Monday, October 30, 2006

"Formosa Betrayed"--the movie

Not exactly about the 228 Incident that is the focus of George Kerr's account, this upcoming feature film will tell the following story:
Formosa Betrayed is a feature film about the harassment, torture, and murder of Taiwanese-American activists during the 1980s. Inspired by a true story, the film centers on the murder of a Taiwanese-American professor at the University of Kansas. An American detective—who knows nothing about Taiwan—is assigned to the case. Through the investigation of the professor's murder, the detective begins to understand the complex nature of politics, identity, and power in Taiwan-U.S.-China relations.

In his search for the murderer and his accomplices, the detective learns that there is a vast Chinese spy network within most major U.S. college campuses which focuses on the political and social activities of Chinese and Taiwanese-American students. The detective turns to the FBI for help, only to realize that the FBI is aware of this spy network but is unwilling to do anything about it in order to protect U.S. spies in Taiwan and elsewhere.

The detective's search for the murderer takes him across the Midwest onto other college campuses and Chinatowns, and finally to Taiwan, where he learns the real reason for the professor's murder—that the professor was an outspoken advocate of Taiwanese independence, and thus he threatened the legitimacy of Chiang Kai-Shek's government on Taiwan. The hit was sanctioned by those at the highest level of power.

The detective takes this information to the de facto U.S. Embassy in Taipei (American Institute of Taiwan), only to be rebuffed because the issue is "too sensitive" for U.S. foreign policy. He returns to the States, frustrated with his knowledge and lack of power to do anything about it—when he is invited to testify before the U.S. Congress in Washington D.C. and finally given the chance to declare the truth.

Will Tiao, a former intern for the Formosa Association for Public Affairs and founder of Formosa Films LLC, is the executive producer.

Thanks to Henk for the link!

Friday, October 27, 2006

Well, at least this goes with the Jane Austen quiz results...

...but I have to admit I'm getting a bit suspicious about the accuracy of these quizzes...

You scored as A classic novel. Almost everyone showers praise upon you for your depth and enduring relevance. According to your acolytes, everything you say is timeless, erudite and meaningful. Of course, none of them actually listens to you. Nobody listens to you at all, but it's fashionable to claim you as a friend. Fond of obscure words, antiquated notions and libraries, you never have a problem finding someone to hang out with. The fact that they end up using you to balance their kitchen tables is an unfortunate side effect, but you're used to being used for others' benefit. Oh the burden of being Great.

A college textbook


57%

A classic novel


57%

An electronics user's manual


50%

The back of a froot loops box


46%

A coloring book


43%

Poetry


36%

A paperback romance novel


32%

Your Literary Personality
created with QuizFarm.com

CFP: Writing Research Across Borders

(I'm posting these partly for my own convenience--it's easier for me to find them this way!)

Open Call for Proposals: Writing Research Across Borders
February 22-24, 2008
University of California Santa Barbara

Proposal Deadline: May 1, 2007
Email: writing@education.ucsb.edu

Recent decades have seen the growth of writing studies in many nations, focused on all levels of education, and all uses of writing in society, using the resources of many different disciplines. This increased research attention to writing reflects an increased recognition of the importance of writing in modern societies. Yet to a large extent the many emerging traditions of writing research have neither connected fully nor shared their work.

This conference brings together the many writing researchers from around the world, drawing on all disciplines, and focused on all aspects of writing at all levels of development and in all segments of society. This will be an opportunity to learn from different research traditions, share our findings, seek common agendas, and lay the groundwork for future communication and alliances.

As a first step to building this important conversation we have invited some of the leading writing researchers, who have already committed to participating.

We are now issuing an open call for proposals for panels, roundtables, individual presentations, and poster presentations addressing
* current research on writing,
* methodological issues
* reflections on ongoing research programs
* considerations of national or disciplinary trajectories of research
* agendas for further research
We anticipate a program of up to two hundred and fifty presentations.

Proposals to present current research should specify research questions, methods, data corpus, and findings, as well as the scope and duration of the research project. Proposals to provide overviews of and reflections on research traditions and agendas should identify clearly the relevant literatures to be considered.

Proposals for individual and poster presentations should be from 250 to 500 words in length and panel and roundtable proposals, 500 to 1000 words. Please indicate your preferred format.

Proposals should be sent by May 1, 2007 via email to writing@education.ucsb.edu. Please include complete contact information.


CFP: Second-language writing in the Pacific Rim

Call for Proposals
Symposium on Second Language Writing 2007
Nagoya Gakuin University, Nagoya, Japan
September 15-17, 2007

2007 Theme: Second Language Writing in the Pacific Rim

We seek proposals for 20-minute presentations that address any aspect of second language writing theory, research, instruction, and assessment as well as teacher education and program administration. Any topic related to second language writing is welcome, but we particularly welcome proposals that address L2 writing issues in the Pacific Rim. We are interested in L2 writing issues in any language and at various levels of education--from emerging literacy to adult literacy education and development. We also encourage proposals that connect L2 writing with other related areas of inquiry, such as computer assisted instruction, corpus analysis, language testing, and world Englishes. We welcome proposals from around the Pacific Rim as well as from other parts of the world. Graduate students are also encouraged to submit proposals. (We do not have a separate graduate student conference this year.)

Each proposal should include: A) contact information for the corresponding author; B) presenter information, including name, institution, email, and 25-word bio statement; C) proposal information, including title, 50-word abstract for the program, and 250-word abstract for blind review; and D) any additional information, such as information about additional presenters. To submit a proposal, please use the online submission form available at:

http://sslw.jslw.org/2007/cfp.html

Proposals must be received by January 31, 2007.

Tony Silva and Paul Kei Matsuda, Chairs
Symposium on Second Language Writing

This looks interesting--and it's nearby... (But right now my research isn't about second-language writing, so I don't know if I'll propose anything...)

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

CFP: "Applied English Education" Conference

The Applied English Department of I-Shou University invites interested presenters and guests for an international symposium on


"Applied English Education:
Trends, Issues & Interconnections"

Conference Date: March 9 (Friday), 2007
Venue: I-Shou University, Kaohsiung County

(International Conference Room, 10th Floor, Administration Building)



About the symposium:

The concept of ‘applied English’, unlike the one of ‘applied sciences’, is controversial. The successful use of a foreign language in job-related contexts requires a sufficient command of general language skills in order to avoid misunderstandings.

Our symposium focuses on current trends and issues in this field, such as the dis/advantages of teaching applied English for specific purposes, the practical outcome for graduates, and the incorporation of research findings into curricula. As well, our symposium seeks to explore the integration of applied English teaching with other disciplines, and also seeks ways and means to foster and facilitate interconnections among diverse scholars.
In addition, topics related to a broader concept of “applied English” may also be accepted.

Several panels and workshops will be organized for the symposium. Papers will be selected for publication after the conference.

Registration: Free.
Please register on-line at: www.ae.isu.edu.tw/englishsymposium/registration
Accommodation and transport will be facilitated by the organizers.

Important deadlines:
Submission of abstracts: December 31, 2006
Notification of acceptance of abstracts: January 15, 2007
Submission of draft papers: February 15, 2007
Further information: www.ae.isu.edu.tw/englishsymposium


Please email or mail your abstracts (100-200 words) until Dec. 31, 2006 to:
cytsai [at] isu.edu.tw
Applied English Dept.
I-Shou University.
1. Sect. 1. Shiuecheng Rd. Dashu Shuang.
Kaohsiung County. Taiwan. 840. ROC.
Ph: + 886-7-65 777 11 ext 5652
Fax: + 886-7-65 770 56

You will be notified about the acceptance of your paper no later than January 15, 2007.

For further information please check our web site (after October 25, 2006):
www.ae.isu.edu.tw/englishsymposium

Monday, October 23, 2006

I don't know how this happened...







Which Jane Austen Character Are You?




You are Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. You're pretty arrogant, but that pride stems from the deep-seated knowledge that you are generally the most superior creature in any given room. The good news is that you are deeply loyal to your family, and you have a generous and charitable streak, even though most people don't notice because you are too busy practicing a large vocabulary of stern looks.
Take this quiz!








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The two things I remember from elementary school

My wife and I were talking this evening about the things we heard classmates and teachers say in elementary school that have managed to stick with us over the years. Here are the two things I remember:
  1. Ricky Scott's explanation of chocolate milk: "Chocolate milk is actually sour milk, sweetened so much that it tastes like chocolate." (You really have to emphasize the "so much" when you say it.)
  2. Mr. Beck's (6th grade teacher) punishment for talking in class--we had to write the following sentence 10 times: "It is exceedingly disrespectful to disregard a teacher's request for verbal non-communication."

What are the two quotes that have stuck with you from elementary school?

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Now they tell me...

Your Learning Style: Practical and Cooperative

You like to test out what you learn, and you excel when you can jump right in and try something.

You Should Study:

Dentistry
Environmental Science
Fashion Merchandising
Interior Design
International Studies
Marketing
Medicine
Music
Nursing
Criminal Justice
Physical Therapy

Sunday, October 15, 2006

Karen Kingsbury in the news

In case you didn't catch it, Sunday's Taipei Times had an article about our friend and former Tunghai colleague/teacher Karen Kingbury. (As I mentioned a while back, Karen and Michael Jacques and their son Henry moved [back] to the States this summer.) The article is about the publication of Karen's translations of some of Eileen Chang's work. The translations are collected in the book, Love in a Fallen City.

(Thanks to Douglas Jarvie for the link.)

Monday, October 09, 2006

Where my nephew discovers a secret about his uncle

During our Mid-Autumn Festival cookout the other night, my sister-in-law told me that not long ago my 3 1/2 year-old nephew came home from pre-school and asked her, "媽媽, Uncle 是不是一個外國人?" (Mom, is Uncle a foreigner?)

I wondered how long it would be before he had a label that explained my big nose...