Work in different countries

It has been a long time since I wrote anything on here.  Sigh!

If you change your job and country you work from a place with around 37.5 hours/wk and being treated like a human being to a place with 40-60 hours/wk but you know your boss think you are a shit, or to a place with 60-90 hours/wk and your boss values you, you will know why I disappear for a long time.
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Global Warming or not?

It has been a long time since my last post. I hope I still remember how to do it.

This is an article published at 21:42 GMT, 13 October 2012 on UK Daily Mail. Personally I think that ocean pollution and acidification is really a serious problem which is degrading our ocean.

Global warming stopped 16 years ago, reveals Met Office report quietly released... and here is the chart to prove it

The world stopped getting warmer almost 16 years ago, according to new data released last week. The figures, which have triggered debate among climate scientists, reveal that from the beginning of 1997 until August 2012, there was no discernible rise in aggregate global temperatures. This means that the ‘plateau’ or ‘pause’ in global warming has now lasted for about the same time as the previous period when temperatures rose, 1980 to 1996. Before that, temperatures had been stable or declining for about 40 years.

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World Food Day and Taiwan's Farmland

I just found that yesterday is World Food Day & Blog Action Day (ps. see WORLD FOOD DAY & BLOG ACTION DAY THROUGH THE FARM LEN).

This is an email I wrote to my parents about Taiwan's farmland. More than half of Taiwan's farmland is being transferred to luxury houses, university campuses, industrial parks & centers, amusement parks, etc. gradually in the past 10 years. Taiwan's legislation Yuan passed several law/regulations in year 1999 and 2000 which encourage people to destroy farmland and speeds up the process.

Taiwan's Food Self-Sufficiency Ratio (糧食自給率) is only 32.7% and our government and several legislators still encourage people to destroy farmland.

親愛的爸爸媽媽，

關於農舍問題，孫德鴻這篇文章我以前已看過多次。台灣的農地如何被蠶食鯨吞其實由來已久，農舍的大量興建是蠶食的過程，而工業區、科學園區、學校、商業區等等圈地行為則是鯨吞。

我想我們可以看看潘朵拉的盒子怎麼打開蠶食的門。

首先應該是看一下法規的變化，特別是規範農業發展的農業發展條例及農舍興建的農業用地興建農舍辦法 (4/26/2001 頒佈12條條文，6/6/2004 修正第3條)。

1999年當時對農發條例的修改議論紛紛，當時農委會主委彭作奎也因反對修農業發展條例中的農舍問題而辭官 (例：彭作奎辭官風波：彭作奎返興大暢談農發條例 (12/14/1999，聯合報))，環保團體及學者們也紛紛連署上書反對 (例：李遠哲等建議農發條例選後再議 (12/16/1999，中國時報))，但是農發條例的修正案還是在立法院通過。

2005年，一些立委再度提出農發條例修正案 (第六屆立法院 院總第956號委員提案第6088號)，要將可自由興建農舍的農地基地面積由當時的 0.25 公頃 (2.5 分) 縮小為 0.1 公頃 (1分 = 293.4坪 = 969.917 平方公尺)，並在2007年12月12日在立法院經濟及能源委員會初審通過，引起軒然大波，環保團體及學者繼續大力反對 (例：農發條例第18條修正案加速滅農 (12/18/2007，立報)，立法院「修正農業發展條例第十八條條文草案」公聽會 (1/10/2007))，還好最後還是擋下對第18條的修正案，不然農地就會被分割成更小，而農舍就會更多了。提案委員：蔡勝佳、鍾紹和、沈智慧、李全教、王昱婷、楊瓊瓔 ，連署人：李鴻鈞 、陳朝容、黃敏惠、柯淑敏、呂學樟、張碩文、徐耀昌、張慶忠、鄭金玲、邱毅、吳志揚、何智輝、 孫大千、傅箟萁、林正峰、蔡　豪、林春德、郭素春、紀國棟、朱鳳芝、蔡正元、林滄敏、謝國樑、林益世、李嘉進、陳根德、吳敦義、劉政鴻、吳清池、陳志彬、蔡錦隆。

我們來看看全國法規資料庫裡現行的農業發展條例，在這裡我們看到：
4.中華民國七十五年一月六日總統（75）華總（一）義字第 0056 號令修正公布第 2 條條文
5.中華民國八十九年一月二十六日總統（88）華總（一）義字第 8900017370 號令修正公布全文 77 條；並自公布日施行

既然那個重要的修法是在 2000 年發生，所以應該要比較一下2000年修法前後的條文差別，特別是提到農舍興建的第18條條文：

農業發展條例 (民國74年立法75年公布)：沒有農舍的條例，當時的第18條法條如下：
第18條：前條經核准由農民團體或農民開發之土地，得輔助農民以合作方式為之。農民、合作農場、農民團體或農業企業機構開發之土地，開發完竣後，無償使用。繼續經營滿五年者，無償取得土地所有權。其由農業企業機構投資開發者，自產品開始銷售之日起，免徵營利事業所得稅五年；其由農民、合作農場或農民團體開發者，自開發完竣有收益之日起，免徵田賦八年。

農業發展條例 (民國89年)
第18條：本條例中華民國八十九年一月四日修正施行後取得農業用地之農民，無自用農舍而需興建者，經直轄市或縣（市）主管機關核定，於不影響農業生產環境及農村發展，得申請以集村方式或在自有農業用地興建農舍。.... 主管機關對以集村方式興建農舍者應予獎勵，並提供必要之協助；其獎勵及協助辦法，由中央主管機關定之。

我們可以發現，在 2000 年初修法前，並沒有開放農地建農舍的條例，但是在修法之後就可以在自有農業用地興建農舍了，而且不但是可以蓋，主管機關還要給予獎勵及協助。

那怎麼蓋呢？這時就要看農舍興建的農業用地興建農舍辦法：
第三條：....申請興建農舍之該宗農業用地面積不得小於零點二五公頃。但參加集村興建農舍及於離島地區興建農舍者，不在此限。....
第六條：....申請興建農舍之該宗農業用地，扣除興建農舍土地面積後，供農業生產使用部分應為完整區塊，且其面積不得低於該宗農業用地面積百分之九十。....

從上面這些法條中不難看出，自2000年農發條例修正後，既然法律允許且鼓勵大家這麼做，台灣農地就加速了被蠶食的速度，各式各樣的農舍如雨後春筍般在農地上長出來，不只是官員及民意代表大量買農地蓋農舍，手上有錢的富人及中產階級也加入蓋農舍不落人後的活動中。

目前已被公布在報紙上的豪華農舍如下：

1. 國民黨高雄議長許崑源：屏東縣新埤鄉，地號萬隆段1019號，面積5292平方公尺（約1600坪)，四、五千萬豪華農舍。
2. 國民黨立委鍾紹和：高雄縣美濃農牧用地，蓋超級帝王般住宅，面積1336坪。
3. 國民黨立委趙麗雲兼立法院黨團書記長：新北市深坑，阿柔坑段地號0029號，豪華大型道場，面積3659平方公尺（約1108坪）。
4. 民進黨副總統候選人蘇嘉全：屏東縣長治鄉，農地面積為 2505 平方公尺 (757坪)，農舍興建面積為 250.47 平方公尺 (75.7坪)。

但其實還有更多的農舍，只是目前還沒有被指名道姓的報導出來，國民黨及民進黨的政客都是這樣子，多的是遊走法律邊緣甚至違法的人。我樂見將這些在農地蓋了農舍但農地卻不作農用的人揪舉出來，並加以懲處以還農地農用，但是當這個問題牽扯到兩黨眾多政客及一堆比較有錢的人的利益時，我一點都不樂觀，現在只是為了選舉在講罷了。

所以爸媽你們一定要把票投給綠黨喔，只有綠黨的人才不會作這樣的事，也只有綠黨的人才會真心想要保護台灣的農地，沒有農地，就沒有糧食、青菜、水果的生產，沒有這些，我們只好餓死或是向其他國家乞討，期待在糧荒時會有人願意撥糧給我們，但這可能嗎？

台灣的糧食自給率只有32%，澳洲的糧食生產量足夠供6千萬人食用 (ps. 澳洲只有2千1百萬人) 尚且擔心農地被侵佔及未來的饑荒問題，台灣有什麼本錢繼續毀農業棄農地呢？
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The Arabidopsis Book

For people who are doing plant science research.

The Arabidopsis Book (TAB) is a free-access peer-reviewed serial publication that is supported by the American Society of Plant Biologists.

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ASPB: Phycologist and Plant Biologist

Plants in the News - Plant biologist receives Australian Science Minister's Prize for Life Scientist
The paper they, Dr. Min Chen etc., published on Science has addressed their discover about chlorophyll f with far red absorption (706 nanometers) and fluorescence (722 nanometers) in vitro. Dr. Chen is an associate professor at the University of Sydney.

Former ASPB president Elisabeth Gantt wins Phycological Society's highest award

The citation for Gantt as published in the PSA's Phycological Newsletter is as follows:
Dr. Ganttʼs numerous contributions to phycology span nearly 50 years and include the discovery of the distinctive localization of the phycobiliproteins in rhodophytan and cryptophytan chloroplasts, with studies leading to the isolation, purification, and characterization of Porphyridium cruentum and cyanobacterial phycobilisomes. More recently, she has contributed to the understanding of different aspects of the biosynthesis and roles of carotenoids. She continues to move into new fields, as exemplified by her current involvement in the Porphyra umbilicalis genome project. In 1994 she received the Gilbert Morgan Smith Medal from the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and was subsequently elected to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences in 1996.

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10th Anniversary of 9/11 Attacks

Ten days before Sep. 11, 2001, I stood on the roof of the WTC (World Trade Center) to enjoy the view with my ex-boyfriend.

Everybody was talking together and stood in front of computer while I walked into the office in USDA, Beltsville, MD, USA in the morning of Sep. 11, 2001. I could see shocking, scare and confusion on their face. Then everybody was asked to go home because USDA is federal building which makes it a possible target of terrorist attack.

I couldn't do anything except watching TV news again and again with tears whole day in that day. My friend works in the USPTO (US Patent and Trademark Office) told me that he saw the thick smoke from the Pentagon in his office before he was asked to go home.

I will go back there one day in the future to memorize those people who died in that day and hope their family and friends will find enough peace to themselves. The most important is that I want to see its rebirth.

9/11 Anniversary (by NY Daily News)
Share Your Story: The September 11th Memory Wall
Rebirth



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Taiwanese Mung Bean Cake

Next Monday (Sep 12, 2011) is Moon Festival Holiday. Taiwanese Mung Bean Cake (綠豆椪，綠豆凸) is one of my favorite desert for this holiday. I am not sure why I wanted to eat desert so much today, but I was thinking about Chocolate Bavarian Cheesecake originally. Anyway it ends up making Taiwanese Mung Bean Cake. Here is the recipe and how we made it. It is pure vegetarian style using extra virgin olive oil to replace lard (pork fat) and butter. I add much less sugar because I don't like super sweet desert.

(1) Prepare vegetarian mung bean filling (素綠豆餡)
375g washed Mung bean (with skin, 帶殼綠豆) + 750g water in inner pot (內鍋)
-> Soak 2 hours (浸泡 2 小時)
-> Add 1 cup water in cooker (外鍋) to steam ~20 min, then keep warm in pot another 20 min
-> Mash them and cook with low power fire 2-3 min to dry a little bit (搗成泥狀，小火加熱 2-3 分鐘使湯汁略收乾)
-> Continue cook with low power fire while adding 35g extra virgin olive oil and 130g brown sugar (拌入橄欖油及糖) until it can form a ball by hand
-> Cool down and make 30g ball each. Freeze the left over for next time.

(2) Prepare oil skin (油皮) (prepare with bread maker)
76g warm water + 150g All-purpose flour + 10g sugar + 38g extra virgin olive oil (add by this order)
-> Knead about 10 min
-> Cover with plastic wrap and rest 30-40 min @ room temperature
-> Separate to 22 balls (~12g each)

(3) Prepare pasty (油酥)
200g All-purpose flour + 70g extra virgin olive oil
-> Knead gently
-> Cover with plastic wrap and rest 30-40 min @ fridge
-> Separate to 22 balls (~12g each)

(4)Prepare oil-skin pasty dough (油皮油酥麵團)
Use rolling pin to flat oil skin (桿麵棍將油皮桿平)
-> Wrap pasty (油酥) in, flat it to elliptical shape with rolling pin, roll it up, cover with plastic wrap and rest for 15 min (將油酥包入油皮，將包好的麵團稍微壓一下橄成橢圓形薄片，光滑面在下，由短向捲起，收口朝下，蓋上保鮮膜讓麵團休息15分鐘)
-> Flat it with rolling pin again, roll up to short rod-shape, cover with plastic wrap and rest for 15 min. This is the oil-skin pasty dough(將休息好的麵團橄成長形後翻面，由短向捲起，蓋上保鮮膜讓麵團休息15分鐘)
-> Use thumb to push the middle of this dough down and push two ends toward middle, then push this dough flat (休息完成的油皮油酥麵團收口朝上，用大姆指從中間壓下，2端往中間折起捏一下，將麵團壓扁)
-> Flat the dough with rolling pin and put ~30g filling in middle(將麵團橄成直徑約10-12cm 圓形薄片，光滑面在外，中間放上適當內餡)
-> Wrap and seal it, then put it upside down (利用虎口將麵團收口朝內捏緊，成為一個圓形即可，收口朝下)
-> 170 oC 10 min, then 150 oC 15 min (or 165-185 oC 15-20 min or 160 oC 30 min)

Links:
月餅食譜作法(綠豆椪小月餅製作方法)
祝大家中秋節快樂! 綠豆沙餅(可素食)
純素綠豆掽
素綠豆椪自己做

綠豆沙餡
綠豆餡
簡易【綠豆沙餡DIY】 (with dairy product)

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Something to replace discontinued Google Dictionary

I am still not happy that Google stopped Google Dictionary on Aug 5, 2011 suddenly. Google translate sucks. It is nonsense to do whole web search just for the definition(s) of a word.

If I just need to use English to write English stuff, then it is fine to use "define" web search. Unfortunately I need to write and read things between different languages, then an English <> multi-language dictionary is necessary. I have stopped my proposal writing since Aug 6, 2011 because I have trouble to translate those information and terms from English and Japanese papers to Traditional Chinese and vice versa now.

I need a good online dictionary which can keep updating the definition and example sentences of many words. I don't think Google will bring Google Dictionary back, so I am trying something new. Dictionary Blend and http://dictionary.easisee.com/ are on my list.

==================
Some links:

Google closes its Dictionary site, wants you to "search" for definitions instead

Google Dictionary and service for a variety of online dictionaries

Why is google dictionary no longer available?
(Note) This is Google's official site. I don't think that Google has intention to solve or fix the problem. Anyway it is useless and improper to say any bad word toward anyone.

EASISEE Dictionary
(Note)I don't know who created this, but I think this might be a possible good one. More detail information is on Google's Unofficial Dictionary API. I will need to try more word search to see if it works well. It is quite similar to old google dictionary. It gives translation, example sentences and links to more information. Its interface is very simple and clean.

No More Standalone Google Dictionary

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E-Learning: Ecological Economics from the Bottom-Up

I think this is quite useful.

E-Learning: Ecological Economics from the Bottom-Up

Accessed via the Moodle in the project website, 25 students from across the globe took part in this interactive course from April-July 2010, made up of lectures featuring slides and audio, case study readings, a glossary of ecological economics terms and other resources (the case studies and glossary are now available as a single resource, download the CEECEC Handbook here), online discussion forums and assignments. Students came from largely NGO, but also university and public/private sector backgrounds and offered overwhelmingly positive feedback on their course experience, with of course some welcome suggestions for improvement.
.
Access sample lectures here:
Forestry and Communities in Cameroon
Environmental Justice and Ecological Debt in Belgium
Payments for Ecosystems Services in India

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Cell Phone is listed as a Carcinogenic Hazard

I used to have 2 cell phones. I don't have anyone now because I don't want to use it and I prefer to have my own private life. I hope nobody will force me to get one in the future.

WHO: Cell phone use can increase possible cancer risk
By Danielle Dellorto, CNN (May 31, 2011)

Radiation from cell phones can possibly cause cancer, according to the World Health Organization. The agency now lists mobile phone use in the same "carcinogenic hazard" category as lead, engine exhaust and chloroform.

A team of 31 scientists from 14 countries, including the United States, made the decision after reviewing peer-reviewed studies on cell phone safety. The team found enough evidence to categorize personal exposure as "possibly carcinogenic to humans."
What that means is they found some evidence of increase in glioma and acoustic neuroma brain cancer for mobile phone users, but have not been able to draw conclusions for other types of cancers

"The biggest problem we have is that we know most environmental factors take several decades of exposure before we really see the consequences," said Dr. Keith Black, chairman of neurology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

"What microwave radiation does in most simplistic terms is similar to what happens to food in microwaves, essentially cooking the brain," Black said. "So in addition to leading to a development of cancer and tumors, there could be a whole host of other effects like cognitive memory function, since the memory temporal lobes are where we hold our cell phones."

.....

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