Chinese Traditional Medince

It seems that at least according to Google that the keywords that make me the most money on my adsense account just may be teaching in China or at least it is the most searched after keyword to find me. As if Google is the dictator for all things on the internet. Well let's hope that it doesn't become that bad.

The other day I went into a Chinese Traditional Medicine clinic for a cold, which didn't seem to go away when I went to another doctor. They say when the medicine tastes bad it means it is working. I don't really believe this because taste is different from person to person. For me I find European medicine - synthetic medicine - to be the worst tasting but does that least help. Chinese medicine, which is derived from plants - more natural has a better taste to it. I enjoy the bitterness etc etc. These are all a part of life. I think that the modern human being has been pampered too much with all the sweetness and has consequently forgotten all the tastes of life.

Of course there is another reason why many people prefer the European medicine over the Chinese medicine -- faster cure to get back into the work force. A primary reason for European medicine. Chinese medicine just takes too long. Then again at present Chinese medicine is beginning to be more widely accepted as an alternative.

Living in the city

The trouble with living in the city and having a job is that life just becomes nothing but repetition. Wake up, goto work, go home, shopping for food on weekends and then the chore starts again from the beginning. For how long? I suppose until the person just screams "I can't take it" and drops their job and leaves the city. All this brings me back to a related subject I posted earlier called, "Dedication and a passion for one's life work" (May 25). Seems like a forgotten word that most people don't have much concern for anymore. I hear of business and technology but I hear little about the arts. I promote the arts in society - the arts as a way of life rather than a profession or just something with asthetic value. The arts cannot be forgotten and must play an increasing important role in society.

June 27th

I title this post June 27th because I didn't have the chance to get onto the internet to post this and it was just too wet a day to go out. Rather than going out I stayed in and finished recording over 100 MP3s in Japanese and creating a Flash roll-over button for my on-line Japanese lessons. I am not quite ready for a launch but I am getting closer to the day. I am just having some trouble with the autoresponder, which doesn't seem to be sending out messages as it is supposed to. The only way to solve this problem is make the changes and wait for them to take effect.

I haven't done any new podcasts mainly because I have been busy with website programming but I am hoping to do some more Rakugo soon.

When do I leave?

Well I will have to be here in Taiwan another month because as it turns out the school screwed up big time. Naturally, what do business people do when they are in a hurry? They screw up. I arrived in June thinking that after one year I will be able to collect the 20% income tax before I returned. Well naturally, like business people they were in a hurry to open their school so they go ahead and get me six months too early. Now I am short one month ? my choice, forget the money and leave Taiwan or stay the extra month and collect whatever I can collect. Too typical of not just Chinese business people but I am sure all those in business ? Talk about too much counting their chickens before they�fre hatched! Certainly I think they need to lay back on the talk and get to the work.

Success with Macromedia Flash

I finally figured out how to create a successful rollover button with sound in Flash MX! And one that I can duplicate! I think I might as well start writing self help files for Macromedia Flash, Dream weaver, Fireworks, and Photoshop right here�@titled: �gTechnological help for Dummies�h. Be sure to check back to see when I launch the new category.

Cafe Manabi

What�fs happening with Cafe Manabi? Well I figured out a way to get access to the MySQL database. I am thinking of a logo re-design because I am not happy with the current one but for now I just want to be able to create a simple rollover button that plays MP3s when the mouse is clicked. I have actually created the button but the problem is the button does not show up on the webpage. All I get is a little tiny black dot, which when clicked plays the sound. I think there is something wrong in the publishing of the flash file. My next task will be to get the Flash buttons to work. As a hobby it is progressing well.

Rakugo

Rakugo is one of the traditional Japanese entertainments. It is a kind of one person comical play that originated at about the end of the Edo period and the beginning of the Meiji period. Laughter is everything to rakugo, there are many types for example the kind that laughs at one�fs failure and the kind that is warm and fulfilling.

 

There are three parts to Rakugo: the introduction (makura), the story (hondai) and the climax(Ochi). 1. The makura, draws the audience into the story; 2. the main story (hondai), Rakugo consists of conversation. Storytellers describe the story using speech and gestures, while trying not to use explanation as much as possible. Rakugo is not something to just listen to but to watch as well.

Dropping Knowledge

I recieved this E-Mail in my inbox this morning and I thought I would check out their website. The website: yourquestion.org, their actual name of the organization is  www.droppingknowledge.org. The organization is a forum that use public questions to turn apathy into activity. Seems like an interesting global initiative.

Medical Care

Once again I made a trip to the dentist. I have to say if there is one thing I am getting my moneys worth in Taiwan then it must be my dental care. I have had a total of five visits for three fillings, two wisdom teeth pulled, and recently a filling replaced. Fortunately, I only had two wisdom teeth so I never have to go back again. It sure is nice to have good dental care but I wonder even for Taiwan how long it will last. I do not believe that something is forever when it comes to social services. We see one of the few countries in the world ? Canada that still has free medical but with an increase in private hospitals springing up and government cut backs I wonder how long it will last. Dental care in Canada (in certain provinces, I think) has been covered by Medicare but has been cut along with many other services. How long will Taiwan�fs Medicare continue to fund dental care? I see a lot of private clinics in Taiwan and I wonder if it is a sign that social safety net cut backs are approaching.

Cafe Manabi

Well after 8 hours of working on the computer on Saturday with Flash I managed to create a roll over button with sound. The problem was I did not save it and I deleted it thinking that I wanted to try again so I could get some practice. Well I forgot how to create the button and there I was again spending all day Sunday trying to figure out how to create the button. I did it but again I think I must have repeated a step and included the sound in the up state of the button because the sound was playing without the mouse even close to the button and the sound would play when the button was clicked. Flash looks real easy but there are many small steps that easily get confused.

 

The new domain name is up and running but I am still working on coding the autoresponder E-Mail sign-up form among other things. Not sure when it will be fully functioning as of yet. It looks as though I will be stuck in Taiwan for at least another two weeks because I am supposed to get back the income tax that I have paid over the last 6 months. Turns out I am currently 2 weeks short of the required minimum required to qualify for the return. Well it's only 2 weeks and this return is quite a bit of money as it will pay for a return flight easily.

Java Script code for a EMail form

I have been trying quite unsuccessfully to find a Java script code for an EMail form that allows the user to enter a name and E-Mail address and an autoresponder responds to the users address. It doesn't necesssary have to be Java Script it could be anything but Java Script is just the easiest for me to work with as my code ability is not all that great. I guess I am not in any great hurry as my new domain, which has been registered but not quite yet ready.

Let it rain

There is nothing like spending your afternooon sitting here in the teacher's room listening to the sound of rain come down on a sheet mettal roof. I thought of going out to take some pictures but did not get around to it as I was immersed in trying to ready a new web site and thinking of what to do in my lessons.

Teaching activity

Just finished a cool teaching activity for children. When teaching clothes I get them to touch a piece of their clothing. Sort of like head and shoulders.

Podcasting

As an artist I am always experimenting with new mediums. Recently I having been getting into podcasting and checking out what it is all about. I'm more interested in the teaching of language aspect just to see how it is recieved by readers. Check back to see new updates from time to time.

The Beetles

May the Beetles live forever, in the ESL classroom. I have to say working for a private English company like Shane and schools that have such a shallow curriculum and limited resources The Beetles and Origami have to be my all time favorites. An the children really enjoy them too.

Web page set backs

I am not sure what is going on today as I am not able to access the main page with www.projecth2o.org since yesterday. It seems that when the "index.html" is added the page loads normally. However, all referals from other websites like Google seem to bring up the page without difficulties. Still working out the bugs on a new language cafe soon to be on-line.

rain please hold back one day

First we complain that it doesn't rain enough then we complain it rains too much. The human being is a strange creature. I have heard of flooding in the northbut nothing yet here. Hopefully it does not get that bad.

Rainy days

One thing about Taiwan is that there are too few holidays compared to Mainland China. Seems to be a forced power driving people to work like hell. The few holidays that there are, are all scattered around and appear in mid week making it impossible to go anywhere without taking time off. One exception ofcourse is the lunar new year, but who can imagine going anywhere at that time? Just too many people all going no where or somewhere at the same time.