Taoyuan Nights

Take a look here and consider the reality that underlies each change of the digits.

I believe this vehicle to be the preliminary field test of a new, twin-barrel, single-turret ’stealth tank’ designed to merge almost invisibly with civilian traffic in Taiwan.
The alternative explanation is simply too stupid to be true.

And yet people wonder why I travel by bus rather than scooter.

Two weeks ago, I was in the local branch of a major bank here in Taiwan. I had just finished changing some coins into notes, and was walking out of the bank.
As I did so, a woman in a very smart black suit (who had been standing near the door) walked over and asked […]

Taiwanese scooter helmets.

A baby kitten with poo on its face.

Students dancing.

Scene: Mu walking down street on hot day.
Mu: (thinks) Ah! A tea shop. I’ll get myself a nice cup of tea.
Mu: Hey there. Can I have a cup of lemon green tea please?
Guy: Sorry?
Mu: Qing, yi ge li mon lu cha.
Guy: Oh, ok, lemon green tea.
…
Guy: You want some sugar?
Mu: A little bit, thanks.
…
Guy: You […]

Funny things are afoot. In the last month, and particularly the last few days, the value of US debt started dropping very sharply. You can see this on the Swaprates site I mentioned yesterday - look at the US extended rates. There is a significant change in financial press sentiment too - the FT are […]

This is for those of you whose hearts don’t leap with joy at the mere thought of calculating the implied market expectations of future rates. Basically it’s an easy way to get access to market prices for future lending rates. In other words: what are the banks ‘betting’ that interest rates will be in the […]

The Financial Times published an interesting story today, suggesting that China is imitating Taiwan in its stockmarket lunacy.
The anecdotes related in the FT article are quite remarkable; I wish I could have seen it in person.
“Having taken 25 years to reach 1,000 in late 1986, the Taiwan Stock Exchange rocketed to 12,495 by February […]

News just in: It’s NOT a whole new paradigm after all.

LOL.

“Hmm. That’s not right. I’m pretty sure the wiggly line thing isn’t meant to do that. I’m sure it will be OK though. Yeah, it’ll be OK. I’ll just keep watching it for a while though. Just in case.”