Daily Links, Jan 8, 2009

Hope you've enjoyed the new year as much as these two have! What's to enjoy on the blogs today?

Laorencha on the East Coast. Speaking of the East Coast, Around Taiwan in 80 days is there now, in Taimali, one of my favorite places. A-gu observes that Ma & Siew liquor bottles, shipped to China, had the word "president" removed, and blogs on the next KMT-CCP sellout party shindig. Homeschooling in Taiwan on the rise. Japan Probe points to the problem of food from other places labeled as being from Japan in Taiwan. An article from the Taiwan side. The Taiwan Link with another excellent and informative post, on the World Games in Kaohsiung. Hurry up and get tickets! I Witness interviews a married couple going to college at Mingchuan U Scott on DPP Education policy: a report card. Todd with an absolutely killer panorama of Taichung. Note to self: must warn Todd Taichung is MY panorama turf! The Bushman lectures on improving your photography Diane Lee resigns (A-gu). Wonder what deals the KMT and the US are making behind the scenes? Jerome blogs on the case. Mark Harrison talks about his new book chapter. Formosa Neiji on spinal qigong and tonifying the organs. Ma Ying-jeou, mystery man. Is he impotent? TaiwanAirBlog, always full of good combat aircraft porn, has the Open House schedule for the Taiwan air force. A-gu remarks on an interesting part of Hu's speech Thomas Crampton has an early assessment of Obama's Asia team. Mark on how to buy Skype credit in Taiwan Global Voices Online on organic farming here EastWindUP wonders if Taiwan is regressing to its pre-democracy days...

MEDIA: Local news says Taichung to get two Emperor penguins from the Taipei Zoo, to be displayed at the Taichung fish market. Afterwards everyone is having penguin sashimi. Yum! NY Yankees have baseball clinic in Taiwan. Taiwan is leading foreign investor in Vietnam. Diane Lee resigns -- it's just another move in the game, folks. Don't expect too much. Our forex reserves hit a record high in 2008, $291 billion, riding record exports. President Ma says 2009 to be special year of Japan-Taiwan partnership. As the KMT moves Taiwan into China's orbit, you can rest assured diplomacy with Japan and the US will redouble, just as an adulterous husband will act especially loving toward his wife. A Solomons Island official here allegedly attacked some local policeman and has been sent home. Toxic gases overwhelm Taliao, which my wife I and both consider the worst place we have ever lived in our lives (years ago, thank all gods) Source of leaks may never be found. Indonesian fishing boat crewmen push two Taiwan sailors overboard. That will teach them to bring stinky tofu on board. A huge basalt wall found off the Penghu. Most Taiwanese see China as hostile, says DPP poll. What else would a DPP poll find? IHT says Taiwan is considering sending its navy to fight piracy off Somalia. Reuters reports on new movie driven by nutcase conspiracy theory that Chen Shui-bian had himself shot. What a coincidence that Chen decided to have himself shot, thus giving the KMT something to blame for blowing the election. Why, you'd almost think the KMT arranged it.... Ma save us! Slumping exports (biggest fall in trade surplus in 27 years) and skidding economy here, so the Central Bank makes a rate cut. Pretty soon they'll just be giving money away... oh yeah, they are doing that with the voucher program. Yahoo makes Taiwan a province of China. Xinhua reports that China is permitting Taiwan architects to practice, thus giving them the opportunity to do up cities in two nations in the best Urinthian style with plenty of tile. Seriously, eventually the push will come for Taiwan to recognize Chinese qualifications, based on moves like this. The Pentagon is wary of PRC-Taiwan ties. The NCC, which the KMT set up to control the media, is holding a hearing on new broadcast licenses. Think any of the illegal pro-Taiwan stations will get one? Fujian to hire retired Taiwan IT experts. Panda house to open on Jan 26, because the pandas have to be observed for parasites. Heck, it can't be too difficult to spot two overgrown, bamboo chomping parasites in the panda house, right?

EVENTS: Wild Strawberries having an open house on the 11th. They may be setting up a permanent organization on Taiwan campuses.

臺北野草莓歷經兩個月的廣場靜坐，

也在期間不斷延伸關懷的面向及方式。1月4日起，我們的運動模式，正式從24小時的廣場靜坐轉向學生組織，力圖在校園深耕和議題訴求有所發展。

在這個空間草創的當下，我們誠摯地邀請在過去兩個月裡，一路和野草莓共同努力的社運前輩和老師們，來到野莓之家共襄盛舉。

時間：1月11日10:00~12:00
地點：野莓之家(臺北市中正區同安街28巷7弄9號)
流程：10:00~10:30開幕儀式
　　　10:30~12:00開幕茶會

Look out for a nasty cold front this weekend!

[Taiwan]