Porto players celebrate after beating Monaco 3-0 to win the UEFA Champions League Final in Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Wednesday.
PHOTO: AP
Thursday, June 03, 2004
Nunca e' tarde... 26 de Maio de 2004
Tambem aqui na Formosa, o Porto fez manchete:
Porto players celebrate after beating Monaco 3-0 to win the UEFA Champions League Final in Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Wednesday.
PHOTO: AP
Porto players celebrate after beating Monaco 3-0 to win the UEFA Champions League Final in Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Wednesday.
PHOTO: AP
Sinais de mudanca - A imprensa norte-americana comeca a dizer a verdade
After Sept. 11, misplaced patriotism and a culture of fear caused the media to give George W. Bush a free ride, but things have finally begun to change.
"A Timid Press Poses a Risk to All" um excelente artigo de Paul Krugman, publicado no dia 31 de Maio de 2004, que transcrevo na integra:
"Advertising Some news organizations, including The New York Times, are currently engaged in self-criticism over the run-up to the Iraq war. They are asking, as they should, why poorly documented claims of a dire threat received prominent, uncritical coverage, while contrary evidence was either ignored or played down.
But it's not just Iraq, and it's not just the Times. Many journalists seem to be having regrets about the broader context in which Iraq coverage was embedded: a climate in which the press wasn't willing to report negative information about US President George W. Bush.
People who get their news by skimming the front page, or by watching TV, must be feeling confused by the sudden change in Bush's character. For more than two years after Sept. 11, he was a straight shooter, all moral clarity and righteousness.
But now those people hear about a president who won't tell a straight story about why he took us to war in Iraq or how that war is going, who can't admit to and learn from mistakes, and who won't hold himself or anyone else accountable. What happened?
`Bush's problems with the truth have long been apparent to anyone willing to check his budget arithmetic. His inability to admit mistakes has also been obvious for a long time.'
The answer, of course, is that the straight shooter never existed. He was a fictitious character that the press, for various reasons, presented as reality.
The truth is that the character flaws that currently have even conservative pundits fuming have been visible all along. Bush's problems with the truth have long been apparent to anyone willing to check his budget arithmetic. His inability to admit mistakes has also been obvious for a long time. I first wrote about Bush's "infallibility complex" more than two years ago, and I wasn't being original.
So why did the press credit Bush with virtues that reporters knew he didn't possess? One answer is misplaced patriotism. After Sept. 11 much of the press seemed to reach a collective decision that it was necessary, in the interests of national unity, to suppress criticism of the commander in chief.
Another answer is the tyranny of evenhandedness. Moder-ate and liberal journalists, both reporters and commentators, often bend over backward to say nice things about conservatives. Not long ago, many commentators who are now caustic Bush critics seemed desperate to differentiate themselves from "irrational Bush haters" who were neither haters nor irrational -- and whose critiques look pretty mild in the light of recent revelations.
And some journalists just couldn't bring themselves to believe that the president of the US was being dishonest about such grave matters.
Finally, let's not overlook the role of intimidation. After Sept. 11, if you were thinking of saying anything negative about the president, you had to be prepared for an avalanche of hate mail. You had to expect right-wing pundits and publications to do all they could to ruin your reputation, and you had to worry about being denied access to the sort of insider information that is the basis of many journalistic careers.
The Bush administration, knowing all this, played the press like a fiddle. But has that era come to an end?
A new Pew survey finds 55 percent of journalists in the national media believing that the press has not been critical enough of Bush, compared with only 8 percent who believe that it has been too critical. More important, journalists seem to be acting on that belief.
Amazing things have been happening lately. The usual suspects have tried to silence reporting about prison abuses by accusing critics of undermining the troops -- but the reports keep coming. The attorney general has called yet another terror alert -- but the press raised questions about why. (At a White House morning briefing, Terry Moran of ABC News actually said what many thought during other conveniently timed alerts: "There is a disturbing possibility that you are manipulating the American public in order to get a message out.")
It may not last. In July 2002, according to Dana Milbank of The Washington Post -- who has tried, at great risk to his career, to offer a realistic picture of the Bush presidency -- "the White House press corps showed its teeth" for the first time since Sept. 11. It didn't last: The administration beat the drums of war, and most of the press relapsed into docility.
But this time may be different. And if it is, Bush -- who has always depended on that docility -- may be in even more trouble than the latest polls suggest."
"A Timid Press Poses a Risk to All" um excelente artigo de Paul Krugman, publicado no dia 31 de Maio de 2004, que transcrevo na integra:
"Advertising Some news organizations, including The New York Times, are currently engaged in self-criticism over the run-up to the Iraq war. They are asking, as they should, why poorly documented claims of a dire threat received prominent, uncritical coverage, while contrary evidence was either ignored or played down.
But it's not just Iraq, and it's not just the Times. Many journalists seem to be having regrets about the broader context in which Iraq coverage was embedded: a climate in which the press wasn't willing to report negative information about US President George W. Bush.
People who get their news by skimming the front page, or by watching TV, must be feeling confused by the sudden change in Bush's character. For more than two years after Sept. 11, he was a straight shooter, all moral clarity and righteousness.
But now those people hear about a president who won't tell a straight story about why he took us to war in Iraq or how that war is going, who can't admit to and learn from mistakes, and who won't hold himself or anyone else accountable. What happened?
`Bush's problems with the truth have long been apparent to anyone willing to check his budget arithmetic. His inability to admit mistakes has also been obvious for a long time.'
The answer, of course, is that the straight shooter never existed. He was a fictitious character that the press, for various reasons, presented as reality.
The truth is that the character flaws that currently have even conservative pundits fuming have been visible all along. Bush's problems with the truth have long been apparent to anyone willing to check his budget arithmetic. His inability to admit mistakes has also been obvious for a long time. I first wrote about Bush's "infallibility complex" more than two years ago, and I wasn't being original.
So why did the press credit Bush with virtues that reporters knew he didn't possess? One answer is misplaced patriotism. After Sept. 11 much of the press seemed to reach a collective decision that it was necessary, in the interests of national unity, to suppress criticism of the commander in chief.
Another answer is the tyranny of evenhandedness. Moder-ate and liberal journalists, both reporters and commentators, often bend over backward to say nice things about conservatives. Not long ago, many commentators who are now caustic Bush critics seemed desperate to differentiate themselves from "irrational Bush haters" who were neither haters nor irrational -- and whose critiques look pretty mild in the light of recent revelations.
And some journalists just couldn't bring themselves to believe that the president of the US was being dishonest about such grave matters.
Finally, let's not overlook the role of intimidation. After Sept. 11, if you were thinking of saying anything negative about the president, you had to be prepared for an avalanche of hate mail. You had to expect right-wing pundits and publications to do all they could to ruin your reputation, and you had to worry about being denied access to the sort of insider information that is the basis of many journalistic careers.
The Bush administration, knowing all this, played the press like a fiddle. But has that era come to an end?
A new Pew survey finds 55 percent of journalists in the national media believing that the press has not been critical enough of Bush, compared with only 8 percent who believe that it has been too critical. More important, journalists seem to be acting on that belief.
Amazing things have been happening lately. The usual suspects have tried to silence reporting about prison abuses by accusing critics of undermining the troops -- but the reports keep coming. The attorney general has called yet another terror alert -- but the press raised questions about why. (At a White House morning briefing, Terry Moran of ABC News actually said what many thought during other conveniently timed alerts: "There is a disturbing possibility that you are manipulating the American public in order to get a message out.")
It may not last. In July 2002, according to Dana Milbank of The Washington Post -- who has tried, at great risk to his career, to offer a realistic picture of the Bush presidency -- "the White House press corps showed its teeth" for the first time since Sept. 11. It didn't last: The administration beat the drums of war, and most of the press relapsed into docility.
But this time may be different. And if it is, Bush -- who has always depended on that docility -- may be in even more trouble than the latest polls suggest."
Tuesday, June 01, 2004
Taiwan, Hong Kong e Republica Popular da China: same, same but different
A miuda ha dias tocou num assunto bastante interessante
"Ha grandes diferenças culturais de fundo entre a Formosa e a China... no que respeita à Mulher... pelo que vejo!
(Hmmm hehe Que dizes dum post a falar sobre isso?)"
Prometi-lhe que iria preparar esse post, mas nao para ja devido 'a falta de tempo (as ferias aproximam-se). Enquanto se aguarda, fica aqui uma composicao de fotografias tiradas durante o meu 1o dia em Taiwan, em Junho de 2002.
Apos ter feito o "check-in" no hotel, sai para dar um passeio pelas ruas de Taipei e talvez nem 10 minutos depois de ter iniciado esse passeio veio-me 'a cabeca a seguinte frase:
"Taiwan e' como a China sem os Comunistas e como Hong Kong sem os Britanicos".
Na altura recordo-me que apesar da frase o parecer, nao me estava a referir 'a politica. Estava-me a referir 'a evolucao natural da cultura Chinesa. Pareceu-me logo que esta nao tinha tido interrupcoes ou interferencias mais ou menos dramaticas como foi a Revolucao Cultural na China e a Colonizacao em Hong Kong.
Pareceu-me detectar uma maior harmonia entre um passado mais longinquo e o presente.
Passado dois anos, posso confirmar que essa analize superficial de 10 minutos nao estava longe da realidade, mas esta percepcao e' apenas uma pequena parte daquilo que poderei dizer sobre a mesma cultura base mas com outputs diferentes...
"Ha grandes diferenças culturais de fundo entre a Formosa e a China... no que respeita à Mulher... pelo que vejo!
(Hmmm hehe Que dizes dum post a falar sobre isso?)"
Prometi-lhe que iria preparar esse post, mas nao para ja devido 'a falta de tempo (as ferias aproximam-se). Enquanto se aguarda, fica aqui uma composicao de fotografias tiradas durante o meu 1o dia em Taiwan, em Junho de 2002.
Apos ter feito o "check-in" no hotel, sai para dar um passeio pelas ruas de Taipei e talvez nem 10 minutos depois de ter iniciado esse passeio veio-me 'a cabeca a seguinte frase:
"Taiwan e' como a China sem os Comunistas e como Hong Kong sem os Britanicos".
Na altura recordo-me que apesar da frase o parecer, nao me estava a referir 'a politica. Estava-me a referir 'a evolucao natural da cultura Chinesa. Pareceu-me logo que esta nao tinha tido interrupcoes ou interferencias mais ou menos dramaticas como foi a Revolucao Cultural na China e a Colonizacao em Hong Kong.
Pareceu-me detectar uma maior harmonia entre um passado mais longinquo e o presente.
Passado dois anos, posso confirmar que essa analize superficial de 10 minutos nao estava longe da realidade, mas esta percepcao e' apenas uma pequena parte daquilo que poderei dizer sobre a mesma cultura base mas com outputs diferentes...
Monday, May 31, 2004
Tripping in Hong Kong - Chegada (III)
Ha' uma semana que se espera em Hong Kong, a chegada dos visitantes da blogoesfera lusa. Nota-se uma certa impaciencia mas nao se desiste:
De repente, ouve-se alguem que aponta para o ceu e pergunta: O que e' aquilo? Sao aguias... nao, sao avioes... nao, sao ovnis... nao, sao super herois... ah sao os visitantes da blogoesfera lusa que finalmente estao a chegar:
As noticias em Hong Kong divulgam-se a uma velocidade-luz, toda a gente fica a saber e correm para dar as boas vindas aos vistantes da blogoesfera lusa:
miuda e Ze Antonio, ja se avista a pista, preparem-se para a aterragem.
A recepcao e' animada, Hong Kong da as boas vindas com musica e ate os paparazzis nao resistem a tao esperada chegada.
Olha, quem tambem acabou de chegar, sao as cacaoccin@s que se vestiram especialmente para a ocasiao, benvindas.
Hong Kong, a vibrating city is waiting for us, let's feel the energy!
Em Hong Kong, a policia com formacao britanica e tropas da Republica Popular da China, contribui para manter uma situacao extremamente pacifica e segura. Em Hong Kong toda a gente pode andar em todo o lado a qualquer hora sem receio. E’ algo que se nota em Hong Kong com bastante agrado!
Vamos entao iniciar as voltas por Hong Kong, uma cidade fantastica e vibrante. Podemos ir a pe como tomar qualquer meio de transporte publico que abramgem todo o territorio de uma forma bastante eficaz.
De salientar dois meios de transportes do passado que foram preservados e ainda hoje mantidos activos: O electrico que faz o precurso paralelo a costa norte da ilha de Hong Kong e o Star-Ferry que liga a ilha de Hong Kong ‘a peninsula de Tsim Tsa Tsui.
Embora dai…
De repente, ouve-se alguem que aponta para o ceu e pergunta: O que e' aquilo? Sao aguias... nao, sao avioes... nao, sao ovnis... nao, sao super herois... ah sao os visitantes da blogoesfera lusa que finalmente estao a chegar:
As noticias em Hong Kong divulgam-se a uma velocidade-luz, toda a gente fica a saber e correm para dar as boas vindas aos vistantes da blogoesfera lusa:
miuda e Ze Antonio, ja se avista a pista, preparem-se para a aterragem.
A recepcao e' animada, Hong Kong da as boas vindas com musica e ate os paparazzis nao resistem a tao esperada chegada.
Olha, quem tambem acabou de chegar, sao as cacaoccin@s que se vestiram especialmente para a ocasiao, benvindas.
Hong Kong, a vibrating city is waiting for us, let's feel the energy!
Em Hong Kong, a policia com formacao britanica e tropas da Republica Popular da China, contribui para manter uma situacao extremamente pacifica e segura. Em Hong Kong toda a gente pode andar em todo o lado a qualquer hora sem receio. E’ algo que se nota em Hong Kong com bastante agrado!
Vamos entao iniciar as voltas por Hong Kong, uma cidade fantastica e vibrante. Podemos ir a pe como tomar qualquer meio de transporte publico que abramgem todo o territorio de uma forma bastante eficaz.
De salientar dois meios de transportes do passado que foram preservados e ainda hoje mantidos activos: O electrico que faz o precurso paralelo a costa norte da ilha de Hong Kong e o Star-Ferry que liga a ilha de Hong Kong ‘a peninsula de Tsim Tsa Tsui.
Embora dai…
Friday, May 28, 2004
Formosa graças a Portugal!
A miuda pergunta-me porque e’ que eu escrevi num post abaixo que Portugal foi homenageado so que Portugal nao o sabe.
Vou tentar explicar...
Taiwan, e' considerado pela maior parte do mundo e Nacoes Unidas como uma provincia da Republica Popular da China. Em Taiwan e em 20 e tal pequenos Paises do pacifico e Caraibas, considera-se Taiwan como um Pais independente, apesar de nao se ousar proclama-lo, pois a China ameaca constantemente que se tal acontecer, os 500 e tal misseis apontados ‘a Formosa entrarao em accao.
Tecnicamente, Taiwan esta ainda em guerra com a China desde 1949, quando os Chineses Nacionalistas (KMT) perderam a guerra civil contra os Chinese Comunistas liderados por Mao Tse Tung e se refugiaram temporariamente nesta ilha, 'a espera de se re-organizarem para o contra ataque. Esse contra ataque ainda nao se deu. Hoje a China, e quase a totalidade dos Paises do mundo, consideram Taiwan uma provincia renegada da China.
Voltando ao assunto presente, Portugal tem embaixada em Pequim e por isso nao tem relacoes diplomaticas, de forma explicita, com Taipei.
Os Taiwanenses devido a sua situacao politico-geografica, sofrem dum injusto isolamento internacional e dum certo imerecido complexo de inferioridade. Cada vez que algo internacional da’ conta da existencia de Taiwan, e' um "boost" para o ego nacional.
Este mega projecto TGV eleva Taiwan, a um nivel mais internacional, pois sera uma infrastrutura importantissima para a continuacao do desenvolvimento economico desta ja importante economia mundial (+/- 20a).
A empresa dona da obra (BOT system – Building, Operation for 30 years and Transfer to Taiwan government after the 30 years period), Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation, liderada por uma senhora de 40 e poucos anos, Nita Ing, com uma humildade e carisma de alto valor, decidiu, juntamente com as intendidades governamentais de oferecer o desfile ao povo de Taiwan, como para lhes levantar o moral e lhes mostrar que Taiwan esta a ser ajudado por muitos paises apesar de nao terem embaixada em Taipei.
Assim convidou um individuo de cada das 18 nacionalidades que trabalham com ela, para desfilar com ela nas ruas da cidade de Kaoshiung (o Porto da Formosa), para marcar a chegada do 1o. comboio que chegou do Japao .
Foi por isso que tive um convite oficial para representar Portugal, e fi-lo com muita honra. Quando refiro que Portugal nao o soube, refiro-me ao nosso governo.
Portugal foi homenageado juntamente com outros 17 paises, sem Taiwan ter feito o pedido ao nosso Pais. Era so eu que la estava, de certa forma sem ter sido 'autorizado' but who cares. O que me fez ter bastante orgulho pela situacao e’ que ninguem o sabia' que ha so um portugues neste projecto e a nossa bandeira voava com as outras como se fosse Portugal em peso... dai o meu high.
Eu, apenas pela situacao e nao por ser alguem fora de serie, provoquei uma promocaozinha ao meu pais, e isso soube muito bem ;-)
Fico tambem contente por manter o espirito e a vitalidade que tinha quando acabei o curso e comecei a trabalhar para grandes empresas de construcao em Portugal. Fico contente por ter provado a mim mesmo que eu estava certo quando queria ser eu no local de trabalho e fui repreendido por directores de grandes empresas nacionais, primeiro porque nao me vestia ‘a engenheiro; segundo porque nao tinha maturidade profissional por ter pedido aos colegas desenhadores para nao me tratarem por “sr. engenheiro” e sim pelo meu nome. Fico contente por nao ter aceitado render-me a um sistema retrogado atrofiador e ter ido ‘a procura do mundo que eu sabia que existia.
Quando anunciei a minha partida, a ultima coisa que o director me disse foi: “Nao vas porque nao vais encontrar o que procuras, a situacao economica desse Pais e’ pessima. Has-de voltar, mas quando voltares vais para a minha posicao que tinhas”. Eu sorri e disse obrigado mas pensei “nunca volto atraz”.
Hoje ninguem me chama sr.engenheiro, hoje visto jeans e ate camisoles da equipa nacional de futebol do meu Pais e ninguem me bloqueia porque julgam-me pelo aquilo que produzo e nao aquilo que aparento… hehehehe
Moral da historia: acredita em ti e nos teus sonhos, trabalha para os realizares e versa que “tudo o que pode ser imaginado pode ser realizado”.
Ok, desculpem por esta ego-trip mas tava a precisar, agora volto de novo ao eu de antes e aos valores que prezo, humildade e abertura para aprender sempre!
PS. E o titulo?... e' que Taiwan hoje ainda se orgulha deste nome que lhe foi atribuido por Portugal
Vou tentar explicar...
Taiwan, e' considerado pela maior parte do mundo e Nacoes Unidas como uma provincia da Republica Popular da China. Em Taiwan e em 20 e tal pequenos Paises do pacifico e Caraibas, considera-se Taiwan como um Pais independente, apesar de nao se ousar proclama-lo, pois a China ameaca constantemente que se tal acontecer, os 500 e tal misseis apontados ‘a Formosa entrarao em accao.
Tecnicamente, Taiwan esta ainda em guerra com a China desde 1949, quando os Chineses Nacionalistas (KMT) perderam a guerra civil contra os Chinese Comunistas liderados por Mao Tse Tung e se refugiaram temporariamente nesta ilha, 'a espera de se re-organizarem para o contra ataque. Esse contra ataque ainda nao se deu. Hoje a China, e quase a totalidade dos Paises do mundo, consideram Taiwan uma provincia renegada da China.
Voltando ao assunto presente, Portugal tem embaixada em Pequim e por isso nao tem relacoes diplomaticas, de forma explicita, com Taipei.
Os Taiwanenses devido a sua situacao politico-geografica, sofrem dum injusto isolamento internacional e dum certo imerecido complexo de inferioridade. Cada vez que algo internacional da’ conta da existencia de Taiwan, e' um "boost" para o ego nacional.
Este mega projecto TGV eleva Taiwan, a um nivel mais internacional, pois sera uma infrastrutura importantissima para a continuacao do desenvolvimento economico desta ja importante economia mundial (+/- 20a).
A empresa dona da obra (BOT system – Building, Operation for 30 years and Transfer to Taiwan government after the 30 years period), Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation, liderada por uma senhora de 40 e poucos anos, Nita Ing, com uma humildade e carisma de alto valor, decidiu, juntamente com as intendidades governamentais de oferecer o desfile ao povo de Taiwan, como para lhes levantar o moral e lhes mostrar que Taiwan esta a ser ajudado por muitos paises apesar de nao terem embaixada em Taipei.
Assim convidou um individuo de cada das 18 nacionalidades que trabalham com ela, para desfilar com ela nas ruas da cidade de Kaoshiung (o Porto da Formosa), para marcar a chegada do 1o. comboio que chegou do Japao .
Foi por isso que tive um convite oficial para representar Portugal, e fi-lo com muita honra. Quando refiro que Portugal nao o soube, refiro-me ao nosso governo.
Portugal foi homenageado juntamente com outros 17 paises, sem Taiwan ter feito o pedido ao nosso Pais. Era so eu que la estava, de certa forma sem ter sido 'autorizado' but who cares. O que me fez ter bastante orgulho pela situacao e’ que ninguem o sabia' que ha so um portugues neste projecto e a nossa bandeira voava com as outras como se fosse Portugal em peso... dai o meu high.
Eu, apenas pela situacao e nao por ser alguem fora de serie, provoquei uma promocaozinha ao meu pais, e isso soube muito bem ;-)
Fico tambem contente por manter o espirito e a vitalidade que tinha quando acabei o curso e comecei a trabalhar para grandes empresas de construcao em Portugal. Fico contente por ter provado a mim mesmo que eu estava certo quando queria ser eu no local de trabalho e fui repreendido por directores de grandes empresas nacionais, primeiro porque nao me vestia ‘a engenheiro; segundo porque nao tinha maturidade profissional por ter pedido aos colegas desenhadores para nao me tratarem por “sr. engenheiro” e sim pelo meu nome. Fico contente por nao ter aceitado render-me a um sistema retrogado atrofiador e ter ido ‘a procura do mundo que eu sabia que existia.
Quando anunciei a minha partida, a ultima coisa que o director me disse foi: “Nao vas porque nao vais encontrar o que procuras, a situacao economica desse Pais e’ pessima. Has-de voltar, mas quando voltares vais para a minha posicao que tinhas”. Eu sorri e disse obrigado mas pensei “nunca volto atraz”.
Hoje ninguem me chama sr.engenheiro, hoje visto jeans e ate camisoles da equipa nacional de futebol do meu Pais e ninguem me bloqueia porque julgam-me pelo aquilo que produzo e nao aquilo que aparento… hehehehe
Moral da historia: acredita em ti e nos teus sonhos, trabalha para os realizares e versa que “tudo o que pode ser imaginado pode ser realizado”.
Ok, desculpem por esta ego-trip mas tava a precisar, agora volto de novo ao eu de antes e aos valores que prezo, humildade e abertura para aprender sempre!
PS. E o titulo?... e' que Taiwan hoje ainda se orgulha deste nome que lhe foi atribuido por Portugal
Thursday, May 27, 2004
18 Paises incluindo Portugal, tornam o TGV da formosa, real!
O projecto nasceu no mesmo dia que estas criancas:
E por isso coube-lhes transportarem o simbolo do futuro de Taiwan:
O sonho torna-se realidade, e o 1o TGV chega 'a formosa...
...gracas aos esforcos de 18 nacionalidades que ultrapassam barreiras culturais, formando uma unica equipa. As bandeiras dessas 18 nacoes, desfilaram nas ruas da formosa, exibindo as suas cores, que por coincidencia, eram todas vermelhas-azuis e branco. Houve uma que destacou pelo seu verde e amarelo e pelo que me fez sentir ao ve-la no meio das outras:
Horas antes do FC Porto fazer os Portugueses se orgulharem do o serem, do outro lado do planeta, havia sinais desse destaque!
E por isso coube-lhes transportarem o simbolo do futuro de Taiwan:
O sonho torna-se realidade, e o 1o TGV chega 'a formosa...
...gracas aos esforcos de 18 nacionalidades que ultrapassam barreiras culturais, formando uma unica equipa. As bandeiras dessas 18 nacoes, desfilaram nas ruas da formosa, exibindo as suas cores, que por coincidencia, eram todas vermelhas-azuis e branco. Houve uma que destacou pelo seu verde e amarelo e pelo que me fez sentir ao ve-la no meio das outras:
Horas antes do FC Porto fazer os Portugueses se orgulharem do o serem, do outro lado do planeta, havia sinais desse destaque!
Tripping in Hong Kong - voo (II)
E' so' para dizer que a chegada a Hong Kong sofreu atrazos devido a alteracoes da rota.
A 1a escala foi feita em Cannes para ficar a saber quem foram os premiados deste ano no festival de cinema.
A 2a escala foi feita na Formosa para ver como e' que a saga da recontagem dos votos das eleicoes presidencias tinha terminado e entretanto cumpromissos profissionais atrazaram ainda mais a continuacao desta viagem com destino final a Hong Kong.
Parti com a miuda porque lhe tinha prometido leva-la a Hong Kong entretanto o Ze Antonio mostrou muito interesse em voar conosco e por isso decidi, de atrazar a chegada por mais um dia e de ir ao Viver a Vida buscar o Ze Antonio. Estas pronto, ignicao a fundo...
Ora, ca vamos nos voar bem alto, ate Hong Kong, onde a chegada esta prevista para dentro das proximas horas.
Aos restantes amigos, agente ve-se em Hong Kong daqui a nada.
Bons voos!
A 1a escala foi feita em Cannes para ficar a saber quem foram os premiados deste ano no festival de cinema.
A 2a escala foi feita na Formosa para ver como e' que a saga da recontagem dos votos das eleicoes presidencias tinha terminado e entretanto cumpromissos profissionais atrazaram ainda mais a continuacao desta viagem com destino final a Hong Kong.
Parti com a miuda porque lhe tinha prometido leva-la a Hong Kong entretanto o Ze Antonio mostrou muito interesse em voar conosco e por isso decidi, de atrazar a chegada por mais um dia e de ir ao Viver a Vida buscar o Ze Antonio. Estas pronto, ignicao a fundo...
Ora, ca vamos nos voar bem alto, ate Hong Kong, onde a chegada esta prevista para dentro das proximas horas.
Aos restantes amigos, agente ve-se em Hong Kong daqui a nada.
Bons voos!
Wednesday, May 26, 2004
First High Speed Train arrives in Taiwan
A locomotive was unloaded in Kaohsiung yesterday, 25-05-04 as the Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp took delivery of bullet trains from Japan.
PHOTO: JESSIE HO, TAIPEI TIMES
Esta em decurso a construcao do projecto da 1a linha (Taipei-Kaohsiung) de comboios de alta velocidade da Formosa onde trabalham pessoas de cerca de 20 nacionalidades diferentes.
Com o intuito de oferecer ao povo de Taiwan, um sentimento de que nao estao isolados do resto do mundo, esta noite a empresa Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation, dona da obra e futura operadora do sistema, vai promover o lado internacional deste projecto.
Assim o 1o comboio ira desfilar pelas ruas da cidade de Kaoshiung, acompanhado pela Directora geral da empresa, Ms. Nita Ing e por representantes de cerca de 20 paises, entre os quais Portugal (so que Portugal nao sabe).
PHOTO: JESSIE HO, TAIPEI TIMES
Esta em decurso a construcao do projecto da 1a linha (Taipei-Kaohsiung) de comboios de alta velocidade da Formosa onde trabalham pessoas de cerca de 20 nacionalidades diferentes.
Com o intuito de oferecer ao povo de Taiwan, um sentimento de que nao estao isolados do resto do mundo, esta noite a empresa Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation, dona da obra e futura operadora do sistema, vai promover o lado internacional deste projecto.
Assim o 1o comboio ira desfilar pelas ruas da cidade de Kaoshiung, acompanhado pela Directora geral da empresa, Ms. Nita Ing e por representantes de cerca de 20 paises, entre os quais Portugal (so que Portugal nao sabe).
Asia no seu melhor
Maggie Cheung, uma mulher extraordinaria que tenho o prazer de conhecer pessoalmente, vive entre dois mundos distintos, Paris e Hong Kong, amando-os de igual modo.
Maggie Cheung, a 39-year-old former Miss Hong Kong beauty queen, won a Best Actress award in Berlin in 1992 and a heap of critical acclaim in 2000 for her role in Wong's In The Mood for Love.
"This is really an extraordinary moment in my life," she said at the ceremony.
When asked whether this was her best performance, she said, "It was difficult to play but not the most difficult technically speaking. It was difficult because it was painful. Other directors might let me play such a role, a junkie, but only Olivier gives me the trust necessary to play it as I feel."
Yuuga Yagira reagiu ao premio atribuido no Festival de Cinema de Cannes, com uma humildade exemplar:
“Estou muito feliz mas pergunto-me se estara certo receber um premio tao grande, so’ representei o meu papel de acordo com as instrucoes do director”
photo:Taipei Times
Japan's Yuuya Yagira, 14, who picked up the Best Actor award at this year's Cannes Film Festival, said yesterday the prize had convinced him to pursue a screen career and ditch ambitions to be a soccer player.
"I was previously unable to decide between a soccer player or an actor, but I am now convinced I should work hard as an actor," he said in a statement.
"I am very happy although I wondered if it is okay to be given this big award," said Yagira, who was in the southern French resort for the festival but had to fly home before the awards ceremony to sit exams.
Yagira said he acted in the movie Nobody Knows just the way he was told by director Hirokazu Koreeda.
Maggie Cheung, a 39-year-old former Miss Hong Kong beauty queen, won a Best Actress award in Berlin in 1992 and a heap of critical acclaim in 2000 for her role in Wong's In The Mood for Love.
"This is really an extraordinary moment in my life," she said at the ceremony.
When asked whether this was her best performance, she said, "It was difficult to play but not the most difficult technically speaking. It was difficult because it was painful. Other directors might let me play such a role, a junkie, but only Olivier gives me the trust necessary to play it as I feel."
Yuuga Yagira reagiu ao premio atribuido no Festival de Cinema de Cannes, com uma humildade exemplar:
“Estou muito feliz mas pergunto-me se estara certo receber um premio tao grande, so’ representei o meu papel de acordo com as instrucoes do director”
photo:Taipei Times
Japan's Yuuya Yagira, 14, who picked up the Best Actor award at this year's Cannes Film Festival, said yesterday the prize had convinced him to pursue a screen career and ditch ambitions to be a soccer player.
"I was previously unable to decide between a soccer player or an actor, but I am now convinced I should work hard as an actor," he said in a statement.
"I am very happy although I wondered if it is okay to be given this big award," said Yagira, who was in the southern French resort for the festival but had to fly home before the awards ceremony to sit exams.
Yagira said he acted in the movie Nobody Knows just the way he was told by director Hirokazu Koreeda.
Portugal no seu melhor
photo: AP
Millwall's David Livermore, left, challenges Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United during their FA Cup final at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, Saturday.
Cristiano Ronaldo, the 18-year-old Portuguese star signed after Beckham's departure to Real Madrid, headed the Reds in front at the Millennium Stadium.
Manchester United wins 3-0, over Millwall in Cardiff, Wales, Saturday 22-05-04.
It was the 11th time that the Devils have won the FA Cup.
Recontagem dos votos em Taiwan - Penultimo episodio...
PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, TAIPEI TIMES
Enquanto metade de Taiwan protesta contra a tomada de posse do presidente sem se concluir a re-contagem dos votos, a outra metade celebra.
Este e’ o penultimo episodio desta serie que fica com o fim em suspense.
Daqui a uns meses quando se concluir a recontagem dos votos, e se os resultados forem anunciados, veremos depois como Taiwan reage, entretanto, back to business as usual.
PHOTO:CAN
President Chen Shui-bian began his second four-year term yesterday, delivering a speech in which he promised that he wouldn't push for constitutional changes that touch on Taiwan's sovereignty.
President Chen Shui-bian is sworn in while Judicial Yuan President Weng Yueh-sheng looks on at the Presidential Office yesterday.
PHOTO: SEAN CHAO, TAIPEI TIMES
Fireworks are set off to celebrate the inauguration.
Parade: members of the armed forces perform.
PHOTO: CHANG YING-YING, TAIPEI TIMES
Tuesday, May 25, 2004
57th Cannes Film Festival - Asia in its best
Last saturday, 22 May 2004, while I was in Hong Kong, some amazing Hong Kong people were away. They were at the 57th Cannes Film Festival, to show their value as artists who reached an international level of recognition.
Maggie Cheung (張曼玉) gave an emotionally-strong performance as a junkie pop-star mother in Clean directed by her French ex-husband and was rewarded with a Best Actress prize. "He is the director who understands me the most," she said. "Because you know we were very close."
The 39-year-old Chinese actress, who has starred in several films by Wong Kar-wai, notably in the 2000 movie In The Mood For Love, made a name in the West in 1992 in New China Woman.
She recently starred in Hero, Zhang Yimou's (張藝謀) mega-martial arts production starring Jet Li (李連杰).
And the Best Actress award goes to a lovely woman, who I had the chance to meet and chat with: Maggie Cheung.
Maggie, we are proud of you!
photo: Taipei Times agencies
Hong Kong's Maggie Cheung, center, Nick Nolte from the US, left, and French director Olivier Assayas arrive for the closing ceremony of the 57th Cannes Film Festival, in the French Riviera town. The Cannes film festival jury, led by Quentin Tarantino, announced Cheung as Best Actress during a celebrity-studded awards ceremony, the climax to the festival's week-and-a-half of screenings, soirees and star appearances, attended by 15,000 movie types and journalists.
And speaking about Hong Kong's quality cinema, the Wong Kar-wai (王家衛) movie "2046" (the most-liked movie by a worldwide panel of critics listed in the film industry magazine Screen International), didn't get the top prize because the world today needs all means to cry even louder and make sure that things will REALLY change for better.
photo:AP
American film director Michael Moore holds the Palme d'Or trophy he received for his documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 during the award ceremony of the 57th International Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on Saturday.
When it came down to the wire, politics nudged art off center-stage, giving Michael Moore's anti-Bush documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11", the Palme d'Or best film award.
The anti-Bush documentary will almost certainly get a distributor now that it has won the Palme d'Or, after being blocked by Walt Disney Co.
Advertising US director Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11, a savage indictment of US President George W. Bush's handling of Iraq and the war on terror, won the top award at the Cannes film festival on Saturday.
"I have this great hope that things are going to change," said Moore after tearing into Bush with his emotion-charged documentary in the run-up to November's presidential election.
The same panel was cool about Thailand's debut Cannes film, Tropical Malady by Apichatpong Weerasethakul, though the jury, along with a few French critics, were over the moon about the two-part avant-garde tale featuring gay romance and a walk through the night jungle on the tracks of a mythical tiger.
"My film is so personal I'm not sure how well it will travel," Apichatpong told journalists. "But I hope this will encourage other Thai filmmakers."
Also in the limelight at Cannes was China's Zhang Ziyi (章子怡), the former Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon star listed as one of People magazine's 50 most beautiful women in 2002. She was breath-taking both as a blind warrior in the out-of-competition House of Flying Daggers and as one of the four women in 2046.
The much talked-about Flying Daggers is Chinese auteur Zhang Yimou's second foray into the popular epic martial arts after Hero of 2002. Also at Cannes and also liked was Johnnie To's action movie Breaking News.
Asian film, which is grabbing an ever-growing share of Cannes, festival after festival, this year accounted for six of the 18 films competing to win the coveted Palme d'Or trophy.
Japan and South Korea each had two movies in competition for the prize, and each scored prizes, bolstering hopes for their buoyant local industries.
South Korea is one of the few countries outside the US where domestic productions outnumber foreign films in box-office takings, and Old Boy by director Park Chan-wook, the Cannes runner-up that won the Grand Prize, has been one of the country's biggest hits.
The ultra-savage flick -- which includes the main character slicing his tongue off and eating a live octopus -- is about a man who is incarcerated and tortured in a hotel room but doesn't know why. It kept critics on the edge of their seats with its twisted narrative and graphic violence.
Tarantino especially was reported to have loved it.
The Best Actor Award went to the 14-year old Yuuya Yagira for his role in Nobody Knows directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda.
Japanese films dazzled too. A quiet human drama about four small children deserted by their mother and left to fend for themselves -- Nobody Knows by Hirokazu Koreeda -- was listed as one of the favorites at the end of the fest and its teenage star Yagira Yuuya was named Best Actor.
"It was the fruit of a whole year of work with these children," said Koreeda on accepting the award on behalf of the boy, now 14 years of age.
Overall winners at the Cannes Film Festival
* Palme d'Or - Fahrenheit 9/11 by Michael Moore
* Grand Prix - Old Boy by Park Chan-wook
* Best Actress - Maggie Cheung in Clean
* Best Actor - Yagira Yuuya in Nobody Knows
* Best Director - Tony Gatlif for Exils
* Best Screenplay - Agnes Jaoui and Jean-Pierre Bacri for Comme une Image
* Jury Prize (tied)
Apichatpong Weerasethakul (director) for Tropical Malady
Irma Hall (actress) in The Ladykillers
Maggie Cheung (張曼玉) gave an emotionally-strong performance as a junkie pop-star mother in Clean directed by her French ex-husband and was rewarded with a Best Actress prize. "He is the director who understands me the most," she said. "Because you know we were very close."
The 39-year-old Chinese actress, who has starred in several films by Wong Kar-wai, notably in the 2000 movie In The Mood For Love, made a name in the West in 1992 in New China Woman.
She recently starred in Hero, Zhang Yimou's (張藝謀) mega-martial arts production starring Jet Li (李連杰).
And the Best Actress award goes to a lovely woman, who I had the chance to meet and chat with: Maggie Cheung.
Maggie, we are proud of you!
photo: Taipei Times agencies
Hong Kong's Maggie Cheung, center, Nick Nolte from the US, left, and French director Olivier Assayas arrive for the closing ceremony of the 57th Cannes Film Festival, in the French Riviera town. The Cannes film festival jury, led by Quentin Tarantino, announced Cheung as Best Actress during a celebrity-studded awards ceremony, the climax to the festival's week-and-a-half of screenings, soirees and star appearances, attended by 15,000 movie types and journalists.
And speaking about Hong Kong's quality cinema, the Wong Kar-wai (王家衛) movie "2046" (the most-liked movie by a worldwide panel of critics listed in the film industry magazine Screen International), didn't get the top prize because the world today needs all means to cry even louder and make sure that things will REALLY change for better.
photo:AP
American film director Michael Moore holds the Palme d'Or trophy he received for his documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 during the award ceremony of the 57th International Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on Saturday.
When it came down to the wire, politics nudged art off center-stage, giving Michael Moore's anti-Bush documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11", the Palme d'Or best film award.
The anti-Bush documentary will almost certainly get a distributor now that it has won the Palme d'Or, after being blocked by Walt Disney Co.
Advertising US director Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11, a savage indictment of US President George W. Bush's handling of Iraq and the war on terror, won the top award at the Cannes film festival on Saturday.
"I have this great hope that things are going to change," said Moore after tearing into Bush with his emotion-charged documentary in the run-up to November's presidential election.
The same panel was cool about Thailand's debut Cannes film, Tropical Malady by Apichatpong Weerasethakul, though the jury, along with a few French critics, were over the moon about the two-part avant-garde tale featuring gay romance and a walk through the night jungle on the tracks of a mythical tiger.
"My film is so personal I'm not sure how well it will travel," Apichatpong told journalists. "But I hope this will encourage other Thai filmmakers."
Also in the limelight at Cannes was China's Zhang Ziyi (章子怡), the former Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon star listed as one of People magazine's 50 most beautiful women in 2002. She was breath-taking both as a blind warrior in the out-of-competition House of Flying Daggers and as one of the four women in 2046.
The much talked-about Flying Daggers is Chinese auteur Zhang Yimou's second foray into the popular epic martial arts after Hero of 2002. Also at Cannes and also liked was Johnnie To's action movie Breaking News.
Asian film, which is grabbing an ever-growing share of Cannes, festival after festival, this year accounted for six of the 18 films competing to win the coveted Palme d'Or trophy.
Japan and South Korea each had two movies in competition for the prize, and each scored prizes, bolstering hopes for their buoyant local industries.
South Korea is one of the few countries outside the US where domestic productions outnumber foreign films in box-office takings, and Old Boy by director Park Chan-wook, the Cannes runner-up that won the Grand Prize, has been one of the country's biggest hits.
The ultra-savage flick -- which includes the main character slicing his tongue off and eating a live octopus -- is about a man who is incarcerated and tortured in a hotel room but doesn't know why. It kept critics on the edge of their seats with its twisted narrative and graphic violence.
Tarantino especially was reported to have loved it.
The Best Actor Award went to the 14-year old Yuuya Yagira for his role in Nobody Knows directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda.
Japanese films dazzled too. A quiet human drama about four small children deserted by their mother and left to fend for themselves -- Nobody Knows by Hirokazu Koreeda -- was listed as one of the favorites at the end of the fest and its teenage star Yagira Yuuya was named Best Actor.
"It was the fruit of a whole year of work with these children," said Koreeda on accepting the award on behalf of the boy, now 14 years of age.
Overall winners at the Cannes Film Festival
* Palme d'Or - Fahrenheit 9/11 by Michael Moore
* Grand Prix - Old Boy by Park Chan-wook
* Best Actress - Maggie Cheung in Clean
* Best Actor - Yagira Yuuya in Nobody Knows
* Best Director - Tony Gatlif for Exils
* Best Screenplay - Agnes Jaoui and Jean-Pierre Bacri for Comme une Image
* Jury Prize (tied)
Apichatpong Weerasethakul (director) for Tropical Malady
Irma Hall (actress) in The Ladykillers
Monday, May 24, 2004
Tripping in Hong Kong - partida (I)
Ha dias prometi 'a miuda que a levava a dar umas voltas por Hong Kong.
E o prometido e' devido, bem vinda a bordo, the runway is clear, o controlador de trafego aereo esta-nos a dar o sinal de partida, estas pronta?...let's go...
Foi em Hong Kong que eu aprendi que tudo o que e' possivel ser imaginado, e'possivel ser realizado. Por isso nao so te levo a Hong Kong, mas faco-te voar ate la... and not in just an ordinary airline.
Amanha aterraremos numa metrople cheia de contrastes, uma harmonia entre o passado e o futuro, entre o oriente e o ocidente, entre o espiritual e o material, ate la' have a pleasant flight.
miuda, voas alto!
E o prometido e' devido, bem vinda a bordo, the runway is clear, o controlador de trafego aereo esta-nos a dar o sinal de partida, estas pronta?...let's go...
Foi em Hong Kong que eu aprendi que tudo o que e' possivel ser imaginado, e'possivel ser realizado. Por isso nao so te levo a Hong Kong, mas faco-te voar ate la... and not in just an ordinary airline.
Amanha aterraremos numa metrople cheia de contrastes, uma harmonia entre o passado e o futuro, entre o oriente e o ocidente, entre o espiritual e o material, ate la' have a pleasant flight.
miuda, voas alto!
Is this...
Protest against American occupation of Iraq
Manifestacao contra a ocupacao americana do Iraque
Hong Kong, 23-05-2004
Manifestacao contra a ocupacao americana do Iraque
Hong Kong, 23-05-2004
Friday, May 21, 2004
Thursday, May 20, 2004
Your world is the mirror of yourself / O teu mundo e' o espelho de ti
¿Has notado que cuando te sientes bien contigo mismo las demás personas se tornan agradables? ¿No te parece fascinante el cambio de actitud? El mundo es un reflejo de nosotros mismos. Si nos aborrecemos, también aborreceremos a los demás. Cuando nos encanta ser quienes somos, todo el mundo nos resulta maravilloso. Nuestra propia imagen es la guía que determina exactamente cómo habremos de comportarnos, con quiénes nos relacionaremos, qué cosas intentaremos y qué otras evitaremos; cada uno de nuestros pensamientos y acciones derivan de la imagen que tenemos de nosotros mismos.
Andrew Matthews
Sent by my beautiful friend who has a beautiful soul, Ane Mari Aakernes.
Andrew Matthews
Sent by my beautiful friend who has a beautiful soul, Ane Mari Aakernes.
Wednesday, May 19, 2004
Earthquake in Southern Taiwan
The earth is still shaking as I type this post; they call it after shocks.
Just went trough an earthquake, which the Taiwan Central Weather Bureau rated it as a 6.5 in the Richter scale.
It went on shaking the building for a good 20 to 30 seconds, its epicenter was located in the southeast of Taiwan, off the shore of Taitung city.
This one is the 13th eartquake felt in Taiwan since 01 May 2004, with an intensity greater than 4.0 of the Richter scale.
Just went trough an earthquake, which the Taiwan Central Weather Bureau rated it as a 6.5 in the Richter scale.
It went on shaking the building for a good 20 to 30 seconds, its epicenter was located in the southeast of Taiwan, off the shore of Taitung city.
This one is the 13th eartquake felt in Taiwan since 01 May 2004, with an intensity greater than 4.0 of the Richter scale.
Banyan Tree
Se tivesse que eleger a minha arvore preferida, seria esta enormissima “banyan tree” que mora no campus da "National Cheng Kung University" na cidade de Tainan, antiga capital da Formosa situada ao sul da ilha.
If I had to elect my preferred tree, it would be this enormous banyan tree, which lives at the National Cheng Kung University's campus, located in the city of Tainan, the ancient capital of Taiwan located in the southern Taiwan.
If I had to elect my preferred tree, it would be this enormous banyan tree, which lives at the National Cheng Kung University's campus, located in the city of Tainan, the ancient capital of Taiwan located in the southern Taiwan.
Tuesday, May 18, 2004
Foguetes antes da festa...
Aqui na Formosa, enquanto se contam os votos (ou pelo menos contam que contam), preparam-se grandes festejos para a tomada de posse do candidato que conta ganhar!
A seguranca e’ intensificada, como se se estivesse ‘a espera de alguem protestar a tomada de posse sem se saber os rsultados da recontagem. Afinal a diferenca de votos entre os dois candiadatos foi irrisoria.
Entretanto a maquina da propaganda continua a funcionar, preparando tudo o que pode para poder promover este grande acontecimento “democratico”.
Ora vejamos o cracha’ aqui ao lado, com a fotografia do presidente sobre um fundo ocupado igualmente pela bandeira de Taiwan e pela bandeira do seu partido politico.
Afinal este presidente e’ e como mostra, sera’ o presidente dos que forem militantes do seu partido. E eu a pensar que um presidente nao deveria mostrar preferencias politicas (pelo menos ‘a discarada).
Para completar o arraial, e violar mais o protocolo democratico, a empresa de Tabacos e Alcool, lanca um novo conhaque (ou coisa do genero) com a fotografia do tal presidente e vice presidente e as suas respectivas assinaturas. Isto so’ mesmo onde e’!
Super Typhoon "NIDA" opens 2004 typhoon season in South-East Asia
The 2004 typhoon season is officially here and was launched with a super-typhoon, Nida.
Fortunately, Nida is forecast to divert its route away from Taiwan. After passing through the Luzon strait, it will move north avoiding Taiwan. It will gradually turn towards north-east, avoiding Taiwan and hopefully South-Korea and Japan.
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