Our lovely Bhutanese lady sent a unique postcard from the last Shangri-La on the Earth--Bhutan,and sweetly attached a traditional stamp on it, (which looks like Taiwan's "八家將“) . We really appreciate her friendship, after all, there is only very few people receives postcard from the isolated beautiful country!
I am sure our friend doesn't mind I put "the part of her husband's body" in public. After all, that's the answer of why Bhutanese people are so happy. :-)

Chante's first rain

Chante's first time in rain, we walk all the way to the Taipei 101, and she almost finished the whole trip.
The last one picture, she finally got tired and seated on the floor in 101.

the pursuit of happyness

My wife and I, we went to see the movie "the pursuit of happyness" last Sunday night, we were so touched by the story. It's adapted from someone's real life.
After we stepped out of the theater, I ask my wife if she cried and when. She replied yes and it's at the time the Gardner (Will Smith) got the job after months internship. I didn't tell her mine, yes, I did tear too. But not because he got the job. For me, it's more than just a encouraged movie talking about American dream. When the son laying on the bed of a shelter, he said to his father:"You are a good father." At that time, I burst into tears, the tear's not just standing in my eyes, they kept flowing on my face. It's my first time crying for movie.
I thought of Peihua--my son. he has no chance to say that to me, and, I am not his good father.
In fact, my wife and I, we've never cried for Peihua at the same time, when she cried, I mostly just set besides her and tried to make myself calm badly; when I cried, she did the same thing to me. I think she has the same feeling, if we cry together, that will be very sad and endless.
PS, about the movie, I believe there is thousands of people in the States, they work hard as the Gardner does, but still not succeed. This world is not really flat, or fair, we are all lucky to see the movie in theaters and seat in front of computers and read this blog.
PS2. One thing interesting, our country, The Republic of China, Taiwan's flag appears in the film, now this movie may not be allowed to be shown in China. Ha ha!

姊姊的守護者

剛看完上ㄧ本小說【巴別塔之犬】，還在讚頌書裡奇異的情節，卻也還來不及細細品味回想書中的意含時，便已被老婆大力推薦，且急著要我趕快看完，等著我和她討論之下，我只好開始翻看這本書，誰知欲罷不能，而且大受感動。這當然和我們的小培華有關，老婆說她很慶幸小培華走了，否則那對香緹來說也是很不公平的事。我們會將所有的心力全放在生病的小陪華身上，而忽略了香緹。

姊姊的守護者--- My Sister's keeper

『莎拉為了救罹患急性前骨髓性白血病的女兒凱特，利用醫學科技生下與凱特有完美基因配型的安娜。十三年來，安娜不斷地供應凱特血液、白血球、骨髓、幹細胞， 現在輪到了她的腎臟。無法忍受再被當成藥糧的安娜決定反擊她的父母，控告父母奪走她的身體使用權。』
生病的人很辛苦，大家都知道。有時候會有一些觀察敏銳的人會再加上ㄧ句：「他們的家屬更辛苦。」我並不打算訴苦培華生病時，老婆和我是多麼辛苦，那根本只是我在贖罪的過程。因為真正沒日沒夜、耗盡心力的人不是我，我只是個玩世不恭、疚由自取的傢伙。
為了救大女兒凱特，不斷的要求二女兒安娜捐贈，莎拉很自私嗎？我想是的，但是為了愛，可以被原諒嗎？那安娜的後半生怎麼辦？要是真捐了腎，一輩子不得遭到猛力的碰撞，要是她在70歲時僅存的ㄧ顆腎也壞掉了怎麼辦？誰賠她ㄧ顆腎？她當然可以拒絕捐腎，但是萬一姊姊凱特因為沒有得到她的腎而去逝，她還要不要在這個家庭生活下去？她一輩子能原諒自己嗎？
爸爸布萊恩雖然這次和安娜站在一起，認為安娜有權力拒絕捐腎給凱特，但是如果凱特因為接受了安娜的腎而從此身體好轉，安娜也無大礙呢？倒底怎樣是對？怎樣是錯？誰敢做這個決定？
媽媽莎拉說：「我的人生宛如建築物著火，我的一個孩子在裡面，而唯一能救她的機會是派我的另一個孩子上場，因為只有她認識路。．．．那可能導致我或許會同時失去兩個孩子，．．．可是我也知道那是我唯一可以同時保住她們兩個的機會。」面對如此兩難，誰有信心決定？
法官說：「我不確定我們之間有任何人有資格來決定凱特生存的尊嚴或安娜生命的品質哪一個比較重要。我是一個父親，我女兒十二歲的時候被一個酒醉開車的人撞死，那天晚上我趕到醫院，我願意做任何事來換取她多活一天。費茲傑羅家處於那種狀況已經十四年了，我尊重她們的決定，我欽佩她們的勇氣。我羨慕她們事實上有這個機會。可是這個案子不僅是關於安娜和一顆腎臟，它是關於這些決定該怎麼做，和我們要如和決定由誰來做決定。．．．因為道德遠比倫理重要，而愛遠比法律重要。」
而當事人凱特呢？她不想死，可是她也不想像這樣活著。而安娜真的是獨自做這個決定的嗎？結局的大逆轉，讓所有讀者感到訝異與不勝唏噓。而增添如此戲劇化的情節，也加深了本書的可看性。

The Last Slum in Taipei

The last survived slum in Taipei.


So called "slum" here, it's different from other countries. small and crowed living space, but they live with modern electronic equipments.


In the early days, people came from outside of Taipei, they built simple house in city's margin. More and more people got together, it became a small villages, time goes by, children grow up, having normal jobs, and bought modern electronic equipments and furniture.

The others living in the “pigeon cage" and hanging in the sky. I stay in the ground and have own yard. Who is better?

"No SEAT for corruption, LOVE $ PEACE". Even if we stay in slum, still are patriot and anti-corrupted politicians.

TAIPEI GLANCE

Busy Monday, office workers just got off the MRT station, and waiting for bus to the office.

















Some walking in to their office, Taipei 101.

















One police is on patrol, you notice something? Where is his gun?

















Taipei city is surrounded by mountains and hills, and develops many hiking trails.One farmer is selling her vegetable besides of the entrance.

















The hiking trail.

















Buddhism gains most of people's religion.

















Even you drive Mercedes Benz, living in this crowded city, you can only let the turtle's head comes out, :)

















Thanks God! The tree is protected by law, even the land is under construction, the tree survives.

















CCTV monitors are full of streets in every Taiwan's city, it becomes police's best tool to detect crime, and irony, the symbol of people doesn't trust each other.

Monks and Lamas

Monk and Lama

In the last blog, I made some mistake and got questioned from a friend in Buddhism country: Why don’t we respect the monk? Even someone is not Buddhist, in Thailand, he still respect monks!

Let me clarify something first, in Taiwan, the Lama and Monk is different. Normally, the Monk is who live in Buddhist temple; they are vegetarian, complete bald, keep single and almost not coming out of the temple. They earn more respect in Taiwan.

And Lama, in our recognition, they are from Tibetan Buddhism, in the early days, you almost can’t find monks in the streets. Of course, more and more right now. They wear red and yellow gowns, they are bald, but there is always short hair on their heads… People even don’t know if they are vegetarian? Not drinking? Insist commandments and no marriage? I think due to this kind of miss understanding, people keep away from Lamas. That’s why I said, the Monks earn more respect than Lamas, people here know much more about Buddhism and Monks than Tibetan Buddhism and Lamas. In my colleague’s story, he met Lama.

there is one more difference, Monks, they concentrate only on Buddhist and ignore all the other things. Ask them to watch TV? That's impossible.

In this story, I learn one thing, the culture conflict. Like in India, they respect cows as Buddha, but in the other countries, the cows are just beef and milk.

I don’t know if this explanation is enough for Miss Bhutan? Does she forgive me?

The Monk

One of my colleagues told me this unusual story today, and I can't wait to write it down.
Last Friday on his way home from office, he took a bus from Airport to Taipei, he found besides of the driver and one monk, he was the only one passenger. As I said, this bus is from Taipei International Airport to downtown, suppose it should be very crowded, but today, there were only he and one monk on the bus. After few minutes, the monk moved to next to him, an aisle was between two of them. And the monk started to talk, actually it was more like a murmur "come to Qinghai, come to Qinghai....." (Qinghai is one of provinces of China, next to Tibet.)
My colleague twisted his neck and stared at the monk, " The face was just what I hate." he said to me.
But after few times, he couldn't stand it any more, so he asked the monk:
"Are you talking to me?"
The monk noded:"Yes, please come to Qinghai."
"Qinghai is so far, how do I get there?"
"Since you could go to Xinjian( another one provinces, next to Qinghai and Tibet.) of course you can come to Qinghai."
In fact, my colleague did visit Xinjian in his annual leave last year.
my colleague is just like me, he doesn't believe in any religion and only trust himself. He said:
"What are you talking about? I don't even know you!"
The monk just smiled and passed his name card to my colleague, but he only took a look and returned it to the monk. Even when the monk asked for his cellphone number, he lied to him:
"I don't have any cellphone."
"It's fine, we will meet again." The monk replied, then got off the bus.
My colleague told his mother this story. I know his mother, she believes in Buddhism very sincerely, and she is always hanging around in temples and some masters. This time her son really piss off her, she yield and blamed him:
"You never listen to me! you don't even know your time is up! I knew it! I knew it!"
What does his mother know? he didn't ask, just run away. But I am very curious.
" I didn't know you were a living Buddha last life!" I laugh at him.
"you nuts!" he replied.
What this story will be? Let's wait and see.

Bhutan -- The happiest poor countries

According to the latest Business Weekly magazine in Taiwan (the 1000th issue), I found an amazing country; it even attracts me to immigrant. And I would like to share it to you now.

Some facts about this “the last Shangri-la”
Area: 47,000 Km2 (1.3 times to Taiwan)
Population: 670,000
Location: on the roof of the world—the Himalaya, between China and India
Cigarettes and plastic bags are forbidden
Free of education and medical treatment
Covered by 72% virgin forest, number one in Asia
No beggars or homeless on the streets

In last July, the university of Leicester in England produced the first-ever “world map of happiness”. This small country is 8th out of 178 countries for happiness, the happiness is found to be most closely associated with health, followed by wealth and then education. And it’s GDP is only 1,400 US dollar, less than most of countries in the world, but it’s happier than lots of rich countries, such as US ($41,800, 17th), Norway ($42,300, 17th), Singapore ($28,100, 49th ), Hong Kong ($32,900, 63rd ), Taiwan ($27,600, 63rd ), China ($6,800, 82nd ), Japan ($31,500, 88th ), South Korea ($20,400, 100th ).

In the 1974, (think what we were doing then?) the 19-year-old King decided to pursuit GNH (Gross National Happiness) in stead of GDP, during his study life in Oxford university in England, he found pollution, high unemployed and crime in the western countries, people has money, but loss happiness, then he realized that only the happiness is what people wants. But, they were poor, how could it be?

This smart country has no military force and doesn’t buy weapon, they vote India in the UN to switch India’s protection, so they can use money in free education and medical treatment, and the tenant peasant has own lands. They also protect the natural environment, 72% of Bhutan is virgin forest and pristine rivers. Foreign tourists attribute 20% of national income, which is the second main income resources, however, in order to protect the environment and traditional culture, Bhutan takes high price police to reduce the foreign tourists, ($200 per person per day,) and set quota to limit the tourists, this small kingdom is poor, but not irritable.

In the average, (really average, they don’t have very rich people, they don’t have starvation.) their living is not rich, no LV (Louis Vuitton), no Rolls- Royce, even the king’s house is only one-story height, they live in the traditional wooden house and wear traditional clothes, most of women remain short hair, rare meat on the table, mostly is spicy pepper fried cheese. Does Bhutanese like this poor life? 99% overseas students come back Bhutan after graduated! This clarifies all.

PS. Next issue, the magazine is going to talk about the number one happy country, Denmark ($34.600), oh my God! Which one am I going to immigrant?

一直覺得自由時報是一份專為特定族群量身打造的報紙，它對新聞事件的詮釋角度和對"事實"這兩個字的理解程度和我有很大的不同，每次在小吃店吃飯時看到，總是氣得七竅生煙。那為什麼總是會在小吃店看到自由時報呢？那天在內湖的亞坤餐廳證實了我的猜測，我問老闆娘為什麼店裡只提供自由時報？老闆娘回說因為剛開幕時，附近的自由時報總部就來人說要免費提供報紙，反正不用錢，老闆娘也就同意了。還記得幾年前自由時報宣稱全國閱報率第一，但是在天下雜誌的統計分析中指出所謂閱報率第一是因為贈報率第一，為此自由時報還控告天下雜誌毀謗，但結果如何我就不清楚了。今天中國時報的社論倒是大快人心，它的批評還佐證了許多客觀的事實，這大概就可以說是"不容狡辯"了吧！事實上中國時報在台灣還算是必較公正客觀的媒體，聯合報倒是比較親向泛藍的報紙，不過這兩大報我都很喜歡，哈哈！
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戳破那些御用媒體的偽善面具
中華民國96年1月4日 台灣中國時報社論
　台灣的公共領域這幾年之所以快速墮落，媒體的惡性競爭固然是因素之一，但有一個因素卻被多數論者所忽略了，就是這幾年突然冒出許多抱著統治集團大腿的御用媒體，專事修理他們所謂「對執政者不友善的媒體」，動輒扣人統派的帽子；更荒唐的是，御用媒體之外還冒出御用的媒體觀察組織，也動輒法相莊嚴的佯裝客觀的評判者，以極其反智、反專業的操作手法，對其他媒體說三道四。最近新聞公害防治基金會公布觀察報告，自由時報配合刊登，一搭一唱的修理同業，更是將這種「反智」文化發揮到了極致。
根據這家御用的媒體觀察組織的統計，自由時報是過去兩個月所謂「烏龍報導」最少的媒體，這個「發現」與該組織過去的觀察結論幾乎一致，如果自由時報真如該組織所包裝的那般幾近「完美無瑕」，我們也無話可說，問題是這家三不五時就登廣告自吹自擂的媒體，恐怕連最基本的「媒體專業」作為，都是不及格的。
相信很多人都注意到，最近美國時代雜誌在其年終回顧的專題中，將陳總統與第一家庭所涉及相關貪腐弊案列為全球十大醜聞的第五名，國內媒體均有譯載轉述，但惟獨自由時報隻字未登，好像這則全球皆知的新聞憑空消失一般。
第一家庭所涉這些弊案台灣讀者並不陌生，從台開內線交易案、ＳＯＧＯ禮券饋贈案、到國務機要費貪汙案等，在過去幾乎是所有媒體積極報導與評論的重心，但自由時報在處理這些讓全球媒體都矚目的重大弊案時，幾乎一概予以淡化處理，有時甚至淡化到消失，彷彿根本不存在一般，就算有報導也都充斥著片面巧言掩飾的官方說法。淡化也就罷了，更過分的是自由時報還在國務機要費案剛爆發時，積極的配合前總統府的官員炮製所謂的「南線專案」，活龍活現的報導什麼「總統府官員與甲君約在北一女門口報帳」云云；這則「獨家」報導事後經檢方的調查，根本證實從頭到尾都是虛構的謊言！這種替統治集團捏造謊言欺騙讀者的作為，何只是「烏龍」兩字能夠形容？而這樁道道地地的「新聞公害」，新聞公害防治基金會的報告卻連提都沒提！
自由時報並沒有設置民調中心，亦未曾訓練過訪員，該報平常也從不做任何民調，甚至連委託民調都沒有，但該報卻在前年縣市長選舉投票前夕，突然公布台北縣的周錫瑋與羅文嘉只差兩個百分點的民調數據；去年底北高市長選舉投票前夕，自由時報再度公佈黃俊英與陳菊只差○．二九％的民調數據，因為與實際投票結果相去不遠，於是該報事後就不斷抨擊其他媒體在炮製「假民調」，為昭社會公信，本報民調中心曾公開要求該報就這個只在選前才「突然」出現一次的「民調中心」，能公布他們的調查方法與問卷題組，以便向讀者大眾證明為什麼他們那麼「神準」，這本也是任何民調新聞在專業上都必須要對讀者交代的基本項目，但迄今為止都未見該報有任何說明！新聞公害防治基金會有對這則新聞講過任何一句話嗎？沒有！
再拿元旦升旗典禮當天，七、八名憲兵粗暴的對待一名嗆扁婦人的新聞為例吧：這則新聞幾乎所有的媒體都給予顯著的處理，畢竟中華民國的憲兵公然在台北街頭集體摀住一名婦女的口鼻，摀到她昏迷，理由僅僅只是她說了聲「阿扁下台」，這可不是尋常小事，連國防部長李傑都火大聲明要辦人，結果令人驚訝的是，自由時報次日出刊的報紙針對這個事件竟然一個字的報導都沒有！這種「過濾」新聞的專業水平，有把台灣讀者的權益放在眼裡嗎？
長久以來，自由時報替當局所有的不當作為辯護，淡化對執政當局所有不利的新聞，甚至配合特定官員捏造新聞，封它為「御用媒體」真的是實至名歸。該報更經常自願充當統治者的馬前卒，以莫須有的標籤，對其他善盡制衡與守望責任的媒體同業極盡汙蔑之能事，更不惜結合御用媒體觀察組織，定期評議其他媒體的報導。而我們又恰好發現，這家御用媒觀組織的負責人，不僅同時擔任國家通訊社的常務監事，同時也是自由時報集團英文報TaipeiTimes的顧問，並且固定在他經常譽之捧之的自由時報撰寫專欄，書寫主題毫無例外也全是在詆毀其他與自由時報競爭的同業。這種不問角色分際，不問專業信守，只圖黨同伐異的作為，怎麼可能不會摧毀台灣好不容易建立起的公共領域呢？台灣人，是時候站出來對這些御用媒體說不了！