What is special at Green-World Ecological Farm, Pei-Pu (北埔)?

This special ecological farm is a mini-scale Bronx zoo (and much smaller scale) in the United States. It is located at Pei-Pu (北埔) village of Hsing-Ju county. You can see butterfly, exotic birds, pythons, lizards; but you cannot find polar bears, or Siberia tigers at this ecological farm. Despite that, the Green-World ecological farm offers special on-site audio tour guides, and an old Haaka's building that serves delicious Haaka's menu. Approximately 1-2 miles from the farm, there is an old street of Pei-Pu, where you can shop nuts, almond, gingers, and many Pei-Pu's specialties. I had a good time both at the farm and at the old street.

Photo on the top shows NCHU Chemical Engineering faculty and family pictures; the bottom photo shows Prof. Dai and I posed for the picture in the farm.

Do not miss this special Taiwanese treat, the dragon fruit, (火龍果) when you visit Taiwan next time.

Do you know about 'red dragon fruit' (火龍果) ? I did not; but I do know now. Actually, I had tasted the fruit; and I really like this special tropical treat in Taiwan. I have not seen this kind of fruit in the United States.

The dragon fruit actually looks like a small dragon. If you cut the fruit in half, it shows bloody red color inside the fruit. Initially, I did not have a nerve to put the fruit inside my mouth. After many Taiwanese friends' nudging, I finally given in and tried the fruit. It actually tastes really good.

The dragon fruit, in fact, has its biology and English names. The English name of the dragon fruit is 'red pitaya'; its biology name is hylocereus undatus. It is a species of cactaceae; the fruit contains various kinds of vitamin, proteins, and betacyanin, an antioxidant.

So, if you visit Taiwan next time, don't miss the Taiwanese special treat, the dragon fruit 火龍果.

Photo shows the dragon fruits on the shelf.

How much debt does Taiwanese owe?

Taiwan government is discussing distributing 'voucher' of NT $3,600 for citizens and foreigners residing in Taiwan. While this looks like a 'red envelop' for ordinary citizen, this voucher will add additional burden for national debt. How much debt does Taiwan owe? Taipeitimes reports on November 29 (2008) that Taiwan's national debt is NT $13.8 trillion; each Taiwanese will shoulder NT $600,000.

So, this voucher of NT $3,600 is actually not a good deal for Taiwanese at all. Photo shows protester wore purple shirts protesting government's financial mismanagement.

Would Taiwanese youth take the torch for democratic movement?

Taiwanese youth has long been regarded as political indifferent; they are mostly busy with school's work and other social events. In fact, the majority of the youth voted for Ma in the presidential election.

If they think they can do well with political indifference, they have to think again. With the policy change to move closer to China, it implies they would have tougher time to get into the job market. Their parents are living on the edge and are afraid of being laid off from the work force. With the proposed treaty with PRC, Taiwanese agriculture could collapse in few years. The youth will take the direct impacts for these changes.

Fortunately, some students had already waken up; a so-called 'wild-berry-movement' started 17 days ago is still continuing-on with 'student-sit-in' to protest police brutality against the people during Chen Yun-Lin's visit.

The photo shows part of the 'Wild-Berry-Movement' in Kaoshung.

Would the voucher work in Taiwan?

Taiwan is experiencing a difficult economic time since Ma took the presidential on May 20, 2008. The third-quarter growth rate was -1.02%, the lowest in last seven years.

To stimulate the economy, Ma's administration is proposing to issue vouchers to every Taiwan citizen of NT $3,600. This voucher will cost Taiwan NT $82.9 billion, or equivalently US$ 2.8 billion. To pay for the voucher, the Taiwan government will take a loan. Using a 3% interest of the loan for calculation. This loan alone will cost Taiwanese taxpayer NT $2.5 billion annually just to pay for the interest.

Would this voucher work for Taiwan? Japan did exactly like that nine years ago. It did not work. Japanese used the voucher for spending, but real cash for saving. In US, we had tax rebate few months ago. The US economy is still in bad shape.

The photo shows an investor watches nervously over the screen in the Taiwan stock market; the market had been spiraling downward since Ma took the office in May. The photo was taken from Liberty-Times.

The love stories of '1895' touch our hearts

A week ago (November 15), I went to see the movie '1895' with 8 other NCHU students. This is one of the successful Taiwanese movies based on heroic Haaka's stories in 1895. The year 1895 was a memorable year for Taiwanese; the year when the Chinese and the Japanese made agreement to allow Japan to colonize Taiwan without the consent of Taiwanese. This is also the year when the first republic in Asia, The Democratic Republic of Taiwan, was declared. Unfortunately, the Republic scrambled at the end, and most of the Republic officers including the President, Tang Jin-Sun 唐景崧, and the General, Liu Ming-Tsang 刘銘傳, who had China connections, deserted Taiwan and fled to China. This left Taiwanese no other choices but to defend their country by themselves. This is a story about Haaka's men who fought for their country; this is also a story about Haaka's women who loved their men. A really touching movie !!

The top photo shows the 'after-movie-party' of several NCHU students and their professor, Dr. Chen. The bottom photo shows one of the movie's poster, a heroic woman who loved her man in the movie, 1895.

Jailed political leader at the edge of collapse

Four days ago, I reported about that Ms. Su Jeu-Fun ( 蘇治芬), the county chief of Yunin County (雲林縣), was jailed by current KMT government on November 5, 2008. She staged hunger-strike on day-one in her jail cell. On the day I am reporting, her hunger-strike had exceeded 110 hours and was at the edge of collapse and death and was rushed into a local hospital for emergency care.

Photo shows supporters sit on vigil with candle lights arranged in characters, 平安 , meaning 'PEACE'.

Political Persucution in Taiwan just started.

Taiwanese who thought the 'White Terror' time was over and the day of political persecution would never come back to Taiwan again has to think again now. One of the greatly respected political leaders at Yunin County (雲林縣), Ms. Su Jeu-Fun ( 蘇治芬), was put into jail on November 5, 2008.

About a month ago, I had reported that Yunin County is one of the poorest counties in Taiwan after 50 years of mis-management by KMT. Finally, Ms. Su Jeu-Fun ( 蘇治芬), a DPP politician was elected to the position of the county chief in 2006. In the last two years, citizens begin to enjoy some impacts of the reforms she had initiate such as setting up an infrastructure for Yunlin agricultral product sales. Yunlin County citizens were shocked yesterday to lean about their respected political leader is now in jail.

The Taiwan government (ruled by KMT) accuses her money laundering. The government allowed her to be bailed out with NT $6 million; Ms. Su. Refused. "I am innocent." she said.

Top photo shows that Ms. Su was hand-cuffed and was escorted into jail. The lower photo shows the cover she published explaining the policy of Yunlin County under her administration.

Obama won. It means a lot.

While Taiwanese are struggled not to be betrayed by their own government, American democracy and civil right movement is moving one giant step forward. Obama, an African American, won the 44th American Presidency. It means a lot to me and to many Taiwanese friends here. The success story of African American struggling for social justice is an inspiration .

Since Ma was elected to the presidential office in May, Taiwan democracy has move 10 years backward. Political opponent leaders jailed in the name of anti-corruption (More stories will be reported later.) During Chen Yulin's (a PRC representative) visit, Ma mobilize 7000 police to suppress Taiwanese demonstration. One music store was even ordered to close its door simply because the store had played a Taiwanese song during the demonstration. One has to ask if the white terror during the Chiang Kai-Sheik era is coming back to Taiwan. The irony is that during Chiang Kai-Sheik era, Taiwanese was ordered to fight communism . But now, while the communist flags are legal to display, displaying ROC flag becomes illegal during Chen Yunlin's visit. I have to conclude one thing in common: Chiang, Ma, KMT, and Communist China are part of Chinese colonialism conspiracy against the Taiwanese. Their main objective is colonize Taiwan and Taiwanese for ever and ever.

Would 2008 be another 1895 for Taiwanese History?

Another successful Taiwanese movie, 1895, is showing at major cinema in Taiwan. The movie, 1895, shows how Taiwanese, betrayed by the Ching-Dynasty, fought to defend their lands against the superior Japanese imperial army.

The situation in Taiwan today bears similarity to those days in 1895. The day, November 3, 2008 when a Chinese (PRC) representative visited Taiwan. During the visit, Taiwan authority forbids citizens to display any ROC national flags (blue sky, while sun, and red ground), while it is completely legal to display PRC flags ( 5-yellow stars with red background.). Taiwanese is wondering which country Ma's government is serving? Would Taiwanese be betrayed by Ma's government? Would 2008 be another 1895?

The lower photo shows Professor Tsai Ting-Kwei stages hunger strike to protest Ma's government. The upper photo shows part of the 600,000 Taiwanese march on October 25 warning Ma not to sell out Taiwan.