The Secret of Dating Taiwanese Women

Taiwan is a wonderful place to live in and there are numerous people who reach here to pursue their career. And most of them are bachelors who are interested in dating Taiwanese girls for company after they settle down. Taiwanese girls are extremely attractive and friendly. But very often most people are not successful in their ventures.

There are some important tips to be kept in mind while dating them. Primarily you have to first get to really know them and learn as much as you can about their culture. Taiwanese are proud owners of a rich culture and Taiwanese women are very dissimilar to European or American girls.

Abstain from overly praising her beauty as then she is sure to be wary of you. And remember that they love a sense of humor in their men and so try including some humor in your conversations. Instead of doing all the talking by you, get her to talk about herself and her family. Another tactic that you can resort to is to maintain a large circle of Asian women as friends as your girl will then be assured that you really like their people.

Taiwanese girls from Taipei are commonly referred to as Ticas are abundant in this beautiful city. There are more than 1.5 million lovely single girls for you to choose from. If you are searching for a good looking and sincere girl for your life partner, the best bet is a Taiwan girl.

There are numerous Taiwanese dating sites and services for men who are searching for lovely Taiwan women to settle down or just for companionship. You just need to register into these online sites which will give you ample opportunity to meet and date beautiful women whom you are interested in. Just keep in mind the above mentioned tips and you will soon find the girl of your dreams in this city.

taiwan women are extremely beautiful and friendly. Even though you live far from the place, you can rely on taiwan dating sites to make friendship with these women.

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Dating Can Be an Interesting Experience

The first point to remember when planning to date is to go about making a good impression about yourself. If you have moved into Taiwan just recently and are planning to live there for some time then get to know the Taiwanese culture before you set about dating.

You will find that there are plenty of Taiwan single men and women who are eager to find a good date. Basically the people in the place are very friendly and helpful, so you should not find it tough going to learn about their culture and their habits. This will tell you what you need to expect and what they expect from you.

When taking a woman out on a date in Taiwan for the first time, to remember to make them comfortable and at home. Basically they are very friendly and have an excellent sense of humor. The Taiwanese are fun loving, so try to be humorous when you are with them. Women in Taiwan are very fond of their families, so ensure that you do not put your foot in by making unwanted comments that will rub them up the wrong way.

You could also look for dates through online dating sites where you will find many people awaiting dates. So try registering in one of them and you will quite definitely find someone who suits your tastes. Moreover if you are serious and on the lookout for a life partner form Taiwan, these sites also have those sorts of people who are looking at long term relationships.

Taiwan girls and boys are very aware of the fact that their place is a great attraction, and there are ever so many options to meet a variety of people with totally different characteristics. So if you are single and looking for company get going and look for dates either through dating sites or locally where you will find that girls are very open and charming. You are sure to meet one who has tastes akin to yours.

You can connect with Taiwan personals with the help of dating sites. These sites offer a free registration and you can easily find Taiwan girls of your liking.

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China's Less Than Transparent Military Build Up

US Deputy Secretary of State, John Negroponte, in Beijing this week for talks with Chinese Foreign Ministry officials, urged China to be more transparent about its military build up.

The Chinese have just bumped up military spending by 17.8% this year.

Asking the Chinese to be transparent about their military agenda is a bit like casually asking Darth Vader to be transparent about the Empire's new and improved Death Star plans. It ain't going to happen.

Chinese ship building has been in high gear since 2002. Amphibious assault vessels, capable of ferrying troops have been a major focus. Some intelligence estimates suggest that some 20 of these vessels are in the works, along with a fleet of submarines.

Why the urgency? Some of this build-up relates to ongoing tensions with Taiwan - territory China has never relinquished and threatens to take back if the Taiwanese make any move toward de facto independence.

To demonstrate that this is no mere posturing, the National People's Congress is in the process of introducing a law that will make the formal secession of Taiwan forbidden. Definitions covering so-called "separatist activity" will also be addressed, as will the role of "traitors" - together with proposed penalties.

The Taiwanese government has described the legislation as laying "a legal base for an invasion".

The Chinese Congress through mouthpiece Jiang Enzhu denies such allegations and plays down any provocative interpretation of the law. Meanwhile yuan keeps getting pumped into an arms build-up that continues to heft up.

Given the Chinese history of aggression toward Tibet, accompanied as it was with a litany of denials and justifications to mollify world opinion, any Taiwanese citizens who sit easily with Chinese reassurances would have to be smoking something other than tobacco.

According to US Department of Defense sources the Peoples Liberation Army now has around 700 ballistic missiles near the Taiwan Strait. Hong-Niao cruise missiles are also in production. This build up has had the effect of overturning Taiwan's edge in the face-off across the Strait. The advantage has shifted decidedly to the side of mainland China.

Despite the large amounts of cash being funneled into the military with the aim of projecting Chinese power not only in the direction of Taiwan, but far beyond its borders - the Chinese army is untested when it comes to modern warfare. It's been 25 years since the PLA was involved in serious combat.

They are trying to off-set this deficit by engaging in joint military exercises with Russia. In August of this year, exercises took place in the Liadong Peninsula. The PLA needs to be able to compare its capabilities with a major military player, and for the present Putin seems willing to oblige.

The Chinese military escalation also involves military espionage on a large scale (predictably denied by the Chinese). US industries have been routinely targeted by spies working for China.

A notorious 2005 case involved a Korean spy named Ko-Suen Moo. He managed to ferry a F110-GE-129 turbofan engine (used to power F-16 fighters into upper speed ranges) - out of the US. It ended up in Shenyang, in northeastern China and Ko-Suen cleared $1 million in profits over and above his original investment.

This is just one case of many. Given all the evidence it would appear the Chinese are making a concerted effort to scour the globe for any military secrets they can lay their hands on.

So when John Negroponte asks for transparency from Beijing, the rejoinder "good luck" sounds like an exercise in irony.

Aidan Maconachy is a freelance writer and artist based in Ontario. You can visit his blog at http://aidanmaconachyblog.blogspot.com/

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Chikan Tower in Tainan - 'Tower of the Red Haired Barbarians'

Built in 1653, during the Dutch colonial rule, Chikan Tower was initially called Provintia which meant eternity in Dutch. However, the tower was renamed by the Han Chinese as 'the tower of savages' or 'tower of the red haired Barbarians'. The Chinese called it in different names such as Chikan Tower, Fantselou and Honmaulou.

Since Dutch colonial rule, Chikan Tower has been an important administration centre of Tainan in Taiwan. Today the site of the tower has become a prominent tourist attraction. It is also considered as the nation's most renowned historical site. The Chikan Tower has been through the Ching Dynasty, Ming Dynasty and Japanese Colonisation Period. However, many of the Tower's original architectural features can be seen even today. This exceptional landmark which is mainly attractive by night is filled with different types of steels and stone horses. In 1661 when the Dutch were held back by Cheng Chengkung, the famous Chinese general, Chikan Tower was transformed to be the mansion of Chentien governor. Among the eight well-known and picturesque views in Taiwan the sunset in Chikan Tower holds an immovable position.

Right opposite Provintia, visitors will be able to witness nine turtles made out of stone carrying plates. These stone structures were constructed during the Ching Dynasty in another location and were later removed and moved to the site of the Chikan Tower.

Few years later, this outstanding Taiwanese landmark became less popular after it was damaged as a result of civilian turmoil and lack of administration. The original Dutch architectural building was added with a typical Chinese style building. At one point Chikan Tower became the site that hosted the worship for Guanshihyin Buddha. However, it was transformed in to an army hospital during the Japanese colonisation period.

Visitors can further explore this site by staying at the nearby Shangri-La's Far Eastern Plaza Hotel, Tainan which is a superb Tainan luxury hotel that offers its guests an excellent range of facilities along with professional and friendly service.

Pushpitha Wijesinghe is an experienced independent freelance writer. He specializes in providing a wide variety of content and articles related to the travel hospitality industry.

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Some Points on Online Dating

When looking for a date you generally try to look for someone who is from the same community as yours. But if you have no particular choices then just get ion to the internet and into one of the dating sites a look for anyone that might catch your fancy. During your search you are sure to come across plenty of Taiwanese girls who have registered in some of the more popular sites looking for dates.

The girls in Taiwan have sites devoted specifically to them. So if you feel you would like to get to know and date a Taiwanese girl, then by all means get onto one of these sites and take your pick.

The Taiwanese girls are learned and enjoy talking and sharing their culture, their language and social fervor with people they meet. It can be quite an experience when you date one of these girls online.

There are certain sites that are specifically meant for Taiwan girls who are looking for life partners; it's more like a matrimonial site really. If you happen to be living in Taiwan, then once you get to know a girl through the dating site and feel that you would like to get to know her better, you can follow it up with direct meetings.

The women in Taiwan are very pretty and smart and a fun loving lot. But they are very strong about their feelings for their near and dear ones. So ensure that you do not hurt their sentiments in any way.

Before meeting a girl learn something about their culture and their habits and be sure that you make them feel at ease in your presence. Don't be surprised about their styles, they love to dress in the latest fashions and are always updated on the latest trend in the world.

You can connect with Taiwan women with the help of dating sites. These sites offer a free registration and you can easily find many girls. Click here to know more about Taiwan dating sites

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Find Your Dream Taipei Woman Now

You may think that you have no luck in finding the right woman for you, what more if you become more specific and try to find your dream Taipei woman? Things like doubt may hinder you from finding your match and eventually happiness. But then think again, this can be easily achieved through the net and via Taipei personals.

We all know that it hard to find the right person for us, even if we are actually in the same area as that person. What more if the one whom you truly want lives in another continent? Yes, life can be hard, but with the internet, nothing is impossible nowadays, meeting your dream girl online is now easily achievable.

Now, how do you get in touch with your preferred Taipei Woman? The answer is simple, all you have to do is to go online and look through Taipei personal ads via social networking web sites. There are now a lot of web sites that offer this opportunity to men who are currently seeking for potential friends or partners. But there is a particular website that caters not only to Taiwan singles, but also to other nationality as well.

You can easily strike a conversation with any of the members; you can also start sending them messages, or even view their profiles. All you have to do is to register and you are good to go. In matter of minutes, you will be overwhelmed at how many people will answer back to your messages.

Unlike dating in a regular way, meeting people online is somewhat like speed dating, once you find that the current person who are chatting with doesn't interest you, you can easily jump to the next person. Unlike in a regular face to face dating, you have to wait for your actual date to end, before you are finally released from that person's company.

If you truly want to attract Taipei woman whom you've met through Taipei personal or online, all you have to do is to be yourself, and try not to scare them away. Like, if it is your first time to chat with that person, don't act like a stalker or someone whom she's been talking to for eternity. Take time to find out what her interest are, what makes her comfortable talking to strangers, and best of all your common grounds. Like tell her about you, what you do, where you are, and your reason for joining that site. If you simply want to start making new friends, or if you are actually interested in finding your match. That way, if the person is indeed looking for the same thing, the both of you will then have a smooth flowing conversation.

Find your perfect match now with Taiwan Dating Sites by simply joining Taiwan Dating.

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Culture Shock

Welcome to your new country. You're come here for fun, excitement, change, challenge, and perhaps money. Will the locals speak your language? I'm not trying to scare you, but perhaps they won't. Will some people there speak your language, oh most definitely. This is only one of the things that you may have to think about when you plan on going to a new country.

Culture shock is an interesting phenomenon that doesn't affect everyone the same way. Some just can't understand it when the locals don't speak English. Some can't comprehend why there aren't any English signs anywhere to be found. Why are things done this way, and not that way? Why am I even in this situation? It would never happen in my home country. Questions like these can cause people to get stressed out and want to go back to their own countries. People can get frustrated when faced with change. Many people deal with it their own way, head back home.

In 1998, I traveled to Taiwan. I never once felt that I suffered from culture shock, personally. I always felt it was more like culture fascination rather than culture shock. I was amazed with everything that I saw and encountered. But I still had many questions. For instance, why aren't there English street signs on the corner of every intersection? I felt that they would be very helpful for me and also for other people from English speaking countries. What I didn't think about was that the people that live there can read the signs just fine, and it certainly isn't necessary for them to change them all just for me.

A friend of mine had a girlfriend that hated everything about Taiwan and couldn't understand why it was different from her home in San Francisco. She hated the people, hated the food, hated the smells, hated the transportation, all because it was different from San Francisco. I asked her if she hated everything so much, why doesn't she just leave. I cared about Taiwan and its people and to be completely honest, I didn't want to hear any more of her complaining. She ended up leaving eventually, but after many more complaints. This is what happens to some people, they can't adjust to their new environment properly.

Others suffer from a much more realistic and understandable reason, homesickness. It's easy to miss your family, your friends, and your familiar stomping grounds. For people that decide to go overseas, they have to stay focused, enjoy themselves, and be strong. Yes, this new place isn't like home. Yes, this new place is strange and different. No, your friends and family aren't here. This was one of the biggest challenges that I had ever faced and I thrived on it.

Another factor involved can be diet. The foods that you're used to eating may not be available in this new location. You may have to actually try something different. Believe me, this is a good thing. Trying new things will also be a test for you. Try the food that the locals eat everyday. It's obviously not bad for you, or these people wouldn't be eating it themselves. I have to laugh to myself when I hear about people going to Taiwan and eating McDonald's all the time.

The culture in your new destination will obviously be different when compared to where you're from. Things they say and do will most likely also be different. When I was in Taiwan, it was generally accepted for people to ask others how much money they made. In Canada, this is just an awkward question that is rarely asked, even amongst close friends. Actually, now that I think back to that time, I felt uncomfortable every single time I was asked my rate of pay. I was asked quite frequently and I never actually gave up that information to my inquisitors.

As I mentioned previously, culture shock affects different people different ways. I knew a guy who went to Taiwan; he was originally planning on staying for a year. He lasted 5 days. In my opinion, this small amount of time is not enough to give a fair evaluation of the country. But that's me, and that was his decision, not mine. I just goes to show you that people are different. Don'd be worried about how culture shock is going to affect you, just buy a book and read a bit about your destination. Nothing will totally prepare you for what you're about to discover. Enjoy yourself and make the absolute most of your experience. Don't fear culture shock, embrace it.

Andrew Greenham, founder of ESL Elite.com (www.eslelite.com). Contact: info@eslelite.com or visit more related articles at www.eslelite.com/forum

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China!

The ambivalence of U.S. policy towards China may be perhaps best characterized by the incident of the spy airplane back in 2001. While gathering intelligence off the coast of China, a U.S. Navy EP-3 electronic spy plane, piloted by Lt. Osborn collides in mid-air with a Chinese F-8 and is forced to make an emergency landing at Hainan Island. The Chinese pilot, Wang Wei, is killed in the incident. China charges that the U.S. plane illegally entered Chinese airspace, and detains the 24 U.S. crew members for 11 days. It demands that the U.S. take full responsibility for the incident and issue a full apology. In the end, the United States offers a letter in which it says it is "very sorry" for the loss of the Chinese pilot and "very sorry" that the aircraft landed in China without permission. The damaged U.S. airplane is not returned for three months. Together with the letter of apologies, however, China also gets a U.S. aircraft carrier battlegroup of the Seventh Fleet permanently stationed off the coast of Taiwan.

On the other hand, Chinese ambivalence towards the United States can be perhaps best described by the statement of a Chinese official to a visiting American delegation to Shanghai in 2001: "I surely hope that you and the American economy do well in this global slowdown, because your economic interests and your economic development are critical to the welfare of the people in Shanghai and China.". This remarks comes at a time while China is intent at stealing U.S. military secrets from Martin Lockheed - and it is caught with both hands in the bag doing so.

And then, of course, American and Chinese joint ambivalence towards the rest of the world must be perhaps encapsulated in the philantropic website maintained at http://www.uschina.org/ where both sides are trying to convince the rest of us in English - and for those who do not get it the first time around, in Chinese - that seldom have there been in the history of humanity two great pals like the Bald Eagle and the Red Dragon. Well ... well ...

China's giant leap towards a Western-style, capitalistic economy presents an increasingly urgent set of challenges that must be resolved by the leading elite if they hope to sustain the miraculous economic growth, which has averaged eight percent a year for the past decade. When you consider that the People's Republic of China (PRC) has 1.3 billion people, more than four times the population of the United States, the implications of its radical economic transformation are sobering. In 2004 the Chinese added 1.8 million cars to their roads, bringing the national total to well over 10 million. At recent growth rates, the number could very well double every three to four years. Should car ownership ever match that in the United States (135 million vehicles in 2002), there would be about 600 million cars on China's roads - more than all the cars in the world today. A statistical comparison between the two giants compiled by the World Resource Institute of the United Nations reveals even more staggering figures:

CHINA vs. UNITED STATES

AREA: 3,705,820 square miles vs. 3,717,796 square miles

POPULATION: 1,288,700,000 vs. 291,500,000

DENSITY per square mile: 348 vs. 78

ENERGY CONSUMPTION per person: 880 Kg/oil per year vs. 7,960 Kg/oil per year

MEAT CONSUMPTION per person: 104 lbs. per year vs. 269 lbs. per year

PAPER CONSUMPTION per person: 73 lbs. per year vs. 730 lbs. per year

AVERAGE NUMBER OF PERSON : 1.1 per room vs. 0.5 per room

WATER USE per person : 116,000 gals. per year vs. 484,500 gals. per year

TV SETS per 1,000 persons: 292 vs. 844

VEHICLES per 1000 persons: 16 vs. 774

Since its onset in 1949 the People's Republic has gone through a lot, including a famine where 20 million to 30 million people died in the early 1960s; a cultural revolution that went on into a decade; and a skyrocketing national suicide rate as well. Yet, never in the history of the world have so many people been lifted from poverty so rapidly. President Clinton, in one of his last speeches, said that 200 million people in China were lifted from absolute poverty from 1978 to about 1999. That's equivalent to about two-thirds of the entire population of the United States in twenty years. The economic achievements, therefore, are huge. But so are the problems. The factors of economic instability are many and worry the leadership. In fact, the leading elite justifies some of the repressive political measures precisely because of what they call "the factors of instability." These factors include a financial and banking system that is basically bankrupt, with bad loans out greater than the real net reserves of the entire banking system.

There are perhaps between 80 million to 100-plus million people that are moving from the countryside on a kind of temporary contract labor into the Chinese cities. And yet a large number of urban unemployed are getting put out of business from non-competitive state enterprises. As a result China has got urban unemployed, rural unemployed coming into the cities, unsound financial system, and general resentment against a regime that has, in the past, grotesquely mismanaged things. And then, of course, there is the widespread problem of corruption that permeates every facet of society.

Indeed, corruption is not a Chinese characteristic per se. It has, however, developed in a world where old, antiquated and inefficient laws are not being replaced fast enough to keep up with the speed of present times, and the vacuum has to be somehow filled. Experts think that on one hand the economic opening will bring more outside influences and in a way more chaos to the country which is not a bad thing in some ways. But, conversely, experts agree that the leadership will try to keep a tight control so that, at the end of the day, there may actually very well be more human rights violations than ever before.

There is also an imbalance of wealth between the thirty-five percent of the population that lives in the cities and the sixty-five percent inhabiting the countryside. There is a system of residence controls. If you are lucky enough to be born in a city - and registered as a city dweller - it is easier for you to get into university. You are in the city, you can work at all the large companies and government agencies in the city. If, conversely, you are registered as a rural person there are very severe restrictions on where you can live and work. And this is actually the biggest human rights problem in China today. You have a majority of this population of 1.3 billion that are, by law, second class citizens. Furthermore, there are the other matters of the more than 20 million people who have no social security net whatsoever to assist taking care of their basic needs, as well as the environmental concerns that the new era of industrialization is bringing up. Of the ten worst polluted cities in the whole world according to the World Environmental Agency, eight are in China. And, finally, the PRC accounts for 23 percent of the global population while supply of fresh water is less than 6 percent.

Yet, the social and economic improvements are huge as anyone who saw China in the '70's will confirm. Three decades ago there were no automobiles, no super markets, no highrise buildings. And there were no consumer goods to speak of. It was a Stalinist society, and a very poor Stalinist society at that. So the economic system has totally changed, and the private sector is now the dominant sector of the economy. It didn't exist at all as late as 1979. The political system has changed as well, albeit not nearly as drastically as the economic system. The China of the twenty-first century is a one-party state without a firm ideological foundation, more similar to Mexico under the PRI than Russia under Stalin. It is certainly difficult today to call China a Communist State, and the regime is no longer the party of workers and peasants. Mao Zedong would be unpleasantly surprised at how things got out of hand. But then, even this political transformation is nothing new to the Chinese. In fact, historically China has often gone through periods of consolidation followed by periods of weakening of the central authority. And the inequality of wealth is just a consequence of it all.

No issue is more pivotal and controversial in the U.S.-China relations than the question of Taiwan. On October 1, 1949 after nearly two decades of civil war, Chinese Communist Party leader Mao Zedong declared victory over the U.S.-supported Nationalists (Kuomintang or KMT) led by Chiang Kai-shek. Mao proclaimed the establishment of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and instituted a new communist system modeled after the U.S.S.R. After his defeat Chiang Kai-shek fled to the Chinese island of Taiwan, then called Formosa, along with two million Nationalist refugees. Taiwan is located about 100 miles off China's coast. There he established a "provisional" Nationalist capital in Taipei and declared martial law. The Nationalists claimed to be the sole legitimate government of all of China, and set up the same political bodies on Taiwan which had ruled on the mainland. Under Chiang's authoritarian leadership, the Nationalist government established a successful land reform program during the 1950's which helped transform the country from an agricultural to a commercial and industrial economic powerhouse.

It is difficult for Westerners to understand why the PRC is so adamant about reunification with Taiwan, until an example is brought up by the Chinese. "Think of California as an island off America's West Coast and inhabited by Americans but under a different regime. Wouldn't Washington want to seek reunification ?" The analogy made by Yang Jiechi, Chinese Ambassador to the United States, makes perfect sense. Taiwan is the PRC's unfinished civil war. They fought a civil war with this Nationalist government. They essentially won. The Nationalists escaped out to an island which the Chinese consider an integral part of China. And then, because of American support and other intervening factors, they never finished their civil war. In terms of the military, the PRC is also developing very rapidly. It is acquiring a modern aircraft and modern battleships. Its naval force and air force are developing so fast that China is now at the forefront of Asia's military innovations. Ambivalence exists both in the political relations of China and the U.S. with Taiwan as well as between China and the U.S. over Taiwan. China pursues a policy of "One Country - Two Systems" , a policy that is working well with Hong Kong and Macau after their return to the PRC. The United States pursues a strategy aptly called "Strategic Ambiguity": it recognizes Bejing as the only legitimate government while at all times investing in and supplying weaponry to Taiwan. And Taiwan's strategy is to court the United States while increasing its trade with the PRC, now amounting to over US $40 billion per year.

It is in this complex context of political and economic balances and counter-balances that the Eagle and the Dragon are eyeballing each others. A context certainly not for the faint of heart. And yet, in the geopolitical situation of Asia the United States and China make a very good team. Both are disdainful of absolutist chieftains the likes of North Korea's Kim Il Sung, both want peace and relaxation in the region, both are fervent in their plight against terrorism and both are eager to improve trade and cultural exchange with each others. The Chinese - founders of civilization are now meeting and talking to the Americans - spearheads of contemporary society. Two great countries, two great people.

Will the Eagle and the Dragon find a common ground for peaceful co-existence and mutual understanding?

Stay tuned.

Luigi Frascati

Luigi Frascati is a Real Estate Agent based in Vancouver, British Columbia. He holds a Bachelor Degree in Economics and maintains a weblog entitled the Real Estate Chronicle at http://wwwrealestatechronicle.blogspot.com where you can find the full collection of his articles. Luigi is associated with the Sutton Group, the largest real estate organization in Canada, and is based with Sutton-Centre Realty in Burnaby, BC.

Luigi is very proud to be an EzineArticles Platinum Expert Author. Your rating at the footer of this Article is very much appreciated. Thank you.

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5 Things to Avoid During Honeymoon

I do advise couples going on a honeymoon to avoid certain things which will reduce the romantic mood.

1)Planning your honeymoon trip too last minute

I am a person who likes to play by ear. But I have learned to plan my honeymoon trip early to avoid any cancellation of the trip. I was having the ideas of getting my good friend to bring us around as he is a Taiwanese but after some emails. My friend did not reply me and the hotels are getting fully booked all over Taiwan. So it is best to leave them out if such case happen.

2)Plan it to DIY and not to go on a package tour

Honeymoon is supposed to be relaxing, couples enjoying each other and lost in each other eyes. Booking a package tour will completely destroy the romantic feeling and with many pairs of strange eyes looking at you unless you do not mind. The package tour will demand you waking up very early rushing from point A to point B. At the end of the day you will be extremely tired for anything to do for the night.

3)Avoid the months of typhoon

Even though we did go during the month of typhoon, we have no choice. The typhoon will disrupt the trip or the place may be inaccessible. Like the typhoon Morakot that causes roads blocked, mudslides. It will not be a good memory to be there in Taiwan during this period. The happy occasion will turn into a sad one. So try to avoid that period.

4)Avoid foods that do not suit your stomach

Remember to check how hygienic is the foods sold at the roadside as there are many such stalls. There are plenty of foods in Taiwan, do make sure you avoid food that looks dirty or too spicy for you. If you are brave to try do remember to drink plenty of water. Or bring some medicine with you just in case. We always boiled water in Taiwan as we do not know if it is safe to drink from the tap water. It is always good to be safe than to be sorry so that you can enjoy your honeymoon.

5)Avoid being timid - Be adventurous

I must say Taiwanese people are the friendliest lots I have encountered so far. They are so warm and friendly and helpful. They will always help you if they can and I am sure they will. Do not be afraid to approach anyone when in doubts. When you are in another country do try to walk in their streets to experience what it is like. You should take their public transport, their trains, taxi, bullet train, cable car and go visit places that are recommended and within your budget. Do remember to prepare extra cash just in cash of emergency.

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Taipei For The First-Timer

Taipei is the largest city, and the capital of The Republic of China, a series of islands off the southern tip of mainland China (People's Republic of China). The country is more commonly known by the name of its main island, Taiwan, or by its former name, Formosa (a Portuguese word meaning 'beautiful island'). The People's Republic of China refuses to recognize Taiwan's sovereignty, challenging any attempt to change the name to The Republic of Taiwan.

The island of Taiwan is distinguished by mountainous terrain and rugged coast-lines. A major economic force in Asia, it produces much of the world's consumer electronics. The Taiwanese are approximately 98% Han Chinese, and the official language is Mandarin.

The first time visitor to Taipei will benefit from the excellent choice of day tours. Two of the best half-day tours are:

A city tour ($28), which includes stops at most of Taipei's must-see landmarks, including; The National Palace Museum, The Martyr's Shrine and Chiang Kai shek Memorial Hall.
The Northern Coast Tour ($32), features Keelung City and harbor, The Buddha Statue, Yehlin Park and Queen's Head.

Once the newcomer has a feel for the city, getting around is easy. Unlike many Asian cities (e.g. Tokyo and Manila), Taipei is compact and easily navigated. An excellent subway system covers most of the city, and has maps, both of the entire system, and of the surrounding area at each station. All directions are in both Mandarin and English. Tokens are purchased from vending machines, or attendants. No trip costs more than a dollar.

The Taiwanese are friendly and helpful. Getting lost is difficult, as someone will always come forward to offer directions. Even those who speak little English will attempt to accommodate with gestures and hand-drawn maps.

Language, though, is often a problem for tourists. Most people here speak Mandarin only. As English is now taught in schools, young people are more likely to speak it than their elders, but even in hotels conversation is usually limited to the essentials. Restaurants are unpredictable, with one offering you service in fluent English, and its next door neighbor not understanding a word you say. Menus are often uni-lingual, with pictures patrons can simply point at. This is not always helpful, as much of the food is unfamiliar to Westerners. Get used to chopsticks, as forks aren't always available.

Pros: Compact and easy to navigate, it is a city where cheap public transit makes getting around a breeze. Taipei is clean and safe, and foreigners can move about at all hours without fear. The people are friendly and helpful. Excellent dining is available in all areas of the city, with options ranging from fast-food to elegant.
Cons: Language is definitely an issue for English-speaking tourists. The city isn't geared to tourists, and lacks facilities (such as information centers) for visitors. The length of the trip is daunting. Flights from most east-coast cities are 16 hrs. (non-stop) or more.

Taipei and the surrounding countryside are well worth the long trip. The ease of getting around, safety, and the friendliness of its inhabitants, make for a rewarding travel experience.

Welcome! Please come and visit us at Flights To Tours, for travel tips and information on flights, accommodation and tours.

I'm Ian Stevenson, administrator and author at Flights To Tours.

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Are Oolong Tea And Wu Long Tea The Same?

Whether it is called oolong tea or wu long tea, it means the same type of tea.

The reason for the different spellings is due to the two common systems used to Romanize the Mandarin language, which consists of Chinese characters and not letters. One system is called Wades Giles, the other is called the Pinyin system.

When translating the first character in the Mandarin meaning for this tea type using the Wade Giles style, we get the pronunciation "Oo"...and when using the Pinyin system, we get the pronunciation "Wu". Put them together with the other characters, and you get either "oo-long-cha", or "wu-long-cha". (Oolong tea, or Wu long tea.)

This tea is also known as "brown tea", and in the past was also referred to as "rock tea".

Oolong tea is a beverage sort of in between green tea and black tea, although most varieties have more green tea characteristics. The leaves of this tea type are not fully oxidized as much as black tea, but are allowed to ferment longer than green tea leaves would. The result is a cup of tea that is quite unique.

Wu long tea can come in many varieties, and is mainly produced in China or Taiwan. However, it is noted that the best oolong tea comes from Taiwan. Chinese oolongs brew a darker brownish liquor and produce a taste that is slightly "woody" with some mild sweet notes. The leaves are also broader than their Taiwan cousins, and are rolled length-wise instead of in to curly balls.

Taiwan varieties brew a cup that has a more golden color, and a brew that tastes more "flowery" compared to the Chinese oolongs. Some varieties come real close to resembling green tea, and even have a slight vegetal taste save the sweeter flavors that may be present as well. As mentioned above, the leaves are rolled in to curly balls which open up revealing leaves that are the largest of the four types of tea.

In Taiwan, many folks consume this tea and only a very small percentage is available for export. It is estimated that only around two percent is shipped out of the country.

Some noted health benefits of this tea type are similar to what green tea offers; in fact the tea has shown to increase thermogenesis in the body quicker compared to green tea, which is the act of the body "heating up" resulting in calories to burn quicker.

In a study done at Japan's University of Tokushima School of Medicine, which was published in the Journal of Medical Investigation, found that wu long tea has more than twice the calorie burning properties than Japanese green tea. People who consumed wu long over green tea daily experienced better fat oxidation; which equals weight loss. However, proper exercise and dieting is a must and is very important in accompanying these weight loss benefits.

Other studies show that wu long tea helps destroy free radicals in our bodies which could mean younger and healthier looking skin, as well as a decreased risk of certain tumor development.

Brewing oolong is very much the same as brewing black tea. For best results regarding flavor and obtaining maximum health benefits, use loose leaf tea and natural spring water or well-filtered water. Bring to a boil and let steep for around 4 to 5 minutes in a large infuser allowing the leaves room to open. Poor and enjoy with friends or family.

With so many varieties of this tea, years of enjoyment await along with the possibility of a healthier lifestyle!

Learn more facts and information about oolong tea

David Carloni is the creator and webmaster of The Color Of Tea.com

An online resource guide that offers information, tips, facts, varieties, and the introduction to the simple pleasures of brewing and enjoying loose leaf tea.

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My Dinner Is Staring at Me

Like many gourmands from North America, I like meat. My dinner plate is not complete unless there is a large steaming hot piece of protein-laden meat on it. Red meat, white meat, ground meat, seafood - it doesn't matter. I like to eat meat.

In North America, it is easy to forget that our delicious meat comes from God's animals. We eat cheeseburgers, ham, pork chops and steaks without even a thought of the living, breathing source of our meal. Would we be as enthusiastic about eating hamburgers if every burger came in a package with a picture of Bessie the Cow smiling at us? Would we love our pork chops if we were reminded that Porky Pig gave his life that we might munch? Would we still order fish and chips at our local English pub if we knew we were eating the Little Mermaid's friends? If we knew our meal personally, would our enthusiasm be the same?

In Taiwan, it's hard to ignore the origin of your meat. Whether you buy it at the market, or eat it in a restaurant, little details serve to remind us where we should truly give thanks for the food we are about to eat. Chicken is served with the head and feet still attached. There is no bigger eye-opener in Taiwan than to dip a ladle into a big soup tureen full of delicious-smelling chicken soup, only to ladle out the chicken in its entirety, head and feet still attached.

If you get the feeling that your meal is staring at you, you're right. Fresh-cooked fish still has the head and tail. Whether boiled, baked, or deep-fried in batter, the fish comes with the eyes, and we're not talking about tapioca. Even the squid come with their original tentacles and suckers, often impaled on a stick and barbecued as a snack in the night market.

Meat offered for sale in the market is often still alive. Aeration hoses run into plastic containers containing crabs, lobsters, turtles and other succulent seafood, still swimming in oblivious enjoyment. Birds-of-a-feather hang together in the butcher's window. Pig heads, pig feet, snake soup and entrails, fish heads, quail eggs and other unrecognizable foods are all available to the discriminating diner.

Now, the final course, the piece de resistance, the magnus opus of the Taiwan kitchen - chicken balls. No, we're not talking the North American faux-Chinese chicken cubes in batter. We're talking chicken testicles, farmyard Viagra, guaranteed to return youthfulness and vigor. I don't think so. Some things just aren't worth it!

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Pacific Rim and Her Four Tigers

The East has always been a fascinating place. More so when you step into the basin of this island littered part of the world. Here you find four countries known as the Four Tigers. Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and Korea. Each island with Korea and Hong Kong joined to China. Each, a tourist destination worth visiting.

Besides the unreadable signs you soon find friendly people, and though they differ in many ways they also have the same dreams and hopes. The more you get to know them the more you like what they are and the values they stand for.

Hong Kong

A British colony that now belongs to China is in a sense like New York and London. It is a financial hub around which the East turns. You can find a connecting flight to any place in the world from here. With so many Indians you will find someone that can speak English on every street corner. Tourism is a large part of the economy. A declaration between Britain and China secured the position of Hong Kong so that it will stay the same for the next fifty years as of 1997. Hong Kong follows a policy of free trade and as products are less expensive this contributed to the place being very prosperous. Clean streets and a good transport system. The traveler will find the water, lights and shopping very alluring and one of the best times to visit Hong Kong is during the Christmas season.

Taiwan

This island also known as Formosa is off the coast of China. Chiang Kai shek and his followers were forced from the mainland and thus Taiwanese people do not see themselves as Chinese. They want to be called Taiwanese and the battle with China is continuing since China holds on to its authority over the island. But with an island filled with intelligent people the economy grew very fast. Economically very strong with a workers corpse that are very productive. Taipei is where most visitors will end up and if you have time go down the East coast to Hualien or simply visit spectacular temples and monasteries by the dozens. Mainly Buddhists you will also see temples built for followers of Confucius, Matsu and other deities.  

Korea

North Korea belongs to Russia and the South to America. The two have been in a constant battle. That contributes to the fact that the South is much more prosperous than the North. While the North remains isolated from the West Korea is worth a visit and many Western people teach English to the children.

Singapore

The last of the Four Tigers is the smallest and a bit further away from China than the rest. It has four official languages such as Tamil, English, Mandarin and Malay. They obviously come from the Indian, English, Chinese and Malaysian influence. The regions around it also influenced the religious part and you can find Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Christianity and Taoism and Confucianism here. It is also a very prosperous nation with a very busy port and a strong manufacturing backbone.   

 

The Four Tigers are all easy to reach and while some may be more tourist friendly, they all deserve to be on your list of tourist destinations. Use the travel search engines to find suitable flight tickets and accommodation.  

Leon stayed in Taiwan and combines his travel experience and research when writing. Visit the sites for free content and search engine capabilities Hotel Booking and Travel Reservation.

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How to Date Taipei Women

Today Taipei has emerged as one of Asia's notable cosmopolitan center which is progressing at an extremely fast pace. If you are planning to settle here and are still a bachelor, it would be a good idea to try dating Taiwan women. There are numerous online dating opportunities and you just have to make use of them to be successful in this field.

Taiwan women possess a weakness for western men and you will not really have a problem to date them. They look extremely delightful and charming and you just need to win their approval. The best idea is to first get some knowledge about their culture and learn how to blend with it. They love talking and you should take special care to see that you do not bore them eventually.

Remember not to go on commenting on her looks as then they will at once be on their guard. They love a sense of humor and so try to be as humorous as possible. Taiwan women have very strong family ties and another important thing that you should remember is not to make any derogatory remarks about her family. The first point is to make her feel totally at ease with you.

One of the best ways to go about dating in Taiwan is through the net as there are numerous singles that are waiting to date people on these sites. But make it a point to make a profile with only your name as there are some laws that have to be adhered during dating. When you begin a conversation with a Taiwan woman, attempt to be extremely polite and sociable.

If you follow all these guidelines you are sure to come across lovely Taiwan woman who is just perfect for you in every way. You just need to take the time and effort to approach them in the right way.

You can connect with Taiwan girls with the help of dating sites. These sites offer a free registration and you can easily find Taipei personals of your liking.

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Some Useful Guidelines to Date Taiwanese Women

Taiwanese girls are extremely attractive and good looking and if you by any chance want to try dating one of them, here are some tips that you could do with which will make your task easier.

The most important task is to first create a good impression about yourself. Remember that Taiwan culture is completely different from the Western culture and on of the main things you should attempt to do is to blend into their culture. For this you will have to learn more about their culture and what they expect from people.

Taiwan singles are usually very attracted to westerners and so you just have to maintain a good rapport with them for your dating chances to progress successfully. Taiwanese girls love talking about their families and so remember to enquire about their personal bonds.

Try to be witty and humorous as they enjoy a sense of humor in their men. Make it a point not to go on commenting about their beauty as they may feel that you have some other intention behind your praise. Get to know them well by starting a conversation where the girl feels at home and comfortable.

Another way in which you could look for Taiwanese women to date is to look into dating websites in Taiwan. There are a lot of such sites that are filled with both men and women who are looking for dates. So you just have to visit one of these sites and search for some one who will suit your requirements. These sites also include people who are looking for marriage partners.

Always remember that you are from an entirely different background and culture, so learn to treat her differently. The Taiwan personals are not in any way like the American or European girls. Her views may be very diverse, so tread carefully. These girls get to like you if you happen to have many Asian friends, so try to have a wider social circle of such people.

You can take the help of Taipei Dating sites to connect with gorgeous singles from that area. These sites are free to join and you can contact Taipei Girls soon after the free registration.

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Learn Chinese in Asia - Easy Ways to Get Overseas and Get Fluent

It goes without saying that traveling to Asia is one of the surest ways to improve your fluency in Chinese. It is possible to get experience talking in Chinese to native speakers over the internet, or in your city, but nothing approaches "total immersion" like a trip to China or Taiwan. In Asia language learners are constantly provided with opportunities to exercise their language skills. Not only that, but they are constantly immersed in an atmosphere of spoken Chinese.

Traveling to Asia is also a great way to get in touch with the real reasons that you're learning Chinese. There are amazing opportunities for foreigners in Asia, and when you've arrived and are willing to learn Chinese you can make connections and friendships that can be of great benefit later on. The best way to learn Chinese is to dive headfirst into speaking, and the best way to use Chinese is to dive headfirst into the culture and geography of the Chinese speaking world.

Most people believe that a trip to Asia for the purpose of learning Chinese is financially unfeasible, but it can be cheaper than you'd ever imagine. There are programs and opportunities that can enable you to achieve your dreams, and maybe even come out with more money than you had initially.

The first option is to travel to China or Taiwan in order to become a full time student, studying Chinese at a prominent university. This is a great opportunity not only to be taught by a native speaker with solid experience, but to form friendships within a community of people who are as serious as you are about attaining fluency in Mandarin Chinese. Tuition for foreigners at universities in Asia can be much cheaper than in the western world, and many universities offer lucrative scholarships for foreigners that can offset the initial cost. You can apply for a student visa which will allow you live in the country for an extended period of time.

If you don't have the money for university, you can teach English. English teaching allows you to make almost twice what the average Chinese person earns in a month, so you can live comfortably on your salary and even pay for tuition at a university or a private Chinese class. Historically, salaries have been higher in Taiwan than in China, but this may be changing as China hires more and more English teachers.

Most people make some sort of compromise between learning Chinese and teaching English. There is no reason that you can't do both. In both countries it is illegal to work without a specific work visa, but many people teach English "under the table" while going to University. Private lessons can sometimes be even more profitable for English teachers than a contract position with a language school.

If you're considering a vacation or long term trip to Asia to learn Chinese, you can find a tremendous wealth of information on the internet to help you work out the specifics. Rest assured that traveling to Asia and pursuing your language learning goals is more feasible than most people think. So why isn't everyone doing it? Most people just haven't thought of it, and many of those who have are afraid or tied to commitments at home. Just go for it, and take a trip to Asia to make money and increase your fluency in Chinese.

Justin White lives in Jhubei Taiwan, and frantically works at learning Chinese.

Want to learn Chinese (or another language) quickly? Don't make the common mistakes that keep people struggling. Learn to avoid the pitfalls, and go to Learn Chinese Fast for tips, tricks and strategies to improve the speed with which you learn Chinese, and decrease the amount of time it takes you to reach fluency.

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The Website Theory of Statehood

Although the definition of statehood under international law has not been definitively resolved, traditionally, per the Montevideo Convention, "The state as a person of international law should possess the following qualifications: (a) a permanent population; (b) a defined territory; (c) government; and (d) capacity to enter into relations with the other states." In addition, recognition of a state by other states arguably plays a more important role in the statehood process.

I would like to propose a new criteria by which the claims of would-be sovereigns can be evaluated. In today's world, e-governance is rampant. Politicians stay in contact with their constituents via their homepages, agencies administer regulations online, and court filings can be done with the click of a mouse. So whether or not an autonomous region has a permanent, defined web presence that has the capacity to assist its governmental activities is a vital consideration when examining claims of statehood. So, using the Website Theory of Statehood, how do existing unrecognized states stack up?

Taiwan: Taiwan's somewhat unique status in the "Is it or is it not a state?" debate makes it a good starting place to test the theory. Taiwan's pseudo-official statehood is reflected in the fact that it has its own country code top-level domain, of .tw. However, ccTLD's are poor indicia of statehood in themselves; they are distributed by ICANN, and substate regions can also be issued them, such as Jersey's .je and the Virgin Island's .vi.

Still, Taiwan starts off on a good note by displaying two strong hallmarks of internet statehood -- numerous web domains for each different branch of government and the use of the .gov subdomain for its various state webpages. None of the websites of the various Taiwanese government branches get particularly high marks for style, but they aren't offensively ugly at least, and they amply satisfy all requirements for accessibility and content.

Verdict: Although Taiwan may not be a recognized sovereign under international law, it is a thriving Internet State.

Somaliland: Although Somaliland's website is not nearly as sophisticated as the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia's, Somaliland gets credit for the fact it actually operates from within its own territory. The prominently placed waving Somaliland flag image is annoying, but by itself, not particularly offensive. All in all, in terms of web design, it's about on the level of a page created by a marginally talented middle school student.

Of course, the webmaster's yahoo email address is a significant mark against a finding of web sovereignty. And although the fact it maintains a separate website for its Upper Parliament, the Guurti, might have won it back some points, as the website does not appear to have been updated at any point in the past three years, it's really more of a net loss.

Interestingly, the neighboring autonomous state of Puntland has a much more sophisticated web presence, although it is not seeking sovereignty but rather continues to maintain it is a part of Somalia. Aside from the annoying page intro, Puntland's website is respectable and decent looking. It actually reminds me of the websites of several county governments from my home state of Georgia: clearly governmental in nature and reasonably active, but still small-time government.

Verdict: Not a state, but I'll give them a solid E for Effort. Somaliland ought to seek advice from Puntland on how to manage its e-statehood.

Kosovo: The websites for the various government branches of Kosovo are all clean, sharp, and authoritative, with a faint air of bureaucratic staleness. In other words, they look exactly like what you would expect for a sovereign state government's website.

Meanwhile, the website for the Serbian Government of Kosovo is, while passable, somewhat clunkier. More importantly, the dismal imagery and content of the site is all extremely negative in tone, focusing on pictures of bombed out buildings and emphasizing the fear, instability, and chaos of the region.

The contrast between the two certainly weighs in Kosovo's favor. Kosovo's website is professional and businesslike, and gives the impression that it is the model of responsive and diligent governance. In direct opposition to this is the Serbian website, which stresses its inability to control the region and is primarily concerned with advancing a political agenda rather than engaging in ah actual governmental capacity.

Verdict: Although the facts on the ground may be drastically different, in terms of its website, Kosovo qualifies for Virtual Statehood.

Cabinda: The wannabe sovereign territory of Cabinda, located in Angola, is a classic example of the self-deluded unrecognized state. Cabinda's inability to exercise sovereign governmental control over the region is rivaled only by its complete incompetence at web design. Tiled backgrounds, flying bird gifs, scrolling text, spinning "email" icon, images unapologetically created by MS Paint? My god. I'd call this a sad excuse for a geocities webpage, but that would be a gross insult to Geocities webpages everywhere -- Cabinda hasn't even yet progressed past the Angelfire-level of web design.

Verdict: Does not meet even the most minimal of qualifications for Internet Statehood.

Western Sahara: The proclaimed government of Western Sahara has no access to a ccTLD, but .eh has been specifically reserved for the nation once it manages to obtain a unified voice. In 2007, the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, the government that claims to speak for the sovereign territory of Western Sahara, tried to lay claim to the domain, but Morocco objected. As a result, ICANN refused to release .eh, stating that because of competing claims,

ICANN does not see a way to approve the .EH ccTLD delegation to one of the applicants without violating its long-standing policy unless the contesting parties are able to reach an agreement.

The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic still has a website, however: http://www.rasd-state.ws/

Note the .ws in the domain name. Now that's actually a rather clever bit of statehood marketing right there. The .ws ccTLD is in fact registered to Samoa, although the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic is cleverly passing off the "ws" as standing for Western Sahara. Who needs .eh, the intended ccTLD for the nation you claim control over, when your Samoan buddies will lend you a domain name that sounds like it was actually meant for you?

Sadly, the website is in Arabic, which I don't actually speak. The page gets medium marks: although it is simple, it manages to avoid being hideous, and I am reasonably confident that if I could read Arabic the site would be easily navigable. However, judging by the page URL's (in Spanish, which I can pretend to read), the website does not provide anything in the way of government services, which is a mark against it. However, there do appear to be "official government documents" in PDF form, which gives it a little cred.

Verdict: Although Western Sahara's separatist government displays some promising signs of Virtual Statehood, they are still a fair distance away from achieving internet sovereignty.

Abkhazia and South Ossetia: Aesthetically speaking, South Ossetia's webpage is my favorite of all the unrecognized states'. It is official looking and professional in appearance, and yet still manages to be friendly and pleasantly warm and inviting. You'd totally want to vacation in a country with a website like that -- they seem like such nice people. Also, it's got snow leopards.

Abkhazia's website is slightly more severe in appearance, comes across as a no-nonsense kind of nation, and may or may not have been a law firm before it decided to declare itself state. The blue-grey color scheme? The overlapping boxes lay out? That is seriously every D.C. small-to-medium sized law firm homepage ever.

Tellingly, however, both Abkhazia and South Ossetia lack their own ccTLD, do not have separate web pages for different branches of government, and do not employ the use of.gov subdomains.

But this doesn't rule them out entirely. One major point in the break-away regions' favor is that their websites far outclass Georgia's websites for the region. Just take a look at Georgia's Abkhazia homepage: http://www.abkhazia.gov.ge/. It is ugly, slow to load, and contains graphics that appear to have been created by the same MS Paint artist that provided the images for Cabinda. Most of the English language pages are labeled "under construction," and I'm honestly surprised they didn't also include those little animated gifs of smileys wearing hard hats to show that. South Ossetia doesn't even appear to have a .ge website that I could find, perhaps because Georgia revoked South Ossetia's autonomy? At any rate, not having a web presence for it at all is a dismal way of showing your Internet Sovereignty over a region, Georgia.

Verdict for Abkhazia and South Ossetia: Have not yet achieved Internet Statehood, but are clearly serious contenders for the title. Recommend that Georgia take immediate steps to overhaul its own websites for the regions in order to firmly establish its claims of sovereignty.

Nagorono-Karabkh Republic: The website for the Nagorno-Karabkh Republic contains flashing banners and animated .gif files. This is an instant disqualification for statehood.

Verdict: Not a state. True sovereigns avoid anything that might induce epilepsy in their web visitors.

North Korea: Under International Law, North Korea is a recognized nation. However, under the new Website Theory of Statehood, North Korea should be considered a failed state. This may sound harsh, but given that the Admin of the website acknowledges that there is no internet access in North Korea and that no one in North Korea can actually see their own website, and that therefore the only people who use it are foreign North Korea enthusiasts, korea-dpr.com actually has more in common with a Beanie Babies fansite than it does a government webpage.

Although the website does at least exist and is moderately functional, it appears that a 13 year old goth boy was hired to design it. Sadly, the forum that was once featured on the site has since been removed. Apparently a web forum was too democratic for North Korea, as the old forum was replaced by a blog, which announced the change by stating: "Today we launch the new KFA Forum, which will mainly be driven by a few select moderators. Of course, everyone can still contribute with their thoughts, ideas, articles, etc, but we'll be sure to have much more quality content for you." In other words, the proletarians were not generating enough 'quality content,' so a more restrictive approach was adopted for their own good.

Notable features of the site include a FAQ, with helpful answers to questions such as, "Is North Korea a Dictatorship?", "Is it true everyone in North Korea is starving?", and "How can I join the North Korean army?"

Verdict: Not a state. I don't care if the United Nations recognizes North Korea; when Transnistria, Puntland, and Nagorno-Karabkh have better web presences than you do, your statehood is officially revoked.

http://viewfromll2.wordpress.com/2009/10/09/the-website-theory-of-statehood/

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How Learning Chinese Can Give You a Competitive Advantage

How is it valuable to learn Chinese? The answer may surprise you: Chinese is the world's biggest language. That's right, larger than English when using statistics regarding how many speakers use it as a native language! Answer number two: in the ever rotating globe, many economists today are predicting the lessening economic place of the United States of America in the world economy, and the rising economic place of China. That is only one tiny reason why Chinese is the most valuable language for workers in the global marketplace. Job offers in consulting, legal institutions, medical, chemistry, and many other industries even within Western societies are starting to demand skill in Standard Chinese as a compliment to English ability. To stay the best in the modern workforce, it is important to learn a second language other than English, and many would say there is no language more important than Chinese.

With that said, scores of people who live outside of China are reluctant to vacation to Communist China, abuses of human rights, attitudes against foreigners, foreigners arrested as spies for common tourist actions, in addition to other excuses. Perhaps rightly so. That said, what is the most practical solution for this problem? At which country can you find a Chinese speaking culture and people, accepting of foreign citizens, with high living standards, and democratic rule of law where you can study Mandarin easily? The right answer is to visit Taiwan, which is called the Republic of China (R.O.C.). The "republic" on the mainland is known as the People's Republic of China.

Inside of the R.O.C. island of Taiwan, there is a Western friendly government, a lively environment, a people friendly to Westerners, and among the lowest crime rates in the world, with rates far lower than mainland China. The citizens of Taiwan are hard working and the business market is rapidly expanding. The modern situation has created a tremendous need for Western graudates such as lawyers, managers, and other skilled employees to arrive on the scene to help in the consistent growth of their economy. Taking programs in Mandarin Chinese should help workers give potential applicants a huge leg up on their monolingual applicants. Also, a high percent of Mandarin-speaking employers, or those with Mandarin speaking customers are scouting for Chinese learners who have lived at a Chinese-speaking country like the island called "Taiwan", especially with workers who are often required to enlist in corporate trips overseas.

The author works for a Taiwanese language learning tour company, which helps foreigners to Learn Chinese in Taiwan. You can find out more at their website here: Study in Taiwan.

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Invading the Senses: Kaleidoscope of Smells, Sights and Sounds

It has been sometime since I resided in Taiwan as a military wife and much has changed since then. What is the same is the kaleidoscope of smells, sights and sounds that invades the senses when you arrive in Pacific Asian countries.

Not one to miss an opportunity for adventure, I found myself teamed with my two children, when I was still young slim and sassy. We were in the "friendly skies" headed for Taiwan to join my husband and their father who was working.

In sixteen-hours, we went from "Hello, how are you!" to "Nee how ma!" As we disembarked the plane in Taipei, everything was new and whirled around us like a kaleidoscope. We were submerging into a new culture of curious smells, scenes and noises. Everything seemed and truly was alien. The signage was in Chinese character. The language had a sing-song resonance. The comforts of home quickly disappeared as we drank in new experiences and adventures.

Chinese New Year had just begun and red lanterns and banners with gold lettering were hung to symbolize happiness and love. We noticed the divinity behind the water temples that dotted the rice terraces and there was the occasional pagoda, whose architectural ornate details ornate demonstrated the wealth and sophistication of their owner.

Taiwan is a small tobacco shaped island, beautifully green, both the coastline and mountains. On the highway heading down to the island center and the town of Taichung, the traffic was crazy. Any occupant in the vehicle ahead might throw out an arm to signal a turn. It was not unusual to see bamboo branches placed over a pothole warning of a detour.

Running our eyes over the countryside, we saw small farm homes and chickens running about. Water buffalo were providing the farm power and the land appeared strewn with small straw covered huts. There were so many as the miles rolled past, I first wondered if people lived in them. Later I learned these were mushroom growing huts!

Traveling with children, it was inevitable we would soon have need of a public restroom whenever we left our hotel room or later left our house. The first time came while inside a gift shop. Our pre-school age daughter began to squirm, protesting her need to use a bathroom. I asked the clerk where we might find one and as she prepared to show me, my husband leaned over and whispered, "You'll find it different."

Sure enough, we entered a small room with a tile stall, much like a shower stall back home. In the center of this tile enclosure was an open hole, twice the size of a shower stall's drain hole. Here one was required to squat over the hole and do their business. At first my daughter protested, but her need to go overrode her distaste for the unfamiliar.

Living overseas was a wonderful gift, teaching our family a valuable lesson: Always appreciate what you have. For the children, a Baptist missionary school offered the only American or English instruction. During the nearly two years we lived in Taiwan, each day was like living a page from National Geographic.

Kathy Manney is the nationally recognized author of autobiographical, lifestyle and travel articles and the travel columnist for "The Vegas Voice," a monthly regional senior lifestyle newspaper.

She was born and raised in Portland, Oregon and has lived in Asia and throughout the United States during her adult years.

Kathy is open to freelance work in the fields of non-fiction writing and editing.

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Should You Be Sourcing Your Automotive Hand Tools From China?

Naturally your company will want to be competitive in whatever part of the automotive industry you are involved with. This of course means cutting costs in as many ways as you can without cutting or reducing the quality of you products and services.

The suppliers you choose to source your automotive products from can play an integral role in helping you improve your competitiveness if you choose wisely. The obvious answer to reducing your costs is to source your auto products from Asia and the first country that springs to mind is of course China. It is now well known that China is Asia's - and now the World's - most impressive marketplace on the current global stage. Now it is your turn to try and help you business in the very competitive automotive industry benefit from this knowledge.

China's growing influence over world markets, especially since 2002, is well known. The amount of products, machinery and materials flowing out of China is staggering. And yes, this includes automotive hand tools. The growth of the Chinese nation as a manufacturing powerhouse is undeniable.

A Warning About Sourcing Hand Tools or Any Products in China

Now, back to your business and sourcing the automotive tools that will help you become more competitive. Before you rush out and place large orders with Chinese hand tools manufacturers, a word of caution. Chinese manufacturing is cheaper because of low labor costs but, and this is a big but, if quality is important then tread carefully. In the world of automotive tools you will know that precision is extremely important as is quality control. Let's say you are an American company that supplies specialist hand tools to various other American companies interested in particular vehicles. You need to be sure that any products you supply are of a high standard and do their job at least as well as can be expected by professional mechanics. Now, what would happen if you received your latest shipment of 5,000 socket sets from China and started selling them to your own customers only to discover that the sockets failed before the torque strength they should? Not only will you have wasted a lot of money on useless products and shipping costs, you will also lose a lot of business from customers you worked hard to secure. The repercussions of that can easily destroy your reputation and entire business!

Choosing a Company Who Can Supply High Quality Auto Tools

The answer to the potential business destroying problem above can come from China's tiny but high-end manufacturing neighbor - Taiwan! It wasn't too long ago that Taiwan became a manufacturing powerhouse where costs were low like they are today in China. Nowadays, Taiwan is a world leader in the development and production of advanced technology products, particularly semi-conductors. Not so many people know that the entrepreneurial Taiwanese companies saw the potential for manufacturing China offered and decided to move their production to the main land. In fact, many of the most successful manufacturers in China are run or were set up by Taiwanese companies.

So, because the Taiwanese have quickly evolved into manufacturers of extremely high quality products it makes perfect sense that a Taiwanese supplier of automotive tools, or indeed many other types of products, can be your best friend when sourcing products. You should get items that meet and go beyond your specifications for hand tools.

Christopher Chuang is involved with Chain Enterprises' international marketing and JJA China Product Supplies. Chain Enterprises is a Taiwanese trading company with many years experience in supplying customers all over the world with custom and OEM automotive hand tools built to specifications provided by clients.

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The Island Nation

Taiwan is an island located in East Asia and also the general name used by the government of the Republic of China. Along with the main island, it also encompasses Diaoyu Island, Paracel Islands, Itu Aba Island, Orchid Island and Green Island. It also shares claim with the People's Republic of China on three other areas: the Penghu Islands, Kinmen and the Matsu Islands.

After World War II, the Republic of China was able to seize control of Taiwan from the Japanese military. However, four years later, it lost control of mainland China during the Chinese Civil War. The war was fought between Chinese Nationalists and the Chinese Communist Party and came to a head in 1949. The Kuomintang government of the Nationalists fled to the island and established its new capital in Taipei. Today, the government essentially has two levels: national and local.

The entire nation of Taiwan is claimed as part of the People's Republic of China, despite the fact that it has never made an attempt at exerting its control. The nation was historically part of China for most of known history. It was invaded and conquered by the Japanese in 1895 during the first part of the Sino-Japanese War. The Japanese ruled with an iron fist but was returned to China proper following the surrender of Japan to the Allies.

The government is known as a flawed democracy by the Economist Intelligence Unit Index of Democracy. It has recurring issues with various facets of its processes. National elections are free and fair and offer strong security for voters. However, Taiwan's electoral process has been found to be heavily influenced by foreign powers in both its policies and capabilities through various civil servants within the government.

Taiwan's main island is also known as Formosa which is Portuguese for "beautiful island." It is situated off the coast of China and southwest of Japan. It also sits northwest of the Philippines. To the east sits the Pacific Ocean, while the South China Sea is located to the south. The Taiwan Straight is located to the west and the East China Sea is located to the north.

The island itself is 394 kilometers long and 144 kilometers wide. The majority of the island is covered by tropical and subtropical vegetation which dots its steep mountainous regions. Its highest point is the mountain of Yu Shan, located at 3,952 meters above sea level.

The economy of Taiwan is one of the largest in the region and widely considered one of the Four Asian Tigers along with Hong Kong, South Korea and Singapore. The rise of this economy has widely become known as the Taiwan Economic Miracle due to its rapid economic rise during the latter half of the 20th century. The International Monetary Fund recognizes the nation as one of the most advanced and largest economies in the world. The key component to the economy is its technology sector, which plays a large role in the entire global economy. The nation is responsible for a very large portion of consumer electronics throughout the world. This comes with a strong connection to factories located in mainland China.

For more information on Taiwan, China visit [http://taiwanmicroblog.com] and [http://chinamicroblog.com]

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Never Assume What You Now Hold to Be True As Really the Truth

We hold many beliefs. And some of us tend to assume that what we now hold to be true as really the truth. It is not uncommon to form an opinion on someone we know. That this person is unappreciative. That the other person is self-centered. That another is proud. We are also quick to form an impression on the people we know little about. How? Through their appearance and the way they talk, walk, dress and behave. We may also dislike an activity or even a country even though we may not have tried the activity or stepped foot into that country. Why is this so? Because someone tells us so. Because so and so tells us that the activity is boring. Because the media tells us that the country is far from our liking.

Let me share my story with you. For several years, I had a bad impression of Taiwan. Why? Thanks to the media. Whenever there is news on Taiwan, what I get to see is politicians (including lady politicians) fighting like thugs in the street. Although it may seem amusing at times, slowly but surely, I was lead to believe that this is a 'distasteful' place to be in. This goes on for a long time and I tell myself that if the leaders can behave in such a manner, what more can I expect from its people and the place? So, I made up my mind that I would never want to visit the country and was pretty sure that my decision was correct.

Somehow, by some twist of events, I find myself heading to Taiwan for a vacation. I was mentally prepared for a so-so or even lesser holiday. But, I have to admit that I was wrong and so terribly wrong. Since the trip, my impression of Taiwan took a 180 degree turn. It is a lovely country with friendly and helpful folks, vibrant night markets, yummy desserts and great tasting fruits and coffee, thrilling coach ride up and through steep mountains, leisurely train ride amidst scenic sea view, relaxing dip in hot spring, cool and nice weather...

Can you think of any negative or limiting beliefs you are currently holding? Whether of yourself, another person, an activity, a place, a type of food, a type of job etc. Be open to the possibility that what you are holding may not really be the truth even though you may have held them for ages. Think about it. Re-look at it. And hopefully something wonderful and refreshing awaits you.

JL Kah has profound interest in the areas of self improvement and motivation. She enjoys traveling to different places and loves to share her thoughts and touch lives. For a free download of her ebook - Great Principles, Rare Insights & Provoking Thoughts, do visit her blog at:

http://www.jlkah.com

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Learn the Secrets of Dating Taiwanese Women

So you are a big fan of Taipei women, the only problem is you do not know where to start looking for them online. Then worry no more, because the answer to your problem is easy and simple. If until now, you haven't found the right place to seek for your dream woman, who for a fact happens to be a Taiwanese, then you found the right article.

There are lots of dating websites online now where you can find single men and women from all over the world. But since you prefer Taiwanese, then all you really have to do is to go to a Taiwan chat room or check out latest Taipei personals for their list of single men and women that are also looking for a potential partner or friends online.

There are tons of websites or social networking sites out there that can offer you a chance of meeting the man or woman of your dreams. Not only will you be able to meet your dream woman, you will also get to meet a lot of new friends online too.

So if you are indeed serious in being able to find your dream man or woman or even just to start making friends with them, then why not try Taiwan chat rooms now? If you think that there will be a language barrier, then think again. There are a lot of English speaking people out there who are also very willing to help you learn their language. You can actually do language exchange while you are there as well. Teach them your language, and in turn, they will teach you yours. It's a give and take world. It is now only up to you on how sincere you want to learn it. The more you take initiative in learning the language, the faster you will learn it and be able to start a conversation with them. Or if everything else fails, then you can always ask the help of Google's Translator page. And it works just like magic.

If you truly want to find friends, Taipei men and women in particular, then start hitting the Taiwan chat rooms now and start viewing Taipei personals while you are at it. That way, you will be able to prepare yourself for what you are about to encounter. Meet friendly chatters and start making new friends via Taiwan chat rooms online now.

Find your perfect match or make new online friends now. What are you waiting for? Do it now, if you want a big head start.

Want to find your dream Taiwan friends? Then why not read Dating Taiwanese Women and start making friends with Taiwan Single now!

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Chinese Channels on Satellite TV

Watching Chinese televisions can be a great way to learn Chinese as well as retain the Chinese that you've already learned. From the news to family sit-coms, Chinese channels can help people from novice to advanced level in developing greater proficiencies in reading, speaking, and listening.

Chinese TV Packages

JadeWorld (HK, China, Taiwan)

The JadeWorld packages offers programmings from Hong Kong, China, and Taiwan. Talk about cross strait connections! You get 3 Hong Kong channels that are geared toward Cantonese speakers in the United States. And if you are a Hong Kong movie buff, the third channel broadcasts HK films 24/7. The CCTV 4 and CCTV9, which speaks standard Mandarin, makes up the Mainlaind Chinese channels. CCTV4 comes with "快 乐 中 国", a Chinese program that is designed to instruct language learners, and CCTV9 showcases "Learning Chinese", which is another excellent show to help you with the speaking, listening, grammar, and other aspects of Chinese instructions. Both Shows air twice a day, every day from Monday-Friday or Saturday. And the taiwanese channel is TVB8, which airs popular Taiwanese music, variety shows, news, and others. Now that is what I call variety! You get Cantonese, Mandarin (mainland accent, taiwanese accent), simple characters (mainland), traditional characters (HK, Taiwan), and channels with their own unique style and genre. All this in a 5 channel package.

My Experience with JadeWorld

My family and I have been watching the JadeWorld channels for the last 7 years. When I want to go to Hong Kong from my living room, I click to channel 450 and 451. If I feel like challenging my listening skill, TVB8 is the channel that helps me decipher what the heck the Taiwanese are saying. Channel 454 is where I get the most out of all the channels, because it's all in standard Mandarin. I watch 455 whenever I get tired of listening to Chinese, but want to get my CCTV news in English. What about 453, the HK movie channel? I'm only interested in watching certain kinds of movies, and I've already seen most of the ones that interest me. 453 is to veg out on the re-runs.

Mandarin DirectII Service

It is exactly what the name implies. You get four mandarin channels, with each coming from Beijing, Shanghai, and Taiwan. You get all many sub-genre of programming from the Phoenix North American Chinese Channel, the Pheonix Info News, the MTV Chi Channel, and the CTI Zhong Tian channel. All Mandarin, all the time for less than $16 a month. Not a bad deal. And I'm particularly interested in what the MTV Chi Channel is like.

Toan Dam

Chinese Language Institutes LLC

[http://www.chinese-language-institutes.com]

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