Daily Links, Nov 9, 2009

The island's best food? Perhaps in terms of flavor/value, it's the Vietnamese and Thai places that cluster around industrial districts. Here's the $60 shredded papaya at the Vietnamese place across from the industrial processing zone in Tanzi just north of Taichung.

I'd love to be blogging more, but I've just been swamped, it's never been like this before.

BLOGS:

• Lin Yi-hsiung to lead march around Taiwan demanding referendum on ECFA sell out.
• Ben excellently responds to my post on education.
• Wild at Heart on the EPA's approval of the expansion of the science parks.
• Michael C rides Yangmingshan
• J Michael travels with parents in Taiwan and looks darkly upon spetznatz possibilities here.
• Big in Asia with great black and white pics.
• Jerome looks at soft power for Taiwan
• The Real Taiwan looks at one of the stages in expat life: setting up your own marketing company through better English. Does this stage come before or after the one where you plan to open a mini-golf place?
• Taoyuan Nights looks at worsening economic predictions.
• Taiwan Matters! with a great piece on the Berlin Wall and democracy here.
• The 1973 edition of Taiwan Report, given to newcomers in the US armed forces in Taiwan.
• Nigerian 419 scam, dead Chinese spy variant.
• Global Voices looks at Taiwan: issues of identity.
• Told ya Taiwan Gold Medal is the stuff.
  

This week President Ma was in Nantou with Premier Wu Den-yih, stumping for local politicians. Premier Wu has old Nantou connections and is a canny political player in local politics. He was featured here on this sign forming "public construction's iron triangle" (as the sign says) with two local candidates. No other national KMT figure was on a sign with any local KMTer, and President Ma was conspicuous by his absence. Nothing shows his decline in popularity better: in 2004 Ma was on many local candidates' signs. The sign also signals that with the close connections to the Premier, public construction funding will flow into Nantou to feed and water local patronage networks.

MEDIA: Taiwan's Supreme Court strikes down hugely unfair law under which it was legal to buy the services of a prostitute, but illegal to be one. Excellent piece from former AIT head Nat Bellocchi on Obama's coming visit to China. Chinese diplomat says US and Chinese reps are negotiating a "new intellectual framework" for US-China relations. Peng Ming-min, longtime democracy campaigner here, warns Ma that a Nobel for a peace agreement would be a sellout. Taitung Shaman school thrives. WSJ says Taiwan exports may resume growth in November, good news if true. Taiwan grounds nine Mirage fighters due to lack of parts. Taiwan's consumer prices fall, again. KMT buries 2-28 museum opening in 100th anniversary of ROC celebrations. Quake last week followed by 100 aftershocks. Taiwan Food show has special halal section.

The cute sign for Nangang ("south port") in landlocked Nantou far from the ocean, next to an advertisement for a local politician.

VIDEOS: Want a demure pair for work? An awesome pair for play? Try this inflatable bra.

Two candidates for the Nantou County Council. The top one identifies her as a KMT candidate for the council for Yuchih, Shuili, Hsinyi, and Jiji, and says: "Caring Even More, Going an even greater distance to serve" while the bottom booms out: "Busting up clan politics!" and "nepotism".
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