Für Chinas Machthaber Xi ist ist Serbien ein Wohlfühltermin. Belgrad empfängt ihn mit rotem Teppich, Jagdgeschwader und jubelndem Publikum.#XiJinping #China #Serbien #AleksandarVucic #Russland #Taiwan #Sanktionen #Seidenstraße #Europa #Politik
Chinas Staatschef Xi auf Europatour: „Eiserne“ Freundschaft mit Serbien
Today I went to to see the taxman, to do my taxes. I could do it online, probably, but two attempts a few years ago did not end in anything remotely resembling success, so I just go to the physical bureau - it's not exactly far anyway. And again one huge difference between Taiwan and Germany was obvious: #Taiwan cares about people, for Germany they are an expensive burden.
The closest tax bureau is (like my location) in a rather rural environment, so people go there by personal transportation. There is a parking lot next to the building and the friendly lady you see at the right did actually help people by not only regulating traffic, she suggested parking spaces as far as possible. Originally I wanted to park my bike at the back, because most Taiwanese don't like to walk, so the more remote areas usually have empty slots, but she suggested a spot next to the entrance - thanks! She even held a car back shortly when I left.
This is the tropics, so when the sun shines, it does shine down on you with quite some force. And when it rains, it may rain rather heavily. To counter both, the friendly taxmen (and women) set up protection for times when people may queue. But while it was quite crowded inside, nobody had to wait outside when I was there.
I didn't really want to take photos inside. Of course there is someone next to the number-issuing machine (enter, right hand), who may help you find the right place to go to, two people actually. Foreigners have their separate counter(s) and no other foreigner was there then, so I didn't have to wait. According to the tax law, foreigners are not actually taxed differently from Taiwanese, but even many of the tax people don't know that. Seriously. Very few people in Taiwan actually read laws. I'm one of them.
I suggest at least German and US citizens now take a Valium or do some calming meditation. I spent less than five minutes inside. I didn't take the time, sadly, it was probably close to three minutes. I handed the lady behind the counter my ID and health insurance card (which is used for tax identification - Taiwan has only one national health insurance, not more than 100 like Germany, who does not even dare to call them "national", only "lawfully required"...), she called up my data, displayed them to me on the monitor facing me for confirmation, clicked her mouse a few times, checked if my banking details were still up to date (I get a tax refund again, yeah!), printed my tax declaration, which I had to sign, then handed my IDs back to me.
When this was still done on paper, it was one A3 sheet of which I only had to fill in fields on one side. One sheet. And yes, it is possible to live with that little bureaucracy, I am the living proof.
#myphoto
We had a nice #sunset today. There were a few clouds and the sun hid behind them shortly before sunset.
Photos get pretty dramatic when you zoom in and the camera tries to adjust white balance. It wasn't quite that orange,
just a little bit. The sunset itself was quite "regular" then,
but zoomed in the colours turned dramatic again.
Not regular at all however was that bright area on the sea after the sun went down. I guess sunlight got reflected by clouds we couldn't see because they were hidden by clouds we could see.
So I quickly went to the harbour to get a better view from a slightly higher vantage point than the beach. Remember: The sun was down already, but there was a bright patch of sea, while everything around was regular dark.
I took a final shot of this fishing boat leaving the harbour with lights already turned on, while the ships out there in that bright patch had not turned their lights on yet. I don't think I've seen such a phenomenon before.
#Taiwan #myphoto
Only for those who are able to listen to the pro-Russian/Chinese and Western critical stance on certain Western policies, for everyone else it is a waste of time.
Some of these points need review, but I will say that it is important to hear all positions on issues.
source & more
#China #diplomacy #EU #hippocracy #international-laws #Russia #Sanctions #Taiwan #Ukraine #USA
I avoid taking sides, but I tend to listen more to the side that is hated by the masses.
Therefore, I like to share posts that contradict the mainstream news without completely assuming their truthfulness. Because, I want to avoid having to stand there at some point and say with the chorus.
“I didn't know anything about all this.”
Ich bin wahrscheinlich schon zu lange raus aus dem Land, denn diese Situation schien allen Passanten egal zu sein. Für mich war es dagegen äußerst ungewohnt.
Das Foto stammt noch von Januar, als auch in #Berlin #Bauernproteste stattfanden. Im Foto sieht man die Kreuzung Chausseestr./Invalidenstr., hinter der Kamera (also vor dem Naturkundemuseum) ist alles voller Traktoren, zumindest in dieser Fahrtrichtung.
Warum habe ich aber das Foto gemacht? Man sieht, wie viele Polizisten da herumstanden - und plauderten. Die Ampel war abgeschaltet, aber nicht ein einziger Polizist kam auf die Idee, vielleicht mal den Verkehr zu regeln. In Taiwan wäre das ein Ding der Unmöglichkeit.
Gerade heute bin ich an zwei Unfällen vorbeigekommen. Es war jeweils ein Streifenwagen vor Ort. Der Streifenwagen stand dabei schützend vor dem Unfallgeschehen, damit kein unachtsamer Verkehrsteilnehmer reinfährt. Ein Polizist nahm den Unfall auf, der andere regelte den Verkehr um den Unfall herum.
Sobald hier in #Taiwan eine Ampel zur Zeit von normalem Verkehr ausgeschaltet wird, aus welchen Gründen auch immer, steht da mindestens ein Polizist auf der Kreuzung. Dass da eine Gruppe Polizisten neben einer Kreuzung mit deaktivierter Ampel steht und einfach nur plaudert - das gibt es nicht. Aber mit dem Service hat man es in D ja generell nicht so...
This book was on display at a chain bookstore in Kaohsiung, #Taiwan.
There is a song very suitable to listen to when you read this book, but you need to understand German to fully enjoy it.
#myphoto
About time...
Taiwan pledges to remove 760 statues of Chinese dictator Chiang Kai-shek | #Taiwan | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/23/taiwan-pledges-to-remove-760-statues-of-chinese-dictator-chiang-kai-shek
In move seen by the opposition as an attempt to de-sinocise Taiwan, the ruling party is pushing ahead with plans to rid the island of monuments to the dictator
Dear Guardian, you make it sound as if there's one party doing this and all other parties are against it. That is not the case. Against the removal are the KMT and a number (not even all) of their offshoots. Those people never considered themselves Taiwanese, always emphasized (even in third generation born in Taiwan) that they came from "other provinces". And yes, they worshipped the mass murderer - and still do.
This has long been overdue. Next move please: Rename all roads named after him. In every city, town etc there is a 中正路, usually one of the largest roads. To my knowledge, only Chiayi city has always been rebellious: While they have such a "road", it's actually more an alley and not a very long one at that. Sun Yat-sen got the honour of an important road, but not the dictator.
Moving on...
About that earthquake in Taiwan...
https://img-9gag-fun.9cache.com/photo/a5Qeppq_460svav1.mp4
3:22 min video w/sound
#video #earthquake #taiwan
There had been an #earthquake in #Taiwan last week, near #Hualian at the East coast. Meanwhile more and more videos of it surface and I'm posting this one to show how the warning system in Taiwan works.
Germany for example is trying all kinds of complicated and error-prone methods to warn its citizens, when cell broadcast and sirens are so simple. The second vehicle in the video seems to be traveling on the road connecting Taichung and Hualian, near the Taroko gorge. The sound you hear multiple times is the earthquake warning by cell broadcast.
I had wondered why (at the West coast) there had been no earthquake warning, but they had probably limited it to the East coast. As you can see, the warning was early enough to give them a few seconds to get to cover. I only hope the person on that scooter found cover too.
I don't know where the warning came from that you hear in the video of the third vehicle. Radio broadcast? I don't listen to radio... But it worked too. Btw, unlike in Hollywood movies you won't really see vehicles crashing into another. I assume we have extremely boring directors who will never win an Oscar...
https://youtu.be/cwrxr2P0Beg
So you have seen news about the recent earthquake. You also know Taiwan is producing around 90% of the world's leading edge semiconductors, and thus is bound to be affected by this in a special way.
Asianometry's Jon has this all detailed in this TSMC-focused video, which I recommend you watch.
https://www.bitchute.com/video/qfjJEngEsB4Q/
Multiple buildings have #collapsed after a Pair of Massive 7.5 Earthquakes Strikes Triggering Tsunami
📌#Taipei | #Taiwan
a pair of powerful, massive earthquakes has just occurred. The first one measured a magnitude of 7.5, followed by a 7.4 magnitude aftershock moments later. Numerous reports indicate strong to violent shaking, with multiple buildings swaying back and forth. Additionally, multiple buildings have collapsed. Tsunami warnings and sirens have been activated, sounding off an emergency warning and urging residents to evacuate immediately.
M7.4 #Earthquake at #Taiwan West Pacific/Unrest Will Spread Next Several Days
4/02/2024
#dutchsinse
645K subscribers
(Dutch gives his usual coverage in this nearly one hour long video of the current earthquake status, also more about how to predict them, and also predicts nine 6point [or more] quakes coming in the next week all around the world.
And the possibility of another 7.4 in about the next 3 days on the opposite side of the planet from Taiwan, around #Chile or #Bolivia. He says he will be back on his youtube channel coming up, and "Don't be scared, be prepared...")
Note, the above video from 2019 is on the day of the largest earthquake in Califorina in the past 20 years. I had issued a warning 2 days before, calling for M7+ level to strike central California. Then on July 4, 2019 the M7+ earthquake struck Central California at Ridgecrest CA.
When the large earthquake hit, people demanded that I make a new video explaining the method (how to repeat the earthquake forecasting method). Which I did promptly upon the quake striking.
By watching both videos (the long version and the short robot text version), you should be able to start doing your own basic seismic forecasting, and develop it into something very accurate.
Currently we are able to get things down to about 200 miles of an area (a region or state), within 1 magnitude of what actually strikes, and within 7 days time (sometimes 10 days depending on the size of the area or events moving).
dutchsinse"
#Naturkatastrophe - Starkes #Erdbeben erschüttert #Taiwan
Häuser in der Stadt #Hualien kippten zur Seite, ein Lagerhaus in #Neu-Taipeh stürzte ein: Ein Erdbeben der Stärke 7,2 hat Taiwan getroffen. Es war das stärkste Beben in der Region seit 25 Jahren.
ach du scheiße
