The old house maintenance/Carlos Pueblo

 The old house maintenance/Carlos Pueblo

We live in a house built in 1982, 40 years exact old house. We are responsible to the wear and tear appliance and must know how to replace it. Recently we run into at least two in the kitchen, a faucet above the sink and a leaking disposal. One of the ranch on the cook top has been out of order for quite some time.

Michelle is quite good at fixing an old house. She recommends us to us her dislike stainless faucet and asks Amy to measure the size of the old sink. She also found that the leak of the disposal when she came home to pick up two dogs. Amy got everything in order and called our handy master to help. He brought in a help to dissemble all parts in the sink.

The new purchased sink couldn't fit to the old counter about 2 inches in width. We had to cut some granite to meet the new one. Both the master and I disagreed and we went to a hardware super market to find a new one to fid the old size. Both him and a sales measured all products on the shelf and almost found one available, yet he closed the new box and decided to give up. Because they all speak in Spanish and it is wave above my level. I asked him and he shook his head then I asked him if he could replace Michelle's stainless faucet into the old counter and replace the newly purchased disposal without any leak. He nodded his head in confidence. 

We then went to another section for the cook tops. One time last year there was a sale for the cook top. Amy came to this same store to purchase the item. The sales sent one person to our house to make a measurement. That guy indicated that was the wrong size of cook to on sale. We would have to do some cutting of the granite to make it fit. I disagreed and persuaded Amy to wait for the next time. I am not used to pay so much for something not necessary, one ranch is broken and three others are still working. When I was in Taiwan, there was only one stove at home for all the cooking for a family numbers of 9 and we got by.

I wanted to quit looking of the cook top because I knew that was the same issue of the size to meet the new product and out old counter with the granite hole. A sales lady told my master something in Spanish that later he passed it to Amy and I. We can make sure our size and go to the store make an order and get our new top in 4 weeks and we we ask him back to install it. There are two sizes to be consider, inside and outside of the top, inside to make it in to the hole while outside metal plate edge lay on the granite to support the entire cook top. 

There is one available which I can make it fit on three sizes and make something under to support the number 4 size costs $800 with a name brand product while another one Amy finds also to order to build in costs $850 yet not a name brand. We're going to the later one.

修理廚房水槽／莊峻華

 修理廚房水槽／莊峻華

廚房水槽漏水，出水管漏，除菜渣攪拌機漏，水池看來老舊，琳兒看後建議更換，出水管贈送其淘汰尚新不銹鋼管，然後曰贈送水池，其實我出錢她也不反對，於是我們約一水電師傅來拆除裝新，住屋和住公寓有些基本差異，住屋即使買斷，仍需維護，仍需繳交房地產稅，很多費用，我們住屋今年剛好四十年，屋況仍舊很好，但想來需要維護者一大堆，像內外粉刷，地基，和電鍋板等，這些廚房用具，使用久就有損壞，不是一般人可以自行更換。

老水匠帶一徒弟來，開始卸下舊水池，始發現新水池，尺寸不符，裝不下去，相差兩吋，需要鋸掉兩吋花崗石，我們都反對，然後我們再量電鍋板，就是炒菜煮湯用電熱器，也是希望買到現成新品，老師傅一次裝上，於是量畢出發到附近大五金賣場，我們找到廚具水池部，找一位有經驗店員來幫忙，他們講西班牙語，超過我能力甚多，兩人都拿出布尺來量大小，如此耗時一小時，真的找不到合適者，新具必需能塞進舊縫大小，外面周圍還需要有兩吋寬，可以穩定蓋箸，四十年前產品規格，已經不再流行，美國人善於生意，希望客戶大換新，就是廚房重建，不要只換零件，就是要新廚房，不要只換水池，我們找不到尺寸符合者，非常懊惱，我悄悄問老師傅，能否裝上琳兒贈送不銹鋼水龍頭，和新購攪拌機在舊水池上和不漏水，他有把握點頭，然後電話給徒弟，在家準備些事。

我們離去前，再到電板炒具部，也找不到合適成品，就是要裝得下，寬要購能穩定整具，因為我們有四爐兩大兩小，一大爐已失效，一小爐傾斜不穩，愛美曰煮菜不易，上次大賣店派專人來，建議大工程，為吝嗇為我者拒絕，就是要切掉兩吋花崗石，我不同意，小姐建議老師傅要我訂製，等候四週，愛美為此廚具煩惱好十年，再等四週也無甚大礙。

徒弟果然將舊水槽拿到前院清理，卸下舊攪拌機，裝置水槽需要躺在地板上，真是辛苦，老師傅是八十年代來美國，他說當年工作機會多，我說現在也多，但需專業，像高科技人才，還有節約儲蓄和投資，我真高興了卻一心願，修好廚房水槽。

The politic situation in Taiwan/Carlos Pueblo

 The politic situation in Taiwan/Carlos Pueblo

Taiwan has been a colony of some kinds until 1996 when there is a first national election of a President by the popular votes. Before that critical time, Taiwan was ruled by the Nationalist Chinese under Chiang Kai-sek and his son Chiang Ching-kuo from 1945, Imperial Japanese rule between 1895-1945, Manchu Dynasty  1693-1895, Koxinga 1663-1693, European Dutch and Spain 1624-1662, Tribal Austronesian before 1624. Amazingly now, Taiwan is a democratic nation in this world with 17th economic power. At the end of 2022, November 26 exactly, there are local mayors and council members elections which we call mid-term election in the United States. After this mid-term, a little bit over a year in 2024, there will be a national election to elect the President and the Congress in Taiwan.

The current incumbent regime is the Democratic Progressive Party which is formed by the previous oppressed Taiwanese. The previous oppressors Nationalist Chinese Party, KMT, is now the opposition, and the number 3 political party is the People's Party of Taiwan under the leader of Mayor of Taipei, the Capital City of Taiwan, Wen-Jer Ko, M.D. I like DPP better than KMT from what I have learned of Chinese and my bitter experience when I was in Taiwan under Chiang's rule. 

In the competition of the mayor of Taipei, I like the obvious Ko's successor, the associate mayor Shan Shan Huang, a 20 years plus city council lady and a successful attorney at law. She is young, pretty, and working hard. I hope that she can succeed Ko's and does a good job for the city. Her parents are Chinese refugees yet she has adopted Taiwan as her nation and not very much affiliate to China and that is very important for my support. I don't like people say that Taiwan is a part of China and they are stupid. Taiwan is Taiwan and China is China, they are two nations or at least two China.

I am so glad to see that the KMT is deteriorated in Taiwan and Taiwanese will very soon to abandon KMT like abandon Chinese barrier. Taiwan will have two major language systems, Chinese and English, in 2030 for the people of Taiwan to be successful in this world.

台灣的政情局面／莊峻華

 台灣的政情局面／莊峻華

台灣自1949年開始，面對中國武力威脅，就像今日烏克蘭面對俄羅斯一樣，俄羅斯進兵烏克蘭，是千真萬確之事實，這曾發生在台萬，古寧頭1949年，和823砲戰1957年，甚至發生在1948年前現今統治台灣的中華民國大陸，我私人研究，美軍確實登陸中國山東，想幫忙蔣介石搖搖晃晃之政權，但終無效，所以不要責怪拜登不出兵烏克蘭，美國也出兵南韓，越南，伊拉克，阿富汗，越南和阿富汗都是倉皇北顧，難得台灣人在台灣有共識，保衛台灣要靠自己，要武裝台灣，做最壞之打算，俄羅斯和中國都是惡鄰。

台灣現在為民進黨執政，比較可靠，中國國民黨人在野，比較安全，我不覺得國民黨會構成民進黨甚麼大威脅，倒是柯文哲的台灣民眾黨，可以迅速取代國民黨的在野地位，我對政治有興趣，又長期觀察政治，台灣和美國，這是我的看法。

台北市長選舉，黃珊珊副市長，很快就會出線，她有柯文哲市長之支持，有副市長和二十餘年市議員經歷，年輕又美麗，高學歷又是專業律師，父母親又是中國人，她長兄應該不反對，或懷疑親妹能力，來當首都市長才是。台北市天龍國選民，難得有位如此清白智慧美麗之龍女，如何能錯過？由她來選台北市長，可以帶上幾席柯黨民眾黨市議員。

柯文哲醫生，挑戰賴清德醫生為台灣總統，這是台灣盛況，2024年，其實2022年底就需要開始，我很糾結，兩位均是一時之選，柯是才華洋溢，賴則是穩重內歛，有很結實之行政經驗，當然柯也很優質台北市政經驗，是台北市最好之市長，他的前兩任中國人市長，留下五大弊案，他一一解決，又拆建新市場，美倫美奐公寓住宅，連我高中同學建商，都標到工程，他批評蔡英文和蘇貞昌內閣，都有道理和經驗，他說行政效率，執行效率，我都懂也都同意。

黃珊珊副市長，也養成早上七點半上班之好習慣，還有一位副市長蔡炳坤，中一中和建中校長出身經歷，又擔任過國民黨台中市副市長，也是極優人才，都是民眾黨才庫，當然柯心腹蔡碧如委員，也是一時之秀。

Russia invade Ukraine/Carlos Pueblo

 Russia invade Ukraine/Carlos Pueblo

It's a big deal for Russia to invade Ukraine, i.e. my retirement portfolio crushed in a few days. Of course, it's nothing in compare with the suffering of Ukraine people. Russian's Putin is a dictator and he doesn't know that he will have a bad ending like so many in the human history. I think that he is a poor man.

Most of the western power nations only send in military help to Ukraine for the time being and the U.S. send 8,000 plus troop to Poland to defend the Ukraine front line in case Russia's advance while Germany send 800 troop to Lithuania. That is similar to the beginning of the World War II. Putin is like Hitler of Germany.

Taiwan is a little bit different from Ukraine. It is an island surrendered by the ocean from China. We shall see the first defense in the water front as well as in the sky before a real army invasion. I believe that Chinese will topple the Communist regime before its force make it to Taipei, the capital city of Taiwan. I don't want to see the war of Chinese invasion of Taiwan and we never know what will be happened with the dictatorship.

What can Biden do for Russia invade Ukraine? I believe that he and the U.S. team have done the best in compare to his two predecessors, Trump and Obama administrations. Crimea of Ukraine was annexed by Russia during Obama's administration and Obama couldn't do very much but posted economic sanction. Trump had threaten Ukraine current President to investigate Biden's son Hunter Biden for his involvement of some Ukraine oil and gas pipe line. He didn't succeed and was impeached for the first time. His administration withheld $400 million military help to Ukraine for her defense. I read the news and I also am very fond of the history.

I do mind of the Russian invasion not only affecting on depleting my retirement fund but also the lost of innocent life. Putin should go to hell as well as Chinese Xi.

俄羅斯入侵烏克蘭／莊峻華

 俄羅斯入侵烏克蘭／莊峻華

俄羅斯終於入侵烏克蘭，全球股市有如世界末日，我們節約儲蓄者，必需不看股市，不看退休金數目，因為錢也無法領出，世界政治，也不是一般人可以左右，當今世界剛好出了一位瘋狂者，俄羅斯的普丁，歐洲無大戰事，已經有77年，世界和平大概尚可維持，我希望俄烏戰爭，早日結束，讓我們早日恢復和平生活。

美國拜登總統，已經盡力，派他的部下，盡力斡旋，維持和平，普丁的俄羅斯人不理，我看一些電視實況，俄羅斯的大軍19萬，多半是二戰後之坦克，真正美軍採用攻擊之海陸空軍裝備，俄羅斯尚缺，我想亞瑟拜然的無人機，可以稍微阻擋俄軍攻勢，當然，我不希望烏克蘭多加抵抗，犧牲國民生命，看看普丁是想併吞烏克蘭，抑或建立一傀儡政權？烏克蘭已被併吞克里米亞半島，而且也有兩俄羅斯人共和國在烏克蘭境內成立，普丁已予承認，美歐各國始再一波經濟制裁，就在入侵前一日。

蘇聯時代入侵阿富汗，美國和歐洲已經開始蘇聯禁運，蘇聯自阿富汗撤軍，禁運尚未解除，蘇聯瓦解，禁運轉移到俄羅斯，普丁又血洗車臣，非常血腥殘忍，歐美再加禁運，現在連德國都無對俄禁運惡言，俄羅斯遭經濟制裁，國家無法現代化，我正好奇俄羅斯如何在2016年，幫川普算總統選票？慕勒調查報告也不准公佈，顯然俄羅斯高科技落後歐美，難怪俄羅斯經濟非常拮据，禁運發生效果。

世界上強國領導，像普丁習近平者，造成和平威脅已為數不多，普丁習近平之流，勢必逐漸被淘汰，俄羅斯差一個烏克蘭？中國差一個台灣？真是窮兵黷武，窮極無聊，放著如此巨大之領土，如此巨大之貧窮國民不顧，整個國家財富美女都在手上，仍舊不能滿足，真是可憐啊，比我還可憐。

The inspiration of my childhood/Carlos Pueblo

 The inspiration of my childhood/Carlos Pueblo

Coming to the United States, leaving Taiwan, has been the inspiration of my childhood ever since my watching Hollywood movies in Taiwan. Like most of foreigners in the world, we all admire the life style of America, the freedom and opportunity of the American society. I left Taiwan in 1975 and before that the majority of my life in Taiwan was mainly to prepare to reach such goal. I had to be qualified for certain preparation such as finish all schools education, passing all examinations, got an I-20 visa with financial support such as a teaching assistant, and finally managing a passing grade at the graduate study, etc. 

After graduation from my graduate study with a degree, I joined to a work force and got married. I lost my jobs and got another, then until my reach of the age of 65 to be under the Medicare coverage. I feel satisfied and safe of my life and under that original inspiration of my childhood.

I believe that I have taken advantage of such opportunity to have such inspiration started in Taiwan and completed in the United States. It is a meaningful life indeed. The other night, I was wondering if I missed some fun of my youth before my marriage because that I was in a very strict and boring environment. I only remember of my stressful school s life, entrance examinations, the military draft after the college, etc. At those time, I was not that successful in my romantic opportunities because that I was no body and with only inspiration or dream to go abroad. No girls would pay attention to my inspiration because they couldn't stop me or come along with me.

I have been very fortunate to have an inspiration at my childhood; therefore, I have had a goal most of my life time even now. I like to have a healthy body and live as long as I can because that my family like me to stay around to be some kind of beneficial to them and that is what they claim. As a matter of the fact, the society and governments included like me to stay alive longer in order to pay more taxes and this is what I call a meaningful life.

少年勵志／莊峻華

 少年勵志／莊峻華

到了老年，更容易想起少年，我的少年時代，生活在台灣，這是一非常特殊之人生環境，許多美憶，就是少年勵志，台灣的當時是在蔣介石之極權統治，是中國朝代政治之延續，我們接受中國化學校教育，從幼稚園到國民學校，初高中六年，然後升大學四年，畢業後服兵役兩年，我還需教書兩年，始得取得出境許可，來到美國時，已近二十八歲，是1975年，因未成婚故稱台灣期間為少年，其實，1980年結婚前五年，也算在美國之少年期。

我們當年在台灣的少年，非常勵志，就是希望離開台灣，當年聽聞台灣一年有一萬五千名學生，出國求學，我是非常極端者，我一出境就準備移民，因為我心中響往美國，美國是我最大之希望，和全球人願望類似，因此我的少年勵志，完全朝此方向。

因此勵志，我算晚婚，在台灣的生活，非常單純無聊，也必需如此，始得無重擔，例如不敢結婚，一結婚出國更加困難，我的全額助教助學金，一直到最後一週始取得，先前僅賴實驗室助理費，達到甑試許可免留學考通過，始得辦理出境手續，美國領事館要求兩千美元第一年生活費，因此也需立買告貸這八萬新台幣現金，還有將近三萬新台幣之單程非機票，和最簡易之治裝費，若再攜帶家眷，費用更高，而且尚需賠師範生公費，約是一萬三千新台幣，這些都是少年勵志考慮範圍。

台灣的生活，就是虎尾，縱貫線火車，台北，後來的小金門和新店，當然童年十年埔里鎮，台灣其他地方均非常陌生，一直到晚年回台，也僅能搭火車，環繞台灣幾圈，台灣之風土人情，聽聞多於目見，這是非常遺憾之少年回憶。

我非常滿意我的晚年，我的移民結果，我偶而想起當年，如果在台灣結婚，當兵前或當兵後，我想我甚難離開台灣，現在的家人也是面目全非，我最幸運者為教師退休，領折扣之退休金，也很有可能，無法工作到退休，中途為國民黨政權管訓，我的少年勵志，不僅造福我個人，也福及家人。

Shoes to be worn/Carlos Pueblo

 Shoes to be worn/Carlos Pueblo

Shoes to be worn is like houses to be lived are both very important of our life also symbolize our financial independence. I don't mind to admit that I am from a very humble family background. We lived at a company's frame duplex and most of my life before 1973, I was lack of shoes to be worn. Now in 2022, I can have more than a house to live and many shoes to be worn. My tennis buddy Wes who is from China has a frugal habit like me. He showed me a pair of white leather tennis shoes the other day costed him about $20 plus. He also purchased from the Katy Mill outlet stores which I wondered how I missed it. All what I can find are in the $40's a pairs.

A week later, he showed me he wear and tear of the bottom of his new shoes. I still admired the pretty white smooth leather. He says those are fake leather material which I have no idea. I tell Amy about his new shoes story and also show her an used pairs of mine now served as shoes for lawn mowing purposes. Mine are rough leather side while Wes's are smooth side. Amy is very sure that those leather materials are also fake because that I only purchase the cheap shoes to play tennis.

My mother always complained that I was very rough to wear everything. She said that my older brother Yancy was better than me for wearing everything before passing to me. I had been very depressed until after some half of a century. My eldest sister apologized it to me for my late mother due to the wear and tear part was not obvious when Yancy passing them to me because he couldn't wear them any longer. She comforted me for the reason that we all become parents and we know better.

That is why I pay very much attention to earn money to meet a new family's needs in almost everything. I provide a house, shoes, cloths, and vehicles, etc. for all my family members. This way which I feel that I have broken my poverty background by my immigration to this great nation successfully.

Dress shoes are also caught my attention. I love to gather leather shoes to satisfied my ego of the past. I still keep my old wool suits for more than 25 years. I wear them when I go to the cruise with pretty dress leather shoes. I polish them well before I go and keep them clean. I also have several brand new leather shoes in stock at my car garage. I also keep a pair of short boots which one day I like to find a store to get the bottom repaired.

鞋／莊峻華

 鞋／莊峻華

打網球需要球鞋，而且隨時需要準備一雙新鞋，這些年來我已養成習慣，在勞工節假日，到凱蒂大賣場，購買過時滯銷新鞋，因此，車庫裡有新球鞋幾雙備用，好幾雙鞋底磨損舊球鞋，每兩週穿來割草用。西裝皮鞋我也好幾雙新鞋，還有幾雙穿不壞之舊鞋，我當過兩年兵，而且學生時代會擦皮鞋，因此皮鞋鞋況甚佳，而且也無工作，不穿皮鞋西裝，差點忘記皮鞋功用。

我甚樂道少年時代之清寒，穿鞋都有困難，小時候我需接下長兄穿不下之鞋，其實也甚少，當年鞋品質不若近代，就是當兵時之黑布鞋，也無法等到配給新鞋，皮鞋更差，我尚憶得腳趾露出時，實在困苦。

退伍返鄉任教高中，已經有收入，但是有固定支出，仍舊非常拮据，我買皮鞋都是買店裡滯銷新鞋，折扣較多，連學生週記都被提到，球鞋也都是一穿幾年，因為當年尚未養成每日網球習慣，連網球拍都沒有。

大學時代當家教，一些現金收入，甚至到萬華賊市，購買整修皮鞋，就是老皮些磨損鞋底，有鞋商貼上一層假皮，鞋面也擦亮，可以穿上一週，然後就露出紙板原料，原鞋也不能換新皮底，這是台灣當年窮人又好顏面之窘況，我是經過這一段之磨練。

球友偉舒兄，購一新白球鞋曰僅二十許美金，也在凱蒂大賣場，我甚驚訝尚有如此廉價，新鞋為白皮表面，我在尼克店找了半天，僅能購得約四十美金一雙滯銷新鞋，隔一週後，他來抱怨鞋底已經開始磨損，大概只能淘汰割草用，我說至少是皮面，他說是真假皮，回家後我查看損底割草用皮步鞋，出示愛美，提到球友不幸故事，我的舊鞋是翻皮若似真皮，愛美知我曰，我買者假皮也，蓋我不會花錢買真皮球鞋打網球。

The used i-phone/Carlos Pueblo

 The used i-phone/Carlos Pueblo

In our family, we we cycle used vehicles and used i-phones to maxima their longevity and therefore, to save money. It is a good habit for not waste everything. Nichelle came home to bring back two darling pet dogs whom we have sit for 12 days while they were away and back. She also bring her used April i-phone for Amy and changed the chip. This would make some chain reaction as I would inherit Amy's and Arthur would take mine and got rid of his most basic function hand phone which his employer would text him for working schedule. Arthur and I are not frequent phone callers. We are basically longsome men. Most people call me for soliciting business that I can tell from the caller identification number.

I-phone has been a revolutionary invention for the telephone business. We're allowed to keep our old phone numbers; therefore, people can call on us whatever they are used to, either get to Amy on our old home number or get to me on my old office phone number. Both are our i-phone numbers now.

Michelle's job is required to up date her i-phone as soon as April has a new and sophisticated product; therefore, she would give her current one to Amy. Amy is needed for her busy circle of friends, phone calls or lines group. She is not as lonely as Arthur and I; therefore, an advanced i-phone is fully utilized. We pay about $30 a month for each i-phone and it works very well. The most phone function which I currently use is the Line to communicate among my tennis groups to coordinate our playing schedule. People in need can leave a phone message if I am not available to answer the phone right away or text me, one of the i-phone function.

I am impressed that i-phone can verify tickets information that means we take a photo of our ticket and show the photo to the gate keeper and it works like a real paper ticket. It was why Michelle bought my first new April i-phone which I give it to Arthur recently. I am still not familiar with most of the function of that phone. I can use the calculator for instance yet I am not good as taking a photo on i-phone. I feel i-phone photo is better than my fancy Pentax camera.

People are using i-phones everywhere whenever they can stand and take a look of their phone. Most of the time I wonder what they are reading from the i-phone. Isn't it too small for them to read? it is for me.

舊手機之連想／莊峻華

 舊手機之連想／莊峻華

琳兒回家，帶來一舊蘋果手機給愛美，因她工作需要隨時更新，我們家剛好尚有三人，可以使用其淘汰物，我們省下添購手機費用，如此奉行多年，非常方便。我注意人們使用手機幾十年，我賣保險之末期，剛好是手機崛起，蘋果牌正熱，我出外旅行，需要提手提電腦，非常笨重，因此一直想學如何有效使用手機。現在我手上有兩手機，一為三星牌，我用來聽鋼琴音樂，若船靠岸，則可連線免費網路，看新聞和寫家書，另一為蘋果牌手機，正式有電話可打，只要在美國境內和殖民地，都可打通。

旅行青年教我購票時照相，然後出示相片給車機站職員，就無需出示車機票，這是效率。當然手機上仍有許多功能，像信件處理，電話記錄，股市即時，拍攝電影像片等，我不一定使用得上。

出產手機的蘋果公司賺大錢，我經常出外旅行，需要尋找蘋果牌門市部，使用其桌上型電腦，看新聞股市和寫家書，偶爾遇見青年們排長龍購買新手機，因為蘋果牌新產品有特價，我電腦知識落後幾十年，等特琳兒淘汰物，仍舊無法跟上時潮，因此無甚所謂，倒是我想能否在手機寫作，是有用之功能。

我已經習慣自我放逐之生活，電話來者都是廣告，我甚不捨每月手機電話費，但無手機無法迅速傳遞每日網球局消息，我是領導，需要開門打掃落葉等，手機群組線非常方便。

Michelle came home for a visit/Carlos Pueblo

 Michelle came home for a visit/Carlos Pueblo

The day before yesterday, my daughter Michelle came home for a short visit that she took both darling pet dogs home, installed i-phones chips for Amy and me, and helped us to prepare living trusts as well as the medical power attorney.

She up dates her i-phone regularly due to her work and interest. Amy gets the first one, I get Amy's, and Arthur gets mine. There are two steps to comply while changing the phone, first, there is an existing chip to be transferred and then a down load of record to be transferred from the old one to the new one. It took a while for her to prepare for Amy's before I could wait for my turn. She prepared my living trust based on hers. I understand the need of a living trust to avoid the probate to save time and fee. We took this to up date our old will. She did my phone overnight. Arthur got my old Apple phone up stair and installed by himself. Now, we all have Apple i-phones. Arthur and I use seldom every day because we are very lonely while I use Line to communicate with my tennis activities.

I agree that we have our own living trust to replace our old wills. It is nice to let Michelle know what are going on and let her be our executor on our living trusts. Now, I even prepare my own medical power attorney with her reading through and approving. I think that I can go any time without any regret. Everything is in good order.

I can't deny that I shall miss both dogs. We're going to sit on them again in April. They love to walk with my; however, they are both very strong and pulling me hard is not good for my left knee. I can't no longer to have a march to slow them down because she won't allow due to dogs physical condition. It is fine with me that I am getting very old.

I temporarily lost my Line connection, or got lock down due to many failure of verifications to identify myself. Finally she helped me to remove my old Line and set up a new one; therefore, I can continue to be a leader of our tennis groups to call on tennis or call off tennis in case of the rain.

琳兒回家省親／莊峻華

 琳兒回家省親／莊峻華

昨日琳兒回家省親，住了一晚，主要是將兩愛犬攜回奧斯汀，而且也幫忙我們三人更換手機，順便辦理生命信託，醫事委託等三件事，短短不到二十四小時，解決我們三件日常要事。

琳兒因工作需要，經常更換手機，就是蘋果最新型，淘汰下來者，給愛美使用，我因不善使用手機，但又常出外旅行，心儀青少年手機排攝機票過關，她贈我一簡易蘋果手機，老三星當作錄音機用，所以我除使用桌上型電腦外，我可以同時攜帶兩手機上船，簡單使用網路，兩年來因武肺中斷旅行，現在我又有一更精緻複雜之愛美蘋果手機，我可以給元兒我的小蘋果手機，剛好大小適合其口袋。琳兒先換愛美手機，剛好遇到蚱蜢電話例行更新，耽誤一些時間轉移老電話資料，已經到我睡覺時間，琳兒很迅速準備我的生命信託文件。

我們都有遺囑，遺囑需要經過法院認證，所以可借生命信託，省下此認證，我們遺囑很簡單，所以按照琳兒生命信託，泡製三份給我，愛美，和元兒，週二就公證去也完事，所有退休金和現金帳戶受益人，都改成生命信託，執行者都委託琳兒，後補人是元兒。

醫事委託書，是指僅半年可活命，不想拖下去，殘喘苟活，受權一人處理死活決定，通常是失去知覺，就是無需再急救，我的醫生診所，給我表格兩份，可以通用，所以我和愛美一次同時公證辦理，因琳兒來訪，拿到好手機，又辦生命信託，又又醫事委託，慎終追遠。

How Trump has made his money/Carlos Pueblo

 How Trump has made his money/Carlos Pueblo

Trump has inherited a lot of money from his father at the beginning, first of all. He has filed bankruptcies many times while doing his real estate business and yet still has accumulated a fortune and we don't know how and why he can make it so easy. He has been out of the White House for more than a year yet still very popular, more popular than the current President in the news and we don't know why and how. I have been a small sales in insurance and I know the definition of a good will in business. You can't have a bad name yet still maintain a prosperous business. He has agitated more than 50% of the U.S. population and yet still claims that he is a rich person, one of the richest in the world. I don't know why and how.

It is in the real estate business the casino for example. He built a casino from the scratch and ran for a while and stopped his payment filed for bankruptcy. Carl Icahn bought it and failed again. Once you filed for a bankruptcy, it should be zero at the time to get away from the debt. Icahn bought it with a value, then it is a gain and a gain is subject to be taxed. The tax law must be fair and clear. He must do some cooking while he possessed loans and profited very much to accumulate his asset as well as his life style. This is why the New York State Attorney General Office is investigating him and his company for his tax evasion.

A current news report is about Trump Political Action Group leasing an office space at Trump Tower paying rent for $37,000 a month. It is very interesting like his charity foundation with lots of fishy accounting methods. People like to see how he write off his payment to a stripe star for sex, $130,000. Cohen paid first with his money and Trump paid him back monthly as his attorney fees. Many people have questioned such deduction; therefore, people like to see his tax reports to know how a billionaire pays no income tax for more than 10 years.

Trump is very popular for a group of supporters, almost 50% of the U.S. population; therefore, many politicians need his endorsement to run a position in the office. I don't think that is free for Trump to endorse him. Every position in office in his mind has a price. It is how he makes his money.

川普如何歛財？／莊峻華

 川普如何歛財？／莊峻華

美國新聞仍舊在川普打轉，川普只不過是一任總統，落選後仍然新聞頭條，比拜登總統還熱門，這是美國之病態，但益顯美國政治之逸趣橫生，我指出川普正在面對美國法律，我看的網誌有線電視政論節目，幫助我了解美國法律，現在這電視台節目，已經分析到川普將破產，這次破產和過去不同，因為全國注目下，川普犯法將入獄，今天我就討論此兩點。

川普將破產，因為他所貸款，必需準備還清，一般估計，無人敢再借錢給他，而且他的生意都賠錢，賣也賣不出去，很慘，而且他的生意都用川普大名，美國有一半以上選民厭惡川普，所以他的紐約川普大廈跌價，歐洲最箸名足球明星，剛半價賣出川普大廈房產，就是一半購買價賣出，中文曰停損盤，同一報導曰，川普競選基金斥資每月三十七萬租下紐約市川普大廈辦公室，以便增加該大廈租金收入，該大廈為大量空屋，十分可憐，川普拿政治獻金，幫助自己企業，就和其慈善基金一般，川普如何歛財？

川普聲稱他將再選2024年總統，已經開始競選，開始募款，目前他仍然名調第一名，聽他演講需購票，而且他全國支持共和黨後選人，我們德州初選，電視廣告，很多後選人都標榜川普所支持，標榜者必需繳費，川普生意作到政治上，而且是來者不拒，全世界都撈錢，例如要中國廠商在印尼開馬路，以便其高爾夫球場進出，不然進口打擊，就是中國之中芯電子，中芯屈服，後來又找華為，華為不甩，是麻煩之開始。川普當總統也在撈錢，賣官其一，他的官員很多都抵觸美國法律，浪費公帑，例如一海軍部長搭私機到太平洋基地，開除一艦長。

我甚好奇，川普經常倒閉，如何歛財巨大，幾十億資產，當電視節目主持，應無如此收入，當然營造貸款，貸款中支出無節制，像是賺錢盈餘一般，紐約州檢察長在調查其公司財務，看有無逃漏稅，按電視台分析，逃漏稅可能是他入獄之主因，民事訴訟將令他再度破產。

Trump has been facing the law/Carlos Pueblo

 Trump has been facing the law/Carlos Pueblo

Donald J. Trump has been facing the law ever since we have known him, i.e. some one accused him hire somebody to take SAT in order to get in college, many bankruptcies in business in order to get profits, consensus or non-consensus sexual relationships with some other women other his wife, and illegal activities in or before public services, etc. A judge in New York orders him and his two adult children to appear for deposition in the New York State Attorney General's civil investigation of his financial statements within 3 weeks. He is very controversial yet almost 50% of the U.S. population vote for him. What I have learned from the media about what he is facing of the law included a civil and criminal investigation of him and his company, Trump Corporation, in NYC for the State in the civil case while in the Federal level for a criminal case, a criminal case in Atlanta, Georgia, a recent referral criminal case from the House Oversight Committee for an illegal moving 15 boxes of classified material to his private residence after he left the White House and on and on. I don't think that I can list the others such as a famous rape case and more than 10 others in courts all over the nation.

I have conservative friends at the tennis court whom we have argued all the time about Trump. I doubt that Trump is a Christian like my good friends. They can only say that Trump has done so much for the church. I wonder if Trump goes to any of the church on Sunday. I say that Trump is a racist that he doesn't life non white people except younger non white girls and now Trump is old and can't do very much. Trump loves the face and like to exaggerate his wealth, i.e. he exaggerate his asset in order to get a loan and discount for property insurance while minimum his assets value in order to avoid extra property taxes and it is why the Attorney General of NY State and the U.S. Attorney are both investigating him, his adult children, and his corporation.

His wife Melania should file a divorce when Trump had sex with another women, an adultery and confiscated all his money. She can do that in the State of New York, of course, in Texas. Trump paid his then attorney Cohen for that $130,000 monthly and the State is conducting an investigation to see if he files for business deduction. 

川普之亂（2）／莊峻華

 川普之亂（2）／莊峻華

川普2016年就任美國總統後，一直作亂到現在2022年，當然現在是，他需要面對美國法律，由此可以看到美國法治的成熟面，我舉些實例，一，眾院一月六日調查委員會，已查到幾州假選舉人，已經查到一月六日前後，白宮人物電話電訊等記錄，而且已經查到川普暴動政變之始末理論背景，二，川普企業會計公司，聲明與川普企業斷絕關係，承認其公司為川普企業所作審計報告，完全不可靠，因為川普和川普企業提供資料不實，現在紐約州檢察長正在調查川普不實財產估價，估價過高來騙取銀行貸款，估價過低以逃地方和聯邦稅，還有估價不實，以便取得產物保險之特殊優惠折扣，三，喬治亞州郡檢察官，和紐約市曼哈頓美國檢察官，同時刑事檢舉川普不法，四，川普高級助理，像白宮幕僚長，和商務顧問等人，抗拒國會調查聽證，都期待川普出律師費辯護，五，許多川普之愚蠢幼稚犯法，我不及在此贅述。

眾院調查委員會，已經查到六州非法選舉人，準備在一月六日，否定2021年選舉結果，我只提這位因與中國貿易爭執箸名之那法洛教授辯解，電視主持問他，2024年總統選舉，現任哈里斯副總統，可否決定選舉結果？那法洛啞口無言，川普之副總統彭斯低死也不從川普，我說低死不從，是指暴民已經設立刑架，準備吊死彭斯，我真希望有一天記者能問川普相同問題，哈里斯副總統可否決定2024年，美國總統誰當選？

川普詐騙成性，民間做生意詐騙倒閉略財，當總統想永遠執政，大騙竊國，鬼鬼祟祟，現在證據被查獲，連會計公司均需自保，川普只有宣佈破產，牢獄之災，美國法律可以拖延，但終究需要結案，所以在美國要遵守法律。

喬治亞州亞特蘭大之郡檢察官，查的是那通川普電話給州務卿，唆使他弄出一萬餘選票，多一張，這是第一次被彈劾原因，參院彈劾未通過，但犯法屬實，執法者必需追究，這是法治，總統犯法與庶民同罪，連中國古代都知道之原則。紐約曼哈頓美國檢察官之刑事起訴川普，涉及逃漏稅，這是刑事案，川普是富人，多年不交公司稅和所得稅，我真想知道如何省稅。

現在川普顧問助理，都開始要跟川普面對法律，川普要他們閉嘴不合作，但有些人拿不到川普律師之保護，已經和法院眾院合作，內容大低已確定，我看只有共和黨再掌控眾院，再任總統，始可赦免川普，所以川普還想再選總統，要赦免自己和他一起作亂者，至少還可以賣些官位。

Watching Taiwanese Political shows on the You Tube/Carlos Pueblo

 Watching Taiwanese Political shows on the You Tube/Carlos Pueblo

Watching Taiwanese Political shows on the You Tube is one of my main activity daily after the morning tennis, naps, reading, and writing, etc. I enjoy the politic and current history especially among several nations in the world, i.e. Taiwan, China, Japan, U.S., as well as many European nations. It is my hobby. I am a Taiwanese under Chinese education; therefore, I am good at Chinese language better than my adopted English language and I am sorry that Chinese language products are way behind than English. It is because of the censorship and the authoritarian political systems in China as well as Taiwan before 1997 at least under Chinese Chiang Kai-sek's rule. Taiwan has come to today from a long way. The democratic system in Taiwan has blossomed and Taiwan has become a prosper nation both economically and politically under the rule of law. I am so happy to witness the fall of the Chinese Nationalists regime and the rise of the current incumbent Taiwanese regime, the Democratic Progressive Party which I have watched from their opposition role before the 90's. I am also very happy that another native political party is going to force the KMT, or the Chinese Nationalists, out of the political main stream in Taiwan.

This new political party, the Taiwan People's Party, is formed by a group of political interested people under the leadership of the Mayor of Taipei, Dr. Wen-jer Ko. Ko's eight year term will be end this November and his party will nominate a candidate to run his position and this is why it is getting very interesting on the You Tube. I am very proud of my knowledge of Ko and his party and I predict the success of his party in the year end elections.

There are many nations in the world like Taiwan which is from the old colonial era. I believe that Taiwan is one of the few comes out ahead of time, such as a democracy and prosperous in the economic. There are many reasons why I am so proud of it and interested in it because that I am a Taiwanese and similarly I am very successful as an immigrant to the U.S. Taiwanese including me all have good educations and inherit hard working mother nature and certainly under a reasonable political system will be prevail.

Taiwan is under the threat of Chinese invasion. Chinese like to use the military force to annex Taiwan. It is why Taiwanese political subjects are so interesting such as the ways Taiwanese manage their life under Chinese threat and find a life to live in such stressful environment.

台灣的政論節目／莊峻華

 台灣的政論節目／莊峻華

每天打完網球，很多時間我都看網路節目，就是網誌，其中最精彩者為台灣政論節目，台灣自李登輝總統解除蔣介石戒嚴令後，真是百花齊放，變為一自由民主法治之國，輿論自由，出版自由，很多政治作品藝術化，因為無言語障礙，我將觀看台灣政論節目，當作一嗜好，名嘴就是成功的政論者，帶來節目之逸趣，就像聽故事一般。

從小我就喜歡聽故事，而且我甚好奇，能背下人名情節，在台灣學校教育，有助於歷史地理，這是初中和高中必考科目，剛好我遇到幾位學識優越之中國流亡教師，奠定喜愛中國歷史地理之基礎，這些都幫忙了解中國人和中國政治，包括當今北京中國，和台灣的中華民國，而且能明辨定義兩個中國，政治環境不許可有真相合理化，例如世界上只有一個中國，兩個中國政論節目，都是睜眼說瞎話，為避免觸怒中國，攻打台灣，我也能了解。

最近台灣的政論節目，都在有趣甚麼？年底台灣有地方選舉，包括台北市長，我喜歡的柯文哲市長任滿，他準備參選2024台灣總統，他已經有資格參選，因他有一台灣民眾黨，他在台北市首都，也安排黃珊珊副市長參選，我覺得她是三位假想參選人中，條件最佳之一位，她是第二代台灣人，俗稱外省仔，台大出身律師，幫宋楚瑜辯告，市議員二十餘年，人又年輕美麗，又認同台灣，柯醫生看上，必然不錯。

我看的政論節目，都是偏台灣民進黨，所以名嘴都罵柯文哲市長，我政治認識清楚，而且不惜一辯，也不惜得罪人，柯是台北市長中能幹者之一，他謙虛曰黃大洲最佳，我以為高玉樹和陳水扁都是好市長，因為他們都不是國民黨籍，受到國民黨情治單位，嚴厲之管制，台灣的進步，在僧多粥少下，一定要有兩黨制衡，台灣現在是民進黨執政，台灣民眾黨，應迅速取代腐敗之中國國民黨之在野首席位置，美國政治兩百五十年，也是變化多端，民主黨和共和黨，在種族歧視議題上，就是互換位置。

台灣名嘴評論民眾黨提名作姦犯科者參選，政治者上台後，多人貪贓枉法，彼彼皆是，想當年阿扁市長，要助選幹部到萬華茶室拉票，政治選舉不分貴賤，美國那位川普，台灣許多人欣賞他，美國幾近一半選民投票給他，在我這種言必稱聖賢者看來，都是不可思議者也。

Salvage my watch/Carlos Pueblo

 Salvage my watch/Carlos Pueblo

The wrist watch which I currently use is dead and broken. I bought it after I have had my first Corona Virus vaccine shot, the drug store sent a promotion e-mail to offer a wrist watch as a gift yet I only required to pay $5 for the shipping. I bought two, one for Arthur that he put it in a drawer down stair. I wear it all the time from the morning tennis till my shower time. The watch is a stainless without a name brand and product mark and origin. First, a fake leather band was broken after a while and came off. I put it in my pocket and in the winter in my beat up leather jacket. It is a solar cell and very soon the battery is dead. I decide that I like to salvage the watch; therefore, I put it on my desk and open the mini brand to let the sunshine comes in. Later, I took it out on the back yard and bake it under the bright sun shine on a gas grill along with an old Timex watch. I see both watches are back on moving the second. It is working and I am so happy.

It is getting better and better and very soon I can re-adjust the correct time on both watches especially with enough charged I can even re-adjust the Timex. The Timex is one of the gift from Michelle's employer. She moved back to home and commute then and stored her stuff in our car garage. She never remember and never use them. Instead of the dusted goods, I use them. The Timex was one of them that I used it during my foreign trips. I don't know how to adjust the time yet I figured it out with different time zones and it worked well. Now, I have had two salvaged watches ready to be for me to use, of course, I still have an i-phone and a clock inside my old Q45 panel.

There is still an old Pulsar battery wrist watch on my desk. A repair man has been retired for many years at the Dynasty Market and I have been unable to replace the cell. Once I have a new one to get by and I always set the old one aside. I may carry it out to some foreign country to get the battery replaced because there is no store available in the current day U.S..

The wrist watch was a luxury item when I was a kid in Taiwan. My Dad gave me an used one when I was at the senior high school. I still remember a miss spelling of the Jewelry at my college entrance examination in a result I lost two point in English and missed the permission to get the admission for a famous university. I have regretted so much that I should check with that old watch because there was a Jewel character on the face of every watch back to that time.

I did mention another story of that first old watch on my piece in Chinese language. I used that wrist watch until I was drafted in 1971. One army colleague took that watch back home for cleaning. His parent owned a watch repair shop. I helped him to write love letters to his girl friend. It was a sad story that he lost his life in an army incident when we all stationed in the frontier. He attempted to catch a nervous soldier to get a special permission to go back to Taiwan to see that lover and lost his life by that nervous soldier's discharge of his rifle.

舊手錶之回憶／莊峻華

 舊手錶之回憶／莊峻華

最近手錶停擺，我猜是日光電池問題，開始舊手錶曬太陽，順便曬一舊天美時錶，幾日後，兩錶均恢復秒針跳動，帶來我舊日舊手錶之回憶，我常提醒我的讀者，我出生在一貧困家庭，家裡生活都是最為基礎設備，在我離開台灣時，1975年，家中沒有電視，冰箱，我也沒有手錶，如何知道時間和約會？完全看本事，我的新錶是在東京羽田機場購得，一直使用到1980年結婚之後，這是一精工錶。

再回到這兩日光動力錶，一只是打武肺疫苗後，藥局廣告，招攬生意，取得我一些私人資料，我花五元美金，取得一不銹鋼錶，沒有標誌，沒有生產國名，但十分準時，用上一年，因為假皮錶帶損壞，只能放在皮夾克上口袋，不久因無日光充電，錶若死亡，還好我未拋棄垃圾桶，我想起二十年前，琳兒公司贈送新職員天美時錶，也是日光能錶，已閒棄多年，順便曬太陽，此錶稍微複雜，不易操作，我旅行時，都無法調整時間，只能暗記時差應付，還好現在有手機，開車也有時鐘，但有手錶仍舊比較方便。

第一精工錶淘汰前，我亦曾託同鄉太太，帶回台南市換錶鍊，真有緣份，這位太太幾十年後，當同鄉會秘書，我就拜她為義姊，現居加州聖荷西市，我們還專程拜訪她，她先生是位工程師。此精工錶後我又買一精工錶，是金黃色，後來也損壞丟棄，琳兒贈送一寶莎錶，這寶莎錶也屬精工舍，是電池動力，我都在休市王朝超市內修錶舖換電池，也曾在檀香山華埠換過，因王朝這位老師傅退休關閉，我再也無處換電池，但手錶尚在。

我的東京機場，精工新錶前，先父曾給我一舊錶，我懷疑是賊市貨，我投考大專聯考，手腕戴著，英語試題中有一單字珠寶，我回答錯誤，我又提早交卷，後來始想起手錶上有珠寶一字，我差考入台大僅若干分，非常遺憾，但後來想起讀師大免學費，而且同樣是移民美國，賣保險謀生，心中釋然。

我戴該錶一直到大學後服兵役，在苦苓林駕訓隊受訓，認識一位基隆兵，幫他寫情書追當地理髮小姐，他幫我整理該舊錶，清洗內部，因他家在基隆市經營錶店，我們同在烈嶼當兵，一日他因想立功休假返台，探視這位理髮愛人，持槍追輯一位持械固封陣地步兵，不幸遇難，想起舊錶，又想到這件不幸，這是一生之憾事，當然這和當年服兵役之為國犧牲兩年有關。

Arthur's recovered from the Covic-19/Carlos Pueblo

 Arthur's recovered from the Covic-19/Carlos Pueblo

After testing positive on Friday last week, my son Arthur is recovered from the Covic-19 and goes back to work this afternoon preciously off 5 business days as the CDC set guideline. He doesn't see the doctor just quarantined and rest at his room. Amy brings his food up stair on every meal. Occasionally I see his in the kitchen for some foods after midnight. Now we have had some experience about the infection of the corona virus infection and we're lucky that it is not that lethal as original description.

Of course, we follow the prevention guideline from the government and advice from the news. We have taken three shots of the vaccine accordingly. We wear mask all the time. Arthur is working at a public place with customers in a super market. We are glad that at least he holds on for two full years not been infected.

One explanation is that if we run into an infected person closely, the virus may penetrate to you no matter to your three shots or not., especially when you run into infected person who doesn't wears mask. N-95 mask is about 90% effective, regular mask which Arthur wears is 60%, while the home made cloth one even with double layers is only 20% effective rate. Therefore, I keep the distance.

Amy and I are safe this time without a scare because we are not signs of sickness. We follow the common sense and we refuse to go out if not necessary. The Chinese Wuhan corona virus pandemic is very inconvenient yet we get used to it. I don't miss my traveling nowadays and as a matter of the fact I save money. I learn how to deal with self quarantine at home and maintain my new daily routine.

元兒武肺病癒／莊峻華

 元兒武肺病癒／莊峻華

上週二元兒發燒，週五檢查得武漢肺炎，立即停止超市上班，在家禁閉，關在樓上臥室，食物都是送上臥室，碗盤餐具放在臥室門口，我拿下廚房，偶而半夜看到他下樓，如此，昨夜他說已病癒，我仍舊戴上口罩，勤肥皂洗手，保持距離，手不摸眼鼻口。

我們都打三針疫苗，我們都相信公共衛生，並不複雜，這三針疫苗，確實有效，他在超市工作，隨時戴口罩，但仍阻擋不住，還好他和我們在家都保持距離，愛美和我均未被感染，愛美教堂牧師亦感染，我球場上也有人感染，我們都馬上警覺，馬上戴口罩，保持距離，沒有怪東怪西，避免被感染，元兒工作上防疫也超過兩年，箸實不易。

美國全國上下為武肺，所作一切努力，我看是盡力，仍然有很多人感染，現在感染武肺，就像流行性感冒一樣，症狀輕微，像元兒僅發燒兩日，他以為是感冒，而且也無藥可服用，完全靠自身體力恢復，若病況嚴重者，始需看醫生，或是入院，美國地方政府和商業，已開始解除戴口罩，我覺得我們還是要戴口罩，因為年輕女士戴口罩，可以突顯美目，老人若我者，口罩可已遮住老面，而且以防萬一。

我還是懷念出外旅行，是否可以無需入境禁閉三週，郵輪有否更衛生安全措施？我是想回台灣，旅行日本，然後搭船回美國，但今年似乎已取消，只能等候來年，來年我又老了幾歲矣。

The up and down stock market/Carlos Pueblo

 The up and down stock market/Carlos Pueblo

There is always an up and a down of stock market which would determine my daily mood that I can't say I don't care. There is no New Year Rally this year that means something for 2022. In February, the market is up a little bit and my investment is still down about 10% of the end of 2021. The bright side is that my oil stock is up and a car stock is steady. 

It is due to the inflation, i.e. I am paying $3 a gallon for gas now in Houston that I don't mind as well. If I sell all my oil stock holding, I would break even or make some bank interest return. I am paying back some gain of my high tech mutual funds saving now. As a matter of a fact that I can't do anything about it because It is my retirement saving that I can't take it all out in order to have my tax management.

I do own something, like a house to live on and a car to drive to and back, and funds to pay things are necessary. I am in the middle class of America. In order to be in the middle class, I must work to earn a income, I must be frugal to save what I earn, and I must invest in the stock market which can help me to earn some when I can't work to have an earn income.

Of course, I must be healthy and that is why I play tennis every day to have my daily exercises. Once I have done my morning exercise, I can eat well, sleep well, and have my rest of day filled.

I don't have any doubt that invest in the stock market is better than a bank deposit of certificate. I quit my bank loan this year because that I don't like to pay 3% fee while the bank gives me nothing for my saving account and almost zero for my deposit of certificate. 

股市震盪／莊峻華

 股市震盪／莊峻華

今年一月，股市開始震盪，沒有新年振作，就是表示今年股市不振，我整個月龜縮，不看股市，一直到二月一日，台灣的農曆新年，我的退休金顯然縮水，但石油股票漲價，若需要領退休金，可以先賣石油股，石油股投資已經回到本錢，高科技基金雖跌價，但僅還一部分，證劵投資仍舊高於銀行定期。

我投資石油股已有三十年，最近十年是每況愈下，因為油價偏低，連石油工程業都消條，許多工程師都退休，我正想這些石油生產國，如何生存？現在油價上漲，可喘一口氣，我們休士頓是石油城，可以稍微復甦，我投資之油公司，決定總部遷移到休市北郊，顯然看到甚麼？

投資儲蓄需要有通貨膨脹之對策，石油股其一，當然需靠時來運轉，我猜測油價就是漲到一百美元一桶原油，也比不上這幾年之高科技股，像台灣的台積電，居然比美國英特爾值錢，台積電是替英特爾代工者也，台積電比美國波音值錢，我真是孤陋寡聞。

愛美使用手機，檢測元兒武肺，一步一步，按照說明，手機拍攝結果，上傳給儀器行，結果拍照給元兒公司，證明感染屬實，病假五日，這一切都是高科技，我嫌麻煩，不搭機出外旅行，假使不是愛美年輕，經得起挑戰，學會手機拍照，又耐心讀說明，這次元兒感染，必是雞鳴狗跳，去年現在元兒正在股市博鬥，那停止電動遊戲股票事件，他是反操作一方，有人投機損失幾十億美金，元兒小賺，獲利將上稅，他不再玩此遊戲，改問基金投資。

Leaders/Carlos Pueblo

 Leaders/Carlos Pueblo

In Tennis courts, bodies call me the leader because I am the one organize tennis meets every day. I manage balls which we play supplied by generous partners. I call o play a day before and early  before the day break hour to make sure the court is dry to be played. I am a leader who have my responsibility to maintain our daily tennis. This way to call for a person is quite popular in Chinese language nowadays. Chinese call Xi as the leader who leads China while Putin is the leader who leads Russia. Both leaders like to invade foreign nations for the time being, China to invade Taiwan while Russia to invade Ukraine. Are both invasions, wars, the job responsibilities of leaders Xi and Putin? I don't think so neither do all the reason minds of the world.

I love the history and I know very well that no leaders can last forever. Putin can play games on Russian politic yet he is getting old and he can't stay as Russian Leader forever, the same apply to Chinese Xi. Xi is fighting for his leader for life now and seemed to be in trouble. Both Putin and Xi like to distract the attention away from their domestic problem by wars to their neighbors. There are no absolute powers in the world that can dominate everything including the nuclear bombs both Russia and China have had. Wars can destroy almost everything, life and matter. We must avoid the war. 

It is sad that leaders don't appreciate the history. Putin and Xi are both too young to appreciate the lesson of WWII. They believe that wars can solve what they desire to have. Recently I just finish reading a book about how the U.S. prepared to use atomic bomb on Japan. Japanese Emperor didn't take the opportunity to surrender before the bomb dropped. It is similar to both Putin and Xi don't take advise from the rest of the world not to create wars if wars are not necessary. As a matter of fact, I don't believe wars are necessary.

I noticed two years ago there was tension in the South China Sea. I read he news on the You Tube  that Xi prohibited his man to fire the first shot to agitate the U.S. under that mad man Trump. I know that the peace is possible, yet after Trump, Chinese media is still talking about the war against Taiwan while Russian is going to invade Ukraine. The war is very nonsense indeed. Both Putin and Xi have had everything now except not aging gracefully.

領導／莊峻華

 領導／莊峻華

一球友來自台灣，閱讀中國報章雜誌廣播，稱呼我為領導，其意為我安排球場人數諸事，我不以為忤，中國人曰領導為尊稱習近平等人，就是台灣稱謂國家元首，總統之意，球場領導，就是安排組織打球人數，調度新舊球，嫌事少，再帶電池吹葉機掃落葉等等，球場領導也有一定的責任範圍。

國家領導責任更大，最近俄羅斯國家領導普丁，在烏克蘭邊界陳兵十餘萬，準備入侵烏克蘭，他的理由是阻止烏克蘭加入北大西洋公約組織，普丁殺人不眨眼，在車臣屠城，為歐美經濟制裁，導致俄羅斯落後，這次動手烏克蘭，許多原因，經濟制裁，出海口，還有烏克蘭之重工業基礎等等，普丁一直不爽蘇聯瓦解，一直想辦法併吞回來，舊日附庸國，最近出兵土庫曼斯坦，即是一例，世界拿他沒有辦法。當一國領導，窮兵黷武不是辦法，普丁已經富有，而且當領導也有幾十年，應該多注意俄羅斯境內之貧窮人，俄羅斯需要很多建設，不再乎領土之擴大與否。

中國的習近平也是，普丁和習近平，狼狽為奸，習近平想當皇帝，永遠執政，準備攻打台灣，造成全台灣緊張，美國，日本，和台灣都需要增加國防預算，中國窮困人口眾多，需要領導多加費心，戰爭沒有贏家，歷史明鑑，中國和俄羅斯，都有很多戰爭經驗，當領導需要仔細衡量，不要人云亦云。

最近，我剛閱畢一書，描寫二戰末期，美國準備原子彈轟炸日本，其準備過程，其中多次給予日本領導機會投降，日本昭和天皇，不敢決定，這是76年前之往事，俄羅斯和中國都有原子彈，使用原子彈需要準備，美國會知道，美國也有原子彈，誰都贏不了誰，俄羅斯拿下烏克蘭，中國併吞台灣，普丁和習近平，可將兩地帶進棺材？

My four days quarantine at home/Carlos Pueblo

 My four days quarantine at home/Carlos Pueblo

My son Arthur tested positive on Covic-19, also called Chinese Wuhan Corona Virus; therefore, we all exercise self quarantine at home. He stays inside his room and once in a while comes down to ask something. Amy delivers his food up stair and I bring down bowls and plate. I wear my mask all the time. Even in lock down myself, I have been out twice and am going out to play tennis again tomorrow.

I went out to inform my favorite pet dog Forest and his owner Kathy my visit before Arthur's positive test and at the same trip I went to the drug store again to cash a $7 coupon point actually was $2 cash. I went out again yesterday evening to Sugar Land to pick up three Taiwanese lunch boxes gifts from Amy's church. I am getting more aggressive and I am going to play tennis again tomorrow.

We evaluate Arthur's condition which is very mild in compare with his previous condition in sick. He has three shots and that is the reason. I asked him when he was infected. He didn't know. Amy says the difference is the mask we wear. N-95 is 90% effective, regular mask that he wears is 60% effective, while the cloth mask I wear is about 20% effective. The good thing is that I stay away from people. I have been some kind of self quarantine for the last two years.

Yesterday, I did go out to walk and I was hungry after three blocks back and forth. Before tennis routine, I could walk 11 blocks back and forth for more than two and a half hours. It must be my age and a little bit poor physical condition. I am a year older than last year.

武肺禁閉／莊峻華

 武肺禁閉／莊峻華

元兒感染武漢肺炎，我們開始在家自動禁閉，剛開始我發通知給球友，聲稱禁閉兩週，後來發現現在美國僅要求五日，我買下八套檢測器，依元兒病況，可能三日後再檢過關，我的禁閉也可解封，其實禁閉實在已超過兩年，對我而言將近兩年，我是在2020年二月十六日，從曼谷返家，然後美國全國開始戒嚴武肺，我僅開車打球外出，幾次開車到奧斯汀，一次奉命到哥斯達黎加，其餘均在家禁閉，我真是一老宅男，我們家元兒，是一不折不扣之青年宅男，他之感染全因 在超市工作，兩年堅守未感染，已是難能可貴。

我們是識字又有衛生，家人全打三針疫苗，體內早有局部抗體，就好像種牛痘一般，從小就相信公共衛生，武肺目前無藥可治，感染後只能靠自己體內抗體，有三針疫苗後，病況輕微不致命，所以禁閉是防範身體暴露，為病菌感染，一切都是合乎公共衛生之道理。

我更按照台灣李秉穎大夫之三原則，勤肥皂洗手，戴口罩，不手摸眼鼻口，這有衛生道理，我們家兩樓好幾房，我的書房和元兒臥室相對，我在室內也戴口罩，拿元兒食畢飯碗盤，我就肥皂洗手，禁閉無聊，我就出後院，觀看後院花草，木瓜都凍損，喇叭花鳳梨苗等尚可，聖奧古斯汀草又凱始枯黃，再過一週，德州春天將來。

球友竇醫師善心，聞我家有事，親自送來食物水果，今日愛美教會有台灣飯盒，我抱怨她禁閉不能領回，她將安排我開車到糖城領取，我是較囉唆，這飯盒是一位姊妹贈送，也是因牧師感染武肺，從耶誕節延到農曆年後，愛美幫忙訂購，又礙顏面，不讓我到餐廳領取。

Re-watch an old movie Chocolat/Carlos Pueblo

 Re-watch an old movie Chocolat/Carlos Pueblo

Recently there is an old movie Chocolat free on the You Tube and I have re-watched it twice. It has been for more than 20 years since it first out in 2000. I am very pleased to view it again especially after many times visit in Europe. I have watched it twice this time and also check on the google search. This is a very touching movie about a pair of young mother and her daughter were wondering in Europe and coming to this small French town in a snow stormy day. It is a story of her new life as a chocolate store owner started from zero.

This young mother has inherited her mother, a native Maya character that always following the north wind to wonder from place to place with her daughter. She is very confident according to the author. She has learned how to make chocolate products and manage well in her bakery business. The town is very conservative and catholic and amazingly she makes it. The story is about how she has dealt with the new environment and made many friends under so much difficulty.

It costed about 25 million to make this move and with a result of 152 million tickets income as a result. I can see how successful it is. Not only the story itself is very interesting but also many distinguished actors performing so well. It has received 5 Oscar nominations even though not gotten any award still is a very good movie. I can recognize an excellent piece from a regular one. I am also interested in watching movies.

觀看舊電影巧克力／莊峻華

 觀看舊電影巧克力／莊峻華

前夜觀看舊電影巧克力，這是2001年出版電影，描寫一法國小鎮故事，此片真是百看不膩，這次觀畢，我特別谷歌搜尋，而後再看一遍，有網誌真方便，隨時可以溫故而知新。此影片耗資二千五百萬美金，票房收入高達一億五千兩百萬，獲得五項當年奧斯卡提名，算是一非常成功之影片，谷歌維基甚至有詳細，一步步介紹，我也來說說我的看法，法國小鎮來了一對年輕流浪母女，作者強調是依北風而來，母女在歐洲各地流浪，若逢南風吹向，則又起動遷徙意向。

這一年來到這一依水法國小鎮，母親靠祖傳巧克力絕技，在小鎮開設巧克力店，從零客戶開始，立即遭受小鎮鎮長之排斥，因為她不信奉天主教，拒絕上教堂作禮拜，我賣保險多年，誠知小生意甚難從零開始，而且小鎮不若大城市，經濟力和購買力有限，所以我說是絕技。

我很喜愛旅行歐洲，當然大部分是國家首都大城市，但偶而可以經過小鎮，就是火車站旁小鎮，德國和英國最有經驗，歐洲國家教堂甚為普遍，到處是教堂林立，週日居民均需上教堂禮拜，巧克力影片中之小鎮故事，也是以教堂為中心，有人不能適應小鎮之傳統，於他們就移民海外，美國是一例，像我就是享受者種宗教自由，我信的佛學，無需上廟宇，不受佛禮居束，就像無宗教信仰者一般，這位巧克力母親，就是一誠懇而無宗教信仰者，非常敬業。

她在小鎮之居留，已經深深影響到小鎮之生活，有人帶領風氣，改善社會，美國也是如此，大城市更是獨善其身，這種小鎮故事，僅賴好電影，帶來精神寄託。

Arthur is positive on the Covic-19/Carlos Pueblo

 Arthur is positive on the Covic-19/Carlos Pueblo

My son Arthur tests positive on the Covic-19, Chinese Wuhan Corona Virus, today. Amy notices that he loses some appetite recently, i.e. not eating my pan cake in the morning and not finishes evening bowl of fruits, etc. He said that two days ago, there was a fever. I was sent to a drug store  nearby to get test kits. I have to pay first and claim the cost from my Medicare and I don't mind it at all. On my way, I have purchased 12 boxes of chocolates in time of the Valentine.

It is identical to the one kit which we used in Costa Rica hotel in order to return to Houston. Amy read the manual step by step with her i-phone ready. Once the sample was gathered, she dipped the cotton head into a small jar of solution and asked me to hold it still. She would squeeze the mixture solution into a thermostat like meter intake box. The drops would follow the paper trail to the top according to a capillary principle. Her i-phone is shown the 15 minutes waiting time. He is positive. 

He called his employer to take five days off, actually is about three less than the regular weekend. Amy and I cancel our two weeks schedule and we are officially under two weeks quarantine. We take the virus seriously that we wear mask when we're out and all of us have three shots of vaccine. Now we know more about this disease that it can be cured naturally because that there is no effective medicine.

The Chinese Wuhan Corona Virus has been a pandemic for more than two years. We try very hard to avoid it yet it is very difficult. I am glad that at least the U.S. Federal Government is doing its best to fight this disease. We all receive three vaccine shots as soon as possible and we're going to have free masks as well as free test kits. The prevention has become routine that the thread is still on, more than a million death and I forget the number of infected. I believe that Amy's i-phone will report Arthur's test to the Central Disease Control Bureau.

元兒得武肺／莊峻華

 元兒得武肺／莊峻華

我們家元兒最近食慾不振，兩日前發燒，愛美差我到藥局買測試儀，連忙驅車外出，自武肺肆虐兩年餘，我都外出戴口罩，勤肥皂洗手，不揉搓眼鼻口，台灣台大李秉穎大夫明訓，愛美按照說明，一步步取樣本，手機攝影直通藥行，結果是感染，元兒已注射三劑疫苗，公司許可他病假五日，我們兩位雖未感染，也自動禁閉兩週。

我迅速通知球友，安排代理開球場門，我可以恢復清晨散步，首先我先開車外出通知，剛接觸過者，就是愛犬佛瑞斯特女主人，和兩位藥局職員，讓他們心理準備，愛美也開始安排兩週禁閉，這是非常不得已，但小心無大礙。

元兒戴口罩上班，可能是超市客戶有人不戴口罩，這是無法控制，只能小心再小心，我常抱怨元兒穿衣不夠溫暖，他說不冷，講來講去，都已經三十餘年，我從小就喜歡多穿衣服，也不理別人譏笑，所以我甚少感冒，我也希望不感武肺，這對我的糖尿病痼疾，威脅較小。

The sticky rice cake for the Lunar New Year/Carlos Pueblo

 The sticky rice cake for the Lunar New Year/Carlos Pueblo

My tennis partner Tony has given me sticky rice cakes twice for the Chinese Lunar New Year. It has brought me back some fond memories for my childhood in Taiwan. We. Taiwanese, have been under heavy influence by Chinese way of living for a long time. It has been categorized as a Sinicized race of Taiwanese. We celebrate the Chinese Lunar new Year and we eat like Chinese. The sticky rice cake is one of the items on the table during the Lunar new Year. I was the one to help my mother to make such foods as in my recollection.

I was not the type of kids to stay home most of the time. I went out and played; therefore, I got to know some other stuff other than books from schools. I carried a small bag of sweet rice to a soybean cake shop, bean curd, for grinding with a motor other than an old stone grinder before that time in history. The first product was a rice bag of sweet rice water mixture which I took it home to squeeze out the water overnight with a big piece of stone. My mother would take the solid part of the grinded rice wet powder mix with sugar in water and steam it for hours to make the sticky rice cake. We worship our many gods and Buddhas this way with many dishes first and eat them afterward. As I remember that the sticky rice cake is not that easy for my mother to make. After I went to the senior high school, she traded sugar with merchants for the sticky rice cake and still made the salty cake, white radish cake, and plain sticky balls, etc. 

I didn't like the sticky rice cake when I was a kid and I preferred meats. It was a time we didn't have enough proteins. Later, I learned the fried sticky rice like Japanese Tambula with egg flour coating and I liked it. After years in the U.S. with plenty of meat consumption, I kind like the sticky cake once in a while. 

Tony's wife is very considerate when she prepares the sticky rice cake. She uses minimum sugar for both Tony and me due to our diabetes. I understand my mother's problem because she attempt to make the cake thicker like the commercial products yet in the U.S. the cakes are usually half size of the thickness in compare with the old time Taiwanese. The steam can penetrate more easily in the modern heat pot. My mother would loose her temper and blame her incoming year with such a bad luck with the failure of the sticky rice cake making. 

年糕／莊峻華

 年糕／莊峻華

台灣人和中國人，過農曆年習慣吃年糕，台灣的年糕，就是糯米粉加糖蒸煮，過年時祭祀用，台灣過年家庭同時也製作鹹糕和菜頭糕，菜頭糕使用在來米粉，我們家一般都差使我提米到豆腐店磨米，回家後石塊壓榨成粉，糯米粉也可製作甜鹹湯圓，也是年夜飯必有食物，來美國後，天天過年，愛美這一輩家庭主婦，已經不做年糕，學過肉圓，但太麻煩，也中斷多年。

我的球友竇醫師，贈我年糕一塊，我當早餐吃了四日，今晨再贈甜鹹年糕各一曰為竇醫師娘作品，鹹糕是芋頭糕，十分可口，甜糕是紅豆糕，明晨開始食用，很有過年氣氛，是這樣的，我移民美國47年，經濟狀況甚佳於台灣，而且無宗教儀式祭祀，所以天天都是過年，早上食年糕，也比美國熱餅耐胃，可以打兩局雙打，而且美國太太年糕考慮過糖尿病，用糖謹慎。

美國境內不是台灣神明統轄，財務獨立靠長期工作，隨時節約，樸儉理財，投資有方，不全是運氣或神明保佑，所以才能天天過年，天天吃年糕。

The Trump's coup d'e. tat/Carlos Pueblo

 The Trump's coup d'e. tat/Carlos Pueblo

Recently the Congress January 6 has discovered very much in details of the Trump's d'e. tat on January 6, 2021, an attack of the U.S. Congress building inside and outside. His goal was to stop a certification of the election result which Biden won the Presidential Election in a result that his term of the U.S. President ended on January 20, 2021. We know that he is very stupid yet we couldn't imagine that he is so childish. Almost 50% of the U.S. population help him to make the show including the Republican, the conservative, the racist, the tax cut lover, etc. I thank all of them to help him to make the coup for us to watch. He planed it about half a year before the election that he claimed the U.S. Presidential Election was rigged yet he participated his re-election. The reason is mainly the mailed in ballots which he doesn't trust. Voters use the mailed in don't vote him is what his claim. he didn't complain in the mailed in in 2016 when he won.

He still says that polls on that day's television show him ahead at 10:00 pm; therefore, he should be winning yet the mailed in votes messed it up. Many battled States courts rejected his law suits to reverse the election result as well as all the Republican State Officers in charge of the Election. According to the law, the State sends it electors to attend the National Certification held in Washington, D.C. on January 6, 2021. He pressured his Vice President, Mike Pence, to reject the certification and send back the electors to the State. The Coup is to allow the State re-send it Congressmembers and Senators back to vote on the Elector instead of the normal procedures. Pence rejected it and proceeded to certify Biden's victory. There are people lost their life or injured on this failure coup; therefore, the Congress forms a special committee to investigate the coup and now we know more and more about it.

Lucky us in this great Democracy. U.S. military in the form of the Defense Department, the Homeland Security Secretary, and the Department of the Justice all refuse to participate this coup to confiscate voting machines for his manipulation. The coup ended there with minimum bloodshed on January 6, 2021. Biden becomes our next President and so far we have had a peaceful one year at the White House.

It has been a good show for the whole world to watch our great democracy. Trump is facing the law now among all his private and public business. He wants to run again in 2024 and almost 50% of the U.S. Population support him with 122 million donation on his war chest as he claims.

川普之亂／莊峻華

 川普之亂／莊峻華

2016年我正在捷克首都旅行，我在客棧印出選票，準備郵寄總統選票回美國，我的困難是找不到郵局，也沒有郵票，於是我直接到布拉格美國大使館投票，館內秘書親切接件，也讓我使用大使館廁所，然後我再走過查理斯橋回城中另一鬧區，我結束布拉格行，又搭火車沿艾伯河回舊日東德德瑞斯登市，然後又是幾週愉快之德國火車旅行，最後飛抵西班牙巴瑟隆納港，搭乘郵輪返美，途中聽聞川普勝選美國總統，心中壓抑，不想此為川普之亂，一直持續到現在，拜登總統就任美國總統，剛滿一年，美國一切就序，恢復安定，雖然面對俄羅斯對烏克蘭之戰爭威脅，中國對台灣之武力侵略，南中國海之航運威脅，我們可以看到美國之對策，美國法律也正在處理川普之亂，當然還有武漢肺炎之肆虐，美國境內已有一百萬人，因武漢肺炎而死亡，因怕中美戰爭，姑息養姦，不敢明指瘟疫亂源。

川普就任，開始要興建美墨萬里長城，競選時信口開河曰，墨西哥出錢興建，墨西哥抵死不從，川普只好編預算，但不為國會同意，結果造成2016年底，政府關閉，後來川普屈服，但挪用國防部興建駐德軍隊眷屬宿舍費用，仍在德墨邊城偷蓋。川普無法約束其三教九流官員，包括自己和部長級官員，一年內官員被迫辭職，比較一下新任拜登總統之白宮。

川普任內，因俄羅斯介入美國2016年大選嫌疑，美國法務部任命一共和黨籍法官調查，幾年後有報告出爐，引來川普第一次罷免案，共和黨參議員偏護，罷免案未通過，第二次罷免案，是在2020年一月六日，暴民在川普煽動下，攻擊國會，第二次罷免案，仍然在共和黨參議員護航下，未能通過，但此時拜登已票數選舉人數，擊敗川普之連任。

川普不服，非常精彩，川普早在選前半年，聲稱美國郵寄選票能作弊，所以他認為美國選舉不公，但他仍舊參選連任，選舉當日他聲稱晚上十點前，電視實況，他仍然領先，我也觀看電視實況，卻無同感，川普澈夜難眠，因為退任後他必需面對司法，因此他開始掙扎作亂，他開始在幾州興訟曰，選舉作弊，郵寄選票都屬拜登，十點後幾州變天，又電話喬治亞州務卿，要他找出一萬餘票多一票，讓他勝選，該州務卿拒絕，並且公佈電話錄音，現在亞特蘭大地區檢查官，已經辦到他矣。眾院有一小組調查一月六日真相，已經拿到近千頁白宮文件，美國各地法院開始判刑該日判亂者刑期，一共七百二十五人，其法官面前供詞均曰，為川普所唆使。

昨日，川普自曝其要求副總統彭斯，拒絕各州總統選舉人票，圖使國會無法如期認證選舉結果，圖使七州退回選舉結果，改由七州民選參議員和眾院員投票決定，川普為姦商一生，愚蠢無知，他以為美國大學法律系，都是笨蛋？