Daily links, August 24, 2009

Lots of stuff packed and ready to go on the blogs this week....

• Far Eastern Sweet Potato comments on arrival of UN team in Taiwan.
• The Hungry Cyclist tours Taiwan.
• The Forgetful on the new bicycle lanes in Taipei: as bad as you imagine.
• Yet another reason not to use MS Bing.
• Darren M photos Chthonic.
• With an opening line like this: "For landslide scientists Taiwan has an almost mythical status,..."
• Kaminoge rips Tom Plate talking about Taiwan. Alas, untrammeled failure is no bar to continued syndication in the international media.
• Letters from Taiwan on how the KMT built loyalty among the aborigines. Great work, Arthur.
• Ma Ying-jeou, the Syncophant syndrome, and the KMT by Jerome Keating
• Todd visits Tzude Temple.
• TaiwanAir Blog has pix of the US relief effort in Taiwan.
• Far Eastern Sweet Potato on Koo Kuan-yin's latest attempt to form coherent thoughts.
• David goes to Smangus again.

MEDIA: UN team to arrive to assess situation following typhoon. They claim Beijing was not consulted. Kyodo news observes that Taiwan's Japan envoy was also on vacation in Europe when the typhoon hit. Apparently everyone the KMT appointed was on vacation when Morakot broke down our gates. Taiwan News calls on DPP to show what it is made of. Jon Adams at Gobal Post reports on the possibility that the Tsengwen Reservoir Diversion project had a hand in the burying of Siaolin village. Another globalist argument that Taiwan's banks should be privatized, in Forbes. Apparently no one has noticed that during the heyday of 8% growth, all of the local banks were state-owned. Could there be a lesson in there? Naw. DPA reports on Apple Daily reports on Thai surrogate mothers being barred from entering Taiwan since surrogacy is illegal in Taiwan. Can someone explain to me why a Council of Agriculture official is quoted for that fact? Also, Apple claims 1 in 7 Taiwanese couples are infertile. Another take on the surrogacy issue. 32 years fixing sewer pipes in Taiwan. Taiwan News on the PRC's $3 million check for aid to "aboriginal legislator" May Chin. The Taipei Times notes the foreign media focus on Ma was most unwelcome. Lenovo to spend $3.3 billion in Taiwan as our jobless rate reaches record high (Ma save us!) and our income inequality also reaches record high (Ma save us!). US agonizes over Taiwan arms sales. As nations draw closer to China, they should resist Chinese bullying, says CFR piece. Be still my beating heart: Asia Times business writer actually notes CIER simulations of ECFA that say bad things about it.

MULTIMEDIA LINKS: Pro-Taiwan economist Peter Chow on VOA (audio link at VOA good for one week, youtube six parts good for two months: one, two, three, four, five, six). Also on Youtube is this wonderful mocking of the slick election ad Ma Ying-jeou: The Strength to Change: Ma Ying-jeou: The Strength to Disappoint. Classic.

EVENTS: Formosa Betrayed screening. The movie's promoters sent this around:

As I know, many of you are eagerly awaiting information about where you can see FORMOSA BETRAYED!

Our next screening will be:
Montreal World Film Festival
Montreal, QC, Canada
Thursday, September 3rd -- 7:20PM
Friday, September 4th -- 12:20PM
Saturday, September 5th -- 2:40PM
All the screenings will be held at the Quartier Latin Cinema Complex, Venue 13.
http://www.ffm-montreal.org

Go to their website to purchase tickets and all that jazz, and if you're north of the border or have friends in the Quebecois hood, we hope to see them there!

And it gets better! Writer/Actor/Producer Will Tiao will hold a Q&A session after each screening, and one of our stars Wendy Crewson, who plays Susan Kane, an American diplomat stationed in Taiwan, will join Thursday night. Director/Producer Adam Kane will have the Q&A with Will as well after the Saturday screening.

And of course, lots of news to come at our main website, www.formosathemovie.com. Check the SCREENINGS tab there for more information as soon as it comes out.

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