An excellent Israeli editorial on Taiwan

My friend froward me this article and wrote:
Dear Friends and Colleagues,

I know time is so precious to you. But please take a moment to glance through the attached. The article is by no means a propaganda, nor does it favor any political party. The conscientious Israeli editor simply addresses a fact of predicament that Taiwan encounters. As the world focuses so much on the turmoil in the Middle East, an often neglected noxious power erodes my mother land's privileges that all other nations are entitled to.
I would appreciate your passing it on to your friends. As the voice of
righteousness trickles and spreads, the moral justice would evolve.

Thanks for your time and I extend every best wish,

Our moral nakedness
By Adar Primor
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/920697.html

Here is the Article content (If link doesn't work)
This is a story about a country that (nearly) everyone recognizes de facto and whose existence (again, nearly) everyone denies de jure; a country that is battling a cynical world controlled by a regime of international hypocrisy, where Realpolitik defeats the values of justice and morality.

This country - most people know it as Taiwan, while the Republic of China (ROC) is its official name - has a small request: to join the family of nations. For 14 years now, it has been trying to fight international alienation and has been supplicating at the gates of the United Nations, which rejects it every time with routine nonchalance. The president of Taiwan, Chen Shui-bian, is fed up. With a flaming torch in hand, he just finished an 11-day relay race around the island. The idea: to promote a referendum to bring the country into the UN, under the name Taiwan. The background: the civil war of 1949, when Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalists were defeated by Mao Tse-tung's Reds, in the wake of which two Chinese republics were born - Mao's People's Republic and the Nationalist ROC in Taiwan, where the defeated Chiang Kai-shek had retreated. After the war, most countries recognized Taiwan as the legal government of all of China. However, in October 1971, the UN passed a resolution ejecting Chiang's representatives from the organization. The Chinese seat was transferred from Taipei to Beijing, which for most other countries became "the real China." Taiwan, which since then has undergone an impressive process of democratization and is now considered "the freest country in Asia," remains outside.

President Chen's initiative divests itself of Chiang Kai-shek's legacy and the pretensions of representing China, and rests on the dramatic development of national identity in Taiwan. If a decade ago more than 70 percent of the island's inhabitants defined themselves as "Chinese" and only 20 percent as "Taiwanese," current opinion polls show that now about 70 percent define themselves as "Taiwanese," and only 13 percent as "Chinese."
For Beijing, Chen's initiative is a step toward a declaration of independence by what it considers a "rebel province." In other words, a casus belli that has everyone trembling. The UN secretary general, who received Chen's official request to join, has not even bothered to send it for discussion in the Security Council, as is required. He preferred to return it to the sender. Europe, for its part, has informed Chen that his initiative is "not helpful" and is "liable to undermine stability." The administration of United States President George W. Bush, which whole-heartedly praises liberty and democracy, has declared the initiative a "mistake" and has contributed a typical "diplomatic pearl" to the discussion: "Taiwan cannot join the United Nations, as at the moment it is not a state in the international community."

And Israel? It has no choice but to go with the flow, as they say in Jerusalem. At least this is what Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni did during her visit to Beijing last week, when she praised the "shared values" of China and Israel. Some in Taipei wondered exactly what the minister was referring to - values like democracy, human rights and freedom of speech? The insult to the Taiwanese is particularly harsh in light of their identification with Israel: two small and effervescent "real democracies" engaged in their own security-existential troubles, exposed to threats from a huge external enemy and dependent on American protection and aid. Some call Taiwan "the Israel of the Pacific" and "the David of the Far East."

Chen is not naive. He knows his initiative will fail. He knows the "regional Goliath" is also a "global Goliath" and that "might makes right" turns the wheels of international diplomacy. His role boils down to showing the world its moral nakedness.

I miss blue sky

Winter is finally here~

Recently, it is cold, overcast, and rainy.
Well, and snowing one morning.
I don't mind snow, but I don't like rain.
It is already bad enough for low temperature, rain make it worse.

I don't mind wind chill with sunny blue sky, especially winter sky is cleaner then damp summer.

Cloudy gray rainy sky make people sad. I miss blue sky, and I want to see blue sky~~~


(Just heard that Thanksgiving day will be 30% chance to rain, hope that is after parade.)

Handmade cards

I made those cards and this one crochet baby sandals in Aug and Sep. The sandals is for a friend's now born. This is the first time I tried to use DMC crochet cottons (#10). It is not as stretch as yarns, and I handle the threads too tight, in the result that this sandals is too small for the baby. (Well, at least I learned something). The reason why there is a sheep on the card is because baby's father's nick name is "East Sheep".




This Hello card is made from papers I collect from old magazines, wrapping papers, and scraps. I like those shadow effects.


This card is for a long lost friend Carolina, we met in Barcelona. She took a really good care of me, and share local view of that magnificent city. (Well, we just lost contact about 1 year, but I don't even sure if she moved out her flat or what, no response sine I send the card out).


This card is for my office's secretory birthday card. Originally I was just trying to play with my new toy, Fiskars Shapeboss. Then remembered that her birthday was pretty close. So I decide to use what I've done to make this card.

This card is for my office's secretory as well. She is having a baby boy (why most of my friends in these years all having BOYs?? only 5 are girls..) . I love those gold liner stickers, I got those at RAG SHOP when they closed down all of the stores (huge discount, and I got tones of stuff, so happy).

Draw 15 tubes of Blood

After suffering hives for more than 2 month, I finally have a chance to see allergist on Nov 1. That morning, I didn't eat anything before visit the doctor (in case I need to do the allergy test). But when the doctor finish the conversation with me, he told me that I have a "Idiopathic Urticaria". And in order to find out the real problem, I need to draw blood for further diagnose. Since I didn't eat anything before I went to see the doctor, I decide to go to the lab directly.

After I arrived the lab, wait for about 40 minutes. Finally is my turn to draw blood. The first thing that lab technician told me is: do you know that we have to draw "a lot" of blood?
I said: what?
She said: your doctor assigned a lot of test, so we need to draw a lot of blood, can you handle it?
I said: un..I don't know, but I didn't eat anything today, and I thought I shouldn't eat anything before I have the test.
She said: I don't know about that, you suppose ask your doctor before coming here. But it is about 15 tubes. Let me see how can I colorize it. (then she start counting).
I said: Yeah, my doctor know that I haven't eat anything, so I guess I will be okay. And there is a bakery next door, I can go there and get something to eat after this.
She said: We only responsible to draw blood, not providing food. Are you sure you can handle it?
I said: I think so, lets do it.

When she put the needle into my skin, I didn't watch. But after I felt she start drawing blood, I start watching. So she asked: You like to watch it, don't you?
I said: Yeah...because it is really interesting to see my blood just pop out tube by tube.
She didn't say anything..
After a while, I kept in chatting mode that told her that I only don't like to see the moment needle put into my skin, but I like to see blood going out...blah blah blah.
Then after she finished the process in less than 3 mins.
I said: That's it? (I was surprised how fast that is...)
She said: Yes, that's it...you have a good vein. Then she gave that Garfield bandage :).

After that, even I haven't eat anything since wake up, I didn't feel dizzy or anything.
2 days later (Saturday morning), my allergist called and told me one of the possible cause of the hives is because I have "Hashimoto's thyroiditis". This is not a bad illness, but I finally realize why I can sleep more than regular people.