Hyperventilating is nice
Dear Johnny,
Attached is a link to an article in the Independent newspaper that refers to Taiwan (later "Taiwain") as a nationalist Chinese island. Nice.
Graham Finch
Johnny replies: For the benefit of readers with impeccable taste who avoid the Internet, this is the offending passage in the article, dated Jan. 5: "The bullet train's journey from Japan to Taiwan has taken a quarter of a century. Today, after seemingly endless political and commercial wrangles, the nationalist Chinese island unveiled its super-fast and environment-friendly rail service borrowed from its island neighbour across [sic] Taiwan Strait."
Yep, that's a clanger. But I'm completely confused by what follows. "Borrowed"? "Island neighbor across Taiwan Strait"? Funny, I'd always thought the Taiwan Strait separated us from China.
But give reporter Barrie Clement a break. He's not writing about cross-strait politics, so I'll forgive him this time. What's more, the rest of the article is an interesting take on a worn topic.
And best of all: He includes this passage on the terminally over-exposed Consumers' Foundation urging a boycott of the new train: "`Cherish your life, don't be a guinea pig,' says Cheng Jen-hung [
There I was ready to pounce on the reporter. But in the end it was Cheng Jen-hung who emerged as an irresponsible hyperventilator by talking up train accidents when he has no expertise in the area.
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