Daily Links, March 27, 2008

A specialty vehicle used at a fishing port in southern Taiwan.

What's rolling across the blogs lately?

A-gu has some caustic comments on the KMT's demand for a little time to get things in order.

David on Formosa announces a new website: Images of Old Taiwan.

Taiwan Matters has a long and detailed critique of the KMT move to pay off the local chiefs who were so valuable in getting them elected with foreign trips and increased salaries.

Taiwanonymous discusses the pros and cons of working in Taiwan.

J Michael looks at Washington conservatives militarizing the Strait. Sure wish progressives cared as much as conservatives.

My Several Worlds is master of its domain. Change your links accordingly!

Taiwan Echo posts on Taiwan Matters! on the TIers and the language problem.

The Taipei Kid finds some great quotes in a local English paper.

Min, delighted that Ma was elected, gives a pro-Ma commentary.

Holly talks about parents supporting their children into adulthood in Taiwan.

Islaformosa explains to foreigners why Ma won.

Portnoy at Global Voices Online has a translation of a post on racial discrimination in Taiwanese ads and other media. Fascinating.

MEDIA: NYTimes says Taiwan wants to focus on building its own brands. The Economist has a good article on the election. John Tkacik at Heritage wants the US to rebuild ties with Taiwan. A UK paper has a good article on Central Bank concern over the way the influx of international capital may hurt Taiwan's export economy by driving up the NT dollar. It's only temporary, but indicative. Hillary Clinton's statement on the election here.

HIGHWAY 11, the East Coast expat mag, the April issue is out.

FROM THE ANNALS OF MAKING YOUR HEAD EXPLODE: last week US pundits were arguing that Hillary Clinton would exercise the "Tanya Harding" option, kneecapping Obama in order to win the election and dooming both. Readers may remember Tanya Harding (though I'm sure you have tried to forget), the figure skater who apparently had her rival kneecapped so she could win a skating competition, a storyline only America could produce. Saw this on Tanya Harding's website:

For good, for bad, depending on your point of view, Tonya Harding has been one of the most influential or perhaps controversial persons in Figure Skating history, and in all sports history, in notoriety, perhaps second only to Mohammad Ali.

I can hear all your brains short-circuiting about now....

[Taiwan]