After a magnitude 7.1 earthquake hit southern California recently, the authorities announced that they are spending over US$40 million (about NT$1.2 billion) on an earthquake early warning (EEW) system, which will not only alert the public but also be used to automatically halt trains and open fire station doors right before a quake actually strikes, according to Reuters.
The system will consist of 1,115 early detection sensors. California Governor Gavin Newsom said that the state has already installed 70 percent of the sensors and hopes to complete the statewide network by mid-2021. The network, similar to the Taiwanese and Japanese systems, is designed to detect seismic “P-waves” unleashed by an earthquake before the ground starts shaking.
Theoretically, the further an area is from the epicenter of a quake, the earlier it will receive a warning before the ground shakes. According to the National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering, in the scenario of the 921 Earthquake in 1999, an EEW system would have given Taipei residents 27 seconds prior warning before the quake struck.
Photo: Lin Kuo-hsien, Liberty Times
照片:自由時報記者林國賢
(Eddy Chang, Taipei Times)
南加州近日發生規模七‧一強震之後,當局宣布正投入超過四千萬美元經費(十二多億台幣),來建立一套「強震即時警報」(EEW)系統。根據路透報導,該系統不但能向民眾示警,還可以讓列車自動停駛並開啟消防隊的大門。
該系統將由一千一百多個即時偵測感應器組成,而加州州長紐森表示,遍及全州的感應器目前已設置約百分之七十,希望能在二○二一年中前完成。加州的感應網就像台灣或日本的一樣,旨在地面開始震動前,先偵測到地震所釋放出的地震波「P波」。
理論上,距離震央越遠的地區,就能在當地開始震動前越早收到警示。國家地震工程研究中心則指出,以台灣一九九九年「九二一大地震」的情況為例,該系統能在台北市天搖地動前,為當地居民爭取到二十七秒預警時間。
(台北時報張聖恩〉
A: I want to go to Neihu to see the cherry blossoms. B: Do you want to go by YouBike? A: Well, how much does it cost? B: The Taipei City Government just announced that riders can use the bicycles for free for the first 30 minutes! A: Great! Riding bikes is also more eco-friendly than driving. A: 我想去內湖賞櫻花耶。 B: 那要不要騎YouBike微笑單車去? A: 車費怎麼算? B: 台北市政府最近宣布︰前30分鐘免費! A: 太棒了,而且也比開車更環保。 (By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times/台北時報張聖恩)
One of us is a murderer. The terrifying thought fills your head. There’s a corpse in the next room, and one of your fellow diners put it there. As the evening progresses, you learn disturbing secrets about everyone, and you’re forced to confess to a few yourself. You all have motives for the crime, but who committed it? Fortunately, it’s just a game. Murder mystery games are multiplayer role-playing games designed to be played over the course of an evening. The concept likely originated with “wink murder,” an amusing pastime that became popular in the early 1900s. In this game, a “murderer” kills
A: How does Taipei’s YouBike service charge after the free ride for the first 30 minutes? B: It’s NT$10 every 30 minutes within four hours. A: What a bargain. No wonder Taipei is listed by Britain’s “Time Out” magazine as one of the best 50 cities in the world. B: But I spotted a few English mistakes on YouBike’s Web site. A: I guess that aspect of it still has room for improvement. A: 台北市YouBike前30分鐘免費,之後怎麼算? B: 4小時內每30分鐘10元。 A: 真劃算,難怪台北市會入選英國《Time Out》雜誌全球最佳的50座城市。 B: 不過我在YouBike的網站上看到了好幾個英文錯誤。 A: 看來這個部分還有改善的空間。(By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times/ 台北時報張聖恩)
Mullet roe is a highly-priced delicacy typically served during special occasions like wedding banquets or Chinese New Year’s dinners, where families come together in celebration. The mullet roe can be prepared in various ways. It is usually pan-fried but can also be roasted or torched. To cook a pan-fried mullet roe, soak it in liquor or wine and peel off its membrane. Then, it is browned over a low fire and turned several times. Finally, the fried mullet roe is cut diagonally and is ready to be served. This dish is usually served with garlic scapes and daikon slices, but