IllinoisDave

Ours was a Weeping Willow tree next to the house. For the more minor offenses we got to keep the leaves on.

Congrats!

CONGRATULATIONS!!

No doubt.

It'll really be something to see the video of their spacewalk. Jesse, any sense of whether ordinary folks are gonna be glued to their (or the corner store's) TVs for this like we were in '69?

Part 3 of the saga. http://www.slate.com/id/2200544/entry/2200547/

We NEVER can Dave... As my wife always tells me...For you, a "rich" foreigner are shown a different face than Chinese are likely to show to each other... So true Rog.

Awwwright!! Great news Jimi!! Congrats and best of luck to both of you. And one day before the year anniversary of sending in the I-130. My how time flies eh?

Very humbling. As much as we Americans learn about China here at Candle,from the trips we take there and even through our wives/husbands/fiancees, I'm not sure we'll ever be able to truly relate to what ordinary people like this woman face there on a daily basis.

CONGRATULATIONS!!

Can't be mine. I'm boring.

Pretty humorous account of one writer's trip to Mongolia. http://www.slate.com/id/2200544/entry/2200545/

Forget the lawyer and hang out here. You'll get better info, more accurately filled out forms and save bunches of money. Welcome to Candle.

It just keeps getting worse. Astounding. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/7820978

Humor can be cathartic. At least some are keeping their sense of it.

Five hours now. Good luck!

Great to hear. Best of luck!

Same here.

The latest. Sanlu is not looking good. http://news.yahoo.com/story//ap/20080922/a..._formula_recall

As the article points out, the free medical care is a matter of relativity. Some don't seem to be getting the same level of care as others. And how long will it last? Only as long as it's getting publicity? What about long-term effects on the kids? Will the public/gov't remember in five years if/when these kids start having delayed health problems related to this stuff? Where's the deterrent for the next company to not cut corners by using toxic materials in food products? Our overly-litigious system might not be perfect, but at least it may make corporations/ceos/inspectors think twice about trying to cut that corner. Okay Dave votes to allow ambulance-chasers... oops I meant attorneys...the ability to make millions of dollars while destroying companies and our economy... Anybody else want to bat??? Now Unca Rogie... I did use words like "may" and "might" for a reason. I purposely left open the possibility that our system could/should be tinkered with. Hence the "not perfect" allusion. But my larger point was that without the possibility of or at least the threat of monetary penalties for the actions of corporations,their leaders or those charged with overseeing them, there's very little incentive to act in a responsible way. To a much greater degree than China, we at least have that here. Now there may be good arguments on boths sides as to how far the monetary penalties should go. But as far as I understand the system in China anyway, those threats and incentives are practically non-existent no? Dave, did you read my last post above??? Threats and incetives??? Staying alive I would say... You posted while I was writing that one. You're thinkin way too fast today Rog.

I guess my brain's wired similar to Randy's and Yimi's. I can't get that stupid song out of my head every time I look at this thread. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAHfoIfo_7A

As the article points out, the free medical care is a matter of relativity. Some don't seem to be getting the same level of care as others. And how long will it last? Only as long as it's getting publicity? What about long-term effects on the kids? Will the public/gov't remember in five years if/when these kids start having delayed health problems related to this stuff? Where's the deterrent for the next company to not cut corners by using toxic materials in food products? Our overly-litigious system might not be perfect, but at least it may make corporations/ceos/inspectors think twice about trying to cut that corner. Okay Dave votes to allow ambulance-chasers... oops I meant attorneys...the ability to make millions of dollars while destroying companies and our economy... Anybody else want to bat??? Now Unca Rogie... I did use words like "may" and "might" for a reason. I purposely left open the possibility that our system could/should be tinkered with. Hence the "not perfect" allusion. But my larger point was that without the possibility of or at least the threat of monetary penalties for the actions of corporations,their leaders or those charged with overseeing them, there's very little incentive to act in a responsible way. To a much greater degree than China, we at least have that here. Now there may be good arguments on boths sides as to how far the monetary penalties should go. But as far as I understand the system in China anyway, those threats and incentives are practically non-existent no?

Nice,well-reasoned post as usual Jim.

As the article points out, the free medical care is a matter of relativity. Some don't seem to be getting the same level of care as others. And how long will it last? Only as long as it's getting publicity? What about long-term effects on the kids? Will the public/gov't remember in five years if/when these kids start having delayed health problems related to this stuff? Where's the deterrent for the next company to not cut corners by using toxic materials in food products? Our overly-litigious system might not be perfect, but at least it may make corporations/ceos/inspectors think twice about trying to cut that corner.

Yeah, it would be nice if some of those volunteers were able to catch on with decent jobs. Especially if they happened to come from the countryside and all they had to return to was a low-paying, menial job. I'm sure that's not the case for all. But for some it may be a step up.