Reflections on 2008

Just a little note that i said i would write at the end of 2008 this time last year. Let's just say this time last year was not the best time in my life and i saw the need for some drastic changes. I hoped 2008 would be the year of change and it most certainly was. To be honest the first half of the year was not much fun and i didn't take to the change that i wanted so much that well at all. In fact, i thought the decisions i made may have been completely the wrong ones. The second half of the year has been great and makes the decision i made this time last year seem so worth it. I end 2008 on a happy note, indeed, the happiest i think i have ever been. I like where i live, i have a job i like most of the time, and, most importantly of all, the best guy ever who has done more than anything else to make me so happy!

I end 2008 on a completely different note to that of 2007. I approach 2009 apprehensively as change will be forced upon me without me wanting it this time. However, i feel in a far better position than i was this time last year. I believe everything will work out just fine for 2009. If it is anything like the last half of the year then it should be a great year!!

Christmas and ChaiYi

Christmas was actually better than I expected it to be. As usual I had to work and it was a long day but I got up early on Thursday morning to give George his presents from Santa J then it was off to work. The day was spent trying to invent ways of getting out of actually teaching and doing anything besides. I found a wonderful craft activity whereby you make a reindeer out of your foot and hands. Not only was this time consuming but the kids loved it, fun all round!

In the evening George and I went to TGI’s for their special Christmas dinner. Despite a confusion among the staff which led to an unnecessary hold up, the dinner was great and of course the company was great too! We had salad, Chicken and shrimp, calamari, steak, chocolate brownie and cocktails. After that we headed home and I got my Christmas presents from George!

On Friday we went to Noah’s Christmas party at his house after work. To be honest I was feeling exhausted and drinking and resting for a while on top of that didn’t really help matters either. Therefore we only stayed for a couple of hours but was good to see the guys there and I had fun

On the weekend George and I went down to ChiaYi to visit his grandparents and mum. It was actually quite nice to get away from Taipei for a bit. Sometimes big cities can get a bit overbearing at times and it was a perfect retreat to get away from everything. His grandparents were very welcoming and his grandma cooked an insane amount of food for us, so sweet. I came back on Sunday evening while George stayed in Chaiyi to see his mum.

A nice few days, no its time to look forward to New Years!

Taiwan's Christmas Present From China

Two giant pandas have arrived in Taiwan from China, a gift from Beijing to a self-governing island it considers part of Chinese territory. Together their names (Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan) mean reunion, underscoring hopes that their arrival in Taiwan will spur unity between the two sides. But the gesture is not welcomed by everyone in Taiwan. The pandas were first offered three years ago, but were rejected by the president at the time. The security around the pandas reflects the sensitivity of the issu. That decision was reversed after Taiwan's nationalists - the Kuomintang - won the presidency in May. Since then, diplomatic and economic links have improved. Last week daily passenger flights, new shipping routes and postal links between the two sides were established for the first time in six decades.

Hundreds of security guards and armed police were on watch at Shuangliu airport in Chengdu, Sichuan province, ahead of Tuesday's operation to move the pandas, reports the BBC's Chris Hogg in Beijing. Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan means a union, which perfectly matches Beijing's goal of bringing Taiwan into its fold.

A 20-strong team of animal experts had been in the region for 10 days to prepare for the bears' relocation - and they took special steamed corn buns, fresh bamboo and even motion sickness pills for the pandas for their trip. On arrival, they will be quarantined for a month before being taken to their new glass and rock enclosure in Taipei zoo, where they are expected to attract about 30,000 visitors a day.

The pandas were given steamed buns and fresh bamboo for their journey
The island's President Ma Ying-jeou recently called again on the mainland to withdraw hundreds of missiles that are pointing at Taiwan. For many Taiwanese the pandas are a nice gesture, but one that fails to address their main concern - the military threat from their more powerful neighbour. Taiwan's pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party criticised the panda deal.
"Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan means a union, which perfectly matches Beijing's goal of bringing Taiwan into its fold," it said. China and Taiwan have been ruled separately since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949, but China claims sovereignty over Taiwan.

Top Movies of 2008

And now for my films of 2008. This is more of a challenge for me as I don’t feel I can speak with as much authority when it comes to movies as music. However here’s my first try, think I have played it fairly safe but here goes…

1. Frost Nixon

A gripping and stunning performance from both Michael Sheen and Frank Langella. Intriguing to see David Frost in his youth as a player! Who would have guessed? Nixon as the fallen president trying to justify his abuse of power and a young ambitious journalist with the opportunity of a lifetime. Both had something to prove and the movie sheds light on both individuals. Truly awesome

2. Milk

Because of guys like this and the rights they fought for during the twentieth century I am able to live, for the most part, the free and open life that I live. So, if for that reason alone it deserves a place in the top films of the year. Yet, Sean Penn’s performance as Harvey Milk is nothing short of stunning. A must see!

3. Blindness

A city is ravaged by an epidemic of instant white blindness and those effected are instantly quarantined in a mental hospital. Order breaks down and chaos assures. The dark side of human nature soon shows itself. There are no names of characters, the city, in fact the country, isn’t even named. This movie will probably go down as one of my favorite of all times and not just of 2008 in years to come.

4. Happy go lucky

The movie follows Poppy, that one friend you have who no matter life throws at them they are always cheerful and optimistic to levels that just appear alarming at times. I’m sure people like this are cheery at funerals too! A great British movie notwithstanding Sally Hawkins’ blinder of a performance here. Great dialogue, great drama and the odd interjection of humor along the way.

5. Grand Torino

If Clint Eastwood never ventured into directing I would have rated him as a one-trick-pony actor forever associated with westerns. His Movies seem nothing short of stunning, every one of them! This is no exception. Clint plays a disgruntled, racist old man who see’s everything bad with the world yet takes it upon himself o reform the his young neighbor and save him from the life of inevitable crime he seems destine to end up in. You actually feel there is hope of changing any racist bigot after seeing this. Emotional to the very end.

6. The Dark knight

Ledger’s performance is worthy tribute to his legacy and turns the light hearted joker into a psychopathic sadist who loves anarchy. Nolan and Eckhart both pull of Batman and Harvey Dent in convincing performances respectively.

7. Ironman

Robert Downey Jr is amazing in this role and its pure fun from begging to end. Surely the start of a new franchise here and this is coming from someone who doesn’t even really like action hero movies!

8.Wall E

I wasn’t expecting much from this movie but I certainly got it. Hints of totalitarianism, nods to 2001 a Space Odyssey, environmentalism, romance, technological overuse, humor. This movie has it all.

9.Slumdog Millionaire

An impoverished Indian teen enters Who Wants To Be A Millionaire but with a rather different motive than anyone else who has entered before. He doesn’t have the prize money on his mind but the love for his friend Latika. Unwittingly he appears to be able to do rather well on the show not due to any high intellect just purely by the experiences he has faced throughout his young yet eventful life. A great idea for a story and well told.

10.Australia

It’s like one of the old traditional movies made in a by gone era It has all the elements here; romance, sadness, drama, comedic moments and pretty decent acting to go along with it. I believe this movie will get more credit in years to come.

Best Albums of 2008

It's also that time of year again, the time when everyone seems to be producing their 'Best of everything-but-the-kitchen-sink' lists. So to join in with the fanfare, here is the list of my favorite albums from this year. Admittedly, there are tons of albums i still have laying idle on my computer just waiting to be heard and some of them could make the list if only i had the time to listen to them all. Anyway this is the best i can come up with for now.

1. Goldfrapp 'Seventh Tree'
2. Kings of Leon 'Only by the Night'
3. Coldplay 'Viva la Vida'
4. Duffy and Adele 'Rockferry and 19'
5. MGMT 'Oracular Spectacular'
6. Neil Diamond 'Home Before Dark'
7. Keane 'Perfect Symmetry'
8. Last Shadow Puppets/The Raconteurs 'Age of Understatement' and 'Consolers of the Lonely'
9. The Flight of the Conchords 'Flight of the Conchords'
10. Monkey 'Journey to the West'

Top Christmas Songs

It's that time of year again, Christmas is almost upon us and in a strained attempt to try and get even slightly in the mood for Christmas the obligatory novelty Christmas songs have come out. Most are a complete waste of time but there are some gems that have appeared over the years. Here are my top five:

1) December Will Be Magic Again (Kate Bush)
2) Peace on Earth / Little Drummer Boy (Bing Crosby and David Bowie)
3) Driving Home For Christmas (Chris Rea)
4) Fairytale of New York (The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl)
5) Santa Claus is Coming to Town (Diana Ross and the Supremes)

Taichung

Last weekend saw another visit to Taichung. George decided to work at the Film Festival Award Ceremony which was taking place in Taichung so i though i would go along to catch up with friends. Unfortunately George was unable to join the party as he had to work until late but it was good to see everyone again, including Ruby who is back visiting from Finland and Daisy as it was her birthday. Not to mention Phillipe who i havent seen all year! Of course, it was good to see everyone else too. We started of in Londoner which was pleasant enough and then headed to the place of bebauchery, otherwise known as Freedom. Here are some very poor quality pictures from the evening, the rest can be found in the photo album. Sunday saw an obligatory visit to Fingas before heading home.

Chen Shui-Bian Indicted

Prosecutors in Taiwan have formally indicted ex-President Chen Shui-bian and his wife on corruption charges. The charges include forgery and money laundering, a spokesman for the prosecutors said. The 57-year-old former leader has been held in a Taipei jail since 12 November, pending the results of the prosecutors' probe into his affairs. Mr Chen has denied any wrongdoing, saying he is being persecuted by his successors for his anti-China stance.
He has been a vocal and persistent critic of the new government's China policies since he left office in May, at the end of eight years in the presidency. His accusations have been denied by both the Chinese government and Taiwan's current President Ma Ying-jeou, of the Nationalist Kuomingtang party (KMT).

Mr Chen, his wife, and 12 others were indicted on charges of corruption, money laundering, embezzlement and document forgery charges, a spokesman for the prosecutors' office said.
The couple stand accused of embezzling millions of dollars in public funds and accepting a huge bribe in a land purchase deal.

Mr Chen was arrested in November, six months after stepping down"We are seeking the severest punishment for Chen since the former president had breached his oath and showed no remorse during the investigation," a prosecution spokesman told reporters.
Legal experts say the former leader could face life in prison if convicted of all the charges against him. Mr Chen has maintained his innocence throughout the investigation, insisting his political opponents are mounting a "witch-hunt" against him, and accusing the new administration of making him "a sacrifice to appease China". He is an ardent supporter of Taiwanese independence, and a trenchant critic of President Ma's stance of expanding ties with Beijing.

Damaged reputation?
Mr Chen and his family have been mired in corruption allegations since July 2006, when his son-in-law was charged with insider trading on the stock market and then jailed for seven years.
The following November, his wife faced charges of corruption and forgery. Presidential immunity prevented prosecutors from charging Mr Chen when he was in office, but now they are free to take action. Observers say the charges have damaged the reputation of the main opposition Democratic Progressive Party.

Taiwan to shop through the blues

The government has prescribed some retail therapy for the economy. Shoppers in Taiwan will be handed more than $100 (£67) in redeemable vouchers in a government bid to beat the global credit crisis. They will be valid in shops, restaurants and supermarkets in 2009. Prime Minister Liu Chao-shiuan said the handout of T$3,600 to each of Taiwan's 23m people would happen in January. "The worldwide economy will probably be in a downturn for a while, so the coupons are necessary to support us during that time," Mr Liu said. "The programme is aimed at boosting the economy... and is expected to contribute to a 0.64% increase in 2009 GDP," he told a news conference in Taipei. People who donate their coupons will be able to file for tax deductions.

The scheme, proposed by the island's top economics planning body, the Council for Economic Planning and Development, is based on a similar initiative launched by Japan in 1999. Taiwan's economy continued to show signs of slowing in September and in October, exports fell 8.3% on a year earlier. Taiwan's central bank cut interest rates to 2.75% last week - the fourth cut in just over a month. The shopping voucher measure has been passed by Mr Liu's cabinet but still needs legislative approval. But some analysts remained sceptical. Johnny Lee, an analysts at President Securities, told the AFP news agency Taiwan needed permanent solutions. "I think the government should focus on long-term plans to boost consumer confidence, such as lowering commodity prices, improving job securities and reviving the economy," he said.

Essay: Gay Marriage

Just forty years ago African-American’s were not even allowed to piss in the same bathroom as a white people. Now America has elected one to the highest position in the land, President. It was even conceivable that a woman could have been elected to this prominent post too. Both cases prove that America has changed a lot over the years. However, on that same historic day, Californians (one of the most liberal states of all America) were also voting on Proposition 8; a measure to restrict marriage to heterosexual couples. Unfortunately, the measure passed 52% in favor. Florida and Arizona passed similar resolutions the following day along with votes relating to banning gambling, abortion issues and stem cell research. All of this shows that conservatism is endemic in America still and is the dominant force shaping society. Why does this matter? I’m not American! True, but America is still the most dominant power in the world and the eyes of the world persistently gaze upon it. Also, the arguments raised on both sides are universally applicable to all societies.

The proponents of same sex marriage highlight that it’s blatant discrimination which ultimately leaves gays as second class citizens. Similarly, It does nothing to destabilize the institution of marriage and in fact would benefit society. The opponents argue that it’s immoral, historically it has always been a union between opposite sexes, it opens up a bag of health risks and instability, and will ultimately lead to the destruction of the institution of marriage altogether. Both sides argue vehemently over their views.

I suppose when I was younger my initial views were who wants to get married anyway? It went against my tendency to go against the grain. Why conform to a heterosexual institution and become assimilated into that society. Also, does it really promote stability in relationships? At that time I believed not. Yet not being any meaningful relationship at the time and being forbidden by law to get married even if I wanted to obviously helped shaped my views at that time.

Over the years, my views have certainly changed. As my views have changed so has the law in the UK too. Thankfully, civil partnerships are now legal in the UK since 2005 which grants same sex couples many of the rights enjoyed by married couples. I’m at the happiest time I have ever been in my life with regards to my relationship right now. I’m in a committed loving relationship and that love and commitment we have is no different from any other heterosexual couples. If we wanted to express that through marriage why should we be forbidden to? Admittedly, getting married would not make our love stronger or make our relationship more stable but that’s not the point. It would give us rights that we just wouldn’t have cohabiting such as social security, pensions, inheritance, next of kin rights, and adoption rights to name just some. It would also have a symbolic value to celebrate love.

I believe that it’s only a matter of time before gay marriage becomes legal in more and more places. What it boils down to is rights, should I have the right to marry? Yes. Do I intend on exercising that right? You bet I do!

The Golden Horse Film Festival Week 1

As I have a movie buff boyfriend I have had a great opportunity to see lots of films recently at the Golden Horse Film Festival. So far I have seen four movies; Gomorra, 2001 A Space Odyssey, Shine A Light, and Into The Wild. All four have been good. Gomorra’s elaborate plot demands attention with its frantic pace and myriad intertwining stories yet is an intriguing insight into the dark underworld of the Italian Mafia. The classic, 2001 A Space Odyssey, was truly awesome on the big screen. I admit to struggling to retain attention when watching it on DVD but viewing it in its intended format elevated the movie to a whole new level for me. Into the Wild is a thought provoking movie. It harks to the adventurous get-up-and-go feeling that many people feel from time to time; yet takes that to the very extreme. The characters he meets along the way are the key to this movie for me. Finally, Shine A Light, a masterpiece as far as musical documentaries go. I love the way the instruments, including vocals, are isolated, raised and lowered in tandem with the visual tone to create something totally unique compared to other concert performances I have seen before. A must see even if you are not a Stones fan.

Former President Chen Arrested on Charges of Corruption

Ex-President Chen Shui-bian, who faces corruption allegations, has been formally taken into custody. Mr Chen, an independence activist and staunch critic of China, was taken to jail after his detention was approved by a court overnight. It came at the end of a dramatic 24 hours, during which police led a defiant Mr Chen away in handcuffs. Mr Chen, who stepped down in May, denies all the graft charges and claims they are politically motivated. He has been taken to Tucheng prison in the suburbs of the capital, Taipei. He can now be held for up to four months, despite not yet having formally been charged. Police have reportedly tightened security around the jail amid threats from his supporters. Muscle tear The BBC's Cindy Sui in Taipei says the authorities want to avoid the type of demonstrations seen last week during a landmark visit by a high-ranking Chinese Communist official to Taiwan. Mr Chen and his supporters - who see closer ties to Beijing as a threat to Taiwan's sovereignty - opposed that visit. Court proceedings had to be suspended on Tuesday night, when Mr Chen said he needed hospital treatment after being pushed outside the court building. He was returned to court for an overnight sitting after doctors found he had only a minor muscle tear. Mr Chen is accused of money laundering and illegally using a special presidential fund. But the outspoken nationalist accuses the new administration of persecuting him "as a sacrifice to appease China". Mr Chen is an ardent supporter of Taiwanese independence, and a trenchant critic of President Ma Ying-jeou's Kuomintang (KMT) administration, which he accuses of pandering to China. But China has termed accusations that his detention is a plot between Beijing and President Ma's administration "pure fabrication". President Ma has also denied intervening in the case. Opposition damaged? Mr Chen and his family have been mired in corruption allegations since 2006, when his son-in-law was charged with insider trading on the stock market and then jailed for seven years. The charges have damaged the reputation of the main opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), observers say, which may now face a rough ride in next year's local elections. Taiwan has been ruled separately since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949. The defeated Kuomintang retreated to Taiwan to create a self-governing entity. But Beijing sees the island as a breakaway province which should be reunified with the mainland, by force if necessary.

Mr Chen has now gone on hunger strike, according to his lawyer. He said his client wanted to "protest the death of justice". Mr Chen's supporters have promised further demonstrations. Mr Chen was dramatically handcuffed and detained by prosecutors on Tuesday and sent to jail early on Wednesday, since when he has not eaten, Mr Cheng said. He wants to "protest the death of justice and the regression of democracy", Mr Cheng said, according to the AP news agency. He added that his client was in an "OK" condition for the time being but his supporters say his detention represents a breach to his human rights. Some say they plan to protest on Saturday outside the jail in which he is being held.

Family suicides on rise in Taiwan

Five-year-old Ho Hung-an's parents loved him.
They bought him little plastic cartoon toys even though they were both unemployed and behind in paying rent.

"At-risk" children are counselled by social workers
But in June, they took his life and their own by burning charcoal in their sealed apartment, causing them all to succumb to carbon monoxide poisoning.
Such shocking cases in which parents not only take their own lives, but those of their children, are on the rise in Taiwan, which already has one the highest suicide rates in Asia.
Experts who have studied the trend said most parents acted out of a deluded sense that it was better to spare their children the misery of living without anyone to take care of them.
"These cases are rare in the United States or Europe. They treat their kids as independent individuals," said Pan Yi-ju, a psychiatrist and researcher at the Taiwan Department of Health's Suicide Prevention Centre.
"When they want to kill themselves, they don't necessarily take their kids," she added.
"In eastern cultures, these cases are more frequent."
In the first 10 months of this year, there were 31 cases of attempted or successful murder-suicides involving child victims, a four-year high, according to the Child Welfare League Foundation (CWLF), a non-governmental organisation.
It compiled the statistics from government data and media reports.
Nineteen children have been killed in this way so far this year, the same figure as for the whole of 2007.
Financial woes
Social workers attribute the rise mainly to financial problems.
"In the suicide notes and police reports we study, most of the parents suffered some kind of financial pressure, including business failures, job losses and large debts," said Harold Li, the Foundation's chief coordinator of research and development.

Parents don't believe anyone in this world will take care of their children
Harold LiChild Welfare League Foundation
The situation could deteriorate, he said, as Taiwan's already struggling economy begins to feel further pressure from the global financial crisis.
The unemployment rate in September hit a four-year high, while exports declined for the first time in years.
A large number of small or middle-sized enterprises have already shut down and economic indicators suggest the island is headed toward a recession.
"If the economic situation doesn't improve, these cases can become worse. So we're quite worried," said Li.
Suicide by burning charcoal in a closed room is the most common method used by despairing parents.
It is considered easier than other suicide methods and allows the family to die at the same time.
To ensure their children die, some parents strangle them while they are asleep before lighting the charcoal.
Others give the youngsters sleeping pills or put rat poison in their food.
Some perpetrators have been grandparents, struggling to cope with abandoned grandchildren they are unable to care for. One slit her grandchild's wrist.
Parents who choose to end their child's life often also suffer from emotional problems such as depression, and tend to be socially isolated, making it more difficult for them to get help.
Others do not want to burden their relatives with raising their children.
Cultural factors are also behind the disturbing trend, experts said.
"In Asian culture, parents think their children are their property. They think parents have the right to determine a child's life," said Mr Li.
"They think it's an act of goodwill. They don't believe anyone in this world will take care of their children. They lack trust in relatives, government or social agencies," he added.
In western countries, children are more commonly murdered in violent, revenge attacks against a spouse or an ex-partner.
In Taiwan, 42% of child murder-suicide cases this year involved both parents.
Statistics on such incidents are hard to come by as murder-suicides involving children are often not separated from general suicide figures, according to Ms Pan.
But she said it is clear the trend has been rising in Taiwan in the past decade, due in part to increasing knowledge about charcoal-burning suicide.
Public campaign
Shame also keeps parents from seeking financial or medical assistance.
Ho Hung-an's family could have qualified for welfare but for some reason they didn't apply
Police officer Hsiao Yu-hsi
"Usually the trigger is a tuition bill or late rent notice, which seem like a small matter, but in their despondent state, they don't believe anyone would help them," said Peng Yu-wen, a social worker with the CWLF who counsels parents and children who survive suicide attempts.
The CWLF has begun a campaign inviting the public to come up with ideas to reduce the alarming rise in suicides.
Social workers have also appealed to the government to address the issue.
And they have also called on all members of society to look out for those among them who could be at risk and not be afraid to help them.
At-risk children are also taught how to protect themselves.
"We teach them to spot signs, such as mum saying things like, 'I want to take you away with me'. We tell the kids to seek out a teacher, relative, friend of their parent or neighbour they can go to for help," said Ms Peng.
In the case of five-year-old Ho, no-one was there to help.
His parents, who sold arts and crafts trinkets on the street, had borrowed money from relatives in the past, but found they were unable to do so anymore, said Hsiao Yu-hsi, a police officer who, along with the landlady, discovered the family at the scene.
"They only had NT$1,000 [US$33] in their home, and no money in their bank account," said Mr Hsiao.
"They could have qualified for welfare but for some reason they didn't apply."

Barack Obama

Electoral College Results for 2008

"Change Has Come To America"

Democratic Senator Barack Obama has been elected the first black president of the United States, prompting celebrations across the country. "It's been a long time coming, but tonight... change has come to America," the president-elect told a jubilant crowd at a victory rally in Chicago. His rival John McCain accepted defeat, and called on his supporters to lend the next president their goodwill. The American people have made two fundamental statements about themselves: that they are profoundly unhappy with the status quo, and that they are slamming the door on the country's racial past.

McCain: 'We must work together'
Mr Obama appeared with his family, and his running mate Joe Biden, before a crowd of tens of thousands in Grant Park, Chicago. Many people in the vast crowd, which stretched back far into the Chicago night, wept as Mr Obama spoke. "If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer," he said. He said he had received an "extraordinarily gracious" call from Mr McCain.
He praised the former Vietnam prisoner-of-war as a "brave and selfless leader".

"He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine," the victor said.
He had warm words for his family, announcing to his daughters: "Sasha and Malia, I love you both more than you can imagine, and you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the White House." But he added: "Even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime - two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century. "The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. But America - I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there." Hours after Mr Obama's victory was announced, crowds were still celebrating on the streets of Washington DC and Mr Obama's hometown of Chicago.

From red to blue
Mr Obama captured the key battleground states of Pennsylvania and Ohio, before breaking through the winning threshold of 270 electoral college votes at 0400 GMT, when projections showed he had also taken California and a slew of other states.

Obama tells his supporters: "Change has come to America." Then came the news that he had also seized Florida, Virginia and Colorado - all of which voted Republican in 2004 - turning swathes of the map from red to blue. Projected results have yet to be announced for the states of North Carolina and Missouri, which are believed to be too close to call. However, at 1100 GMT, Mr Obama's share of the popular vote stood at 52.3%, compared with Mr McCain's 46.4%.
The main developments include:
Mr Obama is projected to have seized Ohio, New Mexico, Iowa, Virginia, Florida, Colorado, Indiana and Nevada - all Republican wins in 2004. He is also projected to have won: Vermont, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Delaware, Massachusetts, District of Columbia, Maryland, Connecticut, Maine, New Jersey, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, New York, Rhode Island, California, Hawaii, Washington, Oregon. Mr McCain is projected to have won: Montana, Alaska, Kentucky, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Arkansas, Alabama, Kansas, North Dakota, Wyoming, Georgia, Louisiana, West Virginia, Texas, Mississippi, Utah, Arizona, Idaho, South Dakota.

Turnout was reported to be extremely high - in some places "unprecedented".
The Democrats increased their Senate majority by five seats, but fell short of the 60 needed to stop blocking tactics by Republicans. They also increased their majority in the House of Representatives. Exit polls suggest the economy was the major deciding factor for six out of 10 voters. Nine out of 10 said the candidates' race was not important to their vote, the Associated Press reported. Almost as many said age did not matter. Several states reported very high turnout. It was predicted 130 million Americans, or more, would vote - more than for any election since 1960.

Many people said they felt they had voted in a historic election - and for many African-Americans the moment was especially poignant. John Lewis, an activist in the civil rights era who was left beaten on an Alabama bridge 40 years ago, told Atlanta's Ebenezer Baptist Church: "This is a great night. It is an unbelievable night. It is a night of thanksgiving." Besides winning the presidency, the Democrats tightened their grip on Congress. The entire US House of Representatives and a third of US Senate seats were up for grabs.

China makes Taiwan plea to Obama

China's government has urged America's new president-elect, Barack Obama, to oppose independence for Taiwan. A foreign ministry spokesman said the issue was key to good relations. The demand comes after Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou held a brief but historic meeting with a senior Chinese envoy in the Taiwanese capital, Taipei. But the meeting was vehemently opposed by thousands of protesters, who object to the closer trade and economic ties agreed in a deal this week.

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Riot police struggle to control anti-Beijing protesters in Taipei
'Stop selling weapons'. "We urge the United States to honour its commitment... honour the one-China policy and stop selling weapons to Taiwan," ministry spokesman Qin Gang told journalists in Beijing, after being asked to comment on US-China relations following Mr Obama's election win.

Mr Chen and President Ma exchanged a painting of a horse and a vase"Judging from the development of bilateral relations in the past years, the Taiwan issue is the most sensitive issue." It has already been US policy to uphold the one-China principle which sees Taiwan as part of mainland China. But it is such an important issue to the Chinese that they take every opportunity to restate it - and to ask others to restate it - says a BBC China correspondent Chris Hogg. Earlier this year, one of the president-elect's senior foreign policy advisers made clear there were no plans for the Obama administration to change tack on this issue, he adds.
Last month the Bush administration told Congress it planned to sell more than $6bn (£3.8bn) worth of weapons to Taipei - prompting a furious reaction from China, and the subsequent cancellation of some some military and diplomatic exchanges, according to US officials.
Mr Qin's remarks come amid a five-day visit to Taiwan by Chen Yunlin, the most senior Communist Chinese official to visit the island since 1949.

In the future both sides should see the reality and should not deny each other's existence
Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeouEarlier in the week, Mr Chen agreed a landmark deal to improve direct trade and transport links, and on Thursday, he held a short but historic meeting with President Ma. The two made a few cordial remarks as they exchanged gifts - a painting of a horse for President Ma (whose name sounds like "horse" in Chinese), and a ceramic vase for Mr Chen. But Mr Chen's avoidance of the term "president" when addressing Mr Ma - a term Beijing considers would suggest Taiwan's independence - infuriated protesters gathered outside the government guesthouse where they met.

Fears for jobs
"This shows that China is only treating Taiwan like a local government," said Chang Bang-ni, a middle-aged businesswoman demonstrating outside. Some protesters also voiced fears that closer economic ties with China could mean jobs lost on the island to the cheaper market on the other side of the Taiwanese Straits. President Ma says this week's deal "symbolises a major step forward for cross-strait ties," and will "contribute to cross-strait stability and prosperity".
"But we cannot deny that differences and challenges still exist, such as Taiwan's security and Taiwan's position in the international community," he said in comments broadcast live.
"In the future, both sides should see the reality and should not deny each other's existence in order to promote the welfare of the people and cross-strait peace and to resolve our differences." Mr Chen's visit has attracted daily protests since it began on Monday, and thousands of police have been deployed to ensure his safety. On Wednesday night, crowds mobbed the hotel in which Mr Chen was eating, preventing him from leaving the building until well after midnight. Last month, his deputy Zhang Mingqing was knocked to the ground by protesters during a visit.

Taiwan crowd besieges China envoy

Mr Chen is in Taiwan to sign a series of trade deals. Demonstrators have dispersed after surrounding a hotel in the Taiwanese capital to protest against a visit by a top-ranking Chinese negotiator. Hundreds of protesters gathered at the hotel in Taipei where Chinese envoy Chen Yunlin was attending a dinner. Mr Chen is reported to have left the hotel after a six-hour stand-off between demonstrators and police. The demonstrators are opposed to President Ma Ying-jeou's policy of forging closer ties with China.

'Chinese bandit'
The BBC's Cindy Sui, who is at the scene, says vehicles with tinted windows leaving the hotel were spat and yelled at. Some shouted "Ma Ying-jeou step down", blaming the Taiwanese president for allowing the landmark talks during Mr Chen's visit. Lines of riot police prevented demonstrators from getting into the hotel. Mr Chen is the most senior Chinese official to visit Taiwan in decades.

Protests
Mass protests against President Ma's pro-China policies have been on going since August.
They have been led by the main opposition, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which while in government antagonised Beijing with a pro-independence agenda. Recent relations soured two months ago when Taiwan was affected by tainted milk products from China, and a number of people were taken ill.

China And Taiwan In Landmark Deal

China and Taiwan have signed landmark agreements to improve direct trade and transport links, following the highest-level Chinese visit in decades. The agreements are set to triple the number of weekly direct passenger flights and allow cargo shipments between ports in China and Taiwan. They also aim to improve the postal service and food safety.

The agreements were announced on the second day of a five-day visit to Taiwan by Chen Yunlin, China's top official for handling relations with Taiwan. Previously, sovereignty issues involving vessels and crews forced costly detours through third countries, while China-Taiwan flights were forced to stop in Hong Kong or Macau.

Under the agreements:
Direct charter flights will increase from 36 to 108, and can operate daily rather than four days out of seven. Routes will be shortened and private business jet flights will be allowed
Direct cargo shipments will be allowed between 11 Taiwan sea ports and 63 in China, tax free
Sixty direct cargo flights will be allowed per month. Direct postal links will be expanded to improve delivery time, currently up to 10 days. Food safety alerts between the countries will be set up.

Taiwan has the diplomatic recognition of a handful of states. But since Mao Zedong's Communists won the Chinese civil war and the defeated Kuomintang fled to Taiwan, China has regarded it as a breakaway province which it has threatened to reunify using force.

Taipei protests
The latest trade agreements come after the two sides held their first, high-level meeting in a decade in June this year, in Beijing. The improvement in relations follows the election of President Ma Ying-jeou in Taiwan.

However, Mr Ma's overtures of ending decades of political rivalry with Beijing have sparked fierce protests in Taiwan, including accusations that he is "selling out" to the mainland.
Pro-independence groups staged small protests around Taipei to coincide with Mr Chen's visit, waving flags and banners. Thousands of police were deployed to ensure Mr Chen's safety, after his deputy Zhang Mingqing was jostled and knocked to the ground by protesters during a visit to Taiwan in October.

Top Chinese envoy on Taiwan visit

Chen Yunlin was met from the plane by his Taiwanese counterpart. China's top official for handling relations with Taiwan has arrived in Taipei for a five-day visit. Chen Yunlin heads the Chinese body which handles relations with Taiwan, and is expected to sign agreements on economic and transport issues. New Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou has promised to end decades of political rivalry with Beijing. Earlier, police dispersed small groups of Taiwanese pro-independence protesters around the capital.

Mr Chen is head of China's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (Arats).
He will hold talks and sign agreements on direct shipping and air cargo links, food safety and a postal service with Chiang Pin-kun, head of Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF).
The two organisations manage ties between China and Taiwan, because there have been no formal links since the civil war ended in 1949. Formal discussions between the two parties are to begin on Tuesday.

Chen Yunlin's visit is being seen as a high point in previously strained relations between Beijing and Taipei, according to the BBC's Cindy Sui in Taipei. Taiwan rules itself and has secured diplomatic recognition from a handful of states, but China regards it as a breakaway province.
It has claimed sovereignty over Taiwan since 1949, when Mao Zedong's Communists won the Chinese civil war and the defeated Kuomintang fled to Taiwan.

KEY TOPICS UNDER DISCUSSION
Direct flights and shipping
Postal services
Food safety, after various scares in mainland China
Financial co-operation, in the wake of the global crisis

The two sides held the first meeting in a decade in June this year, in Beijing.
"The hard ice between the two sides has already been shattered, the road has already been opened," said Wang Yi, head of the Taiwan Affairs Office in Beijing, at Chen's official send-off.
"This will go down as a great event in the history of relations across the [Taiwan] Straits," he said. Since President Ma took power in Taiwan in May, a series of trade and tourism deals have been reached with the mainland, including permission for up to 3,000 mainlanders to visit Taiwan every day. However, Mr Ma's overtures have sparked fierce protests in Taiwan, including accusations that he is "selling out" to the mainland. "If Ma's government keeps talking like this to China, it definitely has political implications," said Cheng Wen-tsang, spokesman for the opposition Democratic Progressive Party, which favours formal independence from China.
Protests.

Pro-independence groups staged small protests around Taipei to coincide with Mr Chen's visit, waving flags and banners. One one group offered cash rewards for protesters who hit Mr Chen with eggs. "Taiwan is not China's! ... I'm very proud to be a Taiwanese person. ... I love Taiwan. It's my mother country," one female protester told reporters. Thousands of police were deployed to ensure Mr Chen's safety, after his deputy Zhang Mingqing was jostled and knocked to the ground by protesters during a visit to Taiwan in October.

Obama versus McCain

The final day before we find out who the 44th President of the USA will be and to be honest it doesn't seem to be much of a close contest from what i can make out. Although some official polls are still predicting a rather close race at 50 something over 40 something in Obama's favor the odds appear to be stacked way against McCain. A Look at the electoral college system would suggest that McCain would have to win every undecided state in the contest along with taking away at least a couple of states that are predicted to vote for Obama. I just can't see this happening.

Interestingly enough the Economist have been carrying out a world electoral college voting contest where every country is allocated votes along the same system used in the USA. Obama has completely swept the board with 9,115 votes compared to McCain's 203. Admittedly this shows no indication as to how America will vote, but still McCain needs to do something pretty radical to turn this one around and he simply hasn't done it. Obama is surely going to win by a comfortable margin.

Halloween at School

Friday was Halloween. All the kids and teachers got dressed up in the morning and hit the streets to trick or treat. Unfortunately Friday also happened to be one of the hottest days in weeks so we were all dripping of sweat! Never mind, it beat teaching any day! Here are some pictures of the lovely darlings which i teach, looks like butter wouldn't melt in their mouths here!

Given how retarded i am when it comes to arts and crafts; I was not looking forward to Halloween and everything that it entailed! However, during my two hour break today I decided to try and get all the crafts finished in preparation for the 'obstacle course' on Friday. Here is the result of my efforts. Not bad for me!

US Elections

Taiwan protesters condemn China

Tens of thousands of pro-independence Taiwanese have demonstrated against China, accusing President Ma Ying-jeou of failing to stand up to Beijing. The opposition marchers in Taipei highlighted a recent scare over dairy products in China, and accused Taiwan's government of playing down the issue. Relations between China and Taiwan have improved dramatically since Mr Ma came to power in May promising closer ties. The previous Taiwanese government, led by the Democratic Progressive Party (DDP), had antagonised Beijing with its pro-independence agenda.

During Saturday's march, organised by the DPP, protesters shouted such slogans as: "Opposing toxic products, defending sovereignty." At least three babies have died in China's tainted milk powder scandal and many more have been taken ill. Former Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian, also of the DPP, joined the marchers and was cheered by the crowd. The demonstration comes nine days before a planned visit by Chen Yunlin, Beijing's top negotiator on Taiwanese affairs.
The two sides are expected to discuss new direct flights and food safety.

The Astoria Closes

So many fond memories from this place. The first gay club I ever went to and the last one I went to the last time i was in London, and of course many other times inbetween. A vital part of my teenage years and early twenties.

Source: BBC News

It is one of the most famous music venues in London that has hosted acts including The Rolling Stones, Nirvana, U2 and Madonna. But the Astoria Theatre, in Charing Cross Road, will soon be knocked down for the city's £16bn Crossrail project. Despite a campaign to save it which attracted thousands of supporters, a compulsory purchase order (CPO) for the building, along with 12 others nearby, has now been issued. They will make way for work on a huge extension of Tottenham Court Road station, which is a central part of the scheme to link Maidenhead in Berkshire and Shenfield in Essex, via Heathrow airport and central London. It's very worrying that the Astoria could be demolished without any guarantees of a proper replacement

It could mean the final curtain for the music venue as early as January next year.
Built in 1927, the Astoria was converted from an old warehouse. Originally a cinema, the venue could seat up to 2,000 people and films were shown there for nearly 50 years. In 1976 live theatre productions began to be staged at the Astoria. But it was in later years, when the building was transformed into a music venue, that it really found fame. And as well as gigs, it was the home of G-A-Y club nights for more than 15 years which attracted the likes of Madonna, Girls Aloud and Kylie Minogue.

Bryan Grimmer, who has worked on the Astoria's ticket desk for 16 years, said the venue's intimacy had made it popular with some of the world's biggest-selling music acts. "The 80s and 90s were probably its heyday," he said. "It's more than a 1,500 capacity but you're nice and close. It's not like Wembley where you can be at the other end and it's like looking at ants on the stage. "It will be a loss, it's the main central London gig venue.
"We've got a nice line-up between now and Christmas, but there's a possibility we could be coming down from January onwards." Mr Grimmer said a campaign to save the Astoria had begun several years ago, but added he did not think the building had a future.

Madonna is one of many famous artists to have performed at the Astoria
The Theatres Trust, which campaigns on behalf of arts venues across the UK, has raised concerns about the Astoria's demolition. Director Mhora Samuel said: "The Crossrail draft planning brief says there will be a replacement theatre. "But they intend to replace the 1,600-capacity Astoria with a much smaller 250-seat theatre. "The Theatres Trust strongly objects to this. As well as being a huge loss to the cultural vitality of London's West End, which drives its economy, it goes against Westminster's planning policy. "Given the slump in the property market and the subsequent hole in Crossrail finances, it's also very worrying that the Astoria could be demolished without any guarantees of a proper replacement." Developer Derwent London owns the site on which the Astoria is situated and plans to redevelop the area once the Crossrail project is completed. A spokesman said plans, for a mix of retail and housing, were at an early stage and still being drawn up. A Crossrail spokeswoman said any decision to replace the Astoria with a new venue would be up to Derwent, after the rail scheme's completion.

A Terrible Week

This week started off uneventful enough but events were soon to take a rather nasty turn for the worst. For lunch on Tuesday I had some fried rice with chicken and fish. For the remainder of the day I was feeling fine until the evening when I suddenly felt extremely lethargic. I just put it down to overdoing it as I hadn’t had a nap that afternoon and it was the first time back at the gym for a while. However, that night my stomach began to feel bad and by the morning I knew something was up. I had a splitting headache, my stomach was churning and I felt like I just ran a marathon. All I wanted to do was get back into bed. However, I decided to brave work that morning. I was slow to say the least and it was a bit of a struggle but I managed it nonetheless. I headed home for lunch and slept the whole afternoon. When I woke up I felt worse than ever but still decided to head into work as the afternoon was going to be quite easy. On the way to work I threw up and the remainder of the day was a living hell, with hindsight I should have stayed at home but I made it anyhow. The next day the diarrhea hit me too. That was it, no school today, I phoned in sick and spent the entire day sleeping with intermittent visits to the bathroom, which was a hassle in itself. On Friday I was not feeling on top form but went to work anyway. Unfortunately, the symptoms continued right through the weekend too. Today was the first day I actually felt like eating again.

On top of this, I woke up on Saturday morning with a swollen upper lip that would have put Jackie Stallone to shame! It was hideous; I presume it was an allergic reaction to something I ate but have no idea what I could have been as I had eaten nothing out of the ordinary the past day. Luckily the swelling began to go down as the day passed but it was still noticeable until the next day. So this weekend was just one of recovering, my body seemed to have given up on me this week, I hope I am back to normal next week.

National Breat Cancer Pink Ribbon 101

Unusual to see 101 doused in pink for an entire week

Double 10 sunset

The sunset on Friday proved to be one of the most stunning I've seen for a long time. It seemed to have everything. An impending storm raging in from the East. To the West the sun was setting over clear blue skies which was illuminating the white clouds nearby with flickers of pink and purple. To the North the moon could be clearly seen teasing us with its intermittent presence through the alto cumulus clouds. To top it off there was a rainbow too. Here is a picture from that memorable sunset upon Jack and Noah's roof relaxing with some beers.

Double 10

Last weekend was Taiwan’s National Day, more commonly known as Double 10. More importantly that meant a long weekend! The whole weekend was spent mostly relaxing. On Friday we got up late and went for lunch at a Dim Sum place then we went to Noah’s and spent the rest of the early afternoon and evening drinking the day away. It was a great relaxing day and people slowly began turning up at Jacks and Noah’s and it turned into the usual mini house party. Hamish and Steve also came to Taipei to spend the long weekend away from Taichung. It was good to see them again, especially Hamish as I haven’t seen him for such a long time. They left early to head to ShiLin to catch a light show while George and I stayed at Noah’s. Unfortunately the effect of all day drinking consistently began to take its toll and we decided to call it a night relatively early, about 1 or 2. We headed back home where Steve crashed. Meanwhile the rest of us hung out on the balcony until about 4 talking and drinking some more.

Saturday got off to an early start due to Steve’s persistent cough waking us all up at about 10. George headed off to pick up some tickets for the upcoming film festival and the rest of us went to Carnegie’s for a great lunch and some shopping a the bookstores near 101. By the time we finished that it was early evening so we all met up at Alleycats for dinner. Then it was off to Brass Monkey where we met Erin and some of her friends. The drinks there were great and we slowly began to get a little drunk and we got persuaded to go to vibe. We arrived there at about 1:30 and it was basically empty. We had the entire dance floor to ourselves and the music was quite good for a while. We finally left at about 4:30, had breakfast and crashed at about 6. Sunday was spent mostly recovering from the excessive drinking of the past two days. I still never managed to get a Taiwanese flag, next year for sure!!

US Elections

There is always a certain sense of rivalry and competitiveness in the run up to elections but America seems to take it a step further as this Republican rally suggests. The Republicans are by no means alone in this barrage of attacks.

George'sBirthday

After work on Friday I headed home to commence George’s birthday celebration weekend. Getting home about7:30 we decided that we would kick off with dinner. I was in the mood to celebrate too as I had just got paid. So we headed to TGI’s. Afterwards we headed to Jack’s and Noah’s for some preliminary drinks before KTV. At about 11 we headed to KTV and all the others joined later. A great time was had by all, no doubt fuelled by the alcohol! Photos from the evening can be found in my photo album.

Saturday got off to a slow start, or shall I say a late start. We didn’t get up until the early afternoon then laid around generally being lazy. Then I decided it was time for the gym as I hadn’t been in ages. George headed back home and I went to the gym. Afterwards I decided to get a haircut but not before heading to the Apple store to buy a new iPod nano for my baby as his birthday present. Then I picked up George and we headed to Xander’s for a home cooked Thai meal. The food was great and the company was good. The alcohol wasn’t bad either! Then we headed to Dalida to celebrate George’s birthday. Slowly but surely, people began turning up. Everyone seemed to have a good time chatting and getting drunk. Finally, at about 3, George, Richard and I headed to Carnegie’s to continue the party. Although the music was a little too hip-hop based for my liking, we had a great time. It’s not about where you go but who you go with! Unfortunately I managed to pass out over breakfast at NY Bagel due to exhaustion. Finally we got home at about 7.

Sunday was a rather slow day and George and I just hang out for most of the day until the evening when we went over Noah’s. Jack bought some pizza and Lester joined us for a couple of movies. They were interesting to say the least, not necessarily in a good way. Let’s just say Noah should not be in charge of renting the next DVD night!

Monday was George’s actual birthday and to celebrate we headed to Dan Ryan’s where we had a great dinner and an awesome cheesecake. So overall, it looks like Georgie had a good birthday and I was glad to celebrate it with him. Here are to many more!

Top 10 Useless Body Parts

10. Plica semilunaris
You may not know it, but you have a third eyelid. Pull open the two more noticeable eyelids and take a look—it's located right in the corner by the tear duct. This small third eyelid is left over from what's known as a "nictitating membrane," which is still present in full form in some animals including chickens, lizards and sharks.

9. Body hair
No doubt we were once hairier. Up until about three million years ago, we were covered with body hair. But by the time Homo erectus arrived, the ability to sweat meant we could shed our woolly ways.

8. Sinuses
Doctors don't really know much about sinuses—only that we have a lot of them. Possibilities for their function range from insulating our eyes to changing the pitch and tone of our voice.

7. AdenoidsAdenoids trap bacteria, but they're also prone to swelling and infection. Just ask any seven-year-old. Luckily, our adenoids shrink with age and are often removed, along with...

6. Tonsils
Also prone to swelling and infection. If you still have them when you reach your 30s, it's almost an accomplishment.

5. Coccyx
More useful as a game-winning Scrabble word than as part of the anatomy, the coccyx or tailbone, is made up of several fused vertebrae left over from the days when we had tails.

4. Arrector pili
When we were hairier (see No. 9), the arrector pili made the hairs stand on end when we needed to appear bigger and scarier. Now, it just gives us goose bumps.

3. Wisdom teeth
Back in the day, when we ate mammoth meat off the bone and didn't floss afterward, our teeth tended to fall out. Therefore, when those reserve molars, aka "wisdom teeth," came in, they were welcomed. Nowadays, fluoride and dental plans have just made them a huge pain.

2. Appendix
Darwin claimed the appendix was useful for digestion during our early plant-eating years; it's dwindled down to little since we started eating more digestible foods.

1. Male nipples
Because, why?

Kings of Leon 'Only By The Night'

The fourth offering from the Followill brothers find them reconnecting with their southern roots, reaffirming their country origins whilst writing blistering and powerful rock numbers. Here you will find far heavier numbers than they have written to date which sit rather comfortably next to some down-tempo songs. This is a fine edition to their already stunning back catalogue.

Even without a top ten hit before this album, they have comfortably commanded attention at the festival stages based upon their grass root fan-base alone. Despite a number of unfavorable reviews, this album vaults them into stadium-filling greatness. It is full of winning formulas, not quite their magnum opus yet, but still truly great.

Crawl and Sex on Fire are probably the greatest things they have ever produced with a disco-infused rock feel which sounds terrible on paper but is truly magnificent and makes you want to dance and sing along. Up-tempo numbers submerge into slow anthems, epic guitars and big choruses which admittedly can plod along in places, as many have pointed out, but I can actually feel myself at a festival listening to this entire album and not feeling the slightest bit disappointed.

No overproduction here; in fact it’s perfect, great music and if this album is a mere blimp in their pursuit for rock and roll greatness which, let’s face it, what they do the best then this change of direction will stand the test of time as one of the best in their back catalogue.

More Welcome and unwelcome visitors!

Yet again another weekend typhoon is upon us. There is some slight relief this time as tomorrow is a day off work. Apparently this typhoon is the biggest to hit Taiwan this year so far. Named Typhoon JangMi. It made landfall at Ilan today Sunday September 28th at 3:40pm with the highest gusts seen in Taipei city of 118kmph. The eye of the storm is expected to be past Taiwan by Monday September 29th at around 4 to 5am.

On a brighter note Willemein and Destin came to Taipei this weekend. We ended up at fresh (slightly uneventful as i was there last weekend too!) and had a good time. Apart from that the weekend has been fairly relaxing and uneventful. Have been taking the time to relax before the start of another long week.

Top Five Songs Of The Moment

1. Sparks ‘When Do I Get To Sing My Way’
2. Kings of Leon ‘Sex On Fire’
3. Heart ‘Alone’
4. The Verve ‘Sit and Wonder’
5. The Temptations ‘Ball Of Confusion’

James Bond Theme Tunes: The Best and Worst

With the release of Alicia Keys and Jack White’s theme for the new James Bond movie I thought now was a good time to review songs of old. It is the 22nd bond theme tune and the first duet. Here is a run down of the best and worst theme tunes in my personal opinion. (I have neglected the two instrumental pieces namely the main theme tune from Dr. No and the Clavinet driven instrumental of OHMSS, both of which are pure class by Barry)

The Best
1. Goldfinger (Bassey)
The best opening track of any Bond movie. Sung with a brassy cabaret fervor by the great Shirley Bassey, the very epitome of Bond. The horns, the booming vocals, the inclusion of the original theme within the song. It has it all!

2. Live and Let Die (Wings)
McCartney and Co pull out all the stops for this epic ode to Bond. It’s a dynamic master class in pulse-quickening rock It captures Bond’s various styles, the romance, the high style, the explosion of violence at any minute and a nod to reggae, what else does one need?

3. We Have All The Time In The World (Louis Armstrong)
This poignant ballad is one of the great Louis’ finest moments recorded just before his death. In all fairness he could have made singing the phone directory romantic. A gentle, sweet love song. Pure class.

4. Diamonds Are Forever (Shirley Bassey)
Bassey delivers again with this awesome smoky ode to the love of diamonds over a man. Great on every front and playing to her strengths it is was propelled to the status of an instant classic.

5. The Living Daylights
A controversial choice as most would slate this song from begging to end. It never really got the attention that it deserved. It retains its dramatic foreign flavor and pulsates along stopping for nobody in its path. Much better than it ever got credit for and truly a great Bond theme song

(Two others that just didn’t quite make the mark: You Only Live Twice and Tomorrow Never Dies. Both pure Bond and awesome songs in my opinion)

The Worst

1. Die Another Day (Madonna)
Badly sung, terribly produced, discombobulated electronics, it’s an overcooked calamity. It should have been called ‘Die Today’ as opposed to another day as that’s exactly how I fell after listening to it. At best it is put off listening till another day. The worst Bond theme ever. Sigmund Freud? Please!! Complete tripe!

2. For Your Eyes Only (Sheena Easton)
Annoying on every level. Was this woman actually dared to sing in the style of dying cats? If she were, she pulled it off big time. The song itself is deadly dull and just bad. Hastily written and sung, a complete car crash from start to finish.


3. Moonraker (Shirley Bassey)
Not even the great Shirley Bassey could rescue this monstrosity. Cure for insomnia? I think so. Never to be listened to while driving for fear of sending you to sleep. This dreary ballad was a complete waste of Bassey’s talent and what is with that annoying xylophone all the way through the damn song?

4. The Man With The Golden Gun (Lulu)
Love Lulu, hate the song. On first listen I thought it was a joke. The wrong song and completely bizarre choice of instruments. A cheesy wah-wah guitar and odd middle section just baffles me. “He has a powerful weapon, he charges a million a shot.” Does he now? Innuendo can only be taken so far before it’s just crap. It misses the mark totally.

5. License to Kill
Again, love Gladys Knight, hate the song. The whole feel is just wrong. Whenever it comes on I have to forward this one. Can she actually pronounce the word kill? No matter how many times I have had to endure this song it still never sounds anything like it. I can almost see the smarmy Celine Dion singing this and turning it into a world wide hit. Boring, middle of the road rubbish. License to burn any remaining copies of this single still in production, granted!

Richard Wright: 1943-2008

Pink Floyd keyboardist and founder member Richard Wright has died from cancer at the age of 65. His input is often overlooked when discussing who or what Pink Floyd is. In 2005, the original lineup reunited for the first time in 24 years for a flawless performance at Live 8. Thankfully we are left with this magnificent performance as a memory of such a legendary band.

John McCain Accepts The Republican Nomination For President

Conforming to his maverick image, John McCain has picked the first female Vice President, a slightly controversial person in her own right, Sarah Palin. Lots of attention was focusing upon Palin herself rather than McCain. Her lack of experience, a 17-year-old pregnant unmarried daughter, and who the hell was she anyway? A governor of Alaska, of all places!

Fortunately for the Republicans she turned out to be the darling of the convention, firing up the party faithful using her humble origins, humor and stilettos to attack the Democrats. Yet McCain still had plenty to do, he is the party’s nomination after all.

McCain needs to distance himself from Bush and the fact that he didn’t show up at the convention can only have been a good thing for McCain. Would McCain just be more of the McSame? The attacks on his rivals were effective and overall the speech ticked most of the boxes and contained few to no surprises. However, as expected, he never set the convention on light with his rhetoric. He filled in some details on economic policy and his biggest theme was to regain the trust in the American people.

McCain didn’t set the tone with his speech but more so with the choice of his running mate. This race is by no means over before it has started. Polls for the last couple of months have consistently put the two candidates’ neck-a-neck. One recent poll even put McCain ahead for the first time. Time will tell how this one will pan out.

Some Welcome And Not So Welcome Visitors

The whole of the weekend was marred by a Typhoon. I've been waiting ages for one and then one comes along on a weekend of all days! So this was the not so welcome visitor for the weekend; Typhoon Sinlaku

The Typhoon started affecting Taiwan on Friday and didn't leave until Monday evening. The biggest issue remains the extended period of rainfall due to the storm's very slow speed.
The eye of the storm did finally make landfall - three times: 1:50am Ilan, 10am at Keelung & 6pm at Danshuei / Sanshzi. This means that the eye of storm came to the main island and then left and then returned in a looping pattern. Not unusual for a single loop - but three is quite unprecedented. Meteorologists couldn't recall it happening before.

Trying to not let the Typhoon completely destroy the weekend George and I flitted between going out and staying in watching TV. Friday evening was Shelly and Josh's farewell party before they move to Japan. So we had to brave the typhoon and venture out to Beitou for the $300 all you can drink party. It was actually very nice and even met Blake who i haven't seen in months. We made our way home by taxi in the early hours of the morning.

We spent most of Saturday just lazing around the house watching TV until the evening when we went to Jack's house for a small gathering of people. Steve was also in Taipei so i invited him over and we chatted and drank whilst playing some drinking games. Steve was on a mission to go out so we ended up in Carnegie's. Actually, old men trying to pull young girls aside, the place is good, good beer and good music. A little small and expensive but not a bad place, i think I'd go back there for sure. We got home at about 4am and finished off the evening by watching Bridget Jones' Diary.

Sunday was spent confined to the house due to the obscene levels of rain outside but finally got to watch Sex and the City which was really great, highly recommended! So a good weekend despite the awful weather.

Bald-head adverts for NZ airline

The airline seeks bald fliers to use as "cranial billboards"

New Zealand's national airline is looking for bald passengers to head up a new advertising campaign. The carrier said it wanted 50 passengers to be "cranial billboards" and publicise a new check-in service on their heads. The fliers will be offered money to have their pates temporarily tattooed with the message. The airline said it would pay NZ$1,000 (£380; $666) per head, making it easy money for bald frequent fliers. The airline's marketing manager Steve Bayliss said in a statement: "How better to tell our customers that Air New Zealand is going to do something about [long check-in queues]... than through messaging they can read while they're standing in a queue themselves?"

Grammar Misuse

Tescos recently came under fire for using 'less' rather than 'fewer' in their aisle's stating '10 items or less'. Last time i checked items were countable so why shouldn't it be '10 items or fewer'? Giving in to this, Tescos have no avoided any debate by stating 'up to 10 items'. Pedantic i know, but an interesting analysis of grammar. Ignited by this incident, here are some other common missuses of grammar people have commented about.

1. The one that really annoys me is how people suddenly seem to confuse "have" and "of", as in: "I could of learnt how to write properly." There's no excuse for it!

2. The phrase "for free" is becoming commonplace and is used often on television and it's wrong. It should be "for nothing".

3. That guardian of our language, the BBC, is full of solecisms these days; just one example: 12 pm. There is no such time; "meridian" as in am ("ante meridian" means "before noon") and pm ("post meridian" means "after noon") means midday. The 12th hour is neither before nor after midday. So please, BBC use either midday or noon with midnight the correct term for the other end of the day. This is not being pedantic; in these days of 24-hour days, it is often not readily apparent what time 12 pm might be.

4. If you do something to change a situation, then you "effect" a change. If your circumstances are changed by an action, then the change has caused an "effect". You cannot "affect" a change in something, nor can you be "effected" by one.

5. I get annoyed at the reckless use of apostrophes, for example, the plural of CD can't be CD's.

6. Many people, including public speakers, incorrectly use "I" instead of "me". For instance, they would say "She said some very kind things about George and I", thinking that they are being polite or grammatically correct. An easy way to remember which to use is: if you would say him or her on its own, use me; if you would say he or she on its own, use I. For example, "She said some very kind things about him".

7. Incorrect use of reflexives make my blood boil. I think that for someone to say "yourself" and "myself" when they just mean "you" or "me" is possibly out of a false sense of politeness, or maybe the insidious effect of TV soaps, or both. Those who use it correctly can give "themselves" a pat on the back.

8. How about "none of them is" and "none of them are"? Most people would use the latter whereas the former is correct. "None" is short for "not one" therefore "not one (none) of them is" would be used. Most newsreaders still get it right though - on the BBC anyway!

NOTE: Fowler's Modern English Usage says that "none" is not short for "not one" and although using a singular verb is more common, using a plural verb has also been an acceptable option since the reign of King Alfred.

9. Similar TO, different FROM, compared WITH. Not "to" used for all of them!

NOTE: Fowler's Modern English Usage says: "The commonly expressed view that 'different' should only be followed by 'from' and never by 'to' or 'than' is not supportable in the face of past and present evidence or of logic." It adds that "compare to" is to liken and "compare with" or "compare to" is used to point out similarities and differences. The BBC News website style guide differs with Fowler's on this last point. It says that when pointing out differences, "compare with" should always be used.

10. Here's one they often get wrong on BBC news! BBC reporter: "Then they opened fire on us". This is incorrect. In military terms there are two methods of shooting at an enemy, controlled-fire and open-fire. I.E. you are not opening anything so using the past tense of open is incorrect. The correct expression should be "Then they open-fired on us"

11. I find the increasing, incorrect use of "literally" annoying.... "I literally went blue with anger!!" "Really?" I ask.

12. The proper use of "its" and "it's" seems to confound many people, with "its" being a possessive and "it's" being a contraction of "it is". I've seen this mistake made even in some rather lofty publications.

13. It annoys me when people use "due to" when they mean "owing to". But then I'm a pedant.

NOTE: The BBC News website style guide says "due to" means "caused by" and needs a noun, but "owing to" means "because of" and relates to a verb. Hence, "the visit was cancelled [cancelled is the verb] owing to flooding" is correct. So too is "the flooding [flooding is the noun] was due to weeks of heavy rain".

14. As a secondary teacher, I'm beginning to despair when it comes to "they're", "there" and "their"; not to mention "to", "two" and "too". Why are we so afraid to correct these simple mistakes which make all the difference at a later stage?

15. There is also confusion over lend and borrow. I keep hearing school children asking "to lend your pencil" when what they actually mean is to "borrow" the pencil.

16. I cringe when I hear BBC reporters say "amount of people" when it should be "number of people"

NOTE: Fowler's says "amount" is used with nouns that are not countable, such as "amount of forgiveness" and "amount of glue" - but "number" is used with countable nouns, such as "number of boys" and "number of houses".

17. I don't like it when people say: I can go there "by foot" instead of "on foot"....the right preposition to use is ON.

18. The usage that I find particularly irritating is that of a single noun with a plural verb, for example: "the team are happy with their victory", or "management have congratulated the workforce on the recent increase in productivity". Team is a singular noun so it should read "the team IS happy..." or "the team members ARE happy", the same applies "management HAS congratulated..." Also, what has happened to the word "versus", abbreviated "vs"? Now all we see is "v"; it is even read like that in sports announcements.

NOTE: The BBC News website's style is that sports teams and pop/rock bands are always plural.

19. A classic confusing rule is the one that states that one is supposed never to end a sentence with a preposition. While this is easy and appropriate to follow in most cases, for example by saying "Yesterday I visited the town to which she has just moved" instead of "...the town she has just moved to", it becomes troublesome when the verb structure includes a preposition that cannot be removed from it, as in "At work I am using a new computer with which my manager recently set me up", which cannot correctly be changed to "...I am using a new computer up with which my manager recently set me".

20. Stadiums, as a plural of stadium, rather than stadia.

NOTE: Fowler's says that when dealing with modern sports grounds, rather than ones from the classical world, the plural is "stadiums".