Wednesday, August 30, 2023

游泳池2023/莊峻華

 游泳池2023/莊峻華

晚年恢復游泳,尤其最近一兩年,社區有一座標準奧林匹克游泳池,每週定期維護,待我發現時,已經甚晚,夏天四月開始啟用,到十月截止,為避免人擠,今年我在清晨網球局後,逕赴游泳池,場地似我專用。游泳和網球都是幼年無意習得經驗,成年後變成嗜好。

我在山鎮南投埔里成長到十歲,八歲時讀埔里國校,學校安排路隊,下午下課時有一高年級路隊長,帶隊走回糖廠宿舍,這位路隊長家住更遠,需要超過糖廠到埔里路方向,我仍憶得這位路隊長高大英俊,一日他帶我到酒廠旁冬烘溪游泳,這冬烘溪水是埔里酒廠紹興酒水源,後來我回埔里幾次,都找不到該溪,原來溪面已加蓋,冬烘溪入烏牛懶溪,就是土語黑牛睪丸不雅,中國人到來後改稱愛蘭,原埔里高中今日暨南大學校址,就在溪畔,愛蘭溪水湍不宜幼童。埔里糖廠一度開闢一泳池,借用糖膏蓄池,池深舖竹版墊,有童陷竹縫溺斃,池遂封閉,那一年先父年約46,為工場主任,著泳裝帶我,我仍有美憶,該泳裝非常正式,是黑色上下一裝,像是今日女泳模式,後來我研究是日人北工校長遺傳,蓋戰後日人遣返,攜帶有限,該校長滯留交接,為先父安排住埔里糖廠宿舍故也。

到雲林虎尾總廠後,總廠有一游泳池,也是奧林匹克型,需要申請游泳證,先父關心我游泳,特別懇請工都導處同事工程師傅祖望先生教練,傅公為台南高工高材,今日成大工學院出身,他是才女張富美之大姊夫,他帶我圈游,就是我現在的20圈四公里。

我在郵輪上,也可以游泳,再過三週我又可以上船,郵輪游泳池稍小規模,但也差強人意,換洗容易方便,當然夏威夷加勒比海海灘,倫敦皇家海德公園湖水游泳,更是別有風味,只是需要繳費。

Tuesday, August 29, 2023

Trump is facing the U.S. Law/Carlos Pueblo

Trump is facing the U.S. Law/Carlos Pueblo

The former U.S. President Donald Trump is facing the U.S. Law for what he has done to violate the Law mainly 91 criminal indictments. He thinks that he has done nothing wrong and he still denies his election loss in 2020 to Joe Biden. He doesn't have any regret at all of what he has done wrong. His only hope is to be re-elected again in 2024 and pardons himself if he is found guilty. Do you think that he is a ideal person to lead the Nation again?

Personally, I don't think that he can be re-elected again in 2024. People like me who have not voted to him in 2016 and 2020 will not vote him again. We don't believe that he is the only one who can save the U.S. or make America again. America has been great all the time so far as I have known of. We don't need to invite a crook to steal the U.S. again.

I don't believe that there is no justice in the U.S. laws and courts. Trump must pay what he had done illegally. When the insurgent rioters broke to the Capitol Hill to stop the regular procedures he watched and enjoyed the turmoil. He has been so stupid to think that those 10,000 plus rioters would topple a great nation of the world. He refused to call on National Guards to help local polices to maintain order. He is guilty at least on this account.

We can not let this mad man to manage our great nation again.

川普面對美國法律/莊峻華

 川普面對美國法律/莊峻華

美國前總統川普,一生挑戰法律,終於面對法律,目前他已遭四次刑事起訴,91件刑事法案,加上幾件民事法案,一件是紐約州逃漏稅和濫用選舉募款付遮羞費,一件是強姦民事訴訟衍生案,已經敗訴需賠償被他強姦者名譽幾百萬美金,隔一日又嘴邱再辱受害者,受害者再提告,法院已接受案件,即將開庭再審,川普很行,繼續犯法,挑戰美國法律,擔任四年美國總統,被彈劾兩次,一生做生意破產七,八次,聘請辯護律師,運用選舉募款,美國共和黨仍舊支持他繼續犯法,而且相信他能讓美國恢復強大,他的一切犯案,都是為你我,為大家犧牲。

美國法律雖週全,但對川普似乎無效,川普犯法,仍舊逍遙法外,無需坐牢,如再當選總統,四年不能動他,他可以自己赦免自己聯邦罪,就是喬治亞罪,也無法在其總統任內動他,就是他82歲前,男人壽命差不多是如此,因此他生前犯法多端,仍舊無需坐牢,非常令人遺憾,川普不是好人,川普是大騙,滿嘴謊言,但許多美國人喜歡他,我說是聞臭之夫,聞臭是那些?種族岐視,宗教熱狂,和減稅。

美國共和黨總統候選人中有八位,擠上辯論會,其中有六位仍舊支持川普連任,非常不符邏輯,我一直無法了解川普支持者,川普能專心美國國政?川普有餘力經營美國?他的四年任內,2017-2021,換了多少內閣首長?成功的提出一件國家政策?當上幾日真正執政總統?我的看法很簡單,不選川普者,永遠不會選川普當總統,2016如是,2020如是,2024更是,川普支持者永遠是少數,川普要再靠普汀作票,普汀膽敢再犯?得罪拜登民主黨?俄羅斯能再有一烏克蘭?就像中國能再有一次武漢肺炎?再有一次香港?

The car maintenance/Carlos Pueblo

 The car maintenance/Carlos Pueblo

My son Arthur's vehicle is required to have a maintenance due to the check engine light is on. I know that is a headache to me. I owe Arthur a new vehicle because that I promise him a new vehicle if he graduates from college. He did graduate from the University of Houston about 15 years ago. He works at a super market and is a risk to park a new vehicle at the parking lot of that super market; therefore, he always drive the second oldest vehicle at our small family vehicle fleet. Amy drives the newest edition 2018 Camry, Michelle the second 2013 Maxima, Arthur the third 2007 Camry, and I drive the oldest 1998 Q45. We try very hard to keep our vehicles going as long as possible in order to save money. Recently, I just fix a flat tire on my Q45 and this one check engine light would cost me $1,822 to have the engine tune up. It has taken a whole weekend for me to change my mind to fix it up.

We took the vehicle to the shop to be checked and was shock for the cost of maintenance. I drove it back home and plan my strategy. I always plan ahead of time. I would give Michelle Amy's car and take hers back home for Arthur. Move Amy's car to Austin for Michelle and buy a new vehicle for Amy on a condition that Michelle pays $10,000, Amy's another $10,000, and I contribute to the balance  for that new vehicle. I plan to trade in that trouble 2007 Camry. Michelle doesn't like to spend that $10,000 for the time being because she is going to build a new mansion in Austin and need a lot of money. She suggests to purchase  parts and hire a mobile mechanic to do the job and that may reduce the cost. I did Google the cost of parts and a mobile mechanic unit. I was struggle between to fix it or purchase a new vehicle by passing Amy's 2018 Camry directly to Arthur. I lost my night sleep during the weekend. 

Michelle mentioned to her Mom that if we let Arthur keep on driving the vehicle that might eventually ruin the vehicle; therefore, Amy insisted we fix the vehicle. I thought it overnight with a a left foot pain from the morning exercises. Finally, I got it. It would be cheaper for me to fixt it that purchase a new vehicle for the sole purpose of the transportation need to Arthur. The maintenance is done in a few hours. It is a replacement of spark plugs and ignition coils. Michelle texts me that indicate ignition coils are required replacement for a vehicle driven about 100,000 miles.

Amy told me her sister in San Jose, California always driving vehicles for a long time and she says a vehicle with good maintenance can last to 40 years longevity. See vehicles in Cuba and in Iran are all more than 40 years old.

Monday, August 28, 2023

送元兒座車進場維修/莊峻華

 送元兒座車進場維修/莊峻華

元兒座車查引擎黃燈亮,我們送到鄰近修車場檢查,原來需要更換一些引擎零件,像是火星塞和傳送盤捲等,要價$1850,我稍躊躇,將車開回家,準備調整家庭座車隊,因為元兒座車是2007年豐田卡茉莉,17年舊,可以退休,我想請琳兒車2013年日產麥克西瑪調回家給元兒,請愛美讓出其2018年豐田卡茉莉給琳兒,然後請琳兒愛美各出一萬,我出餘款,購買一新車給愛美,琳兒和愛美均曰浪費否決,想了一週末,決定再開回車場維修。

元兒在超市工作,座車停在超市停車場,新車不甚安全,於是均開家庭舊車,我們家車都需要開很長時間,像我開之1998日產Q45,今年滿25年,日本三車廠出品有信用,可以開很久,我們在美國無可靠座車,行動不便,我剛發現平常維護是有,但均短痛,不若購買新車之苦,況且舊車只需責任險,也可節省一些錢,因此決定修車。

這些年來,我們一家人均能儲蓄退休金,節省購車費用也是主因,我失業已經有22年,尚能儲蓄,入能縛出,主要是精打細算,不為新車時尚所禍

Wednesday, August 23, 2023

Enjoy observing the U.S. Politic/Carlos Pueblo

 Enjoy observing the U.S. Politic/Carlos Pueblo

The U.S. Politic is one of the most interesting object to observe and be enjoying nowadays. Watch former President Donald Trump facing the law and current President Joe Biden to manage the huge Nation simultaneously. My former tennis body Roger Erthridge tells me what make the U.S. are, the rule of law, the free trade, and the free religious belief.

Donald Trump was busy to violate the the law while he was incumbent, 2017-2021. He has been busy to violate the law at least 91 criminal indictment items, two impeachment, and is still under investigation. Yet, he is still very popular among the Republican voters and is still leading the poll to be next Republican candidate in 2024 National Election. Joe Biden is working to help Ukraine to defend itself against Russian invasion, enforce economic sanction against China while fighting the Wuhan Corona Virus, the stubborn inflation, and re-build a strong U.S. Economic. The stock market is backing up and my pension fund is back to stable.

Biden still manages his time well to pay a visit to Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii and delivers a very kind and nice talk to the wild fire victim as well as the whole watching world. He mentions the kind comfort help from the late Hawaii Senator Daniel Inouye when he lost his first wife and daughter at an auto accident. It is very graceful and touching. There are also two brief speeches delivered by two Hawaii lady politicians, the lady Senator Mazie Keiko Hirono and lady Congressman Jill Tokuda. All three speeches are excellent proses.

Tuesday, August 22, 2023

觀賞美國政治/莊峻華

 觀賞美國政治/莊峻華

美國政治似一藝術品,深值觀賞,例如近年來之川普事件,川普在2016年,沐猴而冠,當上美國總統,任內繼續做姦犯科,如今遭受法律偵辦,目前犯上91條刑事案,在紐約州,佛羅里達州,華府,和喬治亞州等,犯上四件刑事案,紐約州尚有一民事訴訟案,有關非法申報公司財務稅務,還有一件強姦案衍生之明譽訴訟案,非常精彩,堪稱歷史之最,佔滿美國輿論版面,我都跟進學習美國法律,繼續公民教育,這是美國成為世界最強盛最富裕國家之原因所在。

這是美國之法治,就是美國政治制度維持高效率之處。我小時候在台灣出生和成長,和許多移民一樣,夢想移民美國,1975年夢想實現,來到美國,先是讀書,然後就業成家,一直到現在之退休,每年我都為繳高所得稅而不捨,美國開放移民,吸收世界各國移民,以我為例,結果是賺錢,當然,美國也提供我有發展成長就業之機會。

拜登總統夫婦趕到夏威夷茂宜島,巡視古都拉亥宜娜之火災,非常令人感動,拜登已經高齡80餘,仍舊是僕僕塵塵,兢兢業業,他提到他年輕時喪妻女之經驗,提到昔日夏威夷日裔井上参議員,非常令人感動,還有廣野參議員和德田眾議員致詞,均令人潸然落淚,這是難得政治藝術之表帥,我算是無意間欣賞三篇短文。

美國是有很好的政治制度,國民守法,官員盡責,服務國家,凡是做姦犯科者,均需面對法律,因此國家長久欣欣向榮,國民容易立足生存。