--- There are also some skills of Managing Up and Modern Stratagem in the American and Asian worlds.

***Jesus said, "Everyone who bears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock." --- Matthew 7:24-25 of the "Bible"

"The art of management has made the United States a paradise of richfulness and prosperity. On the very top floor of the mansion at the Graduate School of New York University, I was impressed by the crowded traffic and the brilliant night scenes down on the ground. And looking at the groups of mensions standing under the heavenly sky at this Fifth Street reminded me that: All these golden Squares and proserity at the time of the May Flower period was nothing but an empty land. For our Las Vegas, we've realized the same story of development and prosperity," said Dr. Tony Lei, President of Washington Business and Technology Institute (WBTI), on the Grand Openning of the Las Vegas City Park.

"It made me remember the story of the next dynasty King after the Emperor Ching. Impressed by watching the greatness of the Emperor with his large marching team on the road one day at his young age, the young boy said, 'Do it brightly and we should make it the same also, excellency! (Meaning explanation for 'Yu Wei Jer Yi Loi Hsie' in Chinese.)' Nowaday, the entrepreneurship made America great is not just important for individuals, but it is also critical for a company or a country."*1

The above initiative spirit of the United States is originated from the first paragraph of the Preface of a text book written by Tony Tung-tien Lei entitled "Managemnt Behavior" published by Buffalo Publishing Inc. in 1989 (2nd Edition).

Together with his text book "Business Management", "Management Behavior" had been used by Dr. Tony Lei as a reference book in National Taiwan University, National Chengchi University, and National Chungshsing University from 1975 through 1990.

"MANAGING UP shows what you can learn when you keep your eyes and ears open and happen to work for/with a terrif boss. Great lessons for leaders here, managing up, down, and sideways," said Warren Bennis, Distinguished Professor of Business at the University of South Carolina about the book written by Rosanne Badowski in 2003. The book is entitled "How to Forge an Effective Relationship with Those Above You."

The Chairman of Chinese American Academic Association of Nevada, Dr. Tony Lei, received by air mail on February 22, 1997 a book named "Modern Stratagem" The book was written and sent by Professor Tu Lin.

In the preface, Dr. Ko-wang Mei pointed out that: It is the person who uses stratagem to face problem and chellenge and to integrate a project or principle for processing of problem solving. Most of famous stratagems in the human history were used on politics and military. From its broad significance, in order for a person to successful both in production and human relations, he or she needs stratagem to attain his or her objectives. The Chinese idiom of "Action after taking stratagem" may show the good understanding of the above meaning.

The book entitled "Modern Stratagem" was written by a Chinese, while the book entitled "How to Forge an Effective Relationship with Those Above You" is written by an American. The latter talks about "Managing Up" in a business. The following are some of its principles:

Principles of Managing Up
"* Managing is not the exclusive property of MBA grads.
* At times we are all managers, and we are all support staff; managers have to roll up their sleeves and get in the trenches.
* Those who manage up have to think--and act-- like managers.
* A good managers is a student of cause and effect.
* It's not good enough to be aware of what's happening around you; you have to know why it's happening.
* If you're not helping, you're hindering.
* Ask yourself: Did the work I performed today help achieve a goal?
Common Sense Takeaways
* Your boss's agenda comes first. Period.
* When those above you win, you win.
* It's people! Organizations don't run on money, products, or procedures.
* Trust your instincts-- they are based on a lot of experience. Then again, don't always trust instincts.
* Go ahead, take a swing: Better to be too bold than too timid."*2

The first of the above two books was prefaced by Dr. Ko-wang Mei, the former President of Tunghai University and now the President of Taiwan Regional Development Institute.

Dr. Mei believed that: The successful degree of a stratagem can not be depended only on individual's wisdom, knowledge,and experience. It has its team works, integrity, scientific background, and philosophic thought. Therefore, there never appears a stratagem in an emptiness. It needs deliberate planning and logic thinking. The large the area of stratagem and the deeper of the degree of a stratagem, the large and deeper the need for information collection and analysis. In the recent half of the century, it is one of the most important subject in 'The study of Administration'. In a practical and general speaking, 'stratagem' is 'decision making' in a promotional sense. In order to have a stratagem effective, efficient, and perfect, the conclusion of a stratagem should be attained through scientific collection, analysis, judgment, study of information. It is why the 'Stratagem' is an important and useful study.

Its good to have some inspiration on the findings of some of the chapters of the second book:

"Preparedness Takeaways
* By seeing thing from someone else's perspective, you'll be better able anticipate what will be needed in the future.
* Share what you know. This was the centerpiece of Jack Welch's GE. We shared ideas, best practices, and information.

People who hoard knowledge hunt the company.
*Be ready to improvise.
*Stay on top of current events, not just concerning your company but the international business community. It will help give context to what you do, and it's a good conversation starter.
Communication Takeaways
*Communication is more than a management tool--it is a catalyst for change.
*Don't be afraid to ask. And then ask again.
*Question yourself constantly; if you don't like your answers, do something about it.
*Be a loudmouth--one whose ideas and messages get spread through every level of your business.
*Nagging doesn't mean you have to be a pain in the neck--but timed correctly, it's very effective.

Teamwork Takeaways
*Celebrate--you deserve to recognize accomplishments.
*Take a central role as team member and team builder.
*Get off your pedestal--no job or task should be dismissed as unimportant or not worthy of attention.
*Share everything--information, knowledge, skills, risk."*3

The author of the first book, late Tu Lin, one of the famous scholar on stratagem, had been many years Professor and Chairman of Safety Department of the Central Police Official University in Taiwan. The author of the second, Rosanne Badowski, was an executive assistant of Jack Welch who retired from GE in September 2001 as its CEO.

"It is 'political strategy' when a stratagem is used in political affairs.It is 'war strategy' when a stratagem is used in military action. It is 'individual strategy' when a stratagem is used by personal affairs. It is 'business strategy' when a stratagem is used by business management. After the second half of 20 century, business management played a very important role around the world. The study of management emphasizes very much the importance of stratagem. Therefore, the world business is now full of the actions of 'Business Stratagem'," said Dr. Mei.*4

As a conclusion on her book, Rosanne summerized it in the following:

The Fun of Managing Up
"Over the years, people have approached me wanting to know what it was like to work for Jack Welch. Did he have some secret to success? And that's why I've tried hard to keep the "bow" of this book pointed into the wind of real life.
Was it a smooth fourteen years? No way.
Was it interesting, exhilarating, and rewarding? For sure."*5

The first book was foreworded by Jack Welch, while in the second book, Dr. Mei recommended that : The "Modern Stratagem" written by Professor Tu Lin is one of the best in the field. It can be a good reference text for persons in political affairs. It is a fine dictionary for military experts. And it can be also effectively used in business management. Finally, it is a very valuable book for an individual to use it as an electric power to brighten his or her career both in production and human relations.

Rosanne continued on her conclusion that "Under the circumstances, managing up was, for me, a survival skill mastered on the job and on the run. But it was not one based on secrets, luck, or genius. For me, managing up came right off the rack, right off the shelf, and right off a list of basic ingredients that are as commonplace as they are priceless:

Chemistry. It's what got us off to a good start and kept us going.

Trust. Trust was what our partnership was built on--and what made our partnership last.

Confidence. The key term to describe Jack--something that propelled his every action.

Impatience. It appears to be a negative, but it gave us the speed to accomplish as much as we did in limitd time.

Energy. It kept us buoyant and helped us persevere.

Resilience. The ability to keep going when a roadblock got in the way.

Humor. It made every day fun, no matter what the circumstances.

Common sense. A lifesaver when it came to tough decisions.

Preparedness. This gave us the edge to rise above the pack.

Adaptability. The ability to embrace change.

Simplicity. In other words, keeping things uncomplicated and easy to understand.

Fairness. Treating people in a way we like to be treated.

Communications. The determination to tell the world and each other what was going on.

Teamwork. It let us bring our friends along--they helped us bail out the boat when the water was rising, and they were there in the end for the party.

Passion and purpose. They are what life, and business, are all about."6

She concluded finally that "Together, these fifteen managing-up ingredients produced an extraordinarily effective working partnership-- and a whole lot of sheer fun. Yes, there I go again--fun. If work isn't fun, there's some-thing wrong. Well-paid drudgery is still drudgery. It's painful and demeaning. By managing up you make an investment that pays a handsome dividend in satifaction and self-respect."7

Dr. Mei recommended that : The "Modern Stratagem" written by Professor Tu Lin is one of the best in the field. It can be a good reference text for persons in political affairs. It is a fine dictionary for military experts. And it can be also effectively used in business management. Finally, it is a very valuable book for an individual to use it as an electric power to brighten his or her career both in production and human relations.*8

The late Tu Lin, one of the famous scholar on stratagem, had been many years Professor and Chairman of Safety Department of the Central Police Official University in Taiwan. Dr. Ko-wang Mei, Professor Tu Lin, and Dr. Tony Lei were good friends for many years. Professor Tu was the Founder and Chairman of Taipei Marketing Research Association on a national basis. He was also Chairman of Board of China File and Micrographic Information Management Institute. In order to promote the collaboration of academy between both sides of China on the pacific ocean, Professor Tu was the Chairman and held the 1966 Seminar on File and Micrographic Academy of both sides of the Straits of Taiwan on November 4-11, 1996.*9

"Our knowledge, wisdom, and professionalism are all achieved by our sincere love to God!" said President Dr. Tony Lei of Washington Business and Technology Institute (WBTI).*10

------------------------------
Refernces

*1. Moss, Cheryl; Ung, Becky; and Chang, Tiffany. 'The art of management brought U. S. prosperity,' (January 8, 2003), Las Vegas, Nevada: WBTI.
*2. Badowski, Rosanne. (2003) "How to Forge an Effective Relationship with Those Above You," New York: A CURRENCY BOOK, Published by Doubleday.
*3. Ibid.
*4. Tu, Lin. (1996) "Modern Stratagem," Taipei, Taiwan: Nation Publishing Co..
*5. Ibid.
*6. Badowski. Ibid.
*7. Badowski. Ibid.
*8. Chang, Tiffany. 'Modern Stratagem,' "PPAA18 of WBTI website," (January 21, 2004), Las Vegas, Nevada: Communitylink of Las Vegas Review-Journal.
*9. Ibid.
*10. WBTI. 'Message from the President of Washington Business and Technology Institute (WBTI) for the 2002 New Year,' "The section of 'Message from the President' of the WBTI website," (January 1, 2002), Las Vegas, Nevada: Communitylink of Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Wednesday, June 01, 2005
Copyright @ Las Vegas Review-Journal

JOHN L. SMITH: Efforts to save wild horses should target what's killing them

We love our wild horses in Nevada. We love them so much, we'll probably put their likeness on a commemorative quarter.

An artist's rendering of the new two-bit piece depicts the horses galloping free. It's a handsome coin.

And now we know why they're running:

To get away from all the people coming out from under every rock to help them.

Nevada is home to almost half the nation's wild horses, you see, and despite the fact almost no person lives on the vast majority of land inside our borders, they are in trouble.

Why they're in trouble is somewhat complex, but the in simplest terms, they're beleaguered because so many people talk about easing their plight and so few people back up their talk with action.

In the name of saving their hides, the wild horses have been rounded up, adopted, herded and fretted over.

They've also been harassed by ATVs, run over by automobiles on unfenced highways, scared off their water holes by idiot campers, tormented by ranchers and shoved aside by development.

We love them, all right. Just not enough to step up and pay to protect them.

On Tuesday morning, our wild horses were praised aplenty and promised once more to be preserved, this time by a gathering of conservation-minded members of Nevada's congressional delegation, officials from the Bureau of Land Management, horse help groups and the Ford Motor Co.

I know what you're thinking: Nothing shouts "Save the Mustangs" like an endorsement from the company famous for its juiced-up muscle car with the bitchin' spoiler.

In exchange for being linked to the official congressional fight to save the wild horses, the people who make the Mustang have promised to provide transportation for 2,000 of the bedraggled beasts.

Hopefully, not in the back of a Mustang. Those back seats have terrible leg room.

Skeptics should be assured Tuesday's gathering wasn't a dog-and-pony show. No, sir.

First, there was no dog.

Second, Democratic Sen. Harry Reid's pandering for the ponies was surely sincere -- even Rush Limbaugh wouldn't rip him for attempting to save wild horses. And Republican Rep. Jon Porter wasn't just in it for the positive ink -- even though a junior congressman from Nevada needs all the sizzle he can get. No, these two equine enthusiasts care deeply about the animals' futures.

Members from both political parties promised to do their best to enact legislation that protects the wild horses.

"People in Nevada, throughout the West and across the country feel so strongly about protecting wild horses," Reid said in a news release. "This effort is an ideal way to combine private and public resources to help care for these animals."

One way we like to prove our deep love and abiding respect for these great creatures is to sell off thousands of acres of their rangeland and build houses, strip malls and neighborhood casinos right up to their water holes and habitat.

Then we love them some more by sending them away in the name of protecting them from the speeding Mustangs, Cadillacs and so forth.

Of late, we've shown our affection by failing to guard against those who would adopt the wild horses and send them to dog food factories and the like. Talk about tough love.

Now Ford has stepped into the photo-op to join forces in the cause.

That's great, but do I spot a trend?

Perhaps this is next: "Nevada's endangered desert tortoises brought to you by Turtle Wax."

And don't think for a minute Ford's competition won't get into the act.

I can see it now: Dodge emerges to "Save the Ram" and Mercury shouts "Save the Cougar."

It's too late to "Save the Firebird," so I guess Pontiac is out of luck.

Here's a little horse sense: Mandate a "no eating, no glue products" policy for the equine adoptees, and then fund the BLM at a level that enables its personnel to police the law.

Short of actually giving the agency the tools -- not just the rules -- with which to succeed, our delegation is just toying with an image many Nevadans hold dear.

Time will tell whether our congressional cowpokes really care, or were just putting on a dog-and-pony show -- but couldn't find a mutt to sit still for the picture.

John L. Smith's column appears Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. E-mail him at Smith@reviewjournal.com or call 383-0295.

Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Copyright # Las Vegas Review-Journal

Wolfson seeking applicant
Choice will serve in Ward 2 seat on planning board
REVIEW-JOURNAL

Las Vegas City Councilman Steve Wolfson is seeking applications from residents interested in serving as his representative on the city Planning Commission.

The selected candidate will serve in the Ward 2 seat being vacated by Laura McSwain, whose term expires June 20.

The term is four years, with appointees limited to serving two full terms.

Qualified applicants must reside within the city limits.

The seven-member Planning Commission makes recommendations to the City Council on matters related to zoning and other land-use issues.

However, the board serves as a final action board for tentative and final maps.

Between January and October, the commission meets the second and fourth Thursday of each month at 6 p.m.

In November and December, the board meets the first and third Thursdays at 5:15 p.m.

Commissioners are paid $80 per meeting.

Those interested in the position should mail to Wolfson's office a resume and a board interest form, available for download on the city's Web site at www.lasvegasnevada.gov/1353.htm.

Applicants should submit materials to City Hall, 10th Floor, Attn: Councilman Wolfson, 400 Stewart Ave., Las Vegas, NV 89101.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 11, 2005 Contact Greg Bortolin or John Trent
775-684-5670

CARSON CITY � Gov. Kenny Guinn today released the following statement in response to comments made by Democratic Assembly leadership regarding the viability of the Governor抯 $300 million rebate:

揝ome of the people making comments about the IRS and my rebate proposal are putting up a smokescreen because they would rather spend this $300 million rather than give it back to the taxpayers. The notion that it would be 慽nsulting� to give a rebate that might be taxable is ridiculous. The 慽nsult� to Nevadans would be not giving them their money.

揑t is presumptuous for the Democratic Assembly leadership to claim that this administration has not been aware of the issues. We have been working directly with the IRS to get a ruling on this rebate because I know the best choice is to put money back in the pockets of citizens of Nevada. While I am always open to good ideas from anyone that brings them forward, the key issue is getting $300 million back to our constituents in the best and fairest way possible.�

Office of the Governor
101 North Carson Street
Fax: 775-684-7198
Grant Sawyer State Office Building
555 East Washington, Suite 5100 Las Vegas, NV 89101
Fax: 702-486-2505

Asian Republicans of Clark County (ARCC) Members:

This will serve as a formal notice that the Urgent Conference Call issued by Elena Brady for this evening May 2, 2005 at 8:00 pm has not been called by the ARCC Officers.

Just in case there is any confusion, the Urgent Conference Call that Elena Brady is asking for does not concern ARCC.

The Urgent Conference Call that Elena Brady has called tonight is to discuss the registration of her Asian American Republican Coalition of Nevada (AARCN).

Asian Republicans of Clark County (ARCC) has already registered with the Secretary of State and the IRS. It is not necessary for the ARCC members to attend this meeting unless they desire to.

Elena Brady is considering registering her organization tonight after two years without incorporating, nor registering with the Secretary of State and the IRS. It is comforting to see that AARCN is following the lead of ARCC in making its organization a legitimate entity for the purpose of furthering Asian American values and interests. Perhaps this will allow for stronger unity within the Asian Community.

Should you have questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Cordially,

Dr. Jasmine Brooks

President ARCC
Co-Chair CCRP 鈥� Asian Committee
Co-Chair CCRP 鈥� Healthcare Committee
702-737-7653

---------------------------------------------
From: Dr. Jasmine Brooks [DrJasBrooks@aol.com]
Mon, 2 May 2005 16:10:13 EDT

Dear Mae and Julie:

Good idea regarding the meeting. I will put forward an agenda for the meeting.

Regarding the criticism on Mae's e-mail list, this is just a political spin and a meager attempt to try to create chaos, confusion and division.

For your comfort level, please rest assured, I do not do any thing without forethought and considerations. The list of the people from my mailing list is from my personal relationship and meetings with each one individually. I did not receive this list from Elena or any one else. The list was created by me personally.

I do not believe that anyone on the list were minors, if they dislike the e-mail notifications, there are many ways to inform us that the notifications are not welcomed.

More importantly, I did not receive any documentation regarding Elena as their newly elect spokesperson nor did I receive any legal documentation stating that Elena Brady is the Attorney-in-fact for these individuals. Therefore, her interference and attempts to impede our momentum and progress will be addressed accordingly, however, should not be given too much credence. We must stay the course. If we stray too far, then we have allowed others to achieve their objectives in creating chaos, confusion, and division.

With the assistance of CCRP (Brian Scroggins, Paul Adams), ARCC officers (Dr. Ridgley, Edgar Guo, Pete Rinato, Jasmine Guo, Dr. Lei, Julie, Hereford, Hui Lim Anh, Cassandra Cheung ...) and our general membership, we will put a stop to this once and for all...to allow for a more constructive agenda.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, I agree that we should meet to update the mailing list and discuss other important matters.

Cordially,
Jas Brooks.

---------------------------------------------
From: Miss Dolly DeLeon [DOLLYDELEON@aol.com]

Hi Elena,

I don't see anything wrong with this email. If I was the recipient of this email, I would gladly say "Thank you". What was the fuss about it. Though, it was not necessary that you apologized at the end of your message, and you called it "meddling", it was not meddling at all. In fact, you were cordial and friendly in your salutation.

HOWEVER, the answer to your email was rather DEFENSIVE AND UNFRIENDLY.
Overall, it speaks of one's personality. If I were to make a choice, I rather be your friend. I AM GLAD WE'RE FRIENDS.

It was good seeing you and Steve during the Sunday induction, I wish I could join your mission to the Philippines and Beijing, but my prayers will be with you all as you spread the Gospel of Christ and bring goodwill to people you will meet during this travel.

God Bless you more abundantly,

Love

Dolly

---------------------------------------------
From: Miss ELENA BRADY [bradies@charter.net]

Mae,

My email to you was a friendly gesture to save face, I am sorry that it was taken differently. As we discussed earlier, I have NO private agenda. I believe I was the one who gave these email contacts to Ms. Brooks. A lot of these people are not members, nor board members, according to the Bylaws adopted in January 16, 2004, you may ask Jasmine a copy of it. In fact it was through that bylaws that she was elected amidst the controversy of not yet amended, approved, and ratified. I supported that group and work hard and spent a lot of money to make it happen. But maybe you are completely a different group, I don't know, in that case I would be happy to take back those original members and start over again, we gonna do it right and no more compromise. For me it is okay that you guys have your own group as long as the intention of your group is to serve the community and be an ally to the Republican party. I would just like to let you know, I do not want to be in odds with you. We Asians are a small minority and are very new to this coalition business. We need each other, if you want power base and we should support each other and teach one another the things we need to learn. Good luck to you and again please accept my apology.

Elena

---------------------------------------------
From: Miss Mae Cruz [maemcruz@yahoo.com]

Dear Ms. Elena Brady:

I accept your apology for meddling in my business.

In response to your email dated April 27, 2005, in reference to the Asian Republicans of Clark County (ARCC) � Executive/Board meeting, I find it necessary to make the following comments.

It is neither your privilege nor concern to whom I address my emails as Secretary of ARCC, Inc.
I have been elected for the position as secretary for the Asian Republicans of Clark County, therefore, it is my duty to inform all members of the organization about meetings, events, or any pertinent information relevant to matters or issues concerning the coalition and the Republican platform. The subject email was entitled, ARCC � Executive/Board Meeting.
Each member provided their email address to the organization to facilitate expeditious communication. In lieu of the internet, members may choose other means of communication to be informed.

Ms. Brady, your email blast to the general membership, in reference to the aforemen- tioned was a defamation of my position as secretary for ARCC, wherein, you have no place to exercise your private agenda.

ARCC, Inc. is a separate entity as an organization to promote our agenda in unity with the Asian community and the Republican platform.

Mae Cruz
Secretary
ARCC, Inc

---------------------------------------------
From: Miss ELENA BRADY [bradies@charter.net]

Hi Mae,

It was great meeting you last Sunday. It's good to know another Fil-Am Republican.

Anyway, please be advised that your email list contains people that I don't believe needs to be notified of your board meetings, i.e. bertthomas, carterhotel, ericlachica (he is a friend of mine that lives in Maryland), FILAMGOP (this is a listserve that can broadcast your announcement to the world), Hajpyon (a friend of mine that lives in Virginia), lcarlota (lives in Tennesse), ljsomar (my friend Laura lives in Reno and do not even open her email because her computer is dead), notoriousgop - (not a member); PRinato's email is obsolete, us.filvets (a listserve also that can broadcast your notice around the world), and maybe some others also that do not even care or not good to your group. I do not see Jasmine Guo's email here who is your Treasurer and maybe there's more.

I apologize for middling in your business. Take care.

EB

Taiwan is beautiful for its mountains, rivers, lakes, among others. One of the most scenic places in Taiwan is the Sun Moon Lake. It's our pleasure to receive a good information in searching "Sun Mon Lake" from the Google.com on May 4, 2005:

Surrounded by green mountains, Sun Moon Lake is the pearl of Central Taiwan.　Sun Moon Lake is the largest natural lake in Taiwan.　The Eastern part of the lake is round like the sun, while the Western part is shaped like a crescent moon - hence the name "Sun Moon Lake".*1

In the middle of the lake (between the "sun" and the "moon") is an island which has long been a sacred place for the Shao people.　This island (Lalu) is off-limits to visitors.　Only the Shao people can go there to worship their ancestors.　(There is a ferry that passes by it, departing every hour from 9:00 to 4:00).　But the beauty of Sun Moon Lake is not Lalu.　The beauty of Sun Moon Lake is found in the surrounding mountains.　From the lake, tier upon tier of countless peaks can be seen rising up into the sky.　The nearby mountains appear dark with vegetation.　The mountains that echo farther and farther away appear less and less distinct until they fade into the sky.

The lake has not always looked the way it does now.　At one time Lalu was a much larger island, a pearl separating the "Sun Lake" from the "Moon Lake".　But in the construction of a hydroelectric power plant, the Japanese in 1934 deepened the lake by directing water from the adjacent lakes at Puli and Yuchih.　The depth changed from 6 meters to 27 meters.　The surface area of the lake changed from 1.8 sq miles to nearly 3 sq. miles (4.55 sq kms to 7.73 sq. kms).　The big pearl became a little pearl.　The Shao people were moved from their beloved Lalu to the upper Sun Moon Village.

Seven trails are available for hiking.　Even if you choose to stay overnight at Sun Moon Lake, you might not have enough time to hike more than three of them.　If this is the case, we suggest that you choose the Hanbi Trail, the Dachuhu Lake Trail, and the Tzuen Pagoda Trail.　Here, in clockwise rotation, is an overview of the trails and other attractions at the lake:

Mt. Maolan Trail:

If you have the time, we highly recommend this trail.　The trail begins across the street from the Taiwan Bus Station.　It is less than 3 miles (4.6 km) long and is divided into two parts.　The first part of the trail takes you to the Tea Research and Extension Station, Yuchih branch.　It is a little over 2 miles and climbs more than 300 feet.　Along this trail you can see the Assam black tea farm.　They will set up a Tea Culture Exhibition Hall near their Sri Lanka style tea factory next year.

The second part of the trail takes you to the Weather Forecast Station.　This is a shorter trail (less than a mile) but steeper.　It climbs more than 500 feet.　This trail takes you into a forest of indigenous conifer trees (Taiwania cryptomerioides Hay).

Hanbi Trail:

The Hanbi Palace used to be a restricted area where our famous president Chiang Kai-Shek stayed when he visited Sun Moon Lake.　Now things are much different.　The palace has been turned into the Lalu Hotel and the trail to the pier he loved is open to the public.　The red brick trail is less than a mile long (1.5 km).　It gives you a beautiful view of the lake.

Wenwu Temple:

This temple was built in 1938, combining two temples that had to be relocated when the dam was constructed.　It was rebuilt in 1969 into the style that we see today.　People come here to worship Confucius (the god of letters) and the martial gods Guangong and Yuehfei.　The pair of lions in front of the temple are the largest ones in Taiwan.

Peacock Garden:

There are more than 200 peacocks and other precious gallinaceans in this free park.　The Butterfly Museum has many butterfly specimens on display.　There's a Butterfly Field House to breed the indigenous butterflies at the Youth Activity Center near Sun Moon Village.

Songpolun Trail:

This trail is only 2,000 feet (600 m) long.　It used to be an ancient path that people took to go back and forth from Puli.　Salt porters with picul sticks on their shoulders used to carry salt along this trail.　The Songpolun Trail is biologically rich with primitive plants, insects and birds.　A fish farm can be found at the end by the lake.

Dachuhu Trail:

Dachuhu is a waterfowl sanctuary where you can see Black-Crowned Night Herons and Little Egrets.　The trail is only 300 feet (80 m) long.　There is an inlet where the water of the Chuoshui River pours into Sun Moon Lake.　A spout of water shoots up 30 feet (10m) when the lake is full.

Shueiwatou Trail:

This is a short trail - less than a third of a mile (500 m).　It leads to a nice fishing place and a statue of 9 frogs piled on top of each other.　In fact the name of the trail comes from this statue.

Sun Moon Village (Idashao):

The Shao People have the smallest population among the ten aboriginal tribes in Taiwan.　Though the population is growing, they are only about 400 today.　You can look at their wooden sculptures and handcrafts in this aboriginal village.　You won't want to miss the chance to try their fresh seafood dishes here or on Shuishe pier.
Thao people Sun Moon Village

Totingai Trail:

This is the first place the Shao people settled in Sun Moon Lake some 400 years ago.　Along this short (2,000 feet, 600 m) trail is information about this tribe.　The trail is also rich in vegetation including bamboo, trees and ferns.

Hsuankuang Temple and Hsuan Tsang Temple:

If you have read the 揓ourney to the West� or have seen its animation, you would not forget that the protagonist was led by a monkey, a pig and an ugly general.　In real life, Master Hsuan Tsang (605-664) did not have such a magical escort.　He was a Chinese Buddhist scholar, translator, and author of 揃uddhist Records of the Western World�.　Between the years 629 and 645 he made a pilgrimage to India in search of authentic scriptures.　Pious, learned, and fluent in Sanskrit, he later translated the texts that he brought back with him.　Part of his relics were kept in the Hsuankuang Temple.　Later (1965) they were moved to the newly constructed Hsuan Tsang Temple.

Xuan Guang Temple
Hsuan Tsang Temple
Tzuen Pagoda Trail:

Tzuen Ta, the pagoda of filial virtue was built in commemoration of Madam Wang, the mother of Chiang Kai-Shek.　It is on the top of the Mt. Sabalan.　(An interesting fact: the mountain is at an elevation of 954 meters, so the pagoda was built 46 meters high in order to reach the elevation of 1000 meters!)　The trail gives us a great view of the lake.　It's less than a half mile (570 m) long and features a variety of ferns.　Fireflies can be seen on summer nights.

Swimming in the lake is normally prohibited for safety reasons.　But every September there is a mass cross-lake swimming event organized by the local county government and the Adult Swimming Association.　If you are interested in this activity, you can obtain further information from the Sun Moon Lake Tourism Bureau or the Nantou County Government.　(Click the links at the bottom).　But be forewarned: the distance across the lake is 3,000 meters (more than 1.8 miles!).

Jump into the lake Water Canals Swim across the lake Swimming Pool

Sun Moon Lake is easy to get to.　It is one of many wonders along the Central Cross-Island Highway.　Other attractions include the Flame Peaks at Tasotun, the 9-21 Earthquake Museum at Nantou City (a modern multimedia museum dedicated to teaching visitors about earthquakes - especially the deadly quake of September 21, 1999), the 4 W's at Puli (Water, Wine, Women and Weather), the sheep at Chingjing Farm, and of course the great Taroko National Park.

The Flame Peaks 9-21 Quake Museum Wine Museum Chingjing Farm

If you want to learn more about Puli and other scenic spots in Nantou County, a 19-minute Windows Video made by The Lalu can be viewed online.　It shows much of the scenery of Nantou.　Please click "Video: The Scenery of Nantou" to see it.

The Enchanting Town of Puli Lofty Mountains and Sweet Water
Video： The Scenery of Nantou
Sun Moon Lake Tourism Bureau*2
Nantou County Government Service Center

Taiwan has lots of beautiful places to visit. For more information, please check: www. traveltaiwan.com*3

---------------------------------------------
References

*1. Google. 'Sun Mon Lake,' "A search of Sun Mon Lake on the Google. com," (May 4, 2005), U. S. A.: Google.com.
*2. Ibid.
*3. Reid, Rory; Moss, Cheryl; and Chang, Tiffany. "Resume the booming tourism for our Silver State through educational and cultural cooperation and development with foreign countires,' "Newsbrief of WBTI," (July 9, 2003), pp. 1-3.

"I have put together this guide to answer some questions you may have about the proposed plans to partially privatize Social Security. While private Social Security accounts may sound like a good idea, younger Americans will be left to pay for the massive cost of this plan." .........
...........................................
So what do we do?
Fortunately, Social Security is projected to have a surplus for nearly 50 more years. To extend the financial health of the program to the end of the 21st Century, Congress and the President need to cut the federal budget so we stop borrowing from Social Security. Congress should consider modest adjustments to protect benefits for future generations. Social Security is only one part of retirement security. We must also substantially increase contribution limits and tax credits for IRA抯 and 401(k) plans and explore providing a federal match for retirement dollars saved by working Americans.

From: Assemblywoman Valerie Weber[VWeber@asm.state.nv.us]
To: Dr. Tony Tung-tien Lei
Tue, 3 May 2005 12:48:54 -0700

Hi Dr Lei:

I attached a copy of a short biography for you.

Both resolutions will be mailed to you along with remarks made in the Senate regarding a long time friendship between Nevada and Taiwan. I am so pleased to have presented this to the Director General, Mr Mark Liao
and his Consular Officer, Ms Jenny Kuo. I have enclosed a document with remarks I made on the floor of our house.

Your continued work with the WBTI [Washington Business and Technology Institute (華盛頓工商技術研究院)] is to be commended; I was so pleased I was present on April 24, 2005, when the Clark County Commission recognized you and your work in a special proclamation (presented by Commissioner Lynette McDonald to Dr. Tony Lei on the Induction Ball of AARCN-CC at April 24, 2004 in Las Vegas). It is well deserved.

Thank you for our friendship and continued mutual economic interests in the state of Nevada.

Regards,

Valerie E Weber
Nevada Assemblywoman
Clark County District 5
Serving SW Las Vegas

---------------------------------------------
Valerie E Weber -Biography

Originally from California, Valerie moved to Nevada in 1990 after transferring with her former company, United Blood Services (UBS). She served there as the Technical Director for 10 years. Her undergraduate degree in biological science and specialty in the field of transfusion medicine earned her several medical journal authorships.

She is a 1998 graduate of the Chamber of Commerce抯 Leadership Las Vegas program, participated in the Leadership Las Vegas Youth Program, served as a Board member of Habitat for Humanity, working with families that qualified in building their own homes and just completed a four-year term as a member of the Board of Displaced Homemakers, appointed by Governor Guinn in 2000, examining programs and training that reenter women back into the workplace.

Valerie is the owner of Collaborating Solutions, an organizational development (OD) company in Las Vegas, Nevada, creating solid solutions for business improvement. Her greatest strengths are tackling complex problems, determining 搑oot causes� and 揵lind spots� by offering solutions to improve people and the bottom line. She is accredited in Dr Daniel Goleman抯 360-competency assessment instrument in Emotional Intelligence (ECI).

One of Valerie抯 proudest accomplishments was earning her Master抯 degree in Organizational Management in 2001. Valerie believes strongly that people in any organization long for positive, constructive feedback and coaching on individual performance and continued development for organizational success.

She currently serves in the Assembly of the Nevada State Legislature representing her constituents in southwest Las Vegas. Valerie has lived in Las Vegas for 15 years and considers it the greatest place on earth to live, work and play.
Revised 031405

---------------------------------------------
Assembly Concurrent Resolution 25
Presented by Valerie E Weber
Clark County District 5
April 28, 2005

Taiwan and its people hold a special place in my heart.

I was invited like so many (at least 20 over the years) from both of our houses in the Legislature and from the Executive branch to visit Taiwan. In October 2003, I was part of an eight member delegation lead by our colleague from District 41.

Before our plane left for those long hours in the air, we were met at the San Francisco Airport by our hosts from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in SF who made our arrangements.
Our seven day journey included meeting with high ranking officials in the Executive Yuan including the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Mainland Affairs. We met with the Vice-President, Mrs Annette Lu (who is Harvard educated). We heard an address by President Chen at the annual Double 10 celebration along with viewing its fabulous pageantry; we even visited the Legislative Yuan and watched a debate on the floor.

On the cultural side, we toured Taipei, Taiwan抯 capital city on this miracle green island of 23M citizens; we were treated to a plane trip to Haulien, known for its gorgeous marble and visited the breathtaking Taroko Gorge, one of their many national parks.

Our hosts in Taipei, including Charlyne Chen from the NV Economic Development office located in the Taipai World Trade Center arranged for us to meet with businessmen and women to discuss various issues business issues, to tour a state-of-the-art software park, and to explore the Taipai World Trade Center; it was non stop, action packed and we ate until we couldn抰 breathe! The entire trip was first class.

In summary, I am grateful for these new friends I made while visiting Taiwan, Republic of China and their love of democracy, prosperity and peace. Some day I hope to return to see continuation of their economic development and see other beautiful parts of the island including a tour of the gorgeous Penghu Islands on the west side of Taiwan.
I urge my colleagues� support of this resolution.

Mr Speaker, may I present to our house at this time to receive these resolutions our very special guests, the new incoming Director General, Mr Mark Liao and Consular Officer, Ms Jenny Kuo. Please accept these resolutions in appreciation of our thanks and for a long continuing friendship. Please feel welcomed in our house.

---------------------------------------------
BRIEF REMARKS REGARDING DIRECTORS GENERAL
FOR TAIWAN IN SAN FRANCISCO
APRIL 28, 2005
AS THE RESOLUTION INDICATED, DIRECTOR GENERAL MATTHEW LEE HAS EFFECTIVELY OVERSEEN THE OPERATIONS OF THE TAIPEI ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL OFFICE IN SAN FRANCISCO. I KNOW WE ARE ALL GRATEFUL FOR THE ENDURING BOND HE HAS FACILITATED BETWEEN THE STATE OF NEVADA AND THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA ON TAIWAN. WE WISH MR. LEE WELL AS HE BEGINS HIS NEW DUTIES AS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE TAIPEI MISSION TO LATVIA.

I ALSO WANT TO WELCOME MARK LIAO WHO WILL TAKE OVER AS DIRECTOR GENERAL AT THE SAN FRANCISCO OFFICE IN JUNE. MR. LIAO HAS A VERY DISTINGUISHED RESUME, AND I AM SURE HE WILL CONTINUE TO FOSTER THE EXCELLENT RELATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT BETWEEN NEVADA AND THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA ON TAIWAN. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH MR. LIAO AS WE CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA ON TAIWAN AND THE STATE OF NEVADA.
W54704

Sunday, May 01, 2005
Copyright @ Las Vegas Review-Journal

PROBLEM GAMBLING: Lost in the shuffle
Gambling addict struggles to retake control of life after money, job, reputation lost to video poker machines
By MICHAEL SQUIRES
REVIEW-JOURNAL

"Money doesn't mean anything to a gambler," says Chris Drew, shown here at the Fremont Street Experience. "You lose sight of what it's worth. A couple hundred bucks in a machine? No big deal. Paying bills, buying things doesn't matter."
Photo by Jeff Scheid.

Drew remains in Las Vegas despite the constant enticement to gamble. "I have to be able to live here like I would live anywhere else," she says, "like the way I lived when I was in New York."
Photo by Jeff Scheid.

For most of a decade Chris Drew searched and prayed for a way to be free of the enemy.

It cost her homes and relationships, a career and, for a time, the will to live. It etched lines of sorrow and worry on her face.

Yet she suffered largely in secret.

Only when the enemy had pushed her to the brink did Drew muster courage equal to her shame and tell her closest friends. And even then she couldn't bring herself to say the words, choosing instead to write a letter:

"I am your mother, your sister, your best friend, your neighbor or your co-worker. I am the person that you think you know well, but you do not know my shameful secret that I cannot share with you because I fear your scorn. I am a pathological gambler.

"I live to gamble. I work so that I can get money to gamble. I sometimes go without food so that I can gamble. I don't pay my bills so that I can gamble. I have no money in the bank. I do not buy anything for myself. I do not go on vacations so that I have money to gamble. My life is consumed by gambling. After I've gambled away the last nickel in my purse, I go home and cry and pray that God will help me, that someone will help me to stop."

'No one questioned me'

This is how Drew finally stopped.

Before moving to Las Vegas in 1991, Drew had visited a casino only once, on a short and unmemorable one-day bus trip to Atlantic City from Long Island, N.Y.

But when she and her husband relocated to Las Vegas from New York, with her son and her husband's two daughters, they quickly became regulars at local casinos. Drew had landed a job as an auditor with the city of Las Vegas. And she and her husband hoped the change of scenery in Las Vegas would save their troubled marriage.

When they divorced soon after the move, Drew began gambling more often.

After three years living in Las Vegas, she had gone from risking a few dollars on nickel video poker and blackjack as a Friday night diversion to taking the maximum cash advance on six credit cards to feed a quarter video poker habit.

A $1,000 jackpot in 1994 changed how she thought about gambling. Drew, whose annual salary was $35,000 at the time, thought: "This is easy. Think of all the money I can make."

In the mid-1990s, Drew landed a job in the city's Planning Department.

She used her accounting skills to rework the department's budget, which long had been in disarray. She also established a petty cash fund of a few hundred dollars.

Her work caught the attention of supervisors, who praised her in annual evaluations. She was rewarded with raises and more responsibility.

Before long she oversaw the department's finances and human resources operations, and her salary climbed to more than $60,000 a year.

Co-workers said she ran the department without the title of director.

Those co-workers didn't know that their colleague, so skilled in managing budgets, had an addiction that was wreaking financial and emotional havoc on her life outside work.

"Here I am making all of this money, and I never have any money," says Drew, now 50. "Nobody connected the dots. I was Chris Drew, and no one questioned me."

No one saw Drew slip into the El Cortez or Gold Spike to spend her lunch hours gambling. She made sure of that.

A long downward spiral

Each trip to the casino began with the same thought: "I need money."

The idea of gambling brought with it an illogical confidence. Drew was sure the next $5 bet would transform into $10. That, in turn, would multiply into a $1,000 jackpot. And so on until all her problems were solved.

No matter how many times reality disproved that reasoning, it almost always proved irresistible.

Drew declared bankruptcy in 1995 with $40,000 in credit card debt.

She promised herself she would quit. A couple of days later, she was back playing video poker. She was up to half-dollar and dollar machines now.

For Drew, the game was like a numbing narcotic.

When she played the world would disappear, taking with it her sinking depression, the lingering pain of a failed marriage and her deepening financial mire.

She didn't have to interact with anyone. She just rhythmically put dollar after dollar into the machine.

With her credit gone, she used the ATM. She'd pull out the $500 daily maximum amount of cash her bank allowed. Sometimes, after losing the money, she'd wait until midnight, pull out the next day's limit and continue gambling.

By 1996, she had pawned nearly all of her jewelry and anything else of value and stopped paying bills.

She took out a second mortgage and began to gamble it away.

A counselor later would say that Drew's entire life was occupied by either work or gambling. When she wasn't gambling, she was thinking about it or about how to get money to gamble.

Her only remaining credit account at this point was a Sears card. Using it, Drew purchased a $3,000 diamond ring and immediately pawned it for $1,000.

One of her ex-husband's daughters had received a small inheritance. Drew borrowed it, promising to repay it with her tax refund. Drew lost the money, and when her refund arrived she gambled it away.

Later that year she took out another mortgage.

By 1997 she had fallen so far behind financially that she sold her home and moved, with her son, into a small apartment.

Beyond 12 steps

For three years Drew had sought help.

A psychiatrist on the city's health plan had prescribed anti-depressants for her but offered little help for her gambling addiction. There were exchanges about her problem:

"Did you gamble this week?" the doctor would ask.

"Yes," Drew would replied.

"How did you feel about it?"

"Pretty poor," she would say.

But she left the office believing the doctor didn't understand gambling addiction or how to treat it. Nor did it seem to her that the doctor knew where she could get help.

It was a pattern that would repeat itself over eight years, with other doctors and treatment programs.

She read every book on the topic she could find.

She tried Gamblers Anonymous, but by that point her addiction had progressed too far for a 12-step program alone to be effective.

She enrolled in a research trial at UNLV for an experimental drug to treat gambling addiction. Researchers told her to take one pill each day and keep a diary of her gambling activities.

She swallowed the pill and gambled away her paychecks. She later learned she had been taking a placebo.

Dipping into petty cash

Drew always had another employee manage the Planning Department's petty cash fund. "I just didn't want it around me," she says.

But she reluctantly took control of it in 1999 after the employee who managed it quit the department and her replacement complained that she was too overwhelmed by other tasks to keep track of it.

Drew had just purchased a home with money borrowed from her mother. Two years of throwing money away on rent was long enough, she decided. Drew also hoped working on the fixer-upper would give her a focus outside work and the casinos.

"I won't gamble anymore because it'll give me something to do," she told her son.

But she hadn't finished wallpapering before she resumed gambling and continued the downward financial spiral.

She turned to payday loans. She soon had six of the high-interest loans and had only enough money to meet the interest payments, which consumed nearly her entire paycheck.

While at Wal-Mart one day Drew purchased a receipt book that she then used to submit bogus receipts for reimbursement through the Planning Department's petty cash fund. Using her office computer she generated fake invoices, which looked like the ones employees turned in after attending luncheons sponsored by a professional planning organization.

She submitted $500 worth at a time under fictitious names, such as Tim Rawlins. The money came to Drew by courier.

Each time she promised herself she would repay it. Each time, she promised it would be the last.

"It's the gambler that's the thief," she told herself.

Sometimes she did put money back into the fund by reimbursing expenses out of her own pocket. She plotted other ways to repay the money. Perhaps she could send an anonymous money order to the city or cash donation.

She questioned her sanity and prayed for help: "God, help me. Somebody's got to help me. How much longer? God, help me stop."

At times she wished she'd get caught, figuring it was the only way she could stop gambling.

Out of a job

Drew stayed home from work one day in January 2003.

Checking voice mail from home, she heard a message: "Chris, this is the auditor. Give me a call when you get back."

On a routine check, auditors had picked up the petty cash fund and taken it to the treasurer's office to be opened and counted.

Drew knew the pouch was empty.

February and March passed. She went to work praying to keep her job.

Then in late April, Drew saw on an internal calendar that Planning Department Director Bob Genzer had an appointment with the city auditor and other officials.

The morning of the April 29 meeting, she walked into Genzer's office and handed him the letter acknowledging the addiction she had kept secret for the past decade and apologizing for taking the funds.

"I am truly sorry for what I have done. I am not sorry that this situation has arisen because this experience is what will enable me to turn my life around," she wrote. "I am most humbly asking that you show compassion and mercy and give me a chance to redeem myself and make restitution."

Genzer recalls jumping out of his chair in shock and heading to Drew's office.

"What exactly are you trying to tell me?" he recalls asking her.

"I wanted to hear it from her mouth, not read it on a piece of paper," he says. "We weren't just co-workers, we were friends as well. I was very disappointed after putting the trust in her that I did (to handle the department's budget). I had no clue there was a gambling issue."

Later that day, city officials placed Drew on unpaid leave from her $85,000-a-year job.

Marshals questioned her that week, reporting that she confessed to stealing between $10,000 and $15,000 over about two years. Investigators described her as cooperative throughout their probe.

"I even told them which receipts were real and which were made up," Drew recalls.

Despite her cooperation and pleas for understanding and a second chance, Drew received a call a few days later from Genzer telling her she had been fired.

Genzer told Planning Department employees not to talk about the case. It's standard procedure in theft investigations, according to city officials.

"We told everyone to use their own judgment, but they shouldn't be delving into the personnel side of it," Genzer says. "I told them that's something between her and the city."

But Drew, and some of her co-workers at the time, believe it was vindictive.

"When she needed a friend most, she was not allowed any support system," a former co-worker recalls. "The only people she knew were afraid for their jobs.

"I don't condone what she did, but when you have a sickness you're supposed to be able to come to your employer and get treatment for it," continued the former co-worker, who still works for the city and asked to remain anonymous. "She came forward and said, 'I did this and I admit it and I want to make provisions to pay it back,' and instead they assassinated her character."

Isolated from her closest friends and recognizing her career was over, Drew became suicidal.

"Everything seemed hopeless," she recalls.

She checked into Montevista Hospital for several days.

In late July marshals came to her home and arrested her. She spent a humiliating night in a holding cell.

Drew, who had no prior criminal history, eventually pleaded guilty to one count each of theft and conspiracy to commit a crime. District Judge Donald Mosley gave her a six-month suspended sentence and ordered her to pay $7,445 in restitution.

Help finally found

At the same time Drew's life was falling apart, she was, for the first time, getting effective treatment for her addiction.

A few days before she was fired, Drew had stumbled across a newspaper article about a local attorney caught embezzling $100,000. It mentioned that the attorney had found help at Problem Gambling Consultants.

She began attending 2 1/2-hour group counseling sessions four days a week. The sessions were led by the center's founder and clinical director, psychologist Dr. Rob Hunter. She later began weekly one-hour sessions with Hunter.

The sessions forced her to examine her life, own up to her illness and pause long enough to assess the destruction that gambling had done to her life.

And knowing she had to face each day a roomful of people struggling against the same addiction gave her the strength to quit.

Getting caught had, in fact, finally helped her to stop gambling.

"I was in hell for 10 years," she says. "I was gambling away all my money and wondering 'How am I going to pay my bills?' 'How do I pay this back?' Then I was gambling to try to get the money back and losing more. It was a constant circle. It was just hell. ...

"Now, I can put it out of my mind. I can say, 'I'm going to take the dogs for a walk instead.' "

Hunter, who has treated thousands of Southern Nevadans dealing with gambling addiction, describes Drew's case as "very typical."

Setbacks and struggles

In December, Drew finished paying restitution and completed probation. But she still feels she's doing time.

Her criminal record, she says, has made finding a job impossible. Potential employers will show interest until they learn of her brush with the law.

A recruiter called recently offering her choice jobs with two local governments. Considering her experience, Drew easily could get either post, the recruiter told her. There was just the small matter of the background check.

"If there's a background check, don't bother," Drew said before hanging up.

Increasingly depressed over her job prospects and dependence on friends and family for financial support, Drew had relapsed last summer.

"Gambling got me into this, maybe it can get me out," she told herself.

Using cash from the sale of her home, she gambled for two weeks.

"I really think some higher power was telling me something because I couldn't win anything," she now says. "It felt horrible. It was such desperation."

Drew maintains she hasn't gambled since. Still, the empty hours that once were filled with work are a concern. She volunteers at Hunter's clinic and mails out 15 resumes a week.

For a time, she thought seriously about leaving Las Vegas and putting the temptations and painful memories in the rear-view mirror.

Maybe people would be more understanding somewhere else. Maybe they'd give her a second chance.

But like others who have shared her addiction, Drew realizes there's nowhere to run where she can't gamble.

Plus, all of the reasons she chose to keep living during those dark days in the summer of 2003, when it seemed for a time like taking her life was the only solution -- they all live in Las Vegas.

"I've thought a lot about moving. But I have a son, a grandchild and, now, a mother here. This is my home, and I have to be able to beat the addiction."

NEVADA GAMBLERS
Problem gamblers Nonproblem gamblers
Gamble alone 43 percent 29 percent
Lost more than $1,000 in a day 39 percent 9 percent
Earn more than $50,000 in a year 40 percent 49 percent

Source: "Gambling and Problem Gambling in Nevada" by Gemini Research Ltd.

Nevada’s cultural connection with Asians is deep and time-honored, dating back to the 1800s when Chinese immigrants labored to build the railroads that opened the West to civilization and to mine nature’s gold and silver treasures.

Today, Nevada is home to a large community of Asians and Asian Americans, including Chinese from the Mainland and Taiwan, Japanese, Korean, Filipinos, Vietnamese, Thais, Cambodians, Laotians, East Indians, and Pacific Islanders, such as Hawaiians and Samoans.

Asians celebrate the Chinese New Year, Pacific Islands Festival, Asian-Pacific Heritage Month (May), and the Las Vegas-Japan Festival (November).

To ring in the Chinese New Year, Las Vegas celebrates at Chinatown, a large Asian mall west of the Las Vegas Strip, with dancing, entertainment, food booths, and gifts.

Significantly, Las Vegas is home to a sizeable Asian population and several Asian commercial centers that specialize exclusively in sought-after retail products and authentic cuisine, a pathway to multicultural appreciation.

Japan is Nevada’s No. 1 source of overseas visitors, and ranks second only to Canada for all international tourism to the Silver State.

Other top Pacific Rim sources of visitors to Nevada include the Republic of China on Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, the People’s Republic of China (Mainland), and the Philippines.

---------------------------------------------
Reference

*1. Google. 'A profile of 內華達州 (Nevada),' "A search of '內華達州' (Nevada) on the Google.com," (April 28, 2005), U. S. A.: Google.com.

PRESS RELEASE ---FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: April 10, 2005
Contact: Patricia Marvel, 507-3613
Director of Marketing and Community Relations

Karen Bramwell Thomas, 507-3562
Public Relations Manager

Las Vegas, NV � In recognition of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in May, the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District will host the 揂sian Pacific Culture & Food Fair� on Saturday, April 30, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Sahara West Library, 9600 W. Sahara Avenue. Experience local Asian Pacific American food, live entertainment and crafts for the entire family. Local organizations will be on hand to share information. All events are free and open to the public. Visit www.lvccld.org or call 734-READ for more information.
Highlights throughout the month include:

Chinese Calligraphy
Learn the basic elements of Chinese calligraphy. Open to adults and school-age children. Space is limited. Pre-registration required. Please call 507-3421.
Monday, May 9 � 6:30 p.m. � Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Rd.
Monday, May 16 � 6:30 p.m. � Green Valley Library, 2797 N. Green Valley Pkwy.

Feng Shui
Join guest speaker and feng shui expert, Peter Lung, from the World of Feng Shui. Peter will discuss how to apply feng shui in various businesses and dwellings. He is a graduate of Lillian Too抯 Institute of Feng Shui and has clients around the world.
Thursday, May 12 � 6:30 p.m. � Sahara West Library, 9600 W. Sahara Ave.
Thursday, May 19 � 6:30 p.m. � Whitney Library, 5175 E. Tropicana Ave.
Tuesday, May 24 � 6:30 p.m. � Enterprise Library, 25 E. Shelbourne Ave.

-more-

Page 2 � Las Vegas-Clark County Library District Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

Martial Arts Demonstration
Enjoy a night under the stars while students from local martial arts schools demonstrate various styles of the martial arts. Lawn chairs and picnic baskets are welcome.
Friday, May 13 � 7 p.m. � 9 p.m. � Rainbow Library, 3150 N. Buffalo Dr.

Fashion and Dance Show
Enjoy beautiful costumes from Asian Pacific traditions in this exciting show of fashion and dance by local groups.
Saturday, May 21 � 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. � Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Rd.
Island Fest
This fun-filled family event will celebrate crafts, games and food from the Pacific Islands and other Asian cultures.
Saturday, May 28 � 11 a.m. � 3 p.m. � Las Vegas Library, 833 Las Vegas Blvd. No.
Programs and Events for Children and Teens
Friends Around the World
Make paper dolls dressed in traditional clothes from Asian cultures.
Wednesday, April 27 � 6:30 p.m. � West Charleston Library, 6301 W. Charleston Blvd.
Saturday, May 7 � 11 a.m. � Sahara West Library, 9600 W. Sahara Ave.
Saturday, May 14 � 10:30 a.m. � Moapa Valley Library, 350 N. Moapa Valley Blvd.
Wednesday, May 18 � 4 p.m. � Spring Valley Library, 4280 S. Jones Blvd.
Thursday, May 19 � 3 p.m. � Blue Diamond Library, 14 Cottonwood Ave.
Tuesday, May 24 � 4 p.m. � Green Valley Library, 2797 N. Green Valley Pkwy.

Origami
Our local guest will delight you with a lesson in the art of Japanese paper folding.
Tuesday, May 3 � 4 p.m. � Sahara West Library, 9600 W. Sahara Ave.
Wednesday, May 11 � 4 p.m. � Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Rd.
Wednesday, May 18 � 4 p.m. � Enterprise Library, 25 E. Shelbourne Ave.
Wednesday, May 25 � 4 p.m. � Rainbow Library, 3150 N. Buffalo Rd.

Feast of Folktales
Feast your eyes on a puppet show with tales that will let your imagination take you to faraway places.
Wednesday, May 4 � 6:30 p.m. � West Charleston Library, 6301 W. Charleston Blvd.
Thursday, May 5 � 4 p.m. � Summerlin Library, 1771 Inner Circle Dr.
Saturday, May 14 � 10 a.m. � Mesquite Library, 121 W. First North St.
Saturday, May 21 � 2 p.m. � Sandy Valley Library, 650 W. Quartz Ave.
Thursday, May 26 � 10 a.m. � Laughlin Library, 2840 S. Needles Hwy.

-more-
Page 3 � Las Vegas-Clark County Library District Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

Henna for Teens
Explore mehndi with a discussion and demonstration of this artistic adornment. Primarily for teens, but all ages are welcome.
Friday, May 6 � 4 p.m. � Sunrise Library, 5400 Harris Ave.
Saturday, May 14 � 2 p.m. � Las Vegas Library, 833 Las Vegas Blvd. No.
Tuesday, May 17 � 4 p.m. � Green Valley Library, 2797 N. Green Valley Pkwy.
Thursday, May 26 � 4 p.m. � Spring Valley Library, 4280 S. Jones Blvd.

Eth-Noh-Tec
Master storytellers, Eth-Noh-Tec, will take you on an imaginative journey through folktales and myths from several Asian cultures. Fun for all ages.
Tuesday, May 10 � 10 a.m. � Whitney Library, 5175 E. Tropicana Ave.
Tuesday, May 10 � 1 p.m. � West Las Vegas Library, 951 W. Lake Mead Blvd.
Tuesday, May 10 � 4 p.m. � Sahara West Library, 9600 W. Sahara Ave.
Tuesday, May 10 � 7 p.m. � West Charleston Library, 6301 W. Charleston Blvd.

Aloha Hawaii
All ages are welcome for a showcase of Hawaiian culture, including lei-making and a hula demonstration.
Friday, May 20 � 4 p.m. � Spring Valley Library, 4280 S. Jones Blvd.

Asian Movie Marathon: Classics of Modern Asian Cinema
Dreams (NR) - Akira Kurosawa抯 film explores the costs of war, the perils of nuclear power and humankind's need to harmonize with nature. Eight short stories that will enchant and enthrall.

Monday, May 23 � 1 p.m. � Enterprise Library, 25 E. Shelbourne Ave.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (PG-13) - An epic set against the breathtaking landscapes of ancient China, this film combines exhilarating martial arts choreography with the sensitivity of classical storytelling. Directed by Ang Lee and starring Chow Yun Fat and Michelle Yeoh. Winner of four Academy Awards�.

Monday, May 23 � 3 p.m. � Enterprise Library, 25 E. Shelbourne Ave.
Hero (PG-13) � This movie combines sweeping cinematography and superb performances resulting in a stunning action movie and an epic tale of love, loyalty, jealousy and intrigue, Stars international martial arts superstar, Jet Li. (PG-13)

Monday, May 23 � 5 p.m. � Enterprise Library, 25 E. Shelbourne Ave.
Shaolin Soccer (PG-13) � A young Shaolin follower reunites with his discouraged brothers to form a soccer team using their martial art skills to their advantage. The most successful Hong Kong-made movie.
Monday, May 23 � 6:45 p.m. � Enterprise Library, 25 E. Shelbourne Ave.

-more-
Page 4 � Las Vegas-Clark County Library District Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

Gallery Exhibits
Thursday, March 31桾uesday, May 31
Enterprise Library, 25 E. Shelbourne Ave., 507-3760
Strength and Diversity: Japanese American Women of Nevada: An exhibit that has been designed to honor the strength and diversity of early Japanese American women, specifically in Nevada. This exhibit is sponsored by the Nevada Humanities.

Thursday, April 28桽unday, July 10
Spring Valley Library, 4280 S. Jones Blvd., 507-3820
Life without Color桞lack and White Photography: Twan Hirte will present black and white photographs varying from simple landscapes to portraits.

Sunday, May 1桾uesday, June 7
Sahara West Library Grotto, 9600 W. Sahara Ave., 507-3630
Watercolors by Tsuya: Artist Terry Tsuya Fakuoka will present her recent landscape and floral watercolors. A member of the Nevada Watercolor Society since 1999, Fakuoka began the study of watercolor painting after retirement. Reception: May 1 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Thursday, May 5桽unday, August 7
Sunrise Library, 5400 Harris Ave., 507-3900
Las Vegas Centennial Visionary Artist: Local artist Yoko Kondo Konopik will present her contemporary paintings as a poetic exercise in balance and harmony through color and form.

Dear U. S. Congresswoman Shelley Berkley,

Dr. Tony T. Lei, Advisor of Taiwan Benevolent Association of Las Vegas [President of Washington Business and Technology Institute (WBTI)], Mrs. Wendy Wu, Chairperson of Taiwan Benevolent Association of America (TBAA) , and Miss Sue Phelps, President of Taiwan Benevolent Association of Las Vegas, Mr. Lo-Yu Sun, Board Advisor of TBAA, and Ms. Hui-Ching Chen, Director of Secretary Division of TBAA

request the honor of your presence
as a Kenote Speaker (for short speech) and/or as a grantor of Greetings Letter*1
at the Opening Ceremony of 28th Annual Convention of Taiwan Benevolent Association of America (TBAA)

on Saturday, the Thirty of July, 2005
at the Paris Hotel and Casino
3655, Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas, Nevada 89109
from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.

Participants: About 500 people.
Attire: Business

RSVP: Please e-mail Dr. Tony Lei at tojulei@yahoo.com.
Or please call Judy for RSVP at 255-9058 on or before Friday, April 22, 2005.

*1. We received Greetings Letters from U. S. President George Bush, U. S. Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, California Governor Gray Davis, U. S. Senator Barbara Boxer, U. S. Congressman Pete Stark, City Mayor of Sunnyvale Julia Miller, among others for the 26th Annual Convention of Taiwan Benevolent Association of America (TBAA) in 2003.

*****The Taiwan Benevolent Association of America (TBAA) will hold its 28th Annual Conference in Las Vegas Nevada from July 29, 2005 to July 31, 2005 at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel (3655 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas, NV 89109). Our theme for this year is the Future Development of TBAA, a topic that reflects our commitment to pass on our traditions and legacies to Taiwanese Americans in the United States. We would be very honored if you would join us at the Opening Ceremony on July 30, 2005 from 10:00am to 12:00pm.

As the largest civic organization representing U.S. immigrants from Taiwan, the TBAA currently has approximately 15 chapters and 30,000 active members nationwide. Our members are concerned about the new developments in Cross-Strait Relations, the U.S China Relationship and the Asian Economy. They are increasely focused on working with the mainstream of American society on these and other issues. Your participation would greatly inspire us as we move forward to achieve our goal.

Thank you for your kind attention and we look forward to hearing from you very soon.

Sincerely yours,

Wendy Yu-ping Wu
Chairman, TBAA Convention Committee
Sue Phelps
President of T.B.A.A.-L.V.
Lo-Yu Sun
Board Advisor
Hui-Ching Chen
Director of Secretary Division

***Although we have sent out just a few invitations at the time being, but the responses from them are enthusiastic. Nevada Clark County Commissioner Lynette McDonald will be very pleased to attend. She will also present us the Proclamation of Clark County Commission. Nevada Assemblywoman Valerie Weber felt honored to be invited by us. She will attend ours with great pleasure. Justice of the Supreme Court Michael Douglas will be in Hawaii, but he promised to grant us a significant Greetings Letter. Regional Representative Liane Lee is collecting detail information about TBAA, TBALV, and their leaders from Dr. Tony Lei for U. S. Senator Honorable Harry Reid to write a Greetings Letter for our 28th Annual Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada from July 29, 2005 to July 31, 2005 at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel. ............

Dear Tony,

Thank you for attending my town hall meeting on Social Security last month. I hope you found the presentation interesting and informative. It is important that Nevadans know the facts about the President抯 plan to partially privatize social security. As we discussed at the townhall, that plan is risky, increases the national debt, and cuts guaranteed benefits. I will continue to work on reforms that guarantee full social security benefits for all Americans for generations to come.

I have made available on my official website several of the slides used by Congressman John Spratt during his presentation. To see them, click here. If you would like to see the Social Security Calculator that was discussed--and see how partial privatization of social security could cut your benefits, you can access it here.

Again, thank you for coming. If you would like to receive updates on important issues, including social security, or be informed of future town hall meetings, please register on my web site here.

[Signed by her.]
Shelley Berkley
Member of Congress

Dear U. S. Senator Honorable John Ensign,

Dr. Tony T. Lei, Advisor of Taiwan Benevolent Association of Las Vegas [President of Washington Business and Technology Institute (WBTI)], Mrs. Wendy Wu, Chairperson of Taiwan Benevolent Association of America (TBAA) , and Miss Sue Phelps, President of Taiwan Benevolent Association of Las Vegas, Mr. Lo-Yu Sun, Board Advisor of TBAA, and Ms. Hui-Ching Chen, Director of Secretary Division of TBAA

request the honor of your presence
as a Kenote Speaker (for short speech) and/or as a grantor of Greetings Letter*1
at the Opening Ceremony of 28th Annual Convention of Taiwan Benevolent Association of America (TBAA)

on Saturday, the Thirty of July, 2005
at the Paris Hotel and Casino
3655, Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas, Nevada 89109
from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.

Participants: About 500 people.
Attire: Business

RSVP: Please e-mail Dr. Tony Lei at tojulei@yahoo.com.
Or please call Judy for RSVP at 255-9058 on or before Friday, April 22, 2005.

*1. We received Greetings Letters from U. S. President George Bush, U. S. Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, California Governor Gray Davis, U. S. Senator Barbara Boxer, U. S. Congressman Pete Stark, City Mayor of Sunnyvale Julia Miller, among others for the 26th Annual Convention of Taiwan Benevolent Association of America (TBAA) in 2003.

*****The Taiwan Benevolent Association of America (TBAA) will hold its 28th Annual Conference in Las Vegas Nevada from July 29, 2005 to July 31, 2005 at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel (3655 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas, NV 89109). Our theme for this year is the Future Development of TBAA, a topic that reflects our commitment to pass on our traditions and legacies to Taiwanese Americans in the United States. We would be very honored if you would join us at the Opening Ceremony on July 30, 2005 from 10:00am to 12:00pm.

As the largest civic organization representing U.S. immigrants from Taiwan, the TBAA currently has approximately 15 chapters and 30,000 active members nationwide. Our members are concerned about the new developments in Cross-Strait Relations, the U.S China Relationship and the Asian Economy. They are increasely focused on working with the mainstream of American society on these and other issues. Your participation would greatly inspire us as we move forward to achieve our goal.

Thank you for your kind attention and we look forward to hearing from you very soon.

Sincerely yours,

Wendy Yu-ping Wu
Chairman, TBAA Convention Committee
Sue Phelps
President of T.B.A.A.-L.V.
Lo-Yu Sun
Board Advisor
Hui-Ching Chen
Director of Secretary Division

***Although we have sent out just a few invitations at the time being, but the responses from them are enthusiastic. Nevada Clark County Commissioner Lynette McDonald will be very pleased to attend. She will also present us the Proclamation of Clark County Commission. Nevada Assemblywoman Valerie Weber felt honored to be invited by us. She will attend ours with great pleasure. Justice of the Supreme Court Michael Douglas will be in Hawaii, but he promised to grant us a significant Greetings Letter. Regional Representative Liane Lee is collecting detail information about TBAA, TBALV, and their leaders from Dr. Tony Lei for U. S. Senator Honorable Harry Reid to write a Greetings Letter for our 28th Annual Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada from July 29, 2005 to July 31, 2005 at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel. ............

ASIAN AMERICAN REPUBLICAN COALITON OF NEVADA
Clark County Chapter

GENERAL MEETING AGENDA

揂 world of diversity with one voice.�

DATE April 9, 2005 @ 3:00 pm
LOCATION 6767 W. Tropicana Avenue, Suite 217; LV NV 89103

AGENDA
I. Call to order
II. Review Minutes of previous meeting for approval (Gen. Meeting 3-31-05)
Report of Special Committees:
A. Event Planning Committee - Induction Ball: Mrs. V. Kerns and Mrs. T. Smith
Date: Induction Ball April 24, 2005 @ 5:30 pm to Midnight
Location: Wellington Place (AKA: La Chateaux)
6985 W. Sahara Avenue; Las Vegas, NV 89117
702-255-0888
1) Finalize: 100 people vs. 200 people, menu, chair/table covers, miscellaneous
2) Dr. Jas. Brooks: ADDITIONAL Invitations completed and will be distributed to members
3) Ms. Jasmine Guo: ADDITIONAL 250 tickets completed and will be distributed to members
a) Each member is encouraged to sell approximately 10 tickets
As incentive (and to show our appreciation), after 10 tickets sold, the selling member will receive a complimentary ticket for him/herself to the Induction Ball
4) Invites follow up and report progress
a) Invited by Ms. Elena Brady: Gibbons, Lorraine Hunt
b) Invited by Mr. Gene Gamboa: Joe Hecht, Lorraine Hunt
c) Invited by Dr. Frances Ridgley: Ensign
d) Invited by Dr. Tony Lei:
- Clark County Commissioner: Lynette McDonald with her Secretary Judi O'Leary
- District Judge of Family Court: Sandra Pomrenze
- Nevada Assemblywoman: Valerie Weber
- District Judge: Jessie Walsh, Judicial Exec. Assistant Jeri Winter and Courtroom Deputy Matt Diamond
B. Fundraising Committee - Silent Auction and Raffle: Mrs. Hui Lim
Finalize progress: donations, contributions
a) Mrs. Vivian Kerns & Tess Smith: 2 baskets
b) Mrs. Dolly Deleon: Honeymooners Gift Basket and/or Lady抯 Designers formalwear
c) Ms. Jasmine Guo: Surprise gift
d) Mrs. HuiLim:
- 2 Agate geodes value at $150 and $120 each
- MJ Christensen Jewelers
- Capital Grille Restaurant
- Fitness 19 Gym
- Village Tea Shop
- The Jewelers
III. Induction Ball Event Schedule (tentative)
A. Pledge
B. National Anthem
C. Induction
D. Speakers
E. Dinner
V. Unfinished Business and General Orders
A. Coalition ID/State & IRS Registration
VI. New Business
VII. Adjournment
Contacts: Jas Brooks 702-493-3330/Edgar Guo 702-303-8237

------------------------------------------
References

*1. Dr. Jasmine Brooks is the President of ASIAN AMERICAN REPUBLICAN COALITON OF NEVADA--Clark County Chapter.
*2. Brooks, Jasmine. 'General Meeting,' "An e-mail from Dr. Jasmine Brooks to Dr. Tony Lei," (April 6, 2005), Las Vegas, Nevada: AARCN-CC.
*3. Ibid.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 5, 2005 Contact Greg Bortolin or John Trent
775-684-5670

CARSON CITY � Gov. Kenny Guinn and First Lady Dema Guinn will help dedicate a full-size replica of the Sarah Winnemucca statue representing Nevada in the U.S. Capitol抯 National Statuary Hall during a ceremony in the Nevada State Capitol, at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 6.

The public is invited to attend the ceremony, which will include an appearance by the statue抯 artist, Benjamin Victor. A performance by Paiute drummers and dancers is planned, along with a public reception in the lobby of the Nevada State Library and Archives Building.

First Lady Dema Guinn served as Honorary Chair of the artist selection committee and helped spearhead efforts by the Nevada Women抯 History Project to raise the funds necessary for completing and placing the original statue in the U.S. Capitol, a full-size replica for Carson City, and a 36-inch replica for the Grant Sawyer State Office Building in Las Vegas.

Sarah Winnemucca, a 19th-century Native American educator and activist, became the second Nevadan honored with a statue in Statuary Hall, joining U.S. Sen. Patrick McCarran.

Office of the Governor
101 North Carson Street
Carson City, NV 89701
Fax: 775-684-7198
Media contact:
Bob Harmon
Department of Cultural Affairs
Phone: (775) 687-8323

POPE JOHN PAUL II (1920-2005): In Las Vegas, prayers and sorrow
REVIEW-JOURNAL

Eloise San Antonio of Las Vegas prays for Pope John Paul II following Saturday Mass at Guardian Angel Cathedral.
Photo by K.M. Cannon.

Chris Leone, a parishioner of Guardian Angel Cathedral in Las Vegas, directs volunteers, from left, Scott Pokornicki, Dave Grevenmeyer and Jim Malbouef in hanging crepe over the entrance in mourning for the death of Pope John Paul II on Saturday.
Photo by K.M. Cannon.

A photo of Pope John Paul II was left at the base of a statue of the Virgin Mary at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church on Saturday.
Photo by Ralph Fountain.

Lucy Diaz mourns for the pope at the Chapel of the Holy Family at St. Jude's Ranch for Children in Boulder City moments after learning of his death on Saturday.
Photo by Ronda Churchill.

They stretched black bunting across the doors of Guardian Angel Cathedral and the faithful knew -- Pope John Paul II, the first Pole to serve as the earthly shepherd of the Roman Catholic Church, was dead.

"I felt like, in some small way, I was participating with the rest of the world," said parishioner and Las Vegan Chris Leone, who enlisted the aid of three visitors from Detroit on Saturday afternoon to hang the universal sign of mourning. "He was the greatest pope we've had in a long, long time."

The 84-year-old pontiff died Saturday in his Vatican City apartment.

Scott Pokornicki, who came to Las Vegas for a wedding, said it felt right to help with the sad duty of hanging crepe. John Paul meant a lot to him and his family because they, like the pontiff, are Polish.

"He's the vicar of Christ," the 37-year-old Detroit resident said before Saturday Mass. "He's our spiritual leader here on Earth. His passing is both sorrowful and joyful."

Those contrasting emotions were apparent during afternoon services at the cathedral, which serves local Catholics and visitors from around the world. A prayer book placed Friday next to a portrait of the pope was filled with messages written in multiple languages by Saturday afternoon.

An individual named Sigrid wrote a prayer in German. An anonymous prayer in Spanish offered the comfort that God was with "Juan Pablo II."

The Murga family left a message of gratitude to the Lord.

"If he is in pain, please don't let him suffer," the Murgas wrote. "And thank you for putting him on this earth."

The Rev. Larry Lentz, rector of the cathedral, scrapped his planned sermon and delivered a message about the pope's death to hundreds of Catholics at the afternoon Mass. It is a blessed event, Lentz said, for a man who has been a good and faithful servant of God all his life.

"This is only a passage to a reward that will never end and that cannot be explained in human terms," Lentz said.

Bishop Joseph A. Pepe, whom John Paul chose to lead the Catholic Diocese of Las Vegas in 2001, said the pope had an unshakable belief in the dignity of human life.

The pope brought a "universal sense of the dignity of the human person," Pepe said, "and that bridged a lot of barriers and boundaries of cultural, ethnic, religious and national feelings."

Pepe pointed out that John Paul's outreach extended to other religions as well.

"He went to the Holy Land and went to various Islamic nations," Pepe said. "He was a spokesman for many religious causes that Christian denominations and other religious beliefs had."

Seventy-year-old Eloise San Antonio had been keeping her own private vigil since the pope's health began to worsen late last week. She stayed up until 2 a.m. Saturday following reports from the Vatican. At the cathedral, she recited the rosary to help the pontiff make his way to heaven. She has felt a personal connection with the pope since she first saw him during an appearance in the Philippines during the 1970s.

"In Manila, I kissed his hand," San Antonio said, garbed in a lace head scarf as she prayed in front of a portrait of the pope at Guardian Angel. "I feel so sad, and I cried because I remember him. He prayed for us. He prayed for everyone. I will miss him."

For 18-year-old Mary Burns, a graduate of Bishop Gorman High School who was a server at the cathedral's Saturday afternoon Mass, John Paul is the only pope she's known. His influence is something she finds hard to explain to her nonreligious friends.

"I do look up to him," Burns said. "He dedicated his life to God and gave up everything to follow in God's ways."

Scenes of papal mourning unfolded in numerous churches and locations across Las Vegas on Saturday. At St. Joseph, Husband of Mary Catholic Church on West Sahara Avenue, worshippers gathered to light candles and pray.

"It's wonderful that his suffering is over," said Kathleen Moran, 56. "The loss is ours, especially for the youth of today because he was their champion."

Retired lawyer Andras Babero, clutching a rosary that was blessed by the pope, said John Paul held a special place in his life because he helped restore his faith.

"I drifted away from the church, and he brought me back," Babero, 48, said. "He's a special man."

To Alex Marrufo, 37, who works at St. Joseph, the pope's death was like watching a grandfather die.

"He was my generation's pope," Marrufo said, praising the former pontiff's energy and efforts to span religious and cultural divides. "We kind of grew old together."

Jerome Sicat, 38, said he saw the pope three times. The most memorable occasion was John Paul's visit to Toronto in 2002. Sicat traveled there with friends and was able to stand within 15 feet of the pontiff.

"In his presence there's some connection I can't explain," Sicat said. "There's something in him ... that connects you to his heart."

Mourning for John Paul, born Karol Wojtyla on May 18, 1920, in Poland, was especially deep within the local Polish community.

Vodek Durlej, president of the Polish-American Social Club, spoke with his brother in Poland on Saturday, and both men wished for John Paul's recovery. To the Polish people, John Paul was more than just the leader of the Catholic Church.

"I would say he was the unofficial leader of the Polish nation," Durlej said.

Mario Zieba, owner of Polonia Restaurant and Market on South Eastern Avenue, said business had been slow because everybody was watching television and going to church to pray for the pope.

"We don't care about business," said Zieba, who was born in Poland, about 35 miles south of the pope's birthplace of Wadowice. "It's very important to us to be all together and united and in prayer."

Zieba said he knows that John Paul is now in heaven.

"He was one of the greatest Polish men," Zieba said.

Many people said the pope's successor will have large shoes to fill. Durlej expressed confidence the Catholic cardinals will choose the right man for the job.

But, he said, that's "not going to be easy, considering the job description John Paul left. He set the standards really high for the next person."

Pepe said the next pope will, like John Paul, bring his own personal gifts to the papacy.

"Of course, being spiritual people, we believe the Holy Spirit is going to be involved in this process of selecting the man who would be pope," Pepe said.

From: Ms. DORIS M BALDUCCI [dbalducci@juno.com]
Sun, 27 Feb 2005 08:35:43 -0800
Subject: Re: Yes. ---Fw: Senior issues.doc

Oh, my! Does that ever look good!

7777777777777
666666666666666666666
777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777
***************************************************

[032505-8687]
From: Miss Kathie Ambrosio [Kathie_Ambrosio@ensign.senate.gov]
Fri, 18 Mar 2005 14:26:03 -0500
Subject: RE: A new feature article for John.
Thank you!

Kathie Ambrosio
Regional Representative
United States Senator John Ensign
333 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Ste. 8203
Las Vegas, Nevada 89101
(702) 388-6605 Phone
(702) 388-6501 Fax
-----Original Message-----
Sent: Friday, March 18, 2005 11:15 AM
To: Ambrosio, Kathie (Ensign)
Subject: RE: A new feature article for John. And you're on Google.com!

Dear Kathie, Good morning! How are you? A new feature
article is now for John today! ---U. S. Senator John
Ensign was awarded "SPIRIT OF ENTERPRISE" by U.S.
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
By Tiffany Chang and PAI of WBTI*1

You're not just on Reviewjournal.com, but also on
Google.com, Aol.com, Msn.com, among others. Just type
your name "kathie ambrosio" on the searching box of
Google.com please , and what could you find?

*For the details, please click
on the sections of
"Business & Administration" and "John Ensign---U. S.
Senator" at:
http://communitylink.reviewjournal.com/lvrj/wbti

Sincerely,
Tony & Judy
WBTI
777777777777777
666666666666666666666666666666666
7777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777
***********************************************************
--- "Ambrosio, Kathie (Ensign)"
Tue, 22 Feb 2005 10:57:49 -0500
[Kathie_Ambrosio@ensign.senate.gov] wrote:

> Hi Tony - I wanted to print out news article but I
> cannot. I would like
> to keep a copy of the article. Thank you.
>
> Kathie Ambrosio
> Regional Representative
> United States Senator John Ensign
> 333 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Ste. 8203
> Las Vegas, Nevada 89101
> (702) 388-6605 Phone
> (702) 388-6501 Fax
> -----Original Message-----
> Sent: Monday, February 21, 2005 2:32 PM
> To: Ambrosio, Kathie (Ensign)
> Subject: You're on review.journal! Good afternoon!
>
> Good afternoon! How are you? You're on
> review.journal!
> It's on the section of "Photos & Pictures" (in the
> top
> left box of its cover page) at:
> http://communitylink.reviewjournal.com/lvrj/wbti
> Have a nice time!

Judy & Tony
WBTI
> 666666666666666666666666
> 777777777777777777777777777777777
>
8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
>
******************************************************************

[032505-7687]
From: Miss ELENA BRADY [bradies@charter.net]
Mon, 21 Mar 2005 11:05:01 -0800
Suject: Re: Greetings!
thanks Tony.

Elena

----- Original Message -----
Subject: Re: Greetings!

> Dear Elena, Good morning! Inspired by your
> establishment of the Asian American Republican
> Coalition of Nevada and the people here for the
> AARCN-Clark County Chapter, WBTI has set up a section entitled
> "Asian American Republican Coalition of Nevada" for
> all of you. Your formal title has been modified for
> the feature article.*1 Any comment or literature of
> your recent accomplishement from you to WBTI will
> highly be appreciated.
>
> *1. For the details, please have your
> Assistant or yourself click
> on the sections of "Asian American Republican
> Coalition of Nevada" and
> "Business & Administration" at:
> http://communitylink.reviewjournal.com/lvrj/wbti
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Tony & Judy
> WBTI
> 888888888888888
> 666666666666666666666666666666666
> 7777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777
> ***********************************************************

From: Miss ELENA BRADY [bradies@charter.net]
Sun, 20 Mar 2005 09:52:55 -0800
Suject: Re: For a draft.

Tony,

Good to hear from you. It's been busy. I need to talk to you soon,
also,
regarding China business, etc.

What is the article about.. May read it first, maybe I can add to
that.

My title is Founder and President, Asian American Republican Coalition
of
Nevada and the other is the
2nd Vice- Chair, National Asian American Republican Coalition.

Take care, see you soon.

Elena

----- Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, March 19, 2005 9:59 PM
Subject: For a draft.