The uninsured population decreases/ Carlos Pueblo

The uninsured population decreases/ Carlos Pueblo

From the health insurance population point of view, the U.S. population

Consists of Medicaid, Medicare, Not covered, and Direct-purchased,

Military health care, and the others. I get the information from yesterday’s

Wall Street Journal special column by Nick Timiraos and Louise Radnofsky.

I always wonder what s the national health care is all about, and this is the

Best definition of all in my 35 years insurance agent’s tenure. Back tracking

that 33 million not insured,10.4%, gives me 317.31 million U.S. population.

 People under Medicaid, a 133% federal poverty line, increase from 54.9

Million in 2013 to 61.7 million in 2014, and is 19.44% of the population.

People under Medicare increase from 49.0 million to 50.5 million, and is

15.92% of the population. People under not covered decrease from 41.8

million to 33 million, and is 10.4%. People under direct-purchase increase

from 35.8 million to 46.2 million, and is 14.56%. People under military health

care increase from 14.0 million to 14.1 million, and is 4.4%. Finally, I define

it as the other, the unknown population with some kind of coverage from

the government such as Gold card, illegal immigrants etc. is the rest of the

percentage, 35.24%. If we exclude the illegal number, the percentage should

be 30.02% Medicaid, 24.58% Medicare, 22.48% Directed purchase, 16.06%

not covered, and 6.86% Military health care accordingly.

 If I include the illegal population, the U.S. uninsured percentage rise to 45.64%.

Only if we exclude the illegal, the uninsured drop to 10.4%. This is one of the

fact which the nation must deal with in the future, the illegal immigration issue.

The Obama administration relax the Medicaid eligibility from 100% poverty level

to 133%; therefore, Medicaid percentage increases. I know that there are several

Republican controlled States refuse to comply with the new Obamacare for Medicaid,

yet we see the instant improvement of uninsured percentage. It is also because of

that, the direct purchase insured increase due to federal subsidy for lower income

population.

I appreciate this Obamacare very much as a career insurance agent and 11 years

uninsured or a self-insured. I have seen through the progress of a smart government.

I feel that the U.S. is too big to manage the national health care program like the

Canadian government or the European Union nations, the Euro system due to money

Issue. If you want to maintain the current quality of health care, you need to pay for

the cost and the population do not like to pay like the Canadian or the European.

無健保人口減少/莊峻華

無健保人口減少/莊峻華

今日華爾街日報，有一專欄報導曰，無健保人口減少到10.4%，從過

去之將近四千兩百萬，降到三千三百萬，2015年持續下降，文中有圖

解，說明內容，清楚明瞭，從貧民保險數目兩年之比較，2013-2014，

到老人保險，直接投保者，再加上無健保者總數，一目了然。前三項

之總合，就是有健保者，加上無健保者，就是全國健保範圍人口。

貧民健保人口，從2013年之五千五百萬，增加到2014年之六千兩百萬

，這是歐巴瑪健保法之威力，放寬貧民條件，只要合乎投保條件，貧民

健保之預算，是由聯邦和地方分擔，所以共和黨執政之各州，都竭力杯

葛，只有少數幾州同意，但貧民健保是聯邦制度，必須各州列入州預算

，所以共和黨總統候選人，都咬牙切齒，當選後要推翻此歐巴瑪健保法

，其中有位候選人提到，個人年度稅務優待之老套，約是一家補助三千

美金一年。

老人保險，從2013年之四千九百萬，增加到2014年之五千零五十萬，

就像我在2012年，從無健保者，進入老人保險一樣。老人保險也是聯

邦制度，是詹森總統任內制定，詹森是我們德州籍民主黨，美國大制度

都是民主黨執政時制定，我在台灣就風聞，如雷灌耳。老人保險是國民

工作年間，交滿規定年限，始得擁有，台灣移民，若未交滿，則不敢老

年居留美國，但現在可能可以，透過歐巴瑪法，買到保險。

直接投保者，從2013年之三千六百萬，增加到2014年之四千六百萬，這

是從就業公司，或自行購買者，政府有補助一些低收入者，但我懷疑其有

限，因為國會一直控制在共和黨人手中，共和黨人反對社會福利。

無健保者，從2013年之四千兩百萬，降到2014年之三千三百萬，這是奇蹟

，如果三年前就在美國，真難想像有如此之一日，當然，我已經躲入，老人

健保之防空洞，不見其壓力，過去無健保，常有必死之決心，人道國度，不

當如是。

Mr. Diep, My lawn man/ Carlos Pueblo

Mr. Diep, My lawn man/ Carlos Pueblo

Sunday morning, Mr. Diep came to mow the yard which was overdue for

4 weeks. First, he used the ring edger to edge the out growing part and

blew them back to inside of the yard. Finally, he used a regular lawn mower

to finish the job with a grass catcher, 3 bags. He could not use his commercial

lawn mower due to the size would not fit all three gates to the back yard. Nor

he had had a helper, his Mexican helper went back home for some reasons.

We have had Mr. Diep, An America Vietnamese, for our lawn man for quite

some time. Yancy referred his oversea Vietnam Chinese lawn man for us in

the 80’s to solve our basic lawn care, then, the small business had changed

hands several time until him. He would come to mow the yard every other week

yet lately postponed to three or four weeks each time. I don’t mind at all yet you

can feel the growing speed of the lawn especially after summer rain.

It is very unique that this subdivision home owners pay so much attention to their

lawn care matter. You can see the automatic sprinkler almost daily for some, weekly

lawn mow for some, and adding fertilizer in the spring etc. which are done by their

lawn men or special lawn care companies.  We enjoy very much while walking around

our subdivision every morning and see every different style of yard and garden in our

neighborhood.

I think that I myself can do my own lawn care business. In 2000 and 2001, I did manage

to sell two rental houses for the kids college education. I bought a new set of lawn

care equipment, a new lawn mower, an edger, and a gas blower. It took about 15

months to get rid of both houses and I did mow the yard weekly. Fortunately, both

houses were vacant separately and continually one after another. It was out of Mr. Diep’s

working range. I did have some kind of achievement feeling when both houses sold in

a presentable condition especially the yards.

I like to keep the mulch on the ground; however, Mr. Diep likes to clean it up to a bag

and through it away. I guess that makes the yard looking clean and organized. Of course,

the ground cannot be benefit from the old mulch to enrich the root. I don’t like to

criticize him because he has done a good job for me and solve my home care duty for some

long time. Sine we moved to Del Monte new house, he has helped me twice for my house

chore, one time removed a big piece of new carpet from the garage attic and the other one,

helping me to level a tree stump near by a fence.

割草師傅/莊峻華

割草師傅/莊峻華

週日早上，割草師傅駕臨，我從室內，透過活業窗，前後觀看其動作

，四週來幾次大雨臨盆，前後院草皮茂盛，有若蹈秧，師傅先將頭部

包紮，取出修邊機，繩削邊草，然後吹風，將草削吹回草叢，然後一

般小割草機，割草吸草，一氣喝成。當今，美國社會，注意道移民問

題，許多限制，師父找不到工人幫忙，許多活都需延後，每天早上，看

到鄰居割草師傅，就想電話提醒師傅，對面巴基斯坦鄰居，乾脆就換師

傅割草，我正為師傅耽心，家裡已無割草機幾十年。

我們聘請這公司割草，應該有35年歷史，先是峻嚴介紹其師傅，是為越

南華僑個體戶，老華僑不久，賣掉該生意，然後換手幾次，一直到現任師

傅，從茶花女街，割到現在，有日愛美找鄰居師傅來割草，因為師傅腳受

傷，我不知道真相，反而跟鄰居師傅說，僅此一次，不久我們越南師傅，

恢復工作，但很多時候，已經無工人幫忙。

我會割草，而且習得要領，最近割草經驗，是在2000年和2001年間，因

為兩棟租屋空出，我需要整修出售，這兩棟租屋，不在師傅業務範圍內，

所以我就自己來，我是先將草皮打成碎草，置放在草皮上，然後再修邊，也

修牆頭草，每週割一次，所以草皮漸漸深厚，有陵有角。房屋售出後，新置

割草機，贈給買主，結果買主好意，與我買房屋保險到現在。提到自己割草

，有許多頭痛，像割草機之維護，修邊機，和吹風機，現在這些店很少，一

般割草師傅，都能自行修理，我曾想學這單引擎機器，但就是沒學成，有一

年，我在席爾司賣珠寶手錶，席爾司有自修課程，讓店員選擇。

搬到戴爾蒙特新居，割草師傅，幫我兩次小忙，一次是將一塊裁剩新地毯，

從車庫天花板上搬下來，這需要兩個大人，然後我請一位地毯師傅，安置

在車庫一角落，置放一些文書箱，還有一書桌，有文房四寶，琳兒搬回家，

其剩餘傢俱，就堆積在車庫地毯上；一次是最近，師復見我砍樹頭，笑曰無

需如此辛苦，他有電鋸，果然離去後，老樹頭已經鋸平，為了此夾竹桃樹，

我一共麻煩四次，鋸掉枯枝幹，枯樹幹，然後砍樹頭，我想一般割草師傅，

也需要幫忙整理樹叢，鋸掉枯死樹幹，就是一般庭院園藝維護。

股市崩盤2015/莊峻華

股市崩盤2015/莊峻華

我正在等待中午，白內障小手術，網路新聞報導，中國股市崩盤，接

著美國紐約道瓊直落一千點，真是人心惶惶，我的退休金，都在股市，

但是老神在在，這三十年來，股市起伏，我經過1987年之十月，2008

年之九月，今年美國經濟環境，和當年不同，而且剩下來之退休金，都

是當年儲蓄投資之餘，何怨嘆之有？

先言中國股市，中國股市甚小，對中國整體經濟影，不若美國股市，對

美國經濟之影響份量，中國經濟成長，已經無法類似當年，兩位數字成

長，開始要像美國日本一樣，一兩百分點成長，現在中國之百分之七成

長率，也算不錯。中國生產過剩，股市原理，產銷平衡，不平衡時，就

有谷底，有時候會有戰爭，銷耗一些過剩產品，也銷耗一些過剩人口。

中國過剩產品，對美國影響有限，我發現美國人，學乖很多，消費傾向

儲蓄保守，不像過去一般積極，貸款消費，美國就業率，目前比2008年

和 1987年兩相比較，相差甚鉅，從目前之失業率，顯示美國經濟，有穩

定之成長，在百分之三之譜，始得維持如此低失業率，前兩次股市崩盤，

都是共和黨執政，雷根之供應派，小布希之發動戰爭，供應派鼓勵生產，

不計消費量如何；小布希銷耗掉一兆美金，在伊拉克和阿富汗，所以要關

心國家政治，不要後悔不及。

油價偏底，生產過剩，對消費者有益處，但對休市等石油工業有影響，石

油業蕭條；但通貨膨脹低。許多國家，開始貶值貨幣，美金，歐元，日圓

，和人民幣，都先後貶值，消費者更加謹慎，錢花在刀口上，聖誕節百貨

公司生意量，再四個月就將結曉。

所以我說，這是一平穩之著路，平穩之跌到谷底，股市會再起飛，再一穩

定政局下，經濟產量，會漸次增加，中國工業，將漸漸轉移到菲律賓和越

南等國，中國也要工業轉型，中國不能抱殘守缺，要有效面對世局，美國

人提到人民幣貶值，說是中國喜歡大權在握，但不喜歡負起責任，我覺得

很有趣，中國人喜歡佔領別人領土，但對自己領土環境，土壤，空氣，水

源生態和國民，卻不願負起責任。

紐約股市，藉口中國股市崩盤，波及美國，我覺得很幽默，有很多公司盈

餘，受到影響，應該是跨國企業，不會動搖到整個美國基本工業，這是一

般常識，雷根之供應派理論，正在面臨挑戰，增加生產，而無顧於消費，

無法解決一般產銷之平衡，股市需要反映，如此物極必反之大道理。

Growing tomato/ Carlos Pueblo

Growing tomato/ Carlos Pueblo

The weather is getting cooler nowadays and some rain shower along with

it. I ask my neighbor whether it is the time for me to grow tomato. I may

get this coming 90 days for a suitable climate, 74 degree or below, to have

some harvest. I clean 6 small pots for the tomato seed beds and also put

some other seeds, cucumber, bell pepper, green bean etc. I had had those

free seeds when I visited Lancaster, PA last spring. It has not been successful

for me to grow tomato for a long time ever since 1977 when I was at Auburn,

AL.

I am hoping after I return from my plan trip to Europe, I shall run into the plant

to bear fruit; however, I may not make it for the trip, yet I can pay more attention

to the transferring plant and routine care of the garden. The falling tree branches

this year opens up some sunshine for a small part of my back yard; therefore, I

do have some harvest for a kind of Taiwanese squash, pretty yellow flower with

a long strip of fruit. I shall pull off the dead vine of the squash when tomato plants

come out and ready to be transfer and I shall place them at the same lot which is

the only space for my garden.

I don’t quite get used to the expanse of tomato in the U.S. super market. We take

tomato as a regular fruit, of course, American eat tomato as a salad with dressing.

In Taiwan, especially in the southern part, you can order a plate of ripe tomato in

a fruits shop with a special prepared thick soy sauce and sweet dry plum powder

for a date with your sweet heart. It is very romantic and not expansive at all at that

time, I say in the 60’s or 70’s, while I had had a very good memory. Recently I run

into some improved cherry tomatoes in Taiwan with very impressed sweetness.

I also saw some good tomatoes in Spain and Italy. Italian utilize many tomatoes in

their cuisine.

In 1976 at Auburn, Alabama, I grew 400 tomatoes successful on the campus. Since

Then, I have tried many times to grow and failed due to the hot weather in Houston,

Texas. The neighbor whom I mentioned at the beginning grows tomatoes in a big pot

and always successfully. I think that 74 degree temperature is vital for the success.

At the end of January next year, I shall make another attempt to grow tomato for the

spring season.

種番茄/莊峻華

種番茄/莊峻華

天氣稍涼，又有陣雨，想起種番茄，連忙詢問鄰居，他說是時後矣，

連忙整理出六小盆，拔出義大利紫蘇枯枝，盒內土壤貧瘠，無所謂

也，我可以事後馬糞補救，不僅番茄兩種，甚至青紅椒，小黃瓜，

都是今年春天，旅行賓州亞米許故鄉，攜帶回來之東部品種。

聽說番茄需要三個月，待我歐洲旅行回家，剛好遇上結果，如此也無

所謂成功或失敗，今年絲瓜，躲過炙熱，終於結果，肯定明年有菜種

，洗澡有菜瓜博。五月颱風，吹倒鄰居樹幹，連帶一整排樹，鄰居整

枝後，空出一片陽光，我擠進之小樹，都已經藉機成長，秋後，可以

幾株番茄，種在拔除絲瓜藤下空地。

美國菜市場，番茄很貴，而且味道不對，不知何故？鄰居之番茄，養

植成功，味道比超市好多，但仍比不上西班牙和台灣，我們在虎尾，番

茄當作水果，味道非常重要。

我曾經在奧本，種過一季番茄四百株，非常成功，而且不用肥料，但是

番茄甜度不夠，只能送人，後來，番茄果實上長蟲，是一種疾病，蟲曰

陸軍，寄生在果蒂上，由外而內，阿拉巴馬番茄大宗，近年採收工缺乏

，許多番茄，爛於農地。

一般番茄株，約是一年草本生，但我在阿拉斯加州，費爾邊克市郊一溫

泉處，見過一種超過一年之番茄，這是利用溫室地熱環境，番茄味道不錯

，但是價錢也是昂貴。吃番茄應該到虎尾或是台灣中南部，冰果室有切番

茄，沾乾草粉甜醬，但是也開始貴，一千元新台幣，吃不上幾盤，所以我

都到路邊攤買，論斤計價，在西班牙老街，也有水果蔬菜攤，也可以買到

合理番茄。