re 美國負了一萬四千三百萬億元的國債

Here are some exchanges btwn myself and Space re his Friday, May 20, 2011 blog article entitled "你用膳 我付鈔？"
(http://mindnecessity.blogspot.com/2011/05/us14300000000000000-hk10440000000000000.html)

Haricot 微豆 said...
>> .... 美國是要在國內國外的巨額花費，去保衛民主，保持民主，保留民主，今天美國負了一萬四千三百萬億元的國債，可見民主是一個花費金錢的主義，民主選票是由要用鬪派得錢多，爭回來換回來買回來的....

There is no doubt the US economy is in bad shape and one can come up with many reasons, but I do not believe保衛民主，保持民主，保留民主are the key ones. A country's foreign policy involves more than fighting for ideology. Even during the height of the Cold War, when the US and its allies were fighting against communism, politicians knew they were fighting to preserve not just western style democracy but also control of the world's economy, resources and power. In that sense, it is similar to what China is doing now!!!

Haricot 微豆 said...
>> .... 全世界最大的民主國家 = 全世界最高的負債國家

Are you generalizing then that 民主 is equated with 負債 (i.e. not a good thing)?

I would submit that the United States' political system and its national/foreign debts cannot and should not be linked/represented by a one-one, cause-result type of simple equation.

In terms of population, I believe India is the largest democracy in the world.

Haricot 微豆 said...
>> ... 但是中國卻是美國國債的最大持有者（約23%），中國人民暫時沒有享受到美式民主，而美國也沒有償還的意願，即是：“你用膳 我付鈔？”

When China agreed to become the "lender", there was no stipulations as to how the US should or should not spend the borrowed money. So, I do not understand your logic: 中國人民暫時沒有享受到美式民主 ... “你用膳 我付鈔？”

It would have been very different if you had lent money to Uncle Sam, and had stipulated that 中國人民要享受到美式民主 in return !!!

the inner space said...
哈哈哈 Hari 兄：我只是說用錢去爭回來換回來買回來的民主不是真的民主。若你間接承認了美國的民主是用錢爭回來換回來買回來，哈哈哈哈哈哈！我也無話可說了！

the inner space said...
哈哈哈哈 Hari 兄：
全世界最大的民主國家 = 全世界最高的負債國家

我是由英文翻譯出來的 Highest democratic country = highest debt country

讓我改正翻譯：
全世界最高度民主的國家 = 全世界最高負債的國家

the inner space said...
哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈！hari 兄：“你用膳 我付鈔？”是中國人常講的話，意思不用細表矣。

而我寫：
中國卻是美國國債的最大持有者（約23%），中國人民暫時沒有享受到美式民主，而美國也沒有償還的意願，即是：“你用膳 我付鈔？”

最尾尾是個問號？
我是想不出道理來呢，遂向各方好友網友發問，祈望若有所悟，不嫌棄告訴我個中緣因。

Haricot 微豆 said...
Finally, I am not an economist and will let experts in that field to explain the root causes of the reported US$14,300,000,000,000,000 debt.

Just like the restructuring of a corporation that is close to bankruptcy, the share-holders, the lenders and the borrower will all have to come up with acceptable financial measures, as well as new terms and conditions.

I believe it is irrelevant to refer to the past lend-borrow transaction as 你用膳 我付鈔？because there were no stipulations on how the money should be spent.

However, it may be fair to use the 你用膳 我付鈔？challenge now as part of the pre-conditions for restructuring the debts.

But then, the US is not exactly like Greece !!

the inner space said...
哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈！ Hari 兄：
我在伸延閱覽做的其中一個連結：美國國債
有以下的資料：

財政年度末。美國國債十億美元
1950 。。。。257.4
1960 。。。。290.2
1970 。。。。389.2
1980 。。。。930.2
1990 。。。。3,233
2000 。。。。5,674
2005 。。。。7,933
2007 。。。。9,008
2008 。。。。10,024.7
2009 。。。。11,910
2010 。。。。13,562

可供閣下參考，看出有甚麽端倪！

re: 60歲之前唔俾女人食飽飯

I left the following comments with Fresh Designer's 2011年5月19日 blog entitled "天生絶配!" (http://freshdesigner.blogspot.com/2011/05/blog-post_19.html):

Fresh Designer: ....老一輩的男人講過: 60歲之前唔俾女人食飽飯 ...

Haricot:

I think it was all abt control and power, similar to hostage taking.

In the old days, if a woman, as hostage to the man/husband/master, was always dependent on the latter for food, and by extension, lodging, comfort, and security, then the risk of the woman running away was much reduced.

I suppose a woman older than 60 would not be considered as "marketable" anymore and therefore not a flight risk. Beside, most men started to die off after 60 and they would need their women to help look after the family lineages and other affairs.

Those were the days !!

Priority Seats: What to do with rude and inconsiderate bus passengers?

On the day my Mom left the rehab centre, the social worker there gave me an application for an Ottawa-Carleton Transpo attendant card (for myself) and a priority seating card (for my Mom). According to OC Transpo:

The Attendant Card is a photo-ID card that identifies a person who, because of their disability, requires assistance while travelling on OC Transpo's regular services and therefore requires an attendant. This card will allow the cardholder to have an attendant travel with them at no charge on OC Transpo.

The Priority Seating Card assists a person who has a disability or medical condition rendering it difficult or impossible for them to stand in a moving vehicle. When shown as ID, the holder is given priority to sit at the front of the bus in the designated cooperative seating ares.

Hopefully, upon presenting the said cards to able-body passengers in the front of the bus, my Mom will be offered a seat. But what if a rude and inconsiderate bus passenger refuses to vacate his/her seat? What then? Should I throw the rule-book at this individual, or should I patiently try to "educate" this person on the spot?

I will find out soon enough !!

Harioct
2011-04-22

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Below are my comment and Fresh Designer's response re: the latter's 2011-03-31 blog article "天殘腳~" :

微豆: 新鮮兄 I hate to say this: When a society's civility 文明態度禮貌 is slipping away, the govt must start codifying and enforcing acceptable/unacceptable behaviours before the society passes beyond the point of no return. For example: In many SE countries, nobody stops for traffic lights anymore because there are little or no consequences for non-compliance.

新鮮人: haricot,我明白你的意思,但有些行為是道德上的操守,例如讓位給老人等,並不是可能白紙黑字的例入法律,這些要從教育開始, rather than 用刑法去規管!

(Link to Fresh Designer's article: http://freshdesigner.blogspot.com/2011/03/blog-post_31.html)

「無大陸，香港食屎」: I Beg Your Pardon ?!!

Here are my comments posted on 新鮮人's 2011年2月25日 blog article 怒着駡、哭着停 ! :

"..... After watching the video of the tourist screaming at the camera「無大陸，香港食屎」and of the tour guide explaining her side of the story, I finally understand the problem is bigger than the structural weakness of the "shopping tours" industry. What we have here is a case of the newly-rich mainlander vs the hard-done-by Hong Kongnese, the former with an overblown ego and the latter a victimized self-image.

Since 1997, some of the ppl living in HK seem to have loss confidence in and identity of themselves. They feel resentful, rightly or wrongly, for not being appreciated and not being treated fairly. It is high time they find something unique that they can be proud of, a symbol, an icon, a collective accomplisment !!!

THERE IS NOTHING HONK KONGNESE SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF ABT THEIR HUMBLE PAST !!! THE PREVIUS GENERATIONS WORKED THEIR BUTTS OFF TO MAKE A LIVING OUT OF THESE BARREN ROCKS!!!



As to Mr. Newly-rich, a jerk will always be a jerk wherever he goes !!! "

Career Advice: Diversify early !!!

Here are the exchanges btwn myself and Fresh Designer re: N展佬

新鮮人:>> .... 我有很多很多工程出身嘅朋友,做十幾廿年專業,但由於大陸工廠不斷委縮,很多都面對失業問題,他們有返咁上下年紀,又做開好專門嘅行業,唔係話轉就可以轉的,

Haricot:>> .... I think you've nailed one of the career obstacles right there -- over-specialization. It's not just engineers in HK. Many of my Canadian colleagues in the science and technology S&T field are also facing the same problem. When the paradigm shifted, they found themselves too "old" to change career direction. Advice to next generation of engineers: Diversify early !!!!

Reference:* Fresh Coffee Shop: 生活隨想! 2011年3月1日

執輸行頭,慘過敗家 / Values and Principles, or the lack thereof

Here are my comments I left on CM's Dec 22, 2010 blog article entitled "如果... 有日要走難"

執輸行頭,慘過敗家
自私自利,損人利己
排隊打尖,爭先恐後
有利必圖,道德何價?

好呀!!三鹿集團被人槍斃個d後繼有人啦!!!!

I am pleased to learn many of us still hold dear to our values and principles.

Peace on earth !!!

保持人間溫暖

Here are my comments in response to Xiao Zhu's Dec 26, 2010 blog article "小記冬暖"

渥太華昨晚氣溫是攝氏零下十度左右,所有慈善收容所都有開放給街頭露宿者,有些更有聖誕歺招待貧苦家庭和無家可歸的寂寞單身人,警察丶救世軍丶社会福利処亦有派人巡邏街道,照顧瑟縮在路边的流鶯野鷺,保持人間溫暖。保重!!

US Federal Reserve System

The following is quoted from someone who is trying to provide answers to the following two assertions:

(a) The Fed is a privately-owned profit-seeking entity

(b) The Fed is owned by a group of powerful elite international bankers

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Dear XXX:

I don't know whether you have a chance to verify independently whether the Fed is "a privately-owned profit-seeking entity". But when I read the Federal Reserve System/Purposes and Functions document (http://www.federalreserve.gov/pf/pdf/pf_1.pdf), I can only conclude that the Fed's Board of Governors is a public sector entity, similar to the Bank of Canada's Board of Directors. (http://www.bankofcanada.ca/en/about/board.html) Please note that page 11 mentions that income/earnings from the Fed are returned to the Treasury.

(page 11) "..... The income of the Federal Reserve System is derived primarily from the interest on U.S. government securities that it has acquired through open market operations. Other major sources of income are the interest on foreign currency investments held by the System; interest on loans to depository institutions; and fees received for services provided to depository institutions, such as check clearing, funds transfers, and automated clearinghouse operations.

After it pays its expenses, the Federal Reserve turns the rest of its earnings over to the U.S. Treasury. About 95 percent of the Reserve Banks’ net earnings have been paid into the Treasury since the Federal Reserve System began operations in 1914. (Income and expenses of the Federal Reserve Banks from 1914 to the present are included in the Annual Report of the Board of Governors.) In 2003, the Federal Reserve paid approximately $22 billion to the Treasury. ....."

As to the suggestion that "the Fed is indeed owned by a group of powerful elite international bankers", I can only think of 3 remotely possible answers: China (indirectly thru the holding of US debts); IMF (International Monetary Fund) and the World Bank. However, when I examine the Fed's international portfolio (page 5 of same doc), I cannot find any mentioning of direct ownership by international bankers.

(page 5) "...... The Chairman has formal responsibilities in the international arena as well. For example, he is the alternate U.S. member of the board of governors of the International Monetary Fund, a member of the board of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), and a member, along with the heads of other relevant U.S. agencies and departments, of the National Advisory Council on International Monetary and Financial Policies. He is also a member of U.S. delegations to key international meetings, such as those of the finance ministers and central bank governors of the seven largest industrial countries—referred to as the Group of Seven, or G-7. He, other Board members, and Board staff members share many international responsibilities, including representing the Federal Reserve at meetings at the BIS in Basel, Switzerland, and at the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development in Paris, France. ....."

Conclusions:
Based on the above, I would submit that:
(a) the Fed is not a privately-owned profit-seeking entity
(b) the Fed is not owned by a group of elite international bankers.

Note: I am talking abt direct ownership, as opposed to the Seven Sisters type of international control (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Sisters_(oil_companies))

I am open to suggestions and stand to be corrected.

+++++++++++++++++++++

Here are the links to the website of The Fed Reserve Board:
* Board Members: http://www.federalreserve.gov/aboutthefed/bios/board/default.htm
* The Fed Reserve Act: http://www.federalreserve.gov/aboutthefed/fract.htm

+++++++++++++++++++++

The info below is from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Reserve_System

Commissioner / Entered office /Term expires:
1. Ben Bernanke (Chairman) / February 1, 2006 / January 31, 2020 January 31, 2014 (as Chairman)
2. Janet Yellen(Vice Chairman) / October 4, 2010 / January 31, 2024 October 4, 2014 (as Vice Chairman)
3. Kevin Warsh / February 24, 2006 / January 31, 2018
4. Elizabeth Duke / August 5, 2008 / January 31, 2012
5. Daniel Tarullo / January 28, 2009 / January 31, 2022
6. Sarah Bloom Raskin / October 4, 2010 / January 31, 2016
7. Vacant

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

**** Updated info: Nov 17, 2010 ****

Dear YYY:

There have been no lacks of academic papers, policy analyses, govt proclamations, partisan attacks, and other types of responses to the global financial crisis. Since I don't want to bore you with more detailed technical explanations, my comments will be brief here:

* I only wish the recent global financial crisis were as simple as Economic-101. According to Wikipedia, low interest rate (easy credit conditions) is only one of the thirteen factors that have contributed to the collapse. (ref: Wikipedia/Financial crisis of 2007–2010 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_crisis_of_2007-2010)

* Hind sight is 20/20 and pointing finger is easy to do after-the-fact. Let's not forget government downsizing and deregulation were very popular and en vigueur in the 90's (e.g. Program Reviews and Regulatory Reform in Canada) and those who did sound the alarm were run over by deregulation champion such as Alan Greenspan.

* In simple terms and with the advantage of hindsight, the US financial failure could be attributed to:
(a) Two types of errors: Human Errors (e.g. poor assessment of risks) + Systemic Errors (e.g. the unregulated "shadow banking system"); plus,
(b) An accumulation of national, bilateral and multilateral conditions leading up to the total collapse (e.g. consumers maxing out their credits, production and services offshoring, investment and trade deficits)

Related links:
* US Federal Reserve/FAQs/Who Owns the Federal Reserve: http://www.federalreserve.gov/generalinfo/faq/faqfrs.htm#5* Wikipedia/Shadow Banking System: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadow_banking_system* Wikipedia/Government Policies and the Subprime Mortgage Crisis: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_policies_and_the_subprime_mortgage_crisis

Umi Cafe Music and Poetry Night Nov 6, 2010

I quite enjoyed the Nov 6, 2010 evening event. There were quite a few first-time performers and altho they were not exactly your NAC-calibre musicians, I must give them credit for trying hard !!! Beside, that was how Dylan and the other greats started their careers - by playing at local cafes !!!

On the down side, I was less impressed with the quality of the poems presented, and I definitely found the in-praise-of Omar Khadr poem politically one-sided.

Anyway, I find Umi Cafe a great place to sit back, have a cup of chai latte, and nibble on some baked goods!!!

萬聖夜 Halloween vs 萬聖節 All Saints' Day

Halloween falls on Oct 31 and All Saints' Day is on Nov 1. The following is from Wikipedia:

萬聖夜（英語：Halloween）在每年的10月31日，是西方世界的傳統節日，主要流行於北美、不列顛群島、澳大利亞和紐西蘭。當晚小孩會穿上化妝服，戴上面具，挨家挨戶收集榶果。

萬聖夜英文稱之「Halloween」，為「All Hallow Eve」的縮寫，是指萬聖節（All Hallow's Day）的前夜。「Hallow」來源於中古英語「halwen」，與「holy」詞源很接近，在蘇格蘭和加拿大的某些區域，萬聖節仍然被稱為「Allhallowmas」，意思是在紀念所有的聖人（All Hallows）那一天要舉行的彌撒（Mass）。

萬聖夜通常與靈異的事物聯繫起來。歐洲傳統上認為萬聖節是鬼魂世界最接近人間的時間，這傳說與中國的中元節，即盂蘭節以及日本的百鬼夜行類似。

起源

不同於聖誕節和復活節，萬聖節和萬聖夜來自於天主教對其它宗教的節日的吸收、改造和重新詮釋。萬聖夜起源於不列顛凱爾特人的傳統節日，在10月的最後一天，他們相信這是夏天的終結，冬天的開始，這一天是一年的重要標誌，是最重要的節日之一，被稱為「死人之日」，或者「鬼節」。這一天各種惡鬼出沒，死去人們的靈魂也會離開身體，在世間遊走，這一天的晚上也就格外危險。為了嚇走邪惡的鬼魂，凱爾特人會戴上面具。

傳說當天主教傳教士登陸不列顛諸島的時候，傳教士們為了壓制這種被他們視為異端的德魯伊傳統，就把這一天之後的11月第一天定為萬聖節，紀念天主教的聖人們，希望以此打壓這些鬼怪觀念。不過，諸聖日實際應源自天主教在意大利和高盧的一個隱修會本篤會（Order of Saint Benedict），本篤會會士一向習慣在11月1日的晚課中為亡者誦經，受這傳統所影響，後來教會把11月1日定為諸聖日。

萬聖節和鬼節的習俗，主要是在英倫三島和北美的前英屬殖民地，也就是美國、加拿大、澳大利亞、紐西蘭等地。其中美國的萬聖夜傳統，最初由來自愛爾蘭和蘇格蘭的移民於19世紀傳入，而其他發達國家則於20世紀末受美國流行文化影響而開始慶祝萬聖夜。

Ref: Wikipedia 維基百科
* October 31st Halloween 萬聖夜
* November 1st All Saints' Day 諸聖節，又稱萬聖節

The Departed

I read Fresh Designer's 2010年10月3日 blog story "九流小說: 夢田 (一)" and found it a bit too close to home =_=

His story reminds me of my friend Anita Wong --> "黃潤娥的故事:留言"

We all leave this world eventually, but some depart so unfairly young !!!

Crime Committed in Broad Daylight !!!

This is what S saw this afternoon from inside a resturant.

In broad daylight, with lots of ppl and traffic on the street, this middle-age guy walked up to a car parked outside the restaurant, wrapped the fist with his jacket and smashed the window. He reached in, took the laptop insde and escaped on a bicycle.

I asked S why nobody had tried to stop the guy. Apparently everyone was just too stunned by the blatant lawlessness and by the time the brain recovered from the shock, the guy had alread made his escape.

European Elections: The Swing to the Right

I read with interest Eva's Sept 21, 2010 blog article "周游列國 - 我們只想有安樂生活". The posted YouTube video shows a crowd demonstrating against a far-right, conservative, anti-immigration political party that has won seats in the recent election in Sweden. Here are my comments:

Haricot says on Oct 04, 2010 at 4:24 am:

I read some of the comments posted on YouTube (translated from Swedish to English). There are no surprises. Confronted by a society’s social-economic or political problems, some ppl will always find scapegoats to blame, be they immigrants, ethnic minorities, religious groups, GLBTs, and/or anyone who are considered “different and not one of us”.

Having said that, however, there are immigrant-specific issues (such as high unemployment, integration with mainstream society, youths, etc) that need to be dealt with rather than being swept under the carpet in the name of political correctness.

Reference:
Eva's blog article: http://wordwordword.wordpress.com/2010/09/21/%e6%88%91%e5%80%91%e5%8f%aa%e6%83%b3%e6%9c%89%e5%ae%89%e6%a8%82%e7%94%9f%e6%b4%bb/

Galloping Buffalo

Click here: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/24/Muybridge_Buffalo_galloping.gif

(Sourece: Wikipedia/Bison)

贏了又如何?

Here are my comments posted on San Wen Ji's Sep 23, 2010 blog article "生命":

Haricot 微豆 said 10/04/2010 3:24 AM

>> .... 贏了又如何

I agree with you.

In life's journey, the means are the ends !!! Otherwise, why bother to even try when death is always the final end to life's journey.

The same logic applies to putting too much emphasis on winning/losing games.

Ref: SWJ - http://sanwenji.blogspot.com/2009/04/blog-post_5000.html

There is Nothing to Fear Except Fear Itself

The following are my comments in response to 火羽's 2010-09-29 blog article "如果成為男人之後, 最想做的一件事":

Gender Limitations

While I agree there are gender limitations in the kinds of things we wish we could have experienced (may I suggest pregnancy and motherhood minus the child-birth part :O), many of us are actually limiting ourselves because of fear. Over the years, I have known women who travel by themselves and experience lives to the fullest.

Of course, one has to be aware of gender-specific risks/danger and avoid going to certain middle-east countries where women are being treated poorly by their male counterparts and stoning is still sanctioned by the legal systems. Nor should one enter into regions where wars, crimes and civil unrests are rampant and women are easy targets.

However, having assessed and mitigated the risks involved, women (and for that matter, men too) are actually capable of going places and doing things, only if they can overcome their sometimes unfounded fear.

(note: I want to emphasize once again, it is not my intention to underestimate or discount the importance of feeling safe and secure while one is travelling. I do recognize there are real or perceived exceptions to "There is nothing to fear except fear itself".)

Reference:
* 火羽's article and her responses: http://tsubasa2046.mysinablog.com/index.php?op=ViewArticle&articleId=2600445

You Are Handsome With Your Mouth Closed !!!

In his 2010年10月1日 blog article "你"...... , Fresh Designer talks abt communication issues btwn the two sexes. It all comes down to the cliche question: What do women want?" The following are my comments on the communication part:

Haricot 微豆 提到...

Not an insignificant number of men in our society are brought up to believe, among other things, that:
* they are the "stronger" sex and therefore are protectors of the family - their opinions count* unlike women, men don't cry (at least not in public) and should hide their feelings (known as "caving")
* they are the problem solvers, the action-oriented Mr. Fix it, and not the let's-talk-about-it type.

On the other hand, a woman often just wants to talk. She is not necessarily asking Mr. Fix-it for opinions and advice. She might just want him to listen (and shut up at the same time).

I am generalizing things a bit here, but you get the gist.

Writing Chinese: Wordy's "語文隨談" Series

The following are my comments posted this evening at 2weeks1gather under "九月號成員專訪: Wordy":

Haricot 十月 2, 2010 01:26 .....

I think Wordy is one of the Jedi knights of Chinese language on the Net. Not only is he a good writer, he is also a tireless teacher, providing many excellent tips on the proper use of Chinese in everyday writing. I especially enjoy his series of 30 articles under the tags 花言巧語, 語文隨談.. For example: In article #13, Wordy points out:

".... 「那」主要作指示代名詞，「哪」在近代漢語只是一個語氣助語，到現代漢語則多了一個用法──疑問代詞。..."

I must confess I never knew the difference !!!

As well, I enjoyed the 「周日名采」Sunday Brunch series, of which he is a core contributor. Even though I have made only four submissions so far (【驀然回首】, 【遺憾何價?】, 「假如有投胎」之【靈光】, 【小王子与老郭】), I thoroughly enjoyed writing everyone of those articles.

Anyway, hats off to Wordy !!

Ronald Duncan Passed Away Suddenly

Ron Duncan, a runner living in the neighbourhood, suddenly passed away last Sunday September 5, 2010.

Apparently, he told the church people he was not feeling well, went to the hospital, and passed away quickly. His relatives and neighbours are all shocked.

I would dedicate my next run to him.

RIP my friend !!

Suddenly Enlightened !

Whilst we think we are enlightened, whilst other ppl are showering us with praises, whilst we congratulate each other with the same subjectivity, a healthy dose of individual skepticism and self-doubt is still a good thing.