星期日, 七月 10, 2005


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Road is closed outside of Russell Square Tube Station.

Russell Square Tube Station is closed.

more update to look forward to!

晚上回了家之后贴照片!!!

UK draws up Iraq 'pull-out plan'

刚刚去看BBC news,英国要从伊拉克撤兵了!虽然不是全部撤兵,但是有一多半的兵力要被撤回了。感谢Blair,他终于没有犯固执的错误。虽然这新闻还是一付害羞的样子,遮遮掩掩地,但是偶乐观的相信撤兵一定会实现的!!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4668661.stm

Plans have been drawn up to withdraw thousands of UK and US troops from Iraq by the spring of 2006.

The paper, by Defence Secretary John Reid, suggests the UK's 8,500 troops in Iraq could be cut to 3,000, saving around £500m a year.

The document, leaked to the Mail on Sunday, also sets out US plans to cut its troops from 176,000 to 66,000.

However, Mr Reid said this was only one possibility and troops would stay in Iraq "as long as they were needed".

He said in a statement that "no decision" had been taken over the future deployment of troops.

Decisions needed

The document, called Options for Future UK Force Posture in Iraq, was marked Secret: UK Eyes Only.

In it, Mr Reid, who confirmed he drew up the plan, said later this year Britain would need to reach decisions on troop levels for next year.

The UK's troops in Iraq are currently deployed in four southern provinces.

In the document, Mr Reid said Britain wanted to hand over to Iraqi control the Al Muthanna and Maysan provinces in October 2005, and the other two provinces, Dhi Qar and Basra, next April.

"This should lead to a reduction in the total level of UK commitment in Iraq to around 3,000 personnel, ie small scale," the document said.

Mr Reid's also wrote of a "strong US military desire" for "significant" troop reduction.

He suggested the US wanted to hand over control to Iraqi forces in 14 out of 18 provinces by early 2006.

But the document also said the Pentagon and US commanders in Iraq were divided over the plans.

'Prudent planning'

Mr Reid's statement insisted no decisions had been made.

"We have always said that it is our intention to hand over the lead in fighting terrorists to Iraqi security forces as their capability increases," he said.

"This is but one of a number of such papers produced over recent months covering various scenarios. This is prudent planning. "

BBC political correspondent James Hardy did not believe this document represented a change in policy over Iraq.

"Tony Blair has repeatedly insisted that British forces will stay in Iraq for as long as they're needed.

"That policy hasn't changed, but it's clear detailed planning is under way for at least a partial withdrawal."

同情

我不知道如果此刻我躺在医院里,少了一条腿,或是面部深度烧伤,这辈子再也不能不戴面纱见人了,或是失去了眼睛,再也没有办法看到曾经见到过的一切了,我是不是会痛恨恐怖主义?

我现在安安稳稳地坐在office里写我的blog,身上没有一处伤痕,家人朋友不用为我担心,所有受到的惊吓加起来也只是可能会坐在一辆被炸的地铁上,所有恐怖主义给我带来的麻烦还只是我每天上班不能再坐地铁了,得在公车上晃一个小时才能到学校,也许我以后坐地铁、公车的时候会提心吊胆,见到可疑的人就心惊胆战,虽然“中奖”的比率比出车祸还要小几千倍。也许是因为恐怖主义还没有伤害到我,也许是因为我不可理喻(甚至是极端可恶),我没有办法象很多人一样对恐怖主义发指。

我还是同情那些在伊拉克、阿富汗战争中死亡的穆斯林,我还是鄙视美国人千里迢迢的去别人的领土上横行霸道,我也很不屑英国人谄媚地跟在美国后面帮凶。想到那些suicide bomber我甚至有些带了尊敬地悲哀心情。我仍然觉得伊拉克人、阿富汗人、......所有受压迫,但没有足够强大的军事力量和所谓的“正义”国家反抗的人有权力发出自己的声音。如果不能按照“正义”人士所定的规则play the game,我同情他们为了生存而不择手段。也许恐怖主义会让他们失去一些本来可能争取到的同情,但是同情又有什么用。全世界的人现在都同情印第安人,但是他们也只能拳缩在保留地里,曾经的家园永远都是别人的了。我想南京大屠杀的时候如果我听到东京的地铁被炸了,第一反映肯定是欢呼雀跃,而不会反省这种手段是不是不够光明磊落。我想在这一点上我绝对不是一个君子,也不想做一个君子。

纽约和伦敦死难者当然是令人同情的,但是似乎美国却因此而变得更加变本加厉了,不知道英国在7.7之后是会接着跟进,还是调整自己的外交政策。纽约人和伦敦人都说不会让恐怖主义改变自己的生活。作为一个城市的文化,我绝对尊敬这样的精神。可是如果它们的政府也如此“坚强不屈”,那就只是可悲和令人担忧了。

July 10, 2005

爆炸过后已经第三天了。我在家里闷了两天之后,昨天出来透了透气,也顺便看看坐BUS怎么上学。街上没有什么异常的气氛,伦敦好像已经back to normal了。

坐BUS去上学比坐地铁慢了20多分钟(地铁15分钟,BUS40分钟),等车的时间也更长了些。星期六的时候,我从家出门到坐在办公室花了一个小时。当然,还要考虑到这是周末,比正常上班时间的高峰期交通要好很多。星期一的时候不知比这还要再多花多长时间。坐公车好像要比坐地铁便宜很多,我正在考虑是否可以省下我那1000英镑的地铁年票改坐公车。公车的好处比地铁还是有不少的,只单想一想出事的时候,是愿意“牺牲”在地铁上还是公车上,我就一定会坚定不移地选择后者。

这两天看新闻,读BBC的网站,去英华园,...... 所有的信息来源都不断越来越清晰地描绘出地铁爆炸的那一瞬间的情形。人们回想地铁里的经历,首先是黑暗带来的恐慌,其次是爆炸时的热空气和灰尘所造成的窒息,再后来在一群尖叫和冷静共有的人群包围中动用一切可能的手段破开地铁的车窗,雨伞,公文包,.......,这些我们平时根本不会去尝试的工具也都用上了,然后是幸存者互相搀扶着从地铁的轨道上步履蹒跚的走到下一个出口,这中间很多人不得不从死者的身边经过,在你触手可及的地方就是血肉模糊,断臂残肢的人。当人们从地下几十米的地方终于回到了地上又见到阳光的时候,很多人的第一反应是站在当地不知所措,然后发现自己身上到处是血,但不知是自己的还是别人的。这一刻的阳光似乎很怪异,并没有给人带来从灾难中幸存下来后见到第一缕阳光所应有的激动和幸福,人们都已经懵懂了。然而,不论这样的经历是多么恐怖和难忘,能够回到地面上来都是极端幸运的,到现在为止还有人(dead)留在被炸毁的隧道里,还有尸体没办法运送出来。那些失踪者的家属不停的在新闻中一遍一遍地重复着请求,如果当事人或者其他人有失踪者的消息,请立刻和他/她的家人/朋友联系。没有人忍心告诉他们三天已经过去了,不要再抱太多希望。那无疑是极端残忍的。

今天早上照例去Transport for London(TFL)看新近更新的交通状况,有一条新闻是报导地铁爆炸的调查情况的。星期四的时候已经知道有一班被炸的地铁是picaddily line,恰在Russell Square和King's Cross中间,引爆的时间是8:50AM。我每天坐picaddily line去上班,经过King's Cross在Russell Square下车,有时早一点会在8:30AM到Russell Square,有时晚一点九点过到。星期四的早晨,8:30AM过一些的时候我正在等picaddily line去Russell Square的地铁,可是到站的那一班人太多了,我没有上去。这是我到伦敦四个星期以来第一次因为人多而错过一班地铁。那之后,地铁站里的显示牌上再没有下一班地铁到站的时间了。这种情况也是我在Manor House站第一次遇到。然后就听到TFL的广播,希望大家不要再等下去,建议改乘公车。我想坐公车去学校要一个多小时,太浪费时间了。于是决定罢工,不去上学了。我在地铁站旁边的一家Bagel Bakery买了一些点心回家,准备和roommate一起吃早饭。十点多roommate起床之后,MSN上的一个朋友告诉她地铁有三处被炸了。我们去看新闻,BBC news上只是报导出事的那班picaddily line上的地铁是运行在Russell Square和King's Cross之间的,但并没有说明是那个方向。后来跟踪报导中提到是从Russell Square开往King's Cross的(和我上学的方向相反)。于是我很高兴的计算了一下,自己出事的概率为零。虽然roommate在兴奋地对我说“你大难不死,比有后福。”但我想自己根本就不会在被炸的几辆车上,连一点后怕的感觉都没有。十一点多的时候打开邮箱,学校的email with subject "please tell me where you are!!!"/"Are you OK?"已经占了将近一屏了。赶紧回信告诉大家我很好,还活着。将近12点钟的时候用roommate的电话给妈妈报了平安。下午,陆续有美国的邮件开始轰炸我的信箱了。那时候还完全是一种置身事外的心态,于是调侃地写了一封搞笑的email,报告大家我已经平安到达天堂了,这里一切都好,欢迎对地球上的生活厌倦了的同学们来天堂找我玩。这样的回信copy & paste了大约20-30封的样子,结果真得吓到了两位同学。在这里郑重对周宏陵和高峻表示道歉!我不是要吓唬人玩,只是想要大家不要为我紧张的意思,结果有点适得其反了。:( 然而直到今天早晨,我才真正认识到这个多少有点恶作剧味道的email原来真的是近得和我擦肩而过。今天看了确切的新闻,picaddily line上的那辆车竟是从King's Cross开往Russell Square的,而且是8:50AM到Russell Square,正是我错过的那一班。我还清楚地记得在我面前关上的地铁的车门里,人们拱着背,头弯向车门上的玻璃,多少有些庆幸的看着站台上的人。我只差一点点就挤上那班车了。如果不是在美国习惯了空空荡荡的BUS,不喜欢人挤人的空间,如果我再aggressive一点,我就会在那辆车上了。

从这一刻起,好像所有的事情并不再离我那么遥远了。不知道该怎么形容这种心情,是庆幸,还是震惊,或者是都有一点点。

星期四, 七月 07, 2005

I AM STILL ALIVE!!!

I am all welll and staying safe at home now! I couldn't make calls at home. Wish people who know the London incidents and worry about me see this message. I will update more news on this later.

星期六, 七月 02, 2005


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BMP17


这个是清朝的。

BMP16


这些个是中东古时候的钱币。

BMP15


这些个好像都是银的。

BMP14


这个碗是水晶的,盘子是啥的不知道!

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这个不知道是什么的,但是太漂亮了!

BMP12


又是个珠宝盒。

BMP11


中东的王室珠宝。

BMP10


这只大乌龟是一块整玉!

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古时候的梳妆台,也是中东的。

BMP8


好漂亮的书皮!偶羡慕死了!

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天书! :)

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伊斯兰的瓷砖!:))

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这是玻璃的,18世纪的工艺。那时候玻璃的制作可比现在难多了。

BMP4


看着象个珠宝盒。现在这椟可比当初的珠宝值钱多了,还有谁敢笑话买椟还珠的?

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大澡盆!:)

BMP2


这个是伊斯兰教跟宗教有关的一个什么东西,偶没有仔细研究。

BMP1


这个鼎是放在大英博物馆后门reception desk旁边的,不知是什么年代的。

星期二, 六月 28, 2005

12 tips from junior employees to senior managers.


I found this in the kitchen besides my office. :)))))

12 tips from junior employees to senior managers.

How to enhance their relationship:

1. Never give me work in the morning. Always wait until 5:00 and then bring it to me. The challenge of a deadline is always refreshing.

2. If it's really a "rush job," run in and interrupt me every 10 minutes to inquire how it is going. That greatly aids my efficiency.

3. Always leave without telling anyone where you're going. It gives me a chance to be creative when someone asks where you are.

4. If my arms are full of papers, boxes, books or supplies, don't open the door for me. I need to learn how to function as a paraplegic and opening doors is good training.

5. If you give me more than one job to do, don't tell me which is the priority. Let me guess.

6. Do your best to keep me late. I like the office and really have nowhere to go or anything to do.

7. If a job I do please you, keep it a secret. Leaks like that could cost me a promotion.

8. If you don't like my work, tell everyone. I like my name to be popular in conversation.

9. If you have special instructions for a job, don't write them down. In fact, save them until the job is almost done.

10. Never introduce me to people you're with. When you refer to them later, my shrewd deductions will identify them.

11. Be nice to me only when the job I'm doing for you could really change your life.

12. Tell me all your little problems. No one else has any and it's nice to know someone is less fortunate.

Actually, I started reading from bottom up and thought that people in this school were really humorous. Then I went to the top of the page. I felt colder and colder while I was moving down. How am I going to survive here??? This reminded me about the video clips that Steve Goodman shot for the Biostat department retreat ---- how young faculty survive at Hopkins. It was like Francesca falling down outside of Scott's office. :)))))))) Next time when you see me, I will be much slimer than I am, and with wrinkles all over my face.

星期日, 六月 26, 2005


the first piece of clothes I bought in London. :) It is 5 pounds. I like the design very much. Too bad that I can not try it on in the street. So I picked the one that I thought would fit, but it is too tight!! I will dump it to my sister then. cry!!!!!!!!!

never saw this kind of flower before. They are cute!

160人民币买这样的一双鞋........................还挺贵的!

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pillows, curtains, bed spreads, .... they are gorgeous!

hehe... stuffed animal.

too bad I can not put video clips on this blog! I shot a video in this market for a retailer.

那个摊主叫卖的特别好玩儿!就象新疆人卖羊肉串一样。我站在他旁边听了好几遍他叫卖的什么,就是听不懂!