Carl

I think this says it all

From what I understand the cop and the man in the video had a long history of bad blood between them. Evidently the circumstances escalated to the point that it became personal. CNN (and every other news organization for that matter) only showed the macing and the aftermath. We don't know the events proceeding the action, only the after effects. Until we know the full story let's reserve judgement.

I think city size has some something to do with the attitudes of the police. Kerrville is not a large city, so our police pretty much get invilved in all aspects of law enforcement. Everything from minor traffic violations to murder investigations. They are not perfect, but they do a good job and I have no problems. I have had one run-in with the police here in Kerrville. I was driving on an expired vehicle inspection. The policeman who stopped me was very courteous, kept calling me sir, explained why I was being stopped and explained the ticket emphasizing that if I corrected the offense in 10 days I could waive the fine. It surprised Ying as to how courteous he was, but I explained that if I had been belligerent or acted like an ass his tone would have been different.

You sure.....because unless the visa fee was paid when you submitted the visa application, it never would have been processed and sent to the consulate, however I would hold on to it, just in case they realize their mistake and do bill you later. But in the meantime.......CONGRATULATIONS

Yes indeed.....Ginger and Brown sugar.....works every time

Tony Parker and Eva Longoria are getting married on that day.

Ditto here....After Ying was in the US for about two weeks, we went to the Social Security office.....showed her Ying's visa and the translation of our marriage certificate. Because the computer showed that Immigration had not yet submitted he for a SSAN, she was processed for an initial card. It was no problem to put it in her married name.....Must be a Texas thing.

Yes,the first worry that comes to my mind is the Clorox. Bleach IS used in China,and they know what it can do to your clothes,but maybe its not so commonly used in the Chinese home.I do believe most of the Chinese ladies have had experience with bleach though. Im hoping she can get used to using an american style electric stove. They use electric for cooking in China,but its not the same one we have in America. American style dishwashing detergent is pretty nasty,and does not rinse off as easily as the Chinese stuff. American style clothes washing detergent will burn the skin off of your hands if you use it to hand wash with. There are American powder detergents,like Woolite,and I think "Snowy White" that can be used for hand washing clothes. Make sure she does not put her hand in an American style clothes washing machine.The Asian machines are whimpy and slow,but the American machine can tear your hand off. I would reduce the selection of cleaning products in your home to a couple of basics like Windex,409.Those two are enough to clean the whole house. Ying adapted rather quickly to the electric range and oven. She says she likes it better than the ones in China because the heat is more consistant than the ones there. For the most part Ying does not like the dishwasher and would rather wash the dishes by hand using dishwashing liquid. She does not mind it whan I use the dishwaher but complains about the leftover water that collects in it. On the use of household chemicals she knows what they are and how to use them. In the past I have not used bleach on my whites, but she wants me to get some becasuse the whites are starting to look dingy. When she first got here, I usually did the laundry because she was usually busy doing something at the same time or she was at work. Recently she has begun to accompany me on the walk accross the parking lot with the baskets of dirty clothes, helps me separate the colors and whites and has begun to make decisions about whether we wash the clothes in hot, warm or cold water. Give your woman the benefit of the doubt and rest assured that the cleaning methods and materials are the same worldwide and what is used here is also used there.

Just wait till you start seeing some of us use some of the Chinese terms of endearment like "lao po" and some of the others.

Ying just happens to like cheese. She said she lived in Russia where she got to like it, especially the European cheeses. She does like some American cheeses, but not all.

Ying said at one time they were denied the right to marry, but now they are allowed too.

Well when and if you ever do come out our way, bring your SO with you. Ying loves to pass on her newfound skills and then you can enjoy the same good foods that I do, American dishes with a Chinese twist.

When Ying first came here she was only interested in cooking Chinese food, but in the last year she has adapted to most western foods. She likes most of the meals I have cooked. She likes many of the meals I have cooked such as chili, spaghetti and other pasta dishes, baked fish, chicken and pork. She also likes the breakfasts I have made made for her such as sausage or bacon, eggs, hash brows and biscuits or hot cereals (oatmeal. cream of rice and wheat) She has also learned some american cooking techniques by either watching me as I cook or by watching the Food Channel. She has also learned to use some of the kitcken gadgets I have, such as the crock pot, mixer, blender, microwave and meat grinder. But her greatest accomplishments has been pizza and baked bread......I kid you not.....my wife who a year ago had no clue as to how use an oven now makes fresh pizza that rivals all the different pizza places I have eaten in my entire life. In learning in how to make pizza dough it was just a short jump to loves of fresh baked white and whole wheat breads that remind me of the baked breads my mother and grandmother made when I was a small child. Ying enjoyed cooking before, but now she is absolutely giddy with her newfound skills. Recently she has begun to make eggrolls that are better than the eggrolls I ate in the restaurants.

Is it the "affidavit of single status" you're looking for? If so, you can go to the Chinese embassy's website and go to the 'marriage registration in China' link under 'Chinese Visa, Passport, Notarization & Authentication' section. That link will explain how to get all the paperwork you need to marry in China. That will work stateside. I'm not sure how it's done abroad although some have done it that way. -good luck To get a affidavit of Single status you need to get a copy of the affidavit from the Chinese consulate website. If you are single and never married, you simply fill in the blocks in the affidavit an then get it notarized. Then you send notarized statement an an application for an Apostille from your respective state's Secretary of State. Once you have that returned you send the affidavit and the Apostille to the Chinese consulate that serves your area. They will translate the documents and notarize them and send them back to you. make sure you have those documents when you marry in China. When I did it I had a slight problem with a couple of divorces, one in California and one in Oregon, but sice then I moved to Texas. The Chinese Consulate in Houston would not certify documents issued because they were outside of their area. San Francisco would not certify them because I lived in Texas, but a woman at the Chinese Consulate in Houston asked me if I was ever married in Texas. I said no, so she said to claim on the affidavit that I was never married and it would be ok. Hope that helps

Toni, Lin can designate anyone he wishes to be his representative, be it spouse, fiancee, trusted friend or lawyer. It just means that when you contact them he has said it is OK to give you his information and you can make decisions on his behalf.

When we try to teach our loved ones English it is best to remember that the English language is the result of Norman men-at-arms (who spoke mostly French) trying to make dates with Anglo-Saxon barmaids (who spoke Angles) and usually ended up getting their face slapped in the process. The result was a hodgepodge of different words that somehow made sense to the both of them. English is also a language that is not above stealing words or phrases from other languages and adding them to the lexicon (hari-kari & gung ho) or create words to describe something (walkie-talkie & walkman) unlike the French who would sooner die than destroy their pure language. Just imagine what we would be stuck with if the Norman men-at-arms tried to make dates with Chinese barmaids, but then again we might just be able to understand what they are talking about. If you really want to confuse your SO, have her read Chaucer.

Dennis, do you look like a ginseng smugller or women smugller only? was that a smuggler or a snugglar?

When I returned from my recent trip from China I had a bag of ginsing and some mushrooms in my suitcase. I checked the box on the customs form saying I had plants just to be safe. When the customs inspector looked at it, his words was this is the common Chinese ginsing and not the rare American ginsing. I got a laugh as he said "Excuse me, but I want to take a good smell." He took a huge snort of it and said "That smells great" rewrapped it and replaced it in my suitcase. He did the same with my mushrooms, commenting on how clean they were with no apparent insects. So as far as I know we can bring in a reasonable amount of ginsing from China with no trouble from US customs. Hope that helps

Yep, I think it was Highway 287 that got Carl, and all them other Texas Wannabe's that could not pass the Texas entrance exam, outta Texas, so I guess it's a good highway. Unfortunately, all the other highways are clogged with folks trying to get into Texas. They just gotta park their vehicle and take a number... Welcome to CFL, by the way... As aye, Jim My Father, a staunch Oklahoman used to tell me about the Texas Entrance Exam. He said that when Indian Territory (Oklahoma) first opened up there was a BIG sign up in the Panhandle with an arrow and the text "This way to Oklahoma". He said that way the folks who could READ would be able to get to Oklahoma... -James But then it has been proven here in Texas that those Texans who moved north to Oklahoma raised the IQ of both places.....If you don't believe me ...just ask me...

Sain Louie? I may be living in Texas now, but I was born and raised up in No. Illinois and both my parents are from the area around Rolla, Missouri before they moved up north. I am hoping that come this summer Ying and I can get up that way so Ying can meet the family both there and Illinois.

All I can say is hold onto your shorts. I have noticed that even though the time lines have been getting shorter there is always the chance that some world event not even connected to our getting our loved ones here can bog down the entire system. Just keep your sense of humor and keep focused on the prize and she will be here before you know it (even though it might take a year and a half).

Congratulations on the approval. Sometimes it is good to have friends and family in high places. I think that it is sometimes necessary to remind the various bureaucrats in the various government departments who they really work for and who better to do so than our elected representatives who may in some cases control their paycheck. But if I remember right, didn't you say that you are a direct descendant of a US president (i.e. Zachary Taylor)?

As a whole, all of Ying's family (right on down to husbands of her cousins and brother-in-laws) are impressed on our relationship. They all seem to like the fact I treat Ying as an equal without sacrificing any of the susposed "MALE DOMINANCE." I have also made an impression on many of her female friends to the point that I have become the "standard" by which they will judge their future relationships on. Many of her friends who are single or are currently married to Chinese men are wishing they had an American husband "just like me" and have enlisted Ying to help them find similar men. In truth I am a little uncomfortable with this new found status as the "PERFECT HUSBAND," because I have tried to convince Ying and her friends that I am far from perfect, but only a man trying to do the right thing. It looks like it is that very humility is what they find they most attractive and unique about me. I think they actually like a man who is not afraid to cry, show how much he care with a hug and a kiss, not afraid to say "I LOVE YOU," admit when he is wrong and finally treat her as a full partner and not a piece of property. Overall, all I can say is that we should just be ourselves and let our wives decide what is right and wrong.

One of the times I went to China for work it was in the winter ... in Changchun ... so I brought 2 stocking hats. Fortunately, the interpreter that was working with me told me not to wear the green hat and why. Later, I told my SO (not wife yet) about the green hat and she was happy I didn't wear it, she said if any of her friends found out I wore a green hat she would be embarrassed. Just be glad most of us are not currently in the military. There a green hat is a required clothing item in most services.

You sure about that? I suggested to Ying I get her father a wind-up pocket watch as a gift when we recently went to China. She said it was a good gift and he (her father) loved it.