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 斯汀网络通信录（连载2） |
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山东斯汀
[博客]
[个人文集]
头衔: 海归准将
声望: 学员
性别:  年龄: 51
加入时间: 2005/09/14
文章: 679
来自: 某国驻华使馆
海归分: 106854
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作者：山东斯汀 在 海归商务 发贴, 来自【海归网】 http://www.haiguinet.com
主题：我的斯汀网络通信录（序）
我自己有很多个人主页，由于工作性质，我申请的都是美国域名，纯英文界面。我的很多朋友或笔友也跨越世界各地，职业各行都有。
我经常就一些热点问题或中美文化差异展开讨论，在我的个人留言板上，信箱里每天都有很多人留言，写信，经常有绝妙的文章出现。
我现在准备推出系列《斯汀网络通信录》连载，之所以有此想法，缘于有些笔友的见解实在是独辟蹊径，有益的很。本着“奇文共欣赏”的原则，愿于大家分享。见仁见智，望赐教。
我的连载全部来自于英文原版，当然是由我的外国朋友或笔友所写，中文翻译工作则由我个人完成。
翻译错误之处多多，希望大家帮忙指正。(找错误,送美腿活动进行中)
斯汀网络通信录（连载5）
序：KEN是我最早的笔友，他经历丰富，热衷摄影，文笔也不错，经常出没于美国各大网络论坛，并乐此不疲。以后我会重点介绍。 另外，如对文中观点有疑义，请赐教。但不要扣帽子，要讲道理。也不要针对我，因为这并不代表我，除非我的笔误。
你好，斯汀。很抱歉这么晚才给你回信，实在是因为我这里的事太多了。
第一件事就是我父亲病的很严重。他的心跳微弱，或许很快就会去世。我的母亲当然十分不安（他们结婚毕竟已经50年了）。我的兄弟，姐妹和我一直在安慰她，也一直试图了解他们的经济状况，并考虑父亲的后事。我们都非常不安，特别是我的妹妹。第二件事就是我的女儿和她丈夫，及三岁的孩子也来到我家过圣诞节，一直住到新年开始。
他们住在洛杉讥郊区，开车过来用了差不多20个小时，近1100英里。不管怎么说，房子里只要孩子一多，气氛就开始活跃。第三件事就是为过节做准备（买礼物，并包装它们等）。好了，我开始回答你的问题：
1，我不是一个专业作家，（尽管我的确是把写作当成爱好，并且也在慢慢的试着写小说）我只不过是在波音公司搞软件开发而已。（注：美国的西雅图以波音飞机和微软而闻名）。
2，你是对的，美国的确是一个选择工作很自由的地方。（如果不满意，你尽管挑）。总之，体系运转还不错，努力工作的人总会获得成功。（但有时候，聪明能干的人运气却不好）
在美国，中国人往往以聪明肯干而闻名，一般也比较成功。根据我所知的我的儿媳妇的家族（注：华裔菲利宾人）和许多别的资料都显示这个观点被全世界所认可。美国由来自全世界的人构成，我认为这是我们最强大的原因之一。我坚信：美国从全世界吸引了最好和最优秀的人才（并且一直如此）。来到美国的人一般来说也比较大胆，（离开自己熟悉的一切，来到一个陌生之地毕竟是一件令人恐惧和相当冒险的事），他们比普通人也聪明的多。他们构成了赴美移民中的大多数。（比较于那些自满的美国本地人，移民才真正让美国变的伟大。
3，你所说的美国人不存很多钱是有些对。他们也存，但不是象他们应该存的那么多。当然不是任何地方都象日本人那样做。
4，十八岁就没有处女？我不能说我真的了解。当然数字绝对不会象中国那么多，但我也不认为“十八岁就没有处女”。我猜是百分之二三十，（仅仅是猜）。我倾向于对性统计持怀疑态度，我相信差不多所有人都对性撒谎。女人们热衷于宣称她们对性如何无知，如何的纯洁，男人们则倾向于吹牛皮，宣称他们如何如何精于此道。在这种情况下，如何又让人对统计数据坚信不疑呢？
5，照顾父母：正如我前面所提的，在这个问题上，在关键时候，我们都会参与其中。我有必要向你讲一些个人的见解。美国是一个聚焦青年人的社会。我猜想这也是推动国家发展的一部分。我们通常是在向前发展，从来不是在倒退。老的建筑被推倒，然后新的建筑拔地而起，通常也不考虑老建筑的历史意义。遗憾的是，这样的人有很多。年轻人总是搬来搬去，老人们越来越被忽视。（不象在中国，人越老越被尊重）。
三十年代的大萧条后，（当时美国情况非常糟糕），罗斯福政府指定了制度去帮助困难的人（在此之前，我们没有任何保障制度）。也就是现在的社会保险－－－－一种福利制度，雇员们和雇主在工作期间交纳政府基金（税的一种），最后，当他们退休后，（通常大约65岁），他们就能从政府返还这笔钱，直到去世。他们得到的多少取决于他们以前交纳的多少。以我的父亲为例：现在他每月能领到1800美圆，我母亲每月则只能领到700美圆（因为她以前不怎么工作，挣的也少）。听起来似乎不少，但美国物价昂贵，通常来说，差不多刚够花的。社会保险并不意味着就是老年人幸福晚年的唯一方式，仅仅是在花他们自己存的钱。（许多公司也付退休金）。这样导致的结果通常就是：人越老越生活艰难。当我们谈论一个超过2000万老龄人口的国家时，也很难做一个概括，但我确信美国老人较中国老人相比，更多的被他们的孩子忽视了。这不是美国社会的灿烂一面，也不值的丝毫骄傲。在这一点上，我们应该更多的向中国学习。
6：枪支问题：我没有枪。我也不认为拥有一只枪就是很危险的。我认识的一些人尽管有枪，其实也没什么稀奇的。我猜想也许百分之十的人拥有枪（大多在打猎盛行的乡村）。我确信，这一点被有些人大大的夸张了。（斯汀注：我也有同感，我曾经就此问题问过所有我认识的老美，答案都是否定的。）这里非常安全，从来没有影视中展现的枪击。我从来没有看到过枪击事件，或许永远不会。我也认为买枪并不是很容易。在过去的几年里，相关条文更加严格了，但是枪支的制造者和使用者都倾向于强烈抵制任何新的条文，所以，改变是非常难的。造成这种情形的部分原因应追搠到美国的传统。
当我们一谈论美国，你必须经常记住：它历史上曾经是新大陆。如果你不铭记于心，你就不能完全的理解美国。当欧洲人第一次到达北美洲，人们就经常向边疆迁移。你能够向西，建一个农场，住在你希望的地方。（在这里，我不涉及征服印第安的历史，它太长而复杂了）。这样的背景导致了美国人拥有了一个巨大的自由空间。
如果美国人不喜欢他们住的地方，打包就走，向西，直到他们发现一个没有一个人能告诉你如何去生存的地方。巨大的自由。这个传统解释了美国人对基本自由的向往和热爱。（有点无序的本性）它也解释了我们独立的信念（天生的不喜欢共产主义和社会主义），普遍的不信任政府，以及我们对年轻人的关注。（年轻人西进时，老人倾向于原地不动）。它也解释了我们对于枪支的容忍，当然一个拓荒者是需要武器的（打猎，阻挡动物或别人的袭击）。当时，美国人主要是由农场主构成，现在情况已大为改变，差不多百分之九十五的美国人都生活在城市。然而作为一种传统，它却是很难丢失的。美国人一向讨厌别人指手画脚。他们需要和期望一种生存的自由，他们期望一定程度上的自我独立，并且一直对政府抱怀疑态度。
7，美国人均收入：我不是很确定，但是我想差不多应是每年28000美圆左右。听起来很多是吧，但请注意：这里的物价也是非常非常贵的。还有需要注意的是：物价和工资因你的居住地和工种不同，也有很大不同。我相信，在中国，大城市也要比小地方物价高的多。一般说来，美国中部（多数为农场）物价要比东西海岸（人口聚集区）物价高的多。美国政府也有关于建立国家最低工资标准的法规。有些州（例如加利福尼亚，德克萨司等）制订的最低标准都要高一些。
在华盛顿州（不要和美国首府相混淆），最低标准仅每小时7美金。这根本就不够，它主要是针对一些穷学生，打零工，和英语不好的新移民，还有无学历，知识的。大多数挣最低标准的都是在年轻时，之后他们就去找更好的工作。教育水平越高，挣的也越多。身为一个计算机程序员（双学历），我能挣到平均工资的两倍。我妻子，在商店里插花，挣得比平均工资要少一点。
8，吃饭花费：这里面差别很大，取决于吃什么，在那里吃？可以一个人花3到6美金出去吃一顿。（麦当劳的汉堡包，炸薯条，可乐，垃圾食品。），也可以花10到15美金在常规餐厅吃一顿。高级餐厅花费会更多。在家吃当然非常便宜。9，酒店花费：真的差别也很大。选择余地非常大。小地方的小旅馆（远离大城市和旅游区）或许每晚25美金。反之则40到200美金不等，或更贵。
10，阿拉斯加：我从来没去过。我有一个妹妹曾经住在那里。非常大，非常冷，非常空旷（动物很多，人很少）。它是美国最后的边疆。想要充分自由的人有时候会去那里以喜欢的方式生活。（注：斯汀的一位特别熟悉的老友住在那里，情况有一些不同）11，凤凰城：在亚利桑那州（美国西南部，*近墨西哥和加州）。我从来没去过。炎热干燥。老年人冬天的好住处（至少要有一笔钱
原信
Sorry it took so long to get back to you. There has been a lot going on here. First of all my father is very sick. His heart is failing and he may die soon. My mother is of course very upset (they've been married for 50 years after all), and my brother, sisters and I are all in the process of comforting her as well as trying to understand their current financial state and make arrangements for after my dad dies.
It is of course all very upsetting (especially for my sisters). Secondly, My daughter, her husband, and their 3 kids have arrived here for the Christmas holidays and are staying with us until the beginning of the New Year. They live in a suburb of Los Angeles and drove up here (it's about 1100 miles or so - about a 20 hour drive). Anyway, the house is once again full of kids and things are a little hectic. Finally, we are trying to prepare for the Holidays (buying gifts, wrapping them etc). Anyway, regarding your questions: I am not a professsional writer (though I do write as a hobby and am slowly trying to write a novel).
I just develop software for Boeing. Yes, America is a place where you do indeed have freedom to work as you wish to advance your life (or not , as you choose). Overall, the system tends to work well, as those who work harder usually get ahead (though sometimes, even smart or hardworking people are just unlucky). In this country, Chinese have a reputation for being very smart, very hard working and as people who generally get ahead. From what I know from my daughter-in-laws family (and lots of other sources) I think this view is pretty much held world-wide.
As you probably already know, America is made up of people from all over the the world. I think this is one of our greatest strengths. It is my belief that America attracts "the best and the brightest" from around the world (and always has). The people who come to America tend to be rather daring (it is after all a frightening and rather risky thing to leave everything you know behind and move to a strange new place), and generally resourceful as compared to people in general. And so it is mostly the immigrants to America (rather than the home-grown folks - who tend to be more complacent - who make America great).
What you say about Americans not saving much is somewhat true - they do save, just not as much as they should, and certainly not anywhere near as much as say, the Japanese people do. No virgins at 18? I can't say as I really know. Certainly not as many as in China, but I wouldn't say "no virgins at 18". I would guess 20-30 percent (just a guess).
I tend to not trust statistics about ***, as it's my belief that almost everyone lies about ***. Women tend to claim to be more ignorant and "pure" than they really are, and men tend to brag that they are more experienced about it. How can anyone possibly believe any statistics about something under those conditions? Taking care of parents: As I mention above, we are in the midst of dealing with a personal crisis in this regard, so I can speak with some personal insight. America is a society focused on the young. That is part of what drives the country forward (I suppose). We are always looking towards the future, never towards the past. Old buildings are torn down to make way for new, often with little consideration of the historical significance of what is being destroyed. It is, sadly, much the same with people here.
Young people are always anxious to move out on their own, and older folks tend to be somewhat overlooked and neglected (unlike China, where older people are held in high esteem ). After the Great Depression of the 1930's (when things were very bad here), the government (under President Roosevelt) set up programs to help those who where having financial problems. Prior to that there had been nothing. Now there is Social Security - a manditory program whereby, both the employee and employer pay into a government fund (a tax of sorts) during their working years, and then when they retire (usually at age 65 or so), the employee can begin collecting money back from the government until they die. The amount they collect depends on the amount they paid in over the years. In the case of my father for example, the amount is around 1800 dollars/month.
My mother receives around 700 dollars/months (not so much because she didn't work (at a paying job) so much). That sounds like a lot of money, but in America things are very expensive, so usually, it is just enough to get by on. Social Security is not meant to be people's sole source of money in their old age, just money to suppliment their savings (and retirement pay - which many companies offer). The end result is that often, older people have somewhat of a hard time. It is hard to make generalizations when you are talking about a country of over 200 million people, but I do think it is safe to say that older people tend to be more "left on their own" by their children than in China. Not a bright point of American society and not definitely not something to be proud of. We could learn much from China in this regard. Guns: No I don't have a gun. I don't believe in having one as I think they are too dangerous. Some people I know do have them though, and it is not too uncommon.
I would guess maybe 10 percent have one (more out in the country, where hunting is common). This is something about America that is greatly exaggerated, I'm sure. Things here are generally safe and not so "shoot 'em up" as movies and television make it seem. I have never seen a shoot-out, and probably never will. I do think that it is far too easy to buy a gun here. Laws have been tightened over the last few years, but the gun makers and gun users tend to argue strongly against any new laws, so change is hard. Part of this situtation is due to America's legacy - you must always remember when talking about America that it was once the frontier.
You cannot fully understand America unless you keep this in mind. Ever since the Europeans first arrived in North America, people have always had the frontier to move to. You could head west, set up a farm, and live as you wished (I won't go into America's conquest of the Indians here - it is too long and complicated). This situation is what led to the vast freedoms that Americans have always had. If Americans didn't like where they lived, they just packed up and moved west until they found a place where no one was telling you how to live. Total freedom.
This heritage explains America's expectation (and love) for basic freedom (and somewhat chaotic nature). It also explains our belief in self-reliance (and natural dislike of Communistic or Socialistic systems), our distrust of government in general, and our focus on youth (the older folks tended to stay put, while the younger ones moved west). It also explains our acceptance of guns - for of course a pioneer needed a weapon (for hunting food, and for protection against animals and other people).
In those days, America was made up mostly of farmers, now of course that is all different, and probably 95 percent of Americans live in cities. The heritage is however, hard to lose. Americans still hate to be told what to do. They DEMAND and EXPECT the freedom to live as they wish, they expect some degree of self-reliance in others and still tend to distrust government in general. Average income in America: I don't know for sure, but I think I read somewhere that average US income is around $28,000 per year. That sounds like a lot, but again, keep in mind that prices are much, much higher here.
The other thing to remember is that prices and wages really vary a lot depending on where you live and what you do. As in China (I'm sure) big cities tend to be much more expensive than smaller towns. In general, the middle part of America (mostly farmland) is much cheaper than either the east or west coasts (where most of the people live).
The US government has laws that set a national minimum wage. Individual states (such as California, Texas etc) then can set minimums above that amount if they wish. In Washington State (not to be confused with Washington DC - the national capital) the minimum wage is just over 7 dollars per hour. This is not enough to live on, and tends to be earned by teenagers (students) and other young people working part-time after school, or those who speak poor English (recent immigrants) or have little or no education and skills. Most people will work for minimum wage at some point in their life (usually when they are young), but then move on to better jobs. The higher your level of education, the greater the amount you will likely earn. As a computer programmer (with 2 college degrees), I earn about twice the average.
My wife, who works in a store as a person who arranges flowers (an artist of sorts), earns a bit less than the average. Dining costs: It really varies a lot, since there are so many different choices on what to eat and where. You can eat a cheap meal out (hamburger, french fries and a Coke at McDonalds - bad food) for about 3 to 6 dollars per person, or you can eat dinner at a regular restaurant for about 10 to 15 dollars per person. An expensive restaurant can cost much more. Eating at home is of course much cheaper. Hotel costs: Really varies a lot (again) since there are so many different places and so many different choices of hotels.
A small hotel in a small town (away from a big city or other tourist areas) might run 25 dollars per night. A hotel in a large city or tourist area might cost from 40 dollars per night (for a basic hotel) up to 200 dollars per night (or more) for a really nice hotel. Alaska: I have never been there. One of my sisters used to live there. It is very big, very cold, and very empty (lots of animals but not many people).
It is the last "frontier" area of America, and those people who want total freedom sometimes go there to live as they wish. It is very expensive to buy things there. Phoenix: In Arizona (south-western part of America, near Mexico and California). I have never been. Very hot, very dry. A popular place for older people (at least those that have saved a lot of money) to live in the winter. Ken
作者：山东斯汀 在 海归商务 发贴, 来自【海归网】 http://www.haiguinet.com
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 斯汀网络通信录（连载2） -- 山东斯汀 - (13759 Byte) 2005-12-16 周五, 14:46 (1472 reads)
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