I decided to take a brief break from writing about Euclid and tell you about the Cleveland tea party rally and my Chinese restaurant experience though this story does go back to what I have been screaming about - Euclid and socialism. Hey I wish I could just write about happy things, its not my fault our waitress decided to tell us about her life and homeland that brought me back to that topic.
Anyway... I started a new account recently. Its on Paine Ave. in Cleveland. Across from it is an Asian Plaza that I have never been to before. I told mom about it and she replied I have been going there for years. Now I know how the kimchee, dim-sum, and other Asian delights end up in our fridge.
Just before heading to this new account in downtown Cleveland I decided to swing by the Tea Rally. My thoughts of this rally was another pompous display of cheer leading to get someone elected. Can you tell how disillusioned I am? How hard have I tried to organize an effort in my support against Euclid? Exactly, so call it pouting if you like but if people won't support my effort why should I support theirs? Yes yes yes I do realize this is about country first, just need to keep trying to wake people up I guess.
Minutes before taking off I quickly threw together a pamphlet hi-lighting Euclid's codes and fines keeping it very short and not even including my plight so people would read it. I wanted to hand these out at the rally since it was all about taxes and erosion of our rights, maybe someone from the crowd will join my battle.
Jeff and I got to the rally late, about the last 30 minutes. The crowd was of decent size with many signs and flags waving. My little pamphlet was well received except for one lady who just didn't get it. I almost wanted to escort her out of the rally. When I tried to explain to her what is going on she said angrily "Well they are trying to stop it from becoming another E. Cleveland." Lady, high taxes, regulations, government interference are all playing a large part of people fleeing Euclid. The more people flee, the more empty houses and the more values keep plummeting. Capeesh?
I did take a moment at the rally to step back and take it all in. The crowd of people was mixed, old, young, well dressed, jeans and piercings, some in costume, black, white, male, female. Quite a few had signs, some waving flags. The words of the speaker, the cheers, it was an event but the atmosphere was not festive. I realized how on the cusp we are to a real revolt. And as I was reflecting on this I actually felt my words may come true and soon if things don't change - some city hall is going to be hit by someone who is losing it all and cant take anymore. Not like Oklahoma City, an armed rebellion. I don't wish it but I almost feel its inevitable.
We left there to go to work but before starting I wanted to check out the Asian plaza to possibly get a bite to eat. It was quite an interesting experience. This is one time I didn't check if the products were made in China, I would of been disappointed if they weren't. The plaza isn't that large. Its anchored by Li Wah a Chinese restaurant and a Chinese grocery store. When you walk into the Chinese grocery store the odor hits you and it ain't pleasant. What a difference between this and an Italian food store with all those wonderful scents. I love trying different foods but there was a couple of items I don't think I could try. One is the duck tongues, quack, I mean yuck.
We then went to Li Wah to eat where we met the talkative little Chinese waitress. Jeff and I almost left when we asked another waitress if the Mandarin pork chops were filling. She said it was small. Small turned out to be small as in small pieces and but the serving was quite large. Mandarin pork chops are similar to sweet and sour pork except the sauce is not red and not as sweet.
Half way through our meal is when the talkative and friendly waitress, Young, walked by and commented on what we ordered. Oh you ordered the Mandarin pork chops that is my daughters favorite. It went from there to telling us that she came to the US in 1988 and the last time she went back home to China was in 1992. Jeff and I had little room to respond as she kept on talking. I stopped eating to listen and didn't want to interrupt her either. Both of us found what she had to say as very informative and interesting. She must of talked at least a good ten minutes.
Young went on to say how things have changed in China since 1992. Before people were trying their best to come to America as there was no opportunity to succeed in China. It was very hard to start a business. Back then you had to go to one office to register, another place to get a license. Very very difficult for businesses. Now they have relaxed their rules and it is easy to start a business. One of the few times I could get anything in I said it seems like China is becoming easier and less rules and America is becoming harder and more regulations. She said exactly! Her friends and family no longer hope to come here and they ask her to come home things are much different. Before hardly anyone had cars, just businesses or government, now people are buying cars and they are everywhere.
China is more free now, more tourists. American businesses have opened like McDonald's and KFC. When McDonald's first opened you couldn't even move it was so crowded. Everyone wanted to try it.
I asked her about Hong Kong if it was a problem that China took them over. She said not really. Before you needed a passport to go there, now we go freely back and forth, Hong Kong is built up and people love going there.
About education she had this to say. American students aren't as smart. My daughter needed to buy a calculator for math, in China we don't use them, we use pencil and paper. Our chidren are way more advanced. A Chinese child in the third grade comes here and knows everything already and should really be put into the sixth grade.
Young started laughing when she realized how she interrupted our meal and apologized. I said please don't apologize I enjoyed your talk immensely, I learned a lot and hope to talk with you again.
Now do you see how this ties in with Euclid and the Tea Rally? It just upsets me that America the land of the free for some reason wants to embrace socialism/communism that has failed miserably everywhere else. Wake up people.
I just marvel at my life, though I get tired and fed up and say thats it, it never fails to amaze me the connections that seem to cross my path that ties things together and makes me continue onward.
CKM
