Taiwan

Breathe a little easier at Guandu Nature Park:

Taipei has a vibrant cultural heart but little in the way of lungs, which is why the green expanse of Guandu Nature Park (關渡自然公園) is such a treasure.

An internationally recognized birding area, the park is home to over 830 species of animals, including 229 varieties of fowl.

It seems that the majority of people, economists and policy makers still view economic growth as the holy grail of social well-being. Whatever the news may be on other fronts, first and foremost the economy must be strong; and the way to ensure economic strength is by encouraging consumerism.

Headlines like "Weak consumption hits growth" are not surprising because growth and consumption are always a concern:

EPA to limit the use of substances found to cause infertility:

The Environmental Protection Administration plans to restrict the use of two substances in cleaners and detergents because they have proven hazardous to animals and humans, an official said yesterday.

Nonylphenol (NP) and nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPE or NPEO) are the two substances in question.

Yet another poll reveals that 80% of Taiwanese support for adultery remaining a crime

Despite efforts by local women's rights groups to promote the decriminalization of adultery in Taiwan, 79 percent of respondents to a survey released yesterday disapprove of the idea and believe that adultery should remain subject to criminal penalties.

A Taiwanese poll shows that abused women are more prone to depression:

More than 80 percent of Taiwanese women who are physically abused by their husbands have a tendency toward depression, with one quarter considered to be seriously at risk of committing suicide, according to the results of a survey (...)conducted by the Modern Women's Foundation.

Surely, the results have nothing surprising. One even wonders why this is newsworthy.