妮…怎麼說

帥喔…球后揮桿果然非同凡響

走到雙腳都快斷掉了…況且只是走了半場而已，難以像想要趕完18洞的滋味會是怎樣的。

話說當今世界高球球后曾雅妮來到洛杉磯打LPGA的Kia Classic巡迴賽，華文媒體傾巢而出去採訪。雖然沒有做日報寫球賽的需要，但是因為要寫人物的關係，所以我也一樣跟著大隊去湊熱鬧了。

瞄準目標

一直以來對高爾夫球沒有太大的興趣，除了知道要打18個洞之外，根本不知道球賽的規則。經過這次的採訪才知道，原來選手們都要打足四天才能分出勝負。一場比賽的標準桿為73（也有72桿），打得比它 越低，就表示成績越好。像是曾雅妮四天的成績，分別是71-73-72-67，前面三天的表現不算太好，最後一天則相對亮麗。然而因為前面落後蠻遠，當天只能爭取到較好的排名，勝出的機會很小。結果也算不負重望，拿下了第5名。

位在650英畝土地上的18洞高爾夫球場有多大，很難想像吧？最要命的不只是洞與洞之間的距離，而是翻山越嶺的地勢。所幸我們是從第13洞開始跟著曾雅妮，如果是跑全場的話，可能現在雙腳已經癱瘓了。以每一洞從揮捍到果嶺的距離長短不一，從200多米（3桿）到400多米（5桿）不等。看清楚了沒有，400多米就差不多是半公里了！走得慢一點不但拍不到照片，恐怕就要落單。曾經一度想說，不如跳著跟好了，不必這麼辛苦呀，不然從這一洞走到下一洞，再跟到下一洞，真是趕死趕命的。也因為這樣，有些行動不便的球迷，就只能待在某一洞等，看著球員一個個到來這一洞打球。

大家爭先恐後要球后的簽名

賽前曾雅妮和其他的華裔球員都呼籲華裔民眾去觀賽為她們打氣，讓她們有在「主場」作戰的的感覺。事實上也真的蠻多華人去觀賞，加上此次比賽仍韓國車Kia贊助、有多位韓裔球員出征，所以韓裔球迷人數更多。我就在洗手間裡聽到兩個白人說「在這裡，我們才是少數族裔呢」。

球迷多為球員打氣固然重要，但是觀賞高球賽還是有些事情要注意的。像是球賽準備揮桿時，工作人員就會舉起雙手，這時周圍的人就不可以走動、不要講話，以免影響球員的專注。此外，場內也不准拍照、手機必須關掉或調至靜音。然而卻有很多和我一樣第一次去看球賽的民眾，完全不知道這些規舉。有的電話鈴聲響起，頓時遭到群眾聲討，還有人低聲罵出「idiot」。

給曾雅妮打氣的龐大球迷隊伍

另外，也有緊貼球員拍照的記者，因為相機對焦時發出的BB聲，被球員投訴。過後還有見路不平的球迷說「你這樣一直拍會影響到雅妮的…」。也不知道是否受到大批華文媒體追隨產生壓力，曾雅妮還真的是在第13、14及15洞打得不怎麼樣，後來大家決定不要再去「干擾」她，就直接到第17和18洞才繼續拍攝。

賽後曾雅妮接受媒體採訪時，還是保持一貫的親切作風，有問必答，配合度滿分。最好笑的是，她說有時聽到場邊球迷為她嘆息，當時反而想去安慰他們，「沒關係啦，不要嘆氣」。為了答謝前往給她加油打氣的球迷，也花了整半個小時為大家簽名和合照。

由於接下來就要移師南加內陸的Rancho Mirage參加美國四大賽事之一的Kraft Nabisco大賽，希望曾雅妮在這塊「旺地」衛冕成功，保住世界球后的榮銜！

Congratulation Belinda

Belinda Cheng and her 

Congressional Award bronze medal

Belinda Cheng, a senior at Mark Keppel High School, received her Congressional Award bronze medal from Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-Calif) and shared the joy with her beloved mother.

The charming youth believed her three-year voluntarily work at Simply Savant, a non-profit organization that promote academic excellence by helping underprivileged children acquire the ability and the means to appreciate learning, has lead to her honored. She's also a school team tennis player. "You don't know your limit until you try, you can achieve your dream and make it a reality," said Cheng.

Cheng planned an east coast adventure trip with her cousin and visited Boston, New York, Philadelphia and New Jersey last summer. "I like New York City a lot, it is such an energetic metropolitan," she added. Although she has not decided to attend which college, Cheng said she would like to major in business and finance.

The Congressional Award is a public private partnership created by Congress to promote and recognize achievement, initiative and service in America's youth, ages 14 to 23.To earn a Congressional Award, participants set and achieve individual goals in four program areas: voluntary public service, physical fitness, personal development, and expedition/exploration. Each year, roughly 1000 bronze medals, 400 silver medals and 250 gold medals are awarded. Participants in California have contributed over 325,000 hours of service in communities across the state.

鄭雅雲從趙美心手中接過獎章。

相信自己、肯定自己的馬凱波高中應屆畢業生鄭雅雲25日從國會議員趙美心手中，接過今年的國會獎章銅牌，並開心地與母親鄭蓓蘭分享這份喜悅。

18歲的鄭雅雲透露，三年前開始在非營利組織Simply Savant服務，利用課餘時間和假日，主辦夏令營、義務老師、洗車、資源回收等，透過這些活動協助弱勢群體學生。此外，她也是學校網球隊隊員。

回故自己的「探險之旅」，鄭雅雲說去年自己一手策劃了一趟美東之旅，和表姐一起從波士頓開車出發，沿途走訪了紐約、新澤西、費城等，從租車、找旅館、編路程等都一手包辦，非常有成就感。她在各方面的優秀表現，使她成為今年國會獎早的得主之一。尚未決定進入那一所大學的鄭雅雲已確定自己要往商科、金融領域發展。

趙美心透露，這項從1979年開始頒發給14-23歲品學兼優青少年的獎章，每年約有1000名銅牌、400名銀牌及250名金牌。得獎的學生都在社區服務、體能訓練、個人發展及探險旅程等四個評分領域有卓越的表現。

單親媽媽鄭蓓蘭表示，每天都要忙著接送女兒上學和參加課後活動，忙得午餐都要在車裡吃，但是看到女兒有優秀的表現，自己再忙碌也是值得的。她說，從小就訓練女兒要自己作主，或許小孩的決定不是對的，但是卻可以從中培養他們的責任感，為自己的決定負責。

A $191 "Give"

photo by Maruthu

What can you do with $191? Get yourself an iPhone? Spend it at A&F store? Bring your date out for a nice dinner? Or maybe pay for a ticket issues by the LAPD? Yes, if you jay-walked and get caught, your fund for the iPhone, shirt or date could end up in the city account.

According to LA Times article, LAPD started the new enforcement after Thanksgiving, and if you are in downtown LA and not obeying the traffic laws, you can be the next person going home with the $191 jay-walking ticket. Police said it was about accident and crime prevention. Last year 3 people were hit by car during the year-end holiday season, 2 of them were blamed on the pedestrians. Besides that, thieves/robbers tend to run across the street to target their victims, according to LAPD.

Punishing jay-walkers is important, they're not only risking their own life, but also other commuters, but at a price-tag of $191? I think that's ridiculous! LAPD should increase enforcement in reducing crimes.

Plastic bags ban approved!

photo by Bag Monster

It's official, LA County will ban plastic bags use for grocery stores and other retail outs beginning July 1st 2011. The ban will apply only in the unincorporated areas of LA County.

The LA Board of Supervisors voted 3-1 to approve the ordinance. Supervisor Mike Antonovich voted no, while Supervisor Don Knabe absent.

Stores will still be allowed to offer customers recyclable paper bags, but they're not free - 10cent per bag. For those who are receiving food stamps would be entitled to a free reusable or paper bag.

I totally support this ordinance, I've been using reusable bags for months now (except a few times when I forgot to bring my own bags). It was reported that the state spends $25 million a year to collect and dispose of plastic bags. In California alone, about 19 billion plastic bags are used every year and generating 150,000 tons of waste!

Some opponents said the ban will result in lost of job (from plastic companies) and in the future we will not have free plastic bags for our dustbins or trashcans around the house. Well, I guess we just have to create other jobs and find alternative trash bags.

full story

選舉日

photo by Natalie Chu

美國期中選舉，相信這是我來美國11年最沒有參與感的一次。本來非公民就不具投票權，所以不管選情有多勁爆，只能旁觀，無法搔癢。

以前的選舉之夜最忙碌，因為投票站在晚上8點才關閉，第一輪的成績最快也要在8點半以後才出來，所以大家都白天不必上班，只有晚上傾巢而出，分別到不同的選舉派對去駐守採訪，一直忙到晚上1、2點才下班，也試過選情緊繃，拖到3點的。最糟的是沒有結果，拖到隔日繼續跟進。

其實兩年前的總統選舉日，我就沒有採訪選舉新聞了，那時在汽車內聽電台的報道，8點半不到選舉結果就出爐，奧巴馬寫下歷史。今天即沒有投票權，又沒參與採訪，更沒有什麼勁，所以選舉日就顯得很冷（不過天氣很熱，今天好像有整80多度）。

加州選八大高官（包括州長、副州長、檢察長之類的），還有聯邦參議員，算是比較讓人關注的。共和黨的州長候選人惠特曼是前eBay執行長，參議員候選人菲奧麗娜則是前惠普執行長，兩個女強人出來搶灘，即使在一片「反民主黨」浪潮下，依然因為缺乏公職經驗，未能獲得大部份選民支持。惠特曼豪花1.42億美元參選，更是寫下美國記錄。如果這筆錢不是用來「買」公職，而是投入振興經濟，應該會有更多人直接受益。

布朗曾經在我未出世時，就當過州長，如今72高齡還出來選，真是服了他。難道民主黨真的沒有其他更好的人選了嗎？我沒有老人歧視的意思，只是，給其他人機會吧。或許這個爛攤子沒人想撿，畢竟加州真的是快要垮了。

一眾提案中，19號大麻合法化提案最受爭議，不過，一如所料，過不了關啦。

有趣的是，在洛杉磯時報讀到超好笑的選舉周邊新聞：原本擔任MacArthur Park社區中心投票站的監督人員，竟然在前一天被捕入獄！哈哈，搞到人家一早去投票，就碰釘子了，要勞煩選務處人員作出另行安排。

比較傷感的是加州第28選區州參議員歐佩羅莎在兩周前病逝，但是她的名字仍然留在選票上，並且還得到大多數的選票。她在天之靈也感到欣慰吧。

宏觀全美的選舉成績，眾議院面臨「政黨輪替」，輪到共和黨話事，參議院則勉強繼續由民主黨掌權。很多之前通的法案，包括健保改革法會否被推翻，我想這是很多關心的貼身問題。

Tubeless toilet paper

web image

Most of us use toilet paper everyday. Ever wonder where did the cardboard tube in the middle go when you finished a roll of toilet paper? It is estimates that the U.S. alone disposes of 17 billion cardboard tubes from bathroom tissue, equating to 160 million pounds of waste. That’s roughly the weight of 250 Boeing 747s and enough tubes to circle the earth’s equator 40 times!

The good news is starting tomorrow, you can buy tubeless toilet paper from the stores! Scott Natural Tube-Free toilet paper will be sold in roughly 200 Walmarts and Sam's Club in the Northeast. The design is more environmental friendly. full story

Bedbug every where!

photo by David Bazan

We're not in a third world country, but when bedbugs hit the big apple,  they made the headlines. Other than hotels, there are several public places that you should look out for bedbugs:

1. public libraries
2. retail stores
3. movie theaters
4. planes, trains and buses
5. day cares, schools and colleges
6. places of worship
7. business offices
8. laundry facilities
9. hospitals and nursing homes
10. consignment, thrift shops and yard sales more details

Best and Worst Airlines in the US

my favorite Virgin America cabin

Based on Airline Quality Rating (AQR) report, here are the best to worst airline in the US:

1. Hawaiian Airlines 
2. Air Tran
3. JetBlue
4. Southwest Airlines
5. Continental Airlines
6. Frontier Airlines
7. US Airways
8. American Airlines
9. Alaska Airlines
10. United Airlines
11. Delta Airlines

Of the 11 airlines listed above, I've flew with Air Tran, JetBlue, Southwest, Continental, US Airways, American and United. Based on my personal experience, I have to agree with this report. In fact, I like Virgin America too, but they're not on the list, wonder why. 

We want free wi-fi

Megabus offers free wi-fi aboard

Don't we all love free stuffs? And why wi-fi isn't free for all like air or water? Well, you've to pay your water bill, but you know what I meant, just like water you get at the restaurant, it should be free, at no extra cost!

Any way, I was attending a two-day workshop at the Pasadena convention center, there's wi-fi signal, but it's not free. Since I refused to pay, I had to wait till lunch time to look for hotspot around the area. Across the street is Paseo Colorado mall and there's a Gelson's supermarket, which happens to offer free wi-fi. Hurray!

Interestingly, when I traveled from Indianapolis to Chicago on Megabus, they offered free wi-fi in the bus! That was my first 'on-board' free wi-fi experience.

In fact, I'm just like many travelers today, who are looking for free wi-fi whenever they get to a new place. Either it's offers by the coffee shop or hotels, as long as it's free, we're happy!

This story I read on MSNBC today talks about how travelers want free wi-fi on the road, check it out.

人性差異

photo by John Ryan

朋友寄來的一篇文章，雖然不完全正確，卻值得引人省思。

在美國有位理髮師。
有一天一個賣花的白人去找他理髮。
理完髮，他去付理髮費。
理髮師說：「今天不收費，我在做社區服務。」
賣花人愉快的離開了。
第二天早晨理髮師發現一張「感謝你」的賀卡，
和十二朵玫瑰花放在他的商店的門前。

一個黑人美國警員去理髮並且得到了同樣「社區服務」。
之後，警員愉快的離開了。
第二天早晨理髮師發現一張「感謝你」的賀卡，
和一打炸甜圈餅放在他的商店門前。

一位中國人軟體工程師去理髮，並且他也得到了同樣「社區服務」對待。
第二天早晨，當理髮師去打開他的商店時，猜他發現了什麼？

那裡有十二個中國人等著免費理髮。

Prevent suicides, stop bullying

It was really heart breaking when I read the news of teen suicides and bullying + harassment of homosexual teens lately. While we cannot bring back those who were gone, we can certainly take actions to stop the unacceptable acts and prevent more people from being victimized!

What can parents do? Here are advice from experts:

• Consider the language, jokes and comments your child may be hearing at home or from others.
• If you think your child might be gay, it's not necessarily wise to confront him or her, you can create an environment where it's acceptable so that kids don't feel the need to lie.
• It's not enough to raise kids who aren't bullies. Kids must be taught to speak up if they're being victimized or if they know someone else is being victimized.
• Be aware that depression is the most common warning sign of suicidal behavior in adolescents, and that "bullying in the context of depression seems to place youth most at risk." full story

Fat body, fat wallet

photo by chancedite

Apparently for men, the bigger your belly, the more money you make. That's the result shown from a research done by University of Florida. However, for women, the skinnier you are, the bigger paycheck you get (maybe not the case for Oprah).

According to the study, women who weighed 25 pounds less than the group norm earned about $16,000 more per year. A woman 25 pounds above the group norm earned about $14,000 less. Thinner men, on the other hand, made almost $9,000 less than their average male co-worker. full story

賺大錢：男要胖，女要瘦

根據佛州大學的一項研究顯示，男人越胖賺的錢越多，但是女人卻相反，收入越高的女人身材越瘦。報告指出，比一般女性瘦25磅者，每年多賺1萬6000美元；比一般女性重25磅者，則每年少賺1萬4000美元。至於瘦的男人，會比同僚少賺9000美元。

Save or spend?

Are you spending your money? Or saving them? If you save your money, how? Report said more Americans tend to stay liquid with thier cash. I'm not surprised because CDs offer low interest rate while checking or saving accounts have no penalties for early withdrawal.

Study found CD deposits declined by $200 billion in the first 6 months of the year; on the other hand deposits in checking, savings and money market accounts rose by $171 billion.

The Federal Reserve's latest data showed consumer spending at retail stores in key cities such as New York, Atlanta and Dallas either slowed or declined in July and August. Nationwide, credit card use dropped for a 23rd consecutive month in July, and overall borrowing dropped at an annual rate of $3.6 billion, the 17th drop in the past 18 months. full story

Apparently, money can buy happiness

photo by Steve Wampler

We have been told money cannot buy happiness. Apparently a new study denied that. It said the more people earn, they happier they are, at least up to $75,000 (annual income). I think I'll be happier if I have that money! hehe

The study surveyed 450,000 Americans and found happiness got better as income rose but the effect leveled at $75,000. With that said, if you moved from a $100,000 to $200,000, it sure make your life better but doesn't mean you'll get happier.

The study also found, with no surprise to me, people were really happier on weekends. full story

收入越高越快樂

原來金錢真的可以買到快樂。研究顯示，年收入越高的人越快樂，至少到七萬五千元的水平。也就是說，年薪十萬的人如果加薪到廿萬，生活條件會更好，但是快樂的程度就不會再增加了。不管怎樣，如果我有那麼高的收入，一定會很快樂的（現在也沒有不快樂啦，只是生活條件可以變得更好呀）。

此外，人們在周末的快樂指數也比較高（這個我想不用專家告訴我，我也知道啦。已經期待下一個周末的到來了，哈哈，我要快樂，我要周末）

Cameras = New Guns?

Photo by Curtis Cronn

Most people have cell phone that comes with camera/video functions - if you see police activities on the street, can you take a picture or videotape?

First of all, if you're in a public place, visible to others, not crossing police line and a third party (no involve) to the situation, you can take photo or videotape, with the exception you cannot recording audio sound unless you get consent from all parties. However, if you're the involved party (such as being stop by police for running stop sign), then the officer has the right to ask you put down/turn off the recording device.

Illegal videotaping is considered felony, if convicted you can be sentenced to 4-15 years prison term! related story

可以錄影，不可錄音

很多人的手機已經具備攝影和錄影的功能。如果走在街上看到警員執法事件，只要你處於公眾場合、沒有阻礙警員執法、沒有越過警戒線、不是涉案者，你是可以拍攝的，但是卻不可以錄音，否則可以被指控非法錄音罪名，罪成者可被判入獄4-15年。

Bill Kill, Will Still

photo by Loupiote

What a bad news for all - CA state senate denied the bill that would have ban plastic shopping bag. The bill, AB1998, called for the ban to take effect in supermarkets and large retail stores in 2012. It would have applied to smaller stores in 2013.

The State Assembly approved an earlier version of the bill in June. Governor Arnold Schwarzengger then signaled his support. However the senate killed it with 14:21 votes before midnight on Tuesday.

Republicans and some Democrats opposed it, saying it would add an extra burden on consumers and businesses at a time when many already are struggling financially.

Excuse me? How many people are actually buying the reusable bags? Your grocery bag doesn't have to be Gucci or Coach, it's just some kind of reusable bag. Paper or plastic? It doesn't matter! In fact, many community organizations or companies give out reusable bags, it's just a matter of whether you remember/want to bring it with you or not!

Personally I've over 5 reusable grocery bags, and I paid for non of them! In fact many companies are making their reusable bags more fashionable with small corporate logo and trendy designs. If stores can save the money in providing plastic bags and shift that saving to cheaper goods, why can't we bring our own bags?!

Report said 19 billion single-use bags are used in California each year and an estimated $25 million is spent collecting and disposing of them. Plastic marine-debris is often mistaken for jelly fish by whales, birds and sea turtles who eat it, which could be a fatal move.

AB 1998 also included:

*For customers who did not bring or purchase a reusable bag, the only bag stores would have been able to give to customers is a paper bag made from 40% post-consumer material.

*Stores could charge for each bag they give out, but could only pass on the cost and not profit from it. Those receiving government assistance, such as food stamps, would have received recyclable or reusable bags for free from the stores.

Now local governments are trying to take action on their own. LA County Supervisors are expected to vote on a local plastic bag ban for unincorporated areas. It would prohibit supermarkets and retail spaces of more than 10,000 square feet, and pharmacies from issuing plastic carryout bags.

Santa Monica, Manhattan Beach are working towards bans and Redondo Beach and Los Angeles leaders support going in that direction. Malibu already has one in place. related story

政府不定法律，我們惟有自律

加州參議會否決了超市免費提供塑料袋的法案，理由是在經濟不景氣的時候不想增加人民的負擔。第一次感到政府是這麼的為人民著想耶。

事實上，很多公司和團體都有在活動時免費派發環保購物袋，雖然不是每一個都很美麗，有些更印有斗大的商標，但是也有一些是精美、拿在街上也看不出在為別人打廣告的袋子。因此，鼓勵大用環保袋，怎會是增加負擔呢？當然，如果你寧可拿個LV或Coach的大袋子去購物，我是無話可說啦。

加州消費者每年用掉190億個用即棄的一次性塑料袋，並要花2500萬元去清理和處理它們，這些錢才是應該省下的吧？再說，目前超市雖然沒有徵收購物袋費用，但是你會天真的以為那真的是「免費」的嗎？相對的，如果超市可以省下這筆塑料袋費，而把省下的錢回饋到更便宜的物價上，那不是讓更多人受益嗎？

不管怎樣，許多地方政府也實再「看不下去」，包括洛縣在內，已經著手自訂法規禁止使用一次性購物袋了。而我，今晚去購物時，也拿了一個大大的綠色環保袋去，左看右看，只有我一人用，不過倒是引來一些目光，不錯，希望大家「看著辦」！

Be friends with your kids on Facebook? Maybe not.

photo by escapedtowisconsin

You wanna be cool and use the same social media as your kid does, you add him as 'friend' in Facebook. Do you think you guys are really friends now? Hmm, maybe not. Survey found 1/3 of children are ready to 'unfriend' their parents for 'excessive love.'

I had lunch with a friend the other day. As a single mother she works real hard everyday and has very little time for his junior high son. I asked her if he used social media such as Facebook. She said yes, but she has limited knowledge about what Facebook is and how it works. However she did mention she wanna learn to use Facebook so she could better keep in touch with her son, especially know more about his friends.

The other day there was a news report saying more seniors are using social media nowadays, especially joining Facebook. But this is exactly what the younger generations don't want to see and lost interest in Facebooking any more, "there are just too many adults and older people."

People use Facebook to keep in touch with friends, adding photos and updates from time to time. But some of these information is best keep as secret from the parents, such as a hangover last weekend or had a minor accident, or even worst lying about not being able to join family dinner because of extra workload while in fact partying with friends.

On the other hand, there are parents who are not sensitive enough and left "inappropriate comments" on the wall of their children's Facebook, such as calling their nickname or pretend to be making fun while it was really un-cool. This resulting 1/3 of children are ready to get rid of the parents from their friends list. There is even a website movement called "Oh Crap! My parents joined Facebook." The website gets at least 20 embarrassing submissions a day from despondent teens.

I think everyone should have his or her own privacy. Parents are encouraged to keep up to date with latest technologies, including having their own Facebook accounts, but no necessary being their children's "friend." I'm sure there are many other ways to keep an eye on your kids - and even if you're "friend" with your children, they can still hide something from you when they really don't want you to find out, they're smarter than you! related story

想做的不只是朋友？

那天和友人T吃飯，言談之中聊到當今熱門的社交網絡「臉書」。由於是一個單親媽媽，T覺得和孩子相處的時間不多，所以希望開一個臉書帳戶，透過網路去「觀察」孩子。擁有這種想法的家長不在少數，我也相當鼓家長去學用當下年輕人常用的社交媒體或熱門網站。

然而在臉書中與孩子做「朋友」是不是就能解決問題？當然不行。事實上調查發現已有1/3把父母加入成為「朋友」的小孩，已經準要把他們除名。因為很多和朋友分享的事情，不一定想讓父母知道。此外，也有一些「裝酷」的家長為拉近與孩子的距離，在臉書上留言，但卻弄巧成拙讓小孩很沒有臉，所以勢必與父母保持應有的「關係」。

以T的個案來說，應該要加入臉書與孩子做朋友嗎？我覺得主要視他們母子關係怎樣而定。然而不可否認的是，彼此之間還需要各自的隱私和空間，T可以透過其他途徑去觀察孩子有沒有變壞。如果小孩真的想要隱瞞家長一些事情，即使是「朋友」，也能透過修改「朋友」的設定，不讓父母看到某些資訊。

Stop teasing mama's boys, they're healthier!

They might be mama's boys, but stop teasing them, as researchers found their mental health is better than others.

A professor at Arizona State University presented a study at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association. According to the study he conducted following 426 boys through middle school to investigate the extent to which the boys favor stereotypically male qualities such as emotional stoicism and physical toughness over stereotypically feminine qualities such as emotional openness and communication, and whether that has any influence on their mental well-being.

His main finding was that the further along the boys got in their adolescence, the more they tended to embrace hypermasculine stereotypes. But boys who remained close to their mothers did not act as tough and were more emotionally available. Closeness to fathers did not have the same effect, his research found.

So what's wrong with learning to stop sniveling and "be a man"? Research has shown that stereotypically masculine traits such as autonomy and toughness can make men less likely to seek medical help when it's needed. full story

裙腳仔的心理健康比其他人更好

常常當媽媽「貼身保鑣」的「裙腳仔」其實沒有什麼不好，至少一項研究報告顯示，這種親密關係讓男性情緒上有更多的安全感，從而減少他們的壓力及加強健康生活。

What do you wish for? Richer or Smarter?

If this is a special day and you could choose one thing for yourself, would you choose to be richer, younger, thinner or smarter?

If you chose money, well you're not alone. A survey said, 43% American said they would rather be richer, and men were more likely to choose money (46% vs. 41%). 21% want to be thinner, 14% want smarter and 12% want younger. full story

大家都要向錢看齊

如果有個仙人說可以實現你的一個夢想，你是要更有錢、更好身材、更聰明、還是更年輕？如果你選擇更有錢，那麼你和大部份受訪的美國人一樣！據一項訪問2千多人的民調顯示，有43%選擇要更有錢，相對的只有12%要更年輕。選擇更好身材和更聰明的分別佔21%和14%。

Plastic bags free society - start from you

I try to bring my own reusable bags to the stores when I shop for groceries. Sometime I forgot to do so, then I will ask for paper bags if they have them.

Many countries have ban the use of plastic bags, I mean, no free bag. When I was in Europe, I saw everyone brough their own bags for groceries. As a tourist who obviously doesn't bring a reusable grocery bag, we'll have to pay for the plastic bag, unless we decided to carry the food with our hands.

It has been years that California wants to ban plastic bags but as usual, it is easier to say than do. AB 1998, is in the hands of our state legislatures, must pass out of the state senate by the end of August. The governor said he would gladly sign it into law. If passed, the law would ban single use plastic and other bags from many type of retail stores, such as supermarkets. In that case, if you forgot to bring your own bag, you can buy one for at least 5 cents. These paper bags are made from 40% post-consumer recycled content.

Some cities, such as Santa Monica, Manhattan Beach and LA County said they're ready to do so if the state didn't approve the law.

禁用塑料袋，我贊成

其實我一直都很贊成使用環保袋，只是有時上超時購物時，往往就是忘了自備環保袋，逼不得已要用店家的袋子。這種情況下，我會優先考慮使用他們的紙袋，如果只有塑料袋可用，也真的無可奈何了。

目前在參議會的AB 1998法案必須在八月底前獲得通過，州長阿諾已經表示只要參議會贊成，他會簽字。如果新法過關，那麼許多零售商店就不能再用塑料袋。未自備袋子的消費者，可以用每個至少5美分的價錢，購買紙袋，這些紙袋有40%的成份為環保再用原料。

台灣、歐洲多個國家等，早已經邁入必須自備環保袋的階段，只有美國這個老愛講民主自由，講人樣的國家，被政治因素影響，遲遲未能全面推行環保袋運動。不管怎樣，環保從我們自己隨手做起！