波城河南同鄉會慶猴年 二百多人聯歡

(Boston Orange綜合報導)波士頓河南同鄉會3月19日在華森市的劍橋中國文化中心慶祝猴年新春，來自四州的200多名老鄉“擠擠”一堂，一起動手做水餃，講河南話，欣賞“豫”劇，其樂融融。

河南同鄉會會長張偉（左三）和理事高建新（右五）。

            會上，不但有來自紐約的國會眾議員孟昭文發來賀信，也有“海外剩女”話劇名導演張西從康州趕到，出席老鄉們互訴鄉土故情，暢談兩岸故事，享用各自帶來的佳餚美食，心頭暖得差點萌生“他鄉是故鄉”錯覺。

河南同鄉會永遠名譽會長紀虎民（中）。ㄉ

      波士頓河南同鄉會今年的幹部有會長張偉，永久名譽會長紀虎民，副會長蕭廣松，以及常務理事傅麗娜，汪泱，高建新，李華，何新亞，劉世廣，王紅梅，單東旭等人。

楊書旺表演變臉。

            會上，逯建麗的豫劇花木蘭，楊書旺的四川變臉，玹月子示範太極，單東旭以河南話朗誦“再別康橋”，趙巧玲的現代豫劇等獻給老鄉的表演，給大會增添許多聯歡氣氛。

            會長張偉表示，俗話說“鐵打的營盤，流水的兵“，這些年來，大波士頓河南人越來越多，老鄉口耳相傳，喲呵相聚，也讓同鄉會活動更熱鬧。今年還有昆士市資生堂老闆琳達，房地產經紀王紅梅贊助，加上竟有老鄉從新罕布夏州，紐約州，康州遠道趕來，鼓湧起的熱鬧，興奮，那就真是沒話說了。

奧巴馬夫婦出訪 加強美國與阿根廷關係

FACT SHEET:  United States – Argentina Relationship

President Obama, accompanied by First Lady Michelle Obama, is in Argentina to meet with newly elected President Mauricio Macri and First Lady Juliana Awada.  Together, the leaders explored opportunities to strengthen the relationship between the United States and Argentina and partner to address global challenges, such as climate change, peacekeeping, refugees, and the defense of human rights and democracy.  It was the first bilateral visit to Argentina by a U.S. President in almost two decades.

The leaders also discussed President Macri’s economic reform agenda, opportunities for expanding trade and investment, science and technology cooperation, and U.S. support for building Argentina’s capacity to combat organized crime.

U.S.-Argentina Economic Relationship

Since taking office in December, President Macri has quickly implemented economic reforms to begin addressing economic imbalances and deepen Argentina’s integration with the global economy.  To support those efforts, the two governments announced steps to bolster trade and investment, deepen cooperation at the G-20, and promote their shared G-20 objective of strong, sustainable, and balanced economic growth.  Reflecting significant private-sector interest in Argentina, U.S. companies announced multibillion dollar investments that will help build upon the more than $20 billion in annual United States-Argentina trade.  In the coming months, six trade delegations will help U.S. and Argentine businesses identify further opportunities.  To address issues affecting firms in both countries, the Department of Commerce and Argentine Ministry of Production this year will host the inaugural meeting of the United States-Argentina Commercial Dialogue.

Trade and Investment Framework Agreement
Argentina and the United States signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement, which recognizes the essential role of trade and private investment, both domestic and foreign, in furthering growth and creating jobs.  The agreement will facilitate dialogue on a broad range of issues, including intellectual property, market access, and cooperation on agricultural matters, as well as collaboration on shared objectives in the World Trade Organization and other multilateral fora.  As major agricultural exporters, the United States and Argentina have committed to work together to expand global trade in agricultural products and combat non-scientific barriers to trade.  This includes working to expand bilateral trade and resolve outstanding market access issues in agriculture and across the full range of products and services.

JUST ENERGY CUSTOMERS TO RECEIVE PAYMENT IN SECOND PHASE OF RESTITUTION PROGRAM

JUST ENERGY CUSTOMERS TO RECEIVE PAYMENT IN SECOND PHASE OF RESTITUTION PROGRAM

Under Agreement with AG’s Office, Just Energy Sending Checks to 34,000 Customers Who Qualify for 1.6 Million in Restitution Over Five Week Period

BOSTON— Customers who were allegedly misled by a competitive energy supplier are beginning to receive restitution payments as part of the second, and final, phase of the restitution program put in place as part of a $4 million settlement reached with the company, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today.

Just Energy has already returned approximately $2.2 million to 7,655 customers who qualified. Under the second and final phase of the restitution program, an independent trustee will mail approximately $1.6 million in checks to approximately 34,000 customers who qualify. The trustee began mailing checks to customers on February 29th and will continue to do so every week until all eligible customers have received them, likely through mid-April. Customers who receive their restitution in the mail do not have to fill out a claim and can simply cash the check they receive in the mail.

The group of customers receiving restitution during the second phase of the restitution program includes customers who signed up for Just Energy’s variable rates and customers who paid a termination fee to the company.

The payments are part of an assurance of discontinuance the AG’s Office negotiated with Just Energy in December 2014. The AG’s Office alleged that Just Energy engaged in deceptive marketing and sales tactics that misled consumers into signing contracts based on attractive introductory pricing, only to later experience an increase in their electricity supply costs. The AG’s Office alleged that this conduct occurred over the period of time from 2010 to 2014. Just Energy did not admit to any wrongdoing.

Also as part of the settlement, Just Energy engaged an independent monitor to review the company’s sales and marketing practices. To date, the company has fully cooperated with the independent monitor.

For more information regarding factors to consider when deciding whether to obtain basic service from a competitive supplier, visit the AG’s Office’s competitive supply fact sheet website.

AG HEALEY TO HOST DATA PRIVACY FORUM IN COLLABORATION WITH MIT AND THE BERKMAN CENTER

AG HEALEY TO HOST DATA PRIVACY FORUM IN COLLABORATION WITH MIT AND THE BERKMAN CENTER

 

WHAT:          Attorney General Maura Healey, in collaboration with MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL), the Internet Policy Research Initiative at MIT, and the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, along with other stakeholders, will host a data privacy forum to discuss the risks to consumer privacy in today’s data-driven, digital economy. The forum will also discuss the role of states and state attorneys general in addressing those risks without restricting innovation and advances that benefit consumers. 

WHEN:          TOMORROW, March 24, 2016

                                    8 a.m. to 12 p.m.                  

WHERE:       MIT 10-250 (Building 10, Room 250) 

222 Memorial Drive, Cambridge
http://whereis.mit.edu/?go=10 

** Building 10 is located underneath MIT’s Great Dome. You also can reach Building 10 from the entrance at 77 Mass Ave.  

WHO:             Attorney General Maura Healey

                        MIT Provost Martin Schmidt

                        Moderators

Danny Weitzner, Principal Research Scientist at CSAIL and Director of the MIT Internet Policy Research Initiative

Dalia Topelson Ritvo, Assistant Director & Clinical Instructor at Harvard School’s Cyberlaw Clinic

Panelists

                                    Dipayan Ghosh, Privacy & Public Policy Advisor, Facebook

Ilaria Liccardi, Research Scientist with the Internet Policy Research Initiative at MIT CSAIL

John Moore, CEO of Twine Health

Carol Rose, Executive Director, ACLU Massachusetts

Latanya Sweeney, Professor of Government and Technology in Residence at Harvard University

Catherine Tucker, Sloan Distinguished Professor of Management, MIT

John Doherty, Vice President of State Policy & Politics and General Counsel, TechNet

Sara Cable, Assistant Attorney General and Director of Data Privacy and Security at the Office of the Massachusetts Attorney General

                                    Sarah Holland, Senior Analyst, Google

                                    Cameron F. Kerry, Senior Counsel, Sidley

Quentin Palfrey, Former Senior Advisor for Jobs & Competitiveness, White House Office of Science & Technology Policy

Persis S. Yu, Staff attorney, the National Consumer Law Center

For more information and the forum’s agenda, visit the Attorney General’s website.

The event is free and open to the public

The Boston School Committee to Vote on BPS Budget that Adds 200 New Pre-K Seats, Invests in Special Education Supports

The Boston School Committee to Vote on BPS Budget that Adds 200 New Pre-K Seats, Invests in Special Education Supports

Investments to help close achievement gaps

BOSTON – Wednesday, March 23, 2016 – The Boston School Committee is scheduled to vote tonight on the Boston Public Schools’ (BPS) FY17 budget that makes targeted investments in early and special education. These investments include adding more than 200 pre-kindergarten seats next year, $1 million for Special Education (SPED) support teams and $1 million to fund a SPED data system that will enhance parent access to their student’s individualized education plan and to provide BPS with better data to improve the quality of services.

Early childhood education is one of the most research-proven ways to close the opportunity and achievement gaps.

BPS has released on its website a “Budget Basics” fact sheet that answers frequently asked questions about the budget process. 

"This budget represents important work to close the opportunity and achievement gaps, while also addressing some challenges and tradeoffs due to continually rising costs," BPS Superintendent Tommy Chang said. "I am confident that this proposal is built on our values of equity, coherence and innovation, and I look forward to continuing this conversation as we move forward with the long-term financial plan for Boston Public Schools." 

A recommended budget was first released on February 3rd and every dollar allocated to a school is tracked on a spreadsheet that is also available on the BPS website. Over the past two months, BPS has engaged in a public dialogue with the School Committee, listening to input from its members and the community. The School Committee has also held three public hearings on the proposed budget in Dorchester, Jamaica Plain and Roxbury.

The proposed $1.027 billion budget represents an increase of $13.5 million over the previous school year and it is the largest school budget in Boston's history. Since taking office, Mayor Martin J. Walsh has increased funding to the Boston Public Schools by a total of nearly $90 million over three years. 

If approved by the Committee, the budget will then be submitted to the Boston City Council for final approval later this spring. For more information on the BPS budget, including the fact sheet, log onto www.bostonpublicschools.org .

僑委會聲明：不分台、華僑，支持台灣就服務

不分臺僑華僑，共同支持臺灣

   近來各界對於政府僑務工作服務對象有諸多討論，立法院民進黨團於本（23）日召開記者會，針對「『臺裔』無意義、無知」及「羅省中華會館日前發布聲明未接受本會補助」等所提質疑，本會特說明如下：

一、  面對海外僑務高度競爭的局勢及當前國家發展關鍵時刻，為務實鞏固並擴增海外友我力量，只要是支持中華民國、熱愛臺灣以及認同自由、民主、法治、人權之海外華人，都是政府僑務工作應該服務與爭取的對象，尤其以臺灣目前面臨的困難處境，我們不但希望從臺灣移出的僑胞支持自己的故鄉，我們更要爭取所有認同中華民國的海外華人更大的支持。

二、  基於上述長年以來僑務工作的精神與原則，本會陳委員長在本月10日於立法院外交及國防委員會施政報告及備詢時即明確表示，在僑務施政推動上，不論是臺僑或華僑都是臺灣的戰略資源，絕對是我國在外交、經貿等相關重要領域上，與國際競爭的重要優勢；另陳委員長近日在海外也進一步指出，政府對海外僑社的經營不分藍綠，凡所有支持中華民國、愛臺灣的僑胞，也都是僑委會需要去交朋友與服務的對象，現階段僑務工作必須大量匯聚僑胞的友我力量，所以自無需要特別去區分「臺裔」或「華裔」，對於瞭解海外工作的人或是曾被政府服務過僑胞而言，如要花時間與精神來區分彼此，對於爭取海外力量支持的實際工作推動亦無所助益；惟相關談話遭曲解成「『臺裔』毫無意義、無知」的說法，實有失公允，本會至表遺憾。

三、  另羅省中華會館成立於1889年，迄今已有126年歷史，轄屬共有27個僑團，為南加州傳統僑社最具代表性之社團。該會館向來支持中華民國，並在會館內外懸掛中華民國國旗，歷年元旦及雙十國慶期間，結合洛杉磯僑界舉辦規模盛大的慶祝活動，且該會館與我駐外單位聯繫密切，協助推展各項僑務工作不遺餘力。

四、  惟該會館經常性會務經費均係自籌，並無接受本會經常及大額之經費補助；至民進黨團所指陳部分，主要係該會館主辦元旦升旗典禮、青年節、雙十國慶等全僑性愛國活動，其性質非屬對該會館會務運作之經費補助。尤其，該會館對臺灣的關切與支持從不落人後，以最近「0206南臺震災」為例，該會館踴躍捐輸，善款達美金3萬8,550元，充分展現與國人不分彼此的患難情感。

僑委會新設立25個海外夥伴據點

海外夥伴新據點  共創僑務新未來

    僑委會為結合海外僑界資源，擴大僑務工作服務面向與能量，日前已與25個具規模、且自有場地的僑團（校）組織建立夥伴關係，以建構全球服務網絡，於3月29日上午10時30分假中央聯合辦公大樓南棟一樓舉辦「海外夥伴關係據點啟動發表會」，邀請全球25個夥伴關係據點代表人共同見證，以研討會方式，洽談未來合作及配合事項，以因地制宜提供僑胞更在地化、更貼心的服務，共同為僑務創造新未來。

    委員長陳士魁表示：僑委會在海外已設有17處華僑文教服務中心，惟僑教中心設立及維運涉及層面廣泛，所以積極思考以加盟點概念建立海外夥伴關係服務據點，使其成為微型僑教中心或聯絡據點。在據點的選擇上，則考量能與我駐外機構在服務功能上進行互補，例如在較少設置我駐外館處或僑教中心之地區廣設夥伴據點，除延伸僑務服務觸角，並能充分發揮僑胞急難救助等服務功能。

    僑委會第一階段與25個僑團（校）建立海外夥伴關係據點，分布全球六大洲，北美洲計有佛州中華文化活動中心、達拉斯華人活動中心、珊瑚泉中華文化協會等3個；大洋洲計有墨爾本社團聯合服務中心、美國關島中華總會、斐濟華僑文教服務中心等3個；亞洲計有中華民國留日神戶華僑總會、柬埔寨臺灣商會、越南臺灣商會聯合總會、寮國臺商聯絡處、清萊雲南會館、清邁雲南會館、泰國中華會館中華語文中心、馬來西亞臺灣商會聯合總會等8個；歐洲計有漢堡中華會館、旅比華僑中山學校等2個；非洲計有賴斐臺商學校、德班夸祖魯那他省中華文教中心、模里西斯中中校友暨附屬青年會等3個；中南美洲計有阿根廷臺灣僑民聯合會、智利華僑聯誼總會、意基給臺灣會館、東方市中華會館、巴拉圭孔教中心中正學校、里約中華會館等6個。期藉由「華僑文教服務中心」，交織各夥伴關係據點，開展形成綿密的全球服務網絡，強化僑務服務的質量與能量。

   未來僑委會將以合作方式加強與各夥伴據點聯繫，並提供輔助，期各據點充分發揮僑民聯絡、僑教推展、僑臺商服務及僑生攬才等四大功能，同時宣揚臺灣文化及傳承中華文化、協助推展公眾外交，具體落實「化僑力為國力」政策目標，共同開創僑務發展新的里程碑。

藝術學會董事長趙羨藻中國美術館邀請展

  藝術學會董事長趙羨藻中國美術館邀請展

            暨會員出版書籍慶祝餐會

          我會董事長趙羨藻先生, 受中國國家級最高的美術殿堂----中國美術館邀請，將於五月份展出他的攝影作品。能讓選中并受邀在處展出自己的作品，是國家、以至世界對當為一個藝術家藝術水平的肯定！這不僅是他個人的榮譽，也是我們紐英崙藝術學會的榮譽，全波士頓區華人藝術家的榮譽，我們學會全體仝人，為能有這樣一位成就卓著的攝影家、藝術家而感到自豪，我們為他喝釆！

      適逢本學會會長梅宇國先生的詩集、他的學生邵如懿和邵如馨書畫集二書剛出版，之前蘇莎菲的英文詩集、朱紹昌和Nancy二人合写的中英詩集，這些前後出版的會員著作，都為學會增添光彩，也是我們會員向社會交卷的漂亮成績單。

      學會新舊两年間，會員成果累累，喜事連連，我們自當慶之賀之！

節目內容: <梅宇國詩集>、<懿馨書畫集>蘇菲的    英文詩集、

           朱紹昌和Nancy的中英詩集展售、 詩詞配樂朗誦、攝影、書 法作品抽獎等。              

          另外，還特別籌备了一個別開生面的古帖書法展示，租借了十多本剛修复的、難得一

          見的晋唐宋人書法古帖，將會使人大開眼界，發思古之幽情。

 時間:4月25曰, 下午6時恭候, 准7時開席

地點: 唐人街龍鳳大酒樓

票價：$40(每位),$400元一桌

聯系人：梅宇國. 電話:617 818 2973

                                         紐英崙藝術學會慶祝會籌备小組

                                           2016年3月15日