When a computer crushes, it could be a blessing

My computer that I brought from the U.S. crushed yesterday. It was initially a devastating event; it means I could not do any work at my residence last night. I just cannot imagine what would the impact be for one evening of no computer and no work.

Last night on December 30, was actually a mandatory no-computer-work-night for me. Instead, I cooked and I played recorder. I used to play recorder quite often in the U.S. I even brought the recorder with me to Taiwan. Probably because of the work load and lack of motivation, I cannot imagine how long I have not practiced recorder for the last six months. Now, because my computer crushed, it looks like an excellent opportunity for me to pick up the recorder and to practice the recorder again.

It was such a joy. When a computer crushes, it actually can be a blessing.

Taiwan Fukuta's vertical wind-powered generator

Fukuta sounds like Japanese; but it is actually a Taiwanese company. The company was established in 1988 starting with the motor specialty. This year, Fukuta introduces vertical-type wind-powered electricity generator. It is looking very good for this new model to compete in the world for wind-powered electric generator market. It is another Taiwanese pride.

Most of the wind-powered electric generator I saw in the past is the horizontal-type. It needs to be installed very tall and have to head in certain direction to catch the wind. The Taiwanese-made vertical-type generator, on the other hand, doesn't have to be installed tall and can catch wind in any direction.

I was very lucky to have the first chance to see its display during her 20 year anniversary celebration. My nephew took me there on Dec. 27. It was a memorable display.

Photo shows the vertical-style wind-powered electric generator by Fukuta.

Incidence at National Chung-Kung University

Another consistent, and shameful incidence for Ma's administration officials: At an international meeting at the National Chung-Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, the national flags of Taiwan were removed (by Ma's officials) for any meeting when Chinese audience was present. My student wrote an essay about this incidence and I add comments at the end of the essay.

Student's essay:

When the ROC flag, the national flag of Taiwan government was removed in National Cheng Kung University during a student forum, it sparks controversies not only in NCKU but also everywhere in Taiwan.

The KMT legislator, John Chiang, was scheduled to deliver a speech entitled “Humans Rights and Diplomacy” in the opening of the forum. Before his speech, the NCKU Student Association surprisingly decided to remove the ROC flags, the national flag of the Taiwan government in the auditorium. The meeting was participated by both Taiwanese students and Chinese students from Tianjin University.

An anonymous video clip posted on “YouTube” shows what was happening after the removal of flags. While a NCKU student was protesting and saying “NCKU should have guts to tell the students from Tianjin University that Taiwan has her own flags”, the moderator of the forum was denying the existence of the flags and asking the protesters to respect the rights of other attendees.

The removal of ROC flags in Taiwan leads to a lot of criticism in and out of the campus. In response of criticism, the chief of Department of International Affairs explained that it is a general rule not to display any national flag in the international student forum.

Dr. Chen's comments:

After I live in Taiwan for almost 1/2 year, the most painful experience I have with Taiwan is the lack of dignity of Taiwanese government officials, and the indifference of Taiwanese populace toward these undignified conducts regarding our national pride. Taiwanese should be aware of the fact that those people who do not show self-respect themselves will not receive international sympathy and support.

We all need hugs.

This week is a Christmas week. Although Taiwan does not celebrate the Christmas holiday, I asked students to share a story of 'love, kindness, and compassion' at this week's English coffee social hour.

I shared the following story with my students.

Larry is my tennis buddy in Wisconsin. We have been playing tennis together for Monday morning tennis drill for several years. This is the drill on Monday morning, 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM and it takes great determination to get up in the very early cold and dark morning in the winter days of Wisconsin. Larry also organized Saturday's men's double league on Saturday morning. I also play in that league for many years.

Larry is in the 40's. A physician himself, he eats right and exercise everyday. He is cheerful and no one expects something bad would happen to him when one day he had a routine physical examination and asked his doctor to check on one of the strange spots on his skin.

Larry's fate suddenly changed when the doctor told him that the strange spot on his skin was actually a malignant form of skin cancer. A follow-up check revealed even a worse news: the cancer has metastasized to his lymph system. Without treatment, he is expected to live for another 6 months. and there are no effective treatments available guaranteed to cure his illness.

When Larry told us this bad news, all of us except one, Robert, were shocked but did not know what to do to comfort his fear and pain. Robert, a surgeon himself, came to Larry saying nothing but hug Larry. Larry was in tears, saying that was what he really needed at the moment.

We all need each other. We have our tender moments. At those moment, we all need a good hug to comfort our fear and pain.

Taiwanese economic distress

My student had submitted the following essay to describe recent economic distress in Taiwan. I also added comments at the end of her essay.



Student's essay:



The economic recession this year has caused serious impacts on many lives all over the world. Although some of the recession messages are heard from the newspaper and from the television reports, I still can’t clearly appreciate how much impacts would this economic problems be on the first-line workers. Last weekend, I met my high school classmates in Hsing-chu. Although they have already worked 5-6 years for employers at Hsinchu science park ,they are all terrified with the possibility of losing jobs in the face of the economic recession. One of them is working for Twiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (TSMC). In the past three months, her basic working time was adjusted from fifteen days to ten days a month. Another person is now working for the subsidiary company of United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC). Because the company intends to cut expense, the subsidiary company of UMC is to be closed down, and the workers in that subsidiary will be let-go. I am hoping the economic situation will geared towards steady growth and more jobs will be created in 2009.



Dr. Chen's comment:



The official report of the unemployment rate in Taiwan is 4.64% , or there are more than 500,000 Taiwanese are now unemployed. In reality, the economic distress is worse than the reported figures. As mentioned by this student's essay, there are many Taiwanese are taking the so-called 'no pay leave', and their monthly pays are substantially cut. The number of those Taiwanese taking 'no-pay-leave' is at least twice as much as those reported unemployed. If we take these people into account, then the unemployed and under-employed figure is about 1,500,000 which is about 12%.

Taiwanese economy is indeed at great distress.

Photo shows Taiwanese demonstrated against legalization of casino legislature.

Chinese Panda Consipracy

Chinese government gave two pandas to the Taipei zoo as a 'present'. My student had submitted an English essay about the story. I edited her English then added my comments at the end of her essay.

Student's Essay:

Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan, two pandas given by the Chinese government as present to Taiwan (promised in 2005) arrived Mu-Zha zoo on Dec 22, 2008. The Giant Panda, literally "cat-foot black-and-white") is a bear native to central-western and southwestern China. The Giant Panda is an endangered species and the lives of pandas are highly threatened. Loans of Giant Pandas to the American and Japanese zoos were important parts of Chinese diplomacy in the past, as it signified the first cultural exchanges between China and the West. Such a diplomacy has been called the "Panda Diplomacy". The pandas' names, Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan, when put together, mean "reunion" in Chinese, and the move is seen as a thawing in relations between Taiwan and China. The scientific name of panda in Chinese sometimes confused people. President Ma point out panda should call 貓熊 but not 熊貓, because it is a bear not a feline. The confusing name in Chinese is because of the way the Chinese language was read. It was read from left to right but now it is read from right to left.

Dr. Chen’s comments

While the ‘Panda Diplomacy’ between China and the U.S. and between China and Japan was a welcoming sign for the U.S. and Japan to improve their relationships to China, the ‘panda present’ has put Taiwanese of conscious into shame. The present was not presented as ‘nation-to-nation’ gift but as an “internal exchange” between two Chinese 'provinces'. Additionally, during the trip of these two pandas from the Taipei airport to the Taipei zoo, all the national flags of Taiwan government along the way were ‘mysteriously’ removed. Taiwan government officials agree to Chinese technicians working for panda transportation not to see any national flags that represent Taiwan as a sovereign country. What a shameful exchange this is for the Taiwanese to 'accept' this 'present' from China.

If we can remember how the Dutch bought the Manhattan Island (in New York City) from the American Indians with only 25 Dutch dollars in the 16th century, you can appreciate how good the deal is for the Chinese. Shamefully, some Taiwanese are working on behalf of the Chinese government to complete the deal.

Season Greeting from Dr. Chen in Taiwan

I sent the following message to my family members in the US. It think it is appropriate to share this greeting message to all of my friends.

Franklin Chen is here. My sincere greeting to you all from Taiwan. I hope you have a great Christmas.

After several months in Taiwan, I finally found a Presbyterian church that I no longer feel I am an outsider of the church. The church is located at Wu-Fong; it is about 30 minutes of bus ride from my place. I met a couple who were our family friends 30 years back in New Jersey. So it is like a home church. I will be joining their choir and senior group bible studies.

As about every Tuesday noon English conversation coffee hour, most of you probably do not know about except Meeilei (my wife) whom I have Skype conversation with her everyday. This special coffee-hour is the time I buy coffee and refreshment for students to join in practicing English conversation. Each week we have a special discussion topic. For example, the day when Obama was elected, we discussed about American civil right movement. This last Tuesday (Dec 8), we discussed the movie ' Kite Runner'. Before the discussions of the movie, I even bought movie tickets for students to watch the movie free. The English-conversation sessions turn out to be my great 'dream' service to the Taiwanese youth.

Taiwanese semester is 18-weeks long (The semester in the US is 15 weeks). This is Week 14. The final exam is coming up very quickly. So, I am very busy in writing the final examination, grading papers and preparing for my wife to visit me in January.

Photo shows two of my 'coffee-hour' students eating 'dumpling' at a side-walk eatery after the movie.

Which food category is the next to be avoided in Taiwan?

Before the so-called 'direct-link' between Taiwan and China, Taiwanese had been the victims of numerous melamine-tainted milk products. It is just the 4th day after the announcement of the 'direct-link', a chicken farm at Kaoshiung had been tested positive for the virus H5N2, a bird flue virus imported from China. The Japanese has announced to ban all Taiwanese poultry products. To Taiwanese, it not only means a big loss of export revenue but the health of Taiwanese citizens at the stake.

President Ma Ying-Jiou and his government is doing a 'good' job to sell Taiwan to China quick. It is very sad.

Photo shows a Chinese tourist in Taiwan goes through an inspection at a Taiwanese airport.

Good Friends have visited me on December 4.

Last Wednesday and Thursday (December 3, 4, 2008) were exciting. Our family friends for more than 30 years in New Jersey have visited me and staying at my residence for two nights. It was a wonderful experience.

Top photo shows Mo-Jau Tsai and his wife, Cindy. Both of them came to our wedding 34 years ago in New Jersey. I also worked with Mo-Jau for a self-published Taiwanese Monthly magazine, Ilha Formosa, for several years during the 90's. Bottom Photo shows me (Frank)Cindy Tsai , A-Shui Huang , and Huang Jin-Teh who is a faculty at Jau-Yang University at Wu-Feng, Taichung.