Where are we ?

One more suicidal case of Chinese immigrant was reported from Canada. Double PhDs. The 42 years old man came from Hu Bei, Tian Men county, not far away from my home town.

I feel pity for him. Somehow this group, which consists of high intelligence, high degrees, is very vulnerable to life drawbacks. We want perfection, a higher status than our peers and some of us compete every day, from big to small issues.

Aren't we sufferring enough as immigtants ? Enjoy yourselves while we can. And, keep connections, it is one of the essential elements of life fulfillment.

Ways to go

When and where death will arrive can rarely be predicted, but the statistics reveal what holds the greatest chance of ending a life. Below figures come from the most recent national geography magizine which shows what the lifetime probabilities are of a US resident dying in a relatively common event, such as a pedestrian accident, or a less common but larger scale catastrophe, such as an earthquake. No matter what the cause, one thing is certain: No one gets out of here alive.

Heart Disease: 1 in5
Cancer: 1 in 7
Stroke: 1 in 24
Automobile Accidents: 1 in 84
Suicide: 1 in 119
Falling: 1 in 218
Firearm Assault: 1 in 314
Oedestrain Accident: 1 in 626
Drowning: 1 in 1,008
Motorcycle accident: 1in 1,020
Fire or Smoke: 1 in 1,113
Bicycling accident: 1 in 4,919
Air/Space accident: 1 in 5,051
Accidental firearm discharge: 1 in 5,134
Accidental electrocution: 1 in 9,968
Alcohol Poisoning: 1 in 10,048
Hot Weather: 1 in 13,729
Hoenet, wasp, or bee sting: 1 in 56,789
Legal execution: 1 in 62,468
Lightning: 1 in 79,746
Earthquake: 1 in 117,127
Flood: 1 in 144,156
Fireworks discharge: 1 in 340,733


....
Total odds of dying, any cause: 1 in 1 (100%)

Among all of these , no cause of something such as SARS, bird flu, anthrax or other popular ones in the news are listed. We are worrying about something we shouldn't worry that much. Instead, we need to put more resource in the disease cure including stem cell research and cloning, natural disaster control and even weather prediction.

Human being had too much war already.

California Heat Wave

Last Weekend. 112 degrees in walnut creek. Record high. Feels like being barbecued outside. Fortunately we didn't get any blackouts in the area.

Coastline is the only place which still remains around 70 degrees. Many people are pushed out to the beaches, very crowded. I believe there are more illegal immigrants than estimated 8 million in California these days.

There is this one beach which looks nice and beautiful, not so many people out there. But later on I figured we have to climb up and down with some robe to access the water. With babies, our mobility is pretty much limited. We had to give up. I encountered a red stripped snake when coming back to the car. No bite, however.

Global warming? Very likely. Our mother earth is enduring too much CO2. Save power and get more plants.

Oregon and Washington

Some interesting laws about these two states:

Oregon:

(1) No sales tax.
California is 8.25%. Feels like being robbed when coming back to shop in CA.

(2) By law, you have no rights to pump the gas on your own although you are perfectly able to do that. Some gas boy/girl will come, get your credit card, punch those buttons, then put the handle in your car and you just sit still in the driver's seat. Feels nothing but silly.
Once in a gas station, I got a very old lady to do that, could you image how I felt ? But this is the law.

Washington:

(1) "Delay of five vehicles is illegal, must turn out."

I really appreciate this law. Were you ever in a situation that there is only one lane but the car before you just hesitates in every move ? Now in Washington, they will be punlished by law, not by your horn ( Never used it though).

Talking about driving speed --- when you are on the road, would you think those drove slower than you are stupid but those faster ones are maniac ?
My speed is the best, always :-)

独 立 日 记 游

本 来 想 写 篇 散 文 描 述 ， 后 来 发 现 老 公 写 了 一 首 诗 , 比 我 准 备 写 的 好 得 多 。
放 在 这 里， 借 花 献 佛 吧 。

诸神漫卧妍云高
飓风岭上雪融销
心思海天弥一处
目转渔樵缀半岛
新苔旧饰泉引途
碧渊银瀑雨带桥
空林焰火华州黯
松下过客夜披袍

这 写 的 是 "Hurricane Ridge" 和 "Hoh Rain Rorest" 二 景 .