David on Formosa

• Taiwanese Identity on the importance of promoting Taiwan’s languages.
• Todd goes cycling among the Tung flowers.
• Letters from Taiwan notes that some think opinion trumps the constitution.
• Pinyin News on the spellings of Wulai.
• Isla Formosa on the use of laowai.
• Stop Hushan Dam photographs the Fairy Pitta and the Maroon Oriole.
• The Razzel Berry visits Xitou.
• Scott Sommers on presenting at TESOL conferences.
• Fili on the English teaching garbage trucks of Tainan.
• Stop Hushan Dam reports prosecutors dismiss charges in the Songshan Tobacco Factory site case.

News: Taipei Times editorial on the failure of the judicial system. Lin Feng-jeng on the difficulties of cracking down on corruption. Former President of The Philippines Fidel Ramos calls for more institutions linking Asia. [I must add I strongly disagree with him calling for cancellation  US arms sales to Taiwan while not mentioning China's aggressive military threat to Taiwan.] Former Defense Minister Michael Tsai analyses Taiwan’s Quadrennial Defense Review.  Lai I-chung writes the US is afraid of Taiwan democracy. Joshua Tin argues that Taiwanese people have the right to decide their future.

Jonathan Adams in the Global Post on local reactions to proposed Taidong nuclear dump. The Globalist on Taiwan being a microcosm for climate change. Tainan factory an example of green architecture. Chinese tourists love Taiwan. Chinese tourist cycle around Taiwan. Giant Manufacturing expands into the travel industry.

Events: Amnesty International Taipei meeting on Wednesday 22 April. The guest speaker is Linda Arrigo. Earth Day is on 22 April. Urban Nomad Film Fest has an awesome line up of documentaries. It starts on 23 April. Check the website for more details.

Sanba party at Join-Us in Kaohsiung on 25 April. More details at www.sanbaparty.com. South Africa Day in Taipei, also on 25 April.

*Michael Turton also has links. Check Bloggers in Taiwan for a complete listing of Taiwan blogs. Also see the Taiwan blog directory at Taiwanderful.