SLD

I generally do not align myself with any party in particular,
because I like to think of myself as an independant. None of us are truly independant of our political surroundings, however. In life, I believe we have to work together or fall apart. All things rely upon this principle and nothing would be as it is without it.

Proof of the Pudding

"Quantity has a quality all of its own." German equipment and weaponry in WWII was far superior to Allied equipment and weaponry. The German Wehrmacht in the 1940s was the best equipped, best trained and, man for man, the most effective army that had ever existed up to that point in history.
This was actually a problem for them, however - the Allies could churn out huge quantities of their inferior equipment, whereas
the Germans had trouble maintaining parity of numbers with
their high quality, difficult to manufacture weaponry. Numbers
won in the end.

Propaganda Poster

"Stop this monster that stops at nothing... PRODUCE to the limit!" It means that the Axis would stop at nothing to destroy US and that to defeat the monster Americans needed to produce more armaments. The poster is funny. However, America was facing a serious problem at the time - it was trying to fight a World War, yet many of its workers were going on strike for more money.

Scandinavian

This color red is very common in sweden, especially in the countryside. The color is called
falun red. Falun is the center of
the Swedish province of Dalecarlia (Dallarna in Swedish). Historically Sweden was a center of iron mining and paint was made with iron oxide, which gave it that red color.

A revolution is not a picnic

The SN-RF alliance is also known as 'The United Popular Front'. The word 'popular' means 'of the people' or 'has the support of the people'. The cog is empty and part of the rifle is outside the cog itself, rather like the hammer in the Soviet hammer and sickle.

Political Compass

Potemkin is now a deputy leader of the SN-RF(unified Socialism Now and Revolutionary Front Parties), though it's largely an honorary position. HoniSoit is the current leader of the unified party. I guess I just seem to naturally gravitate towards the alpha males. PNL is on the extreme right, and will likely be unable to join any ruling coalition. Dave and Joey are probably destined for a long, frustrating career on the backbenches of Pofoland's parliament.

Pan-Nationalist League

The PNL is more like the GOP was early in the 20th century, but not to the extent the GOP was back then. It was a producerist party. A lot more protectionist than it is now, and more concerned with the national infrastructure. Nowadays every time a new infrastructure project is proposed the GOP screams PORK!

Philip II ?

He looks more like a Sephardi Jews than an English monarch. The portrait BBS showed couldn't be one of William the Conqueror - the costume is completely wrong, by hundreds of years. The costume is from the 15th or 16th century.

I Wish

"Despite theological differences, all great religions share common commitments that define our ideal secular relationships.
I am convinced that Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, and others can embrace each other in a common effort to alleviate human suffering and to espouse peace."

Aircraft Graffiti

During WWII there was a culture of "pin-up girls". And armies throughout history have had camp followers, prostitutes, etc. Armies don't have camp followers anymore that disappeared with modern warfare. During WWII there was also a tradition known as "nose art". Pilots would have paintings done on the nose of their aircraft, usually of pretty girls but not always.

Daovonnaex

"What we lack in length we make up for in excitement."
I have never read a single good book on all of american history,
most of the books that cover all of american history have some kind of biased theme. You might want to try reading David McCullough's books, he writes narrative histories, so they read like novels. He is one of America's most famous historians. Two great books by him are 1776 and Adams. 1776 is about the first year of the American Revolution, Adams is about the life of John Adams. Adams was made into a miniseries on HBO recently.

Passport

It's certainly long-winded and ornate.
"Her Britannic Majesty's Secretary of State requests and requires in the Name of Her Majesty all those to whom it may concern to allow the bearer to pass freely without let or hindrance, and to afford the bearer such assistance and protection as may be necessary."

Nostalgia

I now have the world at my finger tips and can see what is out
there. There is a big world just waiting for me to explore it.

Landmark decision

Roe v. Wade prohibits state governments from legislating against abortion, so it's legal across the United States. The thing is though Puerto Rico isn't a state. It's a commonwealth territory, so it has a little more autonomy.

Light gun shooter

The worst thing about Duck Hunt is that when you miss that damn dog laughs at you.

Bad hair day

Most of the higher mammals can get influenza.
Even birds can get it, and they're not even mammals.
There have been some suspected cases here,
but no confirmed cases so far.
Fingers crossed!

WWIII

The Europeans have a long and honourable tradition of hating each other. Take a look at European history some time - it's like the Warring States period of Chinese history, but lasting two thousand years rather than just a few hundred. It was the competition between the European nations which made European imperialism so aggressive and devastating in the 19th century and led to two world wars in the 20th century. World Wars I and II were nothing more than European civil wars amplified onto a global scale by European imperialism.

Made-in-China

"Great prices, terrible quality"...lol.
It's catchy, but it doesn't exactly attract customers.
Well, there have been numerous recalls already.

Gives a start

Michael has translated about a third of it so far.
I reckon he has to keep stopping and starting it and scribbling down what the German-type person has said, so it's taking some time. Anyway, he should have it finished before the end of today.
I believe him.

Drunk cat

The label says "Flag Pils". The 'F' is written using Gothic script, which is why it is difficult to read. In Germany, entire books are printed using Gothic script. Speaking of incomprehensible Germans, the video I sent is spoken by somebody who has a strong German accent, which makes it difficult to understand what he's saying.

Lax gun law

You can legally carry a handgun out in the open without a license.There's only 3 US states where that's allowed -- New Hampshire, Vermont and Montana.
Well, I think people're actually safer around an armed population because criminals usually always have guns and honest citizens having guns too means they can defend themselves and defend
you.

Federal welfare

It is the monetary assistance the US federal government gives to people who don't work. The government pays for their housing,
food and healthcare, and gives them some money for other things.
It's supposed to be for people who can't find work and need it, but
it ultimately ends up paying for people who don't wanna work.

Tis nigh

When marimba rhythms start to play
Dance with me, make me sway
Like a lazy ocean hugs the shore
Hold me close, sway me more

Like a flower bending in the breeze
Bend with me, sway with ease
When we dance you have a way with me
Stay with me, sway with me

Material World

Children are expensive to have, especially because healthcare and college aren't necessarily free like in most other Western countries. The birth rate is something like 2.2 per woman on average (various by class, race, etc.).

Czar Alexander III

Faberge eggs are famous. True pieces of art, I think.
They are all over a million dollars though. I love them.

St. Mary's Episcopal Church

"We will give most of them to the church for the Easter egg hunt, about one dozen we will keep for our children. I make egg salad for sandwiches for about two weeks after Easter. the boiled eggs stay
good in the shell for about one week. the egg salad stays good in the refrigerator for about another week." Humm, eggs cost about one dollar (plus sales taxes) per dozen, so why not splurge and buy
extras.

Spanish Inquisition

The 'test' involves him in a chair surrounded by engineering professors asking him questions about chemistry, calculus,
and physics.Whether he can go back to school at this point in his
life totally depends upon how well he does for these professors.
Good Luck, Huck.

Eggstravaganza

When two friends met on Easter Day, they would tap their eggs together and one would say, "Christ is risen!" And then the other would reply, "Christ is risen indeed!" They would then eat the
eggs together. ...OMG! You bastards, you killed Baby Jesus!

Gun

Just like every other tool in life:
It's better to have and not need, than need and not have.

No Clambing

It should be 'No Climbing'.
Although you may be interested to know that there's an English word 'clambering', which means a particular kind of climbing, in which you cling tightly to whatever
you are climbing and move quickly. It's usually used to describe the way in which children climb. BTW, it should read 'No sculpting or drawing'.

Qingming Festival

Pick a topic, any topic.

John Adams

Beginning is good then it becomes rather boring and depressing.
Much too deferential to these historical figures, some were turned
into borderline mythological figures, especially with regards to
George Washington.

Ling Shan

No phrase describes yesterday better than "a feast for the Buddhists".
The marvelous architecture -- Giant Buddha pleased everyone's eyes. And this laughing buddha's belly deserves a good rub.
Let's hope the Buddha can feel his belly being rubbed in Nirvana.

Sun Never Sets

Britain is just a small island off the coast of Europe. Most other nations are bigger than Britain. Britain has never really been integrated into Europe; they are partly in Europe and partly out of Europe.
In fact, the British Empire was a global rather than a European empire. This means that they have always traditionally looked beyond Europe, and did not really regard themselves as part of Europe. In fact, they were so small that other nations didn't take them seriously until it was too late and they had conquered the world.

Easy Virtue

We're all alone, no chaperone can get our number.
The world's aslumber, let's misbehave.
Timing is everything....

In Gold We Trust

It's a rather good pun in English.
There's a similar joke which goes:
"In God we trust. All others pay cash." ^_^

Gin War?

"The British wanted a way of financially exploiting the massive population of China. They chose opium to do so, because it is an addictive drug and could be manufactured in large quantities close
to the Chinese market. It was a product which created its own demand, and was therefore ideal for the purpose of exploiting the Chinese market for financial gain.
The social and moral consequences of creating many tens of millions
of drug addicts in China was irrelevant to them, of course. Like all good capitalists, the British held to the belief that "whatever makes money is moral; whatever loses money is immoral". If they didn't have opium to sell, they would have sold tobacco or alcohol or slaves, or something else. The British had excess capital from their industrialisation, which they needed to invest in new markets.
The Chinese market was just too big not to exploit - and opium was
the ideal product to use to exploit that market.
The Chinese nation was relatively backward and weak, so it could
not effectively resist that exploitation."

Racialism?

Mexico has some kind of comic book character for children which is black with red lips, a common representation of blacks in media.
In America that kind of representation is associated with minstrel,
a form of media meant to insult blacks in which whites put on black makeup and pretended to be black. In other countries (ie countries that don't have blacks) this kind of representation is innocent.
There are many traditional European toys which look similar,
such as golliwogs in Britain (which are now under attack in Britain
as being racist, since there are minorities in Britain now).
Mexico issued a commemorative postal stamp of this character,
and American blacks found out and complained.
Jesse Jackson went to Mexico specifically to complain to the Mexican President.

Battle Hymn of the Republic

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord:
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword:
His truth is marching on.

I have seen Him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps,
They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps;
I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps:
His day is marching on.

I have read a fiery gospel writ in burnished rows of steel:
"As ye deal with my contemners, so with you my grace shall deal;
Let the Hero, born of woman, crush the serpent with his heel,
Since God is marching on."

He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat;
He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment-seat:
Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer Him! be jubilant, my feet!
Our God is marching on.

In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me:
As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free,
While God is marching on.

He is coming like the glory of the morning on the wave,
He is Wisdom to the mighty, He is Succour to the brave,
So the world shall be His footstool, and the soul of Time His slave,
Our God is marching on.

Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Our God is marching on.

Public Service

Some offices have no salary. It depends on the position.
Elected officials in Dave's small town(Antigo, Wisconsin) earn no salary. Because they aren't professional politicians.
Most are employed in other jobs or retired. Other draw a salary,
and generally the more important the office the higher the salary. The President makes $400,000 a year (of course that doesn't include his benefits package, like a 747 to fly him anywhere he wants,
or living in the White House, etc.). As a rule of thumb any elected official at a reasonably high level can expect to earn far more money when he leaves office as a lobbyist.

"Brick"

Electronics are generally quite cheap.
The model of mp3 player I bought online costs about £20, which is about the average for a 2 Gb flash player. It looks quite stylish. ^_^

Podcasting

Overall we think Western European television news is good.
The BBC is the classic example, and both France and Germany
have similar English-language international news (France 24
and Deutsche Welle).

Congress

Well, you can call his office. Wether or not you'll speak to him is a different question. Dave's dad calls his Congressman all the time
to complain, but he never gets past the staffers. Then again, he is extremely mean and rude to people who work for the government.

Food For Thought

In the immortal words of Neil Armstrong,
that's one small step for McDonalds, one giant leap for China!

Insipid Commentary

CNN is considered "moderate", whereas Fox News is considered "conservative". Both are...relatively terrible.
There are some exceptions of course, Judge Napolitano's show
on Fox is good, and Lou Dobbs' show on CNN is decent.

Deconstructionist

Can I just feel bad enough to feel good?
Now I dont have a particular topic in mind.
I feel so bad I just feel so bad -- it is work-related.
I would write down how I feel and post it on PoFo.
It's kind of a self-therapy.

Hell is paved with good intentions

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux (1091-1153),
"Hell is full of good intentions or desires."

You should never be too impressed by people who with good manners,
They are the ones who will give a friendly wave,
even when they've stolen from you.

They are the type to sweetly welcome you,
Even as they try to uncover your secrets.

They are the kind to offer you coffee,
Even as they report you to the police.

And dont be too offended by someone who's openly rude,
Because they may be that way,
for the nicest of reasons.

Herz an Herz

The weight of these sad times we must obey;
Speak what we feel, not what we ought to say.

Future Me

We have no way of knowing what lays ahead for us in the future.
All we can do is use the information at hand to make the best
decision possible. It's gonna be fine.
My whole life is gonna be fine.

Are you tired?

"I am awake
You are still sleeping
The sun will rise
Like yesterday..."
This is Vivian...Sigh...whatever...Does anyone ever feel like they're just...disappearing? I feel so much like giving up.

The Pursuit of Happyness

There is no "Y" in happiness, there is "I".
That's really a good film, I love it. It's rather too American for many people's taste, however. Even the title is a quote from the Declaration
of Independence.

Where the Wild Roses Grow

" The national flower of Scotland is the thistle, the national flower of Wales is the leek and the national flower of Ireland is the shamrock.
I dunno why England has the rose as its national flower, but there was a famous, long civil war in the Middle Ages called the 'Wars of the Roses'. It was so called because the two aristocratic families who fought each other were in control of the neighbouring counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire, and the emblem of Lancashire was the red rose and the emblem of Yorkshire was the white rose. Marx believed it was the effects of the Wars of the Roses which led England to become the first nation in the world to create industrial capitalism, because the aristocracy were largely wiped out during the civil war leaving their lesser relatives to inherit their titles and estates. There lesser relatives of the aristocratic families were already involved in commerce and industry, whereas the aristocracy itself had been hostile to commerce and regarded it as demeaning and beneath them. This is why the British aristocracy were ready to forma class alliance with the bourgeoisie in the 18th and 19th centuries, whereas in most other nations (such as France) the bourgeoisie fought and destroyed the aristocratic class. It's why we still have a monarchy and aristocracy now, whereas most other developed nations are democratic republics."

Defeat of the Spanish Armada

The UK didn't exist at that time. England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland were still completely separate countries which had not joined the United Kingdom yet; that only happened in 1707. It was only England which was at war with the Spanish Empire. As to why England won, let's just say that there was a lack of co-ordination between the Spanish army and navy, a reluctance on the part of the Spanish King to cancel the invasion when logistical problems started becoming serious, and the tactical superiority of the English Navy during the battle itself. It was a great turning point in European history - it marked the beginning of the decline of Spain and the rise of England (and later the UK).

Western Civilisation

The modern world is actually derived from ancient Rome and Greece far more than it is from the Medieval world.
There's a discontinuity in the cultural and social history of Europe during the Renaissance -- they consciously rejected the values of the Medieval period and attempted to return to the values of the ancient world. The modern Western society which the West spread across the world during the 19th century - was based on ancient Rome.

Musical Treasure

What a Glorious Feeling ! Singin' in the Rain is a very good film,
one of Gene Kelly's best. And the fake stage sets and makeup are
part of the charm of these old films.

Seagull 1963

" The movement is high quality, but the exterior quality and fit and finish are poor, as is typical with Chinese watches. It still looks nice and is very unique though, so I am happy to have it in my collection. It's from the Seagull watch factory. "
I'm very interested to know that Dave owns a 1963 Chinese Air Force watch. He collects wristwatches and bought this from a German man in Hong Kong last summer.

Gun Ban

I disagree completely. Look at Chicago, murder capital of the US.
Since they enacted their (highly illegal) gun ban in the early 80's.
Violent crime has done nothing but go up.
Then let's look at Detroit. In 2002 Michigan passed concealed carry.
Violent crime in Detroit has fallen since.

Rainy Day

"Some bad news is that I think my BMW is shot. I have been noticing blue smoke between shifts, which is a sign that oil is leaking into the combustion chamber. There is probably something wrong with the valvetrain, which is a very expensive problem to fix." Well,well,well...I suppose that's what Dave gets for driving so aggressively. LOL~

Good point

"The British system is based on the medieval traditions rather than classical traditions. This is why classical architecture never really took off in Britain - it's Gothic all the way.
Even the 'Mother of Parliaments' is a Gothic building, a cathedral to bourgeois liberalism rather than a temple to republicanism.
Our political traditions are medieval rather than classical, enlightened despotism rather than classical republicanism.
We trace our liberties to the early medieval kings like Henry II or
King John rather than to Cicero or Demosthenes.
The problem was that medieval England was more liberal and more advanced than almost any other medieval European state (merrie olde England), so when feudalism was swept away everywhere else
in Europe during the 18th century, the archaic semi-feudal system
in Britain creaked and swayed a bit, but did not fall.
The Enlightenment failed to take hold in England, and our feudal system continued unbroken. We are now stuck with it.

The Founding Fathers were absolutely right to chuck out all that medieval rubbish and start again from first principles.
The Magna Carta was not a founding document of the American Republic, and it was deliberately excluded from the canon.
Rightly so. The Founding Fathers went back beyond the medieval feudal concept of rights and obligations and returned to the classical republican tradition. This is why public buildings in America all
look like classical temples. Public buildings in Britain look like Gothic cathedrals. That fact symbolises the political differences between our two countries."

Sage of the Seers

"From what I've experienced, I believe they are correct. Its active ingredient, salvinroin A, is the most powerful naturally-occurring hallucinogen." Well, Salvia Divinorum does indeed mean "diviners' sage". It is used by the Mazatec Indians of Mexico in their religious ceremonies. They believe it gives them access to the spirit world.
The herb itself is perfectly legal to smoke in Britain,
and is becoming increasingly popular.

Singin' in the Rain

It begins just after sunrise.
After a good night sleep, I leave home to go to work.
I do this so I can provide a better life for my families.
So I can afford to buy nice things and have a reason to get up in the morning. When the exhausting work is done, I come back home
again and begin counting the days...till my next vacation.

Long Time No See

Dear Blog, I'm sorry about neglecting you recently.
It's just that I had run out of things to say about McDonalds lunches.
Anyway, I'm obsessed with food. Food seems to have always been an important part of Chinese culture, unlike Britain. In fact, one of the main ways in which Chinese culture has influenced the West is through its food -- the West has embraced Chinese food in a big way; most towns in Britain have several Chinese restaurants and takeaways.

An early bird

While other siders are hitting the snooze button, I had a rude awakening when the rooster crowed at dawn this morning.
And I'm serving a week of hard time.

Misery Love Company

Positive thinking can change our life.
"You cannot put a limit on anything. The more you dream, the farther you get." In Phelps's cases, positive thinking produced an attitude of hopeful expectation and armed him with the necessary tools to make his dreams come true.
Dear Alex, it can do the same for us, too!

A Complete Idiot Way To Einstein

This is a very great book even with a very small title.
It's very easy to read with several cartoons on one page, this style is very suitable for me.
Also the length or the number of words on each page is all very short. And the way in which the author tried to show his opinions is also very diverse. Anyway, this would be a very good book for me to understand Einstein and Physics and History of Physics.

Devil in the Details

An ounce of prevention equals a pound of cure.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is good to know no matter
where you live. Once needed, it is too late to learn such things
which prevent panic in an emergency.

AIAA JOURNAL

"The authors provide a very good description of their objectives, approach and results obtained. Their description of the wavelet
based neural network that was used in their analysis also very
good, as are the conclusions drawn from their results."
Alex's manuscript was sent out to 5 reviewers.
As of now 4 reviews have been completed.
He'll modify his manuscript in accordance with the reviewers'
comments and suggestion.

Valentine's Day

I havenot actually decided how to celebrate yet.
Perhaps I'll go out for a meal at a restaurant and eat alone.
I havenot talked to Alex lately because he has been so wrapped up
in preparations for his thesis.

Mississippi

William Faulkner was a famous author from Ole Miss. The State is named after the River.
It is located in the Gulf of Mexico directly adjacent to Alabama. It has a grand tradition of plantations and cotton fields. Mark Twain wrote about the river and the state.

A History of the American People

Volume two is beyond the Civil War to the present day.
That is just how the class is split up because the Civil War was such a pivotal moment in America's history, half of the semester is spent on that single topic and all of the battles and the differences between the two governments. Many are still fighting that war.
Reconstruction nearly permanently divided the country.
Some remnants of it are still on the books today.

Friends

American humour is based on slapstick - visual, physical humour. This makes it easy to understand for an international audience,
and is probably why American film comedies became so successful from the 1920s onwards.
British humour is based on irony and social discomfort,
which is difficult for a non-British audience to understand.

Free Talk

The media complex has a huge Jewish component. It has a huge Catholic component, too. But the biggest component is a giant Protestant one. Everyone has their own specialty.
The Jews, humor, production values, the "news" and marketing.
The Catholics, ancient superstition and vengeance.
The Protestants, crime, horror, God, money and twisted sex.
Altogether it spells American E-N-T-E-R-T-A-I-N-M-E-N-T!

A Real Concern

"We have a basic human rights stance that the government
should get involved before people starve to death."
Well, human rights always wins over greed. There are programs
for people living in certain conditions that will allow them to get a subsidy from the governmentto buy food.
The numbers are getting larger for people who need such assistance.

Financial Crisis

Now we are having much unemployment. 6 months ago the rate was 4%, now it is over 8%. In another six months it may be 25%.
That number is the rate of people who are receiving government unemployment benefits but doesnot include the people who have been out of work for more than six months.

HBO

'Rome' is one of the best historical series ever made.
It's violent and bloody because ancient Rome at that time was itself violent and bloody. And watching the series would actually be a
good way of learning about the history of that time.

Henry VIII

'Divorced, beheaded, dead; divorced, beheaded, survived.'
LOL, six wives! He was a busy man.

The Last Samurai

There were a series of violent crimes committed by thugs and hooligans using cheap imitation samurai swords which they purchased on the internet, so the government banned the sale
and ownership of those kinds of swords.
Real swords are still legally available.
After all, a thug is not likely to slash or stab somebody with a
sword that costs £2000, is he?
He's going to use an imitation sword that cost him £30 on eBay,
then throw it into a canal afterwards.

Abstinence-Only

Sex education has been dropped under George Bush because the Republicans think the best thing to teach kids about sex is "Dont!".
It seems common sense to teach about predators and condoms and sexually transmitted diseases, but they think it is best left alone.

Patriotism 101

Civics is the study of the responsibilities of being a citizen in the United States or in the particular state where the class is taught. Each state works differently, so all states may have different civics lessons and others may not have the class at all and expect it to be taught at home. It covers the government and how it works. Voting, civil rights, and taxes.

Mum's the word

The standard classes in an American classroom for elementary are handwriting,reading/grammar,civics,mathematics,health/science, and history. These are taught all the way through graduation.
Towards the end, civics is replaced by some other choice and the maths and sciences get more detailedlike biology/chemistry or algebra/geometry.
Grammar and Literature are split half of a year on each.In Britain they do not learn English grammar or syntax in primary school.
Children used to be taught grammar in the first few years of secondary school (at about the ages of 11-13), but in the 1960s that requirement was dropped. Teaching children 'correct' grammar was felt to be oppressive and restricting to their 'creativity'.
The idea was that children would learn grammar by exploring and using language itself.Needless to say, this idea didnot really work.
All that happened was that the use of syntax and grammaramong native speakers of English became sloppy and incorrect.

Big Cake

The UK is entering an economic recession at the moment, triggered
by the global 'credit crunch'. Some famous supermarkets have gone bankrupt in the past few months, for example Woolworths.
This means that UK supermarkets are contracting rather than expanding into new markets. I guess the UK will be unable to challenge Wal-Mart or Carrefour in China for the next few years at least.

Warm Heart

"We had a few days at 10 degrees F last week; that is -12 C.
I wonder if it is the same cold snap that travelled around the world.
I knew I should have sent you socks with that book!"
Yeah, the temperature here is about 15 degrees F.
Because of you, Huck, I feel warm in my heart.

Hunting Season

There is plenty of wild game in the states...no shortage at all.
Because people try to take the weakest and allow the strong to procreate.The hunting would be better in the spring,but people do not hunt while mother animals are raising their newborns during that time of year. Only in the fall and winter after they have been weaned and are out on their own will people kill and eat nature's bounty.Even then, the young are left to grow.

It is official!

The spirit of U.S. constitution is protection of the individual citizens' rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness against the government's ability to restrict those rights. It limits the powers of government in all areas and dictates how the states interact and govern, also. Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth president proclaimed
it a government "of the people, by the people, and for the people."
Obama is modeling his presidency after Lincoln's. I believe that President Obama will do what he can to get Americans back to
those principals.

Junk Food

I eat McDonald's about once or twice a week.
The high carbohydrate count and cholesterol are bad for anyone.
I got cholecystopathy, so the protein is bad for my gallbladder.
When I was in college, I walked from time to time.
I was in much better physical shape then than I am now.
That's why I am planning to begin a jogging program.

No Heat

It doesnot rise above 2 degrees C tonight.
I am frozen because the heater in my house has broken.
It has gotten frigid here, suddenly.
I am freezing to death. Brrrrrrrrrrrr!

Black Thursday

Everyone makes mistakes. There will always be good days and bad days in the restaurant business. Mistakes happen, and then I make good for it. The important thing to do when I make a mistake is to acknowledge it, fix it, and then make sure it doesnot happen again.

I Am Right

Honesty is the best policy. I never know when I am being watched.
In fact, many employers often deliberately leave money lying around to find out which of their workers are honest and which are dishonest. I passed the test!

Snail mail

"If necessary I can find the air mail receipt and check to this end." Hopefully he still has it. Next time Huck will use UPS and just pay the money to make sure it gets here quickly...neither of us is the world's most patient person. :)

Filled Bun

Those dumplings look delicious.
It is said they were invented in ancient Persia, and travelled West to become
'ravioli' in Italy and East to become 'baozi' in China. In fact, the Persian plateau has always been a link joining East and West, at least as important as the Silk Road. I feel hungry now.

Sugar Free

I never buy tea pre mixed...too much sugar. Americans have been putting sugar in the tea since the 1700's. It comes from the British heritage. I love green tea, but it must also be sweetened with nutrasweet or be unsweetened altogether.
So I buy the bags and make it myself on the stove. I like my
black tea with cream or milk. Hmm, I consider myself a good cook.

Commuter

It takes me 1 hour to travel to work and another 1 hour to get back. That's actually not too bad for a daily commute to work, otherwise
I would spend a lot of time online.
There was a short period I spent on the forum literally all day
every day. I literally wrote a tenth of the forum's posts.

Anti-fake

There is a lot of counterfeit currency in Britain.
The detection methods are very good, however, so the problem
is kept under control. Well, it's more difficult to detect in China.
Most shops often dont have ultraviolet lamps or other equipment
to detect fake money. And it seems harsh that cashiers have to
repay the fake money from their own salary.

Rooms for $8.88!

It has been a long time since rooms were that cheap.
Now it is more along the lines of 80 bucks per night in US. I think when they named the hotel they didnot allow for inflation! :) And the cost of hotels in China will continue to rise, as the economy improves. The same thing has happened in Russia -- Moscow is now one of the most expensive cities in which to stay in a hotel.
Soon,Shanghai will be the same.

Fashion Trends

I've never understood the fashion for very skinny women -- a woman should have curves. Skinny is overrated, but fat can be unhealthy. There is a middle ground that is just right.
In Britain they have a saying - "any more than a handful is a waste"!

McDonald's

Work is rough today.
I never realized I don't know jack shit about making hamburgers.
Anyway, I am making good progress.
Soon I'll be a Fast Food Dispensing Operative in no time!

Postcards

Britain and America are strange -- mailing address starts at the
house and then zoom out to the country; most other countries
start with the country and then zoom in to the house, which
seems much more logical, since this is the order in which it will actually be delivered.

Assault Rifle

Those look like replica Kalashnikov rifles. AK-47 to be exact. 7.62 x 39 soviet ammunition. Tough and effective, the most popular automatic military rifles in the world. But they are not guns, they're models. A real gold-plated Kalashnikov would be fucking cool.

English-influenced

I noticed every member of PoFo from Israel is very fluent in English. Well,Israel was long under British influence, and later on American influence. I agree Jews are adaptive by nature, and absorbed much
of the culture and language. English is taught from the third grade (used to be fourth). Movies and TV series are not dubbed like in other places, and instead have sub-titles.

Wu Zetian

Many of the greatest and most famous rulers of Britian have been women -- Boudicca, Queen Elizabeth I, Queen Victoria of England,
and Queen Margaret and Queen Mary of Scotland.
Margaret Thatcher is also one of the most famous Prime Ministers. There is no taboo against a woman becoming monarch or empress
of a nation in Europe.
I think women have a much higher social status in the West than
in China. The taboo against powerful female rulers in China is probably caused by the Confucian philosophy, which emphasises
the importance of the family structure.
Society as a whole is regarded as an extension of the family unit.

Year of the Rat

Alex will submit his thesis, and his viva voce is in March.
Only two monthes to go now! I wish you success, Alex.
And best of luck with the interview, Vivian.
The internet can become an addiction; it's probably better
if I develop a life outside it.
I should get out more, meet new people...

Military Hardware

Most old German Mauser rifles have cleaning rods,as do any military bolt action rifles. Mausers were made for every military power from 1889 to the present day. Huck told me the one he had was Japanese,
I guess it is actually Chinese. The characters look similar.
He'll trace the imperial markings and scan it to me.

Meal in a Glass

A half can of 3.4% abw alcohol got me drunk. lol...I am not able to hold my liquor.
Stouts are very popular in Britain.
They vary from dark brown to deep black;
Guinness is one of the best.
It's based on the porter style that originated
in London in the early 18th century.
Lagers originated in continental Europe and only bacame popular in Britain a few decades ago.

Whitecliff Bay

The chalk cliffs on the south coast of England are packed full of dinosaur fossils,and in the 19th century some amateur fossil-hunters collected enough fossils so that an English scientist could identify
them as a set of extinct species of giant lizard. This scientist named these species "dinosaurs",which means "great lizards" in Latin.

Mauser K98

-- Standard rifle used by Germany in both World Wars

Cleaning rod is removable and is then used to insert cleaning brushes or cloths down the barrel. Most military rifles including an integral cleaning kit in the gun itself.

If that picture is of a muzzle-loading weapon then it is a ramrod (and not a cleaning rod), which is used on muzzleloading firearms to force the ammunition and charge down the barrel.

Modern guns are breech loading so this procedure is unnecessary.

The Last Judgment

I think that the way the Jews were treated was unfair.
The origins of anti-Semitism lie in Christianity ----- the Christians believed that the Jews murdered Jesus, who had been sent by God
to save the world (ironically, Jesus himself was Jewish).In the Middle Ages, this developed into a systematic ideology of anti-Semitism, and the effect of the Black Death (which killed almost half the entire population of Europe ) led to Jews being blamed for spreading disease and poisoning wells. This was the beginning of the systematic
pogroms and mass killings of Jews in Europe, which culminated
in the Nazi Holocaust.

Endless War

Neither the Jews nor the Palestinians are innocent -- both sides are locked in a brutal struggle for control of that region,and are behaving with ruthlessness and brutal violence. Sigh...ultimately the British are to blame. It was British imperialism in that region which created the conditions out of which the present conflict developed.

Out of Many

It should get here within the next week or two.
The book weighs over three pounds.
It is in a giant envelope.
It's United States Postal Service Priority Air Mail. Snail mail is the best way...UPS and Fed EX are wanting huge bucks,the postal service
is more reasonable.

Boxing Day

There seems to be something wrong with the server.
Siberian Fox will probably fix it soon;we just have to be patient.
Well,I'm already withdrawal symptoms from PoFo.
I may need therapy.I've heard that shopping can be very good therapy. lol

Moonstruck

"In Napoli
Where love is king
When boy meets girl
Here's what they say
when the moon hits your eye
Like a big pizza pie
That's amore..."
Cher and Nicolas Cage star in this film. I love romantic stories.
The concept of romantic love is one of the greatest innovations
of Western culture.
It only appeared during the Medieval period as 'chivalric love' or 'courtly love',even now,people talk about 'courting' a woman
in order to establish a romantic bond.

Save Christmas

Diversity is a mixed blessing. It's certainly interesting,but it also breeds conflict.I suppose it's unfair to other religions,but America is 81% Christian and the founding population was entirely Christian.
The founding fathers dont want religion to become a tool of the state
to control people,not to separate religion from public life entirely.
Most early US government documents refer to God or a "creator",
and it says,"In God we Trust" on the money.

Let it Snow Let it Snow

Xmas is a national holiday in Britian. Because Christianity is the official state religion,there's no problem about the separation of Church and State,because they have never been separated. :)))
In US,on Christmas it is tradtional for Jews to go to the movies and
eat Chinese food. Muslims dont do anything remarkable.
Hindus often celebrate Christmas and call it "December gifts"
because their children want a Christmas tree,Santa,and presents.

Scottish

I dont know if Potemkin got my last reply on the PoFo.
It went off line when I hit send.
I hate it when I send a long,thought out message and dont save it before I send it,then it never gets sent.

Missya

David was given a "yellow card" warning due to his signature banner offending certain sensibilities and rules on PoFo. He has a rather controversial sense of humor.LoL.The yellow card removes his ability to have a signature,avatar,send private messages,or view profiles.
Anyway,it will be gone in a week.

Upper Midwest

Dave lives in a small town of 8,000 people called Antigo,in the state
of Wisconsin. It's one of the most German areas of America (42%),
and most of the either ethnic groups there also came from central Europe. So the traditional food there is similar to Central Europe. There's a large assortment of sausage in particular,and there are
also many breweries which produce unique beers. One curious local favorite are "cheese curds",which consist of the curds from cheesemaking.

Boned Chicken

I have always heard that chicken soup is good for the common cold and bacterial infections. I hope Dad feels better. Wish him a speedy recovery.Sigh,I'm spolied.I even dont know how to start with a live chicken...I just know what it looks like cleaned and cut in the store.

Grand Lake

Tai Lake is a metaphor for the state of Wuxi's development :
primitive accumulation of green algae (Green Buck).
It makes me think of Cuyahoga River in Cleveland,Ohio.
Americans once had a pollution problem in U.S. as well.
The Cuyahoga River used to routinely catch on fire.
In the early 1970s strong environmental laws were passed
and pollution was mostly solved.

Advent Wreath

In Germany,the christmas season begins with Advent. A wreath of evergreens with four red candles hung in the home. Wiebke just got back from business travel and picked up my various message. "Advent" is very important in Germany,and not very much celebrated in the US,so she's surprised I know about it.
LOL,the Interent knows all.

"Let us unite!" monologue

It is well that war is so terrible - otherwise we would grow too fond
of it. Our knowledge as made us cynical; our cleverness, hard and unkind. We think too much and feel too little.
More than machinery we need humanity. More than cleverness,
we need kindness and gentleness.

Massachusetts English

The parcel arrived at Cambridge,MA last night.
English up there is totally different in the accent to the way it is spoken in the Southern or the Midwestern.
In Massachusetts,they donot pronounce any "r" sounds after a vowell.
When they say "I parked the car",it sounds like "I paked the ca."

Live and Let live

It's more a religious thing than social.
I am not threatened by two gay men who want to marry.
And I dont think it would cheapen my marriage.
I would worry about something,though.

Card-carrying Etiquette

Red's uncle is a retired police officer in New Jersey and he gets an annual "Police Benevolent Association" card.
It's not an automatic "get out of jail free" card but it does help him when he in trouble with the cops.His first speeding ticket was the lowest possible fine along with no points deducted from his license because of that card.
Well...I think that's wrong because it gives special privileges to
certain people that others are not going to receive.

Advent Candles

One should definitely keep looking at things from different angles.Taking time to understand the whole picture is always a better strategy. But how? "Information is the currency of democracy." That's why I watch CNN,CCTV,sometimes Fox News and different kinds of newspaper.BBC gives the best world coverage without the commercial interruption of U.S. Commercial TV.Also,they do not air fluffy stories meant to sell.They tell pertinent news only.

Holler Back

Everyone has been under the gun at work.
Luckily,it's Christmas time again.It's that time again ------ love & happiness.I am sending off postcards tomorrow.It may take a week or two using snail mail.Alex bought a Chinese papercut and he will ship from his office.I guess UPS,FED EX and DHL,one of them will give him
a deal.

Blackout

Moon City has no power,
And the milk is getting sour.
But to me it is not scary,
Cause I stay away from dairy.

Escape detection

What's happening to this world?! Academic research is for the public good while industrial research has profit in its mind.Companies keep secret of what they find and profit from it.
Media is always dependant upon the filters they use to observe an event.They want to sell papers,or programs,not get the whole truth.
Part of the truth is not the whole truth.

I love Futurama

Let's just say that this show is amazing,like the Simpsons and Southpark...irreverent and funny.

Designed Response

Does the man make history or does history make the man?
Patriotism can be viewed through several prisms of thought.
It can be used as a tool of peer pressure,pressuring one to do what
is right for country even though it's wrong for many other reasons,
or it can be seen as a love of country,pure and simple.

Checksand Balance

I am hearing stories of people fighting over democracy,and I have been harassed a little,myself. I ask for it by not keeping my mouth shut when I should. I just dont think people think about all things when they speak so absoltuely about life economics or politics.
I think the unknown should be respected,if not defined.
And I always keep a healthy respect for the unknown and argue
with that in mind.

Best Gift

"Since it is a Christmas present, I feel as though I should throw in
a pair of socks or something lol that is more useful in winter than
a silly history book. " LoL ...I like books; the books have the same information; it's explained differently to different ages depending
upon maturity level.
Well,knowledge is the best eraser in the world for disharmony,
distrust,despair,and the endless physical deficiencies of man.

The New Rome

What makes U.S. powerful? Some luck, some brilliance, and a lot of sacrifice. The rest of the world was ruled by kings, queens, emperors,
and aristocrats at the time. A true democracy, like in Rome during the early times had not existed since then. The first leaders were so against political power and the power of kings that they avoided instilling it in any way to any person for any length of time.
These people were colonial serfs with no titles (or very few of them)
and they decided to forge a new covenant like the Roman democracy model but with checks and balances to limit the power of any single individual within the government system. They created a country where power through business and achievement could be achieved,
but not political power. Power is limited, rule of law supercedes all.

Alarmists

Is Global Warming a Hoax? I have not seen proof.
The climate is changing,at different rates,in different directions,
at different parts of the world,and this change is potentially
catasteophic to the ecosystem.
We are in a momentous time of climate adjustment.

Holy Cow!

That director is killing honor and justice! There are artistic ways to depict the same using different methods.
There is no excuse for filming the killing an animal and selling it as art.To me that is gratuitous violence which only inspires more gratuitous violence.To live by the sword is to die by the sword...

Pro-Gun

The Hucks live in the foot-hills of the Smokey Mountains.No tall peaks or famous locations,but breath-taking beauty all the same.What they call mountain lions in Alambama are really large panthers.
Those panthers are called mountain lions,but they are not real lions,
at all.Huck doesnt shoot things just to stuff them and put them on the wall. Only for meat or protection of himself or his family.Many in the U.S. do not share this fascination,nor do they approve.
Luckily,they can have their opinion and we can have ours.

Hershey's Kisses

Huck is right,fear will never get me happiness.
Divorce occurs and love changes over the years,it is more a matter of commitment and loyalty.There is no telling who will betray and who will stay true.It is a matter of trusting someone.Only I can know if he is the right one,no one else.I believe in love, still.And I believe in committment still.A few days ago,my grandparents just celebrated 50 years together,that is something.

Generation WE

We are spoiled and greedy as a culture,in my opinion.
We complain about not having enough when we've already had too much. Our biggest health problems stem from over eating and gluttony. People die from being over-weight or eating too much with no concern for nutrition.

Thousand Islands

I made salads today because salads are easy,lol.
I took stale old bread that I was about to throw away and chopped it into two centimeter by two centimeter by two centimeter cubes,
baked it at 350 degrees for thirty minutes in margarine and crushed garlic...croutons were done. Then I took cheddar and grated it to medium fineness where the slivers were about half of the size of a blade of grass. I chopped romaine lettuce and raw spinach leaves into ribbons. Carrots were grated into little slivers the size of small match sticks, then tossed in with the greens and mixed up.
I also added some bacon bits.The dressing was Hidden Valley Ranch.
Yummy,yummy~~

Goat's eye bean

Holidays are all about eating...lol.Thanksgiving followed by christmas then followed by new years. On new years day people are supposed to eat black eyed peas for good luck and turnip greens or spinach for good finances in the coming years.Spinach and turnip greens are green,like greenback...lol.I believe we make our own luck but I eat them anyway because I like them.

Like Father Like Son

Winter is upon us...that gets us in the mood to hunt.
Huck deer hunt with an old NATO Lee-Enfield .308 Winchester round or 7.62 NATO.It's easy to get a gun in the U.S.As long as you are not a criminal.lol.Huck has many.His father was a collector,so he has all of his father's old guns.He has a chinese made AK-47,a North Korean made SKS,but they are not fully automatic machine guns like the military uses,they're semi automatic.And he knows a lot about firearms and bullet calibers that they fire.I think it's a hobby he inherited from his dad.

Social Animals

English is the exact same all over the US.There're varying accents on words,different euphemisms,litterations and sayings in different parts,however.The English language is taught with the same rules of grammar in all 50 States but like China,the delivery and phrasing carry local influences in different regions.Because there are different cultures and communities all throughout the country.

Post my favourites~

"Ambition must be made to counteract ambition."
-----Federalist No.51 by James Madison
"A nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood
of ideas in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people."
-----JFK
"You can fool all the people some of the time,and some of the people
all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time."
-----Abraham Lincoln

Star of David

Why US sides with Israel? That's what we're talking about today.

Many Americans do not think they should tie themselves so closely

to Jewish state,but Christians(Southern Baptists,in particular) feel that it is their christian duty to support the "Holy land" which has references in the bible. Maybe that is where most of the abstract support for the Jewish state comes from.

Dreams come true

"Yes we can" is a political slogan put forth by many politicians and most recently by the Obama campaign for President of the United States. It's great fodder for politicans during election-time,
and I think everyone believes in it to some degree. It's American dream ------ anyone can become anything with enough effort and sacrifice. Now Obama is an embodiment of that dream.

Karma?

There are as many reasons for going astray as there are people who go astray. Huck has a good point:Anger.
Anger and an inability to put one's self in the place of another.
Many use their anger to control others and feel they need to do this in order to survive.
Well,when evil forces gather,the dark sun rises and soon it will be too late.Will you choose your own path or will you have it chosen for you?
Do you believe good begets good and evil begets evil?

Go Down Fighting

"Walk in the door
Look at the room
Jump through the window
Accepting your doom."
That line was in specific reference to footage he saw of September 11,2000,when people were jumping out of gaping holes in the
World Trade centre rather than succumb to the heat and smoke
of the fire.They could not get down stairs,they could not put out
the fire,so they accepted their fate and jumped to the pavement below.I think given the choice,many would have made the same decision.Love and pain are both signs of life and both preferable to death.

SpiritWalk

"A child is born to innocence,
a child is drawn towards good,
why,then,do so many among us go so horribly wrong?
What makes some walk a path of darkness,
while others choose the light?
Is it will? Is it destiny?
Can we ever hope to understand the force that shapes the soul?"

Right Up My Alley

My boyfriend and I have been in different cities for nearly 5 years,
am I so unlucky in love?
Well,I dont want anyone's pity over my love life.
Actually I feel I've been unbelievably lucky in love.
Alex deeply,deeply cares about me,
he's lovely and fun and he literally brings me hope;we talk,we walk,
we adore each other.And that's where love is.

A Blessing in Disguise

Huck takes synthetic insulin which is pumped into his body all day every day to keep his blood sugar at an acceptable level.
When he eats,he counts the carbohydrates and takes the appropriate amount of insulin to counteract those carbs.
He tries to stay away from too much salt,sugar,grease,starch,and protein,as these are bad for him,he can only eat limited amounts.
I am worried about him,well,I think he can live as long as anyone,
there will be a price to pay for high blood sugar and high blood pressure,however.

Role Model

As a young girl,I havenot walked as far down life's paths as many of my friends,so even if I dont ask for their advice outright,
I am curious about what they really think because I think maybe I can benefit from their insight.
Well,communication isnt always reciprocal and rewarding for both parties.A little lecture might be perfect.
But the problem is how to remain this one-way friendship?

Kidney Yin-Yang

Kidney infection is the problem I am now suffering.
Well,I have been taking chinese supplement since this Wednesday
and the good news is I feel much better today.
But I am worried that I might get diabetes because kidney problems
are an area diabetics usually experience in,as they are a part of dealing with diabetes.Sigh,I dont want t lose my kidneys and go on dialysis or get on the list for transplant,so from now on I must keep
an eye on my blood sugars as well.

Life Of Contradiction

Is using a microwave unhealthy?I dont know,well...I dont like eatting food that's been nuked.But I am too lazy and nuking food is so convenient and quick that I really dont wanna give it up.Will my life always be about conflict?

Turkey Day

Thanksgiving approaches,it is the fall holiday when americans celebrate the pilgrims first landing in the northeast.
The Hucks generally eat smoked ham,turkey and dressing with cranberry sauce,potatoes,green beans, asparagus,corn,and rolls.
We usually have fall vegetables with gravy,roasted chicken,
Kielbasa(Polish sausage),sweet potatoes,pumpkin pie,
cheese bread and orange juice.It is a true feast.

Han Hao Bird

Right now I'm feeling like there is a battle going on between my high-spirited half and my quiet half.I dont know if I wanna go out shopping or curl up in a ball on bed and watch DVD.Today is very cold,but the refrigeratory is empty.And I really crave milk,I dont know why,once in a while,I need a milk fix.Maybe cream flavor gives me an extra boost of energy.

Evolution?

We human never fit the term "innocent",we are exactly the same creatures 20 thousand years ago.Sigh...collection of individually innocent people doesnot necessarily produce a innocent collection.
I am pessimistic,collectively we almost certainly drift toward the
dark side.Anyway,the US government is always trying to change
for the better.Sometimes it does right,and sometimes it does wrong,but always striving for improvement.

Wingnuts

Is the U.S. Doomed?
Well,the U.S. does not change forms of government every four years,just presidents.There are socialist aspects to the government,
but only in that people are all responsible for upkeep of roads,mail,schools,and military.These things are necessary for the central government to govern and to keep the peace.
They also aid in interstate commerce.The social programs ruin the U.S. will come and go,grow and shrink,but starting wars in three countries could end the U.S.Is helping people more dangerous than killing them?

Change History

Change has come to America.Obama swept to victory as first black president.He went a long way toward arguing the notion that anyone can come from anywhere with any parents and become the Chief Executive Officer, or CEO (President) of America.
I feel it should have happenned years ago. US is not really a melting pot of cultures as some would say...some of them do clash with each other from time to time, but as Huck said Americans are as close as it gets on this earth, so far.

Email Scam Warning

Oh,my...scammers have been sending out email that claims to come from officials.Today I received a strange letter from so-called Minister who has secured business proposal for me and he believes would be beneficial to both of us.I deleted that junk mail.I wont involve in any politics activities,though I often read news.

Something In Common

In engineering,engineers prevent problems by creating them,
theoretically in the design process and guarding against them in advance.Like planning a move in chess.
The same in politics.Politicians create soultions for problems they have invented within their heads in order to prevent them,
in the first place.You can force an opponent to move a piece by threatening his/her king.In this manner,you can guess out of two
or three moves what they will do,and set your pieces to block those moves or trap those pieces.

American-ism

Huck told me a story about his name.I was deeply moved.
Huck's grandfather had his life saved during WWII by a man named Huck,then he named Huck's father "Huck" after the character and
Huck was named for his father.Huck named his son Huck,also.
Partly because that is his father's name and his,
but also because if it had not been for his grandfather's war buddy named "Huck",none of them would be here.It's a way of remembering.

Decipher Puzzles

How to give a speech without saying anything?
Learn double-talk.
Political language is "designed to make lies sound truthful and
murder respectable,and to given an appearance of solidity to
pure wind."

The Magic City

Huck's immediate supervisor is from Taiwan,so he wants to impress that Taiwanese one day by breaking into a version of his native tongue.Well,it's my distinct honor to assist Huck with his chinese.^_^
His problem with chinese is the fact that two words which sound alike may have totally different characters and he must know the character's meaning because there is no "sounding it out" in chinese.
Although english has far too many exceptions to each rule in its syntax,many redundant words in the vocabulary,a large number of root languages and sources from which they are derived,the words themselves are simply combinations of 26 phonic symbols,each letter representing a sound made in the mouth.Now he's going to order the Rosetta Stone language system,but I think it will take him years to
get conversational.

FreeRice.com

"Every grain of rice is essential in the fight against hunger.
Your correct answer and those 20 grains of rice make a difference!"
Last night,I came across this site,FreeRice.com,which I thought it's very humane and ingenious.It is humane because you can help end the world hunger with FreeRice.It's ingenious because you can enrich your vocabulary while fighting world hunger.This is how it works:you get to play the game,FreeRice get the traffics,advertisers get their exposure and people get the free rice.Well,essentially killing two birds with one stone.

Red alarm

"This is the biggest currency crisis the world has ever seen."
Well,the financial crisis is spreading like wildfire across the world.
The system is paralysed,and it's starting to look like Black Wednesday in 1992,I guess the mayhem may soon trigger a chain reaction within the Asiazone,too.

La Civilisation du Bruit

One thing that makes me uncomfortable is the way some people having their noodles,well...they'd make a loud sucking sound.
"More than tradition,slurping makes the noodles taste better."
Really?To me,it's annoying!
It's nothing about the pretend-to-be-a-lady etiquette,
I just canot bear such irritable noise ,totally ruins my appetite.
If it's a formal dinner,isnot that impolite?
Anyway,it's acceptable in Asia,culture matters,it matters.

Diary of Chickabiddy Baby

I like staying in my light violaceous sanctum to get some peace and quiet so that I can reflect upon my own thoughts and feelings -------
looking for answers deep inside of myself.There are changes afoot,
I can sense it.

Agnus Dei

"O Lamb of God,that takest away the sins of the world,

have mercy upon us."
In Oxford,there's a pub named "Lamb & Flag".The name is very common in Engliand and the symbol is so familiar to me.

Acutally lamb of God is one of the titles given to Jesus in the New Testament and consequently in the Christian tradition.

It refers to Jesus' role as a sacrificial lamb atoning for the sins

of man.