World News-Honduras adopts tough smoking law

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras -- Lighting up a cigarette at home could bring a visit from Honduran police if a family member or even a visitor complains about secondhand smoke.

A new law that took effect Monday banning smoking in most public and private spaces doesn't actually outlaw cigarettes inside homes, but it does have a provision allowing people to file complaints about secondhand smoke in homes.

Violations would bring a verbal warning on the first offense. After that could come arrest and a US$311 fine — the equivalent of the monthly minimum wage in this Central American country.

Even some anti-smoking advocates suspect that part of the law may not work.

“It seems its intention is to educate by way of complaints, a move that I do not find very feasible,” said Armando Peruga, a program manager at the World Health Organization's Tobacco-Free Initiative.

He did praise Honduras for adopting a broad anti-smoking law, noting it is only the 29th nation to adopt such a law out of WHO's 193 member states.

But Peruga said the clause allowing family members to call the police on their smoker relatives is confusing. The clause “does not make much sense since the law clearly does not prohibit smoking at homes.”

The law bans smoking in most closed public or private spaces and orders smokers to stand at least six feet (1.8 meters) away from nonsmokers in any open space.

The law also outlaws all advertising for tobacco products and requires photos of lungs affected by cancer to be placed on cigarette packs. Tobacco and cigarette companies have 60 days to comply with both requirements.

In Honduras, 30 percent of the people smoke, and nine out of 10 Hondurans suffering from acute bronchitis live in homes where there is a smoker, according to Honduran health authorities.

For every U.S. dollar that the tobacco industry makes in Honduras, the state spends US$10 to fight smoking-related diseases, according to the nation's Health Department.

The law says businesses, such as bars or restaurants, which allow smoking could be fined between US$1,000 and US$6,000 and repeat offenders could be shut down.

Above news quoted form: http://www.chinapost.com.tw/international/americas/2011/02/23/292166/Honduras-adopts.htm

It’s a good and exhilarating news. I wish we can popularize this kind of smoking law in Taiwan. But the truth is it’s really hard to do this . For people don’t smoke, I feel it’s really a good policy to apply in every country. For people who smoke must hate this news and they don’t want to have too many restrictions on smoking. I don’t understand why smokers know smoking is not good for their health but they just can’t give up smoking. I guess just like I can’t help eat dessert even I was full.

I can’t stand the smoke around me and it makes me feel uncomfortable. My husband doesn’t smoke and this was one of reason why I married him. There are only two my family members who smoke every day. One is my brother and another one is my father in law. I try to ask them to break the habit of smoking but it never works. It’s not only for their health but also for the whole family. I still keep asking them to swear off tobacco until now.

Hot Fuzz

Storyline

Top London cop, PC Nicholas Angel is good. Too good. And to stop the rest of his team looking bad, he is reassigned to the quiet town of Sandford. He is paired with Danny Butterman, who endlessly questions him on the action lifestyle. Everything seems quiet for Angel, until two actors are found decapitated. It is called an accident, but Angel isn't going to accept that, especially when more and more people turn up dead. Angel and Danny clash with everyone, whilst trying to uncover the truth behind the mystery of the apparent "accidents". Written by Film_Fan  

It’s an old movie and published in 2007 in UK. Unfortunately, it was not on at movie theaters in Taiwan and just published DVD only. My brother in law personally recommended me to watch this movie and he rented this DVD.

After watching this film and I felt Hot Fuzz is a brilliant new British comedy film that really hit its mark! Nicholas Angel (Simon Pegg) brings you into the extremely excitement with his quick action in the movie. Speed is the key! It keeps this insanely funny story while you watch. Each character brings something to the table. This is definitely one of those films you have to watch at least twice and it is sometimes hard to stop laughing.

What’s Wrong with the teenagers?

Police question teen for allegedly killing her baby

Local news quoted from: http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/2011/02/11/290664/Police-question.htm

TAIPEI -- Taiwanese police said Thursday they have questioned a 15-year-old girl suspected of murdering her newborn baby by throwing her out of the window of a second-floor apartment.

Police launched an investigation after the baby, with the umbilical cord still attached, was found lying in the street earlier this week in New Taipei city and died after being taken to hospital.

“The girl said she didn't know what to do with the baby after she had given birth in the bathroom,” a police spokesman told reporters.

“She wanted to flush the baby down the toilet but it didn't fit so she threw it out of the window of her second-floor apartment.”

The girl, who is in her third-year in junior high school, said she had been made pregnant by a classmate but had hidden her condition from her family.

I felt really sad after reading this news. What’s wrong with our teenagers? I have no idea why this junior high school girl wanted to flush the baby down the toilet at the first time. The baby didn’t fit then she threw the baby out of the window. What a tragedy we saw! An innocent neonate died just because her teenager mother didn’t know what to do with her. In my opinion, she was completely lacking in responsibility.

How can she do such a terrible thing to the innocent baby? She might be too young to know how to deal with the baby. She can ask her family for help but she did not. In addition, I can’t figure out why her parents never found out that she was pregnant. This was really far away from what is normal. I believe it must have some problems between the girl and her family; otherwise, the parents would find it. I think her parents must feel very guilty now. However, they did also have responsibility about this case and they killed the baby indirectly.

 Nowadays, most of parents are busy on their business and never talk to their kids. They just give them money and don’t spend time to care what’s going on about their children. This news made me feel shock and remind me a lot about teaching my kids. For me, children are my treasure I always want to spend my time with them. That’s why I quitted my job and became a full-time mother last year. I hope this news could also bring some other parents to think about their relationship with their kids. I wish this kind of news never happen again but I knew it’s never end.

A letter to Jack

Dear Jack, 

I try to call you several times today but you didn't pick up the phone. After reading your blog, I understood why you choose to leave. I knew you don’t know how to face it. I feel sorry about your father and I just want to tell you. I respected your decision but I really don't want to see you taking all the responsibility on your own. It's not your fault and you should not be alone. I can be your listener (I mean it) and sometimes you can't keep everything in your mind. You don't need to pretend that you are fine anymore. You are a smart boy and I believe you can go through this difficult situation. Remember, you are not alone and you can talk to me. Promise me that you won’t do any stupid thing. I want you to eat and sleep regularly and DO NOT think too much. You should share your feeling with your sisters and stop thinking bad things. I will be with you. I keep thinking about you after reading your blog. That’s why I still awake now. Please give me a call and we should meet some time, otherwise I can’t sleep well.

Best regards,

Ching

My Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year is a very special occasion because it is the time when people take a break from work to get together with family and friends. I have to do lots of jobs preparing for this season especially clean the house and renewal atmosphere of New Year’s joy. I will help my mother in law prepare lots of traditional food for ancestor-worshipping custom on the lunar New Year’s Eve. After worshipping gods and ancestors, I will process some traditional food again, for example, fired fish has been turned to sweet and sour fish. This is my signature dish. The whole family will get together and enjoy all the mouth watering and sumptuous meal.

After dinner, we hand out hong bao, lucky money, in red envelopes to our parents and children. Kids have to say different lucky words to get hong bao. At that time, we will play dices in a big bowl. All the kids will become crazy because they bring their own money just want to win from the dice game. We will stay up all night to welcome the New Year as we believe doing this on New Year’s Eve that our parents would live a longer life. In addition, my mother in law will hold religious ceremonies after midnight to welcome the God of the New Year into our home. It’s a ritual and end with a huge quantity of firecrackers.

The first day of the New Year Festival, my mother in law will paste red-paper couplets on doors. We wear new clothes and visit the local temples to worship and pray for good luck in the morning. It’s our family tradition and kids love to go there because grandfather will buy some small toys or snacks for them. After that, we will walk to a café shop and drink some coffee and eat desserts for taking a rest. We also visit friends, neighbors and relatives to exchange good wishes of “gong xi fa cai” which means “congratulations and prosperity.”

The second day of the New Year Festival is the day that married daughters return to their parents’ home. My husband would accompany me and bring gifts to visit my family. My parents and brothers will also give my kids hong bao to wish them good luck. My mother is not good at cooking so I always bring some materials for making dinner. I will cook my specialty “sweet and sour fish”. My family loves this dish, too. After we enjoy the tasty meal and it’s my kids’ favorite time. My brother always prepares some fireworks for them and they will go to the farmland to play these fireworks. My father will make some nice Chinese tea and we can talk and eat watermelon seeds whole night. I don’t have to worry about the time because we will stay at my parents’ house. I love to go home visiting my parents but after I study on the weekend and I don’t have to much time to do so. I do treasure the moment that I stay with my parents. Though the festivities held on Chinese New Year have been handed down for millennia, they still retain the significance today. Indeed, no matter what changes may occur over time, the idea of getting together with the family will always lie at the heart of Lunar New Year celebrations.

My Best Friend

My best friend is one of my college schoolmates. Her name is Chi and we have known each other since I was 15 years old. How she looks? I would say she is very pretty. She has short black hair, brown almond-shaped eyes, a straight nose and a small pointed chin with a magical smile. She is not very tall but she has two slim legs. So she attracts lots of boys to chase after her. I think she is a smart girl who has a strong personality. She dares to say and act so she is nothing afraid. Sometimes other people will think she is cool and not easy to get along with. After getting to know her more, I find out that she is kind and placid.

I don’t remember when and how we became best friend and we were just classmates at the first beginning. The friendship just happens naturally between us. She lives in Shinchu and our school is in Linkou so she would stay at my home sometimes. Whatever we're doing, it's always fun to be with her. It seems like she and I are always talking or laughing about something. She has a wonderful sense of notion but she can also get a little depressed from time to time. I can always count on her to be honest and to give me the best advice. She is a good listener as well, I can pour out my intimate problems to her, and don’t have to worry that she will tell other people. I’m glad to have a friend like her and cherish our friendship very much.

    

I know I can rely on her. Even when our lives get busy we still make time to talk or chat through the internet for each other. I can't imagine my lift without her. She is going to have the second baby and I’m so happy for her. We can always help each other if we get confused about the difficult situation with our mother in law. Sometimes, I will think how lucky we are. The chance to have complemented each other and get along so well’s friend is not easy. Because of this friendship accompany me through the five year youth age to full of rich lives make me have good start for group life. And let me know friendship is part of our life. I hope that our friendship will continue and last forever.