Terrorism and Terrorists / 到底谁是恐怖主义者？

最近两名车臣黑寡妇制造了莫斯科地铁大爆炸，造成四十多人死亡。恐怖主义已经成了一个大问题，无论去到哪里我们都觉得不安全，先是飞机，九一一价格借此机会大涨，而且安检也越来越复杂，现在就连地铁也不安全了。人们都将矛头指向恐怖主义者，究竟这些黑寡妇是谁？她们为什么要实施自杀式攻击？
车臣是俄罗斯联邦的一个共和国，地处欧洲东南部，北高加索山脉地区。这个地区盛产黑寡妇，其原因可追溯至1940年代斯大林的残酷统治时期。暴君斯大林为了强化他的统治，强行驱赶车臣人民离开自己的家园去到哈萨克斯坦或西伯利亚，车臣人民对他的暴政进行了英勇的反抗，斯大林以车臣人帮助德国法西斯为名，对车臣进行乐残酷的大屠杀，一时间寡妇处处可见，由于他们信仰伊斯兰教，喜穿黑色，故称‘黑寡妇’。由此可见，真正的恐怖主义者是斯大林，而非受尽苦难的车臣人民。这些黑寡妇，都非常年轻，最近的那个才17岁，花一般的年龄，她们本应该过着快乐美好的生活，无忧无虑，应该穿着时装去学校读书，而不是身绑炸弹去炸人炸己。试想有谁愿意这样做？反正我是不会。而她们小小年纪便已丧父，结婚不久便丧夫，接着还要忍受丧子之痛，她们的生活毫无希望，没有什么比绝望的女人更可怕的。我认为对这些人应实行安抚政策，而不是一味地镇压，就像孙子兵法中所说的‘不战而屈人之兵乃善之善者也’。强硬政策只能制造更多的黑寡妇。同样的道理，建议美国也不要欺人太甚。

Recently two Chechnya black widow suicide bombers struck the Moscow metro, killing 40 people. Now terrorism has become a severe problem. We don’t feel safe wherever we go. Flying is the first of our problems. We have to pay more after 911, when checking became more troublesome. Now even the trains are a problem. So many people point the finger at terrorists. Who are these black widows? Why are they killing innocent civilians?
The Chechen Republic, or, informally, Chechnya, sometimes referred to as Ichkeria, Chechnia, Chechenia or Noxçiyn, is a federal subject of Russia. It is located in the South eastern part of Europe, in the Northern Caucasus mountains, in the North Caucasian Federal District. Why is this region especially famous for black widows? The problem can be traced back to the 1940s during the time of Joseph Stalin’s rule. He deprived them of living in their own region and relocated them to Kazakhstan and Siberia in order to strengthen his dictatorial ruling by accusing them of helping the Nazi Germany. Many people refused to leave their homeland and they were killed. In only a short time, many women became widows. So now we are able to see who are the real terrorists? I think it confirms that the biggest terrorist of all was Joseph Stalin and not the long suffering Chechnyans. They were only being used as the scapegoat. As they are Muslims and like to dress in black especially in mourning, that’s why they were called black widows. They are a very pitiful, tragic people, as when they were young their fathers were killed by the Russian Government forces and then their husbands, usually soon after they got married. And in the end, their sons too were victims of the same fate. What is the meaning of their lives? Absolutely there can be no meaning! At least I don’t see any. Think about pulling the trigger of the bombs attached to your body, appalling right? You dare to do? Definitely not I! You know they are all quite young. The most recent one was only 17 years old. It is a flowery age, 17. Some of them are very beautiful. They should have had a bright future. They should go to schools and laugh a lot at their age instead of carrying bombs and killing other people including themselves. Then why do they do it? It’s simply because they have now lost all hope. So if you have killed their fathers, husbands and sons, then the sole purpose in their lives would only be to seek a bloody revenge. After all, it was the Government who had made the first mistake. I think it’s impossible to kill all of them and it can never be the solution. The more you kill, the more black widows you’ll have and hence more troubles. No government should ever force anybody to that extent. The Russian Government should try to calm the situation and make a sincere apology for what they have done during the Second World War sincerely and comfort them. Likewise the US Government also should not force other countries without due consideration of the consequences. Effective government is like an art form. Like Sun Zi mentioned in his book, “The best way is to win a person over without using force.” You can use your fist as in previous Russian and US administration, of course, but in the end what will we get? Only more black widows and temporary peace. A greater and more catastrophic revenge is brewing.

也谈中美贸易战 / Should Renminbi Appreciate?

美国人最近强迫人民币升值，他们叫嚣中国操纵货币，且蛮不讲理地把它的经济倒退归结为是人民币币值过低的结果。在这里，我不禁想问问美国人认为人民币币值太低的理由是什么呢？单单是因为中美贸易中所存在的大量贸易逆差么?那究竟人民币是否存在币值过低的问题呢?是否真的如果人民币一生值，美国乃至全世界都能从水深火热之中解放出来呢？古人云，以史为镜可以照兴衰，那我们就不妨用历史这面镜子来照一照，让它把我们带回到十多年前的日本，看看当时日元急剧升值是否解决了问题。相信大家都还对日元升值记忆犹新吧。那时美国大耍霸权经济，使用了极其卑鄙的手段出了一分虚假数据，欺骗并威胁经验不足的日本，让他们充当美国经济一蹶不振的替罪羊，而日本由于对美国政治经济的过度依赖不得不低头让步，致使日本经济从此一蹶不振，至今也没能缓过气来。可是当时的日本怎么说来跟今天的中国有着天壤之别，当时的日本已经相当发达，技术相当先进，它拥有汽车制造及电子等王牌工业，即便升值人们也不得不买这些产品；反观现在的中国，仍然是个贫困国家，去年超过8%的增长率不过是以牺牲自己的资源和环境为代价，不得已而为之的结果，中国的出国产品主要是廉价的服装，鞋子和玩具等，毫无技术含量可言，一旦升值，无数企业将倒闭，工人将大量失业，如果说日元的升值使得日本经济徘徊不前，那么人民币的升值势必造成中国经济的巨大倒退。当时日元的升值也给日本人民带来了小小的好处，那就是去到海外的日本人忽然觉得自己一夜之间变成了富翁富婆，无论走到哪里，无论购买什么东西，都不禁惊呼“安い”；那人民币的升值会不会也能暂时满足一下中国人的虚荣心呢？放心，没可能，想都别想，都说过了中国不具备人家非买不可的王牌产品，升值便是断了自己的财路，钱都没了，还谈什么升值？升得再多也不关你什么事了。
美国的另一个如意算盘是因为它欠了中国大量的债，一旦人民币升值20%， 那就意味着它可以轻松地来掉20%的债务。有钱人，难道你们的良心都被狗吃了吗？你们不知道这些都是中国人民的血汗吗？那可是他们用生命换来的呀，别的不说，就看看那些几乎每天都出事的小煤窑吧，你们以为他们不知道那工作的辛苦吗？难道他们不知道哪有多么的危险吗？他们当然都知道，可为什么他们还是前赴后继的要去呢?因为他们要生活呀，他们跟你们一样也是为人子，为人夫，为人父啊！赖掉从这样的人借来的债，你们花的舒服吗？这不是与你们所声称的价值观相违背的吗？
美国亦打算通过人民币的升值来解决自己日益增加的中美贸易逆差，缓解人民对政府无能力摆脱其国内危机的指责，降低国内居高不下的失业率，那么人民币的升值真的能达到这个目的吗？事实上恰恰相反，经济快速增长的中国已经同时也将给以美国为首的发达国家带来无限的商机，过去一年的事实已经证明了这一点；而且中国经济的快速增长势必造就一大批富裕的中产阶级，而这些暴富的且爱炫耀的中国人也必然会走出国门，将大把的银子掷于国外，特别是那些发达国家，因为中国所生产的廉价商品说到底是无法满足他们的虚荣心的。反观如果一旦中国也陷入了发展危机，那从长远来看，以美国为首的发达国家的厄运同样无法避免，怎么说来，中国也是他们最大的贸易伙伴及市场嘛，如果一下子失去了那么多的顾客，美国反倒能反败为胜那才叫怪呢。所以人民币的升值最好的结果也不过就是把中国也拖下水，大家一起过苦日子罢了。如果美国政府真心想解决贸易逆差问题，必须勇敢地剖析自己，从自己身上找原因，而不是指责他人操纵货币，如果说中国人根据自己的国情和世界大环境来决定自己的货币是错的话,那么美国人不过中国人民的利益及美国和全世界的长远利益而硬要人民币升值，尤其不是在操纵他国的货币？这难道就是对的吗？所以说真正解决其贸易逆差应该是美国应不断提高自己的技术含量，制造别人不能制造的东西；降低生产成本，提高生产力。其实暂时的逆境不是坏事，它可以促进美国的进一步成长，变被动为主动，这样美国才能永远屹立于世界霸主地位；如果Obama政府看不到这一点，只会一味地跟发展中国家抢饭碗，劳动力成品却又居高不下，那只会给世人留下一个美国已是江郎才尽，没咒可念的印象，那美国的衰亡已是大势所趋，无可避免，只是一个时间问题了。

Recently the US government has forced the Renminbi to increase in value. They blame the Chinese Government of manipulating its currency. They said it’s because Reminbi is under valued, therefore, causing their recession. I’d like to question the US government policy here. What makes you think the Reminbi is under valued? Simply because of the Sino-US trade deficits? Is the Reminbi really under valued? Once Reminbi appreciates, will it solve the problem of the world recession? As the famous proverb says, ‘History is a mirror, it will guide us the way.’ Let’s look into this mirror and see what happened in the past. More than 10 years ago, the same situation happened in Japan. At that time, the US government forced changes in Japan’s fiscal policy by threatening it as well - by showing them a false statistic report. Due to its lack of experience, Japan was fooled. As that time, Japan’s export economy largely relied on the US market.
They finally decided to bow to US pressure. Since then, Japan’s economic progress has stagnated. But today’s China is totally deferent from Japan. Japan was already quite advanced. It had its key technology industries such as car manufacturing and electronics. Even with this currency appreciation, common people still had to buy their products. But China even now has less undeveloped sectors in its economy. Last year’s GDP the growth of 8% was the result of sacrificing human resources and the environment.
The majority of China’s industries are still labor intensive such as textile, clothing, shoe manufacturing and toys. Once the RMB appreciates, countless numbers of factories will go bankrupt, and millions of workers will lose their jobs. If the appreciation of the Japanese Yen resulted in economic stagnation, the appreciation of Reminbi will also inevitably cause a huge setback. The revaluation of Japanese Yen also brought some small benefit, that is, where ever Japanese went, whatever they brought, they would say,’ 安い’. Would that apply to the Chinese? No, definitely not. Better stop your day dreaming. Why? Just now, I have already mentioned, China’s industry basically is still labor intensive. Once revalued, nobody will buy them. They will lose their livelihood.
The other reason why the US is forcing China to revalue is US borrowed large amount of money from China. If Renminbi increases by 20%, it means US sheds off 20% its debt. But don’t know they know how difficult it is for Chinese people to make this money? They even have to sacrifice their lives. Have you heard of those coal mine explosions? You think Chinese are so stupid that they don’t know it’s so dangerous to work there? Of course they knew. But they had their families relying on them. Even after you heard about these situations, you still feel comfortable to rob money stained with Chinese people’s blood? Isn’t that against your Christian teaching?
The US government also planned to solve their trade deficit problem and high employment rate through the revaluation. Will it be solved? No, on the contrary, it will be worsened. The rapid growth of China will continue to bring lots of opportunities to the US as well as the whole world. Meanwhile the wealthy middle class consumer’s demand for “made in China” products class will also flood the foreign market by either traveling there or buying luxury products. The cheap for sure cannot satisfy their showy appetite. If China stops its growing, in the long run, the US and the rest of the world also will suffer simply because China now is their biggest trading partner. So by Renminbi’s appreciation the maximum US can do is pull China’s leg and in the end everybody goes down together. If US government really wants to solve the deficit problem, it should find the reason on its own rather than blaming others. If it is “wrong” for China to “manipulate” its currency value based on its own conditions, why it is a right move for US to force China to appreciate its currency? This is not considered as manipulating another country’s currency? Here I would like to give some advice to the US government. The US should switch from labor intensive to value-added or even technology-based products which other country cannot make. It should focus on cutting costs and improving productivity. The US government should adopt a new positive thinking. It should take it as the opportunity to improve itself. If the Obama administration fails to see this, and still compete with the developing countries, then US’s failure is destined. It’s just a matter of time.

The bankrupcy of Lehman Brothers/论雷曼兄弟倒闭

听说，美国的第四大投资银行雷曼兄弟倒闭了，听说而已，我没有亲见。一时间城里沸沸扬扬，成了最热门的话题。原因不仅是它是美国的大银行，主要是因为牵扯的人和资金太多，仅新加坡一地，便有近万人受牵连，涉及资金超过5亿元。五亿呀，真能把人吓死，这以前我根本不知道新加坡人原来这么有钱。这些人之所以倒霉是因为购买了各大银行发售的雷曼迷你债卷，以致血本无归。上当的不乏白发苍苍的弱势群体，也有普通上班族，甚至包括众多的新加坡联络所。他们之所以购买是因为那些银行工作人员的“大力推荐”。不只一个“苦主”申诉他们本来是要存定期存款的，但在那些销售人员的“热情”介绍下，改买此债卷，从此上了贼船。既然人家拍着胸脯一再保证毫无风险，再加上这些都是新加坡响当当的大银行, 有谁能想得到那些表面上看起来无限风光的大银行们居然卖给大家一堆废纸？现在，这些银行家们把自己洗得一干二净，翘着二郎腿说道，白纸黑字的合同不是你们自己签的吗？那上面不是写得清清楚楚喽，风险是有的嘛，有什么好怪的？是你们自己的问题嘛，跟我有什么关系呢？然而，跟银行打过交道的人，都知道对他们有利的写得比斗还大，不利的则与细菌有的比美。不要说那些目不识丁的老人家及不揞英文人士，本人也曾被渣打银行骗过，（详见上）他们当时劝我拿他们的贷款，因为那时我第一次申请贷款，很多事不熟悉。其实我们拿的是延迟付款计划，那时根本无须拿贷款，但他们去说你最好现在拿，不然将来有一天你失业了，再申请就没人会给你了。而事实上即使你签了，到头来你没工作的时候如果他们会给你才怪。他们还说现在贷款利息低，你签了比较有保证。听起来你还以为一旦签了就按此利息执行对吗？而事实上是将来一旦利息长了，你的利息也将水涨船高，而将来利息降了，却于你毫无关系。如果你明白了这些还会提前签吗？绝对不！而且，银行的操作毫无透明度可言，我们当时拿贷款的时候，几乎每个月都会收到银行的来信，通知我们利息上调了，有的月甚至上调不止一次。可当你去问他们究竟什么样的顾客会上调，他们就说“It's case by case"。拒绝透露详情，难道我们作为消费者没有知情的权力么？所以说这些签字的人无疑都是被误导的，包括这次雷曼兄弟一案。被骗的人，不必感到羞耻，应该勇敢地站出来，从这次被骗的人群我们可以看出，不仅仅是那些受教育程度低，不揞英文的人士，就连政府机构，甚至其他的银行也被骗了。由此看出如果它是有心要骗你的话，是很难分辨的。我们之所以上当是因为我们相信政府，相信法律，及过于相信了他们的信誉。而并不是因为我们愚蠢。那么银行如此一边倒的“赚”钱，却还巨额亏损，甚至资不抵债，只好倒闭了事究竟是为什么呢？君不见同行的大耳隆们，在警察和政府的双重打压下，拿到的都是银行家们不屑一顾的客户，生意却做的风生水起，有谁听过那个大耳隆倒闭的？而银行家们通常与政府高官有着极为密切的联系，政策都是向着他们有利的方面制定的，真是含在嘴里怕化了，捧在手里怕摔了，亦步亦趋，结果却不甚理想，这又到底是为什么呢？从最近的报纸中不难找到答案，原来这些银行大亨们年薪多过7千万美金，还不算他们的福利。据说他们是以飞机，游艇代步的。这当然不用自掏腰包喽。7千万呐！能养活多少寻常百姓！是他们真的才华出众吗？才怪！近来千疮百孔的众银行们已经给你答案了，经营能力远不如大耳隆嘛。可大耳隆们平易近人的多喽，他们通常是赤膊上阵，从而省去了购买高档名牌的开支，最多加一辆破旧的货车，也免去了马赛地，劳斯莱斯的开销，这便是他们成功的秘诀。据说雷曼“苦主”们除了几次号无诚意的对话外迄今一无所获，你不得不佩服那些银行家的胆识，当他们看到那些无助的人们的申诉，居然可以无动于衷，不要说你我做不到，就连心肠比岩石还硬的大耳隆们亦望尘莫及。现在轰轰烈烈的救市开始了，然而如不加强管理，提高透明度，历史将会重演，会有更多的李曼兄弟，张曼兄弟纷纷倒闭，政府有多少钱也不够，更何况这是我们纳税人的钱，凭什么哪我们的钱大慷其恺？也许政府觉得从他们那里可以得到高额税收，但事实上是他们所缴付的根本不足以用来填补他们的窟窿。
不管怎么说雷曼兄弟还是倒掉了。难道当那些大亨们带着全家坐着私人飞机，豪华游艇，快乐的渡假的时候，没有想到这样下去迟早有一天是要倒闭的吗？雷曼兄弟倒的好！
活该。

I heard the 4th biggest investment bank in the US, Lehman Brothers, is bankrupt. I’ve only heard it. I did not see it with my own eyes. Suddenly it became the hottest topic in town. Not only because it's one of the biggest banks in the US, but also because it involved so many people and huge amount of money. For example, in Singapore alone, there are almost 10,000 people involved and more than $500,000,000 evaporated in no time. $500,000,000! What a shocking amount! I did not know Singaporeans were so rich before. The reason why they are suffering now is because they bought Lehman Brother's Minibonds, sold by various corporate banks located in Singapore, are now worthless. The victims include not only our senior citizens, but also include working professionals like us; including, even some of Singapore’s Town Councils. They bought it under the "strong recommendation" of the bank staff. Many victims complained they originally planned to save their money as fixed deposits. After the bank staff's "warm" recommendation, they changed their idea, and boarded this pirate ship. They had several times guaranteed there wouldn't be any risk. Besides, these were all reputable banks in Singapore. Who would be able to tell that these "reputable" bankers would sell us a pile of scrap paper? Now they have completely washed their hands. They shook their arms saying: "These contracts were in black and white. It stated that they were not risk free and you've already signed it. Nothing strange about it. Why do you now come and bother me?" If you deal with banks before, you will know that they will do anything to their own advantage. They will put what they need to in the fine print. These bankers are very cunning. Even the best educated people can be cheated by them, let alone those old folks and people who do not understand English. I myself also had horrible experiences with Standard Chartered before. At that time, they persuaded me to take a loan from them. That was my first time to take a loan. Lots of things I did not understand. Actually we were under differed payment, which meant we did not need to take a loan at that time. However, they told me it's better to sign now since, you should not wait until you are out of job. No one would prove your loan until that time. In fact, even if you signed, no one will provide any loan to you when you are out of a job. They also said now the interest rate is low, so it's the best time to sign. It sounded as if once you signed, it would follow the rate stated in the contract. In fact, when in the future, if there's any increase in the interest rate, yours will be increased, but any decrease has nothing to do with you. If you understand these, would you sign? Definitely not, right? Besides, there is no openness or transparency to their operations. When we were under Standard Chartered, almost every month we received the letters from them, informing us that the interest rate had been adjusted. Sometimes we received such letters more than once a month. When we asked was it all the customers' interest rate had been adjusted? Their answer was no. Then we asked them what the criteria was to select the customers whose interest rate had been adjusted? They simply answered:" It's case by case," and refused to reveal any details. As a consumer, we don't even have the right to know about what we paid for? Strange, right? That's why I said those people who signed the contracts were misled. It is the same as the Lehman case. Those who were cheated don't have to feel shame. Instead, they should bravely cry out against this injustice. From those who have been swindled, we can see, they not only old folks and people who are poorly educated, but they also include Government agencies and even banks. Are you trying to tell they are also stupid? No. We were bluffed not because we are not smart. It simply because we trusted too much in our institutions of Government, our laws and the "reputation of these banks". From this experience, we learned one lesson: if a prestigious bank planned to cheat you, it's hard to distinguish the criminals from the non-criminals. Why is it then, when banks resort to such corrupt and ruthless practices, that they still end up with huge losses and bankruptcy? Meanwhile look at those loan sharks. They are under the severe pressure from both the Government and the police, they got the clients whom the bankers do not even want to sett their eyes on, but they are able to make a huge profit. Have you heard of any loan shark becoming bankrupt? On the contrary, those bankers have very close relationships with the high ranking government officials. They always ensure that all policies formulated towards them are to their advantages. They were always been handled with care, as if handling a new born baby. Why is there still such a horrible result? One can easily find out the answer from recent news. Those bankers made 70 million per year! 70 million -- excluding their other benefits. It is said they travel by their private jets and yachts. Of course it is not necessary for them to pay these costs from their own pockets. 70 million -- enough to feed so many people. Is it because they are so capable that they must be paid such a high salary? Nah. We've already seen their abilities from the horrible result of the recent crisis. They are far less capable when compared to the loan sharks who more down to earth. Normally they are dressed in just a sleazy undershirt to save them the cost of buying branded suits and ties. At best they just drive old vans, so that it will save them the cost of buying Mercedes- Benz and Rolls Royce, let alone private jets or yachts. This is the secret of their success. It is known that besides some useless dialogues, the Lehman victims did not get anything. I guess we all have our reasons to admire those bankers. After listening to the complaints of the victims, they still remain calm and they still refuse to provide any solutions to help them. Not only are we incapable of that, even loan sharks whose hearts are as hard as rocks are not comparable to them. Now we hear of the fame of government formulated packages to save these banks. If the governments won't tighten the rules and regulations, increase the transparency of their operations, and add watchdogs; no matter how much money they give to these banks, history will repeat itself. There will be more banks, like Rayman brothers, Cayman Brothers becoming bankrupt. On what justification can they use our money to be so generous? Perhaps governments think they could get significant tax revenues from them, but as a matter of fact, this money would not be enough to fill the deep financial pits they create. Nevertheless Lehman Brothers is bankrupt. When these tycoons happily went for their holidays with their families by their private jets and luxury yachts, they have never thought if they don't do a proper job, sooner or later their bank will be bankrupt. It is a wonderful thing that Lehman Brothers bankrupted.

It deserves it.