Scarier than Ghosts

WSB news reported about the three sex offenders who sued a Georgia sheriff after he put signs in the men's yard last year warning trick-or-treaters not to visit their houses.

In U.S., we can easily search for sex offenders in our area. I do check it from time to time but it never comes to my mind on Halloween day. I just searched today and there are 7 of them within 2 miles radius from my house. The closest one lives just 2 miles (about 3 kms) from my house. You can see their addresses, age, race, height, weight, offenses description and the date convicted and such, even their pictures.

10 States with "No Candy" Laws for Sex Offenders (from infotracer.com)

Among those are Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, and Texas. Georgia is not one of them.

-----If you are a sex offender on Halloween, you might as well go to bed early and turn off all the lights. The law prohibits you from wearing a costume or mask on Halloween. You also cannot drive after dark, pass out candy, and in some states, you will have to post a sign in your front yard saying “no candy given out at this residence".-----


Even Georgia is not one of them,  the advice I heard today was also turning off the lights as a sign for no visit.


References
https://wtkr.com/2019/10/30/judge-rules-georgia-sheriff-cant-put-signs-on-sex-offenders-homes-warning-trick-or-treaters/

https://infotracer.com/intelicenter/states-halloween-no-candy-laws/

Belgian Malinois

The past Sunday, Oct 27, 2019, President Trump annouced the death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the Leader of ISIS. This morning on the way to my work, NPR ran a news about a military dog leading to the raid of al-Baghdadi. This caught my attention. I have never thought about such a duty for any dog to perform besides just sniffing for drugs or bombs at the airport.   

By the way, while writing this article, lots of things are going on in my mind as well. Osama bin Laden, al-Qaeda Leader was killed in 2011. Yet here came another extremist group called ISIS with another leader and again he was killed, yes, right now in 2019. So, killing sure is not the ultimate solution for peace but among the conflicts and the fight for resources in our world with 7.7 billion people, will the pattern of emerging new power and being killed be eventually stopped if it has never happened once through the centuries? I have to stop right here as it was not my first intention to write about it. I just could not help. Well, let's come back to the dog story.

Based on cbsnews.com, the dog, a Belgian Malinois, was sent into a tunnel to subdue al-Baghdadi during the early-morning raid on a compound in Syria. Al-Baghdadi detonated a suicide vest, killing himself and three children and wounding the dog. (Oh, no, killing three children too? sorry sorry getting so emotional again.)

The dog's name was classified but the picture was declassified. So, we only get to see how the dog looks like. Ta Da!

"We're not releasing the name of the dog right now. The dog is still in theater. The dog, the canine, the military working dog, performed a tremendous service, as they all do in a variety of situations. Slightly wounded and fully recovering. But the dog is still in theater, returned to duty with its handlers," Milley said. "We're protecting the dog's identity."

Military Working Dog Breeds (from thebalancecareers.com)

The vast majority of U.S. military working dogs are German and Dutch shepherds, and Belgian Malinois breeds Rolfe said are "very aggressive, very smart, very loyal and very athletic."

Dogs have long been recognized as "force multipliers" by military fighting forces around the world, Rolfe said. The Romans put razor-sharp collars around their dogs, then sent them into the enemy's ranks to bite and cut their foes.

History of US Department of Defense (DOD) Military Working Dogs

The U.S. military has used working dogs since the Revolutionary War, initially as pack animals, and later, for more advanced uses, such as killing rats in the trenches during World War I, he said.

But World War II witnessed the biggest surge in the use of working dogs to support military operations. The U.S. military deployed more than 10,000 specially trained canines, most as sentries, but others as scouts, messengers and mine detectors, Rolfe explained.

Today, "a couple hundred" working dogs are serving with U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan as patrol dogs and explosives and drug detectors, Rolfe said, adding that contractors use additional dogs in the theater. Nearly 2,000 more working dogs provide similar services at U.S. bases and operating posts around the world.

Meanwhile, the military is increasing its reliance on working dogs. Before Sept. 11, 2001, Rolfe said Air Force security forces trained about 200 working dogs a year for the Defense Department. That number is up to more than 500, with the vast majority of dogs being trained as sentries and bomb-sniffers.

And you know, miliraty dogs experience severe emotional truma or PTSD during their deployment just like humans too. NPR news source said the military also provides facility to help these dogs and when the dogs retire, instead of being put down as in the past before the year 2000, these days, they will be arranged for adoption.

Special Thanks to the sites below:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/belgian-malinois-photo-of-hero-dog-wounded-in-isis-leader-raid-tweeted-by-trump-today/

https://www.thebalancecareers.com/military-working-dogs-3354121

https://barkpost.com/life/10-things-about-military-dogs

1984

I just finished reading 1984 today. I am wondering what if I had been born and had grown up in US, how I would have felt after reading the book.  Then, I thought what if I had been born in totalitarian country. Then, I thought no no no if I had been born in a country like that, there would have been no way for me to commit "THOUGHTCRIME" because we probably would not have had capability to differentiate between orthodox and unorthodox thoughts. 

But well, I was born in Thailand and I had grown up there.  Forget about that for a while, let's talk about the book. I found the concept is so real, true and immortal. Even some parts of the book sound too extreme yet who knows if those scenes really had happened, happened, happen, is happening or will happen in any part of the world. The author, to me, is so genius. He tied totalitarian concept by playing with new invented vocabularies used throughout the book. Let's talk about some of the vocabularies that are still running through my brain. I am about to translate them based on my understanding and from the book. When you get to read the book, or for those who have already read the book, share with me your thought.

WAR IS PEACE
Totalitarian leaders invent fake wars as a mean to control their own people. They use the fake wars as a mean to control their own labors, crops and materials, in other word, resources used within their own countres. So, WAR IS PEACE for the leaders.

FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
Totalitarian leaders control all aspects of their people's lives, especially their people's thoughts. When they say 2+2=5, you have to believe that. You have no way to escape as they have put up telescreens (cameras) everywhere that can capture your words, your movements, and even your thoughts. So, FREEDOM IS SLAVERY for the leaders.

IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH
Totalitarian leaders maintain people classification; the High, the Middle, and the Low. They ignore the meaning of equality and oppress the masses from revolution. They invent tools like CRIMESTOP, BLACKWHITE, and DOUBLETHINK to manipulate people's brains so that any demand from their people can be subdued and they can remain in control. When they alter the history and write up a new history book, you have to believe that the "new" history is real. So, IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH for the leaders.

THOUGTCRIME
When you start to think against the Party (totalitarian leaders) even you think you have not committed any crime, you have already committed THOUGHTCRIME.

VAPORIZE
Well, even this is not a new word, but in the book, it means when you get caught by the THOUGHT POLICE because you commit THOUGTCRIME, then, you will disappear without any trait of your ever existence. 

CRIMESTOP
CRIMESTOP means the faculty of stopping short, as though by instinct, at the threshold of any dangerous thought.

BLACKWHITE
This word has two mutually contradictory meanings. Applied to an opponent, it means the habit of impudently claiming that black is white, in contradiction of the plain facts. Applied to a Party member, it means a loyal willingness to say that black is white when Party discipline demands this. 

DOUBLETHINK 
DOUBLETHINK means the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one’s mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them. It is a vast system of mental cheating.

Now, let's come back to where I told you I was born and raised in Thailand.
Below are some articles about Thailand written in either Thai or English.  It is beyond my capability to judge whether the articles are true or false or good or bad. Just play a matching game here. Once you read those articles, can you match each of them with vocabularies above?  Or do they not match to any of the vocabularies above at all because Thailand has never fallen under totalitarian leadership?  I have to leave it up to your judgement then.

1. https://asiancorrespondent.com/2014/09/all-thai-students-required-to-recite-daily-prayuths-12-core-values/
2. https://www.bbc.com/thai/thailand-49590530?ocid=socialflow_facebook&fbclid=IwAR2713MoChBNJRm7d-Uf15QH1mlwZsRAPDlbcNWdn-9RYZUD8ZONH-qCw0E
3. https://www.sanook.com/news/7821022/
4. My article you are reading.


Reference
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nineteen_Eighty-Four

A Tale of Food and Tableware Exhibition: What is this all about?

My kitty posted a picture today.

"Come see my fashionable table arrangement at 'A Tale of Food and Tableware' exhibition"

This was fun!

What is this all about?

Food for Thought: 3 Eggs and 3 Lessons from Xi Jinping

https://accountancyfuture.wordpress.com/2018/04/04/3-eggs-and-3-lessons-from-xi-jinping/

Credit: James Lee for his website.  Re-posted what James Lee created on his website.

China’s President Xi Jinping has created his own political ideology, as the leader of the Communist Party.   “Xi Jinping Thought” were mentioned several times at the Communist Party Congress.

I read a recent message about the lessons he learned from his father while he was young  and the influence on him.  The lessons about truth, experience and generosity was very well encapsulated in this short story.

“As a child, I was a selfish child.
I always think of myself first with good things, never consider the feelings of others.
As a result, the companions left me one by one. I am very upset over it, and laid the blame to others.

One night, my father cooked two bowls of noodles. There was a white egg on one bowl and none on the other.
My father asked me, which bowl you prefer?
During then, eggs were very precious food. It was only on a festive or occasion like birthday that we had the privilege having egg in a meal.
I would not miss such opportunity and with no hesitation, I chose the bowl with eggs.
My choice was wrong. I was surprised that my father’s bowl actually contained two eggs underneath the noddle.
I regretted it and hated myself for being too impatient.
Noticed my reaction, my father smiled and said to me:
“Son, you must remember, what is visible to the eye might not be true, one who want to take advantage of others will eventually suffer a big loss.”

The next night, my father cooked two bowls of noodles again.
There was still a white egg on one bowl and none on the other.
My father asked me to choose. I learned from the previous experience and chose the bowl with no eggs on the surface.
The father watched me silently and did not utter a word.
I quickly picked up the chopsticks, stirred the noodles to find the eggs underneath it.
I was disappointed that there was no egg except the soup and noodle in the bowl.
At this time, my father said to me thoughtfully:
“Son, you must remember, do not trust too much in previous experience, as life sometimes deceives you. 
However, you don’t have to worry or sad over it. Life experience is something you cannot learn from textbook.”

On the third night, my father cooked two bowls of noodles.
It looked exactly the same as the previous nights.
My father asked me to choose and I did not act rashly.
Instead, I said to my father:
“Dad, you have sacrificed so much for me and this family and you get to choose out of my respect to you!”
The father did not decline and chose the bowl with an egg on it.
I guess there was definitely no egg in the other bowl. To my surprise, I had two white eggs underneath the noodle in the bowl.
My father looked up and his eyes was full of kindness. He said to me lightly:
“Son, you must remember, when you think about others, good luck will bestow upon you.”
I was stunned.

Since then, I have taken these three lessons as my principles of life. Regardless of whether it is for people or things, the first thing that comes to mind is always the interests of others. As my father rightfully said it, luck bestow upon me one after another. My career testifies to the principles of life I learned from my father.”

Drawing

(mom's drawing redrawn in Paint 3D)

review of paint 3d:

6.5/10

-no layers

-no rotate

-brushes are meh but there could be more

-maybe im just not used to it but i dont like the format either

Letter to Kitty on Mar 15, 2019

Hello Kitty, 

How are you doing?  It's me! 
You know what. I could think about something to share with you after talking to you the other day.

I read a BBC article about a 16-year-old teen living with her alcoholic mom since she was little.  Normally people would imagine how kid living with alcoholic mom would turn out right? But amazingly, she turned out just fine and became a very understanding young lady who in turn supporting her mom and her younger sister. Her mom eventually sought help and determined to be out from liquor. They became good friends to each other. 

Another article I read was about a 25-year-old man who was shocked, scared, lost and crying when he learned he developed Multiple Sclerosis (MS). This is what he wrote:
"I was alone when I got my final diagnosis from the doctor. By then, I'd done some research and was being very logical about it all - almost cutting off my emotions and thinking, "Right, let’s focus"."

Eventually, he learned how to live with it. He later found his partner and now has a beautiful little girl.

The teen girl and the man really did a great job on pushing emotions away and be rational. 

Can you imagine what their lives might turn out if they let their emotions to lead their lives?

If you are still feeling uncomfortable about your school trip, maybe try to cut off your emotions and instead listing what you need to prepare for the trip?  Review the places you will visit and see what you need to prepare.  Talk to your friends how they prepare their stuff. This might help you feel less anxious but ready for the fun stuff.

Miss you and can't wait for our next Kitty call time,

Love,

Meow Meow