Elzach Hike

A beautiful day for a hike! The Zwei-Täler Land is something that we've never really explored, and we were pleasantly surprised and the great views it afforded......









An easy 20 km hike - not too strenuous, as one doesn't need to climb too high.....

What's the problem with video replay?

Is it me, or are the people at FIFA really dense? I was happy to see the Germans send the English packing after an impressive 4:1 display by the young German team, but unfortunately this victory was tainted by yet another blown call. England's Lampard looked to have knotted up the score 2:2, but the refs didn't see the goal. Video replays showed clearly that England did indeed have the equalizer, but play just went on.....

I don't want to blame the refs, after all, they have no reason to pretend it didn't happen.....I guess in the thick of things, they just didn't see it going over the goalline. But this is where FIFA has to wake up to the 21st century. Have video replay assist these officials when it comes to judging whether a goal counts or not. It won't destroy the game, it won't hold up play that long, and it will still keep the game controlled by humans.

I think FIFA really needs to just wake up to reality, and stop being so stubborn.

Enough with the diving already!

I'm no huge soccer fan, but living in Germany, it's nice to follow things like the World Cup (and the European Cup as well). It's a fun time, with the country gripped with the results of each game....

Actually I find soccer not a bad sport at all (much better than basketball). But there are still somethings about it that keep me from being a real fan of the game. The first is the low scoring nature of the game. I actually like defence and good defensive play, but when there are less than two goals per game (from both teams) on average, I think it's a bit too low scoring. I guess I'm biased from hockey, but I would think that an average of 4-5 goals per game would be nice. I'm not into American scoring demands like in Basketball, where you are supposed to score - but I would like to see a team up by two goals still try to score, rather than go into a full defensive shell.

But I think the most annoying thing about soccer is all the diving going on. Players act like they are mortally wounded if they've just been brushed by the opposing player. I'm not sure why this is tolerated by the referees, or by the fans. I mean the sight of a soccer player clutching their shin, looking like they are irreparably wounded, only to sprint down the soccer pitch two minutes later is just a joke. I think the penalty for a soccer player that dives is that they have to block 10 hockey slapshots at an NHL net. I think that would make them much tougher in a hurry......

The Big-12 is saved

Well, it seems like the Big-12 is saved! Hurray for Texas! Well they were really in it for the money, but regardless, I think it's good for football to have a strong Big-12 conference.

Note that the Big-10 will have 12 teams now (once Nebraska joins), while the Big-12 will have 10 teams (once Nebraska and Colorado leave). Ha ha ha ha, these college conference names are weird.....

Soccer Corniness

Is it EVERY soccer game that has those kids that come in hand in hand with the soccer players? What's up with that anyway? What do they contribute to the ceremony anyway? I think nothing is gained aside from CORNINESS.....

More's the pity...

Well, today we got news that Colorado will abandon the Big-12 and join the ranks of the Pac-10. Nebraska will probably also abandon the Big-12 and flee into the arms of the Big-10. The Big-12 is thus severely weakened, and may come to an end depending if Texas wants to bolt or not.....

The decisions of the Cornhuskers and Buffaloes to leave seem purely based on financial considerations. They think that they will reap a larger share of the revenue pie in their new conferences. Unfortunately, this means the end of Big-12 football, which has been arguably the source of the best football games over the past decade or two.

Texas vs. Oklahoma, Nebraska vs. Oklahoma, Nebraska vs. Missouri, Texas vs. Texas A&M, Texas Tech vs. Oklahoma, and Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma St.....these rivalries won't mean the same anymore....

All in all, a sad day for college football.....

La Fourchette

If you're ever in Avignon, you absolutely must go to the restaurant called La Fourchette....

The best thing you can order is the Daube d'Avignon - succulent beef soaked in a beef stew. It is so juicy and tender, it is a must-order. Unfortunately, in our excitement in eating it, we forgot to snap an appropriate picture.

Instead, here are some nice pics of a couple appetizers that were ordered....




The escargot were also amazingly delicious!

Mmmmmm, yummy!

Gordes

Provence is famous for perched villages, and Gordes is a very nice example of one.....the scenery in the Luberon valley is really nice. We had great weather, (though it was a bit too windy)....

What's more, the food was great! Here are some gambas with pasta::




I had the pork with lentils:


and of course, some of the famous French foie gras was ordered....

La cuisine provençale

So usually I find French food a bit overrated, and overpriced....I mean I enjoy it, but the costs don't seem to justify what one gets....

Well, on a recent trip to Provence, I definitely cannot say that. The food wasn't overexpensive, (although pricier than I usually eat), and it was very very good! Here are some pics from a restaurant in a small town called Fontvieille, not at all far away from Arles.

This goat cheese in a soft wrap was a very nice appetizer!



This piece of veal is juicy and succulent...


I had the duck thigh.....mmmm good....

Black Forest Beauty

I think its hard to overstate the beauty of the Black Forest....

Happy Mother's Day

So in our family, we don't say too many things that are on the emotional level, especially since we all have science and engineering backgrounds.

But on this day, I think it seems fitting to say:
Thanks Mom for being the best Mom one could ever ask for!



And it's cool that Mom can even beat up Rocky....

UK Twins?

So it seems that the UK has had their election, and there's a lot of talk about hung parliaments and such....here are some key players....


This is Lib Dem leader, Nick Clegg - he may be the kingmaker in deciding whether the UK gets a Tory or a Labour government. He also probably can pull the plug on the government when he wants and have the UK go to new elections.


Here's Tory leader Dave Cameron - winning the most seats and popular vote of all parties, but not enough to form a majority government on his own.....



The main observation I have is.....don't they look very alike? I mean they're almost twins! Imagine if they make a coalition government, no one will be able to tell them apart!

Come to Jesus

I find this song particularly relevant in 2010.....it's a beautiful song, with beautiful German lyrics.



Verwundet, schwach, ein Sünder,
verloren, wenn du stirbst.
O, heb den Kopf, weil Liebe um dich wirbt.

Komm zu Jesus,
komm zu Jesus,
komm zu Jesus und leb.

Jetzt ist die Last verschwunden,
ins tiefste Meer versenkt.
Sein Tod hat dir das Leben neu geschenkt.

Nun sing zu Jesus,
sing zu Jesus,
sing zu Jesus und leb.

Hab keine Angst zu krabbeln,
als neugebornes Kind.
Vergiss nicht, manchmal fallen wir auch hin.

Dann fall auf Jesus,
fall auf Jesus,
fall auf Jesus und leb.

Dein Weg ist manchmal einsam,
gepflastert auch mit Schmerz.
Dein Himmel schwarz und tränenvoll dein Herz.

Dann schrei zu Jesus,
schrei zu Jesus,
schrei zu Jesus und leb.

Wenn Liebe übersprudelt,
Musik die Nacht erfüllt,
die Freude deine Leidenschaft enthüllt.

Dann tanz für Jesus,
tanz für Jesus,
tanz für Jesus und leb.

Und mit dem letzten Herzschlag,
sage Lebewohl.
Geh in Frieden, denn er wartet schon.

Flieg heim zu Jesus,
heim zu Jesus,
heim zu Jesus und leb!

Eulogy

This was the Eulogy delivered by Dad for Mr. Lee. I hope it does Mr. Lee justice, but I thought it was very touching....

Dear brothers and sisters,

As we are here in remembrance of Mr. Lee, I'm sure you all know that he was a selfless man who was always willing to sacrifice his own time and efforts for the sake of others. Mr. Lee was constantly working behind the scenes for our church, setting up tables and chairs for church gatherings, picking up garbage that was dropped and placing it into garbage bins, cleaning up church pews and tying up the hymn books and Bibles after the service concluded. He was often last one to leave the church in order to lock up the windows and doors, and he was always providing car rides, and giving a helping hand to others in need. I would like to share, in addition, some of my own personal memories.

A few months ago, I was not feeling well and needed to go to the hospital emergency room. When he heard that I needed to go to the emergency room, he came without delay to my house knocked on the door to take me there, even before I was able to pack my things for my hospital stay. As I was laying in the hospital bed, I was feeling a bit better and I asked Mr. Lee to go home because it was already 1 o’clock in the morning. But he insisted on staying with me until a doctor came to see what my condition was. I kept asking hem to go home but he insisted to keep me company. Finally, I said to him jokingly, that if he were not to leave, I would then ask the police outside to take him home. Only when he saw that I had the strength to even crack jokes with him, did he feel that he could go home. By his actions, you can tell, that Mr. Lee is selfless and caring, and constantly willing to sacrifice himself for others.

We hiked often together, Mr. Lee and I. I distinctly remember one time while we were hiking, he described to me his experiences with Canadian life and the immigration process. He mentioned the hardships and trials that he had to go through to adapt to living in Canada. He could have had an easier, more relaxing life in Taiwan if he had wanted to, but typical of himself, he wanted to ensure that his family members were able to choose their living environment in the future, even if it meant that he had to leave his comfortable life in Taiwan to settle in Canada and go through cold, harsh Canadian winters. Even if he had to entirely reorient and readjust to a different life and living conditions here. I think we can all see that Mr. Lee was a great family man, who loved his children, and was willing to give them endless opportunities, even if it meant leaving the life he knew in Taiwan.


One last point I will mention is that Mr. Lee one of the most generous people I have ever known. To himself he is stingy, but he is so willing to give to others. His monitory donations to the church are always significantly above what one would expect. He always wanted to offer more, stretching his available resources as much as he could, to support the church. Last year during a prayer meeting for the initiative of our church building fund, tears were coming out of his eyes because he wanted to offer more but couldn't. I remember once, I suggested to him that he could trade in his van for a normal sedan, but he said he needed to keep the van in case it was needed for church activities. Mr. Lee would forego the luxuries and pleasures in life that many like to enjoy, just so he contribute and help others. He was truly a great man, and these memories of him will remain with me forever.

On April 16, about 2:30 a.m. Michael called me and said that the heart beat of his father was getting weaker, so I rushed to the hospital right away. By the time I arrived, Mr. Lee was gone. I saw him lying peacefully in bed , all the struggles, all the worries, and all the pain he had suffered were suddenly gone, and the tears from his eyes had dried away. I knew he was in God's glory. Early that morning, I opened my computer and saw an e-mail from Cecil Chen, informing people that Mr. Lee had passed away. The e-mail subject he used is “A good man”. When I opened the e-mail, I looked at the subject and paused for a few seconds. Mr. Lee is absolutely, definitely, and without a doubt the epitome of a “good man”. He is a good son to his surviving mother, a good husband to his wife, a good father to his sons and a good friend to all of us. Mr. Lee always felt that he could do more for Christ, and for others. Matthew 5:2 says, ”Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” I know then, that his is the kingdom of heaven under the comfort of our Lord Christ Jesus. I look forward to meeting him again, and where we can talk like the old times, and he can show me the most beautiful hike towards a glorious mountain top in the presence of God in heaven.

Some years ago, I read a book with the title of “In search of a Legacy”. A sentence in the book by the author really stuck with me. I cannot remember the exact wording of the sentence, but the meaning was that “a man’s legacy can be found by searching his footsteps”. Now that Mr. Lee is no longer in our midst physically, I look back and search for his footsteps. Indeed, I see his footprints side-by-side with those of Jesus, undertaking the task of “serving the Lord with wholeheartedly and loving his neighbours”. The legacy of Mr. Lee is clear. It is one of self-sacrifice and perseverence. It is one of determination, hope, and most of all, love. May he rest in peace in God's glory, for he has earned his rest. Goodbye Mr. Lee, we will all miss you, but we will look forward to our joyful reunion in heaven.

臺灣之子 - Son of Taiwan

To the true 臺灣之子 (Son of Taiwan),



Rest in peace my friend. You will be sorely missed. We will meet again in God's glory. For now, take care.....
阿挺 & Betty

Hardworking taxpayer money at work for you!

This comic strip is hilarious, and also contains many truths!

Mmmm, Double Down goodness

Mmmmm, mmmm, good.....look at this new sandwich that KFC is now selling.....



Now that's what I call a sandwich!

Washrooms in Europe

Why is it that restaurant owners in Europe are so stingy when it comes to things like their washrooms? Many put someone there who is "cleaning" the washroom, but really doesn't do anything but sit there, expecting 50 cents for washroom use. Some restaurants put a code lock on their washroom for keeping the public out....only paying customers have the right to use their facilities.....

That's one thing that's annoying about Europe - come on, just loosen up and be generous with your facilities!

So many truths on so many levels....

I think PhD students or people who have gone through the PhD process will attest to the truths of this brilliant comic strip....

This non-Taiwanese person speaks awesome Taiwanese!

I think those Taiwanese that can't speak Taiwanese should be ashamed of themselves after watching this:



Bravo, white guy! Bravo!

Ugh....new parents

I'm at the age where many of my friends the same age are now parents. Sometimes they are insufferable. The whole world revolves around their stupid kids. All they want to talk about are their stupid kids. They have no life for themselves left. They have no personality left. All there is left over, is their kids.

Some people say that you never know the meaning of sacrifice and selflessness until you have kids. This may indeed be true. I can believe that when you become a parent, and hold a child that is totally vulnerable and dependent, that you finally realize what sacrifice and selflessness is.

But I will also say that parents are among the most selfish people in the world. They are selfless to their kids, but they are also the most selfish for their kids. Their whole mentality shifts to getting what they feel is necessary for their kids, no matter what the cost. And damned be you, if you get in the way of their ambitions for their own kids.

New parents - they can be really annoying sometimes.....

Freiburg and Geneva

I think it's definitely confirmed that Freiburg is infinitely a better city than Geneva.....

Toronto remembers the victims of the February 28, 1947 Massacre

Good job Mom......I hope that we will never forget the bloodshed and sacrifice of Taiwanese to bring about a democratic and free Taiwan. I hope that future generations never take for granted the freedom that they enjoy....

Gilmour - classic goal in 2OT

What a goal! Gilmour in 2OT, Game 1, Norris Divison Final 1993.

The Island Nation

The island nation lies silent, quietly it mourns,
Formosans with bowed heads, and hearts that are torn,
They weep for the memory of those that fell,
And for those who witnessed that dreadful hell.

Though many years past, the hurt does not fade,
The bloodshed and sufferings cannot be unmade.
So many killed, so many families destroyed,
The cries of the victims, they could not avoid
The death that came to them and their friends,
From a stubborn regime that just wouldn't bend.

From the streets of Taipei, to the farms in Chia-Yi,
The gunshots rang steadily, as loud as can be.
The slaughter continued on its merciless path,
Murdering political dissidents with its angry wrath.

The death of so many will not be in vain.
Neither will be their families' anguish and pain,
We remember these victims with saddened sorrow,
But we still retain hope for a better tomorrow.

For freedom has its price, it does not come cheap,
The victims have sacrificed, they have earned their keep,
But we must go on, our mission is not done,
Until the fight for freedom has truly been won.
We will not let them down, the ghosts of the past,
Their cause of yesteryear is our greatest task,
We strive for the freedom of Formosans today,
To our compatriots, have faith, rest in peace you may.

In memory of the victims of the February 28 1947 Massacre

阿挺

Lunar New Year - the Year of the Tiger

Happy Lunar New Year - it's the year of the Tiger this year.....

In Taiwan this is usually celebrated with Hot Pot, and the giving of Red Envelopes to family members. It's the biggest holiday in Tawian......

So to my fellow Taiwanese: 臺灣新年恭喜! 向望今年逐家健康!

Schwäbische Fleischküchle

Without an oven, some dishes are hard to make, but one thing I've been successful at making are Swabian Meatballs (Schwäbische Fleischküchle)....delicious! They are tender and juicy, and make a great meal....

You need ground beef, an egg, a soaked bread roll, a touch of parsley, finely chopped onions, a pinch of salt and pepper to make them....



Enjoy with some potatoes and red wine!

Canadian Pancakes

Mmm, what's better in the morning than some good ol' Canadian pancakes with Canadian Maple Syrup? Yummy, yummy!



And they're easy to make!

190 g of flour
10 g of baking powder
A teaspoon of salt
A tablespoon of sugar
300 mL of milk
1 egg
3 tablespoons of butter

The ingredients can be mixed smoothly together in a bowl to make the pancake mix. Then pour the mix about 250 mL at a time into an oiled pan at medium high heat. Fry until both sides are slightly browned.

Serve hot and make sure to add Maple Syrup!

Superbowl Pick

So it's gonna come down to the Colts and Saints in Superbowl XLIV....

and my official prediction is:
Saints 38, Colts 28

Why? No reason, everything on paper points to the Colts winning, but something about my gut seems to think that the Saints will pull this one off....of course, my gut has been wrong before!

Who dat?!?!?! Who dat gonna beat the Saints?!?!?!


(well, maybe the Colts, but I think Brees & Co. will come out on top)

Overtime beats Shootouts Anyday...

NHL Playoff Overtimes are the most exciting parts of sports - any sport!

Don't listen to those Shootout advocates - that's not real hockey. For proof of great overtimes, who can forget the 1993 Norris Division Semi-Final Game 7 between the Leafs and Wings? Nicolai Borschevsky from Bob Rouse and Doug Gilmour in OT!

A Perfect Score!

So last December, I wrote a German Proficiency Test, called the Zertifikat Deutsch. It's not particularly hard, in fact I should have written it a long time ago...I have, after all, been here over three years already!

The Zertifikat Deutsch corresponds to the B1 Level in the European Framework for Languages, so it's not really difficult, but the minimum necessary for possible future immigration to Germany.

I got the results today, and because it wasn't difficult at all, I was expecting to do well, but in the end, I got a perfect score!
I wasn't expecting to do that well!


Here's my certificate:


and here's the evaluation report showing that I got 300 points out of 300!

Phaneuf a Leaf!

Wow....Dion Phaneuf a Leaf. The trade yesterday sent Phaneuf together with Fredrik Sjostrom and Keith Aulie from the Calgary Flames to the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Leafs give up meanwhile, Matt Stajan, Niklas Hagman, Jamal Mayers and Ian White. It's hard to tell (as the trade only happened yesterday) who will end up getting the upper hand in the deal - but I'm betting on the Leafs being very satisfied with this.....who knows, maybe it's the Doug Gilmour trade redux!

Here's to Phaneuf, and lot's of success in a Leafs uniform!

German Proficiency Exams

So, if you want to attest that you can speak German at a certain level, you would just take a proficiency exam at the appropriate level, and be done with it, right?

No, of course not! This is Germany, and they wouldn't make things that simple, would they?
Take a look at the different German Proficiency Exams that exist, and you will see that things are not so simple...

Which one to choose between the following?
BULATS
DSH
Großes Deutsches Sprachdiplom
Kleines Deutsches Sprachdiplom
Prüfung Wirtschaftsdeutsch International
TestDaF
Zentrale Mittelstufenprüfung
Zentrale Oberstufenprüfung
Zertifikat Deutsch
Zertifikat Deutsch für den Beruf
Einbürgerungstest
Goethe-Zertifikat B2
Goethe-Zertifikat C1
blah blah blah....

Why don't they just simply things? Oh, wait, I forgot, this is Germany - where simplicity is frowned upon....

Cold Weather

今仔日天氣冷吱吱
拄著一个人愛歕雞胿
講伊偌會放大屁
放屁聲真正足媠

Poem by 21st century poet 阿挺

Jogging Pants Friday

You know how there are casual Fridays, where people dressed in normally in suits come dressed in business casual - and people normally dressed in business casual can come dressed in jeans and a polo shirt?

Well I think it's not casual enough. I think Fridays should be Jogging Pants Fridays...

Jogging pants are so comfortable - and think how much better productivity would increase because employees are comfortable!

Another playoff classic....

How about this triple overtime goal by Gary Roberts against the Senators in 2002....



What a playoff year that was for #7!

Land of the Seven Moles

Oaxaca (however you pronounce it) is known as the Land of the Seven Moles.

There's a place called Juquilita Restaurante Oaxaqueno in south San Jose to which JoJo, Pat, Yen, Fran, Betty and I went. They serve Oaxacan food...mmm mmm good!

The sauce (Mole) is supposed to be very well known, and here are some pictures of the deliciousness:







What I recommend is the cheese Empanada with Mole Amarillo - unfortunately, we didn't snap a picture, but this Empanada is definitely good stuff!

The Sampler

If you're ever in Sonoma valley, you should try out the Russian River Brewing Company Pub. You can get a Sampler - that's 14 different Beers with two ounces each to try - for only 50 cents per two ounces....you can't beat a deal like that!

The best six minutes anyone's ever played...

Doug Gilmour of the Toronto Maple Leafs played the best six minutes of hockey ever against the LA Kings during Game 1 of the Campbell Conference Finals.

Take a look!

Tides of Life Ocean View Home in Aptos - Zelda Sims

Perhaps you're considering traveling to the Santa Cruz area, and you are going with a bunch of people. Maybe you're looking for a cozy ocean view home to stay at while you're there.

Perhaps you've come across an add for the Tides of Life Ocean View Home owned by Zelda Sims, and are thinking of renting it as a vacation home for some time....

Well, think again!

This is a terrible choice! Zelda Sims is one of the most petty, unorganized, unfriendly people you'll ever meet. The views are overrated, and coordinating with Zelda to get enough towels, toiletries, etc. in the house is a big pain in the ass.

In fact, Zelda Sims herself is a pain in the ass....

So don't rent this house! It would be a big mistake....BOYCOTT!!!

Good ol' Burgers

Sometimes a good ol' fashioned American-style burger is just what the Doctor ordered....

Here's a picture of a delicious double double In N' Out burger, prepared animal style.


We were fortunate to try some In n' Out Burgers (twice) during our California trip....which is where most of the In N' Out stores are based. Mmm, burgers....very good.....very tasty....

Dad's words of wisdom

When I was in Philadelphia in 2008, I met up with my sister, my mom, and my dad. My dad, of course, wise as he is, takes many opportunities to impart immortal words to his kids....words of wisdom that we should take seriously, to ensure that we live our lives to our full potential.

During our trip to Philly 2008, the wise words of advice were: Go Pee.

Over the Christmas/New Year's of 2009/2010, I met up with my sister and my parents again, this time in California. Hoping to gain from that fountain of precious knowledge that my dad possesses, we asked him again for more words of advice...

This time they were: Don't be stupid

Important words to live by!

Peruvian Goodies

On January 2, we were in San Francisco with Betty, Mom, and Dad, and we went to meet Helen and her husband Ronald (and her son as well).

Ronald is Peruvian, and along with Helen, they took us out to a Peruvian restaurant called Fresca.

Here is a picture of the Lomo Saltado

consisting of wok fried tenderloin steak strips, onion, tomato, cilantro, soy, french fries, and steamed rice.

Another great dish is the Pollo a la Brasa

that is, peruvian style rotisserie chicken, french fries, green salad, creamy cilantro dressing

...mmm mmm good....

Weird Street Names....

What a weird street name! This sign can be found driving on US Interstate 15 between Las Vegas and Barstow....

Train Pushers - the evidence of Japanese weirdness!

Only in Japan, do we find such weird things occurring.....



Yup, Japanese train pushers! Employees of the rail company!

What a weird country.....

The Dynasty Falls to a Wildrose?

Big news reported in the National Post today. It may be the end of a dynasty in Alberta.

Alberta has been a province that likes to keep parties long in power, but sweep them away to oblivion once every generation or so. The Liberal party ruled from 1905-1921, followed by the United Farmers of Alberta from 1921-1935. They were swept away by Social Credit from 1935-1971. The current dynasty is the Progressive Conservative Dynasty since 1971.

But opinion polls show that the Wildrose Alliance is in first place with 39% of voter intention if an election was held today. PC support has collapsed to 25%. Moreover, the Wildrose Alliance is ahead in every part of the province. In the cities, the Tories are in 3rd place, even behind the Grits, and in rural Alberta the Alliance enjoys up to 44% support.

Ladies and gentlemen, this may be the end of the Tories in Alberta. Interesting times, considering that these events are once per generation, it seems....

The Unfortunate Capitalistization of Christmas

One of the things that I really find amazing is the corporate brainwashing of North American society with regards to Christmas. I have never seen a society so obsessed with a holiday before. And their obsession has nothing to do with the meaning of Christmas, which is a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.

Rather, North American society has taken upon itself to obsess about buying presents for everyone you know. Department stores put up Christmas decorations at the end of October so that these decorations are there 2 months of every year....that's 1/6 of the year that there are these stupid decorations. Lights, and trees, and stockings, and mistletoe - everything that has nothing remotely to do with the birth of Jesus is used to celebrate Christmas.

North Americans obsess about sending out Christmas letters and cards to all the people they know. They have to buy presents, etc, put up their own Christmas lights, trees, decorations around their house. And of course, they have to obsess about buying a proper turkey for their Christmas meal.

The excesses of capitalism are most evident at Christmas time. And it's an even bigger shame that no one cares about the child born in a manger that told us to be happy with the things God has provided us with, rather than turn into greedy, capitalist, narcissistic people, who know nothing about Christ, but seem to believe that they know everything about Christmas.

Christmas caroling...

Going Christmas caroling? Try this classic!

Funny college football play!

Man, I haven't visited this blog in a long long time. Good thing my bro updates it pretty regularly!

Here's a pretty funny football play from the Florida vs FSU game this year...

Celebrities in Tana

So in August, I was in Madagascar - it was a great trip! It's a beautiful country with very nice people.
Another nice surprise is that the food was excellent there! Great authentic French cuisine that costs 5-10 times less what one would have to pay in France.

Because I was attending a conference, I stayed 8 nights at the Hotel Sakamanga in Antananarivo. The restaurant at this hotel was quite good - in fact here's a picture of myself with others dining at this restaurant.



Even Dustin Hoffman enjoyed Madagascar!

Juno Beach

Here are some photos of Juno Beach. This is where Canadian soldiers stormed in on June 6, 1944 (D-Day) to regain a foothold on France and liberate it from occupying Nazi forces. Many sacrificed their lives as they came under enemy fire from well fortified German positions. But Canadian bravery and determination allowed them to overcome.

We owe our Canadians soldiers a huge debt for their sacrifice and suffering as they fought for freedom and liberty. A salute to Canadian heroes and their defence of freedom - may we never forget their sacrifice.

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)

Get rid of the penny

There are some advocates for the $5 coin in Canada. They say that coins are much more durable and cheaper in the long run than bills, which deteriorate quickly, and are counterfeited often.

I think such advocates have a point. However, a $5 coin will really make Canadian pockets heavy - 1 cent, 5 cent, 10 cent, 25 cent, loonie, toonie, and $5 coin pieces.....it's just too many coins!

So I think that this $5 is not a bad idea, but before it comes into being we need to abolish the penny!

What a useless coin it is, this penny of ours! Just get rid of it!
If we could live with the penny as the lowest denomination 40 years ago, surely we can live with the nickel as the lowest denomination now, since a nickel now is worth less than a penny was 40 years ago!

Banks would still be required to calculate interest to the penny, and a penny that is produced by the Royal Canadian Mint costs much more than 1 cent!

So I haven't yet heard a good argument for keeping the penny...

The Republic of Canada

In this nice opinion article by the Globe and Mail's Jeffrey Simpson, he argues that when Queen Elizabeth departs -long may she reign! - that we should look into making Canada a republic.

I fully agree. Especially I don't want to see Prince Charles ugly face on Canadian currency!

Costume Ideas

I'm not a Hallowe'en fan at all...now that I'm in Europe, I don't have to put up with that sort of nonsense.

For those that are into it, and are looking for costume ideas, this is a good one:

Spiffy hockey jerseys

Have you ever seen hockey jerseys like this?



Apparently they were worn by the Kingston Frontenacs for Don Cherry Military Night, with the jerseys being auctionned off for Soldier On - an organization that helps injured Canadian soldiers.

Academic Principles

I think everyone who has a PhD, is doing a PhD, or has attempted to get a PhD knows about the truth of this academic principle:

C.T. and S.T. - more German silliness

In Germany, sometimes the time that an event starts is given with a C.T. or S.T. postfix after the time. This especially occurs often at universities and academic institutions.

What they mean can be found on this link.

Basically 14:00 st means 14:00 while 14:00 ct means 14:15 where ct means "cum tempore" and st means "sine tempore".

I have no idea why Germans insist on this, especially since the terms are Latin, not German. Wouldn't it just be easier for everyone to write 14:00 for 14:00, and 14:15 for 14:15? Or does that make too much sense?

Finally a Taiwanese dictionary

Taiwanese is a great language - unfortunately, it was oppressed by the KMT dictatorship, and is only in the last 10-20 years being respected again. The problem is that the Taiwanese themselves don't treasure their own culture, and less and less Taiwanese can speak the language.

In fact, a Canadian-born person like me (2nd generation Taiwanese) can speak better Taiwanese than the majority of people my age who live in Taiwan.....that's really sad.

Finally the government of Taiwan has come up with an official Taiwanese to Chinese dictionary. About time - this should have been done 10 years ago!

Hopefully this tool can make written Taiwanese more frequent, and more accessible!
But the Taiwanese themselves need to show more willpower to learn and use Taiwanese!

Link to Dictionary webpage

Hopefully there will also be an English-Taiwanese dictionary available soon!

NCAA Stupidity with Excessive Celebration Penalties

An otherwise good game last Saturday between No. 4 LSU and No. 18 Georgia was totally spoiled by the NCAA's stupid obsessiveness with excessive celebration.

Georgia took the lead on A.J. Green's catch with only 1:09 remaining, and the officials called an excessive celebration penalty on Green during perfectly sane celebrations with his teammates on a great TD catch in the dying minutes of the game. As a consequence, the Bulldogs had to kickoff from their 15 yardline, instead of the 30 yardline - giving LSU much more of a chance to comeback.

Sure enough, Charles Scott's run with 46 seconds left put LSU up for good. But of course, NCAA officials had to ruin another great play with another excessive celebration penalty.

There's not taunting from these college kids, just celebrating some great plays - let the players be players, and don't affect the destiny of the game with these pointless penalty calls!

Midautumn Festival

Last Saturday, it was the Midautumn Festival in Taiwan.

To celebrate, here is a new poem, written by a 21st century poet named 阿挺

八月十五食月餅
恁來切阮來請
食到逐家腹肚疼
佇便所聽落屎聲

Harper with a little help from his friends

Who knew? Apparently Stevie Harper can play the piano and sing! And not bad for an amateur player! Here he is with Yo Yo Ma and Herringbone (a three-man band) performing "With a Little Help From My Friends".

I think the audience was really surprised!

French is not useless after all....

Well, I guess my French knowledge is not useless after all....

Is it because I am Canadian, and with French, I can communicate better with my fellow countrymen in Quebec? No - French Canadians can speak English, and you can survive with English quite well in Quebec.

Is it because I live 30 km from France, and I can communicate better with the French? No - French people can speak English, no matter how hard they try to pretend that they don't.

Rather, my French knowledge is going to come in handy in Madagascar - where the local people there hardly speak any English - rather they speak Malagasy and French. (I guess French colonialism, though regrettable, does make this country much more accessible to people like me)

I used to think that French was really uncool - but I guess it does have its uses!

German City Designs

Ok, so I've been picking a bit on Germany, but they have some pretty nice ideas, (if they decide to avoid complicating them too much).

There's a district of Freiburg called Vauban - that's pretty much car-free. Its sort of a "green-experiment" where many homes are powered by solar energy, cars are only allowed through the main thoroughfare, and parking must be at the outskirts of Vauban.

This new way of life, has even been noticed by the NY Times!
Read the article!

It just goes to show that things like US urban sprawl is avoidable, and an environmentally, and lifestyle favourable alternative is possible!

French words polluting the German language

I really am annoyed with the amounts of French words that occupy everyday German vocabulary. I'm not really sure why Germans tolerate them, since they have their own words for them, but for some reason, want to use French words in their speaking.

I think it spoils the beauty and unity of the German language - but what can you do?

Here a list that I came up with (I think most Germans are oblivious to their usage of French):

Restaurant (just say Gaststätte)
Saison (just say Jahreszeit)
Serviette (just say Handtuch)
Vision (just say Traumbild)
Niveau (just say Stufe)
Étage (just say Stock)
Cousin (just say Vetter)
Recherche (just say Forschung)
Chance (just say Gelegenheit)
Revanche (just say Rache)
Version (just say Ausgabe)
Detail (just say Einzelheit)
Orange (just say Apfelsine)
Balance (just say Gleichgewicht)
Portemonnaie (just say Geldbeutel)

Omas Küche

Sometime in January, we went to a nice restaurant in Freiburg called "Omas Küche", which means "Granny's Kitchen". In Taiwanese, that's: 阿媽的灶腳.

It's a pretty casual place with a relatively young crowd (most customers are 25-45 or so), and pretty reasonable prices. I definitely recommend it!

Here's a picture of: Onkel Alfreds Lieblings Buletten (Uncle Alf's favourite meatballs)

Really tasty meatballs with mustard, glazed carrottes and fried potatoes...mmmm, good!

Here's a nice picture of another dish: pork chops with special sauce.....


Good stuff!

Switzerland and the European Union

Switzerland is blessed with some beautiful scenery - great mountain scenery in the Alps, some beautiful lakes, and quaint little towns. It really is a country that is situated smack dab in the middle of Europe.

But something about its people - what's their problem?
What gives them such aversion to the European Union?

Sure, Switzerland has this tradition of "independence" and "non-alignment". But come on! It needs to face reality! Surrounded by EU countries everywhere....Germany to the north, France to the west, Italy to the south, and Austria to the east.....

How much trade does Switzerland do with the EU? How often must its citizens change currency every time they go outside Switzerland (which is not very big). Because the Swiss are outside the EU, but still want to partake in the benefits - so they have so many diplomats in Brussels trying to ink agreeements that aren't EU agreements (as Switzerland is not in the EU), but have basically the same effect.

Well - just join the bloody EU! And adopt the Euro for heavens' sake! Do you think its pleasurable to have to change currency constantly? Losing 2%-5% of every transaction to the greedy banks?

STOOOOPID!!!!