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.