應付經濟變遷／莊峻華

 應付經濟變遷／莊峻華

全球經濟大變遷，就是通貨膨脹，世界經濟列強都紛紛提出對策，例如美國央行不斷升息，圖扼阻幣流，中國是降息，鼓勵消費，其他國家，包括歐盟，都競相貶幣值，非常有趣，小消費者如我者，也有對策，先說通貨膨脹，經濟連續成長12年，將達高峰，這是常態，這時候成長停滯曰，高原期，供不過於求，於是物價高漲，消費者調整消費，供過於求，成長緩慢下滑，終將近盤谷，這是經濟學，無以為奇，美國央行看法是否認消條，所以升息，於是股市重挫，投資者期待利息，優於股市。

我是按部就班，從年輕時就養成儲蓄習慣，年老無債務纏身，通貨開始膨脹，立即減少無謂支出，例如出外旅行，美國開始增加中國進口稅25％，進口貨漲價25％，對物價無助，美國消費者有對策，減少支出，如此開始另一類平衡。美國個人所得平均值高，應付經濟變遷腹地較廣，加上物產豐富，因此美金升值，為全球所追求，在國際幣值上佔優勢，想想看全球存大量美金，似乎無息貸款美國。

中國靠出口生產，帶動經濟，當世界工廠，賺取廉價勞工為收入，自川普增加進口稅後，物價上升25％，這是通貨膨脹主因，國際廠商無高利潤可圖，於是資本撤出中國，造成大量失業，中國人平均所得，本來不高，一旦失業率高，造成危機，所以中國降低利息，刺激經濟繼續成長，但基礎建設，非常實在，要像美國日本歐洲經濟列強一樣，始能渡過難關。

我來美國近半世紀，經過1987年和2008年，兩度經濟變遷，股市都重挫，兩次都是化險為夷，美國有很多經濟專家，競爭力強，美國經濟可以帶動全球，小消費者如我，不如在旁觀望欣賞，精神愉快。

Lost at Alicante, Spain for searching ATM/Carlos Pueblo

 Lost at Alicante, Spain for searching ATM/Carlos Pueblo

After Malaga we arrived Alicante, Spain over night. I planned to get some Euro from an ATM machine at the port; however, I got lost for searching such facility. I did have five days stay at Alicante previously and with a very fond memory of it. The city was the site of an Hollywood movie, El Cid, started by Charles Heston and Sophia Loren about a story during the Moor's war in Spain before Columbus era. There was a final scene of battles at a castle at Alicante when el Cid was dead yet leading a charge to the castle. I thought that I could have some Euro change to ride a shuttle bus to the downtown Alicante to visit the old dead river bed with a love bridge full of the valentine locks and lovely roses. I could also visit the Cathedral with a David star on it.

I was lost after I walked out of the pier into a city block with some residential area and business section, a huge square block outside of the city. I couldn't find a bank or any ATM machines at all. I did finally found a bus stop yet I couldn't get on it because that I ran out of my Euro change. Fortunately, I did find a small eatery where I could use its toilet.

That year, I went to Barcelona to visit Spain on the high speed rail including Madrid, Seville, Cordoba, and Malaga etc. On my train ride, I did pass the original Sierra Nevada, Spain while I knew the difference of the Sierra Nevada of the California and Nevada border line.

I was not disappointed that day. I know that I shall come back again to visit Alicante one of these days.

在西班牙亞莉坎得港迷路／莊峻華

 在西班牙亞莉坎得港迷路／莊峻華

船行北上抵達亞莉坎得港，這是我舊遊之地，亞港座落於巴塞隆納港和馬拉加港之間，是一地中海沿岸海港，頗具歷史故事，好萊塢電影艾爾.西德故事，提到摩爾城堡爭奪戰役，上次旅行住在城中客棧五夜，參觀城中美麗建築，還有那座乾涸河床愛情橋，印象深刻，我以為下船後，在碼頭附近，可以找到銀行提款機，領取歐元，結果迷路，未能搭車到城中。

我以為小事一件，事先未曾詢問，口袋歐元零錢已盡，下船後步行到一偏僻社區，這是碼頭附近之郊區，像是住宅區，又有商業區，僅一街道但無銀行，居民顯然搭公車到城中，但又未見公車站，碼站有繳費巴士到城中，我仗藝高膽大，自信換錢後可以搭巴士赴城中，重溫舊夢，結果是行軍一大圈，沒有甚麽失望，此行停靠八大港口，一共十六日，船費廉價舒適，毫無怨言。

船上愛女愛孫女聞言，均甚感嘆，我是無所謂，朱博士和其老母，搭巴士到城中，然後就搭15歐元之上下雙層遊覽車逛街，也甚好玩，我未詢問其他華人女士們，如何遊覽亞莉坎得市，此城甚早有據落，約是兩千四百年前，羅馬帝國時代，我提到之摩爾時代，是西元十五世紀前六百年之故事，這是來自中東之回教徒。

愛情橋為我命名，在城中老乾涸河道，橋上巨盆小玫瑰花，五花十色，年輕人扣上愛情訂鎖，整整兩大排，乾涸舊河川，將亞莉坎得市分成三部份，女導遊講述教堂故事，天主教徒缺錢，完成新教堂，央請猶太人幫忙，猶太人要求教堂前牆鑲上大衛星像，迄今仍在，我想再拍照一次留念，這次迷路，僅待下次。

Biden forgives some students debts/Carlos Pueblo

 Biden forgives some students debts/Carlos Pueblo

Finally, President Biden fulfills his campaign promise to forgive some students loan debts, ten thousand to twenty thousand dollars for individual annual income up to $125,000 and family income up to $250,000. It takes a week for me to switch my opinion from disgusting to my tolerance. I am going to tell you the reason.

I believe that the Federal Government is taking the risk to the student loans forgiveness. It might be an investment going wrong like any of the stock investment. The government bet on young people for higher education in order to prepare them to make good income after such education and it didn't go well as planned. Of course, $125,000 individual income income is till generate a lot of the federal income tax and I am aware of. $250,000 family income tax can be more than $100,000 federal income tax. If you don't pay it first, you go to jail for it. Student loans default is much easier. At the same time, I have noticed the PPP loans default is identical to the student loans default to serve the national needs. There is a priority difference to slice the national revenue pie. The Republican tax cut for the rich and the Progressive welfare preference are very identical. We need to know what we are prefer to in the national order.

I have been through three members in our family with three degrees and one associated degree and come out with no college loans debts. First, I saved money once they were born and Amy only went to the community colleges. I borrowed money from credit cards 0% balance transfer with a cash back up from the return capital of rental houses. I even made some fringe profit on the excess loans to short terms bank certificates. I have explained in details on my blog. It is because that I try to avoid the higher interest rate for students loans, 7% at that time in the 2000's. It took a college science degree to figure it out.

All of my family members, Amy, Michelle, and Arthur are doing very well after their college education and paying very high federal income tax as results. Of course, the Federal Government ignore my good effort of such investments and I am alright with it. I appreciate very much that the U.S. provides me as an immigrant and provided me some financial help of my graduate study. Now I am paying back annually.

論寬免學生貸款／莊峻華

 論寬免學生貸款／莊峻華

拜登總統之寬免學貸行政命令公佈後，仍舊是兩極反應，這是國家資源分配的問題，讓我思考多年，始能了解拜登之作法，從厭惡到可以容忍之程度，容我詳述。

美國學校義務教育，只到高中四年級，大學尚屬自費，克林頓總統時代，曾有稅法優待大學教育學費，如第一年美金兩千美元，第二年以後全家一年兩千美元，當然不夠，但至少有些鼓勵，我家有三位都經過這優待，完成三學位一副學位大學教育，當然是公立學校。我初步猜測這些學貸問題之根本原因，是因為學貸容易於所有謀生之道，無所謂待遇之高低，只要有入學許可，有很多錢在等待你來花，如此也幫助大學之利潤，教職員之就業穩定機會，當然還有銀行之利潤，銀行拿幾近無息之定期，借給學貸之7％，當然很難四年後複利償還，沒有很好之數理基礎大學畢業生，有此獨立思考判斷能力，所以我將子女大學準備金，留在高科技基金，拿售出租屋款為本，短借信用卡0％貸款，年底還清並且存款在短期生息，非常有趣。

這是因為我有化學硬科學背景，又有賣保險基金等經驗，有非常基本之所得稅概念，又住在德州無州所得稅，只有一棟住屋，常常向銀行街錢，而且提早還清，又很節省，銀行一直想辦法借錢給我，所以我無法了解，借錢不還，有何種極好處？聽說讀醫藥科，貸款容易我了解，而且還錢應該也容易才是，律師就不一定，所以學貸到幾十萬美金，或甚百萬美金，全國1.3兆美金，真是不可思議。

借錢不還，就讓我想起川普，這老兄借錢不還，據稱超過十億美金，資產百億，二十年無需繳所得稅，又當四年美國總統，幾近一半選民支持他，全共和黨都怕他，美國有是與非乎？借錢不還如學貸，是可容忍也或非也？我欲無言。

Re-visiting Malaga, Spain 2022/Carlos Pueblo

 Re-visiting Malaga, Spain 2022/Carlos Pueblo

Malaga is located on the southern part of Spain with lovely weather and scenery. I was here one year for five days and with fond memory. It is one of the main reasons why I select this cruise trip. I promised my fellow passengers to guide them to the city center to visit the botanical garden, the city hall rose garden, the Moor's castle, and the lovely downtown.

We took a taxi van and shared the expanse to the downtown. I let a group of 4 Chinese ladies to walk up to the castle. I accompanied Mrs. Chu, a Ph.D. in the organic chemistry and her 93 years old mother to walk along the botanical garden toward the city hall and its rose garden. A rich and successful local business man donated the botanical garden to the city to keep variety of plants from all over the world. The city has kept an excellent maintenance of the garden. All plants are doing very well in the climate of Malaga. I found the rose garden finally with certain disappointment. The previous glory was gone that I guessed was the relocation of the city hall. It was one of my favorite rose gardens in the world such as the Queen Mary's at the Regency Royal Park in London, Queen Elizabeth II  in Vancouver, Canada, and the Rosetta in Buenos Aires, Argentina, etc.

I noticed the re-location of the city hall because we used the now hotel and museum's rest room. Then we cut in to the city center. I was a little bit of concerned with this old lady's physical condition and slow down a bit. Actually she was very healthy. I did explain Picasso, Danish Andersen, and Miguel de Cervantes the creator of Don Quixote. I didn't find the old hostel location last time I stayed.

We sit down in front of the old Roman wall and the entrance of the castle for a free WiFi connection. I was very satisfied with that day's progress. Mrs. Chu and I had a very good conversation that I regretted very much that I didn't complete my Ph.D. in chemistry when I was young. She had her Ph.D. from Rutgers with a post doctorate study at the Cal Tech and now works for the federal government.

重遊西班牙馬拉加港／莊峻華

 重遊西班牙馬拉加港／莊峻華

馬拉加市是我舊遊之地，這次郵輪旅行，行程標誌格林那達，又掛號馬拉加，我知道怎麽一回事，格林那達是古摩爾宮殿馳名全球，我仍無緣拜訪，但確實住過鄰近之馬拉加五日，其中外出兩日，都是拜訪摩爾古都宮殿，摩爾人來自阿拉伯，經過北非摩洛哥，跨海統治西班牙幾百年，有一好來塢電影艾帥故事內容，已經是摩爾尾端，小時候留下深刻印象。

我指點同行紐約市華人女客，跟我到城中，下計程車後，隨我行軍經一植物園，看到城堡在近小山崗上，我就叫這群女士上山崗城堡，相約在市府玫瑰花園，抑或，城中計程車站見面，我陪一位雲南昆明來美朱博士和她93歲母親逛街，朱博士是紐澤西羅特格大學，有機博士，加州理工博士後研究，現任職聯邦衛生署，其太夫人仍甚硬朗，健行無礙。

我的幾句西語，派上用場，原來市政府舊址，已改為大飯店，樓上是美術館，警衛親切，讓我們使用廁所，旁邊的玫瑰花園，已無當年之豐彩，玫瑰花仍在，僅未見園丁，四週之橘樹仍在，只不見橙黃柳丁，我是有些失望，我很喜歡參觀玫瑰花園。

我帶兩位逛馬拉加美麗之城中心，一一解釋我認識的馬拉加，丹麥安徒生童話作者，就在馬拉加住，大畫家畢加索是馬拉加人，街上有一紀念他的美術館，也有紀念唐吉訶德作者，瑟凡提斯之紀念館劇院，都在城中，我們在城堡入口處，使用免費網路，朱博士教我，只要有網路，蘋果手機就可以送電話簡訊。

回家後，我又想起舊日美憶，那年我搭西班牙高鐵，環遊幾座城市，心情緊張興奮，時間較長，郵輪停留，時間較短，有一舊日摩爾回教清真寺，趕出回教摩爾人後，天主教徒將清真寺改成天主教堂，爭論幾百年，就在馬拉加抑或下一站，亞力坎得市。

Back to my morning exercises/Carlos Pueblo

 Back to my morning exercises/Carlos Pueblo

My left eye IOL procedure, dislocation intra-ocular lens, is completed and vision recovered. I am back to my morning exercises, two hours tennis and swimming combined. Because of these two hours, I have to go to sleep early, get up early, eating well, and sleeping well for the entire day of my isolated senior life. It is also after a previous abscess infection bothering of my back which took another week of my morning exercises.

The morning exercises is very beneficial to my health that I can feel. I can walk very well and getting up and down stairs freely and independently. After just three games of tennis Canadian, a three man alternated double, and a two laps swimming that I have felt better already. We shall try again tomorrow morning if the weather is permitted. 

More and more players have joined to our informal tennis club every morning young and old. For me, it is the only social activity that I enjoy nowadays. I do mention my aging health issue, yet the recovering of those issue make me feel more appreciate of my old body such as the recovering of my eyes vision and back hurts, etc. Morning exercises can be helpful to make my life more meaningful everyday.

恢復清晨運動／莊峻華

 恢復清晨運動／莊峻華

昨日左眼手術後檢查，已恢復視力，我迫不及待恢復清晨運動，就是約兩小時的網球和游泳，一週不曾運動，心臟附近都感覺疼痛，約是心理作用，我們三人勉強打了幾場，就藉口毛毛雨離去，我又開車到游泳池，游上兩圈，也因雨漸大怕雷打離去，如此不到一小時活動，已經讓我舒適不已。醫生僅要我注意少提重超過20磅，網球和游泳約可，護士要我一個月再回來檢查，於是我的郵輪旅行要延期到十月後，但船費只漲不跌，我看要省下此筆花費，何況十一月有期中選舉。

老人經常運動身體好，我參加校友會，識者曰我仍在打網球，因為我的皮膚黝黑，但覺行動方便，雖然老人病不斷，但無經常病痛，仍舊能開車，三餐正常，午睡不斷，而且排泄順暢，糖尿病也在藥物控制中，我是日復一日，離群索居為樂。

原先眼醫以為手術後，需要戴眼鏡開車，經研究判斷可能無需，因為一週前，我已經不知不覺單目開車多時，可能老花眼需要眼鏡矯正，但我又不喜歡看書，看報紙也只看標題耳，新聞早在網路網誌取得，因此無需老花眼，左眼手術，主要是幫助我的對手，近球進擊，和來球落點判斷，感謝愛美的上帝，老人健保，和這位年輕專科眼醫之妙手回春，我的視力又恢復20／20矣。

恢復清晨運動，讓我恢復規律之老年生活，更加體會我的幸福，珍貴我人生幸福之得來不易。

Visiting Cadiz, Spain/Carlos Pueblo

 Visiting Cadiz, Spain/Carlos Pueblo

The schedule on the cruise line listed Seville as the next stop after Lisbon, Portugal with a parentheses of Cadiz as the disembarkation port. It means that Cadiz is very closed to the famous Seville where you can make a visit in a day. I am all right with Cadiz only tour as always. Cadiz had been the departing port for Christopher Columbus twice in his epic voyage across the Atlantic to America, the first one at Palos, Huelva and the third one at Sanlucar, Cadiz all in the southern part of Spain. I like to see if the Spanish keep the Columbus site for us to visit. I also like to meet a pretty Spanish girl, Sheila Rodriguez whom I met at Bristol. England. She told me that she was two hours drive away from Cadiz and I gave up my hope to see her this time.

I marched directly to the downtown center. It is a very lovely city with orange fruits hanging on trees. The downtown is unusually busy for the threat of Covid-19 and I walked as long as I could. All stores were open. A large cathedral is located within with many visitors and yes it is free to enter. 

I came to a larget market with complete operation. I paid more attention of the fish market stands. There are several rolls of fish stand with variety of fresh products. It reminds me the famous Tsukiji market in Tokyo, Japan. Yet I only find a small  busy sushi and sashimi restaurant. 

I wish that I could visit Seville this time to complete my visit of that city. Seville was a capital city of a Moor Kingdom with a lovely castle right in the current day downtown. I was a little bit concern of my time back then when I turned around back to the rail station. I stayed at Malaga and took the high speed rail to visit Seville one day. I could either go to visit Gibraltar or Granada. I didn't dare to take any of those. I may have another opportunity this year.

船行抵西班牙卡迪斯港／莊峻華

 船行抵西班牙卡迪斯港／莊峻華

卡迪斯港在歷史上是有紀錄者也，1492年起，克里斯多佛.哥倫布銜命西向，兩次從卡迪斯港出發，卡迪斯港在西班牙南部卡迪斯省，箸名之直布羅陀港座落於卡迪斯省，仍然是英國佔據，我在英國南部布莉斯陀市旅行，收一位西班牙美女為女名曰，喜菈.羅吉莉加斯，家住卡迪斯港兩小時車程，行前通知她，期盼見面，非常親切。

郵輪曰塞維亞市，然後掛號卡迪斯，因為塞維亞市比較出名，我亦專程拜訪過該市，是一摩爾西班牙古都。卡迪斯地圖上有一城中心，就在碼頭過馬路，非常熱鬧，下船後，我就直奔鬧區，這鬧區正方型面積，包羅萬象。鬧區都是窄巷，乾淨俐落，到處是店面，我參觀一座大教堂，室內美輪美奐，然後我就逛到一菜市場，非常具規模，主要是鮮魚市場，各色各類鮮魚，也有一忙碌之日本壽司店，我查看刺身價目，徘徊些時即行離去，我仍舊不改節約習慣。

這時候已經疲倦，而且也無法找到哥倫布古蹟，於是回郵輪，當夜郵輪繞道直布羅陀港，通火萬巷，遠處海洋可以眺望，我很喜歡旅行西班牙，最近又發現又有機會重返，而且可以到達哥倫布西行首站坎那莉島，也是久違之地。

Visiting Lisbon, Portugal/Carlos Pueblo

 Visiting Lisbon, Portugal/Carlos Pueblo

The cruise ship sailed through the night after Ponta Delagada to Lisbon, the Capital City of Portugal. As always, my visit of this famous capital city was brief and meaningful. It is my way of the travel, I have a comfortable mobile room to stay, many meals to eat in fancy restaurants, and the transportation has been always taking care of as well. I made up my mind from the deck over see the port city view, from a huge red building up to a huge white church on the back and coming down to the street with many yellowing building and that's it.

After the dock, there were several pink blossom of magnolia trees. I had followed this flower from New York City to New Haven, Yale campus, and now here in Lisbon, what a lovely spring it was. The huge red building is the rail road station in and out of the capital and is also a huge hotel. I could see passengers carrying luggage in and out of the station. I don't have to check on the station screen and the hotel price for my needs. I just carried my camera and walked toward my second destination, the white church on a small hill.

I could see the old part of the city, might be more than a thousand years old. I could see the street and building were both not up to date. Portuguese navy used to pass a straight between China and Taiwan called the Formosan straight back to the 16th Century. Portuguese called Taiwan Il Formosa, the beautiful island. At that time, Lisbon was very popular in the world and Portugal ruled many places, Congo in Africa, Brazil in South America, Macau near Hong Kong, Goa near India, etc. What I saw on that morning was a deteriorated empire of the past. I took a big rose bush climbed over a concrete fence with full blooming. I managed to hike up the hill to the white church.

It is a Catholic Cathedral with a very attractive structure. I saw some tourists taking pictures and some hire vehicles carrying tourists making a stop in and out. I believed that was taken a while to complete such church. I could see my cruise ship from the church ground facing to the harbor vice versa.

It was a little bit down hill to an old small city center with people were taking their breakfast outside. I could see the aromatic fragrant of sausage and coffee. On the other end, there were several wine testing stands circling with passengers. It costed 2 Euro for a small shot glass of wine. I was shy away when I saw people gave that coins to the old woman. I am a non-drinker functionally yet I don't like to waste gift wine bottles from the Cruise and free drinks on the latitude parties.

I did chat briefly with a Portuguese Army about how big of their army. This young soldier replied not big enough. I was outside of their camp building with some of their family visitors. I also visited a cork souvenir shop. The cork is for the cap of the wine bottle and the Portuguese cork is very famous in the world.

初訪葡萄牙里斯本港／莊峻華

 初訪葡萄牙里斯本港／莊峻華

船行一夜低達葡萄牙首都里斯本港，真是久違，這曾是歐洲海權國，佔據過我們澎湖，香港旁邊之澳門，南美之巴西，非洲之剛果，印度外島果阿等，葡萄牙海軍稱呼台灣為福爾摩沙，美麗之島，是我最喜愛之名稱。

船上甲板走道，就可以眺望近處彩色建築，幾處是黃色，一大紅色建築，北後就是一宏偉白色教堂，我決定下船後就朝此方向前進。碼頭有幾株粉紅色木蘭花，青翠草皮，這紅色大建築，是里斯本火車站和一大飯店，火車站稍忙碌，許多乘客拖著行李，進出車站旅舍，從車站就可以看到白色教堂屋頂，街道上的古老建築，油漆剝落，顯然碼頭已經沒落，沿小路上坡，這老港市區建立在小崗上，街道走巷因地形而建立，我拍上一株紅薔薇出牆，甚是美觀。終於抵達白色大教堂，顯然是葡萄牙全盛時期產品，油漆也甚剝落，幾位郵輪訪客，一般人租小三輪或吉普車，前來打卡，從教堂前廣場，可以眺望碼頭郵輪。

走下教堂，沿著小街下崗，可以感覺是向鬧街中心，開始路過商店，到達一大三角攤商區，許多人享受露天早餐，咖啡麵包臘肉等，濃郁芬芳香味，廣場上圍著一些人，原來是品嚐葡萄酒攤，白髮老婦忙著倒酒在小杯上，一盤盤呈送給年輕遊客，我以為是免費，正想湊熱鬧，後來發現需要繳費，原來是兩歐元銅板，很是有趣，難怪老婦忙得不亦樂乎。走回碼頭大道，參觀一軟木禮品店，軟木是葡萄牙特產，當葡萄酒瓶塞用，店裡有許多軟木製禮物紀念品。

當夜，我和三位紐約市華人女客晚餐，我們兩人有優待券，請她兩位朋友，如此不浪費郵輪美意，我是藍寶石級，她是鉑金級，鉑金級以上，可以免費兩人兩餐。

Visiting Ponta Delagada, Azores, Portugal/Carlos Pueblo

 Visiting Ponta Delagada, Azores, Portugal/Carlos Pueblo

First stop of this cross Atlantic voyage is Ponta Delagada, Azores, a small island of Portugal. I guess the island's name in English is the Point of the Gada based on my Spanish study and easier for me to remember. As I always that I take a walk of the harbor and march into the town center.

It is a lovely European port with small group of the yacht and maybe fishing vessel included. A popular restaurant on the pier with a free WiFi gathered a large group of tourists to send e-mails home for the first time since Manhattan pier as we know it costs money to have the internet connection on the ship. After I got myself ready, I marched to the busy street.

On the main avenue of the town, there are modern buildings of high rise hotels, restaurants, and tourists services business. I followed the street on the clockwise direction. I made a right turn to get in the second block passing a large museum building with a statue of previous mayor. My eyes were caught by several buckets fresh flowers on the ground across the street, obviously someone was selling them yet not attending it. It is the entrance of a lovely brick narrow street of the typical European style with plenty of Banzai sitting or hanging on balconies. Tourists are hiring carriage touring the city. A man obvious drunk was standing in the middle of the street yelling to the passersby and a local young man with his child protected me to pass him. He speaks fluent English and is an immigrant from the Eastern European country.

Most of the merchants on the street were very lonely due to the Chinese Wuhan Corona Virus. I did check on a fruits and vegetables shop their prices. They were marked in Euro and I could compare with my Houston supermarket similar items. I didn't see the passion fruits.

I did review pictures which I uploaded on my desk top on this day in order to remember my visit. I found Viridiana photos which I had a hard time to e-mail her. She is the internet manager on the ship, a lovely girl from Mexican Laredo. She was very impressed of my pronunciation of her name and my Long time on see in Spanish, Hace mucho tempo que no nos vemos which my Spanish profesora taught me. She is also from Mexico City.

初訪葡萄牙愛碩莉島／莊峻華

 初訪葡萄牙愛碩莉島／莊峻華

郵輪直奔歐洲，途經經首站葡萄牙愛碩莉島之碰達德拉加達港，我循舊習慣下船逛碼頭，和幾條城中街道，古老歐洲小鎮，整潔美觀，別有特色。我先在一餐廳外座，使用免費網路，甚至聽一小節音樂。

走上大街，順著時鐘方向，小鎮城中街道，典型歐洲氣氛，兩樓磚房，一樓門市，二樓住居，都是百年建築，稍新建築，泰半係政府亦或商業使用，很明顯這是一觀光重鎮，我在一處轉角折入小街，街頭有鮮豔花攤，五花十色，這是居民美感，注意到觀光客之喜愛，我也看到幾處水果店面，盤查水果價格，船上自助餐櫃擺滿各色水果，連大餐廳菜單甜點，都有切塊水果碗可點食，我想看小鎮水果特色，像百香果，台語是時刻果，我曾在英國買過，產自西班牙，我們埔里盛產。

小街為磚舖小巷，但可行觀光馬車，很是有趣。二樓平台甚是顯著，這是歐洲特色，許多居民都是擺置花草盆栽，非常美觀。很快我就再回免費網路餐廳，使用它廁所，再聽音樂，走回郵輪。

自助餐廳上，可以眺望碼頭，此時已是晚春稍暖，許多人在碼頭海灣游泳，鎮公所圍一大圈，讓泳者使用，我看多人攜帶小孩前來。晚間，幾位紐約市來中國女士們告知，她們自行租車遊島，十分興奮，我不喜歡花錢，僅享受我垂手可得者也。

我重溫當日拍照，一位船上美女網路經理，與我合照，她是巴西墨西哥裔，家住我們德墨邊城拉雷多鎮對岸，也曰拉雷多市，我冒出一句好久不見西語，這是課堂上老師所傳授，她非常意外，同意當我女兒，我又能正確發音其小名，只是無法寄發相片給她，因為其手寫郵址數字，1和7，顯然有誤，我當再研究。

回家後，愛美從外帶回一鄉訊，慶輝兄有一遊記，描寫最近愛碩莉島遊，非常有趣，我在年底，又要橫跨大西洋，也將經過碰角港和其他量處，我再研究如何遊島？最為經濟實惠。

Take a cruise across the Atalantic 2022/Carlos Pueblo

 Take a cruise across the Atlantic 2022/Carlos Pueblo

It is a joy to take a cruise across the Atlantic Ocean because that it is in-expansive, relaxing, and comfortable to reach Europe. I have done that for 4 times either to or from each side of the Continent. I went back home for some errands and coming back to New York City to board at the same ship for her reposition voyage to Lisbon, Portugal via a five days waiting at New Haven, CT in order to avoid the expansive hotel in NYC. I was on board finally.

It was because that I didn't answer the internet check in quickly and I was assigned to the Deck 4 at the far corner of the ship. It was alright that I could walk more in distance to reach all activities on the ship such as dining at Deck 7, 8, and 12 for all restaurants. I am used to the routine on the ship getting up early and finishing early at night and I do have plenty of time in between. Most of the time, the crew staff comes to chat with me and provides excellent service. I do make friends on board all the time. It is like coming home for me.

I pick up some practice of language which I learn, Tagalog and Spanish at the most and once in a while I can practice Japanese. Some people would like to speak the Mandarin to me and rarely in Taiwanese, Amoy that I understand.

My morning exercises tennis and swimming would stop yet I can walk on the deck and swing some golf on a simulator, a hitting ranch on Deck 13. There is a tennis court also yet not enough players to make a double match. I enjoy listen to the singing programs at night mostly the old hit songs performed by pianists or guitarists. Some times I participate an fine art auction yet I usually stay away of the purchase.

What do I do when we arrive the port? Usually, I take a march to the harbor and the vicinity near by. Usually I come back for a lunch and rarely go out again. I take a lot of pictures around the world with my two cameras.

橫跨大西洋2022／莊峻華

 橫跨大西洋2022／莊峻華

順利登上寶石號，因為網路報到遲延，所以分到四層甲板床位，算是偏僻，郵輪中心在七層，自助餐廳在12層，因此我爬樓梯上下，許多運動。我喜愛郵輪旅行，因為郵輪舒適，食宿交通全包，省掉許多麻煩，而且時光飛馳，轉眼下船，又是各奔前程。此行16日，從紐約市曼哈頓碼頭出發，直奔葡萄牙，經西班牙南端北上，逛法國南港坎城，然後在羅馬外港，西維塔為克琪亞下船，就是老婦人港，打火車到羅馬機場搭機回家。橫跨大西洋，我有過四次經驗，今年秋天，我將再橫跨一次，毫無厭倦，因為郵輪旅行，非常有趣。

之前，我是搭此輪遊東加勒比海，因此認識許多美女女兒孫女，多位餐廳經理，我藉旅行機會，溫習菲律賓語和西班牙語，這次我在大餐廳早餐，中午和晚餐，就在自助餐廳，經理侍者均已熟識，非常親切。晚上，我固定到七層中餐廳吃甜點，老郵輪有三角酥紅豆卷，經理和侍者都來聊天，後來連廚師都出來合照留念，非常有趣，這些年輕人，都非常敬業樂群。

因為食物豐盛，但又無法劇烈運動，所以體重迅速增加，我想辦法在甲板走道散步，也每日在13層室外高爾夫練習場揮桿球技。

我很喜歡聽唱歌節目，等待機會點歌，喜歡鋼琴演奏，都是流行歌曲，8點後我就結束一日活動，很快船期逼近尾聲。

Welcome visitors from Taiwan 2022/Carlos Pueblo

 Welcome visitors from Taiwan 2022/Carlos Pueblo

There was a dinner party to welcome visitors from Taiwan, a group of professors at the National Taiwan Normal University under President Wu Cheng-yi's leading to Houston on Tuesday of the 16th in August. NTNU is my alma mater and I have been so appreciated to have such opportunity to have my education over there in Taipei, Taiwan. Plus, I have so much fond memory of my returning back to visit in my life . I asked Amy to drive me to the meeting due to my left eye surgery on a previous day.

President Wu is on a cross country tour of the United States like to visit the sister university of the University of Maryland at the University Park as well as an academic exchange visit of our University of Texas at Austin, his alma mater of his Ph.D. study. I believe that he selects to visit Houston because that our local alumni association keeps a good relationship with the NTNU for many decades. Our Association has contributed a small amount of the scholarship to help needed students every year.

The reason why I have been so appreciated of my relationship with the University, first, I obtained the opportunity to get a science degree in Chemistry and paved my way to study abroad and eventually immigrated to the U.S. It was almost free in tuitions and fees at that time plus some food allowance. We had to pay back for two years teaching service at high schools. My parents were very pleased for such arrangement back to that time when I got the admission. It was a way for low income family children to receive college educations.

I followed the rule to apply for a teaching assistantship when I was eligible after my two years draft and two years teaching in Taiwan. I have come to the U.S. and fulfilled my dream in my childhood. All most all our guests present at the dinner party are with my experience identically. 

The NTNU campus was originally built as a Senior high school during the Imperial Japanese era called Taipei Senior High School, a system like British Eden and Rugby back to that old time. It was between the middle school and the college. After Japanese went back in 1945, the National Chinese converted the old campus to be a normal college to train secondary school teachers. I am very glad that the University takes the old Japanese part of history and now the University has just reached a century.

When I was there, there were about 4,000 enrollment, three colleges at one campus. Now, there are 9 colleges split on three campuses with grand total 17,000 students. Students can also enroll classrooms with near by two other  famous Universities. National Taiwan University and National Taipei University of Science and Engineering for academic credits.

客從遠方來2022／莊峻華

 客從遠方來2022／莊峻華

昨夜客從遠方來，不亦樂乎？不巧我剛左眼手術，難得母校師長一大隊來訪休士頓，而且又請吃晚餐，特請愛美帶我西裝赴宴，此刻正是炙暑日，抵達後我脫下上裝，久違校友都注意到我的左眼繃帶，我連忙一一解釋。

吳校長走過，親切問道，他也是校友曰，69級工教系，我正驚訝早我兩年，如此年輕，負荷重擔？原來他算的是民國紀，我是西曆紀，他應是1980年畢業，我是1971，民國是60級，早他9屆，難怪他提到的理學院長，我非常陌生，校長自師大畢業後，也是服兵役和兩年教職，然後前來我們奧斯汀德大，取得哲學博士後，立即返台服務，我和他提到接待過呂溪木校長，是陳振國會長任內，也兩次因校友會獎學金支票，在和平東路拜見張國威校長，因為人多尚不及提到幾位院長級系級主任軼事，吳校長就被其他校友搶走，我曾和幾位母校院長系主任飯局，我在部落格有美憶介紹，像張清郎院長，林育体院長，一位理學院吳院長，一位音樂系溫主任，兩位化學系主任，非常興奮。有次，2008年返校參加校友總會，托連襟欽一兄之關係，得以拜見王金平立法院長，金平係欽一小同鄉摯友，師大宿舍吃飯碗筷置放欽一宿舍。

我特別詢問公關中心主任康主任，康是位美女，精明幹練，但不認識我詢問之職員張淑媛，淑媛一直是公關中心校友會負責人，我常去拜訪他，接洽校友會業務，她退休後，康主任始上任，如我未記錯，中心主任應該是副教授兼任。

康主任有高點影片介紹母校，其中最令我羨慕者為公館校區新落成八層學生宿舍，可容納四千位學生住宿，遙想當年我們住在台北高等學校學寮之往日，女生宿舍和體育系國文系男生宿舍，都是美援僑生宿舍建築，母校當年僅三學院，如今九學院，三校區，學生從當年之四千位，到現今之一萬七，文史社會學仍舊是全國第一，還有過去的國語中心，英語中心，仍舊是第一，我覺得理學院也不錯，輸人從未輸陣，教育學院更是獨霸台灣教育界，而且我們都是公費師範生。

My IOL procedure/Carlos Pueblo

 My IOL procedure/Carlos Pueblo

IOL is the Dislocation Intra-Ocular Lens, means the cataract lens move in the eye; therefore, I loss my vision and need to get a surgery. I am very frustrated to loss an eye vision in my daily  life such as playing tennis and reading on everything on the paper. Lucky me my eye specialist doctor refers me to his associate, another specialist to operate it. He removes the old lens with a new one and I am resting at home now.

After my annual eye examination, I searched the cataract lens move on Google. I try to think what is the reason of such dislocation of my left lens. My right eye cataract lens is still very stable even though it has been placed far earlier than the left one. I thought of a fall at the tennis which my head was bumped very hard with an impact, yet, I did have a difficulty to read a credit card three digit code on the back before the bump. When I was on the cruise, I failed miserably to punch i-phone key board in order to get on my security account in order to trade stock that was before the bump. Luck me that I forget to quit the morning tennis because that it is good exercises for my control of my diabetes.

I must admit that I am concerned because of my numbers of such procedure. This is my fourth and the third one on my left eye. I asked the surgeon why I had the IOL and he replied that was my eye structure change. The procedure lasted about 90 minutes basically I felt like another cataract procedure. He removed my old lens and replaced a new one on my eye. 

I don't have any pain at all and after two days of the procedure I can feel a better vision than before the procedure. He put a bubble into my left eye and I don't know why yet I do know my first eye specialist came to rescue my firs failed cataract surgery did put a bubble into my left eye and the big bubble broke eventually into small bubbles like small stars and disappeared eventually. I am going to see this surgeon again next Tuesday and he will tell me more of my eye.

Houston is a big city with an excellent medical facility to serve the population. I am lucky that I have the Medicare coverage that I am only required to pay minimum payment. I say my aging health issue is approaching me gradually. 

內視鏡片移動手術／莊峻華

 內視鏡片移動手術／莊峻華

眼睛內有一天然鏡片，鏡片會長白膜曰白內障，白內障影響視力，一般眼科醫生都能處理白內障手術，白內障手術非常普遍，我的雙目有過三次白內障手術，其中左目兩次，第一次失敗，換一位視網膜剝離專科來拯救，成功後我有20／20視力七年，僅看字需戴老花眼鏡。最近半年視力有變化，年度眼檢眼醫告知左眼有內鏡移動，影響左眼視力，於是介紹我到其同事專科門診，手術就在今日中午。

開車迷路，精神緊張，十點前報到，十一點進入準備室，十二點後進入開刀房，醫生帶來一位專科徒弟，這種病例甚少，僅佔人口0.2％到3％，我的醫生是位巴基斯坦裔美國人，在客拉斯阿加汗醫科畢業，專科訓練在辛辛那提醫院。手術僅頭部麻醉，我可以依稀聽聞進度，大約一小時餘，他說新鏡片已安置中心，我因緊張，血壓衝高，護士要我小便後，血壓稍改善後始放行，此刻已經是午後三時許。

回家後查谷歌眼維基，介紹到內鏡片移動，主要原因是白內障手術失敗之前科，這醫生僅猜是眼球結購變化，他換新鏡片，第一次白內障手術失敗後，馬上重作一次手術，但未換失敗之鏡片，我懷疑改人工鏡片有損，因為一切都是真空控制，但只是我外行猜測，不是網球跌倒撞到頭，否則右眼白內障鏡片何以無恙？總而言之，我是幸運，住在休士頓，有老人健康保險，一切順利，感謝愛美的上帝。

The U.S. rule of law/Carlos Pueblo

 The U.S. rule of law/Carlos Pueblo

One thing to make most American be proud of their Nation is the U.S. rule of law, one of the three factor, the free speech and the free market system. I am learning now every day on the Trump fiasco of his Presidency. Let us begin with the latest news of the Mar-a-Largo raid of the National Archives and Record Administration complaint on 08/08/2022.

It is all on the daily breaking news on the You Tube. Special agents of the FBI carried a court approval search warrant to search Trump's Florida resort home for missing paper work belonged to the Archives. Trump complained are released the raid to the public. I learned that was his right to do so. Almost all the Republican famous members in the Congress demand the transparency of the un-precedent raid of a former President's home from the Department of Justice and criticize the FBI raid. I learned from the You Tube MSNBC lawyers details explanation of the law why DOJ keeps the secret. Two days later, the Attorney General ordered the Department to file a motion to release the warrant and receipt of the raid to the Florida court and the judge instructed Trump to make a decision to oppose or not for such release. Trump doesn't oppose and we all learn such release information and the lawyers quickly confirmed how many laws, at three, that Trump had violated. It is a life show and good show better than any of the movies or television shows in all time.

I know and believe that Trump must face the law eventually. He is not above the law even thought he think he is. The next immediate law which he is facing is the Fulton County Grand Jury in Georgia for his famous begging votes to change the legitimate election result of the 2020 National Election, the famous life telephone conversation. The Grand Jury is closing on his associates now and him. It is called the obstruction of the justice.

Simultaneously, there is a January 6 insurrection fiasco hearing and a Grand Jury are waiting for him, of course, the hearing is not a legal prosecution yet the Grand Jury is and will have a prosecution followed.

The U.S. rule of law is very sophisticated and completed. The system is set for all citizen to follow the law like driving follow the traffic rules; therefore, it is easier for us to live peacefully. Trump doesn't believe that and he is facing the law now. 

We learn every day and every year and I call it a continue education in my life. Believe or not that I have enjoyed this kind of civic education very much.

美國的法治／莊峻華

 美國的法治／莊峻華

美國是世界強國之一，完全是美國的法治，最近我都在欣賞法治好戲，就是美國法治正在繩之以法前總統川普，最近三進度是聯邦調查局30幹員，前往其佛州椰灘別墅搜索白宮機密文件，取回12箱，川普本人在紐約市州大審團應宣誓作證，他一一按第五憲法修正法封口，避免有害自己，另外兩案是喬治亞州佛登郡大審團調其選舉案共犯作證，將會調他宣誓作證，聯邦司法部也正在調查他的叛亂案，當然國會也有兩案正在進行，法官批准眾院籌款委員會調閱川普所得稅表，還有箸名的一月六日調查會等，非常熱鬧，我正在上許多公民法律課。

川普搬出白宮，帶走幾十箱白宮機密文件，聯邦文件檔案保存處，發現後先追回15箱，再派人赴川普別墅追討其餘，聯邦調查局申請法官搜索票，再次赴其別墅，川普本人在紐約市發文證實，我看律師專業解釋，這聯邦文件檔案保存處，也管到外賓贈禮，川普和其官員等，離職前有些贈禮，不曾交接，機密文件帶出白宮，贈禮據為私有，都是犯刑法，當然有易科罰金之近例。

紐約州檢察長大審團案，是偵辦川普高估房地產，詐騙銀行優惠貸款，又轉而低報房地產價值，以便逃漏稅，要他宣誓作證，他就躲到第五憲法修正案，經記者查他在1990年離婚訴訟中，宣誓作證中被問到結婚時有否不貞婚外情？他也拒絕回答，躲在第五修正案傘下，但2016年總統大選，他又譏諷有罪人始取憲法第五修正案，如今他，他兒子，和部下共犯都不敢回答問題，躲在第五修正案下。

喬治亞佛登郡案，就是箸名的川普索票喬州州務卿的軟硬兼施，這是犯法的，又有電話錄音，這一幫共犯，都一一調到亞特蘭大作證，川普也快輪到。

國會籌款委員會好奇，川普是五十億萬或是百億萬富豪，何以二十年無需交聯邦所得稅？是國稅局審計不當？抑或國稅法不週？不公平？這是該委員會需要補救之處，所以法官同意。一月六日國會暴亂聽證會，八月又開始工作，這是我美國法治課之開始，我深覺美國的法治，根深柢固，非常有效率，無人可以凌駕法律之上。

The aging health issue/Carlos Pueblo

 The aging health issue/Carlos Pueblo

Recently, I visit my doctors clinic quite often as a sign of my aging health issue. Last Monday, my young physician helped me to solve my abscess skin issue by cutting off some dead tissue on my back and prescribed some antibiotic pills. It is healing well and I am allowed to play tennis and swimming again. Friday, I need to see my regular physician for regular physical examination in order to refill my diabetes drugs. The young physician indicated that I might try some other medicines before I would get into insulin injection. Monday next week, I have a schedule to have an eye procedure to reinstall and replace a new cataract lens on my left eye which is moved out of my left eye ball. Basically, I am using only my right eye for the time being.

Because of my absent in the morning tennis, my tennis partners discussed my symptom as a carbuncle. The young physician showed me the carbuncle photos and explained the different from the abscess. Both are skin disease with a different appearance, the carbuncle has many yellow spots on one infection while the abscess has but one. It is not something that I don't take a shower often yet something to do with my diabetes and aging.

I must get rid of my excess blood sugar with my morning exercises with playing tennis and swimming before my physical because Amy is threatening me to drink too much smoothie with the water melon, papaya, mango, pineapple. and figs every day. She says that I might get to insulin injection next for my diabetes. Now, I am more relax because the young physician mentions that I may go to some other pills first than the insulin. 

Playing tennis with only one eye is very much in disadvantage and I drop to level 2 from level 3. I can't see the exact distance of the speedy incoming ball because I need to have both eyes working. The eye surgeon specialist will try to put it back. He told me that I might have to wear glasses again.

老人病／莊峻華

 老人病／莊峻華

是老人多病？還是有老人健康保險？我是身體微恙不斷，先是糖尿病痼疾，每日需要固定服四種藥物，半年一次身體檢查驗血，決定藥劑量，而且需要定期看眼醫，察看眼睛微血管糖晶痕跡，那日眼醫看出左眼白內障人工鏡片移動，需要手術，更換新鏡片，就像重新開白內障手術一般，按照醫生說法，手術成功後，我需要配戴眼鏡，過去七年，雙目完成白內障手術，視力恢復完美，僅看書需老花眼耳。

因為這是眼專科，我需要新推薦信，家庭醫生之診所中心，按規定與保險公司申請，很快就批准，我剛好正在割除背膿瘡恢復中，下週一眼手術，一切期待中。

我的眼醫也是視眼膜專科，但他不作此手術，只好推薦給中心另一位專科，我看該中心寄來兩眼醫初步診斷費，就已超過800美元，沒有健康保險，就需要拿出這筆數目，真是感謝上帝，我住美國，工作時數足夠，享有老人健保，負擔較輕。

否則我就忍下來，認其惡化，像糖尿病，膿瘡，落牙等等老人疾病，壽命短暫，像先父一代老年人，忍到最後，就是66歲不到，我已經快75歲矣。

My abscess/Carlos Pueblo

 My abscess/Carlos Pueblo

Two health issue bother me recently, my abscess and my left eye cataract lens moved, that have been affecting my morning exercises. The back abscess is infected again with a continuous pain while I can't see properly with only one eye. A new and young physician came to rescue me on my back abscess and eliminated my chronicle illness.

There has been a small ping-po size of infection on my back for many years. After I had the Medicare, I did once get an infection on that spot and my physician gave me some antibiotic medicine to suppress it. When it was recovered, it was a darken spot than the rest of back skin. My physician didn't say anything or suspected anything wrong. The abscess and I have been co-existed for a long time. My physician was busy; therefore, I had another physician to come to take a look.

He asked me if I would allow him to clean it and of course I did hope plus some antibiotic pills. I was harder than Amy's squeeze at home. I told me that was alright because I did have some hard and pain life early in my life. He prescribed some medicine for me and advised me to keep it dry that meant I had to avoid tennis and swim for a week at least.

Amy removed the bandage and informed me that was a cut to remove some dead tissue. I have been heard that the family doctor can do some surgical procedure at the clinic. No wonder the pain was harder than Amy's squeeze.

My son Arthur stepped in to replace and clean the wound every day when his mother was on a 5 days vacation with our daughter in Mexico. He told me the wound was healing well. Of course, I didn't have any pain after I got out of the procedure.

I check on my Chinese dictionary about the abscess. My tennis bodies discussed my absent and informed me that my problem was named the carbuncle. i did check again on my dictionary. I figure them out that the carbuncle is the first step of the skin disease and the abscess is the next while the skin cancer is the worst down the line.

膿瘡痼疾／莊峻華

 膿瘡痼疾／莊峻華

最近一週停止清晨運動，因為是膿瘡痼疾，我身背長一顆膿瘡，最近發炎，疼痛不已，醫生將它割除清洗乾淨，貼上沙布，吃10日消炎片，傷口不能潮濕，因此不能打網球和游泳，休市熱浪襲人，只好躲在屋內作家事，剛好愛美應琳兒邀請，到墨西哥瓦亞塔港渡假，我需要代她煮飯給元兒，元兒也可以代她每日幫我清洗換貼布。

醫生曰此為膿瘡也，與糖尿病患有關，很久以前就曾發炎，當時擦敷消炎膏止痛，或是擠出膿來，清淨傷口，也和我共存幾十年，有了老人保險後，曾經有次電話中與家庭醫生要過消炎片，背部傷口早已癒合，烏黑一處，游泳後更暗於背部皮膚，這次發炎，愛美有醫藥常識，要我看醫生，球伴竇醫師也有相同病例，提醒醫生割除檢驗是否惡性瘤，就是癌症，我是正襟危坐矣。

剛好我的家庭醫生休假，無法門診，我就請求門診約，隨便幫我找一位助理醫生，結果是一位年輕醫生，一上來就曰可否幫我清除？碘水是否過敏？手機拍下兩張傷口照，放在他筆記電腦上，果然一塊腫脹，然後他要我腹躺診斷平抬椅，開始清除手續，比愛美之擠膿疼痛一些，我說一生吃苦無數，又當過兵，醫生曰受不了需告示，我說還好我有老人保險，醫生同意，他是委內瑞拉來之醫生，我又和他談起1975年，我剛來美國，寫信詢問委國亞特蘭大總領館移民該國一事，醫生問為何？我說是石油機會，總領館曰無移民可能，因此我乖乖讀完書，留在美國。

愛美當日就換傷口貼曰是割除，我想下死肉部分勢必割除，像西部槍傷口一樣，只是醫生未將我局部麻醉耳，過去消炎片只能止痛除菌，死細胞仍留在表皮內，像竇醫師頸背傷口就像褐斑一小塊，比我的舊日光滑烏黑，美容甚多，我越想越感激這位年輕醫生。

Pelosi's visit to Taiwan/Carlos Pueblo

 Pelosi's visit to Taiwan/Carlos Pueblo

For more than a week, I was glued to Pelosi's visit to Taiwan. It is after the January 6 Investigation by the Congress before the August recess. The U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi formally visited Taiwan between August 3 and August 4 despite the strong protest of China. It was less than 20 hours time span; however, it is more than a good show of many kinds. Chinese threaten Pelosi with all force including to attack her airplane physically, yet the U.S. defense force are prepared. Nancy is chopping off many heads again and pigs are not aware of bleeding.

I always like to refresh my found memory of reading stories about her courage to challenge the political opponents such as Republicans. Donald J. Trump is clearly the most famous example of the chopping head. Trump bragged about the U.S. Mexican Long Wall which he would get it free of cost when he campaigned in 2016. Two Mexican Presidents refused to pay the bill; therefore, Trump proposed a down payment of 52 billions under a 2019 annual budget and Pelosi rejected it. The pig like stupid President allowed the Federal Government be shut down for more than a month and finally Trump withdrew his request yet his head was cut while he still not aware of the bleeding.

The second and third time of the famous pig head chopping are the two Trump impeachment, the un-precedent in the U.S. history. The first one is the threaten and actually withholding the U.S. Congress approved more than 400 millions military aid to Ukraine. Trump asked the Ukraine President  to investigate Biden's son for his Ukraine business dealing. The second impeachment was right after January 6, 2021 riot and the coup d'etat in the Capitol. Now, the entire Nation are continue to chop off Trump's head initiated and approved by her. Trump is feeling the pain and the bleeding of his head been chopped.

She accepted an honor of a metal presented by Taiwanese President Tsai called, the order of propitious with special grand cordon which I had to Google it for sure. She said that she couldn't understand why so much fuss about her visit? There were many men in the Congress completed their visit and they didn't say anything. Is it because that she is a woman? She is chopping heads again. Xi and many Chinese don't know or aware that they are bleeding. South Korean Yoon is bleeding yet he did it by himself and was not Nancy's fault.

裴洛西議長訪台／莊峻華

 裴洛西議長訪台／莊峻華

最近幾週網誌報導，集中於美國衆院議長裴洛西，傳聞將訪問台灣，非常難得，因此也得罪中國，中國舉國上下，歇斯底里吶喊，要給她好看，有人甚至聲言匪機將伴飛，甚至不惜擊落其座機，非常有趣，逼的拜登總統要當家不鬧事曰，軍方有顧忌，國防部參謀長也有話，裴洛西一直未置來台與否，僅曰總統尚未電話來，結果出訪日逼近，國防部奧斯汀部長，向裴洛西簡報曰，已指令印度太平洋司令總理裴洛西東訪安全計劃，台灣政論節目也開始研究裴洛西，原來最近她也在歐洲美軍司令安排下，搭火車戰地行，拜訪烏克蘭首都基輔市，大家都高興，習近平之豬頭，被裴洛西砍下來，都不知頸流血，只知很痛。

裴洛西也砍過川普豬頭好幾次，現在都交待其衆院同事執行砍頭川普，川普開始哀鳴，面對法律，比較箸名的是一，墨西哥萬里長城，川普政見曰，他會要墨西哥出錢，後來變成美國自己出錢，川普無恥，已和包商串通，國會不准長城預算，於是川普杯葛自己年度執政預算，裴洛西不讓步，聯邦中斷運作35日，後來川普退讓，但豬頭已落地。再來兩次國會罷免川普案，都是她的國會同事執行砍豬頭，一次是川普要烏克蘭總統澤倫斯基調查拜登公子在烏國之生意，否則軍援幾億美金，予以扣留，第二次罷免案在一月六日國會暴亂政變後，另批衆院同事，再度執行砍豬頭，最近，國會調查川普叛國罪行，也是在她議長任內，拜登的法務部已經介入刑事大審團，調查川普罪行。

台灣立法院邀請裴洛西來訪，她欣然接受，結果激怒中國上下曰，裴洛西支持台獨，玩火自焚，拜登不想頭被砍，暗地交待奧斯汀安排航空母艦戰鬥群護航，架勢超過2016年川普之挑釁習近平，習都忍下來，告誡解防軍不得開第一槍，這次場面更壯觀，中國只能避其鋒，耍嘴皮而已。裴洛西來台也非常謹慎，飛機繞道，又延遲30分鐘起飛，讓護航戰機清空，她很幽默，在蔡英文總統扮特種大授卿雲勳章後致謝提道，她不過是一國會議員，許多男議員來都沒事，只刁難她是女人？習已被砍下豬頭，尚不知頸在流血。

Re-visiting Yale University campus 2022/Carlos Pueblo

 Re-visiting Yale University campus 2022/Carlos Pueblo

Staying at New Haven, Ct was really for the re-visit of Yale University campus. The University campus is located in the city and now extended to the suburban area. I was here one year for a week several years ago and very impressed of the University. This year I ran into the spring cherry blossom and I also re-visited the University fine art museum.

The campus was full of New York magnolia and cherry blossom mostly in pink color. I was waiting in the city library for my lunch appointment with a Chinese graduate student. I noticed a poster indicated a cherry blossom walk out that Saturday at a park. My friend pointed it out where the park was. After lunch, I walked across a stadium bridge over a highway to a residential area. It was started blooming and I guessed at the mid of it. The cherry blossom can only last for a week. This park is considerably small in compare with the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C. yet is still very charming while is blooming. I took many pictures for my own collection. Some of the blossom were extended to the nearby neighborhood front yards. 

Another attraction is the pink magnolia all over the campus. It reminded me of the White House area during the spring. Those magnolia flowers are different from what we have in the south. Our magnolia are white color and larger than these pink color flowers in the north. I saw our kinds of magnolia in New Zealand coastal hill with slightly different color from ours and that was at the end of the year.

The University fine art museum is open to public free of charge. I knew what I was looking for and went right in two morning in a roll. I visited the furniture section of the museum. Last time I was in town and run into the alumni day, the museum arranged a lecturer and third year Ph.D. student to give us a seminar of the American furniture in the 18th century during the independent war while Connecticut was a furniture producing state at that time. He introduced the idea of veneer furniture. I collected rosewood veneer furniture myself. Veneer is the hard wood attached to a softer and cheaper wood such as the walnut wood attached to the pine like the brick attached to the frame we called the brick veneer in property insurance. It is very interesting.

On my studying of the history of Chinese students in Yale. There was the first one back to the famous Boxer Rebellion in 1900's. The U.S. helped to bring in Chinese students to study in this country. There was this one Yung was the first that we had to remember it at the early study of our own history. Chinese Yale alumni bought a single dwelling house to honor him and now become a visitors dormitory nearby the Green. It was not open during my visit.

Waiting for the embarkation at New Haven, CT/Carlos Pueblo

 Waiting for the embarkation at New Haven, CT/Carlos Pueblo

After my turmoil days of staying at home, I took off again to the NYC for another cruise across the Atlantic. Mr. Yong informed me that he could not accommodate my five days staying at his apartment, I therefore decided to go north for waiting the embarkation at New Haven, CT to visit Yale  University campus. It was very interesting and quite challenging. I managed my way to the Grand Central Station and took a Metro-North train to New Haven. At a restaurant, I successfully found a motel outside of the city center and began my waiting.

I was lucky on the trip because I ran into a free bus period till June, a favoring politic from the State of Connecticut to help residents to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic. A bus would take me from the New Haven Green to a transit center on the west edge of the city. During my 5 nights staying, I ran into a female Chinese Ph.D. student at a city cemetery park and also managed to solve another tire problem at home in Houston.

While driving to pick me up at the Houston Hobby Airport on the other night, she ran into a street curve had some damage of a tire. We did manage to drive to Austin and back. She had an argument with the foreman of Arthur's tire store due to an additional fix of lights on his vehicle ripping off $250 additional. She felt bad when she told me on the phone and I was right outside of the beautiful city cemetery. I called to apologize to the foreman and asked him to take care of her tires as well, then I went inside to the cemetery ground to view several cherry blossoms. I ran into a pretty young Chinese girl and she was very nice to accompany to walk on every roll of the  yard. The tire shop foreman called for my payment and I had a hard time to read the 3 digits code on the back. She helped me to get the number and got it paid. I invited her for a lunch on the next day and she kindly accepted.

She was from Beijing and used to live in Amoy, Fu-Chien yet couldn't speak the Amoy which was closed to my mother tongue Taiwanese. Her Mandarin is perfect. She is on her Ph.D. program at Yale for the environment management. We had a nice lunch at a small yet busy Chinese eatery and ran into an English girl from Oxford, England. She was here to visit her parents. We had had a good chat and she told me the name of the Port Meadow by the Thames where I marched several times.

I planned to take off early on the embarkation day from New haven and I had encountered the difficulty on the transportation again. Luckily I got a help from a homeless to advise me to take a regular bus instead of the special daily shuttle to the rail station.  Upon getting off the train, I asked all the way to the pier on Hudson River at the final subway to bus transaction, a nice uniform lady walked me out of the subway and a block to the bus stop and advised me ask the driver to my destination. I saw a group of Asian Tibetans protesting Chinese rule in Tibet at a corner of a street.

重遊耶魯大學2022／莊峻華

 重遊耶魯大學2022／莊峻華

今春有機會重遊耶魯大學校園之紐海文市，這是紐約市候船五日，康州櫻花稍晚於華府，紐約之木蘭花仍是怒放，加上古點古香之耶魯建築，真是福氣，除巧遇一位中國美女研究生外，我更想介紹耶魯大學美術館，和一處櫻花公園。

耶魯美術館甚具規模，現在也是免費參觀，上次初訪耶魯，美術館舉辦傢俱介紹，這是指康州獨立戰爭前後作品，康州產木馳名，這位第三年美術學博士生講師，帶我們到他實驗室，就是未展覽和在整修中傢俱，他介紹貼木皮傢俱，我有收藏玫瑰木和柚木傢俱經驗，因此更加興趣。這次我連續參觀美術館價具廳兩日，因為館內遊客稀少，觀看傢俱僅我一人，我很仔細讀傢俱旁介紹文，貼木皮外層是名貴硬木，像核桃木玫瑰木等，內層主幹則是稍軟之杉木等，如此可以減輕傢俱重量，和避免龜裂現象，這是我的丹麥傢俱商所介紹，了解傢俱一些知識，參觀世界各國美術館，更加有趣，耶魯館尚有許多珍貴珠寶和畫等，我僅拍照一些珠寶瓷器等。

我在市立圖書館等候美女研究生午餐早到，於是逛到市內廣告欄，一則賞櫻花活動，引我注意，墓地和校園櫻花均已怒放或待放，我等不及活動日，美女告訴我櫻花公園路線，飯後我逕行前往。此櫻花公園雖小，但具規模，引來一些遊客，櫻花株甚至延伸到鄰近社區前院，甚是美觀，全世界都種櫻花。

一次我正想到小時候讀到的容閎故事，容是第一位庚子賠款中國耶魯學生，上次我看到他的紀念館，這次無意中又找到該館，館就是一兩樓住屋，整理甚佳，前門深鎖，像是一學寮宿舍，招待有關係人士到訪學校。

我也路過箸名的法學院，音樂系，當然城中綠地高聳教堂前，是我搭乘下車處，耶魯大學富有，紐海文市稍窮，因耶魯拒交地方稅，社區貧富差距甚大，從紐海文市搭火車到紐約市兩小時。