Daily Links, Sept 22, 2009

Welcome to But Well company.

It's the first couple of weeks of classes and I've been on a whirlwind tour of the island every day. Apologies for the light blogging. Links!

• Barking Deer's After Morakot blog. Devastating pics.
• Taiwan's first trade mission with Trinidad, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
• Ben Goren analyzes Taiwan News' excellent piece on the Diane Lee case showing how KMTers get a slap on the wrist for taking more than Chen, and get to keep the dough.
• Like hot Taiwan girls on bikes? This is your blog.
• Know your fruit: the Pitaya.
• J Michael says Beijing corrupts minds. And interviews Joseph Wu, former envoy to the US.
• Lao Ren Cha goes to Xiao Wulai with pics.
• Taiwan Echo says Kaohsiung folds under Chinese pressure. Global Voices with more on the topic.
• A Chinese blogger's ironic view of shabby government buildings in Taiwan.
• Letters from Taiwan on the Economic Stockholm Syndrome of Taiwan
• A hungry girl eats pizza. Yummy foodporn.
• Stocks and Politics describes how China will force Taiwan's hand.
• David with an awesome post on political lessons from the Penghu gambling referendum.
• The injustice of the Chen verdict.
• Stephen Nelson posts his excellent article on Ma and the typhoon fallout.

MEDIA: Global Peace Index has US at 83rd, Taiwan a lot higher. Gavan McCormack on Okinawa's last 400 years. Carnegie Endowment says China's growth is for real. Local Paiwan people start a school for witchcraft in southern Taiwan. Singapore on the Chen case. DPP's Tsai on the ECFA pact. Taipei Times on admitting Chinese students to local universities. Taiwan's IT competitiveness falls due to its deteriorating R&D environment. Government to take over HSR as Chairman resigns -- essentially the HSR is now a failed project to run on subsidies. But yesterday government still denied this -- note that HSR chief position is going to Ma confidante Ou Chin-der. Taiwan wants to put 96 year old man in jail for squatting in government-owned housing, a double outrage, since many individuals illegally occupy government property but nothing is done. Sixty villages to be relocated after Morakot. New Econ minister says no change in local DRAM bailout. Sun Moon Lake swim draws record number of participants. No really? -- consumers foundation complains about a lack of info on tourist spots.
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