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Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Miscellany

Meteors
This weekend, Dec 13-4, we're getting a huge storm.
According to McBeath, the Geminids are predicted to reach peak activity on Dec. 14 at 16:45 GMT. That means those places from central Asia eastwards across the Pacific Ocean to Alaska are in the best position to catch the very crest of the shower, when the rates conceivably could exceed 120 per hour.

"But," he adds, "maximum rates persist at only marginally reduced levels for some 6 to 10 hours around the biggest ones, so other places (such as North America) should enjoy some fine Geminid activity as well.


Legislature
Two great posts over at A-gu's site. A summary of the effects of the new districting plan from the China Times -- if you read one post this month, this should be it -- A-gu's own thoughts, plus this prediction. A-gu has done great work on the legislative election.

Name Changes
Names of villages in southern Taiwan will revert to their old aboriginal names.

Fifty years after it was renamed, local councilors in Sanmin Township (三民), in Kaohsiung County, unanimously voted on Monday for a new Aboriginal name for the township, effective January 1.

"The seven-member township council has ... unanimously agreed to change the township name to Namasiya Township (那瑪夏)," Mayor Husong Istanda said in a telephone interview.


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7 comments:

  1. AnonymousDecember 12, 2007 at 8:50 PM

    Interestingly, the government Web site version seems to have edited out political material from the original article.

    ReplyDelete
  2. 阿牛December 13, 2007 at 2:07 PM

    This renaming news is excellent! I'm so glad it passed with no dissenting vote, too!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Michael TurtonDecember 13, 2007 at 6:29 PM

    But A-gu, don't you think those mayors should be concentrating on doing something for the economy, rather than wasting their time renaming things?

    ReplyDelete
  4. 阿牛December 13, 2007 at 9:00 PM

    Oh touche bonjour. I guess you got me there.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Taiwan EchoDecember 14, 2007 at 9:22 AM

    "don't you think those mayors should be concentrating on doing something for the economy, rather than wasting their time renaming things?"

    China vs. Taiwan:
    "Don't go for independence!"

    USA government vs. Chen Shui-Bian:
    "Don't go for the referendum!"

    Michael vs. Sanmin Township Mayor:
    "Don't go for the name change!"

    ReplyDelete
  6. Michael TurtonDecember 14, 2007 at 11:19 AM

    I'm just teasing, Taiwan Echo, making fun of the type of ideologically-driven comments that the DPP really ought to focus on "real" issues rather than name changes.

    ReplyDelete
  7. MJ KleinDecember 15, 2007 at 10:53 AM

    the meteor shower was a bust! we were so looking forward to it.

    ReplyDelete

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