Big festival in Taichung May 28-9:
++++++++++++++
Compass Taichung International Food and Music Festival Saturday, May 28 at 1:00pm - May 29 at 10:00pm
Art Museum Parkway, Taichung. 美術綠園道
Central Taiwan's biggest independent (non-government funded) live music festival, and biggest food festival possibly in Taiwan, is back for our 8th year!
Last year we had around 60 vendor booths, and likely we'll have more this year--with even more of Taichung's dining and nightlife scene represented.
第8屆康百視台中國際美食音樂節來囉！
18個樂團要讓你體驗中台灣的魅力！超多各式各樣獨特的世界佳餚將會刺激你的味蕾！這場盛會是中台灣第2大(由民間團體主辦最大)的年度音樂饗宴。希望可以在這場專屬台中的派對上看到大家！
5月28和29號1 pm-10 pm於美術綠園道盛大舉行
18 Great Bands/16個樂團
Saturday May 28th/5月28日, 周六
1pm: Nick Fothergill
2pm: Native Space
3pm: San Jiao Mao
4pm: Mike Mudd and The Silence
5pm: Dirty Skies
6pm: Moss
7pm: 3 Day Bender
8pm: .22
9pm: Dr.Reniculous
Sunday May 29th/5月29日, 周日
1pm: Andy Goode
2pm: Reigndear
3pm: 2 Acres Plowed
4pm: The HandKnife Club
5pm: The Ever So Friendlies
6pm: Reider
7pm: The Briegel Brothers
8pm: Zion Express (formerly Awesome Shit, Semicon)
9pm: Wailin' Soul
+Oriental Fashion Show across the street on Saturday at 4:30. 國際傳統婚禮展演 周六4:30
+Afterparty Party Bus on Saturday Night. More details to be announced soon. 隨後派對周六晚上
If you are interested in getting a vendor booth this year, please contact me at cds@taiwanfun.com, compassdonovan@gmail.com or 0928 313 225
如果你今年也想要有個自己的攤位，請寄email至我的信箱cds@taiwanfun.com, compassdonovan@gmail.com或是打0928 313 225
_______________________
[Taiwan] Don't miss the comments below! And check out my blog and its sidebars for events, links to previous posts and picture posts, and scores of links to other Taiwan blogs and forums! Delenda est, baby.
Will the car rally slated for tomorrow include skimpy-clad race queens? I certainly hope so.
ReplyDeleteWill the event signal the budding of a tong flower uprising? Only time will tell.
Go Team Formosa!! GO-GO!!
Calling for the KMT to go back to China is ridiculous: 90% of party members were born on Taiwan and after 1949.
ReplyDeleteWhy can't the independence camp not simply wait for the victory of the TSU in the 2012 elections? Oh wait, I forgot: there is no majority actually wanting independence.
Tim Maddog is a menace to social order and has no respect for election results, which are the voice of the Taiwanese people.
PS: Nice new theme, Michael!
Status quo is de facto independence. While I agree that calling for the KMT to go back to mainland China is probably not the brightest move in the world, you are deluding yourself if you believe that the average Taiwanese person does not want independence.
ReplyDeleteNice theme. Your blog Looks great.
ReplyDeletePlease! have a second thought on calling Taiwan "Formosa".
I understand it's a beautiful name and means beautiful. But there's a couple of consequences that you may not foresee in choosing this name for Taiwan.
I think you are protesting against KMT's corruption, or history of KMT's corruption. And Formosa is a name for the alternative to ROC or China. But if you are protesting against KMT, wouldn't it be more productive if you devote the energy to dig out what KMT did wrong, or more correctly, who in KMT perpetrated those criminal acts. Like those reporters digging out Nixon's Watergate?
Because in each and every one group, there are good guys and bad guys. KMT party members are not all good, nor are they all bad. If you don't want to dig out who are the ones that did the crime, but just to lump them altogether and cast them all out, then you are running the risk of repeating the mistakes of older generations. Example. After Pearl Harbor attack, The U.S. rounded up all Japanese Americans and put them in some internment camps. What about those patriotic Japanese Americans who were loyal to US? Do you want them to be in the internment camps, too? Well, they were put there.
If you say KMT members are protecting each other, and we have no reasonable ways to dig out who the rats were. So it is. So is the case of Japanese WWII war criminals or those in Bosnia or in George W. Bush's administration, or in the talk show network, or in big oil and tobacco companies or West Virginia mining companies. The companies that wanted to bust union organizers. You know more examples than I do.
So, calling Taiwan "Formosa" may be an easy solution to the problem of KMT or corruption of KMT. But an easy solution is hardly ever a good solution, not unless it's devised by a true professional. If you will agree that naming Taiwan "Formosa" is a political act, then who among the pro-Formosa group is a true professional politician? If they are not professional politicians, what do you think is the likelihood of their success on a political action?
There's a biography book on Miyamoto Musashi, the famous historical Japanese Samurai. Musashi was so talented that he was the champion of sword fight. And when he put his mind to it, he excelled in caligraphy, painting, and a few other fields as well. This books tells a story that at one time Musashi was fascinated by a sculpture. So he decided to carve a figure on a stick by himself. He worked intensely at it for many hours but just couldn't do it. This was completely different from any of his previous experience. Finally he realized that he wasted a few good sticks and only dulled his knife. Because he didn't train in the craft of carving, he had no chance to succeed carving a real figure.
Please think it over. Using the name "Formosa"... If it became printed on the Taiwanese passport in Chinese language (do you know how Formosa is written in Chinese? 福爾摩沙 Will all those who support Formosa ask your Taiwanese/Chinese friends/students/wife/husband/girlfriend/boyfriend if that name doesn't look strange on their passport?) If you want to use 美麗島 as Formosa, then how would a Taiwanese/Chinese identify his country, his cultural heritage? "Oh, the name of my country was given to us from people of the Western countries. Our own language did not come up with this name. We love the English language. Oh, what a beautiful name."
Beautiful, yes. as beautiful as a breast implant.
Some people like breast implants. Beauty is important to them. Some people look for beauty elsewhere, though.
Thanks Michael. Commentaries on your blog is a testament to the vast readership of yours, and the openmindedness of your responses.
@Hopenchange:
ReplyDeleteI don't think there is majority for a Republic of Taiwan / State of Formosa / "...".
There may be a majority for independence from the PRC, but that is the status quo. President Ma often said there is no need for any declaration of independence as the Republic of China had been independent and sovereign since 1911.
What most Taiwanese probably not want - election results prove this - is culturally cutting ties with "China" as a cultural entity. And that is all a Republic of Taiwan is about.
@Herman:
I coud not agree more with you. It's ridiculous how many foreigners seem to think they are liberating the people of Taiwan from the evil Kuomintang dictatorship (that strangely has to compete in elections). Choosing the foreign name "Formosa" is just another ironic episode: Formosa is a colonial Portuguese name. Why not simply go back to Taihoku? Those Japanese were nice guys sending Ilan girls to South-East Asia as comfort women !
jan fell the chinese troll is also polluting this great blog??
ReplyDeleteHerman,
ReplyDeleteWhile the rally calls for both the KMT to leave & for the nation to change it's name to Formosa, these are 2 separate activities.
First, for the name, your point about cultural heritage is well put, but the name has the advantage that it is unambiguously non-Chinese. When you say "Taiwan", a person who subscribes to the Chinese viewpoint will simply assume you mean "Taiwan Province". Not so for Formosa.
W/R/T calling for the KMT to return to China, (IMHO,) it only requires that the party leaves, not that the current members go with it. It's essentially the same as abolishing the party, but rhetorically more fun.
Abolishing or banishing parties isn't particularly democratic, but you can argue that they've abused the democratic system. (I won't argue this, but it's a possibility).
As a practical matter, it would be more better to remove the advantages (financial and otherwise) that the KMT have given to themselves during their 1-party rule, but that seemingly has as much likelihood as them leaving Formosa. ;)
The point isn't to protest against KMT corruption but to protest against the KMT party, their constitution, and their stated goal, which is reunification of Taiwan with China.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, officially changing our country's name to "Taiwan" or "Formosa" instead of R.O.C. IS a political act, intended to formally separate Taiwan from the PROC. Oh and I don't care if it eventually does become Formosa (via a democratic process of course) although I would prefer Taiwan, and just because it may seem strange on a passport to you is no reason not to have it.
@Jan: A majority of people wanting to keep the status quo might be due to, oh, I don't know, China threatening military action if we move towards independence, and also having about 2000 missiles pointed at us? And isn't it strange that, "90% of party members were born on Taiwan and after 1949" and yet they still think that they are a political party of China and actively work towards reunification?
Actually Herman most of your arguments don't make sense and I don't get the point of most of your analogies, so...yeah.
ReplyDeletejan fell the chinese troll is also polluting this great blog??
ReplyDeleteIt's my policy to give the loons one bite. That way everyone can see how unutterably stupid their ideas are. The Republic of Taiwan is about cutting cultural ties with China *snort*
Actually, I think it is great that they post here. It proves again and again that no rational argument can be made for annexing Taiwan to China.
Michael
I just love how some people imagine "cultural ties" to be an umbilical cord; a tube through which culture flows from mother to child.
ReplyDeleteCultural ties are imaginary. They are like Nietzsche's God. They die when we quit believing in them. That is why the KMT has been so adamant about constructing the Chinese cultural image and has dedicated an entire branch of the executive (GIO) to help us better imagine what their dreams look like.
@"It proves again and again that no rational argument can be made for annexing Taiwan to China."
ReplyDeleteYes, except that "Jan" didn't make any "rational argument" to this effect.
At the risk of being labelled one, this whole "trolling" thing needs to be rethought. Maybe "Jan" said something elsewhere that identifies him/her as a 50-cent-er, but his/her comments here aren't anything beyond the pale (except possibly the invective in the first post). I don't see how the label "troll" is any use at all, except in its very specific meaning (I hope I have it right) of people who go on to blogs and spout nonsense just to stir things up.
"Annexation" is the "homicide bomber" term of this blog. I mean, you can see it that way and there's some truth in it, but it's more a way of hammering the "stupid people who can't see the facts" than a viewpoint of its own.
By the way, here's a link I don't think has been posted here. It's Ai Weiwei's interview with a CCP 50-cent-er. Really interesting account of how one person will create various identities in a discussion forum just to lead readers along. http://cmp.hku.hk/2011/05/09/12125/ .
D, Jan is a well-known pro-China troll from many venues, whom I have seen on many occasions. So have many other people, hence the anonymous comment above.
ReplyDeleteMichael
And D, quit lecturing me like that. I use "annexation" for a reason, the mirror of the reason that people use "unification." The difference is not that "unification" doesn't represent a viewpoint of its own or that it is somehow weightier, it's that "unification" has guns and bombs and Serious People behind it. So it is used Seriously.
ReplyDeleteIf you want to change the discourse, you have to start somewhere.
@"If you want to change the discourse, you have to start somewhere."
ReplyDeleteI understand your point but mine remains that you use "annex" as a rhetorical club, much the same way the PRC uses "unification". I just don't think that's much of an improvement in the discourse.
OK, I understand that. What word would you suggest, then?
ReplyDeleteBTW, D, apologies. Been testy lately.
ReplyDeleteNaruwan is also colonial.
ReplyDeleteIt takes an Austronesian vocalization that was assigned meaning by non-indigenes and re-projects it as "more authentic" than anything else.
" Michael Turton said...
ReplyDeleteOK, I understand that. What word would you suggest, then?
May 18, 2011 3:49 PM
"
Naruwan Republic!
Bolai Bolai son!
Actually, doesn't PRC say re-unify?
ReplyDeleteHow about a compromise at re-annex?
No worries. You the man.
ReplyDeleteI guess I like "unification", in scare quotes, or just plain and simple "take over". The occasional "annex" does carry a nice frisson though....
@Jan
ReplyDelete"I don't think there is majority for a Republic of Taiwan / State of Formosa "
I would argue that most people in Taiwan would love to have their country name corrected to "Republic of Taiwan". Why did they elect KMT to run their country? That is a good question I always try to find an answer to. While the world think highly of Taiwanese, I can not understand why some Taiwanese people still call themselves Chinese. Some people may say, Hong Kong has some form of autonomy, my opinion is that it is because, China still has a goal to annex Taiwan and until then a total control of Hong Kong would be destructive to win the hearts of Taiwanese people. Do you beleive when China's army roll over Taiwan, you can still elect your own "governor"?
Dead Roc in exile, Michael,
ReplyDeleteInsulting words can damage a person's psyche as effectively as fire and rocks can to the body.
Michael has gracefully apologized to D. But the real injured party here is Jan, by words such as "the chinese troll... polluting... unutterably stupid..." I believe you own him an apology.
I just learned what troll means from D's comment. The dictionary says something about Scandinavian drawf living in a cave. And I wasn't quite sure why would people call me a troll. Now I read AiWeiWei's interview and it's clearer now.
Excuse me for being a stranger and just suddenly popping out making so many dissenting comments. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Herman, family name Hsu. I grew up in Keelung, went to elementary and middle school there, then had an equivalent of 3 years of high school education in Taipei. My family emigrated to the U.S. and I've lived there for over 30 years. A lot of of my recent knowledge of Taiwan is from Michael's blog and a Chinese Newspaper called World Journal. I was very involved with a Japanese-style woodworking group called daikudojo.org and helped them built a website. You can find out more about me here:
www.daikudojo.org/search.html (just type in herman)
I've never been to China. I detest the CCP mostly because what KMT had brainwashed me in my youth. Though I grew up in Taiwan, I identify myself as Chinese because I was educated in Chinese language and history and geography. My parents came from the same province where Chiang Kai-Shek was from. Though I could speak my parent's hometown dialect, I couldn't understand what Chiang was saying when his speech was broadcast in public. His dialect was supposed to be the same as my parents'. Well, they weren't to my ears.
Now, about China, pro-China, pro-Taiwan, etc.
From the comments and posts and links I read here I'm beginning to hear a common voice from various expats and visitors who lived or are living in Taiwan. And how that voice don't connect with some absentee Taiwanese/Chinese such as myself. So I hope maybe there's a way to connect, to agree. So here goes.
Tell me if I'm wrong. The core issues here for you are that:
-- China is a bully. They've absolutely inexcusably annexed Tibet, and they want to annex Taiwan.
-- China is pointing 1,200 or 1,500 or 2,000 missiles at Taiwan, threatening her to submit herself.
-- China will pull out all the ugly dirty tricks to coerce, to influence Taiwanese elections. The next one coming up is nigh.
-- The KMT government is kowtowing to China, showing no dignity and selling out sovereignty.
-- Why some Taiwanese/Chinese are blind to the naked aggression of China. Why they don't stand up for their own rights. Why they are pro-China. Why they identify themselves as Chinese.
-- Let CCP and KMT fight each other themselves. Leave Taiwan out of it. Taiwan was never involved in the civil war between CCP/KMT, nor did Taiwan chose to be on KMT's side in 1945. Taiwan was occupied by KMT at that time. Taiwan is an independent nation.
So! That's what I see that you are mainly concerned with. Yes? Anything else? If there's nothing else, then I'm going to take a break and leave you alone. I'll reflect on these points and examine my own thoughts and feelings and not bug you for a good long while.
Herman, on the internet a "troll" is someone who posts on a website merely to cause trouble. I've known Fell from many web forums and many sites and that is what he does.
ReplyDelete" Michael Turton said...
ReplyDeleteHerman, on the internet a "troll" is someone who posts on a website merely to cause trouble. I've known Fell from many web forums and many sites and that is what he does.
May 19, 2011 10:00 AM"
is a different opinion 'trouble' to you now after years of being so open-minded?
The issue isn't that he has a different opinion, but that his goal in posting is merely to create trouble. Posts meant to cause trouble will be removed.
ReplyDeleteEnd of this discussion.
@"End of discussion"
ReplyDeleteFor now I'm willing to take Michael's word on "Jan", but it is a fine line. The irony is that this is the way the CCP deals with "troublemakers".
Herman is trying to think the issues through, so good for him. This blog, according to my understanding, is a way to facilitate that, not just a Taiwan advocacy site. Those two purposes are related, but they are not the same. There are many other sites for people who just want to read and write about how much the KMT sucks.
The irony is that this is the way the CCP deals with "troublemakers".
ReplyDeleteYes, because not letting someone bent on being disruptive post to your blog is the same as imprisoning someone, executing someone, and making the family pay for the bullet. A bit overwrought, are we today?
BTW D, one of the reasons the discussions on this blog are of a reliably good level and the commenters so intelligent is because I don't permit the trolls to post here. Most of the people that I don't permit to post here are/have been banned on Forumosa (which is in many cases where I first met them). I also keep out the death threats (I have basically stopped posting pics of my family because of the flow of rape threats to my daughter), the spam linkers, and similar. This means that on your side all you see are rational individuals whereas I see the whole wearisome gamut.
ReplyDeleteI have good reasons for what I do.
Michael
Michael,
ReplyDeleteI've been terribly naive and totally forgot about the many ugly, cowardly death/rape threats that are showing up in comments all over the place. I'm sorry that you are subject to that too. Now I have much more respect for you and understand your posts better.
@Michael
ReplyDeleteI get where your coming from, this being your blog and all. But my suggestion would be this: death threats, spam and all sorts of inappropriate conduct aside, let anyone -- "trolls" and all -- post their opinions. You can have a boilerplate response like "This is idiotic, as you would see if you read what I write here regularly." Then other posters can engage or ignore as they wish. Would it really get so crazy? I'm not familiar with the situation on Forumosa.
Herman and Robert, I really enjoyed reading your comments! Herman, you summed it all up perfectly - great job! Why are the Taiwanese/Chinese so blind to China's naked aggression? I don't know...it seems like all they see before their eyes is $$$, without realizing that China is f-ing over the people with their pretentious goodwill that will further make the average people of Taiwan think that China actually cares about Taiwan...uh, yeah, they care so much about Taiwan that they have 2,000 missiles pointed at us...geez! Let's hang out with them! They are such great buddies! Meanwhile, why doesn't the US warm up with Iran now! They have so much oil, and Washington is running out of money! Who cares if they hate each other! Iran has something to offer that's on the US's interest, so forget the animosity and let's do business!
ReplyDelete