Daily Links, June 21, 2010

Caught these guys coming down Taroko Gorge the other day putting a concrete retaining wall over a landslide scar. Brave souls indeed.

China Reform Monitor notes:

Xinhua has signed an agreement with The Kenya Times granting the newspaper unlimited use of its pictures and stories and other materials. The cooperation will focus mainly on online content, popular among Kenyan youth, who make up 35 percent of the newspaper’s circulation. The partnership will also help strengthen ties between China and Kenya, said Andrew Sunkuli, Kenya Times Chief Executive. Xinhua boasts 4,000 photographers around the world, producing over 1,800 pictures daily. “I am sure Kenya Times would immensely benefit from their services,” said Wang Yao, Xinhua Deputy Editor-In-Chief, the Kenya Times reports.

[Editor’s Note: China has signed similar content agreements with news agencies throughout Africa. By providing content Xinhua seeks to extend the reach of CPC propaganda to new foreign audiences, many times without the reader’s knowledge of its true source.]

Well, at least we make great Hollywood movies! And we're making Afghanistan safe for Chinese investment! What's the non-Xinhua content out there on the blogs today?

BLOGS:

• maddog with a fantastic post on the use of mainland and other terms.
• Drew's account, with great pics, of our ride up Taroko Gorge.
• Todd goes to Heijia Ranch.
• Frozen Garlic with great info on the council elections.
• Alishan RR partially reopens.
• David visits the Seediq.
• The Museum of the War of 1895
• Ben blogs on our health minister's way of constantly putting his foot in his mouth
• Far Eastern Sweet Potato on a local nuke plant: "a disaster"
• Steve on Taiwan's glorious mountains
• Nascent Liner off to find a temple (with great pics)
• Maryknoll's Taiwanese/English dictionaries now online
• Foxconn is reason for land grab in central Taiwan

MEDIA:

• Insane US visa rules creating problems for Taiwan travelers. Don't worry about it Washington, I'm sure Taiwan's travelers will be happy to take their tourist dollars elsewhere.
• This week there is a massive KMT-CCP lovefest blowout in Xiamen, in which both parties appropriate Taiwan religion and folk culture in the service of annexing Taiwan to China. Sick.
• The latest Global Views survey has satisfaction with President Ma at 28%, and KMT legislators at 21%. Don't worry, they will all win re-election.
• Chiayi county pays for brown anole lizards, alive or dead.
  
• US-China military ties in deep freeze, Taiwan arms sales not the reason
• Massive export orders in May
• Goat pox virus forces culling of 14,000 goats.
• Taiwan News on the missiles facing Taiwan
• CNA says KMT facing tough elections in all five municipalities.
• Taiwan's reported bluefin tuna catch falls
• The Nanshan deal drags on.
• Taipei Times had a good editorial on the lack of the local in the northern races. DPP could win here if it can focus relentlessly on the local.
• The real winner from the Afghan wealth will be China. Future historians will laugh their heads off at US foreign policy under Bush and Obama.
  
• El Nino is over; La Nina is coming.
  

SPECIAL: Friday Chen Shui-bian's detention got extended again. Because he's a flight risk....

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