Overseas Chinese Web Guide

Category: Law

  • Good Riddance Governor Richardson

    Reuters reports that New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson is no longer seeking to be the 2008 Democratic candidate for President. No surprise here. With three strong candidates running ahead of him, it would be tough to catch one of them, let alone all three. I’m glad that Governor Richardson has abandoned the race since that candidate is tainted in my mind with the entire Wen Ho Lee fiasco. Sure, Mr. Lee was never able to prove that Governor Richardson leaked details of the investigation in violation of the Privacy Act, but I would never vote for that man.

  • Blame China

    Bloomberg.com: Chinese-Made Cribs Recalled After Three Children Die. The maker of Graco and Simplicity cribs recalled 1 million Chinese-made cribs after three children died.

    Another China scandal right? Or so the headlines would lead you to believe. However, if you delve deeper into the news story, it reports that “[t]he problem with the recalled cribs was caused in part by design flaws.” I’m guessing that the design work was the crib was done in America, not China. Why mention that the cribs were Chinese-made? It fits into the current hysteria around shoddily-manufactured Chinese goods.

    That’s not reporting. That’s propaganda. American-Designed Cribs Recalled After Three Children Die should have been the headline.

  • Public or Private?

    New York Times: China Finds Poor Quality on Its Store Shelves. China said on Wednesday that nearly a fifth of the food and consumer products that it checked in a nationwide survey this year were found to be substandard or tainted, underscoring the risk faced by its own consumers even as the country’s exports come under greater scrutiny overseas.

    No question. China has been getting pounded by the press as of late for all kinds of safety lapses. Unfortunately, we no longer live in an era where environmental, health and safety problems in China are “their” problems. Because we breathe the same air and use the same manufactured products, “their” problem is “our” problem as well.

    So far, our government does not have a solution to this crisis and neither does the Chinese government. While the politicians can pontificate and legislate all they want, ultimately this will boil down to an enforcement issue. How can we “trust but verify” that Made in China products are safe?

    The answer will probably come from the private sector. Whichever company can step into the void by offering a solution to test the safety of Chinese products can act as a gatekeeper to all of China’s imports—and collect a treasure in tolls along the way. The cost of testing will be paid by Chinese manufacturers who must earn the trust of the world market now that the safety of their products is tainted. So, who will it be?

  • Top 8 Reasons to Learn English

    The United States requires applicants for naturalization to be able to read, write, speak, and understand English. However, the U.S. exempts older applicants who have resided in the United States as a lawful permanent resident for a long duration or those with a medical impairment that affects their ability to learn English. While green card holders that qualify for one of the above exceptions do not have to learn English to become a U.S. citizen, they should not view the exception as an excuse not to learn English. Being a U.S. citizen and being able to fully partake in the benefits of American society are two separate issues. The advantages of being able to communicate in English are numerous:

    1. America the Beautiful. You need to learn English if you want to travel outside of Chinatown. Though, many Chinese old timers may sniff at America the Beautiful. China has more history. The Grand Canyon can’t even compare to Guilin. They’ll even tell you all the great things about living in China while their two feet are firmly planted in U.S. soil. Learn English. Be adventurous. Visit the national parks and soak in the grandeur of America.
    2. Cold Hard Cash. Sure, there are jobs available to those who can only speak Chinese. So, technically, you don’t even have to speak English to find a job in America. But, why limit yourself to only seeking Chinese-speaking jobs? A little investment in education, pays dividends.
    3. Good Health, Long Life. Even when you visit your Chinese-speaking doctor, the prescription will be written in English. Learning English lets you understand what medicine was prescribed. You need to understand the proper dosage and side effects of all medicines you take.
    4. Law and Order. If you ever get into an accident or are a victim of a crime, you need to be able to communicate clearly with the police or fire department. Sure, some departments may have Chinese-speaking interpreters available. But, the unavailability of an interpreter during a critical situation could jeopardize of you or a loved one.
    5. Education. Education is a bedrock of the Chinese culture. To properly communicate with your children’s teachers, you need to understand English.
    6. Descendents. Your children were dutiful enough to continue your family line. But, these young rascals speak English! If your grandchildren grow up in the United States, they will face a challenging time holding onto their Chinese language. If you wish to communicate with them, teach them Chinese but also learn English on your own so you can meet them half way.
    7. Chinatown Has Moved. The Chinese American population has dispersed all across America. Life in the suburbs means all the stores and services usually are not within walking distance anymore. The further you have to travel, the more likely you will need English to read road signs or interact with others. Oh. Make that another reasons to complain about the United States. Back in China, I can just go downstairs and…
    8. Learning for Learning’s Sake. Sometimes, you shouldn’t need a reason to learn something. As a human being, you are blessed with a brain that is designed to learn new skills. If you start refusing to learn new skills just because there’s no reason to, well, then America probably isn’t the place for you.

  • Google Patent Search Gives Glimpse Into U.S. Racist History

    the-chinese-must-go.jpgThis week, Google launched Google Patent Search, which lets you search the entire collection of patents made available by the USPTO. As of the launch date, Google Patent Search covered patents issued from the 1790s to the middle of 2006. Now, this is not the first patent search engine, so let’s take a look and compare them.

    I ran a search for “chinaman” on the USPTO website (4 matches), on the Patent Storm web site (3 matches) and on the Google Patent Search website (17 matches).

    Aside from the fact that Google found more matches than these other two services, I was also surprised that there were any matches at all. Now, you may be curious to see what types of patents will invoke the term “chinaman.” After all, when we think about patents and intellectual property, our minds naturally gravitate towards cutting edge inventions and not racial slurs.

    But, sure enough, Patent Number D12733 for a Design for a Toy for Exploding Caps and Fulminates shows a “Chinaman walking or running along the said barrel-like portion of the hand-piece” and an Irishman with a leg acting as the hammer “which operates with a kicking movement.” The inventor also asserted, “My design . . . makes the toy a source of great amusement to children using it.” On the handle of the toy gun are the words: “The Chinese Must Go.” Presumably, this won’t be a great source of amusement to Chinese children.

  • Megan’s Law

    Megan’s Law is named after Megan Kanka, a 7-year-old child who was raped and murdered by a convicted child molester who lived in her neighborhood. At the time, law enforcement officials were prohibited from disclosing the presence of this child molester in the neighborhood. After this incident, the federal and state governments enacted versions of Megan’s Law to allow the release of this type of information to the public.

    By accessing the Megan’s Law database in your state, you can see whether a convicted child molester lives in your neighborhood.

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