Monday, August 4, 2025

To see a world in a grain of sand, And a heaven in a wild flower

Never forget your original intention.

I still remember one morning before the end of the Spring semester in my freshman year, walking on the lawn in my dorm, thinking about my final report. I gazed at the shimmering dewdrops in the morning light and the most common little yellow flowers. For some reason, I decided to squat down and take a closer look at those inconspicuous blossoms. Suddenly, I was struck and felt "To see a world in a grain of sand, And a heaven in a wild flower"(William Blake).

勿忘初衷。

還記得大一Spring semester結束前的清晨,走在宿舍的草地上思考著期末報告,看著在晨曦中晶瑩的露珠,以及最常見的小黃花,不知道為什麼就決定蹲下來近看那點不起眼的小花,卻突然間有了 "沙中見世界,花中見天堂" 的觸動,瞭解了英國詩人威廉·布萊克這句話。

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Sunday, August 3, 2025

Terrain and tidal information should be consider if the sluice gates should be opened when heavy rain causes flooding

Heavy rains in Tainan starting in the early morning of August 2, 2025, caused severe flooding. Residents of Wenshan Village in Beimen District were complaining about the government's decision not to open the sluice gates to release water into the sea. The Tainan City Water Resources Bureau stated that the sluice gates had just been completed and had not yet been inspected, and that high tides could cause seawater backflow.

Let's examine why the sluice gates shouldn't be opened.

1. This is an overlay of a contour map and orthophoto from the Ministry of the Interior's National Land Surveying and Mapping Center. Fig. 1 shows that Tainan's west coast is low-lying, with many elevations at 0 meters above sea level. Fig. 2 takes a closer look at Beimen District. Wenshan Village in Beimen District is not high. Considering the location of the township's houses, the road elevation indicated in the red box is about 1 meter, meaning that much of this area is actually between 0 and 1 meters above sea level.

2. After examining the terrain elevations, consider the day's tide information. The tide forecast provides the approximate times of high and low tides, allowing you to anticipate potential conditions. However, let's use the measured data in Fig. 3 to examine the tide. The tide height at 4:00 AM on August 2, 2025, could reach 1.05 m, and at 6:00 PM on August 2, 2025, it could reach 0.83 m.

The tidal height is comparable to the terrain here, and may even be higher. If the sluice gates were opened, seawater would inevitably flow back in. This would first submerge areas with an elevation of 0 m, then flood farmland, and finally move toward towns. Not only would buildings be submerged in seawater, but farmland would also be submerged, which would ruin all farmland. I'm not sure the critics understand what they're asking for. Do they want all villagers to be submerged in rainwater and seawater, and all farmland to be destroyed?

8/2/2025 臺南豪大雨造成大淹水,就有北門文山里的人在那裏大罵政府為什麼不開水閘門讓水排到海裡。臺南市水利局表示該閘門才剛完工還沒驗收,而且遇到漲潮會造成海水倒灌。

讓我們來看看為什麼不應該開閘門。

1. 這是內政部國土測繪中心的等高線圖和正射影像的疊圖,Fig. 1 顯示臺南西海岸地勢低窪,很多高程都是海拔高 0 m。再來用 Fig. 2 細看北門區,北門區文山里的地勢並不高,以鄉鎮房屋所在地來看,紅框裡面標示的路面高程是 1 m,也就是說這附近其實很多都是介於 0~1 m 之間的海拔高度。

2. 看完地勢高程,再來看當天的潮汐資訊,在潮汐預報上可知當天的高低潮的大約時間,事先就可以知道可能的情況。不過這裡用 Fig. 3 的實測資料來看一下,8/2/2025 凌晨 4:00 的潮高可以到 1.05 m,8/2/2025 18:00 的時候潮高維 0.83 m。

潮水高度和這裡的地勢差不多,甚至有可能更高。如果開了水閘門,海水一定會倒灌進來,海水倒灌進來,先是將那些高程為 0 m 的地方都淹沒,接著就會向農地及鄉鎮淹過來,除了建物要泡海水,農地也會泡在海水裡面,農地泡了海水就廢了。我不確定批評的人到底知不知道他在要求什麼,難道他希望所有人鄉民除了泡雨水還要泡海水,然後所有的農地全部毀掉嗎?

Fig. 1. 臺南沿海一代高程(m, AMSL) (source: 內政部國土測繪中心)

Fig. 2. 臺南北門區文山里鄉鎮區高程(m, AMSL) (source: 內政部國土測繪中心)

Fig. 3. 交通部氣象署提供的潮高資訊



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The slogans of Taiwanese people

These were the slogans we shouted when I was studying in the United States in the 1990s, wanting to let the world know the voices of Taiwanese people. We shouted them loudly across North America and around the world.  

One Taiwan, One China.
Taiwan for Taiwanese, China for Chinese.
We are Taiwanese, not Chinese.

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Tuesday, July 29, 2025

Taiwan, My small mountainous country

May God bless Taiwan.


The lyrics of "My small mountainous country" (我那小小多山的國家)

Time after time, I've woken from dreams (多少次夢驚醒)
Drenched in sweat, soaked in memories (汗水濕透了記憶)
I stand on a corner of a foreign street (我站在異鄉的街角)
Gazing toward that sky I know so deeply (望向那片熟悉的天際)
Listen - the drums begin to rise (聽啊 那鼓聲正響起)
The mountain town is calling me home (是山城呼喚著我回去)
If I must die a thousand times (如果我必須死一千次)
I'd rather die there (我只願死在那裡)
Where my blood may stain the soil (讓血染那片土地)
And in silence rest with my ancestors (與祖先一同沉寂)
If I must live a thousand times (如果我必須生一千次)
I'd rather be born there (我只願生在那裡)
In that small mountainous country (在那小小多山的國家裡)
Where I'd open my eyes to embrace thee (張開眼 就擁抱你)
Strange tongues surround me (陌生的語言環繞我)
But my heartbeat never changes (可心跳不曾變過)
I write my name with song (我用歌聲寫下名字)
Upon the land, and deep in the hearts of you and me (寫在土地 也寫進你我心窩)
Listen - the ocean is weeping (聽啊 那海聲也在哭泣)
Asking if I still remember who I am (問我還記不記得自己)
If I must die a thousand times (如果我必須死一千次)
I'd rather die there (我只願死在那裡)
Let my spirit become the wind fly over your heart (讓靈魂化成風 飄在你心上飛行)
If I must live a thousand times (如果我必須生一千次)
I'd rather be born there (我只願生在那裡)
In that small mountainous country (在那小小多山的國家裡)
With love I live each one of my lives (每一次 都要愛你)
Even if the world forgets our name (就算世界都遺忘我們的名字)
I'll make them remember this land (我也要讓它記得這片土地)
If I must die a thousand times (如果我必須死一千次)
I'd rather die there (我只願死在那裡)
Even if my voice is the only one remains (哪怕只剩下一個聲音)
I'll cry out to the world till the end (也要吶喊到底)
If I must live a thousand times (如果我必須生一千次)
I'd rather be born there (我只願生在那裡)
In that small mountainous country (在那小小多山的國家裡)
I'll spend my life embracing thee (用一生 擁抱你)
In my small mountainous country (在那小小多山的國家裡)
With the Great Recall - I guard thee (我用罷免 守護你)

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Sunday, July 27, 2025

Strange Polling Stations

It was reported that in the 2025 recall, the KMT-governed cities of Taichung and Taipei set up polling stations in unusual locations, including car washes, outdoor tents, funeral homes, private homes, and empty houses. This is really strange. Taipei and Taichung are municipalities directly under the Central Government of Taiwan, and Taipei is the capital of Taiwan. There is not even a normal building for polling stations in the district. How can the polling stations be set up in outdoor tents?

這次2025大罷免,國民黨執政的臺中市及臺北市,將投開票所設置在奇怪的洗車場、戶外帳篷、葬儀社、民宅、空屋、...。這實在是令人覺得很奇怪,臺北市及臺中市是臺灣的直轄市,臺北市更是首善之都,區里裡面連個正常的可供投開票所設置建築都沒有,投開票所得設立在戶外搭帳篷? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQoPpZVF8Oo) (https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/politics/breakingnews/5121603)

   
   



從我成年後,我在臺灣參加投票幾十年了,每次的投開票所都是在正常的建築物裡面。一般而言,這些投開票所有學校、里民活動中心、社區活動中心、公家機關場所、宮廟/教堂等宗教場所。

無論是哪種類型的場所,投開票所的設立都必須遵循及考量一些核心原則:

交通便利性: 方便選民步行、搭乘大眾運輸工具或駕車前往。
空間大小: 必須有足夠的空間設置投票區、遮屏、票匭、選務人員工作區及選民排隊區。
安全性: 確保投票流程不受干擾,保障人員及選票安全。
中立性: 避免設立在帶有特定政治、商業或宗教色彩過於濃厚的場所,確保選務公正。
無障礙設施: 需考慮行動不便的選民,盡可能提供無障礙通道。
電力與照明: 確保投票和開票過程有穩定的電力供應和足夠的照明。

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Saturday, July 26, 2025

Cry sadly

Cry sadly.

Taiwanese people finally chose the CCP.  Cry sadly.

Are people in southern Taiwan the only ones who dislike the CCP? Xinjiang, Tibet, 64, and Hong Kong, these invasions and massacres all happened in front of us, and Taiwanese people chose the same future as them.

痛哭。

臺灣人終究是選擇了中共,哀哭。

難道臺灣只有南部人不喜歡中共嗎?新疆、西藏、64、香港,這些侵略及屠殺都是在我們眼前發生的,臺灣人竟然選擇和他們一樣的未來。

2025立委罷免案開票結果一覽 7月26日24案全數不通過 (The results of the 2025 Legislative Yuan recall vote are as follows: All 24 votes failed on July 26, 2025) (https://www.cna.com.tw/news/aipl/202507265011.aspx)
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Friday, July 11, 2025

It is not a good time to be joyful after Typhoon Danas hits Taiwan badly

The southern part of Taiwan was hit hard by typhoon Danas, especially Tainan and Chiayi. After Typhoon Danas left Taiwan on 7/7/2025, several districts and places are still closed for work and classes. Tainan and Chiayi have not yet fully restored power, and Taipower is still working hard to repair them. There are still many damaged houses that need to be repaired, and there are still many branches on the roadside that have not been removed. Farmers and fishermen in Yunlin, Chiayi, and Tainan are suffering greatly; they need to clean up their farmlands and fish ponds.  The damage related to solar photovoltaic panels has not been dealt with. There are a lot of things to do.

Danas颱風在7/7/2025 離開臺灣後,南部災情慘重,尤其是臺南嘉義更是淒慘,到今天還有許多地方停班停課。現在臺南嘉義都還沒有完全恢復電力、台電還在努力搶修中、還有一堆吹壞的民宅、路邊還有不少樹枝都沒時間收、雲嘉南的農民漁民在大大受苦中、太陽能光電板相關的損害也還沒處理好,千頭萬緒,還有一堆待辦事項尚未完成。


It seems that the Palace Museum is determined to hold a light and water dance and drone show on 7/12/2025. I don't think this can comfort people. If our homes, crops, fruit trees, and fish ponds are destroyed, how can we still have the mood to watch this performance? I just think it's similar to tell starving poor people "Why not eat meat ball".

After the Palace Museum holds the event tomorrow, the people dislike DDP and Taiwan will definitely say that the DPP government is completely ignorant of the suffering of the people and is still singing and dancing and pretending that everything is fine. It's really disappointing.

看起來故宮是鐵了心要辦活動,我不覺得這個能撫慰身心,如果家園都被毁了,農作物也毁了,怎麼還有心情看這個,只覺得是 "何不食肉糜"、"商女不知亡國恨,隔江猶唱後庭花"。

明天故宮辦了活動後,酸民一定會說民進黨政府完全不知民間疾苦,還在那裏歌舞昇平,粉飾太平。真是令人太失望了。

https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acul/202507110102.aspx
https://south.npm.gov.tw/ActivityInfoDetailC003210.aspx?Cond=43cb5977-be50-482b-be96-98687ccbd19d&appname=ActivityInfo3211&State=1

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Wednesday, July 9, 2025

Typhoon Danas and Agricultural Insurance

Typhoon Danas, which went through the Taiwan Strait and hit Chiayi and Tainan badly, caused heavy damage to Chiayi and Tainan's agriculture. For agricultural damage caused by natural disasters, the government will assess the severity of agricultural damage based on the "Agricultural Disaster Relief Measures" and decide whether to initiate "natural disaster relief". However, the entire assessment process is time-consuming and laborious, requiring a lot of manpower and time to conduct investigations and assessments, which is often not efficient to meet urgent needs. Let's take a look at Taiwan's agricultural insurance:

這次穿過台灣海峽從嘉南上路的Danas丹娜絲颱風對嘉南農業造成重創。天災造成的農業損害,政府一項會依據《農業災害救助辦法》,評估特定區域的農損嚴重程度,決定是否啟動「天災救助」,但是整個評估過程耗時費力,需要大量的人力及時間來進行調查及評估,常常緩不濟急讓我們看一下臺灣的農業保險:

Promote agricultural insurance (Agricultural Finance Agency of the Ministry of Agriculture)
推動農業保險(農業部農業金融署,2024) (https://www.afna.gov.tw/view.php?theme=web_structure&id=208)

Agricultural Industry Insurance (Agricultural Food Administration, Ministry of Agriculture)
農產業保險(農業部農糧署,6/27/2025) (https://www.afa.gov.tw/cht/index.php?code=list&ids=277)

Agricultural insurance protects farmers (Taiwan Agricultural Story Museum)
農業保險 守護農民(臺灣農業故事館,12/10/2021) (https://theme.moa.gov.tw/theme_data.php?theme=storyboard_showcase&id=6)

丹娜絲颱風的相關報導 (https://www.newsmarket.com.tw/blog/223868/)

凱米颱風看問題》別讓農民成為氣候難民,台灣農業保險內容、利弊一次看 (上下游,7/28/2024) (https://www.newsmarket.com.tw/blog/208953/):內文有許多比較表單,值得看一下。


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