2022年12月29日 星期四

Tainan in the News 台南的新聞 (South 南) 2


There are 37 Districts in Tainan City.  These districts are divided into North Tainan and South Tainan, or those "north of the [Dzengwen] river" and those "south of the [Dzengwen] river."  The districts of North Tainan are further grouped into the Xinying Area, the Beimen Area and the Dzengwen Area.  The districts of South Tainan are further grouped into the Fucheng Area, the Xinfeng Area and the Xinhua Area. 台南市分為37個區 ， 這37個地區分成曾文溪北部的北台南跟曾文溪南部的南台南 。 北台南又分為新營地區 、北門地區跟曾文地區 ； 南台南又分為府城地區 、 新豐地區跟新化地區 。


1. 安南區 Annan District

1a. Old houses previously subject to a larger development plan in Annan were rezoned recently, a decision which allows their owners to rebuild or remodel these houses at the owner's discretion.  These homeowners, very aware of rising real estate prices, welcomed the rezoning.  They expect prices for local land to rise as high as 300,000 NT per ping. 台南安南區合法老屋解禁  可自行重建 (1)

1b. The roads through Annan District are being improved.  Several roads and alleys through the area are blocked off and/or overgrown, and the Public Works Bureau is working to address this problem. 安南區開闢路障路段  健全巷道交通路網


2. 中西區 West Central District

2a. The South Tainan Family Support Center, acting in concert with the West Central District Office, donated 30,000 NT and new wheelchairs for the assistance of both the elderly and disadvantaged families in the area. 中西區里長聯議會送暖南家扶


3. 安平區 Anping District

3a. The former head of the Anping District Police Bureau received an award for his years of service.  During the award ceremony authority was also formally transferred to the new head of the Anping District Police Bureau. 111年台南市警察之友會安平區辦事處主任交接典禮

3b. A fire broke out on an apartment balcony in Anping.  A man living in the apartment had been putting his cigarette butts into potted plants on the balcony, and one of his butts hadn't been properly extinguished. 台南市安平區公寓大廈陽台失火 疑未嬉菸蒂惹禍


4. 南區 South District

4a. The clearing and renovation of roads is also taking place in South District, though a previously planned road will not be opened in the area.  This clearing and renovation of roads in South District, like the work being done in Annan, is part of a much larger urban renewal and development plan being enacted in Tainan City. 台南南區細部計畫2次通盤檢討  廢除藍晒圖未闢計畫道路


5. 北區 North District

5a. A scooter and a car collided on Gongyuan Road.  The driver of the scooter was sent to the hospital with minor injuries. 台南市北區公園路氣 , 機車車禍  女騎士四肢受傷送醫

5b. The North District Office recently hosted a market for charity.  This market earned over 80,000 NT, which went to the Catholic Good Shepard Social Welfare Foundation, a non-profit which works with local children there. 寒冬送暖 !  台南北區辦義賣8萬所得  捐台南嬰兒之家


6. 安定區 Anding District

6a. The Jiuwei Electric Utility is planning to build a natural gas facility in Anding, but the project faces stiff opposition from residents of Anding, Annan and other nearby areas worried about air pollution, industrial safety and related environmental and archaeological concerns.  Thousands have signed a petition to have the natural gas facility relocated, and a local legislator convened a press conference to spotlight the matter.  This issue has yet to be resolved. 反九崴南科然氣發電廠  台南萬人連署要求遷址


7. 東區 East District

7a. An overpass for cars and an underpass for scooters on Dongmen Road were closed so that work can be done on a nearby railroad tunnel.  Both the overpass and underpass should open in 8 months. 台南市東區東門陸橋  12月27日起封閉8個月

7b. Thanks to the Taiwan-Japan Cultural Friendship Exchange Foundation, many of Tainan's agricultural goods find their way to markets in Japan and vice versa.  A market was recently held in East District to make the public more aware of products available through this trade relationship. 台日交流  府東農收市集12/10-11台南東區登場


8. 善化區 Shanhua District

8a. The construction of a science and technology park, along with a related facility by the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation, has driven up the cost of land in Shanhua to a considerable degree.  Two or three bedroom apartments with parking spaces in the area are fetching as much as 10 million NT. 神山加持  善化買房需求熱


9. 新市區 Xinshr District

9a. Phase III of the above-mentioned science and technology park in Shanhua is also driving up the cost of farmland in Xinshr to the south. 台南南科三期落腳新市  周邊農地再喊漲 (2)


10. 永康區 Yongkang District

10a. There was another apartment fire in Yongkang District, this one with serious consequences.  A 95 year old man died in the fire. 台南永康大樓  95歲老翁逃生不及被燒死

10b. There are a lot of fires in Tainan.  Another fire broke out at a factory which does finishing work on helmets.  28 foreign workers escaped the fire without any injuries. 台南永康安全帽製造加工廠起火燒毀  28名移工即時逃出無傷亡 (3)


11. 仁德區 Rende District

11a. Hushan Elementary School in Rende was recently remodeled to be more environmentally friendly.  It has been "certified green" by the USA-Taiwan Eco-Campus Organization. 台美生態學校認證  虎山寶小亞洲第1所獲永久綠旗 (4)

11b. Not news articles, so I won't link them here, but there are MANY advertisements for new housing developments in Rende.  Again, the science and technology park is to thank (or blame), and none of these new houses are cheap.


12. 歸仁區 Guiren District

12a. Yet another fire.  No one was injured, but the house, which was old and constructed primarily of wood, was a total loss. 台南平安夜驚魂 !  大火狂燒木製平房  消防人員30分鐘撲滅 (5)


13. 關廟區 Guanmiao District

13a. Officials from the Guanmiao District Office have signed an agreement with the Tianliao and Alian district offices in Kaohsiung to coordinate disaster relief efforts.  All three districts are located on mountainous terrain where flooding and landslides can be a serious problem. 關廟區簽訂跨縣市災民緊急收容安置既民生物資支援協定

13b. Work on Road 169 through the south part of the district was completed recently. 關廟區南169支線道路拓寬6公尺完工  提升地方發展契機


14. 新化區 Xinhua District

14a. This article celebrates the new vegetable market in Xinhua.  There are plenty of pictures in the article.  I drove by it not long ago and yes, it is indeed impressive. "新開店" 開箱 "全台最美菜市場" !  美拍 "波波梯田" 屋頂 , 爽逛162個蔬果攤


15. 龍崎區 Longqi District

15a. Several works of art have been installed in Longqi's Huxing Mountain Park as part of the "Longqi Light Festival."  These works of art, best viewed at night, will be on display until February 23. 2022-2023龍崎光節空山祭登場 !  11組藝術家 , 15件創作 , 以寓言故事 "隨風去留" 討論關係人口


16. 左鎮區 Zuojhen District

16a. Erliao, in Zuojhen District, is a popular place to camp overnight and to watch the sun rise on New Year's Day.  Police in the area will initiate special traffic and crowd control measures to ensure safety during this event. 台南2023年曙光二寮準備  注意交通管制及取締違規露營

16b. A driver fell asleep and drove an expensive SUV into a tree in Zuojhen.  A passenger sitting in the back of the SUV was seriously injured as a result of the accident. 百萬休旅車秒成廢鐵 !  駕駛打瞌睡撞爆路樹  後座乘客重傷


17. 山上區 Shanshang District

17a. The Longqi and Shanshang district offices recently distributed blankets, warm clothes and other items to those in need during the winter. 山上龍崎區公所寒冬送暖  關懷弱勢

17b. Two elderly care workers have been assigned to Shanshang District.  They will be organizing many community activities aimed at older residents there. 役男為長輩設計創意課程  醫學系畢業生貢獻所學


18. 玉井區 Yujing District

18a. No recent news out of Yujing.  It's WAY up in the mountains, so this isn't a big surprise.


19. 楠西區 Nanxi District

19a. A creative cooking competition was recently held in Nanxi District.  Coffee pork ribs were a featured dish. 梅嶺創意料理賽  咖啡排骨當主角

19b. The Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple has reopened to the public.  The temple is close to the Dzengwen Reservoir, and boat tours of the reservoir are available.  仙境西拉雅   楠西萬佛寺 X 曾文水庫船遊看山豬 X 趣淘漫旅 (6)


20. 南化區 Nanhua District

20a. Rueifeng Elementary School in Nanhua recently received a grant to set up dental chairs and related equipment in their school .健保署與玉皇宮等共同見證台南市最高學府 "南化區瑞峰國小" 口腔保健站...

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NOTE: I usually try for 30 or so news items.  I started with one news item for each district, and after that I flipped a coin to determine which districts got a second news item.  In reality there'd be a lot more news coming out of the first seven or so districts, where more people live.

1. The eastern half of this district, located very close to downtown Tainan, is prime real estate.  I think the local government changing their tune might also have something to do with the population decline in that area.  Previous development plans were often predicated upon the idea that population would always increase, while subsets of Tainan's population are experiencing a sharp decline.

2. Real estate speculation is becoming a bigger and bigger problem in Taiwan.  Will the bubble burst anytime soon?  Or are more laws and regulations the answer?  It's an increasingly difficult problem.

3. Why so many fires?  Old buildings + lack of proper regulation.  Many apartment buildings and factories weren't up to code to begin with.  In the factories a lack of oversight with regard to industrial safety only exacerbates the problem.

4. I'm extremely skeptical of these awards and of the organizations handing them out.  Often it's just a case of one hand washing the other.  Applause to the elementary school for taking a step in this direction, but the recognition might not be worth that much.

5. The picture above the article might not be the house that burned down.  Many pictures of fires to sort through...

6. If you take the boat tour there's a chance of seeing wild boars on the other side of the reservoir.  This temple is very deep into the Central Mountain Range, in an area where Tainan, Kaohsiung and Jiayi come together.  Once you get on the boat you're actually leaving Tainan and entering Jiayi.
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2022年12月27日 星期二

Hengchun People 恆春人


I have a lot to learn about Hengchun people.  I've been around them for a few months, but there's still a lot that I don't know. 恆春人有許多值得我學習的地方，雖然我已經在這裡住了幾個月了，但仍有許多我不懂的事。

The first Hengchun person I met was our landlord.  She told us many stories about The Evil Hengchun Farmer's Association and their predatory lending practices.  She also told us about farmers who'd ruined their lungs with pesticides, and about the aches and pains that farmers feel as they grow older.  Some might dismiss her as grasping and materialistic, but in this area it's easy to focus on the cost of houses, the price of land and ways of making money. 我認識的第一位恆春人是我們的房東。她告訴我們多個恆春農會做的"好事"，和他們如何從貸款給農民中得到利益。也告訴我們農夫們為了收成，在噴灑農藥的過程中傷了肺部，年老時身體出現許多的病痛。有些人可能會認為她貪婪和唯物主義，但是在恆春很容易感受到房價、地價及如何賺錢的氛圍。

I haven't had a conversation with anyone in my village yet.  This isn't anyone's fault.  Between Monday and Friday I'm either in my living room, recovering from a day of junior high, or else in another place, exploring parts of Hengchun, Checheng or Manzhou.  So far I've been away most weekends, so I haven't had many opportunities to talk to anyone.我還沒跟我們村子的村民聊過，但這也是沒辦法的事。星期一至星期五，我不是在自家客廳裡恢復白天在國中消耗的體力，就是四處發現恆春、車城或滿州的各個角落。大部分的周末我們都不在恆春，所以我沒有什麼機會和村子裡的人聊天。

West of my house is a tiny "store" where many local people play mahjong.  A few houses east there's a house where people gather to drink or talk toward the end of the day.  Across from my house there's a man who raises strange, stocky dogs that resemble both rottweilers and pit bulls.  He seems nice enough, but his insistence on our turning off our headlights as we back into our porch can be annoying.我們住的房子的西邊有一間小"商店"，有些人在那裏打麻將。往東隔了幾間房的一間房子，常有人在一天的工作後就聚在那裏談天或小酌。我們對面的鄰居養了幾隻奇怪壯實的狗，看起來像是羅威納犬和比特犬的混種。他看起來是個好人，只是他要求我們在倒車停車時關掉頭燈，感覺有點麻煩。

Very few of my coworkers at the junior high are Hengchun people.  Most of them are from places further north in Pingtung County, places as far apart as Pingtung City, Xinyuan and Fangliao.  One of the teachers there is almost a Hengchun person, in that her husband has worked at the nuclear power plant for 30+ years.  She's both lived and worked in this area over a comparable period of time.我國中學校的同事只有少數是恆春人，大部分的人都來自屏東縣北部，例如:屏東市、新園和枋寮。其中一位同事幾乎是恆春人了，因為她的先生在核三廠工作超過30年，她也在這區域居住和工作多年。

One of the English teachers at my elementary school is a Hengchun person.  She's a little more than half my age, and she has many strident political opinions.  "If China comes here I will scream at them that I am Taiwanese!" and so forth.  Her aunt works as a nurse in a local hospital, and this same aunt is married to another foreign teacher in Hengchun. 在我工作的小學的其中一位英文老師是恆春人，她的歲數是我的一半多一點，她有許多強烈的政治看法，例如: "如果中國侵略臺灣，我會對他們疾呼我是臺灣人。"之類的。她的阿姨在恆春的一家醫院當護士，嫁給了恆春的一位外籍教師。

Other Hengchun people are, for now at least, little more than bits of conversations in my memory.  There was the guy renting umbrellas at Nanwan, who explained to us how things work there.  There were the people in the seafood restaurant in Baisha, discussing tourists and their over-ambitious itineraries.  There's the crazy scooter lady who bothers me on my way to work, asking me if I want breakfast even though I've already asked her to leave me alone several times.  There are my students in both schools, who I often see around town.我印象中，我和當地人談話的時間都很短暫。在南灣有一位出租洋傘的先生跟我們解釋他的工作情況。在白紗的海鮮餐廳裡，工作人員談論著遊客和遊客的緊湊行程。也有一個奇怪的騎著摩托車的女人，在我去工作的路上問我要不要吃早餐，就算我已經多次要求她不要煩我。還有的是我在二個學校的學生，我常在鎮上遇見他們。

Will I ever be a Hengchun person?  At this point in time I really have no idea, but the thought has occurred to me.  There are times when I could see myself settling down here, just as there are times when I can see myself living somewhere else.  The years go by, and who knows where most of us end up?  Maybe one day I'll discover that I too have become a Hengchun person, or maybe one day I'll be living in another place, remembering the Hengchun people I knew.我會成為恆春人嗎?我目前不知道，但我有想過。有些時候我可以預見自己在這裡住下來，但有的時候我也看到自己在別的地方的可能性。時間的流逝下，沒有人能夠預知明天。也許有天我會突然發現自己成了恆春人，也可能在某個地方想起我認識的恆春朋友。

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2022年12月19日 星期一

Directions To No One's Satisfaction


"Humid Province" is in the middle I think.  Or close to the middle.  Around "Humid Province" are "New Low Wall," "South Province," "Dry Point," "Bamboo Field," "Ten Thousand Mountains" and "Come Righteous."  The waterfalls in "Come Righteous" are very pretty.


Wait a minute, let me think.  So, around "South Province" are "Forest Side" and "East Port?"  Next to "Dry Point" is "New Garden."  Around "Bamboo Field" are "Ten Thousand Pellets," "Unicorn Low" and "Inner Harbor."  "Ten Thousand Mountains" is next to "Peaceful Military."  Around "Come Righteous" are "Spring Sun," "Fang Hut" and "Good Winter."  In "Bamboo Field" there's a restaurant overrun by chickens.


Now I have to think a bit harder, because the other areas I don't know as well.  Next to "Ten Thousand Pellets" is "East Screen" for sure.  Next to "Bamboo Field" is "Long Rule."  Around "Inner Harbor" are "Three Land Door" and "Ma House."  Next to "Spring Sun" is "Lion," and next to "Fang Hut" is "Fang Mountain."  In "Long Rule" there's a very strange aquarium inside a very strange technology park.


Almost there, I think.  Next to "East Screen" is "Nine As."  Next to "Long Rule" is "Salt Storage."  Next to "Three Land Door" and "Ma House" is "Fog Platform."  Next to "Lion" is "Peony."  Next to "Fang Mountain" is "Car Town."  In "Peony" there's a tiny lake covered by lotus flowers.


A few more: "Mile Port" is next to "Nine As," "Tall Tree" is next to "Salt Storage," "Perpetual Spring" is next to "Car City" and "Little Ryu Ball" is next to "East Port."  I don't think I've forgotten anything.  By the way, have you been to "East Port?" It can be very romantic on a foggy night.


Me?  Oh, I live in "Fourth Ditch" in "Perpetual Spring."  It's a nice place to live, if a little windy at times.  My house isn't far from the "Wheat In The Presence Of Labor" and the "Star Bar Gram," or, as you know them, McDonald's and Starbucks.

Come on down sometime, I'll buy you a coffee.

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NOTE: You could argue the point with a lot of the above translations of place names.  A lot of those characters aren't used much in isolation.  Just know that I wasn't thinking about any of it too hard.  Very few people think about what certain place names actually mean anyway.
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2022年12月11日 星期日

Linluo Township, Pingtung County 屏東縣麟洛鄉

I was tempted to title this entry "The Beauty of Linluo," or something similarly sarcastic.  Linluo is tiny, and there are no tourist attractions in the township.  It's east of Pingtung City and north of Zhutian. 我有點想開玩笑地把這文章的標題稱為 "麟洛美景" ，因為什麼風景都沒有 !  麟洛位於屏東市東部 ，竹田北部 。它很小 ，也沒有觀光景點 。 

You'll find a story about its name here. 它的地名故事在這裡 .

According to the last census, 10,629 people live in Linluo. 上次的人口統計表示 ， 麟洛的人口是10,629人 。


Near Linluo Train Station. 在麟洛車站附近 .


They grow a lot of betel nut and banana trees in Linluo, with corn as an important third crop. 當地許多農民種檳榔跟香蕉 ，玉米好像是第三名 。


Not many big temples/shrines hereabouts.  Most of the ones I saw were around this size. 當地區的廟宇大多數比較小 ， 跟照片中的差不多 。






Living in one of these older houses sounds fun, but there are sometimes regulations with regard to renovating them. 住在古厝聽起來很不錯 ，可是整修的規定比較多 。


This place also sells locally grown lemons. 這裡也產銷檸檬 。





There are many surprisingly large houses in the area.  Linluo is a suburb of Pingtung City, so higher land prices drive prospective homeowners toward areas like Linluo, Wandan and Jiouru. 附近有很多占地很大的房子 。 屏東市區的地價很高 ，很多居民會考慮搬家到麟洛 、萬丹 、九如這些地價低一點的地區 。




And that's it for Linluo.  It's a very quiet place to live, and I suppose the people living there like it that way. 麟洛差不多就是這樣子 ， 是個安靜的地區 ， 那邊的居民應該喜歡這種恬淡吧 !

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2022年12月4日 星期日

Restaurants I Like 我喜歡的餐廳: Taitung 台東 1

Low Pressure Restaurant & Guesthouse
熱帶低氣壓


Type of Food 料理類別: Western 西式


Hours of Operation 營業時間: 11 AM to 10 PM 早上十一點到晚上十點


Getting There 交通: Car or bus are your only options.  The train line through Taitung doesn't run through that area and it's too far for a scooter. 一定要坐汽車或是公車 ， 那附近沒有火車站 ， 騎摩托車到那麼遠的地方會很累 。

Price 價錢: It's somewhat expensive. 有點貴。

Parking 停車: Not a problem.  There are usually parking spots right across the street. 沒問題 ， 餐廳前面的那條路可以路邊停車。

Should You Make A Reservation? 要訂位嗎 ?: On a weekend maybe.  I've only seen the place full a couple times, but it seems to be getting more popular and it's usually busy. 周末的時候大概要訂位 ， 雖然我去了幾次都沒客滿， 只是那家餐廳的生意越來越好了。


Thoughts 意見:

When I'm there I always order the burger.  This burger is very big and comes with a handful of French fries.  Since the quality of food at Wow's Kitchen in Taitung City went down, I'd say that this is the best burger in Taitung without reservation.  Just be warned that it'll cost you. 我每次去那裡都點牛肉堡 。  他們的牛肉堡很大，附餐薯條也很多。  台東市的Wow's廚房的料理沒有以前那麼好了， 所以我覺得這家餐廳的漢堡是台東縣最好吃的 ，  你只要心裡準備好付比較高的價錢 。

Another good thing about this restaurant is the bar and its beer selection.  Last time I was there they were still serving the Taihu IPA, and this beer goes very well with an enormous hamburger. 這家餐廳的另外一個好處是他們的酒吧和啤酒種類。  我上次去吃飯時，他們有臺虎的IPA啤酒 ，這種啤酒配牛肉堡很讚。

As for the rest of their menu, I've sampled most of the rest of it via family members.  It's all good, though in my opinion the burger is far and away the best thing they make there. 他們菜單上的料理我大部分都吃過，  因為我家人點的時候給我吃一、二口 。  我覺得餐點都不錯， 但是他們的牛肉堡是最好的。

If you're a tourist passing through the area you'll also love the location.  It's right on the hill above Donghe Village, and even though that area is being developed there's still a view from the patio toward the ocean.  There are definitely more impressive views from other restaurants in Taitung County, but that particular view isn't bad. 經過東河村的觀光客也會喜歡這裡的風景 。  這家餐廳位在東河村上的山坡上，  從餐廳可以看到部分的海景 。  這個地區正在發展中， 雖然台東縣其他地方的餐廳有更棒的景色，但是這裡的風景也是數一數二的!

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Taiwan 101: Pointless Questions


The following pointless questions were posted in various Facebook or Reddit groups.  Have YOU posted any of these questions?  I hope not.

PROBLEM: "Posting again.  Please does anyone have a laptop I can borrow for 48 hours?"

SOLUTION: Probably none.  Who's going to lend a stranger a laptop for 48 hours?

PROBLEM: "Offer 650 an hour and your post will be approved.  Else offer housing"

SOLUTION: What?

PROBLEM: "Hello everyone, where can I buy a mosquito net for the baby.  Thanks."

SOLUTION: Uh... go outside?  It's not like this is a difficult item to find in Taiwan.  Any store with a baby section would have one of those mosquito nets which unfold over a crib.  Lacking that, most variety stores sell a similar net used for covering food left on a table.

PROBLEM: "What is it about hot dogs and Taiwan?"

SOLUTION: I don't know dude.  Maybe people just like hot dogs?

PROBLEM: "政府說可以鬆綁不用戴口罩可是我認為應該繼續戴口罩 , 我會繼續戴下去的" ["The government says we can relax and that we don't need to wear masks but I think we should keep wearing masks.  I will continue doing it."]

SOLUTION: This from 麟洛吃喝玩樂 [Linluo Food, Drink and Recreation].  The post refers to the removal of the outdoor mask mandate.  This post has received no likes and no comments.  Some people are never going to let COVID go.

PROBLEM: "Can someone please explain why in Taiwan the local population adhere to rules of the Ghost Month and restrict their movements accordingly but then follow and celebrate the Celtic Pagan festival of Halloween (All Hallow's Eve) ?"

SOLUTION: This guy posts in the "Kaohsiung Q&A" group A LOT.

Do Taiwanese people "follow" Halloween?  Are they making sacrifices to pagan deities?  Are they dancing naked in the moonlight?  Or are they just engaged in Halloween art projects and trick-or-treating?  I have the feeling this guy is very religious, and that this "question" was posed for the sake of generating some kind of religious discussion.

PROBLEM: "Hello, I'm looking for single room from 1 December.  I hope I get the answer soon!"

SOLUTION: This was in "Kaohsiung Apartment Rental."  The problem here is WHERE in Kaohsiung?  Kaohsiung City is huge, and there's a big difference between getting a room in Luzhu, getting a room in Linyuan, and getting a room in Taoyuan.

PROBLEM: "I'm looking to find any sort of aftershave.  Any ideas??"

SOLUTION: There's aftershave in every supermarket.  How is this person not finding it?  I get that the labels are in Chinese, but it's still pretty obvious where the aftershave is located.

PROBLEM: "As a black man what place in Taiwan is not safe for me to visit?"

SOLUTION: This one was posted on the r/taiwan subreddit.  There aren't nearly as many dumb Taiwan-related questions on Reddit as there are on Facebook, but sometimes someone surprises you.

It makes me sad when someone expands the racial politics of wherever they live to include the rest of the world.  Does this person have any reason to think parts of Taiwan would be unsafe for a black person?  Maybe they've confused Taiwan with China (there are plenty of "racially charged" videos of China on Reddit), but as far as I know there are no especially dangerous areas for black people in Taiwan.  In fact some areas might be safer for black people, given many Taiwanese people's fear of speaking English to obvious foreigners of any color.

PROBLEM: "Recommended me 'Italian Restaurant' that near MRT pleaseeeeeeee."

SOLUTION: By "Italian Restaurant" do we mean "any restaurant that serves spaghetti?"  If so there are literally dozens (if not hundreds) of places in Kaohsiung that serve spaghetti, and typing "Italian restaurants" in either English or Chinese in Google Maps will show you which ones are located near MRT stops.

PROBLEM: "今天是平日呀 !  怎麼人那麼多 !" [Today is a weekday!  Why are there so many people?]

SOLUTION: This was posted in the 釣魚人 ("Fishermen") FB group under a picture of traffic, without any indication of where the picture was taken.  It was posted several days ago, so I can only hope the traffic has abated... wherever that person was.

PROBLEM: "請問誰有  螃蟹" [Excuse me who has  crabs]

SOLUTION: This question was asked in the 滿州鄉民服務平台 [Manzhou Township Residential Service Platform].  There was only one response: "What kind of crabs?," to which the person responded "Mountain crabs."  So they're looking for freshwater crabs I guess, not the kind of crabs you were probably thinking of.

The sad thing about this post is that most of Manzhou is part of Kenting National Park, and thus a protected area.  Aside from a few areas people there shouldn't be catching crabs, and they shouldn't be talking about doing so on Facebook.

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NOTE: I avoided including questions asked on Forumosa.  In my opinion that fruit is hanging LOW.
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2022年11月28日 星期一

Thoughts on the Last Election


I'm not what you'd call a political guy, though I do make an effort to stay informed.  I might not know all the names, I might not know all the faces, but I like to think that I know what's going on in a general way, if not in every particular.

So yeah, the election of county magistrates, city mayors and other positions was concluded last Saturday, and by now we've all had to time to contemplate what these elections might mean for the present and future of Taiwan.

The election results can be viewed on the Central Election Commission's website.  Applause to them for making these results available in English.  I didn't see any voter's guides available in English, but maybe voters had to specifically request them.  Making election information available in a variety of languages helps ensure a vibrant democracy, and the Election Commission has made great strides in this area.

Let's start with the party votes.  As you can see from the website, it was a big win for the KMT.  The Kuomintang, or Chinese Nationalist Party, won 50.03% of the popular vote against 41.62% for the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).  As a result President Tsai Ying-wen offered to resign as head of the DPP, though this was largely a ceremonial gesture.  In third place was the Taiwan People's Party, which received only 1.49% of the vote.

I can't see this "KMT resurgence" as the damning critique of DPP rule some are making it out to be.  I think the DPP just got too complacent after Tsai Ying-wen's landslide reelection, and some of the candidates they were offering were uninspired choices.  Chen Shih-chung, who was running opposite the KMT's Chiang Wan-an in Taipei City, might have seemed like a solid choice, but he's also the face of COVID in Taiwan, and thus a living reminder that the last two years sucked.

As for individual city and county mayors and magistrates I have less of an opinion.  I wasn't following the news regarding Chiang Wan-an, "Chiang Kai-shek's grandson" that closely, though I did often wonder at things he said in the news.  In the office of Taipei City Mayor he's not likely to wield enormous power, though the position this puts him in with regard to the next presidential election is worrying.  As a foreigner I'm of course not allowed to have opinions on the Cross-Strait Situation, the KMT vs. the DPP, or other facets of local politics, but let me just say that the KMT's Ma Ying-jeou was my least favorite Taiwanese president, and that's taking into account all the shenanigans Chen Shui-bian was guilty of. (1)

The elections in south Taiwan fall more into the province (heh heh) of this blog, as do the elections in Taitung County, where I used to live and which I often discussed here.  In south Taiwan the DPP is still going strong, winning the top posts in Tainan, Kaohsiung and Pingtung.  Chou Chun-mi is the new Pingtung County Magistrate, though it was a very close race between her and the KMT's Su Ching-chuan.

Taitung is another story.  In Taitung the KMT's Yao Ching-ling won a second term by a large margin.  I credit this win to three factors: 1) longstanding local loyalty to the KMT, 2) the fact that the KMT is seen as "the development party" in that area, and 3) the additional fact that the DPP's candidate, Liu Chao-hao, was another uninspired choice by the DPP.  Though still a County Councilmember, Liu Chao-hao has zero charisma, and he's been losing the office of County Magistrate to KMT candidates for years.

On a still more local level, down to the area where I live, the KMT's candidate for County Magistrate Su Ching-chuan actually won Hengchun Municipality, which puts it at odds with much of the rest of Pingtung County.  The County Councilor position doesn't quite fall along township/municipality lines, but Lin Cai-ying, running unaffiliated for Constituency 15, won the "Highland indigenous" office.  KMT candidate You Shih-jing won the position of Hengchun Municipality Mayor, and Liao Wen-zhi, running unaffiliated, is the new Village Chief of Sigou Village. 

Hengchun Municipality voted for lowering the voting age to 18, though the Constitutional Referendum was vetoed by Taiwan as a whole.

And that was the last election, at least as far as I'm concerned.  No more trucks blaring loud music and entreaties for votes next to my house, no more strangers knocking on my door distributing leaflets, and no more fireworks and political demonstrations blocking my route home from school every day.  At least for now, that is.  One day - a day that will come all too soon - there will be another election, and in the weeks leading up to that election we'll all have to endure the noise, the distractions, and the inconveniences that every election inevitably engenders.

Democracy in Taiwan is alive and kicking.  I just sometimes wish isn't wasn't kicking as loudly, or as insistently, as it often does.

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NOTE: The spellings of candidates' names in this entry conform to those used on the Central Election Commission's website.  In many cases these are not the spellings I would use.

1. I'm joking of course.  Hopefully that was obvious.  Taiwan isn't part of China... yet.
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2022年11月24日 星期四

Pingtung in the News 屏東的新聞 (South 南) 7


There are 29 townships, 3 municipalities and one city in Pingtung County.  It's exhausting to include news from every township, municipality and Pingtung City every time, so what I'll do instead is include news items from eleven different townships or municipalities in each entry.  This way I should be able to work my way through Pingtung County every three entries. 屏東縣包含了29個鄉, 3個鎮還有屏東市.  每次討論所有鄉鎮的新聞太累了, 所以我會每次討論11個鄉鎮的報告.  這樣子我每三篇新聞文章就會涵蓋到全縣內鄉鎮的新聞.


1. Linbian Township 林邊鄉

1a. A cool new park was recently opened near the Linbian Train Station.  The play structures in the park incorporate a giant train and wax apples. 屏東林邊特色遊戲場啟用  飛天火車 , 蓮霧森林孩子瘋玩 (1)


2. Jiadong Township 佳冬鄉

2a. An elderly woman from Jiadong wandered from her home and was unable to find her way back.  Police helped return her to her village. 屏東婦外出散步忘了回家的路 , 枋寮警查出身分助返家 (2)


3. Fangliao Township 枋寮鄉

3a. The Pingtung District Prosecutor's Office is investigating a former candidate accused of bribery.  The former candidate, who has since removed himself from the election, reportedly paid another candidate 150,000 NT to withdraw from the election, thus increasing his own chances of success. 屏東枋寮村長候選人搓圓仔湯  15萬元行賄對手棄選10萬交保

3b. A truck flipped over on Highway 1 north of the Pingnan Industrial Area. 枋寮鄉台1線戰備跑曳引車翻車

3c. With China having blocked the import of grouper and other local agricultural products into that country, grouper farmers in Xinlong Village are transitioning into local tourism, with local grouper farms conducting tourist activities. 枋寮石斑魚村轉型休閒觀光  漁民甩開石斑輸陸禁令不快 (3)


4. Chun Rh Township 春日鄉

4a. No recent news out of Chun Rh.


5. Fangshan Township 枋山鄉

5a. Zhou Chun-mi, DPP candidate for Pingtung County Magistrate, expressed her support for Luo Jin-liang, DPP candidate for Fangshan Township Mayor.  Both candidates pledged to join forces to assist local farmers. 枋山鄉聯合競總成立  周春米 : 全力以赴協助農作 , 養殖產業

5b. A temporary worker formerly employed by the Fangshan Township Office recently embezzled over 3 million NT from the township.  He was sentenced to two years in prison. 公所臨時員侵占公款3百餘萬  買車買保險還出國判刑2年 (4)


6. Shrdze Township 獅子鄉

6a. The Shansu Cultural Festival recently brought more tourists to Shrdze Township.  The area's climate and relatively low population make for a very diverse local ecology, and the township mayor is hoping that this biodiversity contributes to continued economic growth in the area. 山蘇文化節帶動獅子鄉觀光熱潮  鄉長周英傑推動文化傳承經濟基礎


7. Checheng Township 車城鄉

7a. Construction began on a new road, County Road 151, from Haikou to the Hengchun Airport through the eastern half of the township.  County Magistrate Pan Meng-an, a native of Checheng, was on hand to inaugurate this construction project. 打通屏東車城151縣道瓶頸  潘孟安向協議價購地主致謝 (5)

7b. Construction also began on a new Checheng Public Hygiene Office. 屏東車城鄉衛生所重建  動土

7c. This article promotes tourist sites in Checheng.  There are plenty of pictures.  I would strongly recommend NOT visiting the Sichongxi Hot Spring Area on a weekend. 2022屏東車城7大景點推應 !  "落山風藝術季" 登場 , "嗨 ! 營業中" 店面在這裡


8. Mudan Township 牡丹鄉

8a. A candidate for Pingtung's Aboriginal Council died recently.  Some were worried that this development would affect the upcoming election, but it was later determined that her death will not make a suspension of the election necessary. 牡丹鄉代候選人高嘉香病逝  屏縣選委會 : 選舉不受影響

8b. A food bank was recently opened in Mudan. 牡丹鄉社區食物銀行啟用  解偏鄉缺物資困境


9. Manzhou Township 滿洲鄉

9a. Local elections in Manzhou will be very close, with candidates likely to win by a handful of votes. 滿洲鄉代4號陳榮華陷入苦戰  懇求援手保最後一席

9b. This article (with video clip) introduces a local singer and musician keeping old songs from Manzhou alive. 國寶 "日貴阿嬤" !  傳唱滿州歌謠 , 傳承鄉土記憶

9c. This article introduces a business making sun-dried noodles in Manzhou.  The noodles they make are very unusual, incorporating ingredients such as dragonfruit and mushrooms. 在滿州 , 遇見彩虹麵飄揚 !  "小農麵攤" 打造100%本土日曬麵 , 紅龍果 , 雨來菇都入麵


10. Hengchun Municipality 恆春鎮

10a. The proprietor of a local mung bean dessert shop passed away recently, and many Hengchun residents lamented this occurrence. 恆春綠豆蒜傳奇阿伯殞落  當地居民哀悼不捨

10b. Residents of Hengchun have been complaining of noise from the local military base.  The army plans on compensating residents of the four villages closest to the base. 國軍演順影響居民  恆春擬申請睦鄰補助 (6)

10c. DPP candidate for Pingtung County Magistrate Zhou Chun-mi recently visited Hengchun's vegetable market on a campaign stop. 周春米 -- 早衝恆春市場  支持者笑說買菜還送 "米"


11. Liuqiu Township 琉球鄉

11a. Ballots for the upcoming election were delivered to Xiaoliuqiu by boat over a two-day period.  There are over 1000 registered voters on the island. 屏東選票昨 , 今運送  琉球選票運抵 (7)

11b. This article promotes the Qingxin Homestay on Xiaoliuqiu.  It has a cute swimming pool. 小琉球清新民宿推薦 , 海風拂面住宿太宜人

11c. Several shirtless men attempted to enter an elementary school on Xiaoliuqiu for the purpose of exercising on the campus, but the principal sent them away.  The men later complained to the Bureau of Education, claiming that their being shirtless had something to do with "sex equality education," but the Bureau came out in support of the school principal. 打赤膊想進校園遭校長勸穿衣  男子竟扯性平教育投訴教育部 (8)

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1. Why so little news from Linbian?  Part of the reason is that it's TINY.  It's the smallest township on Taiwan's main island.

2. There was another article about a stabbing incident in Jiadong, but it was on Yahoo News, the link to the video was broken, and there were few details in the article.

3. Not really a new thing.  They've been doing it for at least two years now.

4. Seems to be a higher than average level of corruption in this township.  Linluo, east of Pingtung City, is another problem area.  Both areas are very rural, the average age is high, and both areas rely on agriculture to the exclusion of almost everything else.

5. It's a perplexing development.  The article talks of this new road relieving some kind of "bottleneck" in the area, but I can't figure out how it's going to help.  Tourists will still need to drive down Highway 26 before reaching Haikou, and a wide detour through the farmland east of central Checheng doesn't seem like it would be any faster.  Why not just stop people from parking along the highway through central Checheng?  Wouldn't that be a faster and cheaper solution?

6. I live some distance from this base, but even so I can still hear the training exercises at times.  They must be deafening in those four villages.

7. Won't you be glad when this election is over?

8. This seems to happen relatively often on Xiaoliuqiu.  "Strange guys enter school campus and attempt to do something strange."  There was another recent story about tourists trying to use a school's bathrooms to wash their feet and/or diving equipment.
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