On Typhoon Watch Again!

All Taiwan on Typhoon Watch again for the second time this Mid-Autumn Moon Festival as we batten down the hatches and wait for Typhoon Malakas to arrive, as it blows up the east coast of Taiwan tonight and tomorrow.  Lots of torrential rain expected in northern Taiwan.  As often happens, the day before a typhoon comes, the weather is stunning – with blue skies and fluffy white clouds…. Hope our papaya tree still looks like this in a few days time! Continue reading On Typhoon Watch Again!

A grey Mid-Autumn Moon Festival @ Keelung!

A grey grey day in Keelung, on Taiwan’s NE coast, as always!  Grey city, grey weather.  But particularly so today as the country surfaces after yesterday’s Typhoon Meranti, and prepares for tomorrow’s Typhoon Malakas.  We’re in a kind of typhoon-sandwich…. Today is Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, the first day of a 4-day holiday weekend, when the moon is supposedly at its best and brightest all year ha ha ~ no sign of any moon round here!  It’s grey grey grey with rain rain rain and more rain! In Keelung today, my arrival coincided with the arrival of the huge Golden Princess … Continue reading A grey Mid-Autumn Moon Festival @ Keelung!

Super Typhoon Meranti targets Taiwan, mainland China – CNN.com

Praying for southern Taiwan ~ and it’s gale-force winds and torrential rains up here too…. Hundreds of people have been evacuated in southern Taiwan as the island braces for the impact of the strongest storm of the year. Check out this CNN report… Source: Super Typhoon Meranti targets Taiwan, mainland China – CNN.com Continue reading Super Typhoon Meranti targets Taiwan, mainland China – CNN.com

Natural Hazards, GIS and Disaster Management: Earthquake in Tanzania kills 10

Terrible news from Tanzania of a 5.9 earthquake on Saturday…. Excellent reporting of the earthquake on the following blog post written by one of my former students…. Source: Natural Hazards, GIS and Disaster Management: Earthquake in Tanzania kills 10 Tanzania needs our prayers… Continue reading Natural Hazards, GIS and Disaster Management: Earthquake in Tanzania kills 10

Freshers Week @ St. John’s University!

It’s that time of the year again, and we’re pleased to say we have well over 700 bright-eyed and bushy-tailed first-year students enrolled for St. John’s University for the coming school year, which officially starts on Monday September 19, after Mid-Autumn Moon Festival. 100+ of them are actually enrolled in the junior college program of St. John’s University, meaning they’re 15 years old, and opting first for 5-year junior college rather than senior high school ~ I’m so pleased that I met one, Jia-Yun who I recognized from my English Classes at our neighboring junior high school, Xian-Xiao! The whole … Continue reading Freshers Week @ St. John’s University!

Taiwan, Holy See have an ‘alliance of love’: vice president – Taipei Times

Taiwan’s relationship with the Vatican…. Check out this article by Peter Chen 陳正義 president of the Formosan Association for Public Affairs: Chen should urge Holy See for dual recognition And this one….. Vice President Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) on Sunday said that the government would continue to strengthen its rapport with the Holy See, describing the relationship between the two nations as “an alliance of love and core values.” Source: Taiwan, Holy See have an ‘alliance of love’: vice president – Taipei Times Continue reading Taiwan, Holy See have an ‘alliance of love’: vice president – Taipei Times