and while on the subject of China Post editorials

my "What children need is not more classes, but their childhood back"

[not my comma, by the way]

has initiated a little debate on the comments board:

Comments
April 20, 2010 stephan97b@
Reply
"let the public outcry be loud"You wish....Most parents see cram schools and extra-curricular classes as a solution rather as a problem: they don't have to take care of their children + they believe their offspring can become "more competitive" in Taiwan's highly materialistic/low creativity environment.Your criticism of Taiwan's 'education authorities' doesn't even come half close to offering any real solution. You refer to the only hint of a feasible solution as: . Legislature is heavily KMT dominated, isn't it? So go tell you good buddies there. Don't waste cyberspace and people's time on your pseudo-moralistic rambling.
April 21, 2010 danny2987@
Reply
Cram school and extra curricular class is not the whole solution, it's one of the options.
April 21, 2010 Skyhermit77@
Reply
To stephan97b: Not everything is political! Kids deserve a childhood...this article has nothing to do with the Blue/Green divide. One of the "solutions" to this problem is that Taiwanese society needs to start talking about the issue...something this piece is trying to do. You need to seek help for your bitterness and illogical worldview.
April 22, 2010 stephan97b@
Reply
Skyhermit77,If you can't spot the direct political references in this article, I'm afraid it's you who's in need of help. Problems with English reading comprehension, maybe?
April 23, 2010 beatles009@
Reply
I don't try to argue but just want to point out something else. If the teaching of Chinese history takes precedence over Taiwanese history at our high schools, does it serve the purpose of education or politics?
April 27, 2010 Skyhermit77@
Reply
Stephen...my English is rather fluent...It doesn't matter if a kid's parents are KMT or DPP supporters....they all believe excessive hours at cram schools are the way to develop a child's mind -- this mindset is harmful. Think over your own educational history...did all that calculus make you a better employee in the modern workforce? Hours spent running around outside in nature as a kid might have made you a happier person than you are today. Life is visceral! Life is dirty! Life is touching, feeling and experiencing! Do you have kids? LET THEM BE KIDS! Skip the cram school and go catch fireflies together! Taiwan needs to reassess the meaning of the word "education."

Is the China Post becoming liberal?

In addition to my own pinko ramblings (see CPE),
there seems to be a spate of liberal social (but not political) editorials lately
in the last fortnight alone, the following have appeared:

treat drunk driving as "premeditated murder" http://www.chinapost.com.tw/editorial/taiwan-issues/2010/04/28/254191/Penalties-are.htm

animal welfare, protection needs strengthening: http://www.chinapost.com.tw/editorial/taiwan-issues/2010/04/26/253933/Animal-protection.htm

suicide ... more social workers needed:http://www.chinapost.com.tw/editorial/taiwan-issues/2010/04/25/253853/Suicide-tragedy.htm

protect PRC sailors working for ROC boats: http://www.chinapost.com.tw/editorial/taiwan-issues/2010/04/24/253715/Govt-should.htm

(more) animal protection: http://www.chinapost.com.tw/editorial/taiwan-issues/2010/04/19/253040/Use-warning.htm

increase water rate: http://www.chinapost.com.tw/editorial/taiwan-issues/2010/04/18/252955/Increasing-water.htm

attack on rogue doctors (without attacking the Health Insurance system): http://www.chinapost.com.tw/editorial/taiwan-issues/2010/04/16/252710/p2/Hospitals-need.htm

government should build some low-cost housing: http://www.chinapost.com.tw/editorial/taiwan-issues/2010/04/14/252410/Govt-should.htm

before you ask ...

TT: Gay, lesbian groups call for public restroom equity

...Tsai Pi-jung (蔡璧嶸), president of National Chengchi University’s (NCCU) Gay Student Club, told a press conference in Taipei. “We suggest that schools change the designation on public restrooms from marking the gender to marking whether it has toilets or urinals or both inside”

... NCCU’s Lesbian Student Club president has short hair and dresses in jeans and a T-shirt. ­People ­sometimes mistake her for a man, she said. Wishing only to be known as “Strawberry,” she told the press conference that women sometimes asked her what she was doing in the women’s restroom. “Whenever that happens, I have to explain that I am a woman. Then I’m asked why I dress like a man,” Strawberry said. “Why do I have to go through all this questioning when I just want to use the bathroom?”

before you ask, yes they really were women in the men's yesterday
(i just know)

women in the men's toilet

today there were women in the men's toilet
good for them
the queue for the women's toilet was out of the door, so some young (around 20s??) women went to the queue-less men's
while this is fairly common back home, i think it is the first time i have seen it done in taiwan
taiwan is changing