Princess in wonderland

Ordinary people may never care about who will be their future leader, but they do worry about their daily lives. Anyone who in the position of power can offer a plan that would actually make Welsh healthier, he will be advocated as a good leader.
It is therefore become a very common thing for Politicians to toss around the “health reform” schemes to gain public’s advocacy. But if we examine the schemes closely, we will disappointedly find out that most of the schemes are just financial shell game and seldom benefit our citizens. They put too much energy on pushing drugs, surgery and other treatment and do nothing to address the cause of poor health in the first place. No body in the communities teaches the disease prevention, nobody takes part in nursing the elderly and disabled people, nobody helps the minority group, such as blacks, lesbians and homelessness to solve their basic healthy problem.
Though the National Public Health Service for Wales has been set up for four years, the health status in the Welsh population has little improvement. Welsh government pouring huge money on different health care programs every year but data from the annual public health report still makes the government feel headache.
What we need is not the blueprint of the Welsh health system, but the genuine legislation or campaign that can give Welsh the information and resources they actually want to prevent disease in the first place. Our government should launch more public services, such as the free medical treatment for homeless and jobless people, the free condom machines for youth, the health education in communities, schools and corporations, and the legible health-guidebook for uneducated people. This strategy may cost a lot of money, but it would save the nation many times its cost in reduced health care costs.
As the Assembly election is coming, politicians again put the wish list in front of public to encourage Welsh people to vote. They drum for how the multicultural health service will change the picture of Wales, ignoring the difficulties in real life. Those who are minorities, disables, and poors don’t need Santa Claus, they just need help from public.
We are all told that the government is our servant who will help us to get on better lives. However, the reality seems to be up-side-down: many “servants” betray they master as soon as they achieve their goal; they no longer think of public but only themselves’ profits. Could the officers who are in the chair of power stop standing high above people and do something that really helpful to our lives? We would like to believe that our families, children, community and our Wales will head for a brilliant future, but will our government bring any good news?

Wales today is much more like a patchwork of different ethnics. White, black, yellow, people from different races can be found in almost every town of Wales. Compared with 10 years ago, Wales is much more tolerant. However, most minorities still found that it is really hard for them to survive in a so-called white society. They heard racist language such as “Paki”, “Chinee”, and “black bastard” almost everywhere; they felt the racial discrimination happened from time to time. Unless ignore the words that often be used could make them feel comfortable. Are most white Welsh racists?

As a matter of fact, most areas in the UK where whites are the majority have few people from ethnic minorities in them have the same problem. Though there are some people who are racists, major part of Welsh are in the belief of tolerance and positive to immigration. Most cases of discrimination were caused by misunderstanding. On one hand, for those who are from ethnic minority, jokes can be very offensive if told by whites, for they are not familiar with British culture or they even can’t understand the exact meaning. On the other hand, many natives are too insensitive to the racism.

Social and ethnic division in Wales is a simple fact. Ethnic minority populations do concentrate in particular areas. Although mixed-race marriages are on the rise in recent years, they are still infrequency of all marriages. For the most part, people mix and marry with people of their own cultural background. To mix with people from other culture remains a tough thing. Communities are keeping their own people together and pushing others out with inhospitality.

However, today's Welsh government is committed to fighting discrimination and prejudice. A good example is the recent document of life guide in Wales for immigrants which informs about their rights and responsibilities concretely. Such comportment is a good way to help them feel at home. Wales certainly benefits from immigration in both technology and human resource; to solve the racism problem is to build a harmonious society for its own. That's why multiculturalism has recently become such a hot issue.

We all like to feel that we are open-minded people who can be friends with anyone. The truth is that human being is not that different if we can treat people equally, whether he is from minority or majority.

The Welsh Rugby Union is delighted to announce that the Australian winemaker Wolf Blass has signed a six figure sponsorship deal. The international wine brand will become the “Official Wine of Wales Rugby” in a two year partnership beginning immediately.
The company’s wine will be sold at the Millennium Stadium’s bars and corporate hospitality facilities. The wine will be supplied to spectators outside the stadium at a Wolf Blass trailer during the international match days.
Steve Lewis, 34, a Welsh rugby fan said “It is fantastic news that a quality global brand such as Wolf Blass has signed up to support Welsh Rugby.”
Wolf Blass is the number seven selling brand in the UK, with ACNielsen showing sales growing by more than 30% in the 12 months to July 17 2006.

Sah ein Knab ein Roeslein stehn,
Roeslein auf der Heiden,
War so jung und morgenschoen,
Lief er schnell, es nah zu sehn,
Sah's mit vielen Freuden.
Roeslein, Roeslein, Roeslein rot,
Roeslein auf der Heiden.

Knabe sprach: Ich breche dich,
Roeslein auf der Heiden!
Roeslein sprach: Ich steche dich,
Dass du ewig denkst an mich,
Und ich will's nicht leiden.
Roeslein, Roeslein, Roeslein rot,
Roeslein auf der Heiden.

Und der wilde Knabe brach
's Roeslein auf der Heiden;
Roeslein wehrte sich und stach,
Half ihm doch kein Weh und Ach,
Muss es eben leiden,
Roeslein, Roeslein, Roeslein rot,
Roeslein auf der Heiden.

Sometimes I believe fate,sometimes I don't. Fate is when I was five years old my young daddy held me tenderly in his arms and sang the Heidenroeslein song to me.He went to Germany when I was seven years old. He told me somewhere in this big big world, there is a country called Germany. Great musicians, ideologists, and scientists were borned in the country as the gifts from God; People there are serious and wise.When he began the topic of Germany, his eyes were shining like stars in the dark sky. Why he loved Germany so much? At that time I was too young to understand. Did he have a secret lover in Germany? What did she look like? Did she have beautiful pearl blue eyes which my father's shadow could be seen clearly in the lake-like pupils? Did she break his heart? Or maybe she cried in his arms when he had to leave?
I have no answers to the questions above for he stopped telling the stories when I grew up. I nearly forget his stories until now.FATE.OR CURSE. Germany is the curse from my father. Now he pass down it to me. Someone from the country that my father has dreamed for his whole life came close to me and went away, carving my soul in a cruel way without saying goodbye. Tears, diaries, and words. Roses deflowered.Could you please remember me forever, even I told you I would forget you forever?
I still smile to you even you are hurting me, as rose sighed when she was picked off. Will you feel guilty if you see me crying? You will soon go back and we won't see each other for the life time. Will your grandson read novels to you someday and remind you of the memory that long long time ago, a chinese girl once kissed you in an raining night, and smiled to you with tears in her eyes?

A Korean company has announced to invest an £80m pound in a flagship residential development in Swansea, which is believed to be the largest ever Korean investment in the UK’s property market.
Coda, an expanding Korean architectural property development, said it will build more than 400 apartments and seven retail units in the Harbour Square, on the city's SA1 waterfront site. Harbour Square is the first investment of Coda in the UK.
The company has so far invested heavily in the US residential property market but little in the UK. It is considered to be a trailblazing investment and follows the South Korean Government’s easing of restriction on the foreign real estate purchases.
Coda Chief Executive Hoshik Chi said the encouragement of the Welsh Assembly Government was a decisive factor in choosing for Wales. “The fact that SA1 is being developed by the Welsh Assembly Government and that we will be engaging directly with the Assembly Government has created a huge amount of confidence amongst our investors and provided the assurance they needed."
He spent almost a month on touring the UK looking at 25 potential sites before deciding on Swansea. "The market in Swansea is dynamic and buoyant and I have been most impressed by the city and the surrounding area," he said.
Enterprise Minister Andrew Davies, who met Coda representatives last week, said it was the largest single investment in SA1 to date and would help raise the profile of the city internationally.
"The news that Coda has singled out Swansea for this significant investment will I am sure act as a catalyst attracting new interest in the city and follows hot on the heels of the launch last week of Swansea’s city centre framework – a £1billion blueprint designed to transform the city centre and its waterfront."
Harbour Square will be designed to the highest architectural standards and will be a beacon of sustainability, with the intention achieving an ECO-homes excellent rating.
Miles Thomas of Knight Frank said the SA1 development had placed Swansea firmly on the international map. “The continued demand for residential accommodation in Wales is the driver for increased investment at home and from abroad. This, coupled with a relaxation in South Korea’s laws regulating the purchase of property abroad, means that similar organisations may now look to Wales’ strong property market as a route to invest.”
It is expected that a planning application for the apartment and retail development will be submitted next month and that construction will take three years.

James Bond’s favorite marque, Aston Martin is bought by a Welsh entrepreneur in a £479m deal from Ford this week.
Dave Richard, the new owner of Aston Martin who comes from Denbighshire, spells out his plans to make British icon Aston Martin “the coolest and most successful luxury car company in the world”. Due to this plan, Aston Martin at Newport Pagnell will cease its production in July and remain at its purpose-built factory in Gaydon in Warwickshire, where 1,800 staff are employed.
Around 200 hundred jobs will be created at the company overall and new models lauched as the new owner starts a big push to sell the cars in Russia and Asia. A dealership will be opened in Moscow in June and another in Shanghai this year.
Mr Richard is the boss of motorsport firm Prodrive and has a long relationship with motor racing. He is a former accountant who became a professional rally driver, winning the World Rally Championship as co-driver with Ari Vatanen in 1981. His company, Prodrive, already runs the Aston Martin racing team in the sports car series around the world, as well as the Subaru world rally team.
“This is an incredible opportunity—Aston Martin is one of the world’s most iconic brands,” said Mr Richard, “We are confident we now have all the right ingredients to take Aston Martin to even greater heights.”
Ulrich Bez, the chief executive of Aston Martin said it was “a tremendously exciting opportunity” and “will give the company the opportunity to attain an even higher level of excellence.”
Terry King, sales manager of Aston Martin agency in Cardiff said to Welsh Globe, “It’s really encouraged news—we’ve a deal, and it’s a good deal. We’ll have the most beautiful cars in the world. It is good for Aston Martin and good for UK.”
However, analysts consider the news cautiously. Professor Garel Rhys, director for the Centre for Automotive Industry Research at the Cardiff University Business School, said: "Aston Martin is a company that is well organized, well run and making good profits. Whether it can sustain this, only time will tell.”
"My one worry is the fact that no matter how exclusive a product you are producing, you will find it very difficult to survive as a small company on your own.
"Even top brands like Lamborghini, Ferrari and Maserati have had to ally themselves with large partners."

Recently, British government announces that overseas students and tourists will be spared the full brunt of visa fee increases designed to raise money to pay for a crackdown on illegal immigrants.This annoucement will come into effect on April 1.
The cost of work permits will increase from £85 to £200, while that of student visas will rise by £14 to £99. A visitor visa fee will increase from £50 to £63.According to an officer in the immigration office, it was only fair that immigrants who get the most financial benefit from coming to Britain should pay more.
Let's go over this issue in mathematics way. A Chinese student will pay £85 more than last year, that is to say almost ¥1,275, a standard income in some parts of China. While the working permits even cost higher, almost ¥3,000, which means high-paid-month-salary in some small cities in China.
I wonder if is fair that people like me who wish to study in the UK should pay more. Firstly, most international students are self-sponsored or suportted by their families...
Secondly, I don't think illegal immigrants will be crackdown by this policy. As far as I know, most illegal immigrants are coming from...
Thirdly, this policy may affect legal immigrats and international students' morale, which in anther words, if education is a business to the UK,the policy may cause the customers not buying the "UK education" product and buying "US/EU/Asia education" product instead.
Though the population of the international students is increasing according to data from last year, such a event is still far from being a good news. I strongly suggest that immigration office should treat the international students and immigrants differently.

Traditional circuses are a rarity in many parts of the world these days, but the Moscow State Circus is one troupe keeping the art form vividly alive. Founded on 30th of April 1971, Moscow State Circus is famous for its peerless reputation, based on 200 years of tradition and, in particular, 70 years of massive government support.
The circus brings with it a 35 strong cast of Russia's greatest and most flexible circus performers. Many of them hold the honorary titles of People's Artistes and Honored Artistes of Russian Federation. Most of the acts are performing in Western Europe for the first time and there are several world-class performers, such as the Yarmorka Russian Swing, juggling sensation Gurianov, the award-winning Averiouchkine Clowns, the Maszlov Balancing Trio, Sky Travellers Flying Trapeze and the Puzanovs Springboard Acrobats.
The circus is operated by the European Entertainment Corporation (EEC) in the UK. Maria, who has worked for the company for ten years, said to Welsh Globe, “We run different circuses. The performance changes all the time. Every season we get new circus show.”
Lisa, 56, told Welsh Globe, “The performance is colorful, the circus is big and the artists are well-balanced. I can’t imagine someone to stand on my shoulder and bend his legs on my head.”
The Circus opens a 10-day stay at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff from 28th February to 11th March and the next show place will be Birmingham. Call 0870 4000 855 or go to the http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/artist/848342 for the booking.

A tan may be a fashion statement for many teenagers, but expert warned that they are facing the high risk of skin cancer if they continue to ignore the warnings of sun-protection.
Dr Sharon Blackford from Singleton Hospital in Swansea said she was treating people in their 30s for skin cancers more commonly found in the old.
Dr Blackford said on Eye on Wales, a Wales' current affairs Radio programme, "We're seeing people in their 30s which is definitely a bad sign. When you've got skin cancer at that age then you are going to go on getting more and more of them unfortunately.”
The unregulated tanning salons are blamed for the increasing risk. It found that some young people are having more than 100 sunbed sessions in one year. The over-exposure of the skin to ultraviolet light leads directly to the result of that more people with the non melanoma types of skin cancer which used to be predominantly a problem in elderly people.
Labour MP for Swansea East, Sian James, said "I was shocked when I realized young people were accessing for very little money, coin operated salons and the nub of the problem is that there is no staff there."
The British Medical Association and Cancer Research UK called for a ban on under-16s using tanning salons since 2004. Now the appeal to close down the coin-operated salons becomes even keener.
However, seldom teens have realized the danger and most of them still seek a suntan and more prone to using sunscreen with low SPF levels.
“Unless young people change their habits and learn to protect themselves properly in the sun they could be heading for a skin cancer time bomb.” said Dr Blackford.

Welsh cyclist Nicole Cooke, 23, won the opening round of the 2007 World Cup road series in Australia on 3rd March.
Ninety-seven riders from 17 countries began the race from Waterfront Geelong and almost immediately had to contend with a fierce thunderstorm at the beginning of the race, but the skies cleared by the time they headed into the second of eight laps of the 15 kilometer circuit. Cooke performed well in the race and outsprinted Australian Oenone Wood and Nikki Egyed after 120km.
Cooke and her team have been trained in Australia for a month before the first round race start. Such training give her a plenty time to prepare.
"The way it all panned out, holding off the bunch, beating such a fantastic sprinter like Oenone Wood, who's a past winner here, it was one of the most fantastic wins of my career," Cooke said. The world number one had already become the first non-Australian to win the Geelong Tour earlier in the week.
It was her second trip to Australia for racing after last year's Melbourne Commonwealth Games to finish third in the road race. The second round of the World Cup Series will be hold in Belgium next month.

Beijing is on fever these days.As the year 2008 is coming, Beijing is pouring money on all kinds of urban construction projects. Those projectss include a dozen Olympic sports centres; a new cross-city underground railway; a host of office towers; a massive airport terminal; and, after some delay and much criticism, a colossal French-designed egg-shaped theatre in the city centre.
Although media in China are singing highly for the huge transformation of the capital, some economists are worried about the coming result. They believed that Olympics would coincide with a cyclical downturn in China's economy, exacerbating the risk of a post-Olympics slump in the capital.
I strongly agree with these observers' views. Beijing is increasing the investment on city construction projects in order to attract the foreign investors. But how do these money come from? Taxes from the residents,companies and loan from the central bank are the main source of the investment fund. Huge amount of the loan and heavy taxes will cause the ecomomy of the city unstable. As heavy taxes means higher price of both commodities and real estate,low-paid residents will suffer from the soaring price in the near future;the strict-control bank systerm in China will also limit the operation of assets.That means the final undertaker of the investent projects(in another word,the payer) is the civilian in Beijing; or more exactly, the middle class and common workers. All of this evidences prove the only beneficiary in the Olympic construction projects is just the realty bussinessmen.
This is really a horrible news for citizens. At present, the house price in Beijing has already reached the top of the whole country, which harms the middle class seriously and will continue on even after the Olympic. In January the property-price index in Beijing rose by 9.9% compared with the same month in 2006.
If things continue, the residents in Beijing will cry out for the unbearable house price. And that, is really a bomb to Beijing.

Have you ever read about Pride and Prejudice? If the answer is yes, I’ll say, look, you are Darcy and I am Elizabeth. You are such a great man who has everything in your favor: you have talent, you are hard-working, and you are always well-organized. You should think highly of yourself (and you do!). As a friend, I am so proud of you. People love you, admire you and influenced by you, you are the one people can rely on. I truly believe that you will be a good leader and make your dream come true in the future. But have you ever thought that you should appreciate for that? Have you ever thought those ordinary people may as unusual as you? No, you won’t think so.
I am just a beautiful object in your eyes. I am a simple, empty-headed Barbie; knowing nothing but cosmetics and clothes. I am so sorry that I may disappoint you if you really think I am a Barbie—my mind is as deep as yours and I am more complicated than you think.
Oh, how I wish my English is as good as those native speakers! You may never know how frustrate I was when I was misunderstood by people. Yes, I love fashion and sometimes I behave a little bit crazy of that. It is because I truly believe in this modem world beauty is a kind of power, not only it is what human love and in pursuit of but also it will benefit women in their careers and lives. The way I dress up myself is the way I express myself. I don’t think a woman is splendid if she never care about her appearance. In china there is a saying: women dress up for themselves and those they love. I care about how pretty I am because I love myself and I do mind what I am in your eyes as you are an important person for me. Is it too over for you? If it is true, I have to say, I am sorry, you are not the one I am looking for. We are just people of different types, not different levels.
Everything has a reason. Do you know why I have a personality like this? Well, let me tell you what, I am a changed person. I was a fat and ugly girl who has nothing but books and good marks when I was in high school. In order to get ride of the feeling of loneliness and depression, I wrote a plenty of novels. Those novels are nothing related to love or romance, they are the journey of how a girl become a woman. It was a very long way for me to realize women need to be both beautiful and intelligent. So I changed during my university to adapt with the world. Believe it or not, this world is much crueler to women. Men prefer to marry with pretty women, while women show not so many interests in men’s appearance. Do you think it is fair? If you think this thing just happen in the eastern countries then how do you feel about the news from BBC that good-looking women were better paid than not-good-looking ones in the UK? A woman who wants to be successful in this world has to be both well-educated and good-looking. Even Condoleezza Rice, such a powerful woman still needs to pay attention to her appearance. Oh, you may say you have never said that women should not pay attention to their appearance and you just think I have involved too much in the beauty thing, so, listen, I am young and still changing, I will overcome this weakness in the near future. That’s what we called “grow up”.
Oh, don't ever find excuse any more!You just don't like me. Look how many excuses you've said!You said you didn't feel right, you said I was too crazy for you,you said we couldn't be a couple for we might apart after one month and it would be hurt,you said you won't love someone who just has beautiful face and empty head. Oh,what else you want to say? The truth is out there, you don't like me.
Let me end up it in this way--Don't lie to me any more.It doesn’t matter that you don’t like me or you don’t want to be with me. Because the only thing I need is your respect. Do you think because I am yellow, plain and tongueless so that I am heartless? You think wrong! I have as much soul as you and fully as much heart!