Taiwan after WWII/Carlos Pueblo

 Taiwan after WWII/Carlos Pueblo

After Manchu Dynasty lost the War to Japan in 1895, Taiwan was officially ruled by Japanese Empire until 1945, the year that Japan surrendered to the U.S. There were so many former territories of Japan, Germany, and Italy to be covered by the small U.S. White House staff; therefore, the U.S. allowed China, at the time of the Republic of China, to land on Taiwan and pretended to be return Taiwan to China. What I like to emphasize is that there is no peace treaty signed and also there is no so called self determination by Taiwanese until 1996, a national election of the President has been held and Lee Den-huei is elected as the first President. Of course, Chiang Kai-sek was elected several times in Taiwan by Chinese refugee under the name of the Republic of China in exile on Taiwan. Officially Taiwan was ruled by Japan between 1895-1945. Taiwan after WWII was ruled by Chinese Nationalist under the name of the ROC even after 1996 still call itself the ROC, the second China yet the lawful U.S. still insists its one China policy that there is only one China in this world both China and the U.S. agree. This is very confusing as a matter of fact.

Look at Taiwan nowadays, Taiwan is the 17th economy in the world and is a developed nation. Not many Taiwanese need to immigrate to the foreign developed nations for living. Taiwanese can do well at home in Taiwan and there are several reasons of the why. First, Taiwan has the Japanese rule of 50 years and has established the advanced national infrastructure of the modern time. The most impressed achievement is the literacy rate. It was about 80% in 1945 and now is about 100%. 

I came to the U.S. in 1975 under a teaching assistant scholarship program to have my graduate study. Luckily, I have built my family successfully since then. I credit it to my basic education in Taiwan and proudly announce myself to have my poverty class changed. I know what I am doing when I left Taiwan. I am looking for a better life like most of immigrants, now or before.

終戰後之台灣（2）／莊峻華

 終戰後之台灣（2）／莊峻華

台灣曾是大日本帝國之殖民地，1895－1945，一共五十年，先父母三位姊兄，都是出生在這一段時期，接受日本統治，都曾是日本帝國國民，日本政府統治台灣，其原則和統治日本四島本土國民，差異不大，我到北海道旅行，發現台灣日本留下來之基礎建設，不若台灣甚巨，北海道是明治維新，最後一塊領土，早於台灣之統治，當然甚至滿洲國，1932－1945，朝鮮，1910－1945，中國沿海各省，1938－1945，中國部分正在中日戰爭期間，無法建設不表，終戰前台灣是有近代化之建設，和滿清割讓台灣之1895年，迥然不同，我之父母均識字，都接受過六年以上之國民教育，深知學校交育之重要。

日本人離開台灣時，台灣已經有一國家之基本建設，國家之基礎，蔣介石在中國潰敗後，從1946年舊滿洲國開始敗，開始有滿洲國人逃到山海關內，輾轉搭太平輪從上海到基隆，1949年是顛峰，約七十萬中國難民，和明治時代之1895年不同，一些中國人因顏面自卑，說是蔣介石帶黃金來台灣，救了台灣，這是非常膚淺之談，陳儀拿台灣之蔗糖等物資，到上海變賣，都是事實，陳是蔣之愛將，二二八事變之元兇之一，按照上述書本描述，台灣在1949年已經恢復稻米外銷日本，切記台灣水稻一年二熟，屏東是三熟。我們家住糖廠宿舍，台糖當年砂糖產量，全球第二，僅次於古巴，抑或夏威夷，日本人留下先進之製糖設備，我在夏威夷茂宜島旅行，看到一尚在生產之製糖工廠，貌似我們虎尾糖廠，但維護不若虎尾。

台灣的徵兵制度，是學日本帝國，我在十餘年前，開始寫回憶錄，提到一位移民客戶之描述，蔣介石中國軍隊，毫無兵役制度觀念，所以在中國是抓兵充數，非常辛酸，日本時代，台灣人也需參軍，徵兵令收到後，掛彩帶在火車上集合，此制度一直繼續到1971年，我的提前入伍，在台北火車站集合上台中車龍埔，新兵訓練中心，我是服兩年義務役，而且駐防金門，所以和金門有感情，注意到古寧頭和八二三戰役，還有台灣國家定位，台灣前途等大問題。

李登輝總統選擇西方民主法治，使台灣走向民主法治，台灣進步神速，台灣已經是世界經濟第十七強，在亞洲僅次於日本，台灣人無需汲汲營營移民美國，在台灣一樣有充足機會，過一舒適之生活，我想就是要提醒此點，台灣是有中國之外患困擾，但我們有不能投降，只有戰戰兢兢，堅持下去。

終戰後之台灣／莊峻華

 終戰後之台灣／莊峻華

台灣一直在中國之壓迫下求生存，當然這中間有蔣介石集團之中國難民，從中攪豁政局，最近我在網路上，看到一位台灣名嘴，開講蔣介石總統和他一位將領的關係，非常有趣，我當他在講故事，信否已非重要，終戰後之台灣，故事很悲哀，我們都身屢其境，這位作家他提到一段小故事曰，廈門和金門戰時均為日本統治，就是1938－1945，台灣是1895－1945，滿洲國是1932－1945，我在我的部落格文章中，都提到這些事，僅忽略日人在中國福建省這八年，我的岳父大人，就在這段日據廈門期間，在廈門日軍服務，家庭住在鼓浪嶼，有五位子女在廈門出生，看完42集節目，我才又想起此段回憶，終戰後沒有職業，就舉家返台，日本連飯都吃不飽，只好回台灣。

這位名嘴講的是金門防衛司令胡璉將軍，和蔣介石總統之關係，因為台灣解除戒嚴令很晚，輿論一直不自由，中國歷史，尤其近代史，一直未有檢討機會，讀者無法判斷，而且都被蒙騙，終戰時的台灣，按照台大陳翠蓮教授之看法，應該是美國請蔣介石就近託管，而不是中華民國的光復台灣，美國一下接收德國，日本，和義大利之許多領土，很多都是就近取材，稍有關係就一切從簡，國民黨軍隊是搭美國軍艦來台灣接收日本統治之事實，比較箸名者為1947年二月二十八日之大屠殺，有一本書被出賣的台灣，有較詳細的分析，這是一本台獨書籍，為何台灣人追求台灣人，要獨立於中國之外，就像韓國人，越南人，印度東北部黃臉黑髮印度人等，不願歸屬中國一般，還有星加坡，現在之香港人，均不願為中國人所統治，不願為中國奴之故，我到世界旅行，到處遇到華人，都想盡辦法，離開中國，非常可憐。

這位名嘴提到胡璉防守金門，有接近九個月時間，部隊僅有軍糧，而無軍餉，胡璉曰此為軍奴，胡璉之長官是台灣省主席，告訴胡台灣沒有錢，1949年，蔣介石被迫下野，手上有多少錢，無人清楚，軍隊由將領自理，許多人都投降，軍隊潰散敗逃，名嘴歷史家研究，胡璉在金門走公和走私，養活約八萬軍民，賣美援麵粉到香港，拿軍糧周轉，開軍中樂園，自蘇聯進口中亞高糧種子，以高糧換大米等。

名嘴是中國難民第二代，雖非忠實國民黨遺孽，但還是不以台灣為本位，仍然有大中國沙文自悲感，我姑隱其名，終戰後之台灣，和近日之中國相似，台灣已脫胎換骨，然中國仍舊迷信武力，習近平想學毛蔣，都想當皇帝，辜負統治國家，造福國民之機會。

Drinking the coffee/Carlos Pueblo

 Drinking the coffee/Carlos Pueblo

Three days ago, I was helping Amy to get her car fixed a flat tire. I was very happy to do it because that I could do several errands simultaneously, checking two old cars tires pressure and purchasing five large cans of coffee on sale. Drinking the coffee is my renewal habit after many years absence. The pan cake breakfast is my new routine and I need the coffee supply. A large can of coffee of 1.44 kg is on sale for about $7 after tax is an excellent deal for the inflation in my mind.

I also checked on the coffee brewing machine which is also on sale. I asked a lady in front of me about how easy to operate it. She reply that is very easy; however, the machine is for the cup coffee users. My can coffee can only use the traditional method input spoons of coffee into a thin filter, usually three spoons, and repeated brew it for three times. I have frugal in my mind all my life. After that process, I dump the waste to a flower bed to neutralize the soil PH value. Brewing coffee makes me remember how sorry I have been for not doing well to change my academic major from chemistry to chemical engineering in order to get a better job opportunity in Houston, Texas. One of the reasons why I was stopped was that I fail to understand the Throttling Process, a thermodynamics in the unit process operation in chemical engineering requirement. I Google the process and still have a hard time to understand it. The professor in that class did mention that the process was related to the coffee brewing.

My old class mate in Taiwan is very proud of drinking coffee. There are various kinds of coffee to drink, mostly to describe how expansive of the cost., i.e. a cup of coffee in Frankfurt, Germany will cost more than 7 Euros and to get out of a Starbuck would cost about $10 at least. I don't know the difference except how much sugar and cream to mix with coffee and I also can small the different of the fragrance. I have a diabetes and I only drink black coffee and there is no significant difference of the bitterness of the coffee.

I went to Jamaica Island to search the famous coffee bean of that island. I was told by my old customer who was a real coffee drinker. She mentioned that Japanese Corporation purchased all the islands coffee bean to market in Japan. She asked friends to bring it to the U.S. She used an Aladdin lamp type of the coffee pot to brew the Jamaica coffee. She even served to her customers at her dry cleaner. I was very impressed.

I met a well learned coffee drinker in Frankfurt. She educated me about the cappuccino, a kind of coffee with a lot of milk. She told me that some coffee from Africa with fruit taste, a citric taste that I tried it at a Caribbean island.

喝咖啡／莊峻華

 喝咖啡／莊峻華

日前陪愛美到大賣場換輪胎，剛好順便灌足兩輛舊車輪胎，購買五罐咖啡，大賣場有特價，我等候多時矣，因為我早餐簡單熱餅，佐黑咖啡，因此咖啡供給需要充分，這五罐約七公斤多，大概可維持多年，因僅我有此習慣，家裡也無訪客，雖然我們有很多咖啡杯俱組，多年累積禮物。我喝咖啡十分簡單，就是置放三湯匙咖啡，在咖啡爐滾煮，這咖啡滾煮有一熱力學原理，我在化工單元操作課上過，非常遺憾未能如願，當化工專業。我的咖啡爐簡易多年，正好大賣場也有特價，於是我們走到咖啡爐列參觀。

一位女士剛好買一具，我詢問容易使用乎？女士曰非常容易，看到我買的五罐咖啡曰，必需是咖啡盒，讓我想起車行候車大廳的咖啡機，還有哥倫比亞鄰居家中之咖啡機，咖啡盒裝上咖啡機，戳破盒然後熱水罐入，又是那熱力學原理，煮咖啡和泡熱茶有異，台灣的老人茶泡法，不知是否和煮咖啡相似？我因為美國綠茶難覓，因此改喝咖啡。

尤基妮亞是喝咖啡專家，她喝咖啡很是講究，喝咖啡之藝術，真是於我如對牛彈琴，我不習慣花很多錢喝咖啡，因糖尿病我也不加糖，牛奶也不加，咖啡好壞是有分別，在郵輪免費咖啡，通常不若收費餐廳，如牛排店和法國義大利餐廳，我始終不解咖啡豆有如此大之區別。

為證實尤基妮亞說法，我請教並嚐試非洲咖啡，是有橘科味道，我又要證明我的節儉，問到咖啡可否多次使用？店員告知可也，只是稍淡味道耳，尤基妮亞聞言不爽，我泡三次後撒咖啡渣於花盆土中，物盡其用。

自習得逆滲透水原理後，我喝自製逆滲透水，泡咖啡喝熱開水，都是純水，感覺不同，自認為是一種享受。

Back to watch the television/Carlos Pueblo

 Back to watch the television/Carlos Pueblo

It has been more than 20 years that I skip watching the television. Recently I am invite to watch the television again and I accept it. First I watch the Saturday college football games. It has brought back my fond memory of the 70's when I arrived to this nation. I went to Auburn University for my graduate study and this university paid very much attention to its football program and students loved it at that time. Last Saturday, I watched two games; Ohio State vs Michigan State and Alabama vs Arkansas. There is an Auburn game next Saturday that I shall watch.

I have learned the college football game before I enter this nation. People mentioned to me that Auburn had a good football program, as a matter of fact before I came, it did win the Gator Ball in 1974. between 75-77 when I was there, Auburn's football was not in a good shape yet I still managed to attend some games. When there is a home game, the small college town swell in population. The school opens up the stadium parking lots to host the recreation vehicles to solve some room and shelter issues. It is an unique feeling in a college life. After graduation, I have built the love of the sport by watching it on the television. Back then, I could see college  games from all over the nation large or small cities from the early summer to the beginning of next year. It was a big deal.

I came to this nation by a teaching assistant program. Auburn Chemistry offered me a stipend of $375 a month to be a laboratory assistant to a professor and help him to grade the examination. We called it a teaching assistant about 1/3 of our study time. This pay was about four time of my full time senior high school teacher pay in Taiwan. I paid $90 a month for the apartment with a roommate, pay exactly $90 a month for the tuition and fee, and $195 left to manage the rest of the expanse such as electricity, phone, and foods, etc. This is why I am so good with managing my money in my life. 

I didn't have the same feeling at the University of Houston about its football program. it was because that Houston at that time became a huge city. It was more sophisticated as a student. I didn't finish my advanced study and got married eventually. I still watched and paid attention to college football games until 2001 when I lost my job contract and I was depressed.

觀看大學橄欖球賽／莊峻華

 觀看大學橄欖球賽／莊峻華

美國大學橄欖球賽，是大學盛會，這週開始觀看電視，史單那老隊長之俄亥俄州大，今日對抗密西根州大，兩校球隊排名分別是全國第四和第七，前半場俄州大就大勝，結束後，我轉台看阿拉巴馬大學，出戰阿肯薩大學，排名分別是全國第二和第二十一，阿大雖非驚赫，但也飽受苦戰，我已經二十餘年，未曾觀看電視，大學球賽自離開奧本大學後，就未曾購票入場觀看，但觀看電視，週六中午後，則是重要節目。

大學賽和職業賽有異，大學賽很熱鬧，像我們大學鎮，每逢球賽週末，小鎮就有十多萬人湧入，平常就是兩萬人口，我在奧大時，1975－1977，奧大球隊走下坡，屢戰屢敗，非常氣餒，後來到休士頓大學，也是錯過盛況，所以內心中沒有驕傲處，後來兩校，也曾出色處，僅短短一兩年，然而阿拉巴馬大學，則是全國最強幾十年。

大學鎮球賽週末，許多校友家庭，遠從外地返校，學校開放球場停車場，讓旅行車停靠，而且有露營設備，十年後我返校，發現沿學校到85號超速公路，已經新闢建環校超速公路，以便疏散球賽後車輛，美國人重視大學橄欖球賽，就像宗教一般，台灣的拜拜一樣，但不是流水席。

下週廣告有奧本出戰，我又要觀看，這觀看電視節目，擠下我休閒的日常生活。

Lingering out my happy life/Carlos Pueblo

 Lingering out my happy life/Carlos Pueblo

In two weeks, I'll be seventy four years old that I should have to say something about my current life. I am lingering out my happy life. My Dad lived up to his sixty five and a half years old due to a strock to end his hard life. I am lucky that I have had an humble beginning and getting better and better in my senior age and have been lived in a wonderful nation.

First, I must credit to my working and saving habit built in my early childhood. We didn't have sufficient fund to enjoy our life at the beginning. My father was an employee of a sugar factory and made a meager income to support a family of nine. We have learned that we must fine a job to work and save money whatever we can to support our own families. The retirement savings have been enough to maintain my frugal life to the end. 

Everyday I go to sleep sleep and get up early. I have had a very simple daily schedule to follow. My final gt up at five in the morning, I go to prepare my breakfast and be ready for my seven thirty tennis. I am a leader of two groups at courts and a third group players will join me after eight o'clock. We usually finish at ten o'clock and I am usually exhausted. I feel sour on my right arm and left knee yet after a good rest of the rest of the day I am fine. I walk on a green soccer field while I am sitting on to wait for my turn to play tennis.

I do have more than one nap during the day after tennis. Ricard Clayderman's piano helps me very much. I like his modern pieces. I don't do very much on telephone and television and I mostly live by myself. I consider that I am a philosopher and a living Buddha because that I live in a meaningful life. I write my blog when I am fresh in mind. There are some readers all over the world, not that many yet quite a few to enjoy my writing.

I am in control of body following a regular exercises and healthy diet. I am loosing weight now. Since last August, I have installed my fake teeth to solve my eating difficulty. I am waiting to get on board of my favorite cruise trip now.

頤養天年／莊峻華

 頤養天年／莊峻華

再過兩三週，我就滿74歲，值得慶幸，比先父多活八年半，先父因中風，纏病十個月後往生，我一直很在意此事，滿60歲後，一直掛念不為碎事煩心，注意飲食，注意運動，早睡早起，週遊世界，不落人生遺憾，我是在頤養天年，我希望能活到80歲，台灣人社區，許多兄長都活過80。

我已經養成習慣，每天清晨網球散步，回家後，小睡一小時以上，然後就是休閒活動，看股市，看網誌，現在加上電視，偶而和大學群組連線，清晨和下午，我自作早晚餐，中午吃剩餘飯菜。我安排每日網球局，通知三群組，清晨觀看下雨否？決定球局，我們一直能維持一雙打，週六甚至達12人，兩組雙打也是平常。

我在網路上之部落格，就是寫作文舒情，是有些人閱讀，而且遍佈全球，太史公曰，藏之名山，傳之於人，我也看書，現在看美國文學，進度稍慢，再來我要開始閱讀舊讀者文摘叢書，我一直排斥杜撰小說，現在要開始妥協。

我甚慶幸我無先父之拮据，當然他的時代和責任，與我有異，因為家政上軌道，生活無慮，又節儉儲蓄，所以無慮，也使頤養天年成真。

A letter to Ketsana/Charles Chuang

 A letter to Ketsana/Charles Chuang

Dear Ketsana,

Thank you for your effort to offer your program and I appreciate very much of your company's business. Based on my insurance sale business experience, I am fully aware of the through concerns of your company's concern of the privacy of your customers as well as your company's clients. For the fairness of the business, I shall obey your rules and make sure that our relationship shall be enjoyable to benefit for both of us.

In particular, I am very impressed that you dig into a dead case and pursuit it. I am very happy for you and wish that I have had 50% of your consistency toward your business. I was a sales person myself long time ago and I admired very much of a successful sales agent. You are the one indeed.

I do check on your company on the Google Search and am very impressed. From what your presentation and the service technician's manners and professionalism, I can tell that both of you are the best in the business. This is why I write this letter. Hope that you have a good career with this firm.

Sincerely yours,

Charles Chuang

Watching an old movie Kings Row 1942/Carlos Pueblo

 Watching an old movie Kings Row 1942/Carlos Pueblo

It is appeared on the You Tube recently and I am lucky to review this favorite movie once again. I must credit this movie as my motive to come to this great nation. I have been very moved ever since I watched it when I was at senior high school in Taiwan. I asked my eldest sister Mary for her comment and she told me the Chinese translated movie name in Taiwan and I also asked my teacher Tom Davidson and he told me English name, Kings Row. I have watched several times after I came to this Nation. It is about the life of a small northeastern town. One of the actors, Ronald Reagan, later became the President of the U.S. It is a very touching story and the movie is an excellent piece of art work including some stories of romantic affairs between two boys and four girls on a different stages of their life, about mental health, about different classes of the small society, about sadist, etc.  In my opinion, the movie has presented the best of art in a little bit of more than two hours.

I was raised up in an environment very much different from the style of the movie back to the late 19 century and the beginning of 20 century. Due to that bank default of the movie before the great depression, I grasped an opportunity to enter the security investment field and learned how to invest. I appreciate very much of a good traditional American family that parents love children and in case of family needs, not only children are taking care of their aging parents but also grandparents are taking care of orphan grandchildren like in the movie. I believe that is called the family value. I ask my line group of my old college classmates to discuss this move and unfortunately nobody response and I feel so sorry.

The movie is so graceful and I decide to write my opinion on this blog to express my appreciation of the American civilization. I am on my reading of the American Literature and I hope that I can read the comment from the authors if this movie is on the book.

觀看舊電影王巷城的故事／莊峻華

 觀看舊電影王巷城的故事／莊峻華

前夜搜尋舊電影，王巷城的故事，居然發現此1942年版黑白片，小時候在台灣看過此片多次，也和我家大姊萬里談過，王巷城是台灣漢譯，戴四維先生告訴我英語片名，非常有因緣，我相信這片電影，是我響往美國主因之最。此片耐心描述小鎮故事，舉兩幼童之童年遭遇，再到成年，兩位醫生，和他們的女兒，提到愛情，醫學，文藝，哲學人情，和當時的社會，其中一位男主角雷根，後來從政，當過美國總統。

這王巷城應該在美國東北，四季分明，建立在1890年，有很好的學校，十分美麗，我在台灣，早就憧憬這種環境，兩位小男孩，從小就有青梅竹馬小愛人，剛好都是小鎮上兩醫生之愛女，這兩位醫生，有絕然不同之風格，一位男主角的祖母，送他到這位小愛人父親處學習，準備赴維也納習醫，另外一位外科醫生，反對其女與另一男主角之愛情交往，此電影描述這段愛情小悲劇，也包括美國經濟大消條，銀行總經理，捲款潛逃，精神疾病，影響後來我從事股票基金副業。

我在大學群組，提到此電影，但無人有興趣，倒是我經常收到一些，我毫無興趣之推薦和傳教，我深覺這是一絕佳之文藝綜合作品，有人仍舊保存此80年老電影，給我很多肯定回憶，時代繼續演進，當年保守之社會，已經漸漸改善，社會越來越人道與文明，我甚為自己慶幸，早年就能享受如此世紀作品，老年甚至得以回憶。

Attending a pet dog friend Brandi's birthday/Carlos Pueblo

 Attending a pet dog friend Brandi's birthday/Carlos Pueblo

Last Saturday I came home early from tennis courts and decided to deliver two bags of used balls for my pet dog friends Brandi and Nickie on the section one of our subdivision. Brandi's owner invited me to attend her seven years old birthday party in the afternoon. I came home to have my regular nap after the morning exercises. It was a beautiful fall weather. It was a very simple party with neighbors, friends, and their fellow pet dogs a little bit of more than ten each at a time. The owners prepared some shew Stix for dogs, wine and beer for neighbors and friends, and also prepared grilled hot dogs for all dogs. American family treat pet dogs as their children, of course, some exception.

The lady owner brought out my tennis balls for dogs to play, only some interested. This Brandi is  a lovely one with a diplomatic still to associate to the human, dogs and cats. Even grocery clerks miss her as well and ask where she is when the owner is at the store without her. She came to me frequently and let me pet her that made some others jealous. Each time I would talk sweetly like a dog whisperer. I have enjoyed so much for this habit.

There were two guests from the daily UPS truck drivers. They are Brandi's friends as well. She is very nice to every body. I was so glad to see all the handsome and beautiful pet dog guests. I prepared my two cameras for this occasion. I shall up load them to my desk top computer.

At the same morning, I ran into my east neighbor's two dogs on our street. I stopped my car and came out to chat with the lady neighbor whom I spoke to a day before. I was out on the back yard and her dog Emma gave me a good morning bark and I responded it. There was another dog barked after that. I thought that was a guest dog and I walked toward the garage. The lady owner told me that was a dog whom she rescued. She temporarily keeping with Emma until she can find a new owner. I am very sorry for this dog that is what I mean of the exception. Obviously, Emma is getting along well the new one. My neighbors are young couples with two lovely kids. Emma is an Australian shepherd and this new one is a black puppy of a Labrador-boxer mixture.

愛犬白蘭蒂生日派對／莊峻華

 愛犬白蘭蒂生日派對／莊峻華

週六球場無人，僅史單那老隊長和我，打了半小時就結束，我攜帶兩袋舊球，散步到南村，準備贈送愛犬白蘭蒂和愛犬妮姬，兩愛犬喜歡網球，是我固定贈送舊網球對象，白蘭蒂主人給我一張彩色生日派對卡片，邀請我當日下午，參加其生日派對，我猜是盛會，蓋白蘭蒂是位可愛愛犬，與人和狗相處甚佳，於是我贈完舊球後，回家休息，準備下午前往。

生日派對在住家車庫前，已經有許多客人，多半是鄰居好友，兩位是遞送司機，白蘭蒂平時好友，再來就是鄰居和愛犬們，我算一下客人和愛犬各超過十位，女主人帶出一大袋舊網球，讓客人擲球近遠處，供幾隻愛犬玩耍，我帶兩相機拍照，回家時始發現，應該用手機拍照，我就可以轉送相片，分享大學同學，美國家庭生活，我在球場經常遇見小孩生日派對，非常熱鬧。我因為每日網球，佔據晨步時間，回家後甚少再出門，幾乎不見鄰居愛犬，十分想念。

幾日前，偶聞東鄰愛犬艾瑪吠叫，她回答我叫其名，又有另外一犬聲，走過步徑到其車庫側門，女主人招呼一小黑犬，原是走失者，她將其拯救留住曰，艾瑪不甚習慣，此鄰居甚年輕，有量幼年可愛子女，艾瑪是褐色澳大利亞牧羊犬，俊秀美麗又和藹，也善照顧小主人，新犬黑色，仍是幼犬，女主人開門，讓他自由進出，小犬終究回到鄰居家。今晨提早回家，在住家街道上，遇見女主人攜兩愛犬散步，我將車停在街道，出來打招呼，艾瑪直接迎來，小黑犬稍遲疑，後來始靠近，容我撫摸，我猜是拉布拉多幼犬，女主人曰有拳師犬混血，我驚訝為高大俊犬，女主人還是希望原主人能早日領回，抑或找到可靠之新主人。

Creating a living trust for my house/Carlos Pueblo

 Creating a living trust for my house/Carlos Pueblo

The other day my daughter Michelle sent me a message that I should create a living trust for the house which I own, half of it, to my son Arthur in case that I die to avoid the probation. I ignore it due to several reasons. First, the house is not that expansive; secondly, Amy owns half of it. If I die, both Amy and Arthur are still living in the same house, probate or not. The only objection will be from Michelle to contest my will that means my will doesn't divide fairly. I doubt that she will challenge it because that she is much better off than me. I have had a very simple family history that Arthur and Michelle are my only heirs and I don't generate too much of assets during my life time.

I have had a will which is subject to a contest. I am very happy that I still have some left for my children. I am very much better off than my parents. I don't think that there is too much to worry about the estate tax after all. It is more practical that I distribute some of my savings annually to my family members who are all younger than me with more time and less pressure to face varies taxes. One big factor that I need to worry about is the final medical expanse that is why I exercise every day and to do my best.

Amy has another idea which may help. She intends to sell this house after my death to move to a smaller and newer house to live that Arthur is easier to take it over. We don't know when it will be at least that is a good idea. It is nice to have something that we can worry about how to manage it than have nothing to manage and worry everything to make the end meet.

老年財務安排／莊峻華

 老年財務安排／莊峻華

琳兒電訊來，建議我寫住屋生命信託給元兒，大概是避免死亡後，一些遺囑認證費用，我想做一些研究，我是寫下遺囑，死後遺囑真僞，依法是需有認證手續，有人執行，遺產需要給付執行者費用，我生前節儉，所以才省下半棟住屋，另半棟屬愛美，元兒與我們同住，我死後愛美元兒繼續住此屋，應無人有異議，我遺囑自寫，好像是找琳兒執行，費用一部分給她，我無異議，大概是法院也要一些費用立案，這我是需要避免，住屋生命信託，大概是此意。

聽聞現金的部分是兩百萬美元後，開始扣遺產稅，這是聯邦部分，德州也扣遺產稅，何數開始扣？我需要請教球友，我大概無需憂慮，房屋固定，不做好安排，一時還跑不了。

愛美有想法，她認為我再年邁些年，可以先賣出此屋，然後搬到一稍新較小住屋，元兒較無需維護，我現在想來也是方法，也許就近搬到奧斯汀，琳兒可以幫忙照顧，她能管理住屋，這些都非憂慮才是，中文曰庸人自擾。

Vietnamese philanthropists/Carlos Pueblo

 Vietnamese philanthropists/Carlos Pueblo

The Vietnamese vlog which I have watched on the You Tube has enter another stage on her vlog. She has at least three videos about her efforts to help the needy neighbors at her community that I am very impressed. She is not only pretty, able, and also a philanthropist. This what she and her two fellow young and pretty lady friends as well as two young men to drive the light boat around the rivers to deliver goods for needy neighbors. What do they deliver? A small bag of rice and another bag of soy source, spices, and other dry goods. I can see the shy neighbors of their appreciation.

Van Nguyen Cuoc that I believe is her name because that I don't know Vietnamese language. It is easier for me to watch her videos and comprehend her skills to catch fishes in the rivers and rice field full of water, her tailor skills, and cooking. She is very pretty and slender full of energy and even can do carpentry work. She used to be by herself and a boy's help and now she has more help to do the show due to her successful vlogs.

Based on her videos, I can see that her family is a successful rice farmer with a nice residence with an outdoor kitchen and dining table. Now, there is another nice bamboo building built by her family as well as herself for a larger family party. I have enjoy very much for her skills to catch fishes, frogs, and rats on the rivers and rice field that is my dream life of my childhood. I can imagine that her family is well to do and self sufficient.

What I can't imagine is that she even go forward to another step to help needy neighbors. In Buddhism we call it the Bodhisattva, the step next to the Nirvana, the eternal world after the basic of self discipline of the Shravakayana and the Mahayana. In a simple word of the later two stages of our life, they are the description of a people to reach a meaningful life of his own by either meet a master to comprehend his teaching or reading his book to be enlightened. I am enlightened and yet I need to be a philanthropist like them.

越南農村善士／莊峻華

 越南農村善士／莊峻華

去年我介紹一位越南姑娘的農村生活，這是我每日必看之網誌節目，她的節目成功，目前已經邁向250集，內容多半是河川水稻田捕魚捕蛙捕鼠等，魚獲後烹飪分享其母，現在節目成功，有兩位閨蜜，參加節目，還有一位姪女，偶而也來，以我觀察，這是一很好的農村家庭，她的介紹南越農村生活，是我童年生活之幻想，當然台灣沒有如此環境，而且我們家住小鎮糖廠宿舍，沒有河川水利之便，但她的魚獲種類，有些我認得。最近，她開始有新描述，甚令我欽佩。

越南開始有武肺肺炎，鄉民開始戴口罩，她開始和家人閨蜜，整理物資，架輕舟於河川，遞物資於鄰居需要者，我看了三集，這些鄰居住在河川旁簡陋小屋，有水泥步徑，姑娘們分別提上米包和飲料瓶等，家家遞物，小心翼翼，非常禮貌，接物家主，頗感驚訝感激，小院裡常有瘦小愛犬，來回屋內屋外眾人之間。一盲者老人出迎，旁有一赤背青年，有氣無力，越南農村，甚是貧窮，糧食缺乏，主角姑娘看到老盲者，心生憐憫惻隱之心，安置老人入座小凳，掏出一張大鈔私房錢贈送老者，甚令我感動，路過一家非常篳簬籃縷，一閨蜜再三回首，令我鼻酸。

我出生家貧如洗，但先父有固定職業，家中至少得溫飽，飽是有些誇張，所以我長大來美國剛好，食量如牛，這位姑娘家善行，引得全球觀眾讚美，我閱讀留言，這善事非來自越南政府，而是姑娘兄長家人，她們務農，姑娘能幹美麗，能捕魚烹飪裁縫木工等，非常有趣，我將影片介紹給舊日大學同學，也給全球讀者知音，這是我們佛家之菩薩乘，人生最高境界。

Manchukuo at the end of WWII/Carlos Pueblo

 Manchukuo at the end of WWII/Carlos Pueblo

Manchukuo at the end of World War II was like this, a puppet state located at the northeast of China, isolated and surrounded by a strong Soviet force of 1.56 millions on three front. The Soviet force started the attack two days after the Nagasaki atomic bomb and occupied Manchukuo and Korea and that was in August, 1945. Chiang's regime of the Republic of China signed a peace treaty with the Soviet to yield the Outer Mongolia in order to ask the soviet force to leave Manchukuo. In 1946, the Soviet force did leave the Manchuria yet turned the area to the Chinese Communist rebel force. Chiang's force had never set a foot hold of Manchuria. Korea was separated into the North Korea and the South Korea according to the Yalta Conference. The Soviet force to attack Manchuria was the major reason why the Imperial Japan surrendered.

How big was the territory of Manchuria? It is about the size of Texas or a little larger than Texas. The population was more than 40 millions. Manchukuo was in between 1932 to 1945, an industrial and agricultural nation in Asia just next to Japan at that time. Their population were including Chinese, Manchurian, Korean, Mongolian, and White Russian, etc. also a few of Taiwanese due to the colonial rule in Taiwan by the Imperial Japanese government.

I am informed by my tennis partners who are either Manchurian or Chinese used to live in that territory. They tell me that current day Manchuria is no longer an advanced area in China and considered as one of the most backward area in China. It is because of long time neglect from the Communist Chinese regime. I understand that China is a failed nation no matter how impressive of their gross domestic product number. If China can not manage Manchuria, it should yield to the Manchurian to rule themselves. Let the Manchuria be an independent nation.

終戰時的滿洲國／莊峻華

 終戰時的滿洲國／莊峻華

終戰時的滿洲國，是我剛發現之興趣，當然這要感謝奧勒岡大學陳準博士之興趣節目，她是研究滿洲國電影，我則是一生好奇，人活到老學到老，話說1945年八月，蘇聯依依雅爾達會議，從滿洲國三面俄境，三路出兵，進攻滿洲國，總共兵力近一百六十萬，這是從德國移動蘇軍最佳部隊，九十萬關東軍未加抵抗，因為兩日前長崎挨第二顆原子彈，五日前廣島第一顆，蘇軍攻打滿洲國，咸稱帝日投降之主因。

這時候蘇軍已經在滿洲國，也佔據北朝鮮，美蘇已經同意南北韓分治，滿洲國歸國民黨中國，蔣介石的代表，與蘇聯簽署同意外蒙古共和國獨立，以交換滿洲國交還國民黨中國，但是蘇聯在中國東北撤軍時，是交給叛亂的共匪部隊，當時的東北，從未在蔣之真正掌握中，蘇軍是在1946年撤出東北。此事實解釋一些中國近代史，這些都在谷歌的維基百科。

我在台灣偶爾聽聞幾位中國師長私語，例如新一軍從台灣調赴東北作戰，新一軍是孫立人部，在緬甸作戰有功，來台灣接防蔣先遣屠殺台人部隊，初中先師就是倖留台灣未亡東北者。另外一位大學先師東北人曰，陳誠見東北軍，人高馬大，心生畏懼，通通解役，東北軍全為匪軍接收，此為戰時閒言閒語，台灣國民黨不講中國近代史，後世者僅能臆測。

滿洲國變成中國東北後，已經有七十五年，從亞洲最先進之國，僅次於日本，淪落為中國最落後之地區，真是可憐，也是中國之恥辱，比不上南韓，也比不上台灣，當年滿洲國地比德州大，人口四千七百萬，輕重工業發達，農產富饒，真是可惜。