Poem Selection - Brightness

In the dark heavy raining night

The wilderness all in my sight

At the end is the path that belong to us

Yo, how can I find the way in the numerous rugged roads without light?

May I beg some light, my lord?

The brightness helps me running forward

Brightness? He spoke flustered

I got no way to find for

Go find the brightness that you needed

The Best and The Brightest Talent

    Since President Obama mentioned that the U.S. cannot close its door for foreign students, who can bring much competitive advantages into the nation without mentioning H1-B issue, I consider that the President is likely to set those two issues apart at this moment. In my view, I don't see the relativity between letting foreign students to study in the U.S. and the demand of H-1B visa. In contrast, illegal labors are "the" problem that the U.S. government has to deal with insistently.

    The U.S. should be proud of the choices that foreign students have made were right due to the high quality of education environment and development. Many students in Taiwan are looking forward having education in this country, which has the best educational environment and fruitful social development. We foreign students came here with our dreams and hope one day we can bring the American experience back home to benefit our countries. In order to pursue higher and more modern quality of education, we'd rather spend much more money studying abroad and overcome the barrier of languages and homesickness than feel regret not to do it. We feel appreciated that the U.S. didn't block international students resulting from the 911 attacks because those hijackers were used to be educated in the U.S.

    I also agree with the President Obama's view of "the best and the brightest talent". Even though we'er not master what we're learning yet, at least we got more confidence that we're welcomed and the U.S. is taking advantages of us as well. However, not every American holds as positive attitude as Obama does. Most of international students are clear of the purpose why they're here. We do what we should do in the U.S. and we're not planning for staying here for squeezing local job opportunities. Though the unemployment rate is getting higher and higher, honesty, international students have nothing to do with it. The economic crisis affects globally, and we're also helping the society to find the way out through our hard work. The problem of illegal employment has to be solved to help those discouraged workers.

    Last, I understand that the rising tuition within universities in the U.S .The most important thing is that how do we use the education resources effectively to maximum our capacity in learning. As long as the U.S. still opens its door, I'll keep doing what I think is right and encouraging other students to study in the nation of freedom and liberty. Again, thanks President Obama for his objective and wise opinion.

Making Friends or Enemies?

    According to Obama, president of the United States, 30,000 additional troops will be sent to Afghanistan in order to reinforce the military power to fight against Taliban. From September 11, 2001, the United States had never stopped suppressing the power of terrorists, especially the members of Taliban. President Obama gave a speech in West Point on December 1 to re-announce his decision and to reconcile the misunderstood from those who doubt his judgment.

    At the beginning of his speech, he repeated his decision firmly to cite the thoughtful decision that he made would not be pull back. He claimed that the action to send additional troops to Afghanistan is the preparation for withdrawing American military force gradually. He hopes the forces of the United States can begin to transfer out of the Afghanistan in July of 2011. Obama insists that the military action that has taken place in Middle East after 911 has a significant impact in reducing the power of terrorists. In the speech, he mentioned his decision in three major approaches as follow. First, the U.S. will help to deny al Qaeda a safe haven. Second, the U.S. will help Afghanistan to fight against Taliban and to weaken its force. Third, the U.S. will support Afghanistan and its government to strengthen its security and economy. He also emphasized that the United States will mainly focus its own benefits and interests.

    Although it's hard to sympathize the pain that the United States has since 911 attacks, I admire that the U.S. wasn't depressed because of this tragedy. I believe president Obama has the faith to do anything that those prior presidents couldn't do to maintain the dignity of the U.S. and to secure the world's peace. I consider that the U.S. as a positive role model in the world in terms of the liberty and development. I am looking forward to see his action would ease any fight and keep people away from fear. However, I worry about that will other alliance buy what Obama has planned?

Changes In Society

    Today, the United States has changed a lot and it is still changing in terms of politics, citizens, and also environment. In the past decades, people with different colors were discriminated in American society. In contrast to it used to be, surprisingly, Americans elected an African American president last year. The result of the election was out of my presumption because I assumed that the United States would have an African American president in the near future, but not today.

    Such astonished change - the key word that also helped Obama won the election - in the United States encouraged my girlfriend and me to discuss about it. She also wanted me to share some comments for her assignment regarding this kind of political activity. Actually I have no idea why those students who major in art have to talk about it.

    

    Differ from the aspect which came from other editors, I'd like to use political examples to describe changes in American society. In Taiwan, we consider that we're separated in political position with China. Unfortunately, I saw many Americans were still considered that we’re a part of China after I came here until I explained the difference to them. Similarly, one of my South Korean classmates told me the misunderstood of relationship between North and South Korean in many of Native Americans' mind. Because of the progress of quality in education, Native Americans are greatly influenced by modern concept and next one who is going to be benefitted will be their offspring. Significantly, parental influence and home education will make more positive impact than ever. Similarly, not only Native Americans, but also other people in the world are experiencing the same influence to help to make this world a better place.

    In addition, thanks to the globalization and technology, we can share news and information with somebody who lives abroad in seconds. Ideas and opinions are more acceptable by those Native Americans who were used to arrogant and overbearing. In short, people are putting more respect to others and are having more confident to build a harmonious society.

They Save Our Lives, Whom Would Save Theirs?

   PTSD (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder) is a psychological trauma, which we can often see in some movies shown examples of how this mental illness affects our daily lives. In the film "Born on the Forth of July", for example, we observe the changes from which Ron has experienced a Vietnam War sergeant to a Vietnam Veterans. We can see the changes of a desperate veteran in mind and behavior affects his life after returning home. Since president Obama announced that more troops are going to Afghanistan, the problem of PTSD must be paid more attention to, because the government has responsibility to recover the trauma that those national heroes have suffered.

    Veterans, who were experienced so many kills, spatter of blood, and losing of fellows, were hurt deeply in mind, especially those survivors who just rescued from the battlefront. Many of them may feel guilty about it or the loneliness will hurt any of them deeply when the day they were considered useless after demobilized. Unfortunately, the new lives will not stop them from dreaming about the scenes what they were doing, like nightmares. What's more, the nightmares will go again and again no matter what kind of life they have or what social connection what they've been placed.

    One of the solutions is take them back to the place where is the most memorable place for them. A fresh memory is needed to cover the old and sorrowful one in addition to ease their psychological trauma. It's not 100% effective, but helps them to keep away from everlasting guilt, depression, and worry. We can let veterans visit those places to say goodbye to negative memories and to build more confidence for rest of their lives.

    In sum, PTSD is a mental illness, but it's preventable and curable. I hate to say that the United States is constantly sending troops into the battle zone to keep the global peace. However, at the time the U.S. government doing so, veterans' welfares have to be taken into account for appreciating their contribution.

The Happiest Moment of The Year

    There is nothing exciting more than traveling to San Francisco twice a month and spending almost half of November there. Despite the six-hour - such an exhausted journey - flight crossing the entire United States, it worth me to spend time hanging around with my girlfriend in a wormer place, especially it's about a month to Christmas.

    I must say that students, who study in east coast, are not as good in making activities than those in west coast. I travel here not only want to stay with my girlfriend, but to look for any opportunity seeking activities in San Francisco. Moreover, this is my first time having thanksgiving holiday in the U.S. and I chose a place, which has more friends and fun, to enjoy the rest of November. 

    My girlfriend started her graduate program, which is graphic design in San Francisco, a year earlier than I did in 2008. At the time, I just finished the ESL program there and started to prepare applications for graduate schools. I'm not telling a story how I met her, but sharing a feeling how lucky I am to have this long-distance relationship. After becoming a loving couple with her, which was two weeks after I arrived Boston, I started to realize that I just stepped in the kind of situation that is the most hazardous condition for loving couples. I've never wondered how long that I can keep her heart thousands miles away, but I knew that I wouldn't win her trust unless I respect my work and responsibility of being here. She is just the kind of girl who is so straight and honest that I want to get together with.

    Since the first day I arrived, I experienced the life what she has told me on the phone before. The major of what she studies needs creative ideas and sense to finish each artwork (homework). There are still so many hard works I couldn't sympathize until I had the chance doing homework by her side. I can suddenly realize that she is strong enough so I don't need to worry too much about her. Nonetheless, it's thanksgiving holiday. We decided to have our boring tedious lives funnier. We spared time picking food in the supermarket and prepared the dinner together. I enjoy every moment doing everything with my girlfriend and make sure we'll have good time in the rest of the holiday week.

    When the first time I landed at San Francisco, which was also the first city that I visited, I was attracted by the ever-sunshine weather and multi cultural environment. Honestly, my first impression of this city was a good place for travel, for people to enjoy the retirement, and for fun. However, I don't worry about my girlfriend even though she still studies in the city with many students who speak the same language with her. The program what she studies is tough and she barely has time hanging around them. What the most important is that we're pretty sure about the purpose of why we're here and what we're spending time and money for.

Why I Don't Want To Get The Flu Shot

    Despite the fact that media bring significant influence to people, I still doubt on the reliability of H1N1 flu vaccine until now. According to the news, many people died due to the side effect of the vaccine. Furthermore, our president wasn't willing to get the flu shot when the H1N1 vaccine just went public, which means our president doesn't trust our "home made" vaccine. Is H1N1 really horrible and fatal just like those reports on the news or it's drug manufacturers' strategy to frighten people to boost profit? Base on the reason above, I will not take the flu shot until it becomes more reliable.

    There are experts and reporters saying that taking flu shot is the most crucial moment for people to prevent the illness everyday. I think maybe people in Taiwan are still in the pain when SARS was widespread in 2003. They further temporary lost their skill of judgment because the media exaggerated the fact more than it really was. In addition, the government kept encouraging people to take the flu shot ASAP, but the president wasn't willing to be the first one to get the shot. Does it mean that even president is afraid of the side effect of our "home made" vaccines? If so, how can the government convince people the safety of H1N1 vaccines?

    We actually can do something to either prevent getting flu or avoid the possibility getting side effect from flu shot. As what the media tells us, exercise reduces the chance of being contagious. Immunity doesn't built in one day, and those who are easily to get illness must be careless taking care of themselves. Most people also misunderstand how H1N1 spreads. H1N1 is not a disease that spreads through the air, but a disease that spreads especially when people have close contact. That is to say, the infection takes place through breathing and spit to another person. To keep a safe distance when talking is one of the basic methods to prevent infection.

    In terms of our vaccine, the process of vaccine produce wasn't clear enough to make people trust its reliability. Some reports mentioned that our "home made" vaccine came public before it went through clinical examination. Actually, the medical technique in Taiwan is relatively high in comparison with other developed countries like the United States. But the government some how considers its achievement more than our health. That is not a positive attitude that a developed country supposed to have.

When Technology Saves Technology

    Cell phone connects people, but also kills people. According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, drivers are four time more likely to have an accident if they are talking on the phone - hands-free or not - while driving. In other words, it still has high possibility to have a car accident even though we're just having conversation with passengers. As a result, government started to regulate the use of cell phone strictly to reduce those kind of accident caused by using cell phone when driving. In the meantime, the battle between human and technology takes place because people never want to turn their cell phones off.

    Cell phone has become more and more functional and well developed that can almost replace all the portable electronic devices. People relatively tend to rely on this handy device doing many things, including talking, gaming, texting, or using it as a substitutive laptop. As a result, cell phone manufactures were focusing on high capacity batteries on cell phones to meet people's needs. Few years later, along with the development of wireless technology, people don't have to hold their cell phones all the time. The good news was that the car accident happened because of using hands-on was significantly reduced. Even if people are still distracted while talking on the phone, at least the technology keeps their both hands on the steering wheel.

    However, car accidents are still happened when people remove their sight from the road and try to dial and to check the screen. People hence prefer a kind of car, which embedded with hands-free system to lessen the risk when making phone calls. Drivers can easily "dial" someone through speaking to the microphone, which attached in the panel and answer phone calls through the button on the steering wheel. Today, one of the services of a famous wireless company provides a voice system to announce anyone who is trying to phone someone who is driving. The service might cost only few dollars to automatically transfer your incoming calls into voice mailbox and let callers know that you're driving. What an interesting thing is that it shows the technology is benefitted by another technology.

    Last, we actually just need to keep our cell phone off when driving and save money from those supplemental equipment or services. Because it's hard to regulate people not to use cell phone in driving, that's how business person make profit from this kind of human nature behavior.

A New Artifact In My Room

    At the beginning of this semester, I purchased a 20-inche screen to be the secondary screen for my laptop. The reason is that I need to stare the computer screen very often for study purpose. I asked my mom to mail me the keyboard and the mouse, which I left in Taiwan so I can use my laptop as a desktop computer. That is also the way I use computer at home. Here's the picture shows how I place those stuff.

    After Apple Inc. releasing their one of the new products, Mac mini, on Oct 20th, I couldn't kept my eyes off of this "faster processor, twice the memory" desktop computer, especially we students can take it home with educational price, which is $50 off from the original one. For me, this white and tiny desktop is not only the product that I want, but also the product that I need to improve my efficiency on my work.

    I'm one of Apple Inc.'s fans, and I love the way they design their products. They always make their electronic products look like artifacts, not just cold and metaled electric equipments. They produce the most energy-efficient computers and many handy devices, such as high capacity iPod, the thinnest laptop, and iPhone, which is the most popular cell phone in the world.

    Before clicking on the "purchase" button, I considered that I need a desktop to be the perfect match with my 20-inch screen, mouse, and keyboard. In addition, I often contribute my essay or paper on my bed, which is the most comfortable place for me gathering ideas. As a result, I wanted to remove the laptop from my desk, and I'll only use it at outside or anywhere else except on the desk.

    The new Mac mini was delivered by FedEx and it arrived today in a small box.

                            

    It is even smaller than the box as shown.

                            

    This is all the content in the package, including OS disk, installation disk, and mini display port to DVI adapter. What amazed me is the power adapter, because it's the second largest item among them, looks like a white brick.

                           

    Take a close view on the front

                          

    The back view with my new magic mouse

                              

    This is the last day for you being a desktop, MacBook.

                          

    After everything has settled, my desk looks exactly what I wanted to be. Now I can put my speaker on the place where the MacBook used placed.

                          

    Now I'm pretty enjoy the feature of my new desktop computer. It beautifies my desk and I can easily take it home when I finish the graduate program. Thanks for reading this post.

We're Not Dreamers If We Dont' Have Any

    "Mom still worries about you, bro." That's what my sister told me on the phone three days ago. Two weeks ago, I took the first mid-term exam in my first semester in United States. The result was fair, but there is still something that I got to improve. That's the purpose why we have mid-term and final every semester. I wasn't surprised about the response that my mom made after hearing about my exam result. At the meantime, I felt sorry about making my parents worry about my school work even I'm 27.

    One of the exams turned out 86/100. Pretty satisfied though, but my self confidence wasn't longer exist after knowing that there are twenty more students got 90+ which is a great shock to me. I suddenly realized that what my mom worried has her reason. After graduating from junior high school, I didn't go to any senior high school, like most of my classmates did. Instead, I went to a technical college, which is not a kind of school for preparation of going to regular universities. However, I was still holding my dream studying in the university to fulfill my goal. The attitude that my family member held wasn't positive to my ambition. While preparing for transfer exam in my forth year in the technical college, they just kept telling me that going to the university is not the only option for my career. But I knew that what I was doing wasn't just to change the picture of me on their minds, but to compensate what I have lost in my earlier school life.

    In contrast, my younger sister does a better job in studying than I do. She attended a better university and got the bachelor degree at the age of 22 (I wasn't that smooth; I graduated on 23.).  As the eldest child in my family, I felt ashamed that I couldn't be a good role model for my sister. She spent only one year preparing the application for graduate program in the United States. In comparison, I spent two times of she did in preparing the same thing. As the result, she was admitted a year earlier than me. During the time taking TOEFL and GMAT and preparing all the annoying paper work, I was still fed up with the negative expectation from my mom, which is very discouraging. She wanted me to accept the fact that my sister is more brilliant in studying and told me not to try so hard. I eventually accepted by Boston University in the year 2009, at my age of 26.

    I always firmly believe that what I'm doing is right. Sometimes I just need to ignore some disturbing sound of what I hear and transfer it into an encouraging energy. I love my parents and my sister who is still fighting for her graduate degree in Johns Hopkins University. We always cheer each other up in every stage of our lives. Every one in the world is a dreamer, but the one who succeed is the one who make his/her dream come true.

A Brief View of Taiwan Development Construction

    Government makes decisions to make development constructions through its legislative procedures to meet people's needs. Very often, those development decisions that government makes need to go through many administrative steps to accomplish. For example, in Taiwan, the decision to build a public park in a cit government owned estate has to make by members of city government. They vote for such kind of development proposal then the mayor will sign it and invite bids for the construction.

    However, sometimes decision making is much more complicated than that. For national development construction, like high speed railroad, the proposal was made by executive officers and the prime minister decided to run this program in 1990. An important government department called "Council For Economic Planning and Development" played a significant role at that time. The council is composed  by many development ministers of each development, including minister without portfolio, minister of finance, minister of economic affairs, and minister of transportations and communications. The council is responsible for formulating, evaluating, and coordinating national economic development policies and measures. As a result, it provided proposal regarding environmental, domestic economic climate, and supply and demand issues while constructing high speed railroad.

    In addition, the government used the mode "BOT" (Build, Operate, and Transfer) to let private firms and financial institutions to collect money and to arrange resources. In fact, there are few successful BOT cases in Taiwan base on its economic growth. Sometimes the government only wants to imitate the success done by other countries and makes wrong decisions. In Taiwan, too many politicians just want to fatten their purses, rather than to consider public benefits. Many development constructions. which could be well operated, were suspended due to negative bureaucrat procedures, but that will be another story. 

The Beauty of Art

    Are artists themselves born to be artists? They are defined as people who practice any of the various creative arts, or person skilled at a particular task or occupation. Very often, singers, actor, and dancer also can be artists. Most of them show non-verbal skills to represent any feeling and to create concepts in indirect ways. Places for artists are important to identify construction. Displacement and dominant values are also challenges in creating artworks.

  

    Today, artists have been identified as producers that gather things and ideas to create things in ideal ways. Sometimes we infer artists as creators who are master in creating styles. In terms of style, which can be referred to the weapon for artists, it’s likely the basic element in creating artworks. They may not have to travel a lot, but the style they generated comes from ideas that many people think are less important. As a result, artists can be referred to architects, musicians, or anthropologists.

  

    Place plays an important role during the growth of an artist. The decisive influences including the school of what he/she studied, neighbors, and friends who he/she used to play with. In other words, the way of the artist create artwork seems has been decided before he/she becomes adult, but the style can be different depends on political issues or other influences from other artists. However, sometimes the way that an artist present art will remain the same of what he/she used to.

    

    Displacement varies according to some external factors. For example, cultural, political, or emotional varieties can be shown in artists’ representation of displacement. Most of them are too abstract to be put down in words. Thus, paintings and music sometimes can best illustrate of showing displacement.

    

    Art, in my point of view, is the smoothest and indirect method to challenge dominant values in the world. I conclude that as the beauty of art. I love this non-verbal way to attain the same purpose as any direct way.

New Challenge In Kids Education

    Today, children's education is far different from what it was in 20th century. Lots of sources for education usage can be found via the Internet and other multimedia information, like HD TV or radio, which are becoming popular recently. As a result, I envy those children who were born in twenty first century. However, on the other hand, I worry about the quality of the information that would be confusing for children and parents choosing material because of the accuracy and validity of the information. In addition, the increasing difference of attitude toward education between school and parents is the cause that makes 80's and 90's children more vulnerable under stress.

    Twenty years ago, education sources were found mostly through teachers. As long as I can remember, cable TV wasn't developed at that time, neither were personal computers, and few parents were well educated (graduate degree or more). In Chinese tradition, teacher is a job earned as much admiration as doctor. In Taiwan, because of the influence comes from China, parents respected teachers very much in 20th century. Unlike today, teachers were given much power educating and punishing students. When I was a fifth-grade student, physical punishment was very usual for teachers punishing students, including caning and standing or kneeling in the corner for hours. Most of parents, at that time, were not doubt on what the way teachers use to keep their children on the right track. Once I complained to my father about the way teacher punished me after the class, I got another punishment from him because he trusted teacher's judgment and thought I deserved to be punished.

    Today, more and more parents are reluctant to bear more than one child; as more education as parents received, they prefer to focus more on family education than on school education. Thus, the social position of teacher is not that significant than what it was in 20th century. In addition, the Internet technology shortens the distance among people. Information can easily found within several clicks and it often costs nothing to acquire. Teachers' influence is not as noticeable as before, so there is fewer people want to be teachers. Therefore, the quality of today's education is worrisome.

    Furthermore, parents need to keep their eyes on choosing information sources for children. Today's diverse TV programs and web sites contain not only positive influences, but also negative influences. Parents have more responsibility choosing material for children. Because information is also updated in a fast pace, students themselves need to keep up with the trend and learn new things spontaneously. In short, parents need to be careful about the information sources; students are not going to rely too much on teachers; teachers will be subsidiary in the future.

Boston's Skyscraper Plan

    A possible commercial opportunity brings happiness for not only business persons, but also visitors. Chiofaro's idea has brought a controversy before the astonishing plan being practiced. As a visitor's view, I'm pleased to see how does the significant construction, which is a kind of unprecedented performance, benefit the employment and the residents in Boston. However, any opposition has to be taken into account, including neighbor's points of view and political issues, before continuing this work.

    Boston residents are proud of the historical meanings of Boston. Including the styles and the age of many buildings, that's also the feature what Boston residents love and retain. As a result, they would rather to keep the original form of some buildings, for example, Fenway Park, City Hall, or some libraries standing in downtown than to reconstruct them. In my opinion, Chiofaro may have to consider the feeling of those conservative residents, who prefer to keep the image of this historical city. In addition, any construction of a skyscraper may brings some geographical effect to the area nearby. The shadow that skyscrapers produced will affect the business of those stores near them. A good negotiation will needed before building this multifunction skyscraper.


    It's hardly to deny that, the commercial benefit will bring a significant impact on this construction. It is a good news for tourist industries and many companies, which will have interest in leasing. A successful example in Taipei, Taipei 101 is one of the tallest buildings of the world. After the completion in 2003, it makes Taiwan not only a well known country for bicycle exporting, but also an additional place for tourists considering visiting. Taipei 101's success in combing shopping mall and rental offices makes Shen Yi district an attractive area for visiting. 


    Facing the voice from oppositions, the mayor of Boston is also facing this controversy for him. His reputation is being challenged by his attitude toward Chiofaro's plan. A fair negotiation is needed between Thomas Menino and Chiofaro. Maybe Chiofaro can make a concession to reduce the height of the skyscraper to save the cost from making changes in air routes.


    A discussion regarding the plan is needed to benefit both business persons and residents. Building a landmark is a big challenge in this old city. But the visual contrast between new and old buildings will open a new page in Boston history.

This I believe

    I grew up along with the Taiwan profession baseball development. When the first professional baseball team came up, at my age of seven, my father switch his interest from NBA to the support of Taiwan professional baseball team, Brother Elephants.

    For as long as I can remember, my father took me to the stadium to see the most excited game at that time. It was the second year of professional baseball game developed, but also my first time appreciated the real baseball game in real baseball stadium when I was eight years old. I became a baseball fan after the understanding of baseball rules and experiencing the atmosphere when everyone shouted the same name of the player and cheered for the winning. 

    My father is a baseball fan as well. He spared time playing baseball with me twice a week until I went to junior high school. Now he is not that enthusiastic about baseball game. Instead, he puts more concentration on our family business. I can still enjoy the ball game even though I go to the ballpark along.

    I believe that most of professional player respect their job and the fans that have been supporting not only players, but also the whole ball team for a long time. When gangs started to control the result of baseball game from 1995, people stared to doubt the truthfulness of each ball game. Unfortunately, some players were threaten to follow bad guy's direction to cheat. Those who cheated their fans and receive profit from illicit sources were not allowed to come back. 

    I believe that Taiwan professional baseball development will not be demolished just because few players don't respect their job and skill. Baseball has deep meanings to Taiwan. It is a sport which being played most in Taiwan. As long as the existence of professional baseball in Taiwan, I will still support this great baseball league and the team I love.

Unchangeable Relationship

    Who will be the first person encouraging you when you fail? Who will be the first person that forgives all the mistake that you make? Who is the person loves you more and truly than other friends do? All of the answers turn out into the only one answer, that is, your family. Family is always your back up and supports you at any stage you are. The family members may not smart enough to know what you're thinking, but they definitely are the person who pays the most sympathy for what you've been through. This reliable relationship will last forever till you die.


    We often say that money can tear loving couple apart, break relationship among siblings, and destroy friendships. However, there's something we can do to avoid such negative influence happened among us. First, building the identical values of money needs to be as early as possible. Family education is what we receive much earlier then school education. Consequently, siblings all accept the same quality and quantity of education from parents. Needless to say, parents play a great role building self conscious of children. They are responsible for our personality development when we were young. For example, My younger sister and I were taught that money is less important than family relationship, so we never had any argument regarding money. Instead, we developed a positive concept of using money because we have a great role model, my parents.


    Second, which is more difficult one to avoid money dispute among siblings, is to hold the same dream and hope. Another good example in the field of sports, which is also brought a significant influence to baseball development, was the successful investment of baseball team among five brothers. Hung brothers held the same baseball dream to promote the beginning of Chinese Professional Baseball League. Especially the manager of Brother Hotel, Hung Teng-Sheng, he is the eldest among his siblings, but also the founder of Chinese Professional Baseball League. After the success of operating hotel, he and his brothers gathered money from each business field, such as hardware business, tailoring business, and hotel business. Sooner they created the first baseball team, Brother Elephants, and keep contacting other firms to form more baseball teams to contribute the Chinese Professional Baseball League. This is the 20th year since the league has been created. Even though it is facing the most terrible scandal among ball teams (see the post "Former MLB Player Involved in Fixed Games Scandal"), I don't think Hung brother will give up their baseball dream.


    There are still many stories show that family relationship will not be broken by money. Similarly, There is something that only family members can give you a hand without any hesitation. I firmly believe that only family members are the person you can trust and count on.

Former MLB Player Involved in Fixed Games Scandal

    Tsao Chin-Hui, the former MLB player who was the pitcher in Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Kansas City Royals. He was also the first Taiwanese pitcher who took the challenge in MLB in 2003. After being discharged from the Royals, he was selected by the team, Brother Elephants, which is one of four baseball teams of Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL). Tsao was accused by the meeting with someone who planned fixed games after the Taiwan Series.


    Investigators found out that many seasonal games were "directed" by gamblers who paid at least $10,000 US as the advantage to the players who were willing to follow their directions to control the result of the game. As the result, people were often told the result of a certain game that wasn't even started. This incident was uncovered by the arrest of ex-Brother Elephants' pitcher, Chuang You-Lin, who was being the middleman by helping gamblers bribing players to control the result of their anticipation. Tsao was later being discharged from Brother Elephants even though he claimed that had never received a dollar and thrown "fake games". 


    The baseball scandal struck Brother Elephants terribly because not only Tsao, but also several Elephants' players were involved of this, especially five players were later confessed having played the fixed games. In addition, this is the first time that Elephants' players committed the unforgiving mistake. The similar scandal of fixed games can be dated back to 1995 when gangs started to bribe and to threaten baseball players for the purpose of controlling the result of games. No one knows the problem still exists until now and hardly believe that the government only sit and watch instead of eliminating it.


    In my point of view, as a baseball fan, the major victim suffered from those repeatedly tragedy are those baseball players who play clearly. Some of the players assert that they are not playing baseball just for profit, but the passion for the sport of baseball. I admire those players who respect their job and Taiwan baseball development; nevertheless it's the only way, for some of them, to make money with their skills. Why many professional baseball players chose to take the risk playing fake games to get the profit for each game which is nearly thirty times their monthly salaries?


    Unlike those players in MLB, CPBL doesn't have complete system to guarantee baseball players welfare. Some players selected by small and poor ball teams only earn $1,000 to $1,500 dollars per month. Furthermore, we don't have free agent system to protect their right of wages arbitration. Brother Elephants is not only the oldest ball team, but also the poorest one in CPBL. Maybe it's the time for them to reform the team and see if there is any firm would like to take over this most famous baseball team in Taiwan.

The Life Dilemma of Mickey

I was reading about the history of one of the greatest baseball teams of the world, New York Yankees. Especially there is a player of the team that I’d like to meet named Mickey Mantal. He created so many homerun records that made him became a legend in baseball field. He died earlier than most other Major League players but still hardly forgotten by baseball fans. He was a slugger, an alcoholic, and a bad father and husband. His success makes me wonder what his life looks like.

To be a powerful baseball player was Mickey Mantal’s dream. Because his father was also a well-known baseball player, he was trained to be a player when he was nine.  Mickey never gave up making progress even though his father died when he was sixteen. He joined New York Yankees of Major League Baseball in the age of nineteen. He spent almost fifteen years chasing his dream and finally became the most powerful batter in the middle 20^th century.

However, after Mickey’s baseball career, he was addicted to alcohol heavily. The divorce from his wife made his life worse than ever. He finally got liver cancer in the age fifty. At the time he realize something that he always wanted to do is to help other people who also suffered from liver cancer. After the liver transplant, he participated the public service and cheered others who need help. Nonetheless, Mickey never forgets to make reparation the relationship with his son.

He was neither a good father nor a good husband during the baseball career. He almost ignored his wife and his only son. During the treatment of liver cancer, he thought about what his father did to him. He always wanted to be a good father but it was too late to achieve. He said, “If I had had enough time, I would have spent more time being together with my son.” However, he did a real great job on his baseball career and was admired by his fans.

Mickey’s wasn’t happy with his success due to the reasons above. He might really enjoy his live but might not the real happiness of his life. Sometimes we only choose something that we think is right but not always the most correct one. Life is short, and we can hardly forecast what the happening will come in the future. We learn from the failure and success of what we experienced and realize something that we’ve lost but could be avoided at the first time. Mickey could have spent more time with his family instead of chasing his baseball dream, but who knows if he would regret for the decision or not?

Time Managing

    How would you manage the time when so many things happen at the same time? Assuming that you're not going to avoid anything to make it not to happen, how would you stay cool among those annoying thins bothering you and still remember to make a phone call to your parents telling them you're fine without any hesitation? This is the hardest time that I've experienced since the first day of graduate program started on September third. I got two mid-term exams, a presentation, five-hour mathematic classes in two weekends, six essays, and unsolved argument with my girlfriend. What needs to be worried is that those happenings are suppose to be held in these two weeks.


    This is my first semester of graduate program in the United States. Very different from the ESL program that I've taken in the United States though, now I'm really fighting not only for the language challenge, but for the future. In terms of the graduate program, which might be the last degree program of mine, I should thank God that I finally got the opportunity to study the major of financial economics in Boston University after being rejected by many universities I've applied. Just because it would be the last chance to pursue higher level of education, I took seriously choosing majors, unlike being chosen by the education system in Taiwan ten years before, despite of the world's trend which usually confuses students when choosing majors. 


    Being a graduate student in one of the exclusive universities of New England, I should be proud of myself at first. Time managing becomes significantly important than ever when the first day you enter the graduate program. If I were accepted by any university in California, I would be given a lecture about time managing before getting the graduate program started. That's the joke that I often talk to my friends. Studying in universities on the east coast, I don't have to spare my time choosing which party is funnier to go. According to an English teacher of mine who comes from New York, east coast is a please for students who really eager for knowledge. Even though I considered that's what he wanted to say to make me feel better after being rejected by University of South California, I stared to believe in him after participating several boring activities held by certain people. Maybe they spend too much time studying rather than create attractive activities.


    When so many things jammed at the same time, I have to make sort of determinations to get them well dome. At least I know what's the most difficult thing that I'm struggling with. A great deal to make myself less stressful is try to get rid of the most bothering thins I have. I decided to be concentrated on the next mid-term exam, which affects my grade badly. Further more, it's one of the most important core courses of my concentration. It doesn't mean that other classes are not important, but means that it helps me to build self confidence to get them done.


    What about the dangerous situation between me and my girlfriend? I decided to put it aside until the next weekend. I think it's a positive opportunity for us to calm down for a while seriously. Everything is gonna be alright. 

Media Should Be Carefully Regulated

Media has been dominating the way of audiences’ thoughts for decades, especially since the television has created in 20^th century. A terrible fact, which still exists, is that somehow the multifarious media easily influences people, which is unwise that some of them don’t choose positive programs. Or some media is inclined to influence what people think, just like brainwashing effect, are now highly taken account by anthropologists and certain group of people. The media should be carefully regulated base on the diverse of culture backgrounds and ethics issues.

 Children and teenagers are groups of people who are likely highly affected under the certain amount exposure of TV programs. That is, they are not mature enough to choose the programs, which are suitable for their age. Consequently, parents often pay much attention to the TV program choosing for them. Nonetheless, it’s impossible that parents can spend 24/7 watching their children, so that’s why GIO, Taiwan[1] classifies TV programs into many levels and regulates some of them only can be played after midnight.

In addition, there are so many disagreements about ethics, religions, and political issues among people in a country. It’s media industries’ responsibility to reduce the opportunity that can cause people fight for any susceptible subject. For example, people in Taiwan are sensitive about political issues, which are bickering for so many years between two major political parties, Kuomintang and Democratic Progressive Party. The obvious preference can be shown easily in Taiwan’s society, and this unique phenomenon sometimes is visible in TV stations and newspapers. People can be misled due to some subjective comments and rumors. Unfortunately, I can see many Taiwanese like to fight against someone who has different political opinions rudely. As a result, it is easily to kill someone verbally or to cause unnecessarily argument if we don’t carefully regulate the media.

TV series and movies are often considered as art. They became popular since the television has been created and the film making technique has been well developed in 20^th century. They sometime make impressive shows to help people to recall some memories, whatever they’re positive or negative. In contrast, some of them create the story that is not true and will probably cause conflicts among people. For instance, a popular movie, Angels and Demons, which is revised from its original novel version, uses the idea of a historical conflict between science and religion, particularly that between the Illuminati and the Roman Catholic Church.[2]Such critical topic should be careful used in whatever literature or dramas, or it will bring significant conflicts to us.

In short, media or any artwork has crucial influences to audiences verbally and visually. Carefully choosing TV programs helps us to absorb inappropriate information. It’s not even morally fair to entertain people by making movies to step on someone’s pain, so it is also important for filmmakers to consider all the sensitive issues that may offend audiences before making movies.

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[1] Government Information Office, Taiwan

[2] Angels and Demons, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angels_and_demons

New Chinatown

The renewal of Chinatown not only amazes the residents in Boston, especially during the great recession which causes job loss and hurts people’s faith, but also surprises me. One of my Chinese classmates put an advertisement on electronic bulletin board telling that his uncle who starts a new bakery in Chinatown. I firmly believe that this is the positive news not only for people who live in Chinatown, but also for the depressed business atmosphere that has been lasted for a considerable period of time.

As the only historic Chinese area, which was formed by Irish, Jewish, Italian, Syrian, and Chinese immigrants in New England, Boston Chinatown has multiple cultural features represents it’s historical meanings[1]. We can see now it is not only served with eastern products and food, but also with other cultural merchandise, such as Japanese and Vietnamese food. Even though it is not specifically supply products all from Chinese region, for example, the Chinatown in New York City, it shows a significant role in cultural combination in this historic region, New England.

In terms of the population of international students, New England area has the most diverse culture of international students. Especially in Boston, an “incipient global city”[2], contains many exclusive universities, such as Harvard University, Boston University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Massachusetts, and so on. The cheerful news like “Chinatown’s good fortune”, which reported by Boston Globe on October 8, 2009, told that other than those businesses were suffered from this recession, in contrary, more than 15 shops had opened in Chinatown in recent months. There is no doubt that not only local residents, but also international students in Boston area will be benefitted from that.

However, the weather condition will be one of the biggest challenges to those new sprung businesses and shops in Chinatown. The new restaurants and bakeries are going to face severe cold weather coming in late October. That is, we will see if the renewal will be a flash in the pan or not, depends on how those business owners keep their customers’ loyalty. In addition, because of the economic recession, people are losing their consumption capability. This is also a serious problem which caused many businesses went bankruptcy. As a result, business owners are forced to re-discuss the policy in pricing in order to keep their customers and to generate cash flows.

The renovation of Chinatown will make the occupancy of the area toward a positive improvement, which means the development of city population will be benefitted from it. Living in Chinatown will become more and more convenient than ever, so real estate companies can easily taking advantage of the opportunity. More and more job opportunities will be created as well.

In summary, thanks to the remarkable geographical advantage, New England region has outstanding condition for starting businesses. International students shall feel lucky about the good news that happened in the area where they live in. While celebrating the new opportunities for business owners, they will also face new challenges to deal with.

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[1] Chinatown, Boston, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinatown,_Boston

[2] A study group at Loughborough University in England classifies Boston as an “incipient global city” in 2004.

Weekend Business on 10/02

This week I would like to share my expression to the current situation of the U.S economy, job loss, which is one of the most crucial problem and now it is striking many individuals and families. Second, a perspective view will be given about e-book, a hot feature, which is making significant impacts upon book manufactures and technology innovations.

If you still remember the news happened last two weeks that Hyatt hotels laid off hundreds of their housekeepers in Massachusetts, were you considered the program that the government held to create more job in order to beautify the unemployment rate was a good idea? Although I’m not an economist, my gut tells me that is not a positive attitude should government take into account. The essential difficulty threaten against the unemployment, in my point of view, are illegal employment and immigrants, who are limiting legal residents rights of finding jobs. Because the U.S government looks like they had never taken those problem seriously, especially to those illegal immigrants for many decades. President Obama made a promise during the presidential election and sited that he will solve the problem in the future. Let’s see if it will give a great help to the U.S economy.

In Taiwan, how do people find the way out to deal with the high unemployment rate? Nowadays many freshmen, who just graduated from high school, tend to set up their carrier plan earlier as the result from the economic crisis. Some of them start to prepare for qualified exam one or two years before graduating from college to get the chance working for government. In other words, they look for any job relates to government-run organizations, such as TPC (Taiwan Power Company)1, CPC Corporation2, Taiwan, civil servant, etc. Of course, volunteer army is an option. Those are the jobs that you can earn stable wages and hardly to be laid off. All you have to do is get a higher score then you can work for government for twenty years and benefitted from exclusive welfare. It’s kind of keen competition though, but it worth to give yourself a try in Taiwan.

According to this week Weekend Business, e-book, a newly developed feature brings an excitement to the Internet technology and makes publishers nervous about file sharing technique. In my perspective, it’s still not the time should publishers worry about the sales decline. As we know, Amazon.com brought a new e-book reader called “kindle”3, which allows customers download e-books to the high capacity reader, kindle, and save more spaces from managing hard copy books. However, I believe most of people, like me, prefer the reading pleasure by holding a “real” book on my hands. I can’t imagine how do we consider “reading” without flipping pages. Hence, se don’t need to worry about the piracy problem as much as sharing music on the Internet yet.

In summary, it needs time to get rid of the job lost problem as long as the U.S government can take the right medicine to cure Uncle Sam’s illness. We still have to be optimistic to get through the economic crisis. Plus, I really want to take a look at “kindle” and see how it works.

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1 Taiwan Power Company

2 CPC Corporation

3 Kindle, Amazon.com

The World's Next Super Power?

China is well known of its military power and distinct political situation compare with other democratic nations. After reviewing the news, China Celebrates 60 Years of Communist Rule, as a Taiwanese, I would like to share you some subjective and critical view points regarding some China’s political activities and its attitude toward Taiwan and other countries of the world. But all of the comment or point of view will be concentrated on the Chinese government itself.

I wasn’t surprised while observing china’s outstanding and modern weapons on the military parade for celebrating China’s nation’s 60^th anniversary for some reasons. First, it’s China’s 60^th anniversary, which is a memorable decadal celebration of course. It’s reasonable that any country would celebrate for such a big day. Second, China just reached a milestone of its space technology. China’s scientists successfully sent their astronauts into the space and accomplished a very significant achievement, spacewalk, on Sep. 27^th 2008[1]. In spite of the hesitation from critics, who doubt on the authenticity of china’s space mission, China surely blew the world away this time. Third, by the pressure from the United States, China is eager for competition of military development with them in terms of some political issues. The United States has been the imaginary enemy that China would like to surpass for decades.

Why did China have to bring such powerful weapons and stuff to the street on its 60^th anniversary and troops, as we seen, shown their uniformed formation to president Hu? In my opinion, because of China’s different policy toward the people of China, including the bias to Falun Gong[2], the cross strait relationship, and the conflict with Tibetan, China faces the significant pressure from other democratized countries. In other words, those countries like U.S, United Kingdom, European Union, etc., they don’t really like the way China treats its people. Furthermore, there are many strong neighbors, such as Russia, India, and North Korea, have highly developed military power. China is forced to make itself stronger to build self-defensive military force.

It’s understandable that governing a country with thirteen million people is the challenge for China’s democratization. China government may has figured out the urgent affair is its economy. There’s no doubt that China’s economic power is improving by import/export business and OEM technique. However, it will be better if China can remove the missiles, which were targeted on the Taiwan, and put money into it’s inland economic development, such thoughtful action might have a great impact on Chinese living quality. It’s no need to waste time making conflict with Taiwan, because Taiwan is considered as an independent country by many developed countries, after all. Moreover, Taiwan loves peace, and has never shown hostile attitude to any country in the world.

Power has to be built on the basis of peace and democracy. Building military power is not the first consideration. Hopefully we can observe China’s democracy achievement at the next decadal anniversary one day.

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[1] Shenzhou-7, Wikipedia

[2] Falun Gong