步步推進。在景與情的變化中,彷彿可見詩人由翹首望景,逐步地轉入了低頭沉思,自然地過渡到後半部分──想望親人。
“烽火連三月,家書抵萬金。"自安史叛亂以來,“烽火苦教鄉信斷",直到如今春深三月,戰火仍連續不斷。多麼盼望家中親人的消息,這時的一封家信真是勝過“萬金"啊!“家書抵萬金",寫出了消息隔絕久盼音訊不至時的迫切心情,這是人人心中所有的想法, 很自然地使人共鳴,因而成了千古傳誦的名句。
“白頭搔更短,渾欲不勝簪。 "烽火遍地,家信不通,想念遠方的慘戚之象,眼望面前的頹敗之景,不覺於極無聊賴之際,搔首躊躇,頓覺稀疏短髮,幾不勝簪。“白髮"為愁所致,“搔"為想要解愁的動作,“更短"可見愁的程度。這樣,在國破家亡,離亂傷痛之外,又歎息衰老,則更增一層悲哀。
這首詩反映了詩人熱愛國家、眷念家人的美好情操,意脈貫通而不平直,情景兼具而不游離,感情強烈而不淺露,內容豐富而不蕪雜,格律嚴謹而不板滯,以仄起仄落的五律正格,寫得鏗然作響,氣度渾灝,因而一千二百餘年來一直膾炙人口,歷久不衰。(徐應佩、周溶泉賞析)
Read more!
杜甫‧春望 (Spring Outlook/View/Scene/Prospect, by Du Fu):「國破山河在,城春草木深。感時花濺淚,恨別鳥驚心。烽火連三月,家書抵萬金。白頭搔更短,渾欲不勝簪。」 (There aresome translations for this poem, but I could not find the one I like most.)
Here is some analysis and appreciation:
春望 (東吳大學中文系許清雲教授選編)
唐肅宗至德元載(756)六月,安史叛軍攻下唐都長安。七月,杜甫聽到唐肅宗在靈武即位的消息,便把家小安頓在鄜州的羌村,去投奔肅宗。途中為叛軍俘獲,帶到長安。因他官卑職微,未被囚禁。〈春望〉寫於次年三月。
詩的前四句寫春城敗象,飽含感歎;後四句寫心念親人境況,充溢離情。全詩沉著蘊藉,真摯自然。
“國破山河在,城春草木深。"開篇即寫春望所見:國都淪陷,城池殘破,雖然山河依舊,可是亂草遍地,林木蒼蒼。一個“破"字,使人怵目驚心,繼而一個“深"字,令人滿目淒然。司馬光說:“`山河在',明無餘物矣;`草木深',明無人矣。"(《溫公續詩話》)詩人在此明為寫景,實為抒感,寄情於物,托感於景,為全詩創造了氣氛。此聯對仗工巧,圓熟自然,詩意翻跌。“國破"對“城春",兩意相反。“國破"的頹垣殘壁同富有生意的“城春"對舉,對照強烈。“國破"之下繼以“山河在",意思相反,出人意表:“城春"原當為明媚之景,而後繼以“草木深",則敘荒蕪之狀,先後相悖,又是一翻。明代
胡震亨極贊此聯說:“對偶未嘗不精,而縱橫變幻,盡越陳規,濃淡淺深,動奪天巧。"(《唐音癸簽》卷九)
“感時花濺淚,恨別鳥驚心。"這兩句一般解釋是,花鳥本為娛人之物,但因感時恨別,卻使詩人見了反而墮淚驚心。另一種解釋為,以花鳥擬人,感時傷別,花也濺淚,鳥亦驚心。兩說雖則有別,其精神卻能相通,一則觸景生情,一則移情於物,正見好詩含蘊之豐富。
詩的這前四句,都統在“望"字中。詩人俯仰瞻視,視線由近而遠,又由遠而近,視野從城到山河,再由滿城到花鳥。感情則由隱而顯,由弱而強,步步推進。在景與情的變化中,彷彿可見詩人由翹首望景,逐步地轉入了低頭沉思,自然地過渡到後半部分──想望親人。
“烽火連三月,家書抵萬金。"自安史叛亂以來,“烽火苦教鄉信斷",直到如今春深三月,戰火仍連續不斷。多麼盼望家中親人的消息,這時的一封家信真是勝過“萬金"啊!“家書抵萬金",寫出了消息隔絕久盼音訊不至時的迫切心情,這是人人心中所有的想法, 很自然地使人共鳴,因而成了千古傳誦的名句。
“白頭搔更短,渾欲不勝簪。 "烽火遍地,家信不通,想念遠方的慘戚之象,眼望面前的頹敗之景,不覺於極無聊賴之際,搔首躊躇,頓覺稀疏短髮,幾不勝簪。“白髮"為愁所致,“搔"為想要解愁的動作,“更短"可見愁的程度。這樣,在國破家亡,離亂傷痛之外,又歎息衰老,則更增一層悲哀。
這首詩反映了詩人熱愛國家、眷念家人的美好情操,意脈貫通而不平直,情景兼具而不游離,感情強烈而不淺露,內容豐富而不蕪雜,格律嚴謹而不板滯,以仄起仄落的五律正格,寫得鏗然作響,氣度渾灝,因而一千二百餘年來一直膾炙人口,歷久不衰。(徐應佩、周溶泉賞析)
Read more!
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Jerome F. Keating's writings
I am not good on political writing, especially in English. It is not my expertise and I do not intend to get involved more in politic related issues because I do not want to put myself in risk again. Anyway, Jerome F. Keating's writings is a nice website to know a little bit more about Taiwan's political situation.
Here are some titles since Nov 2009. There are much more in his website.
Taiwan, As the World Turns in December: Ma Turns to his Spin-doctor King Pu-tsung
Monday December 14
A Cause for Concern, Does Ma Ying-jeou Know What Time It Is?
Wednesday December 09
Another Side of Taiwan, the Scots and St. Andrew's Ball
Wednesday December 02
Taiwan Under Ma Ying-jeou, More Smoke and Mirrors as the Cross-strait Sell Out Continues
Monday November 30
Kissinger, the International Republican Institute (IRI), Freedom and Democracy and Other Conundrums
Thursday November 26
Taiwan, Where's the Beef Protest Photos
Wednesday November 25
Taiwan: Where's the Beef? It's not with the USA but with Ma. Who Else?
Saturday November 21
The UN Snubs Taiwan Again: Who is the Joke of Ma Ying-joke On?
Friday November 20
USC's Annenberg School, Soft Power and Taiwan: Part III Responses
Sunday November 15
Ma's Poor Performance Draws Yet a 5th Letter of Protest from International Scholars.
Thursday November 12
USC's Annenberg School for Communication Brings Soft Power to Taiwan: Part II
Sunday November 08
USC's Annenberg School for Communication Brings Soft Power to Taiwan: Part I
Friday November 06
Nagano Link Back Up
Thursday November 05
November, Week One: As the World Turns in Taiwan
Thursday November 05
Read more!
Here are some titles since Nov 2009. There are much more in his website.
Taiwan, As the World Turns in December: Ma Turns to his Spin-doctor King Pu-tsung
Monday December 14
A Cause for Concern, Does Ma Ying-jeou Know What Time It Is?
Wednesday December 09
Another Side of Taiwan, the Scots and St. Andrew's Ball
Wednesday December 02
Taiwan Under Ma Ying-jeou, More Smoke and Mirrors as the Cross-strait Sell Out Continues
Monday November 30
Kissinger, the International Republican Institute (IRI), Freedom and Democracy and Other Conundrums
Thursday November 26
Taiwan, Where's the Beef Protest Photos
Wednesday November 25
Taiwan: Where's the Beef? It's not with the USA but with Ma. Who Else?
Saturday November 21
The UN Snubs Taiwan Again: Who is the Joke of Ma Ying-joke On?
Friday November 20
USC's Annenberg School, Soft Power and Taiwan: Part III Responses
Sunday November 15
Ma's Poor Performance Draws Yet a 5th Letter of Protest from International Scholars.
Thursday November 12
USC's Annenberg School for Communication Brings Soft Power to Taiwan: Part II
Sunday November 08
USC's Annenberg School for Communication Brings Soft Power to Taiwan: Part I
Friday November 06
Nagano Link Back Up
Thursday November 05
November, Week One: As the World Turns in Taiwan
Thursday November 05
Read more!
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Is Global Warming caused by CO2?
Copenhagen summit is still going. Many disagreements between developing and developed countries have increased the difficulty to reach an agreement in this summit.
I still doubt that how many politicians really concern this issue even when they went to attend this COP15-Copenhagen summit.
In the mean time, I do have question about the importance of CO2 vs. global warming. I totally agree that we should try all we could do to save energy, reuse, reduce, recycle, protect our environment, change our lifestyle to much more environmental friendly way, etc. I have been promoting these for the past 20 years and I have taken action in my daily life. It is dangerous to just blame this "global warming problem" to a single factor, CO2 (and greenhouse gases). The reason that I put "greenhouse gases" inside () is because that people have emphasized CO2 so much that other greenhouse gases have been ignored relatively.
=================
Here is one article I read today
也是世紀大騙局？
An Inconvenient Truth is a 2006 documentary film directed by Davis Guggenheim and narrated by former United States Vice President Al Gore to educate citizens about global warming via a comprehensive slide show that by his own account, has given numerous times all over the world.
The Great Global Warming Swindle is a documentary film that argues against the mainstream of scientific consensus on climate change that global warming is "very likely due to the observed increase in anthropogenic (man-made) greenhouse gas concentrations".[1] It has been described by both its original broadcaster Channel 4 and the British regulator Ofcom as "a polemic".
全球暖化的十一個騙局
英第4頻道紀錄片引起爭議 全球暖化是大騙局？
全球暖化是場騙局？英爆「陰謀論」
Movie:The 11th Hour: Narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio, this captivating documentary explores the perilous state of our planet, and the means by which we can change our course. Contributing to this crucial film are noted politicians, scientists and other ambassadors for the importance of a universal ecological consciousness. The 11th Hour is directed by Nadia Connors and Leila Conners Peterson and features narration from Academy Award® Nominee Leonardo DiCaprio (The Departed, Blood Diamond). The environmentally friendly DVD packaging is produced with 100% certified renewable resources. A portion of the profits will be donated to Global Green.
Read more!
I still doubt that how many politicians really concern this issue even when they went to attend this COP15-Copenhagen summit.
In the mean time, I do have question about the importance of CO2 vs. global warming. I totally agree that we should try all we could do to save energy, reuse, reduce, recycle, protect our environment, change our lifestyle to much more environmental friendly way, etc. I have been promoting these for the past 20 years and I have taken action in my daily life. It is dangerous to just blame this "global warming problem" to a single factor, CO2 (and greenhouse gases). The reason that I put "greenhouse gases" inside () is because that people have emphasized CO2 so much that other greenhouse gases have been ignored relatively.
=================
Here is one article I read today
也是世紀大騙局？
An Inconvenient Truth is a 2006 documentary film directed by Davis Guggenheim and narrated by former United States Vice President Al Gore to educate citizens about global warming via a comprehensive slide show that by his own account, has given numerous times all over the world.
The Great Global Warming Swindle is a documentary film that argues against the mainstream of scientific consensus on climate change that global warming is "very likely due to the observed increase in anthropogenic (man-made) greenhouse gas concentrations".[1] It has been described by both its original broadcaster Channel 4 and the British regulator Ofcom as "a polemic".
全球暖化的十一個騙局
英第4頻道紀錄片引起爭議 全球暖化是大騙局？
全球暖化是場騙局？英爆「陰謀論」
Movie:The 11th Hour: Narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio, this captivating documentary explores the perilous state of our planet, and the means by which we can change our course. Contributing to this crucial film are noted politicians, scientists and other ambassadors for the importance of a universal ecological consciousness. The 11th Hour is directed by Nadia Connors and Leila Conners Peterson and features narration from Academy Award® Nominee Leonardo DiCaprio (The Departed, Blood Diamond). The environmentally friendly DVD packaging is produced with 100% certified renewable resources. A portion of the profits will be donated to Global Green.
Read more!
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Temperature of Air Conditioner
I just saw an ad on channel 10 which tries to convince people to save energy during daily life. Turn power off but not leave it as standby is one good point, but keep the AC temperature at 24 oC is a little bit off. Combining with fan, a 28 oC AC will be very comfortable, why set it to 24? I am wondering maybe people set it too much lower than 24 oC, then the ad is just trying to ask people to change to the level they can tolerate.
Today is hot, the temperature in my granny flat was 33 oC. I did not turn the AC on and only used fan to live through it. We don't turn AC on unless both inside and outside is over 30 oC. We also don't turn AC on when there is only one person at home. Saving earth saving energy is not just a talk, you have to do it. It means that you also need to tolerate hot in summer and cold in winter.
Read more!
Today is hot, the temperature in my granny flat was 33 oC. I did not turn the AC on and only used fan to live through it. We don't turn AC on unless both inside and outside is over 30 oC. We also don't turn AC on when there is only one person at home. Saving earth saving energy is not just a talk, you have to do it. It means that you also need to tolerate hot in summer and cold in winter.
Read more!
Monday, December 7, 2009
Carpal tunnel syndrome
I am worrying that I might get Carpal tunnel syndrome (腕隧道症候群) because my little fingers (i.e. pinky) are numb and paresthesia now and ring fingers (i.e. fourth fingers) are showing this symptoms gradually. I am not quite sure because the early symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome starts in the thumb, index, and middle fingers.
Symptoms of Carpal tunnel syndrome
Many people who have carpal tunnel syndrome have gradually increasing symptoms over time. The first symptoms of CTS may appear when sleeping and typically include numbness and paresthesia (a burning and tingling sensation) in the thumb, index, and middle fingers, although some patients may experience symptoms in the palm as well.[3] These symptoms appear at night because people tend to bend their wrists when they sleep, which further compresses the carpal tunnel.
電腦族手要煩惱小心電腦手
您是否常用電腦？您以前打字一小時都不會累，而現在沒多久就容易出現手部酸痛、腫漲麻痺、甚至無力的現象？如果以上回答皆是，那您可能得了俗稱的”電腦手”。通常得了電腦手，是很難因為短暫的休息而恢復，久而久之甚至會產生肌肉沒力、柔軟度變差，出現連碗都拿不好的情形。因此，若您是經常使用電腦或手部經常過度使力的工作者，可以做以下的舒緩運動。
動一動 1 ： 伸展伸指肌/曲指肌
問題：打鍵盤時，手臂很容易酸，怎麼辦？
解決：
在打鍵盤時是手臂在出力，因此可做以下動作伸展
(1)伸指肌群：手臂往前平舉，手肘打直，掌心面朝下，握拳，用另一手將手腕往下拉，直至感覺緊繃，停留 15 秒，重覆 15 次，再換邊操作。( 圖一 )
(2)屈指肌群：手臂往前平舉，手肘打直，掌心面朝上，用另一手將手腕往下拉，直至感覺緊繃，停留15秒，重覆15次，再換邊操作。(圖二)
動一動 2 ： 伸展伸拇指長肌
問題： 打鍵盤時，手腕很容易酸，怎麼辦？
解決：
因為手腕必需長時間出力，肌肉容易疲勞，因此可做以下動作伸展將拇指握住(圖一，圖二 )，手腕往下伸展，直至感覺緊繃，每次停留 15 秒，重複 15 次。
動一動 3 ： 訓練伸指肌 / 曲指肌
問題： 平常可以做什麼運動預防電腦手？
解決：
為了要增加工作時肌肉的承載力，平時的肌肉訓練是有必要的，動作如下:
(1)伸指肌群：手持啞鈴，手臂往前平舉，手肘打直，掌心面朝下，手腕向上用力 ( 圖一)，再慢慢放鬆，重覆 15 次，再換邊操作 。
(2)屈指肌群：手持啞鈴，手臂往前平舉，手肘打直，掌心面朝上，手腕向上用力 ( 圖二 )，再慢慢放鬆，重覆 15 次，再換邊操作。think
《電腦坐姿教育》
坐立，臀部後靠椅背 ( 或靠墊 ) ，髖關節與膝關節彎曲 90 度，將椅子儘量靠近桌子，鍵盤高度約在可讓手肘彎曲 15~20 度的高度，螢幕高度約為眼睛平視往下 15 度的位置。
=======================
物理治療師示範小運動，讓大家擺脫腕隧症（電腦手）
一小時就要休息十分鐘！
來來來！大家一起做運動，物理治療師江秀玲親自示範小運動，讓大家擺脫腕隧症（電腦手）的困擾，可說是有病治病無病強身喔！
這套手部運動一共包含三個主要步驟：
第一步驟：
1.伸開手，掌心向上
2.使用另一隻手用力把手掌往下壓
3.手臂伸直繼續往下壓
第二步驟：
1.把手放置成「招財貓」姿勢
2.用另一隻手用力把「招財貓」姿勢手往下壓
3.手臂伸直繼續往下壓
第三步驟：
1.舉起手
2.左右旋轉
第一二步驟各做兩次，每次維持10秒鐘，第三步驟要做20下。
Read more!
Symptoms of Carpal tunnel syndrome
Many people who have carpal tunnel syndrome have gradually increasing symptoms over time. The first symptoms of CTS may appear when sleeping and typically include numbness and paresthesia (a burning and tingling sensation) in the thumb, index, and middle fingers, although some patients may experience symptoms in the palm as well.[3] These symptoms appear at night because people tend to bend their wrists when they sleep, which further compresses the carpal tunnel.
電腦族手要煩惱小心電腦手
您是否常用電腦？您以前打字一小時都不會累，而現在沒多久就容易出現手部酸痛、腫漲麻痺、甚至無力的現象？如果以上回答皆是，那您可能得了俗稱的”電腦手”。通常得了電腦手，是很難因為短暫的休息而恢復，久而久之甚至會產生肌肉沒力、柔軟度變差，出現連碗都拿不好的情形。因此，若您是經常使用電腦或手部經常過度使力的工作者，可以做以下的舒緩運動。
動一動 1 ： 伸展伸指肌/曲指肌
問題：打鍵盤時，手臂很容易酸，怎麼辦？
解決：
在打鍵盤時是手臂在出力，因此可做以下動作伸展
(1)伸指肌群：手臂往前平舉，手肘打直，掌心面朝下，握拳，用另一手將手腕往下拉，直至感覺緊繃，停留 15 秒，重覆 15 次，再換邊操作。( 圖一 )
(2)屈指肌群：手臂往前平舉，手肘打直，掌心面朝上，用另一手將手腕往下拉，直至感覺緊繃，停留15秒，重覆15次，再換邊操作。(圖二)
動一動 2 ： 伸展伸拇指長肌
問題： 打鍵盤時，手腕很容易酸，怎麼辦？
解決：
因為手腕必需長時間出力，肌肉容易疲勞，因此可做以下動作伸展將拇指握住(圖一，圖二 )，手腕往下伸展，直至感覺緊繃，每次停留 15 秒，重複 15 次。
動一動 3 ： 訓練伸指肌 / 曲指肌
問題： 平常可以做什麼運動預防電腦手？
解決：
為了要增加工作時肌肉的承載力，平時的肌肉訓練是有必要的，動作如下:
(1)伸指肌群：手持啞鈴，手臂往前平舉，手肘打直，掌心面朝下，手腕向上用力 ( 圖一)，再慢慢放鬆，重覆 15 次，再換邊操作 。
(2)屈指肌群：手持啞鈴，手臂往前平舉，手肘打直，掌心面朝上，手腕向上用力 ( 圖二 )，再慢慢放鬆，重覆 15 次，再換邊操作。think
《電腦坐姿教育》
坐立，臀部後靠椅背 ( 或靠墊 ) ，髖關節與膝關節彎曲 90 度，將椅子儘量靠近桌子，鍵盤高度約在可讓手肘彎曲 15~20 度的高度，螢幕高度約為眼睛平視往下 15 度的位置。
=======================
物理治療師示範小運動，讓大家擺脫腕隧症（電腦手）
一小時就要休息十分鐘！
來來來！大家一起做運動，物理治療師江秀玲親自示範小運動，讓大家擺脫腕隧症（電腦手）的困擾，可說是有病治病無病強身喔！
這套手部運動一共包含三個主要步驟：
第一步驟：
1.伸開手，掌心向上
2.使用另一隻手用力把手掌往下壓
3.手臂伸直繼續往下壓
第二步驟：
1.把手放置成「招財貓」姿勢
2.用另一隻手用力把「招財貓」姿勢手往下壓
3.手臂伸直繼續往下壓
第三步驟：
1.舉起手
2.左右旋轉
第一二步驟各做兩次，每次維持10秒鐘，第三步驟要做20下。
Read more!
Copenhagen summit
Today is the first day of the Copenhagen summit about climate change. The United Nations Climate Change Conference includes the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP 15) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the 5th Meeting of the Parties (COP/MOP 5) to the Kyoto Protocol), and is taking place at the Bella Center in Copenhagen, Denmark, between 7 December and 18 December 2009. It is good that this issue has become more important, but I still have doubt to those politician, not to mention people's attitude. If people don't try to change their life style and attitude toward environment, there is no hope for human even those politician do come to an acceptable agreement.
Here is few news about this Copenhagen summit:
Copenhagen summit urged to take climate change action (BBC, Monday, 7 December 2009)
Decade of record-breaking temperatures ahead, the Met Office warns (The Times, November 25, 2009, Ben Webster, Environment Editor)
Insulation and draught-proofing are a waste of time...
...if you don't also do something about ventilation and heat recovery, that is. (John-Paul Flintoff, December 04, 2009)
I think that Australia and Queensland's governments are trying to promote environmental friendly life style, but I doubt that how many people are really doing it. Maybe they will do it at home to save their spending, but how about in work and in public environment?
I know that at least some/many people in my lab do not try to save energy. I have been trying very hard to turn off many equipments (hot plate, heater, incubator, waterbath, PCR machine, power supply for gel electrophoresis, huge centrifuge, thermal shaker, ...) and hot water tap that people forget to turn off after they finish their experiment.
Can you image that there is somebody who will keep hot tap water running for more than 10 minutes to melt frozen coconut juice? We need to use coconut juice to make tissue culture medium (MSC) in my lab and we keep those coconut juice in -20 oC freezer for longer storage. Each pack has 250 mL which is enough to make 2.5 L MSC. If you take it out and put in room temperature tap water in advance, it will be ready to use in 0.5-1 hour. You can put them in hot water if you are in a hurry. It is certainly unnecessary to keep the hot water running for more than 10 minutes.
Read more!
Here is few news about this Copenhagen summit:
Copenhagen summit urged to take climate change action (BBC, Monday, 7 December 2009)
Decade of record-breaking temperatures ahead, the Met Office warns (The Times, November 25, 2009, Ben Webster, Environment Editor)
Insulation and draught-proofing are a waste of time...
...if you don't also do something about ventilation and heat recovery, that is. (John-Paul Flintoff, December 04, 2009)
I think that Australia and Queensland's governments are trying to promote environmental friendly life style, but I doubt that how many people are really doing it. Maybe they will do it at home to save their spending, but how about in work and in public environment?
I know that at least some/many people in my lab do not try to save energy. I have been trying very hard to turn off many equipments (hot plate, heater, incubator, waterbath, PCR machine, power supply for gel electrophoresis, huge centrifuge, thermal shaker, ...) and hot water tap that people forget to turn off after they finish their experiment.
Can you image that there is somebody who will keep hot tap water running for more than 10 minutes to melt frozen coconut juice? We need to use coconut juice to make tissue culture medium (MSC) in my lab and we keep those coconut juice in -20 oC freezer for longer storage. Each pack has 250 mL which is enough to make 2.5 L MSC. If you take it out and put in room temperature tap water in advance, it will be ready to use in 0.5-1 hour. You can put them in hot water if you are in a hurry. It is certainly unnecessary to keep the hot water running for more than 10 minutes.
Read more!
Friday, December 4, 2009
Some damn labmates
I am working in a big Plant Molecular Biology lab. Some labmates are really mean and selfish. I know that I should not curse anyone, but I really hope those people will disappear from this lab and never have chance to work in any other lab. They are nightmare to everyone.
I will just take some examples happened in this week. Please remember, this situation has lasted more than 1 year and it happens repeatedly. My lab is located in two floors and I am only talking about the floor I work.
Stir bars: We always keep our clean stir bars in one container on the bench of solution/media prep area. We used to have more than 10 in there, then they disappeared gradually since end of last year and there were only 2 left for recent couple months. One labmate wanted to make some medium in last week and couldn't find any. She came to ask me and I also couldn't find any. The other labmate walked by and showed us where those stir bars were hiding. There is one labmate who keeps one stir bar in almost every bottle he made medium. We randomly picked 11 bottles on his bench to check and found 11 stir bars. One labmate asked him to released some stir bars and he did it.
Gel electrophoresis room: Some labmates tend to store their used and unwanted gels in gel racks in gel running tanks for weeks. It happened several times that there is no empty gel rack and tank to use unless we clean up those several-day-old gels. Usually people rinse used comb and rack and put them on drying area next to sink. Some labmates tend to leave used comb and rack in sink without rinse them. Some labmates tend to splash or spill running buffer out of gel running tank and make the bench flood. They usually leave their mess behind and make the bench looks very dirty. Almost nobody will clean it up except one labmate and I. We just couldn't tolerate it forever.
(note) My lab has 2 small gel racks, 2 middle ones and 2 big ones. We usually keep running buffer for at least 1 week in each gel running tank and run gel over and over without changing it unless it looks bad.
Filters and screens for shooting: We need to use autoclave and oven-dry filter and screen when we use gene shot-gun for sugarcane transformation. One or some labmate(s) open the ready-to-use screens (i.e. Al foil wrapped, autoclaved, and oven dried) and left them open and un-sterile inside the oven in upper floor. It almost ruined the experiment for that person who prepared those screens and want to do her particle bombardment today. Luckily she found some autoclaved and dried ones in the oven at lower floor.
Cabinet for Tissue culture plates: Our lab in lower floor has a 5 shelves cabinet to store tissue culture plates made by each group. Each shelf can store 5x10x12 = 600 plates. People tend to put plates on the top 4 shelves and other autoclaved MSC medium in 1L bottle on the bottom shelf. Those autoclaved MSC medium will solidified after cooling down, but they can be melted by microwave and pour plates later. There are 6 groups in this floor need to do tissue culture, so there should be enough space if we share this cabinet evenly. Unfortunately there is one particular person who always occupies >2.5 shelves (i.e. >2 top shelves and >0.5 bottom shelf). It is not because she needs to do more tissue culture work than any other person, it is because she likes to keep tons of plates and bottles without using them and also doesn't want to clean them. It is December 2009 now and she has plates and bottles made in Feb.,..., July, August, ... When other labmate asked her to clean out some old ones and free some space, she just refused. This makes other 5 groups of people have difficult time to find space to store our MSC plates and bottles.
(note) Most people make plates to use, but not to store them forever. We don't make them unless we need them and we use them after we make them. Usually we make 5L MSC medium each time which can pour into 120 plates. We have different kind of medium, C3OSM, C3, C3G50, C1.5, C1.5G50, C0, C0G50, C3G50T150, C3H50, C3H100, C0G50T150, C0H50, C3G50-5FC, and C0G50-5FC for different purpose. It is quite normal that each group will need a space to store 100-300 plates, i.e. 0.5 shelf, regularly.
1L Schott bottle: There is one person who has occupied ~20 Schott bottles in the bottom shelf of tissue culture cabinet, ~5-10 Schott bottles in other shelf, and ~10-15 bottles on the counter next to our autoclave. It means that there are at least 35-45 1L Schott bottles are taken by one single person. It is the same person who occupies >2.5 shelves of tissue culture cabinet. Because of this, we are lack of 1L Schott bottle to make medium in lower floor, then we have to take Schott bottle from upper floor. Well, people in upper floor are not happy because they don't have bottle to use if we take theirs. When other labmate asked her to clean out some of her old ones, she refused and said that we don't need to care about what people in upper floor think because some of they will leave this lab in end of this year. It is so mean and selfish.
(note) Most people will pour plates right after they make and autoclave the MSC medium. Sometimes we do keep 1-5 1L Schott bottles with autoclaved MSC medium for a while, but we always use it asap, basically within 1-2 weeks after autoclaved.
Lab roster duties: In order to keep an acceptable and safe working environment, our lab has this lab roster duty system. Two RAs are responsible for 1 week and the other 2 take turn for next week. We had 10 RAs before and 8 now. Basically I am doing almost all things listed below. The RA supposes to do it with me is very lazy and almost do nothing at all. After I checked almost every listed duty this afternoon before I went home, I was ready to take 2 full yellow bins downstair. I asked this RA to take 1 bin down with me, because it is too heavy (~20 kg per bin) to take 2 by myself and she had nothing to do in that time. She refused to do so and said that we should leave it to next week. I think it is selfish to leave this week's duties to next week, so I took them down as usual.
(note) The things we need to take care are:
1. Once per week, test the autoclave is working properly.
2. Order supplies / chemical listed on the whiteboard.solution / media prep area
3. Check Path waste yellow bin daily. Take out if full, and bring an empty bin back. (ps. For PC2 lab, this bin is >1 m height and can keep up to 20 kg waste. All waste has to be double bag with bioharzard yellow bag.)
4. Check common use areas such as benches, solution / media prep area, common equipment bay (centrifuges / water baths), and fume cabinets.
5. Remove excess Styrofoam "eskies" and cardboard boxes for recycle. Check swabbing ethanol Winchesters and drums. Glass to the brown wheelie bins.
6. Wash-up areas: Put dirty plastic/glass/...wares into dish washer, wash them, put them on the drying cloth above the washer for drying. Put away clean and dry ware to suitable storage cabinet.
7. Empty yellow bins under prep bench, gel electrophoresis room, PCR room.
8. Check sharps containers in common use areas, dispose of if necessary and replace.
Read more!
I will just take some examples happened in this week. Please remember, this situation has lasted more than 1 year and it happens repeatedly. My lab is located in two floors and I am only talking about the floor I work.
Stir bars: We always keep our clean stir bars in one container on the bench of solution/media prep area. We used to have more than 10 in there, then they disappeared gradually since end of last year and there were only 2 left for recent couple months. One labmate wanted to make some medium in last week and couldn't find any. She came to ask me and I also couldn't find any. The other labmate walked by and showed us where those stir bars were hiding. There is one labmate who keeps one stir bar in almost every bottle he made medium. We randomly picked 11 bottles on his bench to check and found 11 stir bars. One labmate asked him to released some stir bars and he did it.
Gel electrophoresis room: Some labmates tend to store their used and unwanted gels in gel racks in gel running tanks for weeks. It happened several times that there is no empty gel rack and tank to use unless we clean up those several-day-old gels. Usually people rinse used comb and rack and put them on drying area next to sink. Some labmates tend to leave used comb and rack in sink without rinse them. Some labmates tend to splash or spill running buffer out of gel running tank and make the bench flood. They usually leave their mess behind and make the bench looks very dirty. Almost nobody will clean it up except one labmate and I. We just couldn't tolerate it forever.
(note) My lab has 2 small gel racks, 2 middle ones and 2 big ones. We usually keep running buffer for at least 1 week in each gel running tank and run gel over and over without changing it unless it looks bad.
Filters and screens for shooting: We need to use autoclave and oven-dry filter and screen when we use gene shot-gun for sugarcane transformation. One or some labmate(s) open the ready-to-use screens (i.e. Al foil wrapped, autoclaved, and oven dried) and left them open and un-sterile inside the oven in upper floor. It almost ruined the experiment for that person who prepared those screens and want to do her particle bombardment today. Luckily she found some autoclaved and dried ones in the oven at lower floor.
Cabinet for Tissue culture plates: Our lab in lower floor has a 5 shelves cabinet to store tissue culture plates made by each group. Each shelf can store 5x10x12 = 600 plates. People tend to put plates on the top 4 shelves and other autoclaved MSC medium in 1L bottle on the bottom shelf. Those autoclaved MSC medium will solidified after cooling down, but they can be melted by microwave and pour plates later. There are 6 groups in this floor need to do tissue culture, so there should be enough space if we share this cabinet evenly. Unfortunately there is one particular person who always occupies >2.5 shelves (i.e. >2 top shelves and >0.5 bottom shelf). It is not because she needs to do more tissue culture work than any other person, it is because she likes to keep tons of plates and bottles without using them and also doesn't want to clean them. It is December 2009 now and she has plates and bottles made in Feb.,..., July, August, ... When other labmate asked her to clean out some old ones and free some space, she just refused. This makes other 5 groups of people have difficult time to find space to store our MSC plates and bottles.
(note) Most people make plates to use, but not to store them forever. We don't make them unless we need them and we use them after we make them. Usually we make 5L MSC medium each time which can pour into 120 plates. We have different kind of medium, C3OSM, C3, C3G50, C1.5, C1.5G50, C0, C0G50, C3G50T150, C3H50, C3H100, C0G50T150, C0H50, C3G50-5FC, and C0G50-5FC for different purpose. It is quite normal that each group will need a space to store 100-300 plates, i.e. 0.5 shelf, regularly.
1L Schott bottle: There is one person who has occupied ~20 Schott bottles in the bottom shelf of tissue culture cabinet, ~5-10 Schott bottles in other shelf, and ~10-15 bottles on the counter next to our autoclave. It means that there are at least 35-45 1L Schott bottles are taken by one single person. It is the same person who occupies >2.5 shelves of tissue culture cabinet. Because of this, we are lack of 1L Schott bottle to make medium in lower floor, then we have to take Schott bottle from upper floor. Well, people in upper floor are not happy because they don't have bottle to use if we take theirs. When other labmate asked her to clean out some of her old ones, she refused and said that we don't need to care about what people in upper floor think because some of they will leave this lab in end of this year. It is so mean and selfish.
(note) Most people will pour plates right after they make and autoclave the MSC medium. Sometimes we do keep 1-5 1L Schott bottles with autoclaved MSC medium for a while, but we always use it asap, basically within 1-2 weeks after autoclaved.
Lab roster duties: In order to keep an acceptable and safe working environment, our lab has this lab roster duty system. Two RAs are responsible for 1 week and the other 2 take turn for next week. We had 10 RAs before and 8 now. Basically I am doing almost all things listed below. The RA supposes to do it with me is very lazy and almost do nothing at all. After I checked almost every listed duty this afternoon before I went home, I was ready to take 2 full yellow bins downstair. I asked this RA to take 1 bin down with me, because it is too heavy (~20 kg per bin) to take 2 by myself and she had nothing to do in that time. She refused to do so and said that we should leave it to next week. I think it is selfish to leave this week's duties to next week, so I took them down as usual.
(note) The things we need to take care are:
1. Once per week, test the autoclave is working properly.
2. Order supplies / chemical listed on the whiteboard.solution / media prep area
3. Check Path waste yellow bin daily. Take out if full, and bring an empty bin back. (ps. For PC2 lab, this bin is >1 m height and can keep up to 20 kg waste. All waste has to be double bag with bioharzard yellow bag.)
4. Check common use areas such as benches, solution / media prep area, common equipment bay (centrifuges / water baths), and fume cabinets.
5. Remove excess Styrofoam "eskies" and cardboard boxes for recycle. Check swabbing ethanol Winchesters and drums. Glass to the brown wheelie bins.
6. Wash-up areas: Put dirty plastic/glass/...wares into dish washer, wash them, put them on the drying cloth above the washer for drying. Put away clean and dry ware to suitable storage cabinet.
7. Empty yellow bins under prep bench, gel electrophoresis room, PCR room.
8. Check sharps containers in common use areas, dispose of if necessary and replace.
Read more!
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Time For A Dose Of Protectionism?
"Time For A Dose Of Protectionism? (CBS news, 11/24/2009 by Irwin M. Stelzer)" is an article from CBS news. Basically I agree that not just US but the whole world should take action to against China's unfair protectionism. This strange globalization not just hurt local worker, but also damage environment badly. It is time to stop.
Time For A Dose Of Protectionism? (CBS news, 11/24/2009 by Irwin M. Stelzer)
Odd, that. There is Hu Jintao, the world's leading protectionist, the man who manipulates his nation's currency so as to keep goods and services made in other countries out while Chinese-made goods capture more and more market share, lecturing the American president on the dangers of protectionism. And there is Barack Obama, eyes downcast, supinely playing punching bag to Hu, even though he presides over the country that is China's biggest customer. ......
Not so China, which has shown that it is willing to use its economic hold on us to attempt to dictate our foreign policy. In an effort to curry favor with his creditors President Obama refused to grant an audience to the Dalai Lama when the Tibetan leader visited Washington. In China, Obama failed to insist on some token release of a dissident or two. He agreed to address a handpicked audience, rather than demand access to a wider public. Even his cheerleaders in the media are appalled at the extent of the presidential groveling. .....
China might start dumping dollars, selling off all those Treasury IOUs stored in the basement of the central bank. Possibly--if China is willing to wipe a few hundred billion off the value of the assets it will still hold. But the consequences for the United States, which would be higher interest rates and, initially, slower economic growth, must be weighed against the longer term and much larger consequences of maintaining the status quo.
The longer we allow things to stay as they are, with China using its undervalued currency to keep its goods cheap enough to displace American products on Walmart's shelves, the larger will be the stack of our IOUs China's rulers control. The longer we allow China to permit our companies a foothold in their country only if we turn over our technology and intellectual property as part of the price of access, the more likely it is that we will see high-tech Chinese goods doing to our GEs and others what their low-tech stuff has done to our shoe and apparel manufacturers. ....
=============
There are some other nice articles talking about this unbalance relationship between US and China.
A marriage made in China (By Harold Meyerson, Wednesday, November 18, 2009)
.... The ugly goings-on within this marriage are plain for all to see. The U.S. trade deficit with China was roughly $60 billion in 1998, the year before we reached the accord granting China permanent normalized trade relations. Over the following decade, it ballooned to $268 billion, and tens of thousands of U.S. factories closed down. The trade deficit is the major reason China is awash in dollars -- about 800 billion of them -- and has become our largest creditor. And it is the major reason why boosting consumption in the United States, in an attempt to reverse the recession, has the peculiar effect of boosting production and employment in China just as much as if not more than happens at home. .....
================
Obama bends knee to Chinese might (Wednesday, 18 November 2009, The Independent, UK, Clifford Coonan in Beijing)
On a carefully orchestrated tour, his hosts' economic power has limited US options.
... It has been a difficult trip for Mr Obama. The power balance between the US and China has changed from what it once was. China has taken a lead position in helping to bail out the world economy, and as America's largest foreign creditor, holding $800bn in US government bonds, it is keen to match its financial muscle with political influence. And President Obama has had to swallow the medicine. ...
Read more!
Time For A Dose Of Protectionism? (CBS news, 11/24/2009 by Irwin M. Stelzer)
Odd, that. There is Hu Jintao, the world's leading protectionist, the man who manipulates his nation's currency so as to keep goods and services made in other countries out while Chinese-made goods capture more and more market share, lecturing the American president on the dangers of protectionism. And there is Barack Obama, eyes downcast, supinely playing punching bag to Hu, even though he presides over the country that is China's biggest customer. ......
Not so China, which has shown that it is willing to use its economic hold on us to attempt to dictate our foreign policy. In an effort to curry favor with his creditors President Obama refused to grant an audience to the Dalai Lama when the Tibetan leader visited Washington. In China, Obama failed to insist on some token release of a dissident or two. He agreed to address a handpicked audience, rather than demand access to a wider public. Even his cheerleaders in the media are appalled at the extent of the presidential groveling. .....
China might start dumping dollars, selling off all those Treasury IOUs stored in the basement of the central bank. Possibly--if China is willing to wipe a few hundred billion off the value of the assets it will still hold. But the consequences for the United States, which would be higher interest rates and, initially, slower economic growth, must be weighed against the longer term and much larger consequences of maintaining the status quo.
The longer we allow things to stay as they are, with China using its undervalued currency to keep its goods cheap enough to displace American products on Walmart's shelves, the larger will be the stack of our IOUs China's rulers control. The longer we allow China to permit our companies a foothold in their country only if we turn over our technology and intellectual property as part of the price of access, the more likely it is that we will see high-tech Chinese goods doing to our GEs and others what their low-tech stuff has done to our shoe and apparel manufacturers. ....
=============
There are some other nice articles talking about this unbalance relationship between US and China.
A marriage made in China (By Harold Meyerson, Wednesday, November 18, 2009)
.... The ugly goings-on within this marriage are plain for all to see. The U.S. trade deficit with China was roughly $60 billion in 1998, the year before we reached the accord granting China permanent normalized trade relations. Over the following decade, it ballooned to $268 billion, and tens of thousands of U.S. factories closed down. The trade deficit is the major reason China is awash in dollars -- about 800 billion of them -- and has become our largest creditor. And it is the major reason why boosting consumption in the United States, in an attempt to reverse the recession, has the peculiar effect of boosting production and employment in China just as much as if not more than happens at home. .....
================
Obama bends knee to Chinese might (Wednesday, 18 November 2009, The Independent, UK, Clifford Coonan in Beijing)
On a carefully orchestrated tour, his hosts' economic power has limited US options.
... It has been a difficult trip for Mr Obama. The power balance between the US and China has changed from what it once was. China has taken a lead position in helping to bail out the world economy, and as America's largest foreign creditor, holding $800bn in US government bonds, it is keen to match its financial muscle with political influence. And President Obama has had to swallow the medicine. ...
Read more!
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Few chicken dishes
The baked whole chicken is one of our favorite meat dish. We eat the fresh baked one with bread or baked potato first, then the rest of chicken could be cooked with noodle for dinner or eat with rice together.
We usually buy the on-sale one around Woolworth's closing time on Saturday or Sunday. We won't always can get the discount one, then we will buy chicken tights or legs and make our own dishes. Here are some ways that we will try in the future.
洋蔥蘋果燉雞
材料：洋蔥一顆~大的蘋果一粒~土雞骨腿2支
作法：土雞骨腿切塊~蘋果洋蔥切塊~雞腿川燙過和蘋果洋蔥放進電鍋內鍋~電鍋外鍋加水燉煮完成加鹽即可
雞肉蔬菜牛奶燉湯
準備的食材：雞肉，牛奶，洋葱，洋芋，紅蘿蔔，綠花椰菜....等等..
作法：
洋葱炒香後，加洋葱、紅蘿蔔續炒。加高湯或水煮20分鐘左右。熄火。
將料理塊或料理粉加進去，拌到料理塊或粉完全融化在湯裡。熄火這個程序很重要。不管是煮咖哩時的咖哩塊，或者牛年奶燉湯塊，一定要先熄火再加。
之後再倒一些牛奶，煮一煮即可。
綠色蔬菜最後再加，不然會黃掉。
鹽酥雞
材料：雞腿：帶皮又帶骨的Thigh（雞大腿）
調味粉：
鹽：先灑鹽到雞肉跟雞皮上，皮下也可以灑一點，不然鹽味滲不入皮下的肉中。
蒜粉 (Garlic Powder)：再灑蒜粉到雞肉跟雞皮上。 也可以再灑點薑粉去腥，或是灑咖哩粉提味。
鹽酥雞粉：再灑上華人超市很容易買到的鹽酥雞粉，是用胡椒粉、五香粉、蒜粉調製成的。放置15~30分鐘等入味。
麵粉：要入烤箱前，用薄薄一層麵粉沾滿整塊雞腿肉，尤其是皮的部位。
烤盤抹油，放入雞腿肉，350 oF 左右烤大約15~20分鐘，把雞腿肉換面再烤5~10分鐘。基本上烤到雞皮像炸過的一樣，就差不多了。
因為是有骨頭的肉，所以要先切開檢查中間靠骨頭處熟了沒？順便展示斷面秀。看起來很 Juicy，吃起來真的有大塊鹽酥雞的味道喔，只是口感不太像而已（正牌鹽酥雞是要裹地瓜粉漿再去炸的），不過用烤箱烤的比較健康，雞油都被烤出來了。雞油也可以再拿去炒青菜，應該會很香吧？
不用洗不用切不用油不用鍋子的香酥雞腿
材料：雞腿（愛吃幾隻就放幾隻），麵包粉或炸雞粉或炸排粉，胡椒粉少許，鹽巴少許，乾淨塑膠袋一個，鋁箔紙
做法：
1. 在塑膠袋中放入炸雞粉或炸排粉(或麵包粉+胡椒粉+鹽巴搖勻)及雞腿沾粉。（為使雞腿充分入味，最好讓雞腿沾粉但不超過2小時，若時間長則需置於冷凍櫃而非冷藏免得炸雞粉潮溼，雞腿可直接從冰箱冷凍櫃進烤箱無妨）
2. 將雞腿從塑膠袋中取出，放在烤架上以攝氏250度C（華氏480F）高溫烤20-25分鐘就有金黃色的香酥雞腿囉。
說明：
※ 如果沒有烤架，可將鋁箔紙輕輕折成像長枕頭一樣鬆鬆的圓柱體（不需要折得太緊密），給沾好粉的雞腿當「枕頭」，將肉多的那端墊高，這樣雞腿就不會浸到油而會有酥酥的口感囉。
※用一個塑膠袋就可以輕輕鬆鬆的沾粉了，更懶一點的話，烤好後直接把鋁箔紙放在盤子上吃，完全不需要洗手洗碗，之前在「生活智慧王」看到的方法是先沾醬油再沾太白粉，一開始我還乖乖的塗醬油或抹奶油在雞腿上，不過後來我發現只要直接沾炸雞粉就好好吃了，其實雞皮本身就有足夠的油脂可以將雞腿上的沾粉烤得金黃酥脆，所以只要避免雞腿不被滴下來的油脂浸到，就可以做出和油炸一樣的酥脆效果。低油又好吃喔。
※如果買到那種已經含有鹽和胡椒的炸雞粉就不用再放鹽巴了。推薦真好家炸雞粉和炸排粉，炸排粉和麵包粉烤好後會呈現酥脆的顆粒狀表皮，像日式炸豬排那樣，很讚！
※用大烤箱不需要翻面，若用小烤箱的話，因為距離熱源太近，記得要翻面免得烤焦囉。從塑膠袋取出雞腿以前記得先拍一拍雞腿讓多餘的粉掉落，才不會烤熟後雞皮上還留著一堆粉喔！
Read more!
We usually buy the on-sale one around Woolworth's closing time on Saturday or Sunday. We won't always can get the discount one, then we will buy chicken tights or legs and make our own dishes. Here are some ways that we will try in the future.
洋蔥蘋果燉雞
材料：洋蔥一顆~大的蘋果一粒~土雞骨腿2支
作法：土雞骨腿切塊~蘋果洋蔥切塊~雞腿川燙過和蘋果洋蔥放進電鍋內鍋~電鍋外鍋加水燉煮完成加鹽即可
雞肉蔬菜牛奶燉湯
準備的食材：雞肉，牛奶，洋葱，洋芋，紅蘿蔔，綠花椰菜....等等..
作法：
洋葱炒香後，加洋葱、紅蘿蔔續炒。加高湯或水煮20分鐘左右。熄火。
將料理塊或料理粉加進去，拌到料理塊或粉完全融化在湯裡。熄火這個程序很重要。不管是煮咖哩時的咖哩塊，或者牛年奶燉湯塊，一定要先熄火再加。
之後再倒一些牛奶，煮一煮即可。
綠色蔬菜最後再加，不然會黃掉。
鹽酥雞
材料：雞腿：帶皮又帶骨的Thigh（雞大腿）
調味粉：
鹽：先灑鹽到雞肉跟雞皮上，皮下也可以灑一點，不然鹽味滲不入皮下的肉中。
蒜粉 (Garlic Powder)：再灑蒜粉到雞肉跟雞皮上。 也可以再灑點薑粉去腥，或是灑咖哩粉提味。
鹽酥雞粉：再灑上華人超市很容易買到的鹽酥雞粉，是用胡椒粉、五香粉、蒜粉調製成的。放置15~30分鐘等入味。
麵粉：要入烤箱前，用薄薄一層麵粉沾滿整塊雞腿肉，尤其是皮的部位。
烤盤抹油，放入雞腿肉，350 oF 左右烤大約15~20分鐘，把雞腿肉換面再烤5~10分鐘。基本上烤到雞皮像炸過的一樣，就差不多了。
因為是有骨頭的肉，所以要先切開檢查中間靠骨頭處熟了沒？順便展示斷面秀。看起來很 Juicy，吃起來真的有大塊鹽酥雞的味道喔，只是口感不太像而已（正牌鹽酥雞是要裹地瓜粉漿再去炸的），不過用烤箱烤的比較健康，雞油都被烤出來了。雞油也可以再拿去炒青菜，應該會很香吧？
不用洗不用切不用油不用鍋子的香酥雞腿
材料：雞腿（愛吃幾隻就放幾隻），麵包粉或炸雞粉或炸排粉，胡椒粉少許，鹽巴少許，乾淨塑膠袋一個，鋁箔紙
做法：
1. 在塑膠袋中放入炸雞粉或炸排粉(或麵包粉+胡椒粉+鹽巴搖勻)及雞腿沾粉。（為使雞腿充分入味，最好讓雞腿沾粉但不超過2小時，若時間長則需置於冷凍櫃而非冷藏免得炸雞粉潮溼，雞腿可直接從冰箱冷凍櫃進烤箱無妨）
2. 將雞腿從塑膠袋中取出，放在烤架上以攝氏250度C（華氏480F）高溫烤20-25分鐘就有金黃色的香酥雞腿囉。
說明：
※ 如果沒有烤架，可將鋁箔紙輕輕折成像長枕頭一樣鬆鬆的圓柱體（不需要折得太緊密），給沾好粉的雞腿當「枕頭」，將肉多的那端墊高，這樣雞腿就不會浸到油而會有酥酥的口感囉。
※用一個塑膠袋就可以輕輕鬆鬆的沾粉了，更懶一點的話，烤好後直接把鋁箔紙放在盤子上吃，完全不需要洗手洗碗，之前在「生活智慧王」看到的方法是先沾醬油再沾太白粉，一開始我還乖乖的塗醬油或抹奶油在雞腿上，不過後來我發現只要直接沾炸雞粉就好好吃了，其實雞皮本身就有足夠的油脂可以將雞腿上的沾粉烤得金黃酥脆，所以只要避免雞腿不被滴下來的油脂浸到，就可以做出和油炸一樣的酥脆效果。低油又好吃喔。
※如果買到那種已經含有鹽和胡椒的炸雞粉就不用再放鹽巴了。推薦真好家炸雞粉和炸排粉，炸排粉和麵包粉烤好後會呈現酥脆的顆粒狀表皮，像日式炸豬排那樣，很讚！
※用大烤箱不需要翻面，若用小烤箱的話，因為距離熱源太近，記得要翻面免得烤焦囉。從塑膠袋取出雞腿以前記得先拍一拍雞腿讓多餘的粉掉落，才不會烤熟後雞皮上還留著一堆粉喔！
Read more!
Monday, November 9, 2009
Poem: Drumming
I like this poem. It talks about a soldier who missed his wife while he was forced to fight somewhere far away from home. He was sad because he knew that he would not be able to meet his wife again and won't be able to keep his promise which he told his wife that he would hold her hands to age until death sets them apart.
This poem is from Shi Jing (Classic of Poetry, the Book of Songs or the Book of Odes) which comprises 305 poems, some possibly written as early as 1000~1100 BC till 400~500 BC.
<詩經‧國風‧邶‧擊鼓>
毛詩序：「《擊鼓》，怨州吁也。衞州吁用兵暴亂，使公孫文仲將而平陳與宋，國人怨其勇而無禮也。」
擊鼓
擊鼓其鏜，踴躍用兵，土國城漕，我獨南行。
從孫子仲，平陳與宋，不我以歸，憂心有忡。
爰居爰處，爰喪其馬，於以求之，於林之下。
死生契闊，與子成說，執子之手，與子偕老。
於嗟闊兮，不我活兮，於嗟洵兮，不我信兮。
《擊鼓》，五章，章四句。
註解
擊鼓聲鏜鏜（震於耳旁），（將士們）奮勇演練著刀槍。土牆和漕城修築正忙，惟有我隨軍遠徵到南方。
跟隨孫子仲（行旅奔波），平定（作亂的）陳、宋二國，回家的心願得不到允可，心中鬱鬱憂愁不樂，
（我卻）身在何方，身處何地？ 我的馬兒丟失在哪裡？到哪裡（才能）將它尋覓？到那（山間的）林泉之地。
生生死死離離合合，（無論如何）我與你說過。與你的雙手交相執握，伴著你一起垂垂老去。
可嘆如今散落天涯，怕有生之年難回家鄉。可嘆如今天各一方，令我的信約竟成了空話。
(note)
以史證詩－－毛奇齡讀《詩經．邶風．擊鼓》 suggests a different historical background to what other people discussed about this poem in the past.
Read more!
This poem is from Shi Jing (Classic of Poetry, the Book of Songs or the Book of Odes) which comprises 305 poems, some possibly written as early as 1000~1100 BC till 400~500 BC.
<詩經‧國風‧邶‧擊鼓>
毛詩序：「《擊鼓》，怨州吁也。衞州吁用兵暴亂，使公孫文仲將而平陳與宋，國人怨其勇而無禮也。」
擊鼓
擊鼓其鏜，踴躍用兵，土國城漕，我獨南行。
從孫子仲，平陳與宋，不我以歸，憂心有忡。
爰居爰處，爰喪其馬，於以求之，於林之下。
死生契闊，與子成說，執子之手，與子偕老。
於嗟闊兮，不我活兮，於嗟洵兮，不我信兮。
《擊鼓》，五章，章四句。
註解
擊鼓聲鏜鏜（震於耳旁），（將士們）奮勇演練著刀槍。土牆和漕城修築正忙，惟有我隨軍遠徵到南方。
跟隨孫子仲（行旅奔波），平定（作亂的）陳、宋二國，回家的心願得不到允可，心中鬱鬱憂愁不樂，
（我卻）身在何方，身處何地？ 我的馬兒丟失在哪裡？到哪裡（才能）將它尋覓？到那（山間的）林泉之地。
生生死死離離合合，（無論如何）我與你說過。與你的雙手交相執握，伴著你一起垂垂老去。
可嘆如今散落天涯，怕有生之年難回家鄉。可嘆如今天各一方，令我的信約竟成了空話。
(note)
以史證詩－－毛奇齡讀《詩經．邶風．擊鼓》 suggests a different historical background to what other people discussed about this poem in the past.
Read more!
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Australia Population
I am surprised to find out that Australia population growth rate is so high. I do worry about the limited environmental resource, especially freshwater resource in the drought Australia. I don't think that the high population growth is the key answer to solve economic and aging problems.
Growth head and shoulders above India (The Sydney Morning Herald, JESSICA IRVINE AND JACOB SAULWICK, September 23, 2009)
Australia 'sleepwalking' into population disaster (ABC news, Lyndal Curtis, Fri Sep 18, 2009 6:01pm AEST)
Demographics of Australia
-----------
Growth head and shoulders above India (The Sydney Morning Herald, JESSICA IRVINE AND JACOB SAULWICK, September 23, 2009)
AUSTRALIA is poised to be the world's fastest growing industrialised nation over the next four decades, with a rate of population growth higher even than India.
It means that if the G20 leaders gathering in Pittsburgh this week were to line up according to expected population growth, Kevin Rudd would be in second place, standing only behind Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah who can expect his population to grow by 74 per cent by 2050.
-------
Australia 'sleepwalking' into population disaster (ABC news, Lyndal Curtis, Fri Sep 18, 2009 6:01pm AEST)
Federal Labor backbencher Kelvin Thomson says Australia's projected population explosion will have a "catastrophic" effect on the environment and he has called for immigration levels to be cut.
The latest Intergenerational Report predicts Australia's population will rise to 35 million in 40 years' time, up from about 21.5 million people at present.
Higher migration and women having more children will account for the boost in numbers.
---------
Baby Bonus
Date of effect: 1 July 2009
Rate: $5,185
Please Note: Baby Bonus is paid in 13 equal fortnightly payments for each child.
Read more!
Growth head and shoulders above India (The Sydney Morning Herald, JESSICA IRVINE AND JACOB SAULWICK, September 23, 2009)
Australia 'sleepwalking' into population disaster (ABC news, Lyndal Curtis, Fri Sep 18, 2009 6:01pm AEST)
Demographics of Australia
-----------
Growth head and shoulders above India (The Sydney Morning Herald, JESSICA IRVINE AND JACOB SAULWICK, September 23, 2009)
AUSTRALIA is poised to be the world's fastest growing industrialised nation over the next four decades, with a rate of population growth higher even than India.
It means that if the G20 leaders gathering in Pittsburgh this week were to line up according to expected population growth, Kevin Rudd would be in second place, standing only behind Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah who can expect his population to grow by 74 per cent by 2050.
-------
Australia 'sleepwalking' into population disaster (ABC news, Lyndal Curtis, Fri Sep 18, 2009 6:01pm AEST)
Federal Labor backbencher Kelvin Thomson says Australia's projected population explosion will have a "catastrophic" effect on the environment and he has called for immigration levels to be cut.
The latest Intergenerational Report predicts Australia's population will rise to 35 million in 40 years' time, up from about 21.5 million people at present.
Higher migration and women having more children will account for the boost in numbers.
---------
Baby Bonus
Date of effect: 1 July 2009
Rate: $5,185
Please Note: Baby Bonus is paid in 13 equal fortnightly payments for each child.
Read more!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Disappearance four decades of Taiwan's National Parks
I am sorry that the whole content is written by traditional Chinese character. I don't have time to translate it, so I just copy the translation by google. I know the translation is not good, but at least it can tell something. Maybe when I have time, I can try to smooth this translation and make it readable.
I am angry and upset about what KMT has done to Taiwan. If it is not because of the destruction and damage by KMT, Taiwan's forest and mountains would be preserved much better and there won't be so many mudslides, landslides and death. Japan set up those National Parks in 1937 and KMT destroyed them and started many terrible destructions when it occupied Taiwan.
今天看到這個網頁的內容，另我無限唏噓 心痛不已，除了傷心的想落淚，心中還有恨意。如果沒有國民黨的故意破壞及隱瞞，或許台灣的山林不會破碎的這麼悽慘，或許不會有這麼多人死於年年發生的土石流。
== 摘錄網頁文章一開始的部份，全文請自己連進去看 ========
消失四十年的國家公園
當我還是個國中生時，在地理課本上讀到：「臺灣的第一座國家公園成立於 1984 年」，不疑有他。直到我大學畢業後，偶然在一張 1930 年代的臺灣地圖上看到三座國家公園時，著實吃了一驚。
這三座國家公園分別位於大屯、次高タロコ、新高阿里山，當時稱為國立公園。大屯國立公園算是當今陽明山國家公園的前身，除此之外，其範圍還包含淡水河左岸的觀音山。次高タロコ國立公園 (次高山即為雪山、タロコ即為太魯閣) 除了涵蓋當今太魯閣國家公園的全部與雪霸國家公園的大部分，其西南角還延伸至霧社。新高阿里山國立公園 (新高山即為玉山) 的範圍也比當今玉山國家公園大得多，將阿里山包含在內。
這三處國立公園於 1935 年被指定為候補地，於 1937 年正式成立。事實上，臺北帝國大學地質學教授早坂一郎先生，主張再追加恆春半島為國立公園。他在 1936 年的論文中指出，國立公園的選定應著重地景之獨特性。他認為次高タロコ與新高阿里山的同質性太高，倒是恆春半島擁有當時日本國內唯一的熱帶雨林地景，不應成為遺珠。他的構想，直到 1984 年才由墾丁國家公園落實。不過，至少戰前臺灣已擁有三處國立公園，則是毫無疑問的了。
=== Partial translation by google (ps. If you want to read the whole google translation, you could use "消失四十年的國家公園" to do google search and then click " Translate this page")===
Disappearance of four decades of national park
When I was a junior high school students while in geography textbooks read: "Taiwan's first national park was established in 1984," no doubt has his. Until I graduated from college after the accident on a map of Taiwan, the 1930s saw three national park, really surprised.
All three national parks are located in Datun, the second highest Tatariロコ, new high-Ali, then known as National Park. Datun National Park which was the predecessor of today's Yangmingshan National Park, in addition, its scope also includes the left bank of the Tamsui River Mt. The high-TatariロコNational Park (namely, sub-alpine snow-capped mountains, Tatariロコshall Taroko) In addition to covering all of today's Taroko National Park Shei-Pa National Park, with most of its southwest corner is also extended to Wushe. Alishan National Park, a new high (new high mountains shall be Jade Mountain) the scope of the Yushan National Park is much greater than today, will Ali included.
This three National Park in 1935 was designated as alternate land was formally established in 1937. In fact, a geology professor at Taipei Imperial University, Mr. Ichiro Hayasaka and advocated for an additional Hengchun Peninsula National Park. In his 1936 paper states that the National Park should focus on the selection of the unique landscape. He believes that the second highest Tatari Aliロコwith the new high-homogeneity high, but added the Hengchun Peninsula at that time Japan has the only tropical rain forest landscape, should not be left unrecognized. His vision, until 1984 the implementation by the Kenting National Park. However, at least before the war, Taiwan already has three national parks, it is no doubt of.
=======================
費驊：蔣據時代的「國家公園之父」
1939年出版的台灣國立公園攝影集全文影像 (台中圖書館 日文舊籍數位典藏)
題名: 臺湾国立公園寫真集
著者: 岡田紅陽攝影
出版: [臺北市]：臺灣國立公園協會，昭和14[1939], 143面；部份彩圖, 地圖
(ps. Partial images were collected in this slide show)
Information about Japan's National Park
日本統治時代の台湾にかつて存在した国立公園 （台湾の統治権放棄により消滅）
大屯国立公園（1937年12月27日指定）
次高タロコ国立公園（1937年12月27日指定）
新高阿里山国立公園（1937年12月27日指定）
Read more!
I am angry and upset about what KMT has done to Taiwan. If it is not because of the destruction and damage by KMT, Taiwan's forest and mountains would be preserved much better and there won't be so many mudslides, landslides and death. Japan set up those National Parks in 1937 and KMT destroyed them and started many terrible destructions when it occupied Taiwan.
今天看到這個網頁的內容，另我無限唏噓 心痛不已，除了傷心的想落淚，心中還有恨意。如果沒有國民黨的故意破壞及隱瞞，或許台灣的山林不會破碎的這麼悽慘，或許不會有這麼多人死於年年發生的土石流。
== 摘錄網頁文章一開始的部份，全文請自己連進去看 ========
消失四十年的國家公園
當我還是個國中生時，在地理課本上讀到：「臺灣的第一座國家公園成立於 1984 年」，不疑有他。直到我大學畢業後，偶然在一張 1930 年代的臺灣地圖上看到三座國家公園時，著實吃了一驚。
這三座國家公園分別位於大屯、次高タロコ、新高阿里山，當時稱為國立公園。大屯國立公園算是當今陽明山國家公園的前身，除此之外，其範圍還包含淡水河左岸的觀音山。次高タロコ國立公園 (次高山即為雪山、タロコ即為太魯閣) 除了涵蓋當今太魯閣國家公園的全部與雪霸國家公園的大部分，其西南角還延伸至霧社。新高阿里山國立公園 (新高山即為玉山) 的範圍也比當今玉山國家公園大得多，將阿里山包含在內。
這三處國立公園於 1935 年被指定為候補地，於 1937 年正式成立。事實上，臺北帝國大學地質學教授早坂一郎先生，主張再追加恆春半島為國立公園。他在 1936 年的論文中指出，國立公園的選定應著重地景之獨特性。他認為次高タロコ與新高阿里山的同質性太高，倒是恆春半島擁有當時日本國內唯一的熱帶雨林地景，不應成為遺珠。他的構想，直到 1984 年才由墾丁國家公園落實。不過，至少戰前臺灣已擁有三處國立公園，則是毫無疑問的了。
=== Partial translation by google (ps. If you want to read the whole google translation, you could use "消失四十年的國家公園" to do google search and then click " Translate this page")===
Disappearance of four decades of national park
When I was a junior high school students while in geography textbooks read: "Taiwan's first national park was established in 1984," no doubt has his. Until I graduated from college after the accident on a map of Taiwan, the 1930s saw three national park, really surprised.
All three national parks are located in Datun, the second highest Tatariロコ, new high-Ali, then known as National Park. Datun National Park which was the predecessor of today's Yangmingshan National Park, in addition, its scope also includes the left bank of the Tamsui River Mt. The high-TatariロコNational Park (namely, sub-alpine snow-capped mountains, Tatariロコshall Taroko) In addition to covering all of today's Taroko National Park Shei-Pa National Park, with most of its southwest corner is also extended to Wushe. Alishan National Park, a new high (new high mountains shall be Jade Mountain) the scope of the Yushan National Park is much greater than today, will Ali included.
This three National Park in 1935 was designated as alternate land was formally established in 1937. In fact, a geology professor at Taipei Imperial University, Mr. Ichiro Hayasaka and advocated for an additional Hengchun Peninsula National Park. In his 1936 paper states that the National Park should focus on the selection of the unique landscape. He believes that the second highest Tatari Aliロコwith the new high-homogeneity high, but added the Hengchun Peninsula at that time Japan has the only tropical rain forest landscape, should not be left unrecognized. His vision, until 1984 the implementation by the Kenting National Park. However, at least before the war, Taiwan already has three national parks, it is no doubt of.
=======================
費驊：蔣據時代的「國家公園之父」
1939年出版的台灣國立公園攝影集全文影像 (台中圖書館 日文舊籍數位典藏)
題名: 臺湾国立公園寫真集
著者: 岡田紅陽攝影
出版: [臺北市]：臺灣國立公園協會，昭和14[1939], 143面；部份彩圖, 地圖
(ps. Partial images were collected in this slide show)
Information about Japan's National Park
日本統治時代の台湾にかつて存在した国立公園 （台湾の統治権放棄により消滅）
大屯国立公園（1937年12月27日指定）
次高タロコ国立公園（1937年12月27日指定）
新高阿里山国立公園（1937年12月27日指定）
Read more!
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Nuke or no nuke?
I just heard the news that 49% Australian support nuclear power and only 43% opposite it. Oh my God! I am not going to support an energy that we don't know how to deal with its dangerous waste except dumping it near or in indigenous peoples' home.
The news can be found at
Nuclear power shunned for fear of political fallout (The Sydney Morning Herald, October 13, 2009)
Australians warm to nuclear power (The Age, IAN MUNRO AND GEOFF STRONG, October 13, 2009)
An Age/Nielson poll found 49 per cent of Australians believed nuclear should be on the nation's list of potential power options, while 43 per cent were opposed outright.
The finding marks a big shift of public opinion from 2006, when a Newspoll showed just 38 per cent in favour of nuclear power and 51 per cent opposed.
Read more!
The news can be found at
Nuclear power shunned for fear of political fallout (The Sydney Morning Herald, October 13, 2009)
Australians warm to nuclear power (The Age, IAN MUNRO AND GEOFF STRONG, October 13, 2009)
An Age/Nielson poll found 49 per cent of Australians believed nuclear should be on the nation's list of potential power options, while 43 per cent were opposed outright.
The finding marks a big shift of public opinion from 2006, when a Newspoll showed just 38 per cent in favour of nuclear power and 51 per cent opposed.
Read more!
Saturday, October 10, 2009
2009 Nobel Peace Prize is a kitsch
I guess everybody who watched news already knew that newly elected US president Obama won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize.
This 2009 Nobel Peace Prize is a kitsch which would rather honor a person achieving nothing than other people who have dedicate their life for peace.
Use Google to search around 10:50 am in Brisbane time: Results 1 – 30 of about 8,053 related articles. Search took 0.24 seconds.
Israelis, Palestinians wary of Obama the Nobelist
Los Angeles Times - 18 minutes ago
Both sides in the Mideast conflict worry that President Obama's enhanced prestige as a peacemaker may work to their disadvantage. Israel's Shimon Peres congratulates a fellow laureate. Israeli President Shimon Peres -- who shared the Nobel Peace Prize ...
Arab world gives Nobelist Obama mixed review
Los Angeles Times - Amro Hassan, Meris Lutz - 45 minutes ago
The Nobel prize-winning American president is given credit for reaching out to Muslims rhetorically, but many in the Arab world see him as having caved in the face of Mideast peace difficulties. A Palestinian in a barbershop chair in predominantly Arab ...
President Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize
Washington Post - 47 minutes ago
President Obama was awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize for his "efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples." Chairperson of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Thorbjorn Jagland, with a picture of President Obama at The ...
How Obama Might Have Received the Nobel News: A Fantasy
Washington Post - Jason Horowitz, Dan Zak - 1 hour ago
So you're roused from sleep and told you won a Nobel Peace Prize, arguably the loftiest award in the solar system. How do you feel? President Obama was "surprised," White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said. ...
Weekend Opinionator: Does the Nobel Hate America?
New York Times - Tobin Harshaw - 20 minutes ago
As we all know, Barack Obama has won the Nobel Peace Prize for “his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.” Swell sentiments, but it seems unlikely that anyone will ever apply them ...
Obama's Nobel and His Obligation to Afghanistan
Wall Street Journal - Bob Kerrey - 2 hours ago
In a wonderfully stunning decision, the Nobel Committee in Oslo awarded our president its Peace Prize. They said the award was as much for the hope that he will contribute to a more peaceful world as it was for any specific accomplishment ...
Nobel Prize carries risks as well as benefits for Obama
Chicago Tribune - Greg Miller - 47 minutes ago
WASHINGTON BUREAU - The gold medallion given to recipients of the Nobel Prize doesn't come with a ribbon, but the award could still end up being a weight around President Obama's neck. Intended to honor how Obama has altered the nation's ...
US reaction to Obama's win of Nobel Peace Prize
The Associated Press - 2 hours ago
Some US reaction to President Barack Obama's win of the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday: ___ "Let me be clear: I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments, but rather as an affirmation of American leadership on behalf of aspirations ...
Obama's Nobel puzzles Pakistanis living close to war
Los Angeles Times - 3 hours ago
While Obama is seen as an improvement over Bush, many Pakistanis feel the president hasn't done enough to merit the peace prize. They are still wary of Obama and his policies. An effigy of Barack Obama is burned during a protest led by the Islamic ...
Q+A: Is it the Nobel "Peace" or "Political" prize?
Reuters - Patricia Zengerle - 4 hours ago
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday to President Barack Obama, the third prominent US Democrat to win recently, only seemed to reinforce an impression the prize can be as much about politics as ...
Analysis: A great prize, but will it help goals?
The Associated Press - Jennifer Loven - 3 hours ago
WASHINGTON — Now that he's Nobel laureate Barack Obama, will he find smoother sailing for his plans to rid the world of nuclear weapons, to forge Mideast peace and stabilize Afghanistan, to halt climate change? Not likely. The Nobel committee members ...
Why Should We Care About the Nobel?
Washington Post - Anne Applebaum - 1 hour ago
Why did they give it to him, did he deserve it, should he have accepted it, who else should have gotten it: The nation is speaking of nothing else except President Barack Obama's Nobel Peace Prize. Here is a better question for us to ask ourselves: Why ...
Obama conducts another Afghanistan meeting
USA Today - 4 hours ago
More than a few folks have noted the irony: President Obama conducting an Afghanistan war council just hours after winning the Nobel Peace Prize. "For Obama, peace in the morning, war in in the afternoon," said a statement from the libertarian Cato ...
Questions and answers about Obama's Nobel surprise
The Associated Press - Karl Ritter, Matt Moore - 4 hours ago
Why did President Barack Obama win the Nobel Prize? Does it have something to do with Afghanistan? Is the Nobel meant to reward accomplishments, or encourage future actions? What will the president do with the big cash prize? ...
US envoy holds Mideast talks as Obama wins Nobel
The Associated Press - Steve Weizman - 5 hours ago
JERUSALEM — When President Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday, his Mideast envoy was hard at work in Jerusalem trying to revive a faltering peace process on which Obama has staked his credibility and that of the United States. ...
Obama, Faced With Two Wars, Wins Peace Prize
Voice of America - 1 hour ago
THORBJOERN JAGLAND, CHAIRMAN: "The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided that the Nobel Peace Prize for two thousand nine is to be awarded to President Barack Obama for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation ...
Obama and the Nobel: He loses by winning
Los Angeles Times - 1 hour ago
Giving the Peace Prize to the president so soon in his term embarrasses him and diminishes the honor. Excessive praise can be both unwelcome and embarrassing. Just ask President Obama, who awoke Friday to discover that he had been awarded the Nobel ...
Illinoisans react to Obama's Nobel prize win
Chicago Tribune - 2 hours ago
By AP Residents around Illinois reacted Friday to President Barack Obama's 2009 Nobel Peace Prize win. Norwegian Nobel Committee members lauded the change in global mood wrought by Obama's calls for peace and cooperation, and praised his pledges to ...
Could Obama's Nobel Peace Prize have a greater purpose?
Chicago Tribune - 3 hours ago
President Barack Obama has not solved the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He has not convinced Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to play nice with other nations. He has not brokered peace between China and Tibet. But neither had the 14th Dalai Lama ...
Nickels on Obama's Nobel Prize
Seattle Times - Jim Brunner - 1 hour ago
Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels put out a glowing statement today about President Obama's Nobel Peace Prize. "Winning the Nobel Peace Prize is an incredible achievement for President Obama and a truly wonderful moment for the entire nation. ...
Obama Peace Prize Award Elicits Praise, Criticism
Voice of America - Michael Bowman - 2 hours ago
Global reaction to US President Barack Obama being awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize ranges from hearty congratulations to expressions of disbelief and derision. The Norwegian Nobel Committee recognized the president for his work to ...
World reaction to Obama prize
BBC News - 3 hours ago
People around the world have given their reaction to Barack Obama winning the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) ...
The Nobel Hope Prize
Wall Street Journal - 1 hour ago
The Nobel Peace Prize awarded to President Obama yesterday was greeted with astonishment as much as any other emotion, even among many of his admirers. Our own reaction is bemusement at the Norwegian decision to offer what amounts to the world's first ...
Bush aide: Obama's prize is a slap at Bush
Bizjournals.com - 2 hours ago
A close adviser and aid to former US President George W. Bush said Friday that Barack Obama's selection as a Nobel Peace prize winner is less about substance and more of a reflection of the Committee's preference for a US president that shares the ...
State Department Lauds Obama's Nobel Peace Prize by Making Jab at Bush
FOXNews - Justin Fishel - 2 hours ago
In a clear dig at former president George W. Bush, the State Department lauded President Obama's Nobel Peace Prize award by saying it's better for the US to have "accolades tossed its way, rather than shoes." In a clear dig at former President George ...
White House Says Not a Partisan Peace Prize
FOXNews - 3 hours ago
In a stunning announcement, the Norwegian Nobel committee awarded President Barack Obama the Nobel Peace Prize for "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples." Several gasps were audible from the ...
Where's Our Nobel?
Washington Post - 2 hours ago
You will recall that Time magazine has occasionally given its ???Person of the Year??? award not to individuals but to collectives: Smart, Well-Coiffed Young People; Financiers With Conscience (given collectively because no individual financiers with ...
Obama's Peace Prize: Just Reward Or Premature Recognition?
Voice of America - Gary Thomas - 3 hours ago
The awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to President Obama came as a surprise to most everyone. Few analysts thought a world leader with less than a year in office would win the world's most prestigious peace award. ...
Mark Russell
Chicago Tribune - 1 hour ago
The Nobel Committee has bestowed the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009 on President Obama and all I can say is, it's about time. Obama was notified that he was the winner when the folks from Publishers Clearing House showed up at his door. ...
World leaders, Nobel laureates offer Obama praise, skepticism
Kansas City Star - Margaret Talev - 3 hours ago
"I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments but rather as an affirmation of American leadership on behalf of aspirations held by people in all nations ... To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the ...
Read more!
This 2009 Nobel Peace Prize is a kitsch which would rather honor a person achieving nothing than other people who have dedicate their life for peace.
Use Google to search around 10:50 am in Brisbane time: Results 1 – 30 of about 8,053 related articles. Search took 0.24 seconds.
Israelis, Palestinians wary of Obama the Nobelist
Los Angeles Times - 18 minutes ago
Both sides in the Mideast conflict worry that President Obama's enhanced prestige as a peacemaker may work to their disadvantage. Israel's Shimon Peres congratulates a fellow laureate. Israeli President Shimon Peres -- who shared the Nobel Peace Prize ...
Arab world gives Nobelist Obama mixed review
Los Angeles Times - Amro Hassan, Meris Lutz - 45 minutes ago
The Nobel prize-winning American president is given credit for reaching out to Muslims rhetorically, but many in the Arab world see him as having caved in the face of Mideast peace difficulties. A Palestinian in a barbershop chair in predominantly Arab ...
President Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize
Washington Post - 47 minutes ago
President Obama was awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize for his "efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples." Chairperson of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Thorbjorn Jagland, with a picture of President Obama at The ...
How Obama Might Have Received the Nobel News: A Fantasy
Washington Post - Jason Horowitz, Dan Zak - 1 hour ago
So you're roused from sleep and told you won a Nobel Peace Prize, arguably the loftiest award in the solar system. How do you feel? President Obama was "surprised," White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said. ...
Weekend Opinionator: Does the Nobel Hate America?
New York Times - Tobin Harshaw - 20 minutes ago
As we all know, Barack Obama has won the Nobel Peace Prize for “his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.” Swell sentiments, but it seems unlikely that anyone will ever apply them ...
Obama's Nobel and His Obligation to Afghanistan
Wall Street Journal - Bob Kerrey - 2 hours ago
In a wonderfully stunning decision, the Nobel Committee in Oslo awarded our president its Peace Prize. They said the award was as much for the hope that he will contribute to a more peaceful world as it was for any specific accomplishment ...
Nobel Prize carries risks as well as benefits for Obama
Chicago Tribune - Greg Miller - 47 minutes ago
WASHINGTON BUREAU - The gold medallion given to recipients of the Nobel Prize doesn't come with a ribbon, but the award could still end up being a weight around President Obama's neck. Intended to honor how Obama has altered the nation's ...
US reaction to Obama's win of Nobel Peace Prize
The Associated Press - 2 hours ago
Some US reaction to President Barack Obama's win of the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday: ___ "Let me be clear: I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments, but rather as an affirmation of American leadership on behalf of aspirations ...
Obama's Nobel puzzles Pakistanis living close to war
Los Angeles Times - 3 hours ago
While Obama is seen as an improvement over Bush, many Pakistanis feel the president hasn't done enough to merit the peace prize. They are still wary of Obama and his policies. An effigy of Barack Obama is burned during a protest led by the Islamic ...
Q+A: Is it the Nobel "Peace" or "Political" prize?
Reuters - Patricia Zengerle - 4 hours ago
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday to President Barack Obama, the third prominent US Democrat to win recently, only seemed to reinforce an impression the prize can be as much about politics as ...
Analysis: A great prize, but will it help goals?
The Associated Press - Jennifer Loven - 3 hours ago
WASHINGTON — Now that he's Nobel laureate Barack Obama, will he find smoother sailing for his plans to rid the world of nuclear weapons, to forge Mideast peace and stabilize Afghanistan, to halt climate change? Not likely. The Nobel committee members ...
Why Should We Care About the Nobel?
Washington Post - Anne Applebaum - 1 hour ago
Why did they give it to him, did he deserve it, should he have accepted it, who else should have gotten it: The nation is speaking of nothing else except President Barack Obama's Nobel Peace Prize. Here is a better question for us to ask ourselves: Why ...
Obama conducts another Afghanistan meeting
USA Today - 4 hours ago
More than a few folks have noted the irony: President Obama conducting an Afghanistan war council just hours after winning the Nobel Peace Prize. "For Obama, peace in the morning, war in in the afternoon," said a statement from the libertarian Cato ...
Questions and answers about Obama's Nobel surprise
The Associated Press - Karl Ritter, Matt Moore - 4 hours ago
Why did President Barack Obama win the Nobel Prize? Does it have something to do with Afghanistan? Is the Nobel meant to reward accomplishments, or encourage future actions? What will the president do with the big cash prize? ...
US envoy holds Mideast talks as Obama wins Nobel
The Associated Press - Steve Weizman - 5 hours ago
JERUSALEM — When President Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday, his Mideast envoy was hard at work in Jerusalem trying to revive a faltering peace process on which Obama has staked his credibility and that of the United States. ...
Obama, Faced With Two Wars, Wins Peace Prize
Voice of America - 1 hour ago
THORBJOERN JAGLAND, CHAIRMAN: "The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided that the Nobel Peace Prize for two thousand nine is to be awarded to President Barack Obama for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation ...
Obama and the Nobel: He loses by winning
Los Angeles Times - 1 hour ago
Giving the Peace Prize to the president so soon in his term embarrasses him and diminishes the honor. Excessive praise can be both unwelcome and embarrassing. Just ask President Obama, who awoke Friday to discover that he had been awarded the Nobel ...
Illinoisans react to Obama's Nobel prize win
Chicago Tribune - 2 hours ago
By AP Residents around Illinois reacted Friday to President Barack Obama's 2009 Nobel Peace Prize win. Norwegian Nobel Committee members lauded the change in global mood wrought by Obama's calls for peace and cooperation, and praised his pledges to ...
Could Obama's Nobel Peace Prize have a greater purpose?
Chicago Tribune - 3 hours ago
President Barack Obama has not solved the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He has not convinced Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to play nice with other nations. He has not brokered peace between China and Tibet. But neither had the 14th Dalai Lama ...
Nickels on Obama's Nobel Prize
Seattle Times - Jim Brunner - 1 hour ago
Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels put out a glowing statement today about President Obama's Nobel Peace Prize. "Winning the Nobel Peace Prize is an incredible achievement for President Obama and a truly wonderful moment for the entire nation. ...
Obama Peace Prize Award Elicits Praise, Criticism
Voice of America - Michael Bowman - 2 hours ago
Global reaction to US President Barack Obama being awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize ranges from hearty congratulations to expressions of disbelief and derision. The Norwegian Nobel Committee recognized the president for his work to ...
World reaction to Obama prize
BBC News - 3 hours ago
People around the world have given their reaction to Barack Obama winning the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) ...
The Nobel Hope Prize
Wall Street Journal - 1 hour ago
The Nobel Peace Prize awarded to President Obama yesterday was greeted with astonishment as much as any other emotion, even among many of his admirers. Our own reaction is bemusement at the Norwegian decision to offer what amounts to the world's first ...
Bush aide: Obama's prize is a slap at Bush
Bizjournals.com - 2 hours ago
A close adviser and aid to former US President George W. Bush said Friday that Barack Obama's selection as a Nobel Peace prize winner is less about substance and more of a reflection of the Committee's preference for a US president that shares the ...
State Department Lauds Obama's Nobel Peace Prize by Making Jab at Bush
FOXNews - Justin Fishel - 2 hours ago
In a clear dig at former president George W. Bush, the State Department lauded President Obama's Nobel Peace Prize award by saying it's better for the US to have "accolades tossed its way, rather than shoes." In a clear dig at former President George ...
White House Says Not a Partisan Peace Prize
FOXNews - 3 hours ago
In a stunning announcement, the Norwegian Nobel committee awarded President Barack Obama the Nobel Peace Prize for "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples." Several gasps were audible from the ...
Where's Our Nobel?
Washington Post - 2 hours ago
You will recall that Time magazine has occasionally given its ???Person of the Year??? award not to individuals but to collectives: Smart, Well-Coiffed Young People; Financiers With Conscience (given collectively because no individual financiers with ...
Obama's Peace Prize: Just Reward Or Premature Recognition?
Voice of America - Gary Thomas - 3 hours ago
The awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to President Obama came as a surprise to most everyone. Few analysts thought a world leader with less than a year in office would win the world's most prestigious peace award. ...
Mark Russell
Chicago Tribune - 1 hour ago
The Nobel Committee has bestowed the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009 on President Obama and all I can say is, it's about time. Obama was notified that he was the winner when the folks from Publishers Clearing House showed up at his door. ...
World leaders, Nobel laureates offer Obama praise, skepticism
Kansas City Star - Margaret Talev - 3 hours ago
"I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments but rather as an affirmation of American leadership on behalf of aspirations held by people in all nations ... To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the ...
Read more!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Eyes Massage
I feel my eyes are very tired, so I decide to do some massage.
自我按摩眼睛保健
1. 揉攢竹：以拇指分別按在攢竹 (Bl2, 眉頭凹陷處)，由輕而重輕揉 20 次，以酸脹為宜。
2. 揉睛明：以拇食二指，揉壓睛明 (Bl1, 兩眼內角凹陷處)，先用力向下按壓，然後向上擠捏，如此一按一擠，20-30 次。
3. 按揉四白：以食指分別按在四白 (St2, 眼下眶正中對下 1 寸)，反覆按揉 20 次，以酸脹為宜。
4. 刮眼輪：食指屈曲，以第 2 指節緊貼上眼眶，由內至外推刮，然後以用樣方式刮下眼眶，如此先上後下，自內向外，反覆刮動 20-30 次。
5. 熨目：閉目，先搓熱手掌，然後輕按雙眼 30 秒，再輕輕揉動 10 余次。
6. 揉太陽：以拇指緊貼鬢角凹陷處太陽 (Ex-HN5)，反覆按揉 30 次，以酸脹為宜。
可以防治近視、視矇、青光眼、視神經病變。
(English version:
Massage to Promote the Eye Region
1. Knead the eyebrows: press the thumbs on the inner sides of the eyebrows (Bl2) and knead 20 times; the pressure should be increased gradually to obtain a feeling of soreness.
2. Pinch the nasal bridge: use the thumb and index finger to pinch the nasal bridge closest to the inner canthi of the eyes (Bl1), firmly press and pinch about 20-30 times.
3. Press under the eyes: use the index finger to press just below the pupils (St2), and knead about 20 times.
4. Scrape the orbits: put the thumbs on the temple areas, use the middle knuckles of the index fingers to press the inner canthi of the eyes, then scrape apart along the upper and lower orbits, about 20-30 times.
5. Compress the eyeballs: first rub the hands together to get them warm, then put them over the closed eyes with the palms for 30 seconds; then slightly rub the eyeballs 10 times or more.
6. Thumb-knead the temples: firmly knead the center of temples (Ex-HN5) with the thumbs about 30 times.
This massage is useful for the prevention and treatment of myopia, blurred vision, glaucoma and other eye problems.)
--------------------
眼睛保養按摩術
1. 以兩手大拇指按著顴骨下緣,然後以兩手中指指腹按摩眼框,由眉頭向外循眼眶骨外緣按摩一圈,回到攅竹穴是為一次,共按摩五十次,竹.魚腰.絲竹空.朣子膠.四白等穴。
2. 以左手或右手大拇指及食指,分別放在內眼角的晴明穴按壓五十次。
至於眼睛保健操,是藉由眼球運動來鬆弛睫狀肌,使恢復彈性.消除疲勞。
1. 眼睛向上.向下緩慢各看六次。
2. 眼睛像左.像右緩慢各看六次
3. 兩眼球緩慢循順時鐘即逆時鐘方向三百六十度轉動各做六次。
4. 用左手或右手伸直,眼睛注視手掌橫紋,緩慢收回手掌職倒貼至臉部。
5. 用力睜眼.閉眼做六次。
Read more!
自我按摩眼睛保健
1. 揉攢竹：以拇指分別按在攢竹 (Bl2, 眉頭凹陷處)，由輕而重輕揉 20 次，以酸脹為宜。
2. 揉睛明：以拇食二指，揉壓睛明 (Bl1, 兩眼內角凹陷處)，先用力向下按壓，然後向上擠捏，如此一按一擠，20-30 次。
3. 按揉四白：以食指分別按在四白 (St2, 眼下眶正中對下 1 寸)，反覆按揉 20 次，以酸脹為宜。
4. 刮眼輪：食指屈曲，以第 2 指節緊貼上眼眶，由內至外推刮，然後以用樣方式刮下眼眶，如此先上後下，自內向外，反覆刮動 20-30 次。
5. 熨目：閉目，先搓熱手掌，然後輕按雙眼 30 秒，再輕輕揉動 10 余次。
6. 揉太陽：以拇指緊貼鬢角凹陷處太陽 (Ex-HN5)，反覆按揉 30 次，以酸脹為宜。
可以防治近視、視矇、青光眼、視神經病變。
(English version:
Massage to Promote the Eye Region
1. Knead the eyebrows: press the thumbs on the inner sides of the eyebrows (Bl2) and knead 20 times; the pressure should be increased gradually to obtain a feeling of soreness.
2. Pinch the nasal bridge: use the thumb and index finger to pinch the nasal bridge closest to the inner canthi of the eyes (Bl1), firmly press and pinch about 20-30 times.
3. Press under the eyes: use the index finger to press just below the pupils (St2), and knead about 20 times.
4. Scrape the orbits: put the thumbs on the temple areas, use the middle knuckles of the index fingers to press the inner canthi of the eyes, then scrape apart along the upper and lower orbits, about 20-30 times.
5. Compress the eyeballs: first rub the hands together to get them warm, then put them over the closed eyes with the palms for 30 seconds; then slightly rub the eyeballs 10 times or more.
6. Thumb-knead the temples: firmly knead the center of temples (Ex-HN5) with the thumbs about 30 times.
This massage is useful for the prevention and treatment of myopia, blurred vision, glaucoma and other eye problems.)
--------------------
眼睛保養按摩術
1. 以兩手大拇指按著顴骨下緣,然後以兩手中指指腹按摩眼框,由眉頭向外循眼眶骨外緣按摩一圈,回到攅竹穴是為一次,共按摩五十次,竹.魚腰.絲竹空.朣子膠.四白等穴。
2. 以左手或右手大拇指及食指,分別放在內眼角的晴明穴按壓五十次。
至於眼睛保健操,是藉由眼球運動來鬆弛睫狀肌,使恢復彈性.消除疲勞。
1. 眼睛向上.向下緩慢各看六次。
2. 眼睛像左.像右緩慢各看六次
3. 兩眼球緩慢循順時鐘即逆時鐘方向三百六十度轉動各做六次。
4. 用左手或右手伸直,眼睛注視手掌橫紋,緩慢收回手掌職倒貼至臉部。
5. 用力睜眼.閉眼做六次。
Read more!
Monday, September 14, 2009
If you want to condemn someone
法行則人從法，法敗則法從人。
The translation of 欲加之罪,何患無辭 is found at http://www.nciku.com.tw/mini/zh/detail/115970
欲加之罪,何患無辭
If you want to condemn someone, you can always discover a charge.
「欲加之罪, 何患無詞」, 你想誣衊他簡直是輕而易舉的事情。
If you are out to condemn somebody, you can always trump up a charge.
It is a piece of cake for you to slander him.
Taiwan ex-leader jailed for life (Friday, 11 September 2009 11:19 UK)
Taiwan's former President Chen Shui-bian has been sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of corruption by a court in Taipei.
Mr Chen was charged with embezzlement, taking bribes and money laundering, involving a total of $15m (£9m) while in office from 2000-2008.
Mr Chen had denied the charges, saying they were politically motivated.
His wife, Wu Shu-chen, already jailed for perjury in the case, was also sentenced to life for corruption.
扁珍一審判無期徒刑 罰金5億 (自由時報 Sep. 12, 2009)
〔記者劉志原、李欣芳、林慶川、陳成良／綜合報導〕台北地方法院審理前總統陳水扁家族所涉洗錢等案，認定扁、珍在國務機要費等案中收賄、貪污、洗錢，不法所得六億八千多萬元，其中三億多元匯往海外隱匿，扁、珍都被判無期徒刑、褫奪公權終身，扁、珍分別罰金兩億、三億；扁的兒子陳致中夫婦各被判刑兩年六個月、一年八個月，各罰金一億五千萬；扁家僅扁媳黃睿靚緩刑五年，但她須另付緩刑處分金兩億。
陳致中判兩年半 黃睿靚緩刑
台北地院這項九一一世紀判決，引發國內外廣泛議論及質疑。扁辦及阿扁擬於二審重新委任的律師鄭文龍直指判決違憲違法，趕盡殺絕、抄家滅族。士林地院刑庭庭長洪英花指判決程序違法，自始無效；多位法界人士也認為，同樣的法官對性質相同的國務機要費及特別費，判決卻天差地別，有雙重標準。
國際媒體也立即報導扁被判終身監禁，並普遍關注扁案司法人權，以及判決遭質疑判刑太重。馬英九總統在哈佛大學的恩師孔傑榮刻正訪台，他認為，一審判決後應有條件釋放扁，並對審理期間換法官程序表示質疑。
扁家罰金共八億，創下貪瀆案司法史紀錄，因合議庭要求被告連帶追繳不法所得六億八千多萬，而扁家罰金八億元、加上黃睿靚須付兩億元處分金，已逾不法所得總額，被告律師認為不符比例原則；審判長蔡守訓則強調一切合法。
扁家罰金共八億 逾不法所得
陳水扁遭蔡守訓裁定延押迄今兩百五十六天，連同之前特偵組起訴扁之前羈押的卅二天，扁迄今羈押已達兩百八十八天，法院最快明天，最慢後天，會將判決書送至北所由扁簽收，扁上訴後，再由高院分案決定是否續押。
蔡美利重病停審 陳鎮慧免刑
特偵組去年十二月針對國務機要費、龍潭案、南港案及洗錢案起訴扁、珍等十四人，今年五月再追加起訴扁、珍向前台北一○一董事長陳敏薰收賄千萬；珍的同學蔡美利因重病獲暫停審理。
昨宣判的十三名被告均有罪，前總統府出納陳鎮慧因認罪並擔任污點證人而獲免刑，但仍須和扁、珍共同遭追繳一億元不法所得；扁的妻舅吳景茂夫婦等五人獲緩刑；扁的昔日幕僚馬永成、林德訓雖未獲任何不法所得，但也遭認定是貪污共犯，重判廿年、十六年。
判決書提到，陳致中、黃睿靚夫婦先前態度傲慢，但後來自白，可說知恥近乎勇，但法官考量陳致中是洗錢主要操盤手，而未予緩刑。
合議庭曾審理過馬英九特別費案，判馬無罪；合議庭指出，國務機要費與特別費性質不同無法類比，扁案也不適用「支出大於收入」的「大水庫理論」。
馬扁案判決歧異 疑雙重標準
扁為抗議政治審判，昨未出庭聽判，審判長蔡守訓引用「大學」指扁、珍「一人貪戾，一國作亂」，判決書直指「陳水扁的總統職務限縮於財團豪閥之服務」，不法所得令人咋舌，故予重判；合議庭另認定陳致中等十一人為扁案共犯，一併向檢方告發。
昨天宣判前，挺扁群眾約兩百人至台北地院前抗議，高喊「阿扁無罪」；最高檢特偵組則說，台北地院積極進行審判程序並依法判決，對此表示敬意。
Read more!
The translation of 欲加之罪,何患無辭 is found at http://www.nciku.com.tw/mini/zh/detail/115970
欲加之罪,何患無辭
If you want to condemn someone, you can always discover a charge.
「欲加之罪, 何患無詞」, 你想誣衊他簡直是輕而易舉的事情。
If you are out to condemn somebody, you can always trump up a charge.
It is a piece of cake for you to slander him.
Taiwan ex-leader jailed for life (Friday, 11 September 2009 11:19 UK)
Taiwan's former President Chen Shui-bian has been sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of corruption by a court in Taipei.
Mr Chen was charged with embezzlement, taking bribes and money laundering, involving a total of $15m (£9m) while in office from 2000-2008.
Mr Chen had denied the charges, saying they were politically motivated.
His wife, Wu Shu-chen, already jailed for perjury in the case, was also sentenced to life for corruption.
扁珍一審判無期徒刑 罰金5億 (自由時報 Sep. 12, 2009)
〔記者劉志原、李欣芳、林慶川、陳成良／綜合報導〕台北地方法院審理前總統陳水扁家族所涉洗錢等案，認定扁、珍在國務機要費等案中收賄、貪污、洗錢，不法所得六億八千多萬元，其中三億多元匯往海外隱匿，扁、珍都被判無期徒刑、褫奪公權終身，扁、珍分別罰金兩億、三億；扁的兒子陳致中夫婦各被判刑兩年六個月、一年八個月，各罰金一億五千萬；扁家僅扁媳黃睿靚緩刑五年，但她須另付緩刑處分金兩億。
陳致中判兩年半 黃睿靚緩刑
台北地院這項九一一世紀判決，引發國內外廣泛議論及質疑。扁辦及阿扁擬於二審重新委任的律師鄭文龍直指判決違憲違法，趕盡殺絕、抄家滅族。士林地院刑庭庭長洪英花指判決程序違法，自始無效；多位法界人士也認為，同樣的法官對性質相同的國務機要費及特別費，判決卻天差地別，有雙重標準。
國際媒體也立即報導扁被判終身監禁，並普遍關注扁案司法人權，以及判決遭質疑判刑太重。馬英九總統在哈佛大學的恩師孔傑榮刻正訪台，他認為，一審判決後應有條件釋放扁，並對審理期間換法官程序表示質疑。
扁家罰金共八億，創下貪瀆案司法史紀錄，因合議庭要求被告連帶追繳不法所得六億八千多萬，而扁家罰金八億元、加上黃睿靚須付兩億元處分金，已逾不法所得總額，被告律師認為不符比例原則；審判長蔡守訓則強調一切合法。
扁家罰金共八億 逾不法所得
陳水扁遭蔡守訓裁定延押迄今兩百五十六天，連同之前特偵組起訴扁之前羈押的卅二天，扁迄今羈押已達兩百八十八天，法院最快明天，最慢後天，會將判決書送至北所由扁簽收，扁上訴後，再由高院分案決定是否續押。
蔡美利重病停審 陳鎮慧免刑
特偵組去年十二月針對國務機要費、龍潭案、南港案及洗錢案起訴扁、珍等十四人，今年五月再追加起訴扁、珍向前台北一○一董事長陳敏薰收賄千萬；珍的同學蔡美利因重病獲暫停審理。
昨宣判的十三名被告均有罪，前總統府出納陳鎮慧因認罪並擔任污點證人而獲免刑，但仍須和扁、珍共同遭追繳一億元不法所得；扁的妻舅吳景茂夫婦等五人獲緩刑；扁的昔日幕僚馬永成、林德訓雖未獲任何不法所得，但也遭認定是貪污共犯，重判廿年、十六年。
判決書提到，陳致中、黃睿靚夫婦先前態度傲慢，但後來自白，可說知恥近乎勇，但法官考量陳致中是洗錢主要操盤手，而未予緩刑。
合議庭曾審理過馬英九特別費案，判馬無罪；合議庭指出，國務機要費與特別費性質不同無法類比，扁案也不適用「支出大於收入」的「大水庫理論」。
馬扁案判決歧異 疑雙重標準
扁為抗議政治審判，昨未出庭聽判，審判長蔡守訓引用「大學」指扁、珍「一人貪戾，一國作亂」，判決書直指「陳水扁的總統職務限縮於財團豪閥之服務」，不法所得令人咋舌，故予重判；合議庭另認定陳致中等十一人為扁案共犯，一併向檢方告發。
昨天宣判前，挺扁群眾約兩百人至台北地院前抗議，高喊「阿扁無罪」；最高檢特偵組則說，台北地院積極進行審判程序並依法判決，對此表示敬意。
Read more!
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Black Wave: The Legacy Of The Exxon Valdez
I just watched this documentary, Black Wave: The Legacy Of The Exxon Valdez, which is produced by CBC. It upset me very much. I am angry to the cold blood Exxon and feel sad for those people in the fisheries town Cordova and all wildlife in and near Prince William Sound.
Black Wave: The Legacy of the Exxon Valdez (Saturday July 18, 2009 at 7 pm on CBC-TV)
Almost twenty years after the massive Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska the citizens of the town of Cordova are still dealing with the environmental and social impacts, as well as the financial and legal fallout of the spill. Black Wave: The Legacy of the Exxon Valdez is a poignant reminder that the effects of North America's biggest environmental catastrophe are still with us. Over the years they have profoundly altered the lives of tens of thousands of people, reducing many of them to poverty and despair.
.
.
.
.
Eventually a successful class-action suit, involving 32,000 people, brought the plaintiffs a huge victory when the jury ordered Exxon to pay five billion dollars in compensation. That should have been the end of the story, but it wasn't. Battalions of Exxon's lawyers started a drawn-out judicial war that dragged through the U.S. legal system. When the case finally ended up before the U.S. Supreme Court, it reduced the award to one tenth of its original amount. The decision, a victory for ExxonMobil, was a bitter defeat for the people of Cordova who are still trying to rebuild their lives.
Black Wave: The Legacy Of The Exxon Valdez
In the early hours of March 24th 1989 the Exxon Valdez oil supertanker runs aground in Alaska. It discharges millions of gallons of crude oil. The incident becomes the biggest environmental catastrophe in North American history.
For twenty years, Riki Ott and the fishermen of the little town of Cordova, Alaska have waged the longest legal battle in U.S. history against the world’s most powerful oil company – ExxonMobil. They tell us all about the environmental, social and economic consequences of the black wave that changed their lives forever. This is the legacy of the Exxon Valdez.
Facts courtesy of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council
* 11 million gallons or 257,000 barrels or 38,800 metric tonnes of oil was spilled. * This is roughly equivalent to 125 olympic-sized swimming pools.
* Approximately 1,300 miles of shoreline were impacted by the oil.
* At its peak the cleanup effort included 10,000 workers, about 1,000 boats and roughly 100 airplanes and helicopters. Exxon says it spent about $2.1 billion.
* No one knows exactly how many animals died but the best estimates are: 250,000 seabirds, 2,800 sea otters, 300 harbor seals, 250 bald eagles, up to 22 killer whales, and billions of salmon and herring eggs.
Exxon Valdez oil spill
Exxon Valdez oil spill
In the case of Baker v. Exxon, an Anchorage jury awarded $287 million for actual damages and $5 billion for punitive damages. The punitive damages amount was equal to a single year's profit by Exxon at that time.
Exxon appealed the ruling, and the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered the original judge, Russel Holland, to reduce the punitive damages. On December 6, 2002, the judge announced that he had reduced the damages to $4 billion, which he concluded was justified by the facts of the case and was not grossly excessive. Exxon appealed again and the case returned to court to be considered in light of a recent Supreme Court ruling in a similar case, which caused Judge Holland to increase the punitive damages to $4.5 billion, plus interest.
After more appeals, and oral arguments heard by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on January 27, 2006, the damages award was cut to $2.5 billion on December 22, 2006. The court cited recent Supreme Court rulings relative to limits on punitive damages.
Exxon appealed again. On May 23, 2007, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals denied ExxonMobil's request for a third hearing and let stand its ruling that Exxon owes $2.5 billion in punitive damages. Exxon then appealed to the Supreme Court, which agreed to hear the case.[15] On February 27, 2008, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments for 90 minutes. Justice Samuel Alito, who at the time, owned between $100,000 and $250,000 in Exxon stock, recused himself from the case.[16] In a decision issued June 25, 2008, Justice David Souter issued the judgment of the court, vacating the $2.5 billion award and remanding the case back to a lower court, finding that the damages were excessive with respect to maritime common law. Exxon's actions were deemed "worse than negligent but less than malicious."[17] The judgment limits punitive damages to the compensatory damages, which for this case were calculated as $507.5 million.[18] Some lawmakers, such as Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick J. Leahy, have decried the ruling as "another in a line of cases where this Supreme Court has misconstrued congressional intent to benefit large corporations."
Read more!
Black Wave: The Legacy of the Exxon Valdez (Saturday July 18, 2009 at 7 pm on CBC-TV)
Almost twenty years after the massive Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska the citizens of the town of Cordova are still dealing with the environmental and social impacts, as well as the financial and legal fallout of the spill. Black Wave: The Legacy of the Exxon Valdez is a poignant reminder that the effects of North America's biggest environmental catastrophe are still with us. Over the years they have profoundly altered the lives of tens of thousands of people, reducing many of them to poverty and despair.
.
.
.
.
Eventually a successful class-action suit, involving 32,000 people, brought the plaintiffs a huge victory when the jury ordered Exxon to pay five billion dollars in compensation. That should have been the end of the story, but it wasn't. Battalions of Exxon's lawyers started a drawn-out judicial war that dragged through the U.S. legal system. When the case finally ended up before the U.S. Supreme Court, it reduced the award to one tenth of its original amount. The decision, a victory for ExxonMobil, was a bitter defeat for the people of Cordova who are still trying to rebuild their lives.
Black Wave: The Legacy Of The Exxon Valdez
In the early hours of March 24th 1989 the Exxon Valdez oil supertanker runs aground in Alaska. It discharges millions of gallons of crude oil. The incident becomes the biggest environmental catastrophe in North American history.
For twenty years, Riki Ott and the fishermen of the little town of Cordova, Alaska have waged the longest legal battle in U.S. history against the world’s most powerful oil company – ExxonMobil. They tell us all about the environmental, social and economic consequences of the black wave that changed their lives forever. This is the legacy of the Exxon Valdez.
Facts courtesy of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council
* 11 million gallons or 257,000 barrels or 38,800 metric tonnes of oil was spilled. * This is roughly equivalent to 125 olympic-sized swimming pools.
* Approximately 1,300 miles of shoreline were impacted by the oil.
* At its peak the cleanup effort included 10,000 workers, about 1,000 boats and roughly 100 airplanes and helicopters. Exxon says it spent about $2.1 billion.
* No one knows exactly how many animals died but the best estimates are: 250,000 seabirds, 2,800 sea otters, 300 harbor seals, 250 bald eagles, up to 22 killer whales, and billions of salmon and herring eggs.
Exxon Valdez oil spill
Exxon Valdez oil spill
In the case of Baker v. Exxon, an Anchorage jury awarded $287 million for actual damages and $5 billion for punitive damages. The punitive damages amount was equal to a single year's profit by Exxon at that time.
Exxon appealed the ruling, and the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered the original judge, Russel Holland, to reduce the punitive damages. On December 6, 2002, the judge announced that he had reduced the damages to $4 billion, which he concluded was justified by the facts of the case and was not grossly excessive. Exxon appealed again and the case returned to court to be considered in light of a recent Supreme Court ruling in a similar case, which caused Judge Holland to increase the punitive damages to $4.5 billion, plus interest.
After more appeals, and oral arguments heard by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on January 27, 2006, the damages award was cut to $2.5 billion on December 22, 2006. The court cited recent Supreme Court rulings relative to limits on punitive damages.
Exxon appealed again. On May 23, 2007, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals denied ExxonMobil's request for a third hearing and let stand its ruling that Exxon owes $2.5 billion in punitive damages. Exxon then appealed to the Supreme Court, which agreed to hear the case.[15] On February 27, 2008, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments for 90 minutes. Justice Samuel Alito, who at the time, owned between $100,000 and $250,000 in Exxon stock, recused himself from the case.[16] In a decision issued June 25, 2008, Justice David Souter issued the judgment of the court, vacating the $2.5 billion award and remanding the case back to a lower court, finding that the damages were excessive with respect to maritime common law. Exxon's actions were deemed "worse than negligent but less than malicious."[17] The judgment limits punitive damages to the compensatory damages, which for this case were calculated as $507.5 million.[18] Some lawmakers, such as Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick J. Leahy, have decried the ruling as "another in a line of cases where this Supreme Court has misconstrued congressional intent to benefit large corporations."
Read more!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Popular Consultation Day in East Timor
Just heard the news about the Popular Consultation Day (August 30) in East Timor. Tomorrow will be the 10th anniversary of East Timor independence. It reminds me how much difficult they have gone through to become an independent nation 10 years ago. Wish all the best to those brave people in East Timor who fought with their lives for the freedom and independence.
Agreement regaring the Modalities for the Popular Consultation of the East Timorese through a Direct Ballot
UN Volunteers to assist 'Popular Consultation' ballot in East Timor (18 June 1999)
East Timor buries independence fighters
By Sara Everingham in Dili, Posted Sat Aug 29, 2009 11:00am AEST
The remains of independence fighters killed in East Timor's remote hills were buried at a new site at Metanero.
Hundreds of East Timorese have been attending a ceremony near Dili to remember those who died in the fight for independence.
Sunday marks 10 years since East Timor's vote for independence on August 30 in 1999.
Answered by Fire
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Agreement regaring the Modalities for the Popular Consultation of the East Timorese through a Direct Ballot
UN Volunteers to assist 'Popular Consultation' ballot in East Timor (18 June 1999)
East Timor buries independence fighters
By Sara Everingham in Dili, Posted Sat Aug 29, 2009 11:00am AEST
The remains of independence fighters killed in East Timor's remote hills were buried at a new site at Metanero.
Hundreds of East Timorese have been attending a ceremony near Dili to remember those who died in the fight for independence.
Sunday marks 10 years since East Timor's vote for independence on August 30 in 1999.
Answered by Fire
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Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Hot Winter in Brisbane
Today is August 25. I admitted that I came from North Hemisphere, so summer was in June-Aug in my past lives. But I am in Brisbane now, it is in South Hemisphere and June-Aug should be winter. I know it is end of winter in Brisbane and the weather in Brisbane is sub-tropical, but the temperature in Brisbane is still way too high in this week. 35 oC, 35 oC, it is like the summer temperature in my home at Taiwan.
Brisbane, Queensland: August 2009 Daily Weather Observations
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Brisbane, Queensland: August 2009 Daily Weather Observations
| Date | Day | Temps | Rain | Evap | Sun | Max wind gust | 9 am | 3 pm | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Min | Max | Dir | Spd | Time | Temp | RH | Cld | Dir | Spd | MSLP | Temp | RH | Cld | Dir | Spd | MSLP | |||||
| °C | °C | mm | mm | hours | km/h | local | °C | % | 8th | km/h | hPa | °C | % | 8th | km/h | hPa | |||||
| 1 | Sa | 8.4 | 22.5 | 0 | 3.2 | 9.8 | W | 19 | 11:17 | 13.7 | 60 | 1 | SW | 9 | 1025.4 | 19.3 | 52 | 1 | ENE | 11 | 1022.3 |
| 2 | Su | 8.8 | 23.0 | 0 | 5.4 | 10.0 | SSW | 20 | 08:45 | 14.4 | 69 | 1 | SW | 9 | 1027.2 | 21.8 | 42 | 1 | NNE | 9 | 1024.1 |
| 3 | Mo | 9.4 | 24.3 | 0 | 3.2 | 9.1 | WNW | 24 | 13:03 | 15.0 | 73 | 0 | SSW | 6 | 1024.8 | 24.1 | 36 | 0 | WNW | 11 | 1020.1 |
| 4 | Tu | 9.1 | 22.8 | 0 | 3.0 | 9.8 | NE | 22 | 13:47 | 15.5 | 66 | 5 | SW | 7 | 1023.4 | 20.9 | 52 | 7 | NE | 11 | 1019.3 |
| 5 | We | 10.8 | 23.4 | 0 | 2.8 | 9.8 | ENE | 22 | 15:17 | 16.3 | 69 | 6 | SW | 9 | 1021.5 | 22.0 | 46 | 1 | ENE | 13 | 1018.8 |
| 6 | Th | 11.3 | 22.5 | 0 | 2.8 | 10.1 | ESE | 26 | 13:58 | 15.9 | 72 | 1 | SW | 9 | 1023.6 | 21.5 | 49 | 1 | ENE | 13 | 1020.0 |
| 7 | Fr | 10.4 | 23.7 | 0 | 3.6 | 10.0 | ENE | 19 | 16:36 | 15.9 | 73 | 1 | SW | 7 | 1021.6 | 22.8 | 50 | 1 | NNE | 9 | 1016.6 |
| 8 | Sa | 10.5 | 22.7 | 0 | 2.8 | 10.0 | E | 28 | 15:25 | 16.4 | 69 | 1 | SW | 9 | 1019.7 | 20.5 | 47 | 1 | E | 15 | 1016.7 |
| 9 | Su | 8.2 | 22.0 | 0 | 5.0 | 9.8 | NE | 19 | 15:48 | 14.3 | 59 | 1 | SW | 11 | 1021.3 | 21.1 | 43 | 1 | NE | 9 | 1017.6 |
| 10 | Mo | 9.3 | 22.5 | 0 | 2.6 | 10.1 | ENE | 22 | 14:24 | 15.1 | 71 | 4 | SSW | 6 | 1022.9 | 21.1 | 48 | 1 | ENE | 13 | 1019.7 |
| 11 | Tu | 9.5 | 23.0 | 0 | 2.4 | 10.1 | NE | 24 | 12:25 | 16.2 | 70 | 1 | SW | 6 | 1022.2 | 21.9 | 40 | 1 | NE | 13 | 1017.8 |
| 12 | We | 11.7 | 23.5 | 0 | 3.6 | 6.9 | E | 56 | 16:07 | 16.8 | 75 | 7 | SSW | 6 | 1018.7 | 22.1 | 62 | 4 | NE | 13 | 1013.3 |
| 13 | Th | 10.6 | 26.8 | 2.8 | 3.0 | 10.0 | NE | 19 | 14:10 | 19.5 | 67 | 1 | ESE | 2 | 1016.4 | 25.3 | 51 | 1 | NNE | 9 | 1012.1 |
| 14 | Fr | 12.1 | 26.4 | 0 | 2.8 | 9.5 | W | 30 | 11:36 | 18.6 | 53 | 1 | SW | 7 | 1018.1 | 26.4 | 22 | 0 | SSW | 7 | 1014.8 |
| 15 | Sa | 10.8 | 23.4 | 0 | 4.0 | 10.5 | NNE | 20 | 15:52 | 16.5 | 68 | 1 | SSW | 7 | 1021.6 | 22.6 | 48 | 1 | NE | 11 | 1018.0 |
| 16 | Su | 10.2 | 25.4 | 0 | 4.0 | 10.8 | NNE | 24 | 16:16 | 16.6 | 68 | 0 | S | 4 | 1022.2 | 23.0 | 51 | 0 | NNE | 15 | 1017.4 |
| 17 | Mo | 11.2 | 27.8 | 0 | 4.6 | 10.4 | W | 41 | 21:27 | 18.5 | 69 | 0 | SW | 7 | 1019.0 | 26.1 | 52 | 1 | ENE | 9 | 1014.6 |
| 18 | Tu | 13.3 | 23.4 | 0.2 | 5.0 | 10.6 | E | 31 | 16:10 | 19.2 | 50 | 1 | SSW | 7 | 1024.9 | 21.7 | 32 | 1 | ESE | 17 | 1023.5 |
| 19 | We | 10.9 | 23.4 | 0 | 5.2 | 10.5 | SE | 24 | 12:02 | 17.1 | 58 | 1 | SW | 9 | 1027.9 | 20.6 | 43 | 1 | E | 7 | 1023.4 |
| 20 | Th | 10.7 | 22.7 | 0 | 3.4 | 9.4 | E | 22 | 13:16 | 17.5 | 68 | 1 | SW | 7 | 1023.0 | 22.3 | 41 | 6 | NNE | 7 | 1017.8 |
| 21 | Fr | 11.6 | 24.6 | 0 | 4.4 | 10.2 | ENE | 28 | 13:19 | 18.5 | 63 | 0 | Calm | 1017.9 | 22.7 | 64 | 1 | NNE | 15 | 1012.3 | |
| 22 | Sa | 14.5 | 28.1 | 0 | 4.6 | 8.9 | E | 48 | 17:10 | 21.2 | 62 | 1 | NW | 2 | 1014.7 | 26.1 | 50 | 1 | ENE | 13 | 1010.5 |
| 23 | Su | 14.2 | 28.3 | 0 | 5.6 | 10.5 | ENE | 24 | 14:01 | 21.4 | 70 | 0 | SSW | 4 | 1015.7 | 25.4 | 54 | 1 | NE | 15 | 1011.4 |
| 24 | Mo | 15.5 | 35.4 | 0 | 3.2 | 10.4 | N | 28 | 16:08 | 24.1 | 68 | 3 | Calm | 1014.3 | 31.5 | 42 | 1 | ENE | 15 | 1008.5 | |
| 25 | Tu | 17.6 | 33.4 | 0 | 5.8 | 10.8 | W | 39 | 13:18 | 29.2 | 29 | 0 | WNW | 15 | 1011.8 | 33.1 | 23 | 1 | WNW | 17 | 1008.3 |
| 26 | We | 18.0 | 30.0 | 0 | 7.2 | 10.2 | W | 37 | 14:35 | 23.6 | 21 | 1 | W | 11 | 1016.8 | 29.5 | 8 | 3 | W | 17 | 1013.6 |
| 27 | Th | 10.8 | 26.5 | 0 | 5.6 | 9.1 | E | 22 | 11:53 | 17.5 | 39 | 6 | WSW | 9 | 1020.1 | 25.1 | 36 | 3 | ENE | 11 | 1016.3 |
| 28 | Fr | 15.8 | 29.3 | 0 | 2.8 | 9.6 | NNW | 28 | 12:45 | 21.6 | 62 | 1 | WSW | 7 | 1018.8 | 26.0 | 57 | 1 | NNE | 11 | 1013.7 |
| 29 | Sa | 19.2 | 0 | 3.8 | 22.0 | 79 | 4 | NNW | 7 | 1016.8 | |||||||||||
| Statistics for the first 29 days of August 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Mean | 11.9 | 25.4 | 4.0 | 9.9 | 18.2 | 62 | 1 | 6 | 1020.4 | 23.8 | 44 | 1 | 12 | 1016.5 | |||||||
| Lowest | 8.2 | 22.0 | 0 | 2.4 | 6.9 | 13.7 | 21 | 0 | Calm | 1011.8 | 19.3 | 8 | 0 | # | 7 | 1008.3 | |||||
| Highest | 19.2 | 35.4 | 2.8 | 7.2 | 10.8 | E | 56 | 29.2 | 79 | 7 | WNW | 15 | 1027.9 | 33.1 | 64 | 7 | # | 17 | 1024.1 | ||
| Total | 3.0 | 115.4 | 276.9 | ||||||||||||||||||
IDCJDW4019.200908 Prepared at 00:27 GMT on Saturday 29 August 2009
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