Taichung manufacturer fulfills his dream by operating a rural bookstore (2015/03/06)
A love of reading led Taichung entrepreneur Lobsang Wang to open a bookstore. He doesn’t pressure customers to make purchases, and instead encourages them to browse. Despite big losses in his first year, he says he’s prepared to keep the bookstore open to inspire others to read.
At 11 am when this bookstore opens, a number of customers are already waiting outside eager to enter.
These book racks and a bar are all made from wood typically found in a cafe, but it’s actually a bookstore. Customers aren’t required to make a purchase. The owner encourages everyone to browse as long as they want.
The owner, Lobsang Wang, manufactures stair lifts, though his hobby has always been reading books. A year and a half ago he invested NT$40 million in a bookstore located at the border of Taichung, Changhua and Nantou. It was his hope that this new bookstore would encourage more people to read.
Volunteers help land crabs cross the busy Green Island coastal highway (2014/09/26)
Next we head to Green Island, where a crew of volunteers is busy protecting land crabs. The volunteers usher the crabs across the coastal highway, preventing them from being run over by vehicles as they make their way to the sea to lay eggs.
When evening approaches, 30 to 40 volunteers head to the highway encircling Green Island. They come armed with boards and buckets to aid in the search and capture of land crabs.
They carefully place land crabs that are just 2 to 3 centimeters long into bottles and other containers. The crabs are then brought to the sea where they lay eggs.
Mother crabs brings their eggs to the sea this time of year. As they move from the mountainous interior to the coast, they must cross the highway. Many of the crabs are crushed during this treacherous stage of their journey.
Volunteers help land crabs cross the busy Green Island coastal highway (2014/09/26)
Next we head to Green Island, where a crew of volunteers is busy protecting land crabs. The volunteers usher the crabs across the coastal highway, preventing them from being run over by vehicles as they make their way to the sea to lay eggs.
When evening approaches, 30 to 40 volunteers head to the highway encircling Green Island. They come armed with boards and buckets to aid in the search and capture of land crabs.
They carefully place land crabs that are just 2 to 3 centimeters long into bottles and other containers. The crabs are then brought to the sea where they lay eggs.
Mother crabs brings their eggs to the sea this time of year. As they move from the mountainous interior to the coast, they must cross the highway. Many of the crabs are crushed during this treacherous stage of their journey.
iPass Card accuses EasyCard of being a monopoly, keeps it out of Kaohsiung (2014/09/25)
The EasyCard is Taiwan’s most used stored value card for public transportation fares and is dominant in Taipei. Another stored value card provider based in Kaoshiung, iPass, has exclusive access to the Kaohsiung MRT. Each wants access to the other’s territory, but a breakthrough in the stalemate seems unlikely in the near future.
Have the EasyCard read by a sensor, and a computer displays recorded information, such as the bearer’s blood pressure, height and weight. Though the card’s functions are growing by the day, it still cannot be used on the Kaohsiung MRT system.
There are 48 million EasyCards in circulation, more than 10 times as many as the 4.5 million iPass cards issued. The two companies have tried to discuss terms for cross-use of the cards, but talks broke down over value-added services.
iPass Card accuses EasyCard of being a monopoly, keeps it out of Kaohsiung (2014/09/25)
The EasyCard is Taiwan’s most used stored value card for public transportation fares and is dominant in Taipei. Another stored value card provider based in Kaoshiung, iPass, has exclusive access to the Kaohsiung MRT. Each wants access to the other’s territory, but a breakthrough in the stalemate seems unlikely in the near future.
Have the EasyCard read by a sensor, and a computer displays recorded information, such as the bearer’s blood pressure, height and weight. Though the card’s functions are growing by the day, it still cannot be used on the Kaohsiung MRT system.
There are 48 million EasyCards in circulation, more than 10 times as many as the 4.5 million iPass cards issued. The two companies have tried to discuss terms for cross-use of the cards, but talks broke down over value-added services.
Taipei International Invention Show features special Agricultural Pavilion (2014/09/18)
The 2014 Taipei International Invention Show and Techno Mart officially opened to the public today. This year the Agricultural Pavilion at the show was of particular interest, displaying many examples of new agricultural technology.
The opening of the Taipei International Invention Show took place today, and Deputy Agriculture Minister Chen Wen-te was on hand for the opening of the special Agriculture Pavilion. This year, three different themes were on display at the pavilion: breeding, food safety, and health. This special exhibit caught the attention of many people passing by the pavilion.
A rope is connected to this clicker producing a 100-120db noise, a sort of solar powered bird alarm, helping farmers keep birds away from their rice field.
TSMC opts for electric vehicles to shuttle staff around its facilities at Hsinchu Science Park (2014/09/19)
In an effort to reduce carbon emissions, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has been promoting the use of electric-powered vehicles. TSMC has given up on diesel powered shuttle buses and switched to more environmentally friendly, electric-powered vehicles to transport its employees around its factory grounds at Hsinchu Science Park.
Passengers on this shuttle bus will notice two things that make for an especially pleasant ride. There is no loud engine noise, nor is there any exhaust smoke. The vehicle, which is used by TSMC as transport for its employees at the Hsinchu Science Park, runs solely on electric power.
In a bid to reduce carbon emissions, TSMC contracted RAC Electric Vehicles to build more environmentally friendly transport for its employees, which was funded with a two-year grant from the Ministry of Economics. TSMC previously used nine diesel-power vehicles at its factory grounds, but now uses these electrically powered shuttle buses exclusively. With a passenger volume of 3,500 persons per day, the buses are helping the company to significantly reduce carbon emissions.
Changhua pharmacist manages a trip around the world on a shoestring budget (2014/09/15)
Many of us would love to travel around the world, but we often give up such a dream because of the cost. But a pharmacist from Changhua managed to overcome this obstacle, spending just NT$800,000 to travel to 26 countries in one year.
From Mount Kilimanjaro in the African country of Tanzania to an active volcano in Ethiopia and a desert scene filled with cactus trees -- Chen Wei-ting has been to all of these remote places, as part of a year-long trip to 26 countries. The pharmacist accomplished his dream trip on a budget of just NT$850,000.
A woman surprises Taipei Medical University doctors by naturally giving birth after uterus surgery (2014/09/09)
Now we turn to a new major achievement in Taiwan’s medical world.
A 36-year-old woman has given birth following an unusual surgical procedure in which her uterus was split into two parts in order to remove a tumor. The woman underwent surgery three years ago, and in spite of a difficult recovery, she recently gave birth to a healthy baby boy.
Ms. Hsu and her husband, Mr. Zauner of Germany, show photos of their newborn baby son. For this couple, a second pregnancy and a successful birth following the surgery has been nothing short of a miracle.
After restoration, Japanese residence in Taipei Botanical Garden re-opens (2014/09/02)
A Japanese-style house from the colonial era has recently been renovated with the help of volunteers and private enterprises at the Taipei Botanical Garden. The building and surrounding garden were fully restored to their former zen-like simplicity.
A Japanese-style building made with dark wood and surrounded by white stones is situated within the walls of the Taipei Botanical Gardens. After its recent re-opening following renovations, it was given the name Nanmending 323, harkening back to the Japanese colonial era.
Lanyu’s first convenience store delays scheduled opening until early September (2014/08/31)
The opening of Lanyu’s first full-fledged convenience store was scheduled to take place at the beginning of August. While work on the store has already been completed, the opening is now scheduled for early September. The company is hoping a soft opening will help it avoid any mistakes as well as minimize its impact on island culture.
Renovation work on this convenience store is nearly complete with a cash register, refrigerators, and shelving in place. However, Lanyu’s first true convenience store remains locked and the sign has yet to be installed. The opening date of this convenience store was set for August 12 though it continues to encounter delays. Some believe that Lanyu, in fact, doesn’t need a convenience store as many local residents have mixed emotions about this arrival of this convenience store chain.
I don’t think the (arrival) of this convenience store is good. We already have a farmer’s cooperative, so why do they need to build a convenience store?
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