動車通過山海關

和諧通過山海關站，這一段到天津速度只在110km/hr上下，沒有尬到300km/hr，不夠high speed。上車就有乘務員馬上跑來查票，管理乘客頗為嚴謹。

Growing up

When I browsed those photos of Maggie taken some one year ago, I almost forgot how she looked as a young baby. Now she looks so cute and pretty. Time just changes something and so it re-flashed my memories.

Business case not good

As our customer getting a not-so-bright forecase for the 2nd half of 2007, I am seeing a decreasing shipment compared with that of last year. Probably we will have another difficult half until the 2nd half of 2008.

Defeat of DDP in the 2005 local elections

The defeat of DDP in the commissioner election really surprised me. I was expecting a slight victory to be won by Pan-Blue, but it turned out to be a fiasco for Pan-Green. It can be concluded that the wiggly mind of President Chen appearantly hurt Pan-Green voters although Senior Advisor to the President Mr. Ku posted an announcement to encourage all voters to cast their rights. Somehow that announcement only stirred small eddies among the strong call for Pan-Blue voters urged by the KMT chairman Ma, who claimed to step down if not won more than 11 out of 23 county positions.

It is crystal clear that Pan-Blue voters did not buy any concession made by President Chen. Chen's try to buy out all votes by unwisely tolerating those unlawful, unfair and unethical practices led by those Pan-Blue media players and politicians. The value of goodwill once rooted deeply in Taiwan now is collapsing. I guess that's why Pan-Green supporters declined to cast their votes. Chen has to learn from Japan's Premier Koizumi, who sticked to his faith in reform and accepted no compromises.

Don't you remember your campaign slogan for 2004 presidential election, Mr. Chen? It is simply "相信台灣，堅持改革 (Belief in Taiwan, insistence upon reform)". That is the only answer to win back Pan-Green and pro-Taiwan supporters. Stop swinging!

Maggie's First Birthday

Happy birthday Maggie. Dad was so delighted when you came out from Mom. I was a little shocked, I admitted. But as time goes by, I fall in love with you. Thank god for sending you to our side. May you live the life you want to from now on. May god give you the strength to get through all difficulties. Have faith in yourself.

Office of the Chief Technical Officer

There is always something interesting or stupid happened to our dear chief technical officer. Sometimes we fellow engineers called him bird-flown pa. That is why I got this icon representing the office of the chief technical officer.

Chiang Kai-shek's representatives to the United Nations expelled 24 years ago today

On October 25, 1971, the United Nations General Assembly passed Resolution 2758, which recognized the People's Republic of China (PRC) as the ligitimate government of China in the UN. The representatives of Chiang Kai-shek, as a result, were expelled from the seat they unlawfully occupied.

I remembered when I first read about the original text, which was a part of an essay in a GRE textbook published in China, I was a little doubted about its realness. Because of the KMT-manipulated education system I have been through, I was used to believe that the Republic of China (ROC) disaffiliated decently. However, I started finding out the true story, and it turned out that what KMT taught about the UN-Taiwan histroy was just totally bullshit. ROC was not expelled from the UN, but just gave in the seat to PRC. Then I began to check other historical records and books about the past years, and found out the shameless plots that tried to brainwash Taiwanese with piles of bullshit.

I have been fooled for some 25 years by the damned KMT gansters, who unlawfully occupied Taiwan for over 60 years. That was really a bitter memory, when I did not believe my motherland Taiwan but those gansters, I would keep for my life. I will not give any other vote to the KMT/Pan-red anymore unless all these crimes they have done have been well punished.

Transparency International announced Corruption Perceptions Index 2005

國際透明組織公佈2005年各國清廉指數

Taiwan was ranked 32nd, up from 35th in 2004, with its Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) raising from 5.6 to 5.9. Since it is the value of CPI rather than the rank can reflect the degree of corruption in public sector of a country, I reviewed the indices ever released to see if the situation is really improving in Taiwan. Let's check the following,

Year CPI Rank
2005 5.9 32
2004 5.6 35
2003 5.7 30
2002 5.6 29
2001 5.9 27
2000 5.5 28
1999 5.6 28
1998 5.3 29
1997 5.02 31
1996 4.98 29
1995 5.08 -

It seems the degree of corruption is decreasing sluggishly after the millennium, but it is evident that the peaceful transition of political power in 2000 did have significant influences. As one can average the CPI values perioded between 1995-1999 (gives 5.2) and those between 2001-2005 (gives 5.74) to find that, under the DPP administration, the situation is improving though in a slow progress.

Link: http://ww1.transparency.org/cpi/2005/cpi2005_infocus.html