松鼠務農／莊峻華

 松鼠務農／莊峻華

庭院裡長些花生株多年，正想研究花生收穫何時？花生株常得罪艾美，艾美喜作園藝，連我的喇叭花苗，香瓜都不放過，真殺風景，花生是松鼠所為，鄰居麥克，英國人也，喜飼野生動物，後院樹幹下，掛滿飼料，花生帶殼，玉米整把或單粒，一年四季，引來多少各色鳥類，紅藍黃白，地上經常冒出花生和玉米等穀類，我說是松鼠務農。

一日艾美告知，松鼠在挖我的苗盆，今年我再接再厲，埋種喇叭花子於盆中，去年播種效果平平，鄰居指導埋種盆內，於是我再摘下許多喇叭花子，埋在四盆，餘者埋遍到處，我聞後果然發現盆內有挖痕，雨後果然有兩盆長出花生，我準備隨時觀看，松鼠能否挖鑿收穫。

是這樣的，松鼠也想到好天需存雨來糧，他們不肯定麥克兄之雅意，何時斷糧？尚在未定之天，而且他們有埋藏乾果習慣，而且白天都在巡覓埋藏地點，雨來不及，新苗冒出，也無所謂，美國富有，巨樹各處，糧食充足。

我也埋種鳳梨，松鼠和果狸也常來搗蛋，埋下就被掀起，松鼠也不放過絲瓜，現在我將香瓜設法，藏在廢棄狗籠中，今年我有三大盆香瓜株，雨後映然，開黃花無數，但未見蜜蜂來，有些結實，但也無法煩腦松鼠，包紮報紙，顯然無效，我早心理建設，收穫無望，上超市購買可也。

A good memory of my life/Carlos Pueblo

 A good memory of my life/Carlos Pueblo

Yesterday was a morning off tennis due to a forecast of thunder storm 90%, actually the rain came in early. It was fine with me that I got my arm rested for a day. I usually have a long nap about 90 minutes after my morning exercises, walking and playing tennis. I think of my senior life all the time and feel that I really have had a good memory of my life. In comparison to my early life in Taiwan, living in my own house, driving vehicle of my own, and have plenty of foods to eat, etc.

This is why I love the United States so much and my humble dream has become true in my life. I always have lived in my own house after I had my first job. I took advantage of the mortgage system of the American housing system, 5% down payment with a help of cosign with my brother Yancy. He was a senior engineer at that time. Now, I am living in a nice house built in 1982 and is still in excellent shape. There are many rooms for three of us and even ahs a room reserved for our daughter who lives in Austin. When I was in Taiwan, I lived with my parents at a frame tatami duplex of my father's company's dormitory. I always have that in my mind to have my own house as my life time goal. It is all coming together as long as I am working to earn an income; therefore, I can pay off the mortgage eventually and I shall own my house. I shall have a small yard to grown plants which I love.

I am driving a 1998 vehicle to play tennis or running some errands. I have developed a system to manage our vehicles system. We purchase a top of the line vehicle for Amy in three way split of the cost, Amy, Michelle, and myself. I pay a little more; therefore, I decide what kind of new car to buy. Amy drives the new vehicle, Michelle gets Amy's car, Arthur gets Michelle's, while I get Arthur's broken vehicle to fix. It is because that I have had plenty of time to deal with the old vehicle. It is a good system and work fine with our budget. 

I am watching a lot of Chinese cooking nowadays on the You Tube. The food cost in the U.S. is very reasonable. Now, I can afford to buy something I like to eat; however, I have a diabetes to be concerned, and also high blood pressure to be watched. I can't eat to rich and too much in order to avoid the insulin injection. Even though I do have a good memory of my life so far, I still like to manage my rest of life well to keep on that good memory. 

回憶有趣人生／莊峻華

 回憶有趣人生／莊峻華

今晨史丹那老隊長，因天雨預報，將網球局取消，剛好留下一清靜清晨，昨日我們尚且趕往第二節，老身不支，休息一日亦無妨，手臂亦可休息，我的老年生活，越來越瑕意，讓我來回憶這有趣之人生。

我現在之住屋，是1982年興建，十分堅固美觀，我們三人，均有自己之書房，甚至有一遷出女兒之臥室，在美國住有其屋，並不困難，若有工作到退休年齡，擁有買斷住屋不難，我父親時代，家住糖廠宿舍，因此從小有願望，長大後住有其屋，來美國後，完成美夢。

我離開保險販賣主業，已有二十年，沒有傳統主業收入，但有些儲蓄投資之收入，而且支出都有控制，沒有借貸渡日，現在之地方稅務，遠比租屋便宜，主要是我們注意身體健康，生活費有限，聯邦所得稅，也無負擔問題。

家有新車，供愛美買菜上教堂，元兒和我都開舊車，他是2007年豐田，我是1998年日產，他開車上班，我開車網球局，平常我們都躲在屋內，如此，我們住休士頓，出入不難，休市氣候溫暖，不冷很熱時雨，宜植園藝。

我的收入主要是退休金，每年我都需要領幾項，像是社會福利金，還有必領最低額退休金，一些貸款利息收入，現在之稅務負擔，遠比年輕時代重，這正表示我混得如意。

今年，我因兩年未出外旅行，節省一筆錢，依稅法限制，贈送給家人，非常得意，我的人生，越來越有趣，越來越有意義。

President Biden is very busy/Carlos Pueblo

 President Biden is very busy/Carlos Pueblo

President Biden is very busy that I can tell. Every day during the week, I watch the White House News briefing and reporters are asking where Biden is and what his thought is about the occurring world not only within the United States. Almost every one is expecting that Biden can do something to improve his life. Belarus ruler hijack an Ireland commercial plane in order to detent             his dissident. European nations respond and post sanctions, they also want to know what Biden can do for them. People all over the world want to know if Biden can help to stop the Palestinian massacre. After a week of fighting off an old issue, where is the origin virus coming from? Biden issues an order to ask the national intelligent community to have a report within 90 days. Biden continues to fight the pandemic hard every day and is also fighting to rescue the recession. He is also fighting the refugee challenge on the southern border. 

He has proposed many projects and executed many as soon as they become laws. He has done the rescue plan 2 trillions, he is working on the job plan of the infrastructure 1.7 trillions, and now he is into the annual budget plan 6 trillions. He is the most aggressive president in the history of the nation in the peace time. I believe that he will make it.

He is healthy and active in his age. He has a good sense and experience of what he can do for the nation. He also has a group of able aides to help him to manage the affairs of the nation and the world. Mostly, he has the sincere support of the voters like me. He is fully utilizing the mighty power of the nation.

I don't doubt that he is living in a meaningful life at his age of 78. 

拜登總統很忙／莊峻華

 拜登總統很忙／莊峻華

拜登總統很忙，因為不僅美國事繁，全球諸事，都需美國過問，每天白宮記者會，都有記者追問，總統像是甘樂，被打的團團轉，昨天他到俄亥俄州拜訪，也有記者會，講到美國經濟之復甦，講到他的新政第二大案，現在是一點七兆，要求共和黨莫加阻擋，每天都有很多事要做，我來回憶一下，目前是白俄羅斯總統之劫機，之前是以色列哈瑪斯之衝突，南韓總統來要武漢肺炎疫苗，台灣也要，印度想省錢，直接討製造疫苗秘方，美國仍然很多人暈針，內閣均加入幫忙管理，現在美國將近一半成人，接種疫苗，有媒體報紙，棄而不捨，追問武漢肺炎來源，逼得拜登通令情報社會三月內，提出報告，我只能再提一件，南部中美難民處理問題。

剛通過兩兆拯救法案，完成每人三千二美金之發放，大規模疫苗注射預算，全國開始動員，果然有成，學校開始復課，街道公路，開始忙碌，失業率開始降低。白俄羅斯總統公然劫機逮人，歐洲已經開始行動制裁，拜登政府正在研議，拜登普汀會談，又増加一經濟制裁項目。內廷亞虎為鞏固其終身執政，發動彈炸伊朗核彈廠，又在耶路薩冷驅趕巴勒斯坦居民，以便擴建住宅，於是哈瑪斯在加薩走廊，火箭爛射以色列，造成十二人死亡，以色列有計劃回擊，機炸民宅大廈，砲擊等等，殺死人超過五百人，包擴小孩，內廷亞虎食髓知味，逼的拜登私下電話警告停火，並派國務卿立即飛往以色列處理。

台灣，南韓，和日本，疫苗無法及時上市，武漢肺炎失控，都需要美國幫忙，我了解的是，拜登動用國防法，提供三藥廠原料，緊急生產疫苗，買下所有疫苗，以供美國全民注射，現在已達一億六千萬人注射，仍在繼續努力，藥廠同憶完成全民注射前，不能出口疫苗，借給墨西哥和加拿大之四百萬劑，是英國藥廠成品，在美國尚未緊急通過，在英國是通過，所以是借貸。拜登也同意提供印度秘方，藥廠也無異議，問題是印度能及時生產？不如禱告美國暈針者，幫忙提高注射率，讓拜登解除美國第一優先，開放疫苗出口，也可以同時解決台灣和日本之無疫苗之苦。

華爾街日報炒冷飯，重提武漢生化戰劑廠洩毒之老調，白宮記者會，珍謝姬被記者逼問一週，拜登知道矣，連忙下令三月內提出報告，記者再問，屢屢逼問，知道真象，又能如何？十四國聯軍攻打北京？還是繼續増加中國進口稅？中國很跩，跩就是蠻橫也，自以為是世界第二大強國，說是台灣是中國不可分割之一省，不准德國藥廠賣輝瑞疫苗給台灣，要台灣買下其藥商訂購之八百萬劑，那八百萬劑是八月到期，我的政治業餘判斷，中國無法完成注射，只能讓它過期浪費，中國政府很無知，到處騙人，自己生產疫苗，到處販賣，又被退貨，藥商又向德國買疫苗，要專賣台灣，台灣國民黨中國人，又隔案唱合，政治真是逸趣橫生。

Even though I say that I don't watch the television/Carlos Pueblo

 Even though I say that I don't watch the television/Carlos Pueblo

Even though I say that I don't watch the television, yet I do watch the You Tube on the internet. My information need is very simple nowadays. I don't need very fancy program and I can control the exceeding commercial with the You Tube better that the television. Plus, I go to sleep early after I am getting in years. What do I hook with the internet programs? I am watching now with a Pu-Tien Chinese cooking, a rural Vietnamese girl's daily life of fishing and cooking, Jen Psaki's White House news briefing, a Chinese butcher's pork stand at the rural Hebei Province, and some home gardening, etc.

It is called the vlog for the video posted on the You Tube. Now even some news media print and television have joined the live broadcasting. I am fascinated with Chinese cooking because that I like to cook for myself. I admit that I can't cook like the chef on his vlog because that I don't like that many of spices. At least, I learn some of the names on the menu in Chinese restaurant. This particular chef uses a lot of ginger, garlic, onion, red pepper, star anise, cooking rice wine, beers , , soy sauces, etc. to get rid of the smell of the meat and the fish. Amy asks me to prepare some of my learning and I don't like to because I am lazy and it is not good and too rich for me.

A Vietnamese girl has a vlog which is very interesting to me. She can catch all kinds of fish including the frog from the river, rice paddy and ditches. She also shows how to cook her catches and invite her mother-in-law for lunch. She is a talent young lady with multiple skills other than catching fishes and cooking. She can also make dresses and drive a light boat among rivers and creeks, etc., to do shopping and marketing her own produce. 

Even though I don't like to kill and eat pig, yet I like to watch people purchase meat on the butcher's stand. It is a different feeling from the current nice and the clean supermarket. This has brought back my good memory of a famous story between a butcher father-in-law and a poor miserable son-in-law on a Chinese classic novel, the failed Confucian scholars. I pay attention to the pork price in China in compare with the beef cost in Houston. It is interesting.

I like to have some knowledge of the home gardening. We try to grow something on our limited space on our yards. The vlog has been a help and we are doing well with our trees handicap. Those plants and St. Augustine grass are managing to grow well with the help of the rain.

I watch Jen Psaki's White House news brief every day if it is available to know what is going on with President Biden's mind to manage the nation. I then answer Amy's questions about the Corona Virus and the vaccination progress in the U.S. as well as Taiwan and Japan. I think that I fully understand and can explain well to her.

雖言電視不看／莊峻華

 雖言電視不看／莊峻華

雖言電視不看多年，我需承認花很多時間，觀看網誌，許多電視節目，已經漸漸混入網誌，經過搜索，可以調出知名而錯過之節目，由於年紀，我已經開始注意一些網誌，描述農村生活，像烹飪，捕魚，豬肉攤，家庭園藝，當然也看政論節目，此為我一日生活習慣，當然也是我之生活美憶。

我不能師法網誌上之廚師，因為我的飲食習慣，已經大大改變，而且牙齒脫落，嚼食不易，又有三高之顧慮，大廚師使用之作料，在美國不易取得，但我也重溫中餐烹飪之原理，甚麼是紅燒，甚麼是清蒸，焗，粥，熗肉，燜，中餐廳裏的菜單，我更加了解。

有兩網誌捕魚捕水雞捕蟹等，引起我注意，而且觀看百餘集，就是每一集，這越南姑娘真能幹，在河中設陷捕魚，水田中捕蛙，然後烹調，邀其母共餐，此美麗清秀姑娘，能文能武，爬樹摘果，駕舟捕魚，上廚烹調，裁縫時裝，十八般武藝，樣樣精通。

中國河北趕集之豬肉攤，我一生對賣豬肉有憧憬，儒林外史中有一幕，范進中舉人，范進的老丈人是一屠戶，我在台灣認識一女友，其父亦賣豬肉，看到豬肉攤影片，特別親切，現在中國豬肉，一斤跌價到人民幣十二元，相當於一磅兩美元之譜，豬農賠本矣，很奇怪，中國肥豬肉，豬油有價，一斤人民幣十元，我已經淘汰豬肉食，現在連牛排都避免，中國豬肉攤之豬肋骨，或曰豬排有價，一斤人民幣二十四，約一磅三點五美元，中國城市美食，很多都是滷豬頭，滷牛羊頭，滷豬腸等，非常有趣，我在台灣當羅漢腳，就是當窮學生時，非常羨慕滷肉類，因為蛋白質不夠，范進之老丈人，罵女婿不才，也提到豬油，艾美父親，受國民黨迫害，有人勸他殺豬，他因讀過書，不願曲就，非常有意思。

我看珍謝姬之白宮記者會，大概全球政治雞毛蒜皮，都有記者追問拜登，我對政治非常有興趣，我有我一套謬論，現在都解識給艾美，蓋其有惑也。

我家有塊小菜圃，我無需師法網路教學，就可以因地制宜，雨後，綠油油一片庭院。

Brady's new introduction of the retirement pension law/Carlos Pueblo

 Brady's new introduction of the retirement pension law/Carlos Pueblo

Houston north suburban, the Woodland, U.S. Congressman Kelvin Brady will introduce a new law to regulate our retirement pension withdraw law. He has the support of the Democrat, the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. I read the headline on the Market Watch and the Wall Street Journal, etc. for the details. I have met him in the 80's when I was referred to joint group of executive directors of the Chamber of Commerce monthly gathering. This is a fraternity and sorority group of the chambers surrounding the Metropolitan Houston except the huge Houston Chamber of Commerce called Houston Partnership. He was the president of that group and I was permitted to join their meeting as a representative of a newly formed Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce in Houston. He went to represent the Woodlands district to the U.S. Congress and was raised to the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee thereafter. After 2018, the Republican lost the majority he becomes the ranking member. He plans to be retired in 2022.

There are two major parts of his introduction, first, to postpone the age of the requirement of the minimum distribution age from 70 to 72 if your total pension fund is less than $100,000. He further suggests to postpone to age 75 or even abolish the RMD. This year, it is postpone for the requirement according to an executive order by the President due to the Pandemic. I have been thinking the reasons why IRS offers such favor. I understand the IRS is a silent share holder of our pensions funds. The RMD is the way for IRS to cash out its share. Perhaps the U.S. is very considerate to let tax payers delaying RMD income for one year as a good policy to fight the recession. Yet I think the favor is insignificant.

At age 70, $100,00 /29 is the figure of the RMD or even less. Such income at most will fall in to 15% income tax bracket. His new introduction will only gain a beautiful name of the bipartisan effort during the hostile environment in Washington, D.C.

The second of his effort is to enroll employee to the company's 401k and something that I think every employed people can get his retirement plans to utilize to the most, such as the IRA, HR-10, simple IRA in addition to the 401k type of pensions. New Brady's law will not be like the Keogh plan which has been the major benefit of my pension plan in the 80's. Senator Keogh has introduced HR-10 for the proprietor to contribute 25% of his adjustable gross income in order to make up the lack of the corporation 401k set up.

布瑞棣退休新法／莊峻華

 布瑞棣退休新法／莊峻華

休市北郊霧蓮選區共和黨議員，凱文布瑞棣，退休前和民主黨眾議員，共同提案退休金新法，兩人都是眾院籌款委員會，前後任主席，我在休市台灣商會時，認識布瑞棣，當時他是霧蓮商會有給職行政主管，後來選上眾議員，連任到明年退休，是一和藹可親，但極端保守派，他的新聞，我一直注意到現在，尤其是他資深當到眾院籌款委員會主席，這是一很有權力之職位。我讀一下新法內容，想找出其重點，看是否造福工作者之退休計劃，我發現其計劃在，最低領出時，要延長到，72歲，75歲，或甚至取消，但有一限制是退休金總數在十萬之內，我開始有點失望，不相信這是一重要立法，雖有兩黨合作之名，去年因武漢肺炎，總統一紙行政命令，將最低領出時，從70延一年到71，不領者，處罰百分之五十。

我在美國所建立之家庭財務基礎，完全在退休金，在退休金帳號，投資公同基金，選擇高科技股基金，稅前工作收入依法扣除，躲在退休帳號，像有名之基歐計劃，給個體戶存到調整收入之百分之二十五，還有公司之四零一開計劃，可存到百分之十以上，看年收入而定，還有著名之個人退休計劃，現在可存到一年六千元，政府鼓勵民間儲蓄曰，未雨綢繆，蓋國民有儲蓄，可減少政府國民福利救濟負擔，而且政府是國民退休金之大股東，七十歲強迫領出最低額，就是政府兌現股資時刻，我每年之稅務負擔，此刻高於過去工作時。

我判斷布瑞棣新法，不會像基歐參議員所立法之影響力，影響到國民工作儲蓄之習慣，畢竟有儲蓄習慣者，人到七十，退休金低於十萬者甚少，領不領出，對政府個人之收入，影響甚微，幫助貧富國民甚少，倒是認真了解美國退休計劃，做好投資，政府和國民雙贏。

The vaccine and antibiotic will help Taiwan to fight the pandemic/Carlos Pueblo

 The vaccine and antibiotic will help Taiwan to fight the pandemic/Carlos Pueblo

The daily increase of infected Corona Virus cases in Taiwan has created a crisis to the island nation with an admirable control of the pandemic so far. I have figured the statistic in compare with the U.S. and Taiwan, Texas in particular. Taiwan's cases is still lower than Texas while Texas governor has already announced to open up and no mask without any restriction. I understand that Taiwan is not used to this uptick number; however, fighting the pandemic is necessary to have the vaccine to prevent the disease and the antibiotic to cure the infected. While we are waiting for both remedies, we must be patient to wear the mask, to wash our hands often, and to keep distance safely.

There is no reason to be frightened and frightening will help very little. Only the U.S. has plenty of vaccine available for the population to receive the shot and only less than 50% of the U.S. population are willing to take the shot. The rest population of the world must wait for our opportunity to get the shot. At the same time, we must live and move on.

Based on what I learn from watching the You Tube programs in Taiwan. Dr. Bing-Ing Lee of the University of Taiwan Medical School Hospital, an expert of fighting the SARS. He has indicated the there are at least two methods to develop the vaccine, one is the Pfizer and the Moderna way and another one is Japanese way. The approach of the Pfizer and the Mordena succeed while Japanese approach has a bottleneck to be broken. Taiwanese and Chinese approach are following Japanese; therefore, there is no break through. Chinese go ahead with production and marketing worldwide yet there are no scientific numbers to back up. Chinese can say whatever they feel like to say in propaganda.

Dr. Lee also mentions that he can foresee the exhaustion of people's prevention; therefore, a peak would appear after a certain period of time. He still insisting on wearing a mask, washing hands, and keeping a safe distance. He doesn't advocate the lock down if it is not necessary. He insists the frontline medical field personnel should be first to receive the vaccine shots. His experience indicated most of the vaccine produced are wasted due to the hesitation of the shot.

I have three relatives had the infection in the U.S. without any medical attention and recovered. It is amazing, isn't it? If we are not healthy, we must be very careful. 

武漢肺炎疫苗／莊峻華

 武漢肺炎疫苗／莊峻華

武漢肺炎疫苗，美國藥廠強先發明成功使用，有效控制國家肺炎之擴散，現在全球都渴望美國之疫苗幫助，印度甚至要求美國藥廠，提供製造秘方，我懷疑這是遠水救不了近火。台灣人喜歡吵架，喜歡怪東怪西，這是多年漢化之結果，看看日本，日本疫情影響更嚴重，還有奧運開不開的問題，我們德州到現在，每日感染者，也比台灣高，我們也無哭天搶地，我外出繼續戴口罩，勤肥皂洗手，永遠保持距離。

我的了解和判斷是，日本在發展武肺疫苗時，走的路線和輝瑞，莫德諾路線不同，詳細之說法，要請教台大李秉穎醫生，美國藥廠發展成功，有數據顯示，於是美國食藥局，緊急授權生產使用，把疫情控制下來，拜登曰不僅是疫苗，打針推廣等，都很重要，美國輿論界，也是怪東怪西，甚至有被中國統戰之記者，報紙，電台，和網誌，好不熱鬧。

台灣和中國之疫苗發展，是走日本之方法，所以有瓶頸未破，台灣國產疫苗數據，尚不完整，日本也未成功，所以兩國都設法要求拜登恩賜疫苗，現在美國接種人數増加，僅存暈針者，也是李大夫專詞，就是拒打疫苗者，有兩大類，川普支持者保守派，和一些美國福音派基都徒，拜登甚至出錢計程車接送，補助曠時工資等，美國接種率，尚未達百分之七十，安全標準。

談到中國，真是令人扼腕，放毒不留解藥，有礙中國民間武林規矩，中國疫苗，不按科學規矩，提供臨床數據，中國自己都沒有國民普遍注射疫苗，就開始世界販賣疫苗，和比爾蓋斯，華倫巴費德，強非洲之慈善事業，台灣有難購買德國藥廠疫苗，就是緬因茲市藥廠疫苗，就是輝瑞友廠，中國從中作梗曰，中國包括台灣云云，又說要賣台灣方艙醫院，中國武漢封城，死亡人數都不詳，只知總人口已不及十四億。

台灣處理應付武漢肺炎，仍是令人欽佩，這是人類浩劫，我們佛家說的，生老病死苦，我在美國拔牙，以便安置新假牙，打斷我回台醫療旅行計劃，很是不方便，但這是瘟疫，無法避免，只有耐心應付，台灣有很多好醫生好醫院，而且如身體健康，感染者並非全致命，活下來者甚多，艾美的兄妹均在美國感染，均無治療均存活下來，這是真實故事，武肺尚無解藥，全靠個體抗病白血球。

After the rain/Carlos Pueblo

 After the rain/Carlos Pueblo

After the rain, it is the time to enjoy our yard. There is a small square footage of yard at our home full of trees and St. Augustine grass yet we still manage to grow some plants and flowers among them. We shall cut down a big tree with many branches which are frozen to death and ignore new branch shots out of the ground. Amy will let the luffa plants grown on two dead citrus trees on the back yard. She also splits several flowers into additional pots for the years. There are cook's cum and several others. I see jasmines are coming back alive.

All my amaryllis plants are doing very well. There are two kinds on our yards front and back. One bulk group are the orange color from our old Traviata house and another group are less than a year old, the ones that I spread the flake type of seeds last year. There are about 12 coming out and survive the frozen week in February. I am so happy that I invite the senora to witness my work to spread her seeds  and give her seven of my orange amaryllis which she doesn't have the color on her garden. I went to pick some more seeds from her and buried them on the ground and pots before the rain. I shall give some new and old plants to Michelle in Austin. She has a larger space on her yard and she has a better chance to see the blooming.

Our morning tennis games have been interrupted several days yet it is alright. I can let my right arm rest for a while. It is not the tennis elbow. It is from the hard work of carrying too many water buckets across the street to salvage the water from Paul's broken pipe. They used the electrical pump to water yards while I carried buckets back and forth liked my army draft days. That hurts my old arm and messes up my serve and overhead smash. Now I need to use a band to tie the joint area to avoid too much shaking, it works.

雨後／莊峻華

 雨後／莊峻華

雨後庭院花草復甦，一片綠油油，不禁走出室內，欣賞前後院，雨前雨中，我們早已遍植今年植物，喇叭花，秀球花，雞冠花，苦瓜，香瓜，絲瓜等等，聖奧古斯丁草，像稻秧一片碧綠，已下一週及時梅雨。

我們僅有一小庭院，而且是高樹遮天，無甚土地可植花草，但我們欣賞園藝，設法盆栽，調整日曬機會，今年二月冰凍後，樹木有些調整，空出幾處樹蔭，艾美研究，讓絲瓜長在凍枯椪柑文旦株上，也是廢物利用。她將雞冠花，秀球花等分開多盆，還有一兩種盆栽植物，都是免費復甦再生花草，我繼續埋鳳梨冠，喇叭花子，苦瓜子，香瓜藤已到處延申，而且已經開黃花，不久將結果，我積十餘桶雨水備用。

我最得意者，為我試種植之喇叭花，去年播種，已有十餘株長出，分散在後院，鄰居查谷歌曰，需候七年，始得花開，無妨我繼續播種，我計劃贈送在奧斯卡之琳兒，她有稍大無多巨樹之庭院，我們家原有喇叭花多年，每年春天都開花，杜鵑花明年應恢復花開，雨後已見新枝，還有茉莉花，星茉莉花等，均冰凍雨後復活。

連下一週雨，打斷幾次網球局，也讓我手臂休息，幾週前為節省鄰居漏水，提桶接水，傷到手臂，影響擊球發球威利，剛好連日雨來，無球局讓右手休息。

The mackerel/Carlos Pueblo

 The mackerel/Carlos Pueblo

An You Tube cooking vlog caught my eyes and brought back my fond memory of the mackerel. This chef cut the fish into pieces, pan fry them with ginger pieces, the garlic, soy sauces, cooking liquors, and many spices, etc. He calls it the maca fish. I had had the fish when I served at Taiwanese Army between 1971-1973 along with another large size of the yellow croaker occasionally. Both fishes were plenty along the offshore of Fuchien coastal line at that time. The local residents brought some fishes to our special company unit which served as the only army hospital at the island. Our fellow army doctors also saw the civilian patients. Gift fishes were delivered to our kitchen to provide delicious meals for us. During the lunar new year, our division would receive some additional fund to prepare for the new year feast. We could purchase one or both for our menu.

We didn't have these kinds of fish as our diet at home before until my military draft. They were expansive indeed. We told our captain that we were still hungry and more time needed to finish their left over. They were older than us and not working as hard as we were; therefore, they didn't need to eat more. Chinese cooking uses many spices and hot stuff which can get rid off the fishy or smell if there is any, yet delicious afterward.

I haven't had such luck after I left that small island. Of course, there are many foods for me to select from. I don't think that American eat as many fishes as the Asian. I do have small size of the croaker from the Gulf. It is delicious yet not like the big one. I saw some small mackerels also from the fish market yet their taste were not as attractive as the large one. Amy doesn't buy that much fishes any more because Arthur doesn't eat any and also clean fishes needed. 

馬加魚之美憶／莊峻華

 馬加魚之美憶／莊峻華

中國莆田總舖小胖山，在網誌介紹紅燒馬鮫魚，此馬鮫即我過去知悉之馬加魚，是馬鮫屬，類似土魠魚，1971－1973年，我在烈嶼服兵役，常為部隊食材，印像深刻，當年連隊廚房，沒有小胖山之仔細，但山東老廚師，也用些薑蔥和辣椒，味道也很好，尤其是在家裏伙食，沒有部隊結實，早上是豆漿饅頭，營長連長等老芋，也和我們吃同一大鍋。

先是廚房士官長交待翌日菜單，採買兵清晨搭營長吉普車，上街買菜，若吃魚就是馬加，黃魚稍貴，必需在過年過節，有老蔣犒賞三軍始買得起，但我們運氣好，連是一野戰醫院，充當小金門島醫院，醫官也對外門診，感恩之當地病患家人，會購買黃魚馬加海鮮等，贈送醫院，醫官們也在連隊搭伙，連我都吃得到好魚。營長等資深軍官，年紀稍大，食量不若充員兵，所以離桌後，我們可以擁上食其餘，馬加和黃魚是我最喜愛之魚，其實在當年，我也僅吃過幾種海鮮。

馬加類似土魠魚，魚刺不多，烹煮時先切塊，土魠較大，我們在家之煮法，就是清煎，新鮮之土魠和馬加味道，我也無法分辨，剛才我查谷歌，馬加土魠又和花菲青花魚同名，真是有趣，日本人吃花菲，稱之為馬鮫屬，就是小馬加，小胖山莆田人曰馬鮫魚，都是同一類。

黃花魚在七十年代的福建沿海，尚是豐富，黃魚嫩如豆腐，山東料理也很美味，使用很多薑蔥粉絲豆腐，我退伍後，不再有機會美食黃魚，美國東方超市有賣冰凍進口黃魚，休市沿海有小黃魚，就是魚小適清煎油炸，也很美味。

My fond memory of the peony/Carlos Pueblo

 My fond memory of the peony/Carlos Pueblo

Several days ago, a college class mate sent two photos of the peony on a garden in Lao-Yang, Henan, China, an ancient capital of several dynasties in Chinese history. I have been touched with a fond memory of the flower and a girl whom I met on a train from Oxford to Birmingham, UK in 2018 when I was on one of my trips in England. The flower itself is very famous in Chinese literature means rich, noble, and elegant. There are also names after a city and a river in the certain part of Manchuria which we must recite in the Chinese geography class at my elementary school. I have seen the flower in both Frankfurt and Berlin, Germany after an impression of the flower on a favorite Japanese movie, Miamoto Musashi. His court lady host comforts a girl of what a blood stain as the peony petals.

There are a flood control zone with about 30 home gardens along the River Main in Frankfurt, Germany. The River Main merges into the west to the River Rhine. Those garden lots are leased to the local residents interested. I saw the peony blossom one spring. A garden owner had a good chat with me about the flower in Europe. He tells me that there is a peony show every year in the city with a contest of the flower. At the same trip, I wandered around some German cities and stopped at a Berlin Wall memorial on the old border of the French control line with the east Berlin. There is a nice subdivision with beautiful home gardens at the front yard on the old east Berlin side. I saw the charming peony again with a great surprise. I still have a fond memory that I introduce both gardens at both cities to my newly acquaintance fellow travelers, three ladies from Asia. One of them is Eugenia of Hong Kong. I met her again on my southeast Asia trip in HK last year.

I go to visit Christine in Washington, D.C. for the cherry blossom and miss her peony on the backyard due to the wrong time. The cherry blossom is in late March while the peony is until May or June.

I adopted a pretty girl from Henan, China as my daughter. Her name is Yang-Ming. She was on her way to attend her graduation commencement in Birmingham, UK. We had had a good chat on a train from Oxford to Birmingham while she ws with her two cousins. She left me a post card of an old street of the ancient city of Lao-Yang. It was the capital of the Later Han Dynasty, 25-220 A.D. I have had a feeling that all my adopted daughters are as pretty as the peony.

賞花美憶／莊峻華

 賞花美憶／莊峻華

幾日前，台灣朋友連線寄來，幾張牡丹花相片，我連忙問他，哪裏的牡丹花？他說是中國洛陽各大花園，帶來我多少賞花美憶，我告訴他，我在德國法蘭克福和柏林，觀賞牡丹花之經驗，也提到宮本武藏電影，提到牡丹花之一幕，他提到河南洛陽，又讓我想起來自鄭州之愛女楊茗。

中國東北有一河流曰牡丹江，小時地理課背過，我印像中誤會是滿洲產物，直到觀看宮本武藏影片，這是武藏一夜械鬥歸來，血跡和服，為小侍女發現驚叫，藝姬居停安慰到，只是牡丹花片耳，於是我就開始追蹤牡丹花，華府淑英家有一株，但我始終不得遇上花開，牡丹花是多年生草本植物。

有一年我在法蘭克福，緬因河散步，緬因河西入萊茵河，市政府有防洪區，讓市民愛好園藝者，可以在防洪區，開闢花園，許可有小屋工具儲藏室，我看到美麗之牡丹花，我和園主聊天，他告知每年當地都有牡丹花展比賽，我經常旅行法蘭克福市，還帶過兩位姑娘去該防洪區花園賞花，一位是台灣來就職之女導遊，一位就是港大講師，去年在香港再見之宇正，她們至少都看到玫瑰花。同一年同一遊德國，我流浪到柏林，旅店附近，就是古東柏林，這是法屬佔領區和東柏林邊界，有一古柏林圍牆，牆附近有一美麗社區，美麗之庭院花園，還有美麗之牡丹花，我去過幾次，也介紹在柏林街上巧遇之菲律賓女士，也帶她去參觀，她用手機拍攝牡丹花。

一年我流浪到英國牛津市，正在車站候車上約克市，遇見來自中國鄭州之楊茗，她回英國參加畢業典禮，也帶兩位住南京之醫生表姊，我在車上收她為義女，她給我一張古都洛陽老街明信片，此三年前之往事矣，我不禁索閱舊文，愛女楊茗，多少美憶，這些愛女，都像牡丹花，高雅美麗。

The life without a proper chewing/Carlos Pueblo

 The life without a proper chewing/Carlos Pueblo

After my teeth extraction three and a half weeks before, I have had a life without a proper chewing. I am waiting for my fake teeth making and barely intake my foods with two pairs of denture from my previous equipment. I understand that is a better choice under the current situation which I am facing that I can't go back to Taiwan and take extra period of time to wait for the set up due to the pandemic, especially it is am emergency condition now in that island nation. I am more comfortable to stay here at home to wait. I change my diet daily. I quit the steak eating and change my breakfast to the pancake and manage my fruits in take. I add additional nap during the day time. I find some more interesting programs on the You Tube. Usually, I have an hour plus morning walk before the daily tennis. Have a long nap after the breakfast and hook into the You Tube. I must admit that I replace TV watching by the Internet. What do I regularly watch?

I watch Jen Psaki's White House news brief daily to get all what Biden is doing now and next. I believe that the Israel attack on the Hamas is overwhelm his next American Infrastructure Plan, his trouble with the refugee on the Mexican border, his national vaccination campaign, and the China issue, etc. I am very satisfied with all what I get from the brief and now it is so popular, even Biden himself join in more on his on news brief to face the reporters more often. He is a good President.

I also watch some Chinese internet vlog on the You Tube such as the rural butcher's markets for the price of the pork. It is various for a different day, i.e. from about $2.00 a pound to $3.00 for the time being down from the peak of $4.00 during the Chinese Lunar New Year. They are on the northern parts of China, Hebei and Shandong provinces and I can refresh my listening conversation of dialects from those area. I used to serve two years in the Taiwanese Army under the Nationalist Chinese control in Taiwan and the Chinese refugee school teachers taught us the Mandarin with their various accents. I have also developed my own Mandarin with a heavy Taiwanese accent which people can tell.

I also watch all the vlogs of Pu-Tien cuisine. Pu-Tien is a county on the central coast of Fu-Chien Province, China right across the Formosa Straight. It is adjacent to Fuchow to the north. Fuchow is quite famous of its cuisine in Taiwan. This chef is at his middle age. I assume that he has been a chef for the local wedding feast before his making of the vlog. He uses a lot of ginger, garlic, scarlet onion, spicy pepper and some other herbs as spices which we can't usually get from the oriental super market in Houston, Texas. Amy asks me to copy some for our meals. I make an excuse for the spices and also I don't really think that I can get the sea foods either yet I think that I am familiar with his skills.

His eldest son is an amateur fisherman. He calls himself a homesick fisherman. He has his own vlog program as well. I watch his digging of crabs on an abandon fishery in Hai-Nan Province where he currently lives. It is a very hard work to locate the crab usually work about 5-6 hours to get less than ten a day. I think that is his hobby.

牙齒拔掉後／莊峻華

 牙齒拔掉後／莊峻華

牙齒拔掉後，生活真是改變，我勉強使用舊假牙嚼食，是很不便，新假牙正在製作中，剛好我有血壓高之顧慮，於是不再日食牛排，飲食稍微清淡，台灣疫情有變化，更加安定我心，在休市整牙之決定，我猜測新假牙，沒有舊假牙之堅固，因為無合金骨架，但我已經盡力。幾日來落雨頻頻，中斷網球局，於是我增加網誌之觀看時間，遍尋喜歡之節目。看些甚麼？我看的是珍謝姬之白宮記者會，中國烹飪，業餘捕蟹，和一小段台灣中國政治評論節目。

珍謝姬將辭去白宮發言人職位，回家專心照顧兩幼齡子女，她的熟練專業，已經令人注意，連拜登等人，都連袂舉辦演講記者會，解釋政策，全世界關心美國政治者，都可以稍微有頭續，美國在作甚麼？美國人也知道新政府，準備做甚麼？她的記者會，都是許多台實況轉播，留下紀錄，隨時可搜索查看。

我注意到一中國福建莆田之料理烹飪節目，我以為是福州菜，現在稍覺不是，我聽莆田人口音，有些閩南語，若有字幕，我是可以通盤了解，這位師傅，長於海鮮，鹹粥，米粉等，我猜他是一為總舖師傅，就是鄉村宴席主廚，我幾乎可以背出他的作料，烹調順序，他背出食材成本，我覺得甚貴，他說一切都不貴，我開始懷疑這是中國之統戰節目，一般中國人，連我這種財務獨立之美國人，都無法如此享受。

他有一長子，移居海南島，是位業餘捕魚者，也致力於捕蟹和釣魚，捕蟹是挖鑿蟹洞，伸手摸蟹，熟悉到可以摸清䧳雄斤兩肥瘦，我曾在海岸釣過螃蟹，也看過美國人專業捕蟹，設網捕蟹，挖洞取蟹是第一次，五，六小時下來，已經是精疲力竭，也僅十隻捕獲，無法以此謀生，他們也摸鮑魚海螺釣魚等，十分有趣。

昨日，我看一天販賣豬肉，這是一河北趕集，許多人購買豬肉，肉商嫻熟持利刃切肉，現在中國豬肉跌價，沒有二十八人民幣一斤之價格，多半在十四到二十一斤之譜，當然要除於七，折算美金，一斤一磅重，相差有限，中國肥肉有價，我未看到內臟和豬頭，一般街頭速食，許多內臟豬頭和豬蹄等滷食販賣。

Learning the politic from the White House News Conference/Carlos Pueblo

 Learning the politic from the White House News Conference/Carlos Pueblo

Every day at the noon hours, there is a White News Conference for the reporters to question the White House Press secretary Jen Psaki for all the policy and the action response from the Federal Authority. Now, there are Cabinet Secretaries also attending the brief to explain the policies. I can see that there are all the talents in the Nation to join Biden Administration to serve the country.

I have watched the news brief every day, if I occasionally miss one or two while I am away from home, I still can watch them on the You Tube. Now, even Biden himself finds time to hold news brief to explain his agenda and tell the entire nation what he wants to do and achieve. He also answers questions. I can sense that he is very busy and very sincere.

When Biden becomes the President, he starts to fight the pandemic. His team works on the vaccination nationwide. Now the pandemic seems to be slowing down and under control. Schools are re-open rapidly. Unemployment rate is down and two millions come back to work. A new American Job Plan is under legislative process now. He expects this big project will be signed to law before July 4th this year. Watching the News Conference, I can see more and more in details of the U.S. political procedure. How a law can be passed by both Houses and signed by the President. There is a goal and there is a way to pay for that goal. Rich people are worried now because Biden is going to tax them more to pay for the American Job Plan. Some reporters keep on asking the same question every day.

Biden and his team are very busy to deal with not only the domestic affairs but also the international activities. For instances, India asks for the wavier of the vaccine patent and Biden needs to deal with it. Biden needs to deal with the Israel-Hamas conflict. Biden needs to deal with the illegal immigrants gathering at the Mexican border. Biden is also asked about the internal fight of the Republican house leadership, etc.

I don't know about the others' opinion, I believe that Biden's team is the best group of talents to work in the White House. I firmly believe that the country is on the right direction. We shall see the result before the end of his first term.

從白宮記者會了解美國政治／莊峻華

 從白宮記者會了解美國政治／莊峻華

美國政治，其實也包括一些世界政治，例如印度和巴西兩國，同時有武漢肺炎危機，感染和病死人數暴增，同情兩國之記者，幾乎每日都提問白宮發言人，要拜登總統注意，珍謝姬曰，美國提供四十億美金，經國一世界衛生組織，幫忙各國，雖然不多，但遠遠超過各國，最後，印度總理開始懇求美國，提供製造疫苗秘方，巴西總統，開始嚴厲指控中國發動生物戰，因為中國統戰宣稱中國是大瘟疫後，經濟復甦，世界第一云云，十分了得。

拜登先推出兩兆美金拯救計劃法案，我們都領到一人一千四美金，一共三千二美金，現在又推兩點三兆美金之，美國工作基礎建設計劃法案，每天都在白宮記者會公佈，那一筆錢發出，疫苗注射進度如何？以色列轟炸伊朗核彈廠，都需要記者正式提問，詢問拜登之看法和作為，現在是以色列和巴勒斯坦哈瑪士之武裝衝突，拜登連忙派人斡旋，每天都有事，每天記者會都很精彩，許多位部長，要員等，都應邀出席面對記者，幾乎每位官員都是精明幹練，能言善道，條理分明，我非常欽佩這群民主黨人才，網誌上只要打珍謝姬大名，就有一大串影片，後來連拜登都出面，發表執政看法，非常有趣。

我喜歡珍謝姬之記者會，因為她條理分明，頭腦清析，而且不溫不活，講一口流利之英語，對我之英語學習有益，而且她說明美國政策法令之制定，更易了解美國之三權分立，其實重點在白宮，執政是政治機會，服務國家國民，我想很多，像美墨邊界之難民問題，拜登內閣強調人道處理未成年難民，安排親友照顧，成人都趕回去，我想很多，只是不便在此猜測，這就是當美國人之好處，可以亂想。

Growing the amaryllis from seeds/Carlos Pueblo

 Growing the amaryllis from seeds/Carlos Pueblo

The amaryllis is also called the belladonna lily. It's flower looks like the trumpet shape of the lily. I have grown the orange color flowers for more than 30 years. First, I got them from my neighbor Estella across the street from my old Traviata house. She gave me some bulbs in November and mentioned to me that was the time to propagate the plant. I have done many times to transfer plants to my two rental houses sold, to Michelle's Cherrywood property, and all plants from Traviata to Del Monte residences. I have been very impressed to the beautiful amaryllis blossom in the neighborhood; therefore, I decide to grow the plant from seeds. It would be difficult for me to ask them to dig the bulb for me while I can pick seeds some time after the blooming. I did  spread hundreds of flake like seeds to my yard last year and I saw nine small plants coming out. They are all surviving the severe freezing weather in February, of course, we usually keep the tulip bulbs in the refrigerator over the winter in order to have the blooming in the next spring in the warm weather of Houston, Texas.

I am aware that I may not witness the blooming of these nine young plants and I don't mind. I like Amy and Arthur to enjoy them. It will take about 7 years for the plant to have the flower. They are all in different colors from mine and also only last for two weeks or less before fading away. I ask the senora again for the permission to pick up the flower seeds. I know the raining day ahead of the actual raining because I am the weather man for my tennis group. My partners will ask me to check on the court before they come to our daily tennis. I shall bury the fake like seed to the ground to be sure it won't be blown away like the previous year. Another neighbor mentioned to me so because she did the same thing last year and got a better result than mine.

Michelle has several houses which I can plant flowers to. She will be delighted like before that they are all free.

種植喇叭花／莊峻華

 種植喇叭花／莊峻華

幾日前我到鄰居家，索取喇叭花種子，準備今年再度播種，去年我在庭院，到處播撒喇叭花子，結果有九小棵長成，並且逃過今年二月冰凍，冰凍算甚麼？球莖花需要藏在冰箱多時，始能開花，我指鬱金香，喇叭花當然不怕冰凍，我種植喇叭花有三十餘年歷史，先是茶花女街老鄰居贈與，我到處移植，移到兩出售租屋前院，琳兒奧斯汀住屋，我們新址都有八年，每年三月，喇叭花開，雖然短暫，但甚漂亮，我的顏色是橙黃一式，甚能繁殖，目前，前後院都有，新種植之九株幼苗，應該更漂亮，因為母株甚是美麗，這位屋主，是我的西語老師，三十年前鄰居，也是西語系美國護士，都是喜愛園藝者也。

有位鄰居，購買喇叭花種，一株是二十五美金，和我們同街，去年他們也培植種子，是埋在種盆內，所以效果甚佳，我待要參觀，他們前院兩處是喇叭花，很是漂亮，也種過台灣的雞冠花，去年贈我兩盒，我隨便種在花盆裏，效果甚佳，今年冒出幾十株，我們移植一些到琳兒新居，值天雨頻頻，也長得很好，過些時就要開花，而且花季甚長。

我常夢想有一大庭院，可以種植花草西瓜，艾美笑我懶惰，其實我割草已八年，而且我種玫瑰花和喇叭花都超過三十年，雖然不甚專門，但參觀過無數世界著名花園無數次，欣賞花朵是一嗜好，而且種植免費花朵，更是安逸，人生一樂也。

Making the mold for my denture/Carlos Pueblo

 Making the mold for my denture/Carlos Pueblo

After two weeks of the healing, I went to the appointment to make the mold measurement for my new denture. Falling teeth is one of my health issue at the old age and the fake teeth set is the reasonable answer. The nurse first inserted two sets of the mold skeleton into my mouth to see if they were fit, then applied the soft plastic to the space of falling teeth to get the mold. The clinic will mail the mold to a laboratory in California to make the denture. I need to come back to try the first draft once the clinic receive the mold made from California.

When I was at the senior high school in Taipei, my uncle, the elder brother of my mother, was very kind allowing both of my brothers to stay with his family in order to save money. He was a successful dentist specialized in the denture and crown. I saw his dental laboratory right behind his clinic on the first floor. I am aware of the denture making procedure. I have had a very found memory of my denture making in Taipei, Taiwan with his son dentist and his grandson dentist in 2013. I saw a denture piece left on a table of my late mother. A piece that had stayed with her for all her life and also a nice gift from her brother to solve her eating difficulty. I decided to go back to Taipei to have one set for myself. At that time, it was cheaper to have it made in Taiwan with a better quality. I managed to reach the old clinic where I stayed back to the 60's. A young and handsome dentist, his grandson, received me and did an extraction. He was not quite sure if I had enough time to have a permanent set made, it was less than a month, yet he asked me to come back to see his father after the weekend. After inspecting my wound healing so well, he confidently determined to go ahead for the permanent set. It is a denture with the construction of metal, plastic and the fake teeth. They are very strong and comfortable.

I want to go go back to visit him to have new sets made, yet the Corona Virus stop me unfortunately. I can take the new subway to his new clinic and also have a good trip to be back to Taiwan. I can also visit my brother and two sisters at my hometown Huwei while I am waiting. I did promise to participate my college 50 years class reunion. Come to think about it, I still can go back to have another set made next year when the pandemic is more relax. I can ask him to mail the new sets to me if I don't have enough time to wait in Taiwan.

量製假牙模型／莊峻華

 量製假牙模型／莊峻華

今午有約，量製假牙模型，牙科診所，再將模型，寄到加州實驗室製造，約兩週後，診所收到草本，再約我複檢，再寄回加州，完成定製，假牙將是全塑膠成品，難怪我肯購買，假牙在美國，似乎不甚普遍，裝置假牙，也不甚方便，我實在是落牙頻頻，舊假牙已經無法包括兩落牙，而且又是武漢肺炎，返台治療受限制，不得不就地解決，而且時間也不許可，在家等候這冗長製作期間，比較適合。

我曾描述上次回台，製作假牙之過程，應該是2013年，我看到先母遺下之一具假牙，我就決定返台裝假牙，我們家之母舅，是牙科醫生，假牙專家，他公子，就是我的表弟，也繼承父業，並且能植牙，兩位雙生公子，也是牙醫，都在兩診所服務。那年我摸到貴陽街老診所，自我介紹給少年醫生，他幫我拔掉一顆牙齒，但曰時間蒼促，無法裝永久假牙，只能裝臨時假牙，要我過週末，再回老診所見他父親，於是我週一，再從永和租屋，搭公車到老診所，我表弟一看拔牙傷痕，癒合甚佳，立即判斷製作永久假牙，馬上量製模型，我就搭火車環島旅行，又搭飛機到金門，坐船到烈嶼過夜，也很精彩。

這兩具假牙，沒有金屬框架，像是簡漏，但我也無法在意，做他選則，在美國裝假牙，比較不普遍，一般工作牙齒險，是有植牙選擇，我無牙險，只能找一令我心安理得者也，也許我找機會返台，再製造一具，請醫生郵寄給我備用。

Biden's vaccine patent wavier/Carlos Pueblo

 Biden's vaccine patent wavier/Carlos Pueblo

India Prime Minister asks Biden's to wave the vaccine patent for his country in order to control the Chinese Wuhan Corona Virus Pandemic. Biden approves the request and three current approved companies, Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson, have show no objection. I do see that German Chancellor Merkel's headline objection because a German firm help Pfizer to develop the successful vaccine which I have received two shots. I am very touched for the quick action from Biden, as a matter of the fact according to Jen Psaki, it is his champion promise. This is what Americans are that always come to help in case of humanity such as getting involved in both World War I and II, etc. I believe that Catherine Tai will discuss the details with the World Trade Organization and India how to transfer the patent and others to help India to produce the vaccine.

I have watched Pfizer's Boula spoke twice and admire him very much. He is a very intelligent and considerate person. He understands this is a noble decision. Pfizer will not lose any profit at all. There is a considerable amount of income from the vaccine in 2020 within his company annual total. People know and appreciate his company. Our life is getting a bit easier after we receive the shot. We all appreciate all companies jump into the development of vaccine to fight the pandemic. It is real and it is true that the U.S. will fight the human tragedy. This is why I adore and immigrate to this great nation.

This is not stupid and this is humanity. I believe that we are much better now after Biden comes to power than before. American are good in business and can get the money back in case there is a disadvantage after waving the vaccine patent. India can't sell the new produce back to the U.S. to make a profit and it is also only to waive this time for the time being. The virus is changing very fast and required developing continuously. I don't see any reporter to ask comment on Chinese and Russians help of vaccine distribution any longer. It is their propaganda. Very soon, the U.S. will wave the vaccine export and the rest of the world can receive the effective vaccine to fight the pandemic.

疫苗專利保護問題／莊峻華

 疫苗專利保護問題／莊峻華

中國武漢肺炎肆瘧被發現後，世界各衛生強國，包括台灣在內，立即著手開發疫苗，以便普遍注射預防，美國很成功的發展至少三種品牌，輝瑞，默德娜，和詹森與詹森，以便應急，另外還有幾種，也在排隊等候聯邦核准，台灣走日本研發路線，尚未成功，中國亦是抄日本，但逕行推廣注射，而且不公佈數據，只重視統戰，在白宮每日記者會，屢屢逼問白宮發言人珍謝姬曰，中俄兩國已在全球賣疫苗，拜登總統，作何感想，謝姬一直搪塞總統政策，以美國國內注射為優先，必需國內注射完畢，藥廠始可出售國外，借給加墨兩鄰國四百萬劑疫苗，是尚未和即將核准之奧斯特拉辛妮卡藥廠疫苗，尚未在美國核准，但白宮早已未雨綢繆，已向該廠訂購多劑，因此謝姬曰，借貸疫苗並不影響國內注射進度，拜登政府是典型傳統之美國政權，一切合法合理合情。

美國國內注射，已超過兩億劑，現在開始注射12歲以上，無需電郵預先登記，美國普遍注射困難在暈針，還有宗教死硬派，但世界有些國家，開始不支，像印度和巴西，記者在每日白宮記者會，繼續責問謝姬，印度總理甚至請求拜登，提供藥廠秘方，疫苗專利，以便印度自己生產，印度人很敢，世貿組織也如此要求，但我從來未聽聞，要求中國和俄羅斯疫苗秘方，尤其中國，施放毒藥，又無解藥，或甚賣無效解藥，有礙中國武林規矩。謝姬曰拜登競選政見中，同意提供秘方，講話算話，果然戴琦大使昨日宣佈美國同意提供秘方，而且提供原料，幫助技術製造，這些都是經過有效率之國內協商，取得共識，美國人能商，戴琦要先和世貿會協商，也要跟印度協商，眾院民主黨議員超過一百位，支持拜登提供秘方，輝瑞藥廠之伯拉總經理是聰明幹才，輝瑞有德國藥廠合作，肺炎肆瘧，千變萬化，輝瑞，美國，德國等，都能應付，昨日股市消息，輝瑞去年獲利，一千兩百六十億美金，疫苗佔四百億美金，我看默德娜股票，也無重挫，而且也不至於重挫，台灣現在之二十萬劑疫苗，來自默德娜預購，提供給醫界第一線，這是蔡英文政府之決策，台灣自產疫苗，將在夏天上市。

美國決定提供疫苗製造秘方，是國際政治高招，讓國際政治更加有趣，另外，無法使用秘方之國家該如何？慢慢等，最近有婚變之比爾蓋斯基金，早準備錢，買下所有疫苗，當然直接向美國藥廠賣，不會向印度買，否則國稅局會有意見，政治法律很有趣。

Take Arthur to his second Grand Jury Select/Carlos Pueblo

 Take Arthur to his second Grand Jury Select/Carlos Pueblo

Arthur's second Grand Jury Select day was yesterday. He is not good at driving in Houston normal traffic on the freeway and I love him so much; therefore, I don't mind to drive him any where other than his to and from work. This Grand Jury Select is a civic duty like other kinds of jury duty. If it is selected, you must serve at the court room Tuesday and Friday, three hours a day, for three months. We get it all figure out how to manage it. He will take the bus to downtown court house and we shall take him to and from the bus stop. It is a hassle indeed yet we will deal with it.

I brought a note book of language classes to read while I was waiting inside the Astro Arena assembly hall. Last time, I went directly to see my eyes doctor for annual examination and came back to take him. This time, I could see the activity inside the assembly hall, all the court people, attorneys, and people called. He guessed about 40 finalist and 12 will be picked with additional 4 as the reserve. The 12 selected will be escorted to downtown court house immediately for duty. I was waiting and waiting, guessing and guessing, and asking and asking. First, he came out to line up with about 40 of them and then herded together to another place on the back. I was still waiting and waiting. I saw two more groups with about 65 each line up and herded away.

Finally after one and half hours, I saw people from that back direction coming out for rest room break and even exit directly. I saw him out of the rest room and went out side without notice of my present. I asked a lady court police what was going on. She told me none had been picked yet. Another staff assured me that she saw Arthur went out side. He was out side and attempted to call me for the ride home. The lady judge asked for the volunteers to fill up the Grand Jury and finally made it. The rest were excused.

I was so happy that he didn't volunteer and got this issue solved. I don't need to worry about any of the transportation problem occurred in the next three months. I am still very occupied with my daily life.

The prosecutor asks for the Grand Jury assembled in order to establish a criminal case to be prosecuted, then the case go to trail. Before the trail, there will be another jury be selected from both sides, the prosecutor and the defense attorney. I was told if your numbers was higher than 20, most likely you were not going to be picked up as a jury. It is very interesting system. This system is admired all over the world, Taiwanese love to change their court system to be like this kind.

再送元兒就大審團選／莊峻華

 再送元兒就大審團選／莊峻華

今晨是元兒大審團複選日，我也動員起來，因為大審團選設在舊太空大巨蛋旁之一大展覽廳，公車不經過，步行不通，元兒不善開車探險，因此我就自告奮勇，先安排網球局打手，晨步減少幾條街，及時出發，西610公路，已經大塞車，但也準時到達，這次我乖乖在內等待，我攜帶一本筆記，準備溫習一些西日語，也有橋牌叫法，但僅閱幾頁，因戴口罩，發音不習慣，又未攜筆，不能書寫，只能座立觀望四週，都是法院值事，和律師群我猜，但此非真正法庭，何需律師出席？如此我等了一小時半，兩此看到元兒出現，一次是出外排隊，就在我面前，他不注意我揮手，也不能講話，不久就被排隊趕到背後，我問閒著職員，她說就是大審團，再問是否將被送到城中法庭？我可否離去？她也不清楚曰，他會出來告知，我又等了半小時，有一些人從後面出來，上廁所或外出離去，我看到元兒，他似乎不知我在室內等候，然後他就外出離去，我先上廁所再行追趕，旁邊職員好心證實他已外出。

原來女法官徵求志願者，在複選四十位中，志願十二位正選，四位後補，終於組成，開始為時三個月審判，每週二，週五出庭，每天三小時，一天給付四十美元，像這兩次初複選，一日給付七元美金，是故每接培審信件，都是愁眉苦臉，但真正選上陪審機會不多，我接信出席到七十歲，不曾被選中過一次。

這大審團是處理刑事案件，需要由郡州聯邦檢察官發起，開設組大審團，元兒開始講解他的研究，被通知者多半是檢察官，喜歡之對像，如此對立案有幫助，選十二人，要有九人同意，始能通過，若到真正庭審，則需全票通過，不然就淪為懸案，懸陪審團，就是審判無效，無罪釋放，電視電影經常解釋。

我們一家都喘了一口氣，法官改用志願法也通，如此大陪審團成員，比較沒有情緒，心甘情願，認真協助法官判案，此時應說是幫檢察官立案，我解釋給愛美聽，若是起訴川普在亞特蘭大電話恐嚇案，很多人一定會志願，當然檢察官也要小心，避免選到川普支持者。但大陪審團案由是不公開者也，美國法律之精密處也。

Dear Rhea/Carlos Pueblo

 Dear Rhea/Carlos Pueblo

Dear Rhea,

Thank you for sending me a note the other day. After reading the our emails correspondence attached, I am so happy to refresh my memory. You're such a sweet daughter. I have met you twice both on the Dawn. The first time, you were the night shift restaurant manager to take food order from the guest and some times you came to the Garden Cafe to help Clarita. She comforted me when I missed the photo opportunity with you at the end of the farewell party. She said that I should be seeing you very soon. I did see you at the next time on board with the Dawn while Clarita was on vacation. I was spending very much good evenings with you watching the shows on the stage on the balcony at the O'Sheehan's. I asked where was your officer's stripe? You didn't mind at all. I missed you on 04/19/2019 at Long Beach port, Los Angles, California with the Bliss. I left and you came aboard. You were replacing a handsome manager at the Cagney's. He told me so.

I did see Clarita again at Dawn while I was on a back to back trips from NYC to Quebec City. She was preparing to lead a group to London to take a new responsibility with the brand new ship, the Breakaway. Later I learned that she was changed to the Star instead, your old ship. I understand that the cruise line is idle due to the pandemic. It will be back in July gradually that I hope we can meet again. First you must inform me where you will be with the new assignment; therefore, I can make arrangement. I like to see Amy to meet her adopted daughters.

I am doing very well that I have saved some money due to the lock down of my travel. Instead, I have intensified my morning exercises on marching on streets and playing tennis every day. Even though I am getting in years, I feel very healthy. I can do some more cruises. Perhaps, I shall strike a deal the your company and let me stay more on board in a year. Thanks again and write me often.

Dad

  

給莉亞／莊峻華

 給莉亞／莊峻華

親愛的莉亞：

昨日很高興接到妳的來信，自從離開黎明號郵輪後，我一直想辦法再與妳見面，我又搭乘幾次黎明號，也知道妳已經調離，而且在歐洲，最後一次機會是在前年四月十九日，我們兩人在加州長堤港，極樂號上下船，相互錯過，剛好有位黎明號助理經理告知，妳是來接他牛排餐廳經理職位，後來我就特別注意，極樂號在阿拉斯加之航班，我未購得船票，卻遇到黎明號調到珠寶號，幾位妳的同事，像餐廳大經理奈及爾，還有其夫人珍妮，妳的好友克拉莉妲，我最後一次在黎明號魁北克行再遇，她正準備攜帶一批人，到歐洲接新輪，但臨時被調到星星號，這都是兩年前之往事矣。

我知道這武漢肺炎，迫使大家都無法郵輪旅行，這就是我詢問妳在何方？在馬尼拉家中？若郵輪復航後，妳將再回郵輪工作嗎？這都是未知數我深了解，我期待很快我們將再會面，藉時妳將拜會妳未曾謀面之義母。

再過半年，我就高齡七十四歲，我每天都散步和打網球，甚為懷念郵輪旅行，還有許多年輕美麗之愛女，我們很快將再會，多謝妳的來信。

爹地

Chinese domestic issues according the You Tube/Carlos Pueblo

 Chinese domestic issues according the You Tube/Carlos Pueblo

There are at least four domestic issues in China now according to the You Tube vlogs. 1. the abandoned buildings everywhere in China., 2. the economic collapsed nationwide., 3. forced unemployed women into prostituting., 4. the military aggression toward its neighbor. The Chinese regime can attempt all kinds of the propaganda and censor almost everything negative to them yet still can't stop the You Tube vlogers to broadcast their films. I believe these new kinds of social media.

There are so many abandoned buildings, finished or not finished, all over China. They are very ugly and awkward after long time of beat up by weather. I don't see this among those nations in the world either ahead or behind China in the Gross Domestic Product, GDP on the top 20. I ask myself often the reasons why. China claims number two on GDP in the whole world and brags about to pass the U.S. and becomes number 1 in 2025. I have had my answer now. After the Chinese Communist revolution in 1949, the Communist confiscates all personal property. It is still not recognize the personal real property. During the economic open up policy period, the regime releases the land for the development. The land is free with no cost yet the developers either the foreign investment or domestic developers must satisfy the regime from the local up to the central government. They have been over built not according to the supply and the demand. They just make the numbers to please the GDP and the communist cadre. 

There are many stores even the entire street closed for business on major cities all over the nation. The Communist regime doesn't know what to do with it. People are out of work and the owners escape and disappear. There is no bankruptcy law to mange such crisis. New money has no way to come in to rescue because the land and property are both not warrantable and the incentive is not protected. It is the disadvantage of such political system.

On the You Tube vlogs, I can see the business of broadcasting the prostitution of young women all over the nation, small alley or large street with some kinds of covered business. It is inhumane. I am a father too. I can only remember this happening in a classical reading of the tragedy in history. Xi has a daughter too. He can not pretend that he doesn't know.

Ignoring these problem and doesn't want to solve the problem, instead, tries to bully Taiwan and the neighboring nations around the South China Sea. I don't see how this will work for the Chinese regime to get out of the problem.

幾個中國問題／莊峻華

 幾個中國問題／莊峻華

中國面臨諸多問題，只好轉移焦點到國外，到處挑釁世界各國，與美國比醜，我在網誌觀看許久，舉出幾個中國問題，來證明我的看法，中國一直是一失敗之國，一直都是未開發中之國家，中國人喜歡標榜是世界經濟第二大國，就是國內總生產毛額，數目僅次於美國，而在日本之上，這是很令人啼笑皆非者也，最近中國楊㓗篪大使，在阿拉斯加哀鳴曰，中國之國民平均所得，僅是美國之六分之一，要求美國放過制裁中國，還是不對，平均所得，不能矇騙中國是國富民窮，美國是國窮民富之謬論，中國是國窮民富，美國是國富民富也。我要申論幾項，中國問題，一是爛尾樓，二是經濟崩潰，三是逼女為娼，四為窮兵黷武，此為亡國之兆也。

中國在1949年，共產黨武裝叛亂成功，全國私人土地房產，沒收為國有，一直到八十年代，放出土地給外商設廠，中飽約五萬名地方國家幹部，新制度讓有辦法之建商，到處借款興建新樓大廈謀利，這些新建大樓有完工者，有未完工者，未能賣出，風吹日曬雨淋，現在都是爛尾樓，有專門職業網誌製片人，全國各地拍攝影片，公佈在網誌，取得廣告費，當作職業，中國政府仍無法禁止，爛尾樓到處，未何不收拾？因為國家擁有土地，沒有商業破產法，地方政府銀行，無資收拾，一直爛下去，連拆除都無資本處理。

廣州，上海，武漢，東莞，深圳，重慶，和北京等大城市，都有人拍出消條景色，商店到處關閉，店主捲席而逃，中國人和政府嘲笑日本，現在我們來看中國，如何處理，日本被迫在美國生產日產，本田，和豐田等汽車，德國也是，現在福特已宣佈，不再美國境內生產轎車。中國經濟消條，和美國貿易對抗有關，拜登繼續川普之中國關稅増加，中國措手不及，也不知所措。

逼女為娼，這是很可憐者也，我過去僅在中國古書上，看到這些中國亂世悲慘，現在正在中國各處發生，甚至漫延到美國紐約，亞特蘭大等城市，影片是偷拍，行為卻是公然，買春者有人，很是淒慘，我們都是為人父母，國家領導也是父母官矣，如何坐視？

窮兵黷武，拿幾十顆原子彈嚇人，和日本，印度，澳洲，菲律賓，越南，和台灣等國為敵，迷信武力，疏忽國家和地方民生建設，亡國之兆也。

Exxon-Mobil Board is facing challenge/Carlos Pueblo

 Exxon-Mobil Board is facing challenge/Carlos Pueblo

Recently we are receiving many ballots to vote on four board members on Exxon-Mobil. The company's board is facing hedge fund managers' challenge to change the management direction. Exxon-Mobil was the number one company most friendly to these stock market raiders in 2020. Dom you remember Game Stop fiasco early this year? Game Stop was the most unfriendly stock for the hedge fund group. Hedge fund group take advantage of the oil price crash to short XOM and the stock is depressed for a long period of time. I ask two of my friends in the community for advise. They are both retired oil executive with good knowledge in the industry. Before their answering my phone call, I google what is the fighting for. There is a piece article indicates that three pension funds are back the mini coup. I make my mind immediately that I shall go along with the company because that I think the company knows how to manage the company better than the hedge fund managers.

I know that we're waiting for the stock to come back a little bit more to sell some in order to make up the mistake of heavily invest to the company. It is very hard to believe that the drinking water is more expansive than the gasoline. It is also unbelievable that the Game Stock a share is three time of XOM yet this is the stock market. The mighty U.S. dollar is cheaper than the Bitcoin.

I inform Amy and Arthur what we're going to vote for. Amy got out of half her holding at $85 while Arthur and I are still refuse to give up. Cheap oil is one of the factor to fight against the inflation that I believe. Perhaps I can rely on XOM dividends for my source of income.

愛克松接受挑戰／莊峻華

 愛克松接受挑戰／莊峻華

最近我們家三人，都不斷接到投票通知，不但郵寄，電郵亦來，催促甚急，原來是愛克松石油公司董事會，面受挑戰，股市投機者，圍剿董事會，推出四董事人選，有加州和紐約州三公職員工退休基金，約十一億美金股值支持，聲勢浩大，挑戰者要求董事會，改變公司營運策略，我們家三人股票主力投資，在此公司，這是多年投資不分散之錯誤，去年甚慘。此公司去年被股市圍剿，排名第一，股價重挫，被踢出道瓊三十藍股，因國際油價大跌，開始無利潤，被股市短線拍賣。我請艾美電話其舊教會長老，也在同鄉會理事會服務過之啓雄兄意見，他在該公司退休，擁有更多股，他正忙碌，我也電話請教博學多聞之明雄兄，也是油界工程師退休，兩位都是台大工科高才，哲學博士，等候中我順便查一下谷歌，到底在鬧什麼？愛克松股值兩千三百六十億美金，是微軟股值之四分之一不到，八年前是美國股值最高公司，現在大量地下油田，西伯利亞油田都無市場價值，很是可憐，連退休總經理，都被川普羞辱逼退國務卿職。

在兩兄回話前，我和艾美已做決定，支持公司，反對挑戰者，我們相信公司懂得如何經營石油業，元兒上次在一圍剿電玩事件中，也站在電玩公司這一邊，況且愛克松投資其個人退休金帳號，有我保證，因此我們將參與投票，支持公司董事會。

我認為石油公司受壓抑，是因為沙烏地，操弄油價，破使美國油公司賠錢倒閉，俄羅斯，伊朗等油產國，經濟窘困，就是在控制國際油市場，造成即有之攏斷，對石油開採不利，但對通貨澎漲壓力減輕，美國印這麼多鈔票，貨幣貶值和利率，均能控制穩定，低油價幫上忙，我們都在靜候，油價上揚，愛克松股價復甦，讓我們脫離苦海。

三十餘年前，我在東郊高地鎮，販賣房屋保險，遇見一位愛克松退休客戶，他和我談到愛克松持股，他說他注意的是股息，而不是股價起伏，因為他靠股息維生，目前愛克松股息，約在百分之八，外面利息是零，所以拜登無懼，大刀闊斧新政，美國經濟急速復甦，非常微妙。我們都是股息發放後轉購新股，因此愛克松股漲則樂。