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U.S. should adopt Taiwan's higher standard
2007/08/27 This letter is in response to the article written by (AIT director) Stephen M. Young on Aug. 24. Young stated some points trying to convince the general public in Taiwan to accept the importation of American pork having Ractopamine. He used "science" vs. "superstition" as the title. ¡@ As a member of Taiwan society, I have some opinions on the issue he talked about. First, Young said that the U.S. FDA approved the use of Ractopamine in 1999 and commented that "FDA has a well-deserved reputation for its scientific expertise and has a rigorous approval process before any new veterinary drug is allowed for use in the U.S." This statement is absolutely American-centered. Our country ¡X the ROC ¡X has some standard, perhaps even stricter than that of the U.S. We prohibit the use of Ractopamine in the first place. If other countries would like to follow the U.S. and use Ractopamine, that¡¦s their choice. Nonetheless, we still stand firm on our standard. ¡@ From the aspect of "science," the agriculture agency of ROC is prudent enough not to use the chemical before its potential side-effects are detected. As it is believed that chemicals or additives contained in food or dairy products would do harm to human beings over time, it is best not to use them at the very start. ¡@ As a final point, Young said in his article that it is his "sincere hope that Taiwan will adopt a science-based approach to set standards for a permissible level of Ractopamine in U.S. meat exported to Taiwan." Instead, I will earnestly urge that the U.S. government take on our stricter standard ¡X not to use Ractopamine ¡X and take the health of Americans as a priority issue. Next generation of teachers should be specially trained
2007/08/26 I would like to respond to the editorial "TEFL scores in Taiwan: a humiliating failure" (Aug. 23, 2007). The abysmal TEFL scores are referred to, along with the ubiquitous reminder about the importance of English in today's world. The solutions offered were basically two-fold: stressing communication in English classes and hiring more foreign teachers of English. ¡@ Unfortunately, these are not practical solutions. As for changing the teaching approach to one that is more communicative-oriented, who will prepare the teachers? Are the teachers even capable? Will any teacher stop catering to the endless tests their students will face? What about class sizes? Will a communicative approach work in overcrowded classes and a few hours a week? What about teaching English from kindergarten on? None of these crucial questions are addressed. ¡@ As for hiring more foreign teachers, forget it! The MOE has no idea how to find or recruit them, and most would be totally uninterested in coming here for many reasons, including dealing with a foreign culture, language challenges, low salaries, little support, antagonistic local teachers, endless paperwork and legal hassles, etc. Even if we could find a large number of qualified and willing foreign teachers of English to come to Taiwan, they would still be caught in the "prepare students for exams" syndrome, and at best would be a temporary solution. ¡@ There is only one logical solution ¡X to train the next generation of teachers in special English language schools by both foreigners and truly competent Taiwanese teachers. By the time these students work their way through elementary and secondary school, they will be ready to enter university for teacher certification. Taiwan would finally have a homegrown cadre of competent teachers of English for future students who may finally be spared endless hours in useless and expensive Buxibans, to make up for incompetent teachers in the schools of Taiwan. ¡@ We have to start preparing the teachers before tackling the problems facing students countrywide, although many improvements can be made in the meantime, like encouraging reading, practical English usage, testing teachers, etc. Most future English teaching jobs should go to Taiwanese students, rather than foreigners. This solution will take years to realize, but so many years have already been wasted without improvement. ¡@ Beside the editorial, there was a letter to the editor: "Students must learn to take responsibility for themselves" in which Phillip Charlier, a researcher in Taipei, suggests that college level language "student self-evaluation should be instigated immediately" and should be given a higher priority than teacher and school evaluation." ¡@ I hope Charlier's area of research is not education, as his idea is ludicrous. I can just picture a future job candidate saying: "I gave myself 95 percent in English so I am very qualified." Would Charlier go to a doctor who had evaluated himself? If a student were truly qualified to evaluate himself, it would mean that he/she possessed knowledge and skills equivalent to his professors. ¡@ There is one benefit to his suggestion, if students could evaluate their own TEFL tests it would finally eradicate the low scores plaguing Taiwan. China's control over media shows its lack of confidence
2007/08/26 China imposing restriction on media freedom is nothing new. This time around, the fabricated story of cardboard-filled meat buns by a Beijing television reporter lends weight to the government's excuse of media control. ¡@ With the Chinese Communist Party Congress approaching, Beijing has recently set out to tighten its grip on media. The Central Committee's Propaganda Department, the organization to monitor content of the publications in consistency with the Communist Party's political dogma, kicks off a wide-ranging clampdown on "false news" and "illegal publications." ¡@ To build a progressive and cooperative national image, Beijing has long been scheming to blind the people to reality. The ban on reporting the real situation of the 172 trapped miners at the Huayuan mine in Shandong province and probing the details of the deadly collapse of the Fenghuang bridge in Zhejiang province, as was lately issued by the Propaganda Department, exemplifies the government's reluctance to face the music. However, the disguise fails to whitewash the blot on the Communist leadership, only to leave the unnerved public to speculate rumors and to cast doubts on the regime's credibility. ¡@ On the other side, the Chinese officials run short of confidence in its subjects. They underestimate the citizens' media literacy to detect bias, distinguish facts from opinions, and reconstruct media message. Under the pretext of protectionism, the people's right of knowledge is trampled on and, in the meantime, the opportunity to develop critical thinking is deprived. ¡@ China's media control reckons a bitter reminder, to the world and to itself, of a totalitarian regime seeking to suppress speech that they disapprove of, dislike or simply dread to let their subjects know. There are 'small' murders only in distorted rationale
2007/08/26 I wish to commend the Vatican, and more recently Catholic Bishop Michael Evans of East Anglia for condemning Amnesty International's new pro-abortion policy. Amnesty has fallen victim to a distorted rationale that tends to place a higher priority on human suffering than on life itself. Contrary to Amnesty's new position, human welfare depends upon a shared responsibility that involves moral limits. There are no "small" murders. The respect for every human life is an essential condition if a societal life worthy of the name is to be possible. When man's conscience loses respect for life as something sacred, he inevitably ends by losing his own identity. ¡@ While the term "choice" may sound democratic the person who opts for abortion is neglecting to consider the fundamental right to life of the mother's unborn fetus. We must help those who are suffering, but we may not use a good end to justify an evil means. Human beings are not raw materials to be exploited or commodities that can be bought and sold. To suggest otherwise is to endorse a macabre interpretation of progress. To claim the right to abortion and to recognize that right in law, means to attribute to human freedom a perverse and evil significance: that of an absolute power over others and against others. This is the death of true freedom. Give young Taiwanese credit, encouragement on English
2007/08/25 In your editorial titled "TEFL scores in Taiwan: a humiliating failure" (Aug. 23), you correctly point out some important aspects of English education in this country, and I hope the nation's educators are listening. ¡@ However, when the editorial states that "despite huge amounts of resources invested, the campaign to make Taiwanese students proficient in English has been an ignominious failure", I must disagree. When the editorial further states that "[sadly], Taiwanese citizens' ability to use English has made little, if any, progress over the years," I must also disagree. ¡@ It's been my experience, and it's my view, that Taiwanese young people have made giant strides in the last ten years or so in learning English. Rather than always criticize the current state of English learning, why not offer some positive words of encouragement for a change? ¡@ I see all around me on a daily basis high school students and college students and graduate students from all over Taiwan who speak English very well, and can comfortably communicate with foreigners in English. Let's give them some credit. Let's congratulate the younger generation for learning English and making it part of their daily lives. ¡@ Compared with Japan, where people speak the most atrocious English on the planet ¡X I'm kidding! ¡X Taiwan is doing a very good job of absorbing English into daily life, and things will only get better as time goes on. ¡@ I would like to give Taiwanese people high marks for their English skills, and while there is still much improvement that needs to be made, of course, I think they have been doing a very good job of learning English and incorporating it into their daily lives. Look at the bright side! Things are much better now than they were 25 years ago! English is more or less the unofficial second language of Taiwan right now. This is a huge accomplishment. Students must learn to take responsibility for themselves
2007/08/23 Two of Fr. Daniel J. Bauer's recent columns ¡X "Students should evaluate themselves" (June 10, 2007) and "Real education more than reputation" (Aug. 5, 2007) ¡X seem to touch on an issue I think is important in Taiwan's educational development. ¡@ My work involves use of a "learner-centered" framework of learning, teaching and assessment called the "Common European Framework of Reference for Language Learning, Teaching and Assessment" (CEFR). In May 2005, the MOE announced that the CEF/CEFR was to form the basis of all tests of English proficiency in Taiwan. While I think this is a positive step in English education here, the main challenge is implementing this policy in a "teacher-centered" educational system. ¡@ Students in Taiwan tend to give too much weight to the reputation of a school and the ability of a teacher in their formula for educational success. What seems to be missing in the equation is the most important factor of all ¡X the learner him/herself. A poor or lazy student who attends the most prestigious school and has the best teachers will remain a poor or lazy student. A student who applies him/herself to their subject with a diligent and responsible attitude will succeed regardless of the reputation of the school or the ability of their teacher. I believe this is especially true in language studies. There is no way a teacher can give the student the language on a plate. Language has to be learned more than "taught." The best we can do as teachers is give our students the tools they need to succeed and guide them how to use the resources available. ¡@ Taiwanese students and their parents are very critical of schools and teachers. When a student fails to make a passing grade or is felt to be underperforming, it is the school and the teacher who is criticized. While it is important for the schools and teachers to be accountable to their "customers," it is more crucial that the student takes responsibility for their learning. I'd like to ask "what steps has the learner taken to facilitate their learning inside and outside the classroom?" Has the learner actively spoken out in class and engaged in the discussions? Has the learner actively researched aspects of the learning program on their own, using the Internet and library resources? At college level, especially, these questions are of the highest relevance. ¡@ As teachers, we need to do whatever is possible to empower our students to become independent, rather than dependent on us or the school for their educational success. Ultimately, it is the learner who has to take responsibility for their learning. How can we allow them to graduate otherwise? I think Fr. Bauer's idea of student self-evaluation should be instigated immediately as a standard part of any college-level language program and should be given a higher priority than teacher and school evaluation. Such a policy would force a student to reflect on their own role in the learning process and empower them to take responsibility for their own success. Without this, even the best teacher can't help. Healing from abuse begins in the Church
2007/08/23 As a victim of childhood clergy sexual victimization who struggles every day for survival, I thank Father Daniel J. Bauer for his kind and understanding thoughts in "More healing thoughts on abuse" (Sunday, August 19th). ¡@ Yes, the rape of children is a difficult subject to talk, read, or even think about. That said, one can then understand how difficult it is for the clergy abuse victims who try to exist from one day to the next, one minute to the next. And some of victims (God keep them) could not exist with the memory of the perverted horrors that were perpetrated upon their innocent bodies, minds and spirits, and so took their own lives. ¡@ People, especially Roman Catholics, have to understand that the victims of clergy sexual victimization are living a nightmare from which they will never awaken. ¡@ Anointed priest brothers, deacons and nuns, with God on their lips, robbed us of our innocence, our childhoods, our futures; and for some, even their belief in a loving and merciful God. ¡@ In closing, I beg Catholics to discuss these crimes against children. Invite victims to your parishes and listen to their stories. ¡@ If something is brought out into the open, it is no longer taboo to address. Then (hopefully) what happened to us (the victims) will never happen to another child. ¡@ God bless you. Don't count on the illusion of goodwill created by China
2007/08/21 On Aug. 23, 1958 at 18:30, the Chinese Communist army intensively bombarded the islands of Kinmen and shocked the world. The incident later came to be known as the "Aug. 23 Taiwan Strait campaign." ¡@ China's original intent was to launch a surprise attack to topple Kinmen with intensive fire. However, our armed forces unitedly fought against the enemy and thoroughly crushed China's dream of "liberating Taiwan." ¡@ The heroic counterattack by our troops forced China to a cease-fire. China then changed its attack strategy by "fighting on single dates and cease firing on double dates" as a pretext for its military defeat. ¡@ In a few days, it will be the 49th anniversary of the "Aug. 23 Bombardment." The "Aug. 23 Bombardment" incident is not only an important historical event in the Taiwan Strait, but it also had a far-reaching impact on the entire Asia-Pacific region. With the current volatile situation in cross-strait relations, the clouds of war cannot be ruled out, as long as China doesn't give up its threat of using force against Taiwan. ¡@ To safeguard the nation's perpetual development, we should actively engage in combat training so as to strengthen our defense capabilities. ¡@ In the face of growing challenges and threats, people of our nation cannot be ignorant and count on the illusion of goodwill created by China. ¡@ Nor should we have the mentality of dependents, by looking forward to international backers. We can build up awareness about the challenges by understanding that "security lies in strength" and by actively working toward military buildup and war preparation. ¡@ This way we can build an "effective deterrence" and recreate the glorious history of the "Aug. 23" incident. HK's loss of democracy is a warning
2007/08/20 Recently, China celebrated the 10th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to Chinese rule with a large-scale concert and beautiful fireworks. ¡@ However, under the "one country, two systems" formula, people in Hong Kong have gradually lost their right to enjoy democracy and media freedom, which is what the majority of people want most. ¡@ Under China's governance, Hong Kong has seen problems arising from a bureaucratic system of corruption, the gap between the rich and poor, the exploitation of a brand new bureaucrat capitalist class and the reckless expansion of township enterprises. ¡@ Moreover, Hong Kong has also seen a steady decline in its media freedom under the rule of the Chinese Communist Party. Beijing's "muzzling" of Hong Kong media includes redirecting the scrutiny of the media from the Chinese government to that of Hong Kong, detaining Hong Kong reporters on the mainland, urging media barons to avoid controversial subjects, and even attacking newspaper presses. ¡@ Hong Kong's loss of democracy and media freedom is a warning for Taiwan to see through the lie of China's "one country, two systems," and to think twice before deciding to unify with Beijing. Olympics will show China's true colors
2007/08/16 When Beijing was awarded the right to host the Olympic Games, foreign supporters hoped that it would improve respect for human rights and press freedom. However, there's less than a year left before the start of the games, and fundamentally there has been little improvement. ¡@ Recently, foreign journalists were roughed up and detained for trying to report on a protest in Beijing. Then Chinese police detained six activists from Britain, America and Canada who managed to hang a huge banner on the Great Wall reading "One World, One Dream, Free Tibet 2008." ¡@ From these two incidents, it is clear that despite its claims, China never intended to loosen its grip on information and freedom of speech. Yet while it is relatively easy to whitewash the content of domestic media, it is a totally different matter with foreign reporters. ¡@ With the Olympics less than a year away, China will definitely be the focus of outside scrutiny. Human rights advocates, China's own dissidents and many others are sure to use the presence of foreign journalists to publicize their grievances. By suppressing the media, China will expose itself as the authoritarian regime that it really is. Venezuela's politics and sports mix is unacceptable
2007/08/14 Your newspaper recently reported that Venezuela refused to grant visas to 20 young Taiwanese baseball players under pressure from Beijing. So the Chinese-Taipei league team failed to leave for Venezuela and participate in the competition. Beijing's obstruction of Taiwan's participation in this athletic competition is uncivilized. In addition, Venezuela's approach is also unimaginable and totally unacceptable. ¡@ As the host country for the International Baseball Federation (IBAF) World Youth Championship, Venezuela refused to issue visas to the Taiwanese baseball team players because of China's meddling. As a result, the Chinese-Taipei Baseball Team will be absent from the match scheduled for today. Despite more than four months of efforts, the team members have not been issued visas. Venezuela's National Baseball Association secretary-general had even admitted to the IBAF that it is a political issue. ¡@ Venezuela's mixture of both politics and sports is inconceivable. This incident also clearly tells the world that China is doing everything it can to abuse the field of sports, in particular the pressure on Taiwan, which has never ceased. I believe that Beijing's blockade of Taiwan's participation in various sporting events will not help improve cross-strait relations, and it also hurts the feelings of people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan should capitalize on unique Austronesian heritage
2007/08/14 A few weeks ago I went to Taitung for the Rukai Harvest Festival and a Puyuma ceremony the next day. There happened to be an "Austronesian" concert at night in a park near the sea. With anticipation I attended but was sorely disappointed. Instead of Austronesian I found something more of a mishmash of Asian-Pacific, Mando-pop with only two authentic Austronesian selections. ¡@ I'm as big a fan of traditional Korean and Japanese culture as the next person but not in an "Austronesian" festival. And why was the picture of some Han girl on all the posters and free fans? The logical thing would have been to have had something spiffy with an Austronesian theme on it. But obviously politics trumped logic here or the whole thing would have really reflected the unique cultural heritage Taiwan can offer the world. ¡@ As the probable homeland of the Austronesian peoples, Taiwan is unique and should capitalize on this. It makes geopolitical as well as moral sense to help the indigenous peoples reclaim the languages and cultures that were stripped of them by the Japanese colonialists and the Han people. For them to reach out to other indigenous peoples helps them, but also helps Taiwan increase its rightful place in the world. Together the "yuan zhu ming" ("original people" in Chinese) and the Han people of Taiwan can do much to help each other while showing the rest of the world what Taiwan has to offer. Preserving the Air Force spirit by bulking up anti-air defense
2007/08/13 Aug. 14 is Air Force Day as well as the 70th anniversary this year of the Air Battle victory. We remember those Air Force martyrs who vowed to defend the country's airspace with blood by resisting the enemy's aggression, and thereby leaving countless epics and moving stories. ¡@ The Republic of China's Air Force has a long and glorious history and tradition ever since our Founding Father Dr. Sun Yat-sen founded the Military Aircraft School in Guangzhou in 1924. Through the 83 years, the Air Force took part in both the Jianqiao and Nanking Air Battles in August of 1937 and the Wuhan Air Battle in 1938. ¡@ In addition, back in 1958 during the "Aug. 23 Taiwan Strait campaign," the Air Force shocked the world and forged new initiatives with a 31-to-1 kill ratio in a brilliant performance of air battle skills, resulting in a total disheartening of the PLA troops. Since then, the PLA dared not overstep the authority of our territory and ensured the safety of the Taiwan Strait, which led Taiwan creating an economic miracle admired all over the world. ¡@ The evidence of history has proved that "without air defense, there is no national defense." Today, we face a China which is constantly expanding its air force with the introduction of the Russian SU-30, SU-27 (J-11) fighters. They have also made the J-10, Xiaolong, Shanying and Lieying fighters. ¡@ What's more, Beijing also researched and developed large early warning aircraft and aerial tanker planes by way of international cooperation. This adds to the air power of the PLA significantly both in quantity and quality and cause growing threats on the air defense of the Taiwan Strait. Therefore, in the face of mainland China's military threat and its refusal to renounce the use of force against Taiwan, we should always bear in mind the "Jianqiao spirit" and enhance our national defense to ensure national security. Prolonged political bickering hinders Taiwanese economy
2007/08/13 I was cautioned by a Taiwanese friend to refrain from making comments connected to local 'politically sensitive issues' before leaving on a week-long trip to Taiwan. ¡@ And I did. For the past few days, apart from making friendly conversation with the local people, I tried not to raise any issue to do with their political views or beliefs. The Taiwanese are deeply divided into two colors, the blue in the north and the green in the south. While the blue adores the former KMT chairman, Ma Ying-jeou, the green are the staunch supporters of the DPP despite corruption emerging as a great threat to the ruling party in the forthcoming elections. ¡@ Due to the political woes and with the local media having the tendency of reporting more scandalous stories in both political and entertainment scenes, people are trying hard to stay away from the local news segment. But for those who are not afraid of voicing their points of view on air, some political talk shows do provide a channel for them to vent out their frustrations and disapproval of the ruling party. ¡@ With policies swaying like the wind, economic programs are not getting off ground and are thus leaving both investors and consumers frustrated. While many hope to put a full stop to the constant bickering between the ruling party and the opposition, it is evident that all these endless squabbles shall continue for the time being bolstered by constantly rising prices and stagnant income. Beijing's grip on the PLA shows it's still a dictatorship
2007/08/11 On the 80th anniversary of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), Chinese President Hu Jintao promised to modernize the nation's defenses and the armed forces with a bigger military budget and greater use of technology. Hu also reiterated that the Chinese Communist Party must retain absolute leadership over the 2.3 million-strong PLA. ¡@ However, military modernization means more than an upgrade to advanced equipment and weaponry. ¡@ The Communist Party has taken the armed forces as an indispensable tool to keep its monopoly on the nation. The troops played a fundamental role in bringing down the Cultural Revolution and the arrest of the Gang of Four. The revolt of the pro-democracy movement in Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989 was suppressed by the PLA under the party's order. ¡@ Hu's remark that the PLA is at the service of the Chinese people is nothing more than a ringing slogan. As a matter of fact, the troops are maneuvered as the Chinese Communist Party's house army, unduly following the party banner and resolutely fulfilling tasks assigned by leaders of the party. ¡@ The Chinese Communist Party's absolute command of the army creates a stark foil for the democratic practice in Taiwan. While the Chinese Communist Party brooks no shift of faithfulness to the government, Taiwan has captured the essence of military modernization by nationalizing the troops. The nationalized army of Taiwan, loyal to the government and neutral politically, makes itself a mandatory force to protect the security of all citizens, instead of serving a particular party. ¡@ The contrasting notions of military modernization not only pinpoint the lurid differences between China and Taiwan but also shed light on the PRC's entrenched and perpetuating dictatorship. ¡@ Church leaders should not mix religion with politics
2007/08/10 As a Christian myself, I cannot go along with leaders of our Presbyterian Church in Taiwan in their plan to stage a political rally this Sunday in Kaohsiung to mark the 30th anniversary of the Human Rights Declaration by the Taiwan Presbyterian Church 30 years ago on Aug. 16, 1977. ¡@ It is one thing for them to support human rights, but quite another when they support a certain political party in Taiwan and oppose, or even condemn another party. ¡@ The Gospel teaches us to love all mankind as brothers without discrimination. Jesus also taught us to render unto Caeser that which belong to Caeser, unto God which is God. It is a clear manifestation that church leaders should not mix religion with politics. ¡@ What future will Christianity have in Taiwan if society gets the impression that the church is but a political instrument of religious leaders? KMT policy on U.N. bid is wrong move at wrong time
2007/08/09 The uproar of U.N. representation staged by the DPP administration is a no-brainer at this election juncture. But the strange approval for a referendum from the KMT is definitely a policy of defeat, at best. ¡@ The repetitive applications for entrance to the U.N. is obviously a conveniently political grandstanding on the part of Chen's administration without any diplomatic preparation or consultation. Those officials know better that without the blessing of the U.S. and Latin-American dollar implications, this application is just a bad joke in this hot summer of 2007. ¡@ It is beyond me how the lone voice of the KMT's Lien Chan is the only dissent from the rank-and-file in the opposition party saying that it is actually a wrong move at the wrong time. While recovering Taiwan's economic competitiveness has remained the central topic on the campaign trail, Ma and his friends should have just ignored this piece of U.N. farce. Test-oriented learning suffocates creativity
2007/08/09 The education system in Taiwan is famous for its test-oriented policy, where students must go on an arduous journey of entrance exams to approach a higher level of schooling. Inevitably, this rationale has been imposed upon evaluating students' English proficiency level, and gradually suffocates their creative linguistic production. Many of the students become well-trained test-takers who don't really enjoy the process of learning English, let alone appreciate the beauty of language itself. Alas, that is indeed a tragedy to me, a lover of English. ¡@ The "testing" phenomenon becomes worse when the government officially promotes the GEPT ¡X General English Proficiency Test. The ideal purpose of the GEPT was to recognize the importance of English in Taiwan, and encourage folks to learn it well. However, the reality has put the cart before the horse. Most parents in Taiwan fear their children might not be competitive with others, so eagerly, they send their children to the test-training courses where numerous test examples are provided, answering skills are cleverly taught, and the students are effectively trained. ¡@ The test results might be satisfactory, but the competence to master and use the language would be limited. The weakness comes to the surface when learners encounter the moments that they need to use English in reality. Students who study abroad are evident examples. Many of them, with the help of test-training courses, are able to pass the required tests. Later, they find themselves grappling with their academic and social lives overseas because everything goes beyond the materials that they are familiar with in the tests. ¡@ Language creativity is much more important than the results shown in scores. Learning English actively with intrinsic motivation enhances language creativity. There are efficient ways to learn English well, other than taking proficiency tests as ultimate goals. Let the horse lead the cart, and it will be able to take us to the destination where we are able to freely express ourselves. Quality counts; courses, programs and professors matter!
2007/08/07 Father Bauer's commentary entitled "Real education more than reputation" (Aug. 5) hit the nail on the head. I am the chair of a Foreign Languages and Literature Department (FLLD) at a private university in Taichung. Based on MOE "standards," private universities are unable to compete with national universities. What we are doing (providing quality education) and how we are being evaluated are not the same. We are playing basketball, but we are being evaluated by rules for baseball. ¡@ At the risk of breaking my arm by patting myself on the back, we have an outstanding program at Tunghai, but it will not appear that way on the MOE evaluation. The MOE review process is designed to rank universities, not measure the quality of programs. I have no problem with saying that Tunghai has one of the best Foreign Languages and Literature programs in Taiwan. But I am barking in the wind if students will not even consider a private university. ¡@ Last week I was told by a local high school that I could not promote our department there because their students could do better than
Tunghai. Parents and teachers would be disappointed if their students went to private university and not a national one. This is disheartening because students and parents should look for quality in a university program and not just a name.
¡X James Sims, Chair/Associate Professor, FLLD, Tunghai University ¡@ I would like to comment on Father Bauer's article "Real education more than reputation" (Aug. 5). He correctly points out that many students try to get into the few prestigious national universities in Taiwan and are often disappointed when they wind up instead in private universities like Fu Jen Catholic University. The reputation of many national universities is overblown and often quite undeserved. ¡@ A few years ago, I was invited to present a paper on 19th century English literature at a conference at a university which enjoys a fine reputation as an outstanding university in Taiwan. As this period includes the Romantic poets and some of the best poetry ever written in English, I was more than happy to oblige, and prepared a paper on Coleridge's "Kubla Khan", one of the finest Romantic poems of the period. I chose a mainstream poet, quite frankly, because I wasn't sure of the level of expertise among the teaching staff, and figured I couldn't go wrong with such an outstanding poet and critic as Coleridge. When I was introducing my topic, I was shocked to hear the professors' claim that they had in fact no expertise in poetry and they readily admitted that they only read poetry superficially. I wanted to respond: "Isn't that what students do?" but held my tongue. I didn't wish to embarrass anybody there. ¡@ However, I couldn't help thinking what a ridiculous situation it was, akin to a program on Chinese philosophy that made no mention of Confucius. A literature department without any poetry expertise would constitute a joke in the West, yet this university is a national one with an excellent (albeit undeserved) reputation. ¡@ One wonders what criteria the MOE uses in evaluating such programs. So Father Bauer is perfectly correct. Students should examine programs and individual professors when choosing a university, and not some university because it has a reputation as being prestigious. When I was a student, I chose a less prestigious university for my undergraduate degree because of the courses offered and the professors who taught there, and received an excellent foundation in literature, which has stood me in good stead for the last 25 years of teaching. I hope the students in Taiwan will do likewise instead of winding up in a university with a great reputation and little expertise in crucial areas of study. ¡X Dr. Chaim Melamed, Pingtung Military show means all-out defense 2007/08/04
Ho Ping-jung Taipei Officials at the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said on Tuesday that a military show will be held on Double Ten National Day this year, featuring a parade by the armed forces, demonstrations of advanced military equipment and paratroopers landing in front of the Presidential Office. ¡@ In the last few days, the media and opposition lawmakers have slammed the show as being a departing gift from President Chen Shui-bian in the form of a military review, albeit disguised as a military show. ¡@ Furthermore, the show has also been criticized for wasting taxpayer money, as well as treating the nation's troops as entertainers, merely to satisfy the vanity of a few politicians. ¡@ However, the military show doesn't have to be viewed so negatively; it can be seen in a more positive light. ¡@ First, Double Ten National Day is the nation's birthday, and it is natural that soldiers, as citizens, would want to participate in the celebration of the nation's birthday. ¡@ Next, the military show is not so much a performance as a joint forces military display aimed at informing the public about our country's current national defense capabilities. ¡@ Finally, as an attempt to enhance public understanding of national defense and thus encourage civilians to participate more fully in affairs concerning the nation's defense, the military show should not be viewed as a military review in disguise; instead, it should be seen as embodying all-out defense, which the MND has been actively promoting in recent years. ¡@ Top-down restructuring of English teaching needed 2007/08/03
Dr. Chaim Melamed, Pingtung I would like to respond to the letter ("English exam results reflect a larger problem in Taiwan," Aug. 1) from Liu Chu-chiang concerning the abysmal English language writing skills of Taiwan students. In the university entrance exams, about 10,000 students received a zero score or merely a few marks. She states that educational authorities should examine this intractable problem. This is delightfully naive, as these same authorities caused the problem in the first place, and secondly, have failed to ameliorate the situation for decades. ¡@ Sadly, there is no person who is responsible for handling English education in Taiwan, so there is no one to turn to or to blame. Therefore, the situation remains unchanged. She further lauds the countless enthusiastic and diligent teachers serving in secondary educational institutions who have been trying hard! While I agree that many are diligent, I believe that she has missed the point. Diligence is a valued quality when it is a supplement to competence, but competence must take precedence. Would you prefer a competent or a diligent doctor? ¡@ If we are ever going to change the situation, we need a top to bottom restructuring of the system, from the MOE down to the kindergarten teacher. One person at the MOE should be put in charge of English language teaching throughout Taiwan. Teachers should be tested in every area of English language skills, and should be certified to teach in the areas in which they are competent. ¡@ At present, we have teachers assigned willy-nilly to teach in any or all areas of English, regardless of their skills or interests. An outstanding teacher of English conversation may be a total dud in teaching grammar. We should also follow Japan¡¦s example in setting up a number of English-only or predominantly English, schools staffed with truly competent teachers, so that in future years Taiwan will produce excellent teachers of English, without having to rely on importing countless foreigners. China's 'peaceful rise' just a guise 2007/08/03
Chang Junxiong, Kaohsiung China is trying to curry favor with friendly neighboring countries, holding to an offensive strategy while making believe its own "peaceful rising theory" is not just a disguise to maintain peace in East Asia, and a cover-up for its forces to invade Taiwan. At the same time, in the international arena, the PRC actively extends its power in an attempt to block our international political status. ¡@ Beijing has never suspended its united front tactics against Taiwan. We should not neglect the importance of enhancing the capability of our national defense. The Chinese government is currently promoting a "harmonious society," which is the greatest irony, while the international community realizes that the Chinese Communist regime has no regard for human rights, or truth, and operates using a two-faced strategy, toying with the law. The government not only fails to bring corrupt officials to justice but indulges them in doing harm to people. The regime doesn¡¦t appease its people in essence, but repeatedly uses terrible means to maim innocent people with trumped-up charges and has become a heinous human rights abuse country in the international community. ¡@ China is actively expanding its military force to intimidate our compatriots. People in Taiwan must not overlook the importance of upgrading national defense capability. We should only fully support the government in promoting the building of national defense, and then our country can maintain long-term national stability. English exam results reflect a larger problem in Taiwan 2007/08/01
Liu Chu-chiang, Kaohsiung Results from this year's university entrance examination once again became a focus of the media and society last week, and the most shocking and alarming part are the results from the English section. ¡@ This result has shown the continuous polarization of the English language proficiency between urban and rural students, which could be seen on the chart of score distribution. More than 20,000 students, or almost a quarter out of all examinees, got almost zero in the translation section, while over 10,000 examinees scored almost nothing in English composition. What is really worrisome is that the percentage of these students took up a bigger ratio in the score distribution chart this year than the previous ones. What has caused this? ¡@ Our style of English education and the way we teach English should be thoroughly examined by educational authorities and society as a whole. It is certainly undeniable that countless enthusiastic and diligent English teachers serving in secondary educational institutions have been trying hard to do their jobs well; however, after at least six years of learning English (a lot of them started learning English even earlier), why do so many students end up with giving up on this subject in our university entrance exams? ¡@ The exam-led teaching style is probably the biggest factor, which has been neglecting the proficiency of writing skills in both middle schools and high schools. How can we expect our students to score well in writing if schools and teachers do not even offer proper teaching of writing skills? ¡@ Our students' poor performance in English proficiency did not occur after a short period, because this problem, for most of them, has been accumulating since the beginning of their learning. Lack of interest, incorrect teaching method, parental pressure and other factors constitute the gradual loss of interest and repellence toward learning English. ¡@ Learning a language should be a long-term and interest-led activity, so that the motivation could continuously push a learner to acquire more knowledge; thus, our educational authorities and society should pay serious attention to this problem and propose some relevant measures (including the gradual changing of some misperceptions and myths) to guide students to learn English based on their motivation and interest. By doing so, it will then be possible to save the English-learning situation in our secondary education. Seeking the whereabouts of inventor Hsieh Kuo-cheng 2007/08/01
Dan Bloom, Chiayi City An American magazine that combines science and humor into an entertaining mix has decided to honor a Taiwanese inventor with one of its 10 annual prizes for creative inventions and scientific papers. ¡@ The magazine editor has searched far and wide on the Internet ¡X- in vain, so far ¡X- for Hsieh Kuo-cheng, who invented "A Net Trapping System to Catch a Bank Robber" here in 1999 and obtained a U.S. patent for the device in 2001. ¡@ However, the magazine has not been able to locate Mr. Hsieh in order to inform him of his selection by the prize committee and to invite him to the U.S. for an award ceremony later in the year. Under the circumstances, the magazine has asked me to serve as a volunteer representative to try to locate Mr. Hsieh here in Taiwan, but so far two registered-mail letters to the address listed on his patent application have been returned unopened since he no longer lives or works at that address. ¡@ Mr. Hsieh will be the first Taiwanese to receive this kind of prize in the U.S, if he decides to accept it and if the magazine can locate him on time. ¡@ Therefore, the magazine is appealing to readers of The China Post to assist in the search for Hsieh Kuo-cheng, current address unknown. ¡@ Hsieh's invention has been cited for its uniqueness and creativity, and an explanation of how it works and what it looks like can be viewed on the Internet. ¡@ According to Hsieh's patent application online, a net that is suspended from a ceiling of a bank lobby can be lowered in an instant, in the event of bank robbery, with the entire system relying on an infrared camera that can detect bank robbers in action. ¡@ The U.S. prize selection committee looks for things, not necessarily limited to science, that first make people laugh and then make them think. In Hsieh's case, it's a one of a kind invention and deserves international recognition. ¡@ While many of the winners of this prize for creative inventions and scientific papers in the past have come from North America, Britain and Japan, Hsieh's win this year puts Taiwan on the international map in a novel way. ¡@ If anyone knows this man or has a contact address for him, please send an e-mail to the search committee at: sharpcool808@gmail.com Double Ten Day boosts morale, understanding 2007/08/01
Yu Tai, Taipei Double Ten Day is the nation's birthday. People of the whole country are all full of joy to greet the National Day. It is natural to arrange programs and activities for the whole day of festivities, creating an atmosphere of joy and excitement. ¡@ Recently, however, some media have reported that this "National Day performance" is not only a waste of resources but also only done out of a personal interest of the leader. On the contrary, I believe it helps promote people's understanding of our military strength, as well as recognize the importance of national security. In the face of the warmongering China, we do need to carry out activities to boost people's confidence and morale. ¡@ Last but not least, I think soldiers shoulder the mission of defending the country and its people. When Communist China spends lots of money on the arms race and takes Taiwan as a hypothetical enemy, it is a matter of certainty that we must demonstrate our military force and weaponry on our national birthday, so as to enhance people's confidence about national security.
China's Web users expanding rapidly, driving social change 2007/07/28
Wei Shaozheng Beitou China looks set to become the world's largest online population by the end of 2008, according to a recent report. The Chinese Business News predicts that China, whose burgeoning economy generates greater access to computers and the Web, is expected to outnumber the U.S.'s 211 million Internet users next year. ¡@ Chances are that the growing population of Chinese Web users will turn out to be a driving force for prospective social transformation on the mainland. ¡@ Such an Internet boom builds a virtual platform for free expression and brings about a potent "citizen journalism." Getting rid of the bridles of censorship strictly imposed by the totalitarian Communist state, Chinese Web surfers touch on sensitive political issues and other topics officially considered taboo via online forums and blogs. Complaints from aggrieved citizens and cases of government corruption and urban unrest are beating their way through the state-controlled press. ¡@ Chinese President Hu Jintao, concerned that the cyberspace would cultivate a seedbed for liberalization and dissidence, coerces to "purify" Web use. The control-conscious Communist authorities employ an elaborate system of filters and deploys hundreds of thousands of human monitors to surgically clip "unhealthy content." However, the borderless virtual territory can hardly be sifted throughout. The brick kiln slavery scandal in Shanxi province and the "Stubborn Nails" protest in Chongqing City are recent striking examples of the superlative potential that the Internet can muster in terms of social reform. ¡@ China's attempt to nip the flourishing blossom in the bud is doomed to fail. ¡@ Mass sentence communtations incite fear and anger 2007/07/27
Eric W. Lier, Taichung Taiwan Afraid and outraged is how I felt when I realized the Republic of China government on the island of Taiwan had begun releasing some 25,600 convicted criminals from jails to mark the 20th anniversary of the lifting of the martial law. ¡@ Upon hearing this news, we are led to believe that all the wrongfully imprisoned would be released, but it seems that tens of thousands of the most guilty and dangerous people on the island are being set loose instead. ¡@ This is an insult to all who have suffered and continue to suffer under the martial law imposed by the Republic of China on Taiwan both past and present. ¡@ This amnesty is nothing more than a short-sighted, politically motivated effort to garner support of some of the most influential inhabitants of Taiwan. ¡@ The only contribution to Taiwan's freedom and democracy these people have made is to cheat, steal, sell drugs to our children and murder the innocent. The vast majority of us on the island of Taiwan who are trying to make an honest living and raise our families now have to live in fear because of an idiotic policy. ¡@ The governing authorities in Taipei are so out of touch with reality that the best they can do to get support from the Taiwanese people is to release criminals from jail. ¡@ My family here in Taiwan now has to put more bars on the windows, more locks on the doors and get yet another guard dog because the myopic leadership in Taipei has decided that getting votes from criminals is better than releasing the thousands of wrongfully imprisoned immigrants and migrants from Taiwan's prisons. ¡@ According to a report published by the Taiwan Government Information Office, detention centers run by the National Immigration Agency are overpacked with escaped slaves that have been apprehended by authorities on Taiwan. ¡@ I can't help but wonder why the thousands of people trying to escape abuse and impoverishment, currently being held in prisons throughout Taiwan with no charges or judicial review have not been released. Indeed it seems that President of the ROC, Chen Shui-bian has forgotten that for nearly a million immigrants on Taiwan, martial law has not yet been lifted. But, of course, we are not his kind of Taiwanese, so we don't count. ¡@ It is the ROC government that keeps the keys to Taiwanese prisons and it is that government which is responsible for the circumstances that have led to the prolonged incarceration without trial of tens thousands of people whose only crime is not being ROC citizens and wanting to be productive and honest members of Taiwan's society. ¡@ Taiwan's immigration policies are creating huge profits for a few select companies that have become, for the most part, redundant and uncompetitive through the use of cheap and disposable labor. ¡@ Discriminatory immigration policies are also causing unemployment and a decrease in the standard of living for the free people on Taiwan, particularly for the ROC citizens. ¡@ With Taiwan's decreasing birth rate and immigration policies that deport or incarcerate the vast majority of hard working immigrants after a few years, there will soon be no one left to buy the homes, real estate and small business that are the corner stone of Taiwan's economy. ¡@ Society, by definition, is based on people and their commitment to that society not the short term profits of a few uncompetitive corporations. Taiwan's immigration policy is not only undermining the short term economy of Taiwan, it will be detrimental to the long term economic outlook. ¡@ Contemporary slavery has been allowed to go unchecked all over Taiwan, even though it is illegal. Hundreds of thousands of people on Taiwan have become vulnerable to a resurgent form of slavery just to achieve the short-sighted plans of an increasingly inept administration. Men, not just women, can be victims of domestic disuptes 2007/07/27
Marc E. Angelucci, President, Los Angeles chapter, National Coalition of Free Men In your article about children's books tackling domestic violence ("Children's book tackles domestic violence"; The China Post, July 19), only one example from the book on domestic violence was mentioned, that of dad-on-mom violence. ¡@ However, mom-on-dad violence is very common as well, including in Taiwan, and I hope the book informs kids that both forms of violence are equally bad. ¡@ In fact, a recent study of domestic violence in Taiwan and 31 other nations found that females commit partner violence as often as males and that controlling behavior exists equally in perpetrators of both sexes. (http://www.unh.edu/news/cj_nr/2006/may/em_060519male.cfm?type=n
¡@ Although men underreport more than women in crime data, sociological data from around the globe shows that women initiate domestic violence as often as men, that women use weapons more often than men, and that 38 percent of injured victims are men. California State University Professor Martin Fiebert summarizes almost 200 of these studies online at http://www.csulb.edu/~mfiebert/assault.htm ¡@ When we ignore male victims, we ignore their children. We cannot break this intergenerational cycle by ignoring half of it. That's why a global coalition of experts has formed to support a research-based, inclusive approach, and their Web site (www.nfvlrc.org) has solid data showing women initiate the violence as often as men. Cross-strait common market is far-fetched and misleading 2007/07/26
'Borracho', Taipei City Kuomintang (KMT) presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou and his running |