Month: September 2016

Ancient Tree Falls in Nantou: 3 Injured

Environment 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

Three people were injured, one seriously, when a 2,800 year-old tree toppled over in a forest recreation area in Nantou County, Sunday, September 11. At around 1:00pm, witnesses heard a large cracking sound as the tree fell into the car park at the Xitou recreation area. A 55 year-old man, a 68 year-old man, and a 49 year-old woman were hit by the tree. The woman’s condition was described as seriously injured but conscious. The tree was a 2,800 year-old

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Typhoon Meranti Threatens Holiday Long Weekend

Typhoon Meranti predicted track according to Central Weather Bureau September 10 2016
Weather 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

The 14th typhoon to form in the north-west Pacific in 2016 is on track to hit Taiwan on the first day of the Mid-autumn Festival long weekend, according to Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau. Forecast charts published Saturday, September 10, predict the tropical storm will pass over Taiwan in the morning hours of Thursday, September 15, which happens to be the first day of a four-day holiday. Typhoon Meranti is currently around 2000km from Taiwan, and moving at a speed of

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Electric Buses Brought into Service in Hualien

Kaison Green Electric Technology Co. (KGET) K9 electric bus in Hualien, Taiwan
Business and Economy 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

Seven electric buses have been put into service in Hualien on the National Dong Hwa University and Taroko Gorge National Park routes. Three more units are expected to be added to the fleet before the end of the year. The buses were put to the test by being driven from the west coast to Hualien. The buses left a factory in Miaoli County, and were driven via the National Highway and the notorious Suhua Highway. The Suhua Highway offers spectacular

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Man Drives off Wharf: Rescued Twice

Stupid Stuff 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment

A man deliberately drove his car into a harbor in Ilan County this afternoon, September 5, but escaped the sinking vehicle through a broken window. At around 3PM, the crew of whale-watching vessel docked at the wharf saw a flash of white, followed by a big splash as a Toyota Yaris flew off the edge of the wharf and into the water in front of the Wushih Harbor Visitors Center. Crew members jumped into the water and rescued the man.

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Transport Ministry Urges Education Department to Add Road Safety to Curriculum

children learn road safety at a school in Taiwan
Traffic Accidents 
Phillip Charlier 1 Comment , ,

Transport Minister Ho Chen-tan (賀陳旦) is urging the Department of Education to dedicate 6 hours per semester to road safety in elementary and high-schools, and 2 course credits at tertiary level. The education minister, however, has said that the curriculum is already full. Education Minister Pan Wen-zhong (潘文忠) said we shouldn’t add to students’ existing study load. The transport minister countered that it is important to inculcate a safety consciousness in people at an early age. He pointed out that

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Taiwan is not Chinese Taipei: Protesters Kicked out of Stadium

Student protesters holding a banner saying Taiwan is Taiwan: Taiwan is not Chinese Taipei outside the Taichung District Prosecutors office September 1, 2016
Protest Sport 
Phillip Charlier 1 Comment ,

Taiwanese students holding banners protesting the use of the name “Chinese Taipei” for the Taiwanese team were kicked out of Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium yesterday, August 31, after a confrontation with an angry spectator and officials. During the confrontation, a banner was torn by an official, leading the protesters to raise a lawsuit against the Chinese Taipei Baseball Association later the same day. The protesters held up banners reading “Taiwan is Taiwan” in Chinese, and “Taiwan is not Chinese Taipei”

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