Daily Links, Monday, Dec 17, 2012

In Tianzhong train station, an express awaits.

Time for another edition of weekly links......

BLOGS:

• The Suhua Highway and rail line not rail line are closed, probably for about three weeks. Travel to Hualien is now a major pain. If New Years puts you in Hualien, you might want to reconsider.
• Ben on the SET TV mess, in which a popular host leaves the show over allegations management censored pro-Taiwan commentary.
• Ben also comments on Robert Ross' remarks on F-16s. 
• Way cool: WWII Japanese pillboxes in the Taichung/Taiwan. Great, useful post.

In Ershui, a tour group heads for the old street as a bike team comes up the road.

MORE BLOGS:

• The Global Campaign against the Pro-China turn in Taiwan's media from Global Voices.
• Jenna on supernatural weirdness in Taiwan. I'd choose polytheism over monotheism any day too. 
• Oz on the fudged Taipei city government poll.
• Time for an old Hungshui Oolong.
• Todd with some lovely macro shots. A sharp prime lens will change your life.
• AsiaEye's Under the Radar news.
• Excellent grab of a Black Kite over a reservoir. Nice work, MF.

Near Tianzhong in Changhua. 

MEDIA:

• A while back I was sharing beers with a smart observer of Taiwan politics, and we were assessing both party's prospects for the 2016 presidential election. I thought Eric Chu might have a shot, but my friend pointed out that Chu isn't getting the kind of media exposure he needs. This week Chu was in the news talking to independence supporters and calling for a national affairs conference. These are the kinds of things Chu has to say if he wants to be the KMT's candidate in 2016.
• WantWant, one of the groups in involved in the NextMedia acquisition, plans to launch Taiwan and China magazine with Chinese Communist Party affiliated newspaper. 
• East Asia forum on the new Chinese leadership and Taiwan.
• Ma's close associate Su Chi says ECFA is basically a political agreement, calls for political talks. Preparing the ground? Obviously, the public in Taiwan will never accept annexation to China. Hence, the approach is to emphasize that annexation is already a reality, we just need to work out the details, and anyway, it is inevitable.
• Ma defends record in interview with CNBC.

A friend in the hills north of Dongshih

MORE MEDIA:

• Time for a culture break at the National Palace Museum. There is no place in Taiwan but Taroko Gorge, the National Palace Museum, and Sun Moon Lake.
• Another reminder that whatever you think of Chen Shui-bian, he is clearly a political prisoner. The high court this week vacated the judgment that Chen did not suborn perjury from his aides and sent it down for retrial. A few months ago it also sent back for retrial the finding, in the original trial and two appeals, that Chen was innocent of embezzling state affairs funds. They are never going to let him go -- he beat them twice in Presidential elections and once for Taipei Mayor. 
• J Michael in WSJ on Taiwan's youth fighting for democracy.
• The 18% interest rate needs to go.
• In addition to the recent allegations that a popular SET TV host stepped down because of management pressure to remain silent on China and not criticize the KMT, the pro-Taiwan radio station Yam is also changing hands, leading to more media uncertainty. 
• Taiwan expects stronger ties with Japan's ruling party.
• Taiwan registers negative Foreign Direct Investment for the first time since the 1970s.
• Taiwan's first indigenous people's political party founded.
• Cold front expected toward the end of the week.

A spider waits in the early morning. With my new Tokina 100mm maco lens. I love that lens. 

CHINESE EXPANSION IN THE NEAR SEAS:

• Effect of China's demands for the Senkakus on the Sino-Japan relationship. Wouldn't it be great if commentators stopped treating the mess as a "dispute" and making a false balance between each side? China is expanding, Japan is resisting. That simple.
• Japan scrambles fighters against Chinese incursions in its airspace. James Holmes comments on it in The Diplomat.
• China submitted its claim to the Senkakus to the UN.
• China's image problem (Diplomat)

A spider assembles a web. Tokina 100mm macro. 

Mosquito. Tokina 100mm macro. Got some nice pics today out walking the dog.
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