Tuesday, April 5, 2022

台南梅嶺竹子尖山步道(Meiling Zhuzijian Mountain, Tainan, Taiwan)

4/4/2022出遊梅嶺竹子尖山:

爬山爬的快軟腳了,下山下到兩腳發抖。二層坪停車場海拔633公尺,我們爬到1109公尺竹子尖山氣象站所在之二等三角點(小百岳#67),簡直是太累了,今天4/5/2022鐵腿。

看到好多梅子,一般人應該都是來吃梅子雞的,真正去爬山的人很少。

下山時真的是兩腿發抖,每一步階梯都是抖著往下走的,應該是肌肉過度使用造成的。如果停著不動,就會感受到腿在發抖,如果是在往前走的狀態,就是走路姿勢有些奇怪,不時地會抖一下或是奇怪的擺動。

這次真的是好累,因為上下山的坡度,常常是 30 度到45度之間,路旁有繩子可以抓,但是現在一點都不想抓繩子。不過雖然很累,再加上霧濛濛的,但風景真的不錯,曾文水庫及南化水庫都看到了,空氣中瀰漫著草木的清香。

4/4/2022 Travel to Meiling Zhuzijian Mountain:

Meiling Zhuzijian Mountain is the #67 of little One Hundred Peaks.   The Zhuzijianshan weather station is located at the second-class triangle point which is 1109 meters above MSL.

I felt my feet were almost soft when I climbed the mountain, and my feet trembled when I went down the mountain. We parked at the second-floor parking lot which is 633 meters above MSL. We climbed to the second-class triangle point where the Zhuzijianshan weather station is located next to it.

Seeing a lot of plums hanging on plum trees along hiking trails, I think most people should come to eat plum chicken, and very few people actually go mountain climbing.

When I went down the mountain, my legs were trembling. Every step of the stairs was trembling when I walked down. It should be caused by overuse of the muscles. I felt my legs shaking when I stood still.  My walking posture is a bit strange while walking forward, and it shook or swung strangely from time to time.

I was really tired this time. The slope of hiking trails of this mountain is usually between 30 and 45 degrees. There are ropes on the roadside to grab, but I don’t want to grab the ropes at all now. However, although it was very tiring and it was foggy, the scenery was really good. I could see both Zengwen Reservoir and Nanhua Reservoir, and the air was filled with the fragrance of grass and trees.
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13:45:59出發
15:09:19抵達二層坪停車場。前往觀音寺途中,爬了很高很多的樓梯,累。樓梯兩側都是梅樹,爬樓梯常常需要低頭,不然就會撞到梅樹了。樹上結實累累,
15:40到觀音寺,在觀音寺看古梅看風景。
16:00離開觀音寺,開始走觀音步道,也是坡度有些大的路。
路邊看到美麗的葉子

16:17走到稜線步道,開始沿著陡峭山坡一路爬樓梯而上,步道常有繩子可抓,石階有時挺高的,石階或木階多有覆蓋泥土,有些會有些滑。
16:47走到稜線上,到觀音步道岔路,差點走到斷氣。
17:09離開觀景台及工作房,前往竹子山氣象站。
17:17走到可眺望曾文水庫的觀景台

17:22繼續往上爬,走到氣象站所在之二等三角點,風景優美,可見南化水庫。
 

17:32離開氣象站三角點
17:35在觀景台及工作房所在地,拍曾文水庫及夕陽。一路下去找不到梅龍步道,最後決定繼續走觀音步道下山。
竹子尖山山屋旁觀景台的夕陽
陵線步道的夕陽

18:17結束稜線步道,沿著30-40度坡下山往觀音寺。
18:41回到二層坪的車子旁邊,沿路的餐廳及路邊攤都收攤了,只剩下停車場附近幾家還有許多人在吃梅子雞吧!
18:46 在車子外面吃了餅乾糖果。
18:51開車出發回家,下坡跟在烏龜車後面,電池充到滿出來。
20:19到達家裡的停車場,回家婆兒喝酒,公兒煮排骨麵,然後洗洗睡覺。

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Thursday, December 23, 2021

Is Power-to-X workable for excess power generation in renewable energy?

如果未來有一天再生能源發電過剩,就可以如其所說以 power-to-X 的方式將這些綠能轉換成常溫下是液體的型態儲存起來使用。不知道技術是否成熟了。

If there is a surplus of renewable energy power generation in the future, the green energy can be converted into a liquid form at room temperature by the power-to-X technology. This green liquid fuel can be stored easily and used in the future. I am just wondering if the technology is mature or not.

https://www.ted.com/talks/jim_hagemann_snabe_the_dreams_and_details_of_a_green_shipping_revolution?language=en
"... convert green electricity into green liquid fuel to power vessels in a process called "power-to-X"..."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power-to-X

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Sunday, December 19, 2021

Referendum (公投) - Algae Reef (藻礁), Da Tan, Taoyuan

12/18/2021是台灣公投的日子,4個公投題目,我對其中3個的選擇是非常非常地確定,沒有任何懷疑,任何政黨的說法都無法影響我的理念,只有藻礁這個議題讓我猶豫了。

看著魚與熊掌,我都不想放棄,但是我只能選擇一個啊。5年前的我是不會有這個遲疑的,生態保育優先絕對是我的唯一選項,現在的我,面對長年霧霾藍的天空,卻很希望燃煤電廠漸漸關掉。只是,為什麼在還可以有所作為的時候不選擇其他的方式來做呢?一定要拖到沒有時間了才拿犧牲藻礁或犧牲天然氣發電要我們選擇?

在圈選桌前,我還是在猶豫,雖然最後還是做了選擇,只是內心是既無奈又憤怒。

最後的結果也出來了,支持天然氣三接的人數多於保護藻礁的人數。對我而言,對於所有關心環境保育的人以及被迫做出投票選擇的人,不論最後投的是哪一方,這個結果絕對沒有勝利的感覺,當被逼得走到這一個選擇時,我們都已經輸了。不過即使輸了,我們還是不會放棄選定好要走的路。

在桃園大潭藻礁興建天然氣第三接收站的工程應該是會繼續進行,不論是投給哪一方面的環境保育者,要持續監督整個作業流程,務必讓其對藻礁的影響是最小的。也要持續監督,減少燃煤電廠的比例及總量的承諾要兌現。

更重要的是要要求增加油電水費,特別是工業用油電水費。我相信,唯有讓浪費的行為是會心痛及肉痛時,民眾及廠商才會做到真正的節水節油節電。

12/18/2021 is the date of the referendum in Taiwan. There are 4 referendum topics. I have no doubts about the choice of 3 of them.  Any political party's statement or campaign cannot affect my philosophy. But I hesitated about the issue of algae reefs.

Looking at the fish and bear's paws, I don't want to give up any one of them, but I can only choose one. Five years ago, I would not have had this hesitation. Prioritizing ecological conservation is definitely my only option. Now, facing the haze and smog sky for many years, I hope that coal-fired power plants will gradually be shut down and replaced by gas power plants.  Why the government and company did not choose other ways to do it when they still had a different way to solve this problem.  They delayed the timing until we run out of time and made us choose between sacrificing algae reefs and sacrificing natural gas for power generation.

At the circle table, I was still hesitating. Although I made a choice in the end, I was helpless and angry.

The final result has come out, the number of people who supported the construction of the 3rd connection of natural gas is more than the number of people who prefer to protect algae reefs. For me and for those who care about environmental conservation, we were forced to take a vote between these 2 choices. No matter which side we voted for, there is absolutely no sense of victory in this result. When we are forced to make this choice, we have already lost. But even in this situation, we will not give up.

I believe that the construction of the third natural gas receiving station at Da Tan Algae Reef, Taoyuan, would be carried on. Regardless of which side we were on this referendum, the entire construction should be monitored continuously to minimize its impact on the algae reef. Continuous supervision is required to make sure the promise of reducing the proportion and total amount of coal-fired power plants must be fulfilled.

More importantly, it is required to increase oil, electricity, and water charges, especially for industrial use. I believe that only when the wasteful behavior is heartache and painful, the people and the manufacturers will really save the usage of water, fuel, and electricity.

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Saturday, May 27, 2017

Algal Reef in Taoyuan, Taiwan

Here are 2 articles about the Algal Reef in Taoyuan, Taiwan.
It has been facing serious problem due to possible industrial development.  The EIA is ongoing, and we don't know what will happen.  I have been there and seen its beauty and special.  I just hope that I can see this colorful landscape in the future. 


Another view of it from a local NGO's website and it is not English written.




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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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Sunday, October 21, 2012

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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Monday, October 17, 2011

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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Friday, October 14, 2011

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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Sunday, September 11, 2011

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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