Taiwan should improve their English level

It is quite often seen a bit everywhere in Taiwan, a poor standard of the English language.
Although great efforts are visible among the young generations, we come across with innumerous careless mistakes, affecting the government (official reports), businesses, etc, etc.
This would not be a problem if Taiwan would only interact with it self, but we are in the 21st century and in a dynamic economy like Taiwan, an interaction with the world is unavoidable.
Another serious example is when the local post offices have street names lists with wrong spellings. When they receive a letter with the right spelling in English and as the majority of the post office employees can't speak English, they rely on their list to verify the correspondent Chinese name. Because their list does not contain the official English spelling, the letter is either returned to the sender as "Non-existing address" or is delivered in a wrong place.
I've been personally affected by this problem several times and had to take a photo of my street's plate name to bring to the post office, for them to understand the actual problem.

Check out an example of shop that has the intention to advertise their product: Instead of writing "Fruit Ice-cream", they write "Special Ice & Fruit Food". This is an example of a direct translation, which sometimes does not make any sense (not to mention the spelling error).


Another example published today in the Taipei Times (the main Taiwanese News Paper in English), they meant Kelly doesn't eat much of that crap:

phto: AP
At 53kg, something tells us Kelly Chen doesn't each much McDonald's.

PS. Nothing to do with the subject of this post, but I do not want to make any publicity to such company so here are the facts published in Taipei Times:

"Hong Kong singer/actress Kelly Chen (陳慧琳) was put in a tight spot last week when reporters began pressing her about her role as a spokeswoman for McDonald's with the documentary Supersize Me, which is set to be released in the city. Chen, who clocks in at 53kg, offered the stock response from the McDonald's camp that the fast food restaurant now offers low-calorie options, like salads, and that it's a great family locale. No one pointed out, though, that with salad dressing added, the salads are just as calorie-rich as a Big Mac."

Have a great Halloween weekend and avoid fast food!

Happy Halloween

You can drink, you can fly, but at diferent times!
Happy Halloween

Democracia Imatura

O comportamento infantil de certos politicos deixa-nos a pensar se serao pessoas com capacidade de nos representar e de certa forma influenciar as nossas vidas.
Aqui na Asia e’ frequente em certas culturas e regimes democraticos, os membros do paralamento acabarem as sessoes ‘a porrada.
E’ do conhecimento publico este tipo de cenas tanto no parlamento de Taiwan como no da Coreia do Sul.
Ontem, aqui em Taiwan discutia-se no parlamento, a compra de armas aos USA. O partido da oposicao, KMT, bloqueou a compra com o voto negativo e afirma que ficou ofendido com a declaracao de Colin Powell (Secretario de Estado Americano) em Pequim: “Taiwan nao e’ uma nacao soberana.”
Apesar de compartilhar os sentimentos do partdo da oposicao, o partido do actual governo, DPP, insiste na compra de armamento aos USA.
Resultado, nao chegaram a um acordo e acabaram a sessao ‘a batatada, ou melhor ‘a arrozada (ja que as armas que utilizaram para se atacarem mutuamenete foi nada mais nada menos que as lancheiras de arroz.
Coisas de democracias imaturas!


photo: Lin Cheng-Kuan, Taipei Times
DPP Legislator Chen Chong-yi yesterday throws a copy of the proposed arms procurement plan at opposition lawmakers as the legislature failed to pass the budget again due to the opposition's boycott.

Pan-blues block arms deal citing Powell's comments
The statute governing the arms deal with the US failed to pass the Procedure Committee yesterday as the pan-blue camp claimed they objected to the statute in response to US Secretary of State Colin Powell's statement that "Taiwan is not a sovereign state," and the meeting ended in confusion as the lawmakers from the two camps threw their lunch boxes and other items at each other to vent their frustration.
The pan-blue camp lawmakers boycotted the statute yesterday, saying that if Powell does not recognize Taiwan as a sovereign state, then Taiwan should refrain from buying weapons from the US.
By Debby Wu – Taipei Times reporter
Wednesday, Oct 27, 2004

Grab life now, it’s not going to last for ever!

Although the English is not quite OK, the message of this sentence is very powerful.
I think they meant something like this:

The excitement in your life depends on how you pursue your dreams!

A felicidade na tua vida depende da forma como tu tentas realizar os teus sonhos!

Veneza em Taipei

At least four die as storm hits Taiwan
LOCAL DEVASTATION: Heavy rains, flooding and severe winds left their mark on the country as Typhoon Nock-Ten brushed trough Taiwan.
At least four people died after Typhoon Nock-Ten pounded northern Taiwan with heavy rains and strong winds yesterday.


photo: Tang Sheng-Yang, Taipei Times
Aisan 3rd Road in Keelung suffers the worst flooding since the devastating Typhoon Nari in 2001. Extensive flooding resulting from Typhoon Nock-Ten leaves the usually bustling street deserted.

Mother natures attacks fiercly this year: so far 10 typhoons and 97 earthquakes in Taiwan!

The amazing power of martial arts

A group of young Shaolin monks perform in Wuhan, China.
photo: AFP

Taiwan Martial Arts Festival
at The Taipei Youth Activity Center (青少年育樂中心 Y17), 17 Renai Rd., Sec. 2, Taipei (北市仁愛路二段17號).
The center is open from 10am to 9pm, except for Oct. 31, when it will close at 6pm.

New technologies in ancient rituals

photo: AP
A devotee of the Shrine of Jui Tui has his tongue pierced with a power drill as he walks in a procession for a vegetarian celebration yesterday in downtown Phuket, Thailand. Ritual vegetarianism in Phuket traces it roots back to the early 1800s. The festival begins on the first evening of the ninth lunar month and lasts for nine days. Participants in the festival perform acts of body piercing as a means of shifting evil spirits from individuals onto themselves, in addition to not eating meat.

The road to home

Green Tea* Pickers return home after a hard workday at the tea plantations on Ali Shan Mountain’s slopes.


* - Green Tea is considered one of the most healthy beverages by the World Health Organization.
Checkout more on green tea here.


“In 2001, the World Health Organization determined that men and women of Japan enjoyed the longest "Healthy Life Expectancy" in the world. Scientists have long associated this longevity with, in part, the Japanese people's regular consumption (often over 10 cups a day) of tea. Researchers at the Saitama Cancer Center Research Institute reported in 2000 that people who drank more than ten cups a day of tea experienced significantly better heart and immune system health than those who drank under three cups a day. Green tea is known to contain the highest concentration of health-promoting antioxidants.”

“Green Tea Increases Energy Expenditure in Weight Loss StudyResearchers found that daily administration of green tea extract was more effective than caffeine in stimulating thermogenesis (generation of heat). Green Tea containing 50mg caffeine and 90mg epigallocatechin galllate (a catechin) taken 3 times daily was shown to increase daily energy expenditure by 4.5% compared with the placebo, according to the study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.”

Viagem ao coracao da Formosa

O mundo e’ duma diversidade incrivel, sendo esta sua caracteristica uma das razoes de haver tanta beleza.
Ha uma semanas atras estava nos Estados Unidos, num mundo bem ‘a maneira do seculo XXI. Este fim de semana, estive no coracao da Formosa, num mundo bem ‘a maneira dos nossos antepassados! A enorme distancia que separa as duas realidades nao se mede em kilometros, mas tempo e talvez em valores humanos!
Fui convidado por uns amigos que conheci em Marco passado, nas montanhas ) Ali Shan , a visitar a sua aldeia, Liga (le-se Lija).

“With an elevation of 2,480 meters above sea level, Mount Ali boasts many attractions, including the narrow-gauged railroad that winds its way to the top, the sunrise and sunset views from the peak over a sea of clouds, and its lush forests and beautiful cherry blossoms.”

Estes amigos fazem parte de uma das 10 tribos de natives de Taiwan, os Tsou:

“The Tsou tribe is located in the area around Mt. Ali in central Taiwan and has about 6,000 members. Due to differences in the translation of its name, this group is sometimes known as the Tsao. The social organization of the Tsou is rigidly patriarchal, and women are clearly subordinate to men within the society. The most important tribal ceremony is the "Victory Rite", which involves the renovation of the tribal meeting hall, as well as an elaborate process of inviting, entertaining and seeing off the holy spirits. Of particular note are the complex song and dance arrangements. The hunting and leather-tanning activities of the Tsou men are strongly reflected in the material culture of the tribe.”

Poderam ler mais sobre esta tribo, consultar estes sites:
Tsou Tribe 1
Tribes of Taiwan
Tsou Tribe 2
Tsou Tribe 3
Architectura Tsou
Tsou Tribe 4
Tsou Tribe 5
Tsou songs
Tsou Clothing


Encravada, numa encosta das montanhas Ali Shan, a aldeia Liga tem cerca de 300 habitantes pertencentes ‘a tribo Tsou. Liga situa-se nas montanhas Ali, provincia de Chiayi, bem no interior e parte central da ilha de Taiwan.


Uma aldeia entre as nuvens, onde a “kuba”, ocupa o espaco central.
The typical Tsou house has rounded corners and a dome-shaped thatched roof which extends almost to the mud floor. The men's meeting huts, or kuba, serve as religious, political, and masculinity training centers. Enemy heads and a box of implements for igniting fires are kept there; women are not allowed in a kuba.


A mercearia com produtos quase todos de nao 1as necessidades, ja que a caca, pesca e agricultura continuam a fornecer o principal sustento da aldeia.


Rostos dos Tsuo – a humildade, hospitalidade e simpatia sao constantes. Os tracos fisicos sao muito comuns em Liga, onde toda a gente e’ parente de toda a gente. Como curiosidade, irmaos sao todos os filhos dos mesmos pais e tambem de todos os tios. Aqui os primos tambem sao irmaos!


Para alem do ar puro das montanhas, respira-se por toda a parte um ar sereno e pacifico. Todos parecem ser amigos de todos e todos se dao bem com todos, independentemente da sua especie.


A preparacao das refeicoes pode ainda ser feita de modos muito tradicionais e envolve tarefas ja esquecidas por muitos, nos tempos de hoje:
Escolher o animal, pedir-lhe desculpa antes de o matar; rachar a lenha para a fogueira, fazer o assado e finalmete a refeicao esta pronta (tempo necessario: cerca de 3 horas).
Em Liga, o tempo corre devagar, nao ha relogios a empurrar o tempo com o tic-tac, nem ha grande coisa para fazer, a vida e’ simples e saboreia-se devarinho sem pressas.

A paisagem e’ por si dramatica mas apenas provoca serenidade:


Apesar de alguma modernizacao ter chegado a esta aldeia isolada por uma vastidao de verde tropical e terrenos acidentados, esta tribo, preserva a maioria das suas tradicoes e o seu modo de vida continua intrisicamente ligado ‘a natureza e ao respeito por ela.


Assim a caca continua a ser uma fonte importante na subsistencia da aldeia. Fui convidado para uma manha de caca, a que para mim se transformou num passeio ao coracao da Formosa.


E’ incrivel ver de perto a vegetacao que cobre estas encostas, uma verdadeira selva tropical:






Um Fim de semana inesquecivel, num sitio que parece parado no tempo e onde o tempo nao corre, com pessoas incriveis que sabem bem de onde vieram e que nao esqueceram ainda o que fazem aqui!

sHaKy LuNcH

While I was having lunch (with no alcoholic drinks), I felt the whole building shaking again, leaving me with a feeling of drunkness - it was the 94th earthquake (magnitude 7 in the Richter's scale) registerd this year in Taiwan as following:

Hopefully it didn't cause any damage.
After shocks are still on at this present moment.

亞力山大最新入會方案

Could you read and understand the title of this post?
If your answer is no, you can imagine how my daily life is here in a small city of southern Taiwan – a place where only Chinese and Taiwanese languages are commonly used and I can’t understand the language nor figure out what the signs say and consequently sometimes, I get into odd situations.

After a short holiday, when I returned back to my local gym , I noticed that they have done some renovations while I was away. The showers have new curtains and now they have bilingual signs in the shampoo and shower gel dispenser. A great improvement considering that there is no other English (or other language except Chinese) signs around.
Although the 2 referred products remain the same, I was astonished to realized that for the past year I’ve been washing my hair with the shower gel and showering with the shampoo. I always assumed with no doubt that between two products: one transparent green and one yellow opaque, the first one had to be the shower gel and the second had to be the shampoo never realizing why my hair wasn’t soft after the showers at the gym!
I have to laugh at these situations, after all it’s my fault that I still can’t master the Chinese language and have silly assumptions.

Living in a place where people don’t speak another language but their own, which you can’t master and where you can’t read 99% of the characters, makes you develop an instinct to get around and grab reality with some kind of 6th sense - except it doesn't work all the time!
And in a way, my localized analphabetism, protects me from any unwanted propaganda and marketing pressures. I never pay attention to the millions of signs that bombard me along the day, for me they are just art!

Formosa Hot Stuff

Photo: Sean Chao, Taipei Times
Models dress up yesterday as the ``hot-spring goddess`` Yang Kueifei -- an imperial concubine in the Tang dynasty -- to promote the 2004 Nantou Hot Spring Festival, which will run from Oct. 15 to Nov. 7. Yang, reputedly one of the four most beautiful women in China's history, was known for her passion for taking hot-spring baths.

Taiwan’s hot springs is on of its natural attractions not to miss! From the mountains to the sea side, you can find spectacular natural hot springs that are said to have healing powers for the body and the soul.

“Hot springs, the hot tears of the earth, are one of the most precious gifts that the earth has given to us. Ever since ancient times, people have recognized the rejuvenating and therapeutic properties of these natural resources. Taiwan is ranked among the world's top 15 hot spring sites harboring a great variety of springs including hot springs, cold springs, mud springs, and seabed hot springs. The island can proudly regard itself as one of the regions with the highest concentration and greatest variety of hot springs in the world.”
See more here: Taiwan Hot Springs

A billion dollars sentence!

Charles Duelfer's, the former deputy executive chairman of the UN weapons inspectors and current head of the CIA's Iraq Survey Group (ISG), delivered to the US Congress his much-anticipated report on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction (WMD) capabilities.

After all, in a vain retroactive attempt to justify his hokum about weapons of mass destruction (WMD), he had 1,200 people working for 15 months -- stretching the scarce supply of Arab linguists -- to produce 918 pages at a cost of about a billion dollars just to find out that:

Saddam would have liked to have had weapons if he could have, but he couldn't, so he didn't.

by Maureen Dowd - NYTimes

Let's see if it sounds as brilliant, in Portuguese:
"Saddam teria gosto de ter tido armas de destruicao macica se pudesse, mas nao podia e por isso nao tinha"

esta brilhante conclusao custou 1 milhao de US dollares!

força do caralho

I could not resist calling this post, a Portuguese slang expression, which can be softly translated into “amazing strength”...hehehe
Who would think about a martial art that trains your body and mind to this extent?
Como diria Fernando Pessa: E esta, hein?


photo: Gavin Phipps – Taipei Times
Tu Rui-lin prepares to lift 105kg with his penis, under the watchful eye of coach Li Rong-chou.

"In late October, 2000, Tu Chin-sheng and his genital-based form of qigong (氣功) known asyin diao gong made international headlines after three of the qigong master's students hauled a flatbed truck weighing 25 tonnes 1m across a Taipei car park using nothing but their penises."

"Diao gong is an important aspect of the qigong we study, but it is not the primary reason we study. Master Tu's qigong is both internal and external.
Externally it improves ones skin complexion and boosts energy levels. Internally it helps strengthen bones and muscles, reduces arterial blockages and cholesterol levels and eases allergies that effect orifices such as the nose and ears."
Shen Shyr-jong 62-year-old student of yin diao gong

To read more about this news or to know how you can enroll in such program, click here.

Window of Hope

I was recently in the USA and was quite happy with the Americans judgment of their own politicians. All over New York City and San Francisco is quite visible that many Americans see and think like many others in the rest of the world.
I hope that these many Americans will be sufficient to make the difference and contribute for a better world, this November 2004!

Window of Hope - San Francisco - Oct.04

10-10, Formosa's National Day

Yesterday was Taiwan’s national day and the president announced to the nation a message of hope for peace: the proposal to reopen talks with main land china.
The president’s new position has moderated his previous views and it has brought hope for a more stable future for the Taiwanese people.


photo by George Tsorng, Taipei Times
Thousands of people celebrate the Republic of China's 93rd National Day yesterday in front of the Presidential Office in Taipei.


photo by Sean Chao, Taipei Times
President Chen Shui-bian waves to the public in front of the Presidential Office after making a speech at the Double Ten National Day Rally yesterday.

"In a highly-anticipated speech yesterday, President Chen Shui-bian suggested both sides of the Strait could use a 1992 meeting in Hong Kong as the basis to return to the negotiation table for a new round of cross-strait talks.
Stating that the governments and people on both sides of the Strait hold different views on many issues, some of which is due to a lack of communication, Chen said he is willing to take the initiative."


photo by Sean Chao, Taipei Times
Armed forces members march in precise formations.
"While extending goodwill toward Beijing, Chen, however, also stressed the necessity for the nation to maintain a self-defense capacity, pointing to the increasing number of missiles China is aiming at Taiwan.
According to Chen, there are at the present more than 600 ballistic missiles targeting Taiwan with the number to grow by 50 to 75 missiles each year.
"The `shadows of terror' and `forces of darkness' not only directly threaten the peaceful status quo across the Taiwan Strait but also undermine regional stability and global security," Chen said."


photo by Chiang Ying-Ying, Taipei Times
The other ethnic side of Chinese Taiwan:
Students from Pingtung County's Neipu Agriculture Vocational School perform a Puyuma Aboriginal dance in sensible athletics shoes.

"Stating that it is indisputable that the Republic of China is Taiwan and Taiwan is the Republic of China, and that the sovereignty of the Republic of China is vested with the 23 million people of Taiwan, Chen yesterday also spoke of Taiwan's unfair treatment in the international arena and Taiwan's exclusion from the UN."

For my Portuguese friends, the newspaper “O Publico” published yesterday a very comprehensive article (kindly sent to me by Luis Mendes) illustrating the recent past and current political Formosa’s situation.
Check it out here.

Foodism in Montreal

When I first looked at this wall in a Montreal’s old building, as a Portuguese I was guessing what FOODISM could have meant in Portuguese. At that time, it did sound like something related to exaggerating f***… It was just my imagination stimulated perhaps by this electrical attractive colour of the wall.
Back home, I did some research and actually found out that foodism is in fact:

Raw foodism is, after all, an ism. It's a belief system based on the idea that people should eat like our prehistoric ancestors (or other animals), with assumptions made about how our prehistoric ancestors actually ate, how healthy they were, how long they lived, and how relevant other animals' diets are to our own.

Oh well, its not what my mind was thinking but it is also very Montreal.
A bit to serious for me but I still like the wall color and here it is, another shot of what Montreal has to offer you!




And now if you excuse me, I need a break and will go to Uncle Sam’s territory to catch up with some sun of what is left from the north hemisphere warm days.
I will be back on October 7th.

A dog's day in Singapore

...and one more thing: no swearing!

A Town House in Montreal

Aproveitando a viagem a Montreal e a proposito de um post publicado pelo Mimalho em Abril 2004, mostrando um modelo 3D de uma casa, concebida pelo arquitecto MESSANA O´RORKE, o modelo da casa fez-me pensar numa casa que conheco em Montreal e prometi ao Mimalho que lha mostrava.
Pois bem aqui esta’:

Modelo:


Casa existente em Montreal:


havera’ coincidencias?

Montreal – A life celebration experience

The architecture, the language and the art scene makes Montreal a true mix of Paris and New York. This city gives you a feeling of the old Europe and the modern America all in one.
French and English are the official languages but you can listen to almost every language in this cosmopolitan metropolis. There were times when there was tensions between the languages, times where French speakers were powerless and had no say, times were English speakers were not allowed to express them selves in their language, times of division.
Today Montreal is perhaps the best example of Canada, a true bilingual city were both languages often get merged “ ‘a la’ Montrealais ”!
Montreal is an island in the middle of Saint Lawrence river. The heart of Montreal is the Mount Royal - the equivalent of Central Park in New York - where every Sunday during the summer, you can experience a replica of Woodstock festival, locally designated by the Tam-Tam’s. The Tam-Tam’s is a weekly celebration of music, life, color, art, peace and unity among the diverse cultures that live in this city. People gather to voluntarily play music and dance providing an amazing show where everybody can participate.
Montrealers celebrate life at its full extent; they are generally easygoing people a great concern for respect of human kind and its diversity and for the world environment protection. I like to call them green socialists.
Montrealers stimulate and promote individuality and harmony among the generated diversity It is perhaps the best example of a society where individuals are respected for whatever they are, regardless they ethnic background, education level, personal style, sexual orientation, religious believes, etc…
The fashion and trends in Montreal, are up to each one’s style, so sitting at a terrace sipping your beer or coffee and people watching can be a very pleasant experience
Montreal is also a city of festivals: The Jazz Festival, Just For Laugh, Cinema Festivals, Clubbing Festivals, Diversity Festival, etc, etc…
There is only one thing that I don’t like about Montreal, it’s the long and freezing winters. But then again, this winter plays an important role in Montrealers life style. It’s the time of the year where people tend to stay more at home, updating them selves and catching up with friends, recharging energies before the next eclectic summer!
Montreal is where I grew up, a unique city in North America, full of beautiful people that grab life to its limits and respecting others.
Bienvenue a Montreal / Welcome to Montreal!


Down Town Montreal seen from the top of Mount Royal, by night - July 04


Montreal's Relaxed Old Europe Feeling - July 04


Montreal's Old Architecture - July 04


Montreal's Modern Architecture - July 04


Montreal 25the Jazz Festival - July 04