Monday, January 22, 2007

ChiMei Museum and THSR

Chi Mei Museum
Located in the factory at the Rende branch of Chi Mei corporation , near the Rende interchange of highway No 1, copies of famous statues such as Michelangelo's David make the Chi Mei Museum (address: No.59-1, Sanjia Village, Rende Shiang, Tainan County) a spot that is diffcult to miss. The organization of ChiMei Museum was started in 1990, 2 years later, the museum opened for free public visits. It's now a museum with 5 themes exhibiting western fine arts, arms & armour, musical instruments, antiquities and natural history on floors 5 to 8.

The opening hours of the museum are from 10:00 to 17:00. The museum closes every Monday and every other Saturday. To visit, a reservation has to be made two days before, Tel:06-2660808/Fax:06-2660848. By telling the security your reservation code that was given to you when making the reservation, the tour starts with a brief video presentation on the first floor.

How the museum organizes the exhibition of 5 different themes in only 4 floors is an interesting question. Personally I found it weird that animal models of 5 continents are exhibited on the 8th floor yet models of birds and seals etc. are presented on the 6th floor. Musical instruments, arms & armour and natural history exhibitions are packed into the 6th floor leaving a relatively huge space on the 5th floor where the western fine arts are exhibited. One of the paintings on the 5th floor caught my eye, it was a creaction of Joos Van Cleve, 1485-1540, called La Sainte Famille. What interested me was the look of the baby. Usually paintings regarding the holy family tried to create the holy atmosphere, however in this painting the contemptible look of the baby makes me wonder in what circumstances Joos Van Cleve created such a look for the holy baby and how could this painting escape from being labeled an action of blasphemy and survived throught eras of commotion.

Taiwan High Speed Rail
Finally, the Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) started their business on Jan 2, 2007. Althrough there are still lots of problems such as the booking system and shuttle bus etc., THSR offers an alternative way for commuters and travellers to travel around the west part of Taiwan. It is faster than train/bus (90 min from Kaohsiung to Taipei), cheaper (Taipei to Kaohsiung , economy seat NT1490) than taking an airplane and it's the first time that you don't have to worry that you might get a ticket for speeding at 300Km/hour.

The roof of the Tainan HSR station (address:No. 100, Gueiren Blvd, Gueiren Township, Tainan County) gradually tilts from west to east connecting the roof of the station and platform horizontally with the environment. One third of the roof was made by reinforced glass which provides great natural lighting in the station. From the inside, red colored pipes stop gray steel from emitting a cold atmosphere and emphasize the circular shaped roof.

The wall at central courtyard is made entirely glass with fountains lining the exterior providing an open and calming atmosphere both inside and out.

The passenger drop off area is called 'kiss and ride', a nice way to encourage people to use mass transit.

Free Shuttle bus routes and schedules can be downloaded at THSR website
http://www.thsrc.com.tw/download/transfer_bus_2009_v090615_tan.pdf
Updated Jan. 27, 2010

Saturday, January 20, 2007

Night at a police station

9:00PM, Jan. 19, I got a phone call from the security of my company telling me that a window on the right corner of the lobby was broken and the alarm system was triggered. I asked him how that happened? He told me the moment he heard the alarm he ran out of the buliding to the scene that our security system indicated and found no suspects but a broken window, he had no idea what caused this. I went back to the company and found a big rock on the stairs between 1F to B1.

The security told me around 8:10PM a woman, aged 30-40, came and filed a complaint about stray dogs around our building being captured and taken away. We asked the environmental protection bureau a few months ago to help with stray dog problem as we suffered from attacts of ticks, dog shit and the gardens being torn up. The woman argued that the construction of our building had deprived the stay dogs of their playground, not to mention that we called a team to wipe out the entire stay dog society that she and many staff of NCKUH have gathered years. She was a reasonable and the only suspect but we couldn't find any images from our serveillance tapes. We called police and the supervisor of the security company to file a sabotage record. The police came in 5 min and took some pictures of the broken window and asked me to go to the police station for a record.

It took about an hour to finish the record. First, I had to verify myself by showing the police my ID and he was not pleased to know my job title is a reasearch assistant in the company. After I told him that I'm also responsible for the security of the building then he carried on the testimony reluctently. After a photocopy of my ID was made, the police opened a similar case file in a computer and edited the testimony to mine. By following the format of the record, I told the police what had happened. The police printed out the testimony and had me sign and press my fingerprints on the paper. Instead of giving me a copy of the testimony, he wrote a receipt and had me sign and press fingerprints on it, one of three receipts was given to me to prove that this case had been filed. I went out of the police station and back to the company to clear up the mess. I couldn't help praying: let nothing bad happen ever again in the building, afterall, I have another identity as a fire prevention manager in the company.

I was awaken by the ring of my phone, half asleep while I was in the toilet this morning but I didn't have my phone with me! I ran out of the toilet but still couldn't manage to pick up the phone. I checked the number it was from my company, I was nervous to call back and expecting the security to tell me that the building had caught on fire or something. It was from a staff who was writing a report of the incident and she needed photos of the scene and my opinions. I haven't had such unsettling feeling for years, God knows when this madness ends.

Friday, January 12, 2007

Sony GPS-CS1 V.S WBT-100

Preliminary comparison
1. Satellites fixation ability
Sony GPS-CS1 took about 1 min while WBT-100 (Firmware version 3.31.6230R40) took about 7 min to fix satellites.

2. Tracking ability
WBT-100 was set to 15sec log once as the default setting of Sony GPS-CS1. During the whole testing period, Sony logged 135 while WBT-100 logged 104 trackpoints in about 40 mins.

3. Accuracy
In general, the accuracy of both GPS units are similar. Althought, the geocoded toilet photo and Mitsukoshi photos taken in front of the ChungWha Telecom showed that Sony has better accuracy than WBT-100, the WBT-100 is more steady at low speed. Moreover, althrought Sony GPS logs no altitude info according to the official documentation, altitude info still can be retrieved by software such as RoboGEO but the accuracy are questionable.

4. Capacity and data retrievability
Sony can store up to 360hrs data while WBT-100 can only record 106hrs (with a setting of 15sec/log). Data in Sony GPS-CS1 can be retrieved by USB cable in any computer without having any drives or software installed; with WBT-100, the data can only be retreived by CP210x USB to UART Bridge Controller and G-Tool installed computers.

5. Power surpply
The consumption of a fully charged battery in both units are more or less the same, 14hrs. However, Sony uses AA size dry battery which can be purchased in any store and WBT-100 uses only a specific rechargable battery.

6. Flexibility
You can set different log modes with the WBT-100 according to your purpose but not with the Sony GPS-CS1. This flexiblility makes the WBT-100 a more suitable GPS device in drawing a tracking route or as a GPS receptor for other guiding software.

Tracking route: Sony GPS-CS1(red); WBT-100 (green).
Photos geocoded with wrong lat and lon: Mitsukoshi the correct postion, with Sony GPS-CS1 log, with WBT-100 log; toilet in the park; the correct position (with Sony GPS-CS1 log); with WBT-100 log.
  1. 22.986401,120.20004
  2. 22.986402,120.199989
  3. 22.986394,120.199911
  4. 22.987431,120.197523
  5. 22.987576,120.197076
  6. 22.987516,120.197327
  7. 22.987511,120.197362
  8. 22.987511,120.19738
  9. 22.987518,120.197392
  10. 22.987519,120.197402
  11. 22.98723,120.197443
  12. 22.987217,120.197549
  13. 22.987214,120.197602
  14. 22.98716,120.197617
  15. 22.987184,120.197614
  16. 22.987221,120.197597
  17. 22.987255,120.197584
  18. 22.987286,120.197578
  19. 22.987311,120.197573
  20. 22.987331,120.197563
  21. 22.987344,120.197558
  22. 22.987355,120.197559
  23. 22.987388,120.19757
  24. 22.987959,120.19784
  25. 22.987978,120.197893
  26. 22.98797,120.19793
  27. 22.987952,120.19796
  28. 22.987416,120.198118
  29. 22.987308,120.198171
  30. 22.987409,120.198142
  31. 22.987437,120.19811
  32. 22.987493,120.198079
  33. 22.987573,120.198073
  34. 22.987635,120.19806
  35. 22.987685,120.198058
  36. 22.987716,120.198065
  37. 22.987735,120.198063
  38. 22.987748,120.198055
  39. 22.987752,120.198044
  40. 22.987753,120.198042
  41. 22.987755,120.198043
  42. 22.987762,120.198043
  43. 22.98777,120.198045
  44. 22.987776,120.19804
  45. 22.987781,120.198038
  46. 22.987794,120.198032
  47. 22.987817,120.198023
  48. 22.988435,120.197652
  49. 22.988458,120.197624
  50. 22.988459,120.197637
  51. 22.988441,120.197694
  52. 22.988422,120.197767
  53. 22.988396,120.197845
  54. 22.988372,120.197924
  55. 22.988133,120.198657
  56. 22.988133,120.19877
  57. 22.988118,120.19879
  58. 22.988118,120.198802
  59. 22.988117,120.198806
  60. 22.988129,120.198804
  61. 22.988139,120.198793
  62. 22.988148,120.198787
  63. 22.988147,120.198803
  64. 22.988146,120.198838
  65. 22.98814,120.198885
  66. 22.98812,120.198928
  67. 22.988094,120.198954
  68. 22.988074,120.198964
  69. 22.988057,120.198974
  70. 22.988043,120.198982
  71. 22.988028,120.198991
  72. 22.988015,120.199
  73. 22.988006,120.199008
  74. 22.987998,120.199014
  75. 22.987992,120.199018
  76. 22.987985,120.199024
  77. 22.987979,120.199028
  78. 22.987972,120.199032
  79. 22.987968,120.199036
  80. 22.987964,120.19904
  81. 22.98796,120.199041
  82. 22.987957,120.199043
  83. 22.987953,120.199045
  84. 22.987949,120.199048
  85. 22.987948,120.199055
  86. 22.987951,120.199067
  87. 22.987959,120.19908
  88. 22.988326,120.199697
  89. 22.98832,120.199808
  90. 22.988314,120.199913
  91. 22.98828,120.199997
  92. 22.988215,120.200042
  93. 22.988141,120.20007
  94. 22.988059,120.200084
  95. 22.987978,120.200094
  96. 22.987259,120.20025
  97. 22.987224,120.200267
  98. 22.98724,120.200243
  99. 22.987232,120.20019
  100. 22.987194,120.200139
  101. 22.987169,120.200101
  102. 22.987134,120.200087
  103. 22.987092,120.200072
  104. 22.987055,120.200058


  1. 22.9866217,120.2001333
  2. 22.9866067,120.20015
  3. 22.9867117,120.2001617
  4. 22.9866733,120.2001683
  5. 22.9866567,120.2001983
  6. 22.9866633,120.2001867
  7. 22.9866167,120.20009
  8. 22.9866667,120.20009
  9. 22.9867967,120.20006
  10. 22.9868067,120.2000183
  11. 22.9866983,120.2000317
  12. 22.9866183,120.1999483
  13. 22.9867883,120.1998633
  14. 22.9868383,120.2000267
  15. 22.9866467,120.1999833
  16. 22.9866217,120.2000067
  17. 22.98673,120.2001733
  18. 22.9866617,120.2001483
  19. 22.9864533,120.2001583
  20. 22.9864833,120.1999933
  21. 22.98638,120.2002133
  22. 22.986335,120.2002
  23. 22.9862533,120.199285
  24. 22.986365,120.20003
  25. 22.9863767,120.1998633
  26. 22.9863917,120.1996817
  27. 22.986275,120.1995917
  28. 22.9863217,120.1994683
  29. 22.9863067,120.19939
  30. 22.9862967,120.1993133
  31. 22.986295,120.199245
  32. 22.9863667,120.1990683
  33. 22.9861117,120.1989183
  34. 22.9862117,120.198735
  35. 22.9860467,120.198565
  36. 22.9860233,120.1985017
  37. 22.9862,120.19819
  38. 22.9860217,120.1978233
  39. 22.98756,120.1978483
  40. 22.9875217,120.1981733
  41. 22.9874667,120.1977567
  42. 22.98756,120.1976433
  43. 22.98768,120.1971367
  44. 22.98747,120.197395
  45. 22.9873983,120.19748
  46. 22.987365,120.19767
  47. 22.9874467,120.197625
  48. 22.9874033,120.1976283
  49. 22.9874217,120.19758
  50. 22.9873717,120.1976233
  51. 22.98722,120.1976
  52. 22.987435,120.1974033
  53. 22.98722,120.19774
  54. 22.9873933,120.19753
  55. 22.9874283,120.1975
  56. 22.9873367,120.19751
  57. 22.9873983,120.1975133
  58. 22.9874183,120.197475
  59. 22.98739,120.1974383
  60. 22.98729,120.197965
  61. 22.9877067,120.198075
  62. 22.9886267,120.1969667
  63. 22.9883933,120.1975367
  64. 22.9888233,120.1962267
  65. 22.9883633,120.1973483
  66. 22.98854,120.1977367
  67. 22.9881817,120.19803
  68. 22.9893917,120.1962033
  69. 22.9887267,120.1976233
  70. 22.9891617,120.1968517
  71. 22.9894233,120.196525
  72. 22.9895017,120.1961233
  73. 22.9884717,120.197015
  74. 22.9884783,120.197055
  75. 22.9885183,120.1970867
  76. 22.988565,120.1974967
  77. 22.98856,120.197615
  78. 22.988715,120.197525
  79. 22.9887233,120.1975933
  80. 22.98855,120.1973883
  81. 22.988765,120.19726
  82. 22.9884,120.19757
  83. 22.98812,120.1979167
  84. 22.9881233,120.198145
  85. 22.9880367,120.198325
  86. 22.987905,120.1984933
  87. 22.9881067,120.1988117
  88. 22.9880667,120.198755
  89. 22.9880367,120.1987617
  90. 22.9880233,120.1987567
  91. 22.9880217,120.198755
  92. 22.9880083,120.19875
  93. 22.9880117,120.1987433
  94. 22.987945,120.198855
  95. 22.98796,120.1990367
  96. 22.987885,120.19922
  97. 22.98773,120.1993283
  98. 22.9876583,120.1992017
  99. 22.9877067,120.19907
  100. 22.98768,120.199185
  101. 22.9877033,120.19918
  102. 22.987705,120.19918
  103. 22.9876667,120.1991483
  104. 22.9876917,120.1991183
  105. 22.98767,120.199125
  106. 22.9876667,120.1991033
  107. 22.987695,120.1991267
  108. 22.987695,120.1991183
  109. 22.9876967,120.199095
  110. 22.987685,120.1990683
  111. 22.9876917,120.1990467
  112. 22.987715,120.19906
  113. 22.9877267,120.19905
  114. 22.98774,120.19905
  115. 22.9877133,120.1990483
  116. 22.9877233,120.1991683
  117. 22.9877883,120.199235
  118. 22.987945,120.199385
  119. 22.9881133,120.19958
  120. 22.9881133,120.199785
  121. 22.988205,120.200035
  122. 22.9880517,120.2001467
  123. 22.9878683,120.2001733
  124. 22.987685,120.2002
  125. 22.9875,120.2001817
  126. 22.9873233,120.2001233
  127. 22.987275,120.2002517
  128. 22.9872883,120.2001617
  129. 22.98732,120.2001283
  130. 22.98715,120.20004
  131. 22.9871867,120.1998467
  132. 22.986975,120.199975
  133. 22.987265,120.1999067
  134. 22.9868317,120.199745
  135. 22.98669,120.1996783
You can also check photos that geocoded with Sony and WBT-100 log; comparison of tracking route on Google Earth

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Transformation

Hai-an road was designed to be a underground shopping center and had been throught a long period of construction. For some reason, the road is paved but shops didn't find their way to the underground. The Tainan City Government had local artists transform ruins that were the byproducts of the construction into art pieces. Walls of Paintings, photo montage, and a tower made of wood can be seen along the road and the blue print house is the most popular one. The transformation is still taking place on Hai-an road: the wooden tower has been torn down, the photo montage has been removed, more and more shops settle in here; even the most popular art piece has undergone some modifications. Despite the trend of becoming a commercial center, the blue print house will still be the most popular street art witnessing the transformation on Hai-an road.

Tainan City held the national lantern festival of 2005 at An-Pin. 2005 was the year of rooster according to the zodiac, so the lantern was designed as a phoenix. In May 2006, typhoon Chanchu ripped off part of the coating of the lantern and caused a fire that destroyed the LED lights built-in the lantern (photo taken before the typhoon hit). Tainan City Government gave up the idea of repairing the whole LED lighting system due to the expence and had a company fix the coating and redesign the lighting system from outside of the lantern. Without the fancy LED lighting system, the phoenix was reborn from the ashes and has transformed from an enthusiastic peacock to a sophisticated phoenix. At night, the phoenix reflects the colors of white, blue, green and purple in the sky of An-pin, telling the story of changes in Tainan.

The central park of Tainan, like every other central park in different cities of Taiwan, is an area that many people choose not to get close to at night. Rumor has it that it is a shelter for homeless and desperados, a playground for sexual afficionados but I have never heard anyone being arrested or hurt in the park. The urban planning project of Tainan City had walls surrounding the park torn down and installed more lights in the park. The central park is now a more friendly area to the public even throught the dark image of the park at night is not easily converted by the installation of a few lights.

Taiwan Sugar Corp. in Tainan City has huge lands near the airport area, instead of growing sugar canes as they did in the past, the land is now transformed as flower farms in which sun flowers, cosmos etc. are planted for tourists attraction. In between the flowers, an area is designated as a BBQ area where you can BBQ sweet potatoes in the old fashion way: burying food in a kiln built with dirt.


Locations of blue print house, phoenix , The central park of Tainan, Taiwan Sugar Corp. on Google Maps.

Monday, January 01, 2007

2007 New Year


The first sunset of 2007, well, I was too lazy to take the sunrise pictures. Happy New Year everybody.