Here are some videos and pictures of the flooding in Hualien. focustaiwan.tw/society/2025... #TyphoonRagasa #Taiwan #Hualien

A barrier lake had formed a couple of months ago in the mountains in Hualien. Typhoon Ragasa caused it to burst, and the damage seems quite extensive. taiwannews.com.tw/news/6206596 #Taiwan #TyphoonRagasa

If you see this, quote with a flower

Dear designers of men's casual clothes, Please take note: - there are more colors than blue - just because someone is above 180 cm tall doesn't mean they are also overweight - not all T-shirt wearers want to show their belly buttons when raising their hands above their heads Thank you. #Fashion

Robert Redford was such a great actor. Havana is one of my all-time favorite movies. But The Sting, Sneakers, Legal Eagles, Spy Game, and Up Close & Personal were all good, too. #RobertRedford

It's really difficult for North Americans and Europeans to fully comprehend how amazing convenience stores are in Taiwan. Here's a good primer: taiwannews.com.tw/news/6196604 What I don't understand is why Western countries haven't leveled up. #Taiwan

Post a killer you wouldn't run from.

Favorite TV theme songs: Miami Vice Star Trek: The Next Generation Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Roswell Dawson's Creek Dallas And, yeah, hard agree on... Airwolf The Sopranos

Nice bunnyhug!

Coconut water, in the shell. Pull the tab (and straw) out, press the column in, insert the straw, drink. It's not bad. Pretty refreshing on a hot day.

I bought these a while back. I'm not sure if they're still in print. But, damn, are they ever hilarious, you know, should your sense of humor (and lack of human decency) lean that way! 😁 #Books

I witnessed a Soup Nazi moment at the night market this evening. Someone bought a very large quantity the vendor's cake, and we all had to wait a very long time in line for the sale. I *think* the couple in front of me may have said something (politely) to be boss about it. He told them to leave.

Southern Taiwan has been getting pounded this past week or so. Two meters--that's right, TWO METERS!--of accumulated rain (78.75 inches) in the mountains. They're expecting 500mm (19.75 inches) over this current 24-hour period. #Taiwan focustaiwan.tw/society/2025...

Bookish folk, from which well do you draw your literary news? I'm looking for newspapers, periodicals, blogs, feeds, social media accounts, etc. which don't require a subscription. Reposts appreciated. Thanks! #Books #Booksky #Bookstodon

In the vernacular of today's urban youth: New kicks! They are so sick! Yo' boy's got drip! 😁 On a more practical (ie. dad shoe) note, I'm surprised how much leather is on them. I'm curious to see how well they hold up. #Sneakers #Sneakerhead #Sneakerhead #NewBalance

I am a man of simple tastes. Cheers! Enjoy your weekend, everyone! 🍻 #Beer #LaChouffe

@nickharkaway.com Is this Dark Horse comic real? www.seenit.co.uk/dark-horse-r...

Crème caramel ice cream bar? Yes, please! #Taiwan

My first-graders absolutely destroyed me at hangman yesterday. And I didn't teach them to spell any of those words, they just picked them up through reading. What kind of first-grade EFL student can spell "mountain"?

"Oh, that's right. Elmo doesn't understand. Elmo stupid. Elmo's world view is Manichean in its simplicity." - "Elmo" 🤣 #BetterNotHashtagThisOne youtu.be/Rbk7leQdxbo...

Martin Cruz Smith, one of the greatest, most literary Mystery writers I've ever had the pleasure to read, has passed away. Standouts from him were Gorky Park and Rose, but anything he published from 1981-2004 was really good. This is such a loss. #MartinCruzSmith #Books #RIP

The Chinese have a wonderful, ironic expression for when you're amazed people would spend so much money on something. Are you ready for it? "Poverty has limited your imagination." #PovertyHasLimitedMyImagination

Well, this is shaping up to be an easy week. Yesterday was a typhoon day, and in July I work one hour on Tuesdays, and on Wednesdays my lunch break is nearly as long as my working hours.

Oh, yeah, and a typhoon day tomorrow. Batten down the hatches, folks, and stay safe. This one is coming right up the Taiwan Strait, so the mountains won't be able to block it for us. #Taiwan #TyphoonDanas

Stop the presses! I managed to find the legendary 2002 CMT Flameworthy performance of Where Would You Be (it's geographically restricted here). Ignoring video quality, which one do you think has the better vocals? m.youtube.com/watch?v=o3Ah... #Music #CountryMusic #MartinaMcBride

The single greatest female Country Music performance. But you gotta listen to the whole song to really appreciate the build up to and the emotion of that final chorus. Enjoy! youtu.be/VCrEImniiQ0... #Music #CountryMusic #MartinaMcBride

"The world doesn't run on logic, it runs on the seven deadly sins and the weather." - Alan Furst, Red Gold #AlanFurst #Books

Look, it was gonna have to be either Villeneuve or Nolan to get audiences interested in Bond again. I'm heartened to read Villeneuve wants to honor the tradition of the franchise, but I just don't know if it will be allowed.🤞 #JamesBond #007 #DenisVilleneuve www.bbc.com/news/article...

My wife has taken to leaving her cell phone at home when we go for walks in the park. When we get back, she says, in an Ah-ha! sort of way, that the daily footstep counter isn't always accurate, and that a smart watch would be more accurate. To which I reply not if she leaves that at home, too. 😁

Lychee are the most refreshing fruit on a hot, humid summer's day, yay or nay? If nay, must offer alternatives #Taiwan

ME: How many students? GRADE 1 CLASS: Ten students. ME: How many teachers? GRADE 1 CLASS: One teacher. ME: How many handsome teachers? GRADE 1 STUDENTS: Zero!!! 🤣

There's a poké restaurant opening in the new building right next to where I work! 🥳

Now THIS is an intriguing idea. It could even tempt me to retire to my home country--you know, if they can get winter and the wildfires to cooperate. As for the territory issue, just sign over an uninhabited island in Europe. 😁 www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j... #EuropeanUnion #EU #Canada

Are you not entertained? #NoHashtagNeeded

One of the things I admire about the Taiwanese is that, when Covid cases increase, most people mask up. #Taiwan

Chinese dragons, a pond, and tea plantations at Qilintan near Lugu. #Taiwan

What are the chances of finding great specialty coffee in a small, tea-producing village (Lugu)? In Taiwan, I'd say pretty good. #Coffee #Taiwan

A lunch of fine, thread-like noodles, mushrooms, and barrel-roasted chicken. The wood for roasting the chicken in the barrels is longan (dragon eye). #Taiwan

How's this for a lunchtime view? #Taiwan

One morning, when my wife and I were buying vegetables at the traditional market, an elderly vendor said he hadn't seen me in a while and that it was good I was taking my wife out. I've been chuckling ever since. Maybe his wife thinks of grocery shopping as going out, but mine sure doesn't. 😁

Repost w/ the five shows you would be happy to rewatch over and over again for the rest of your life, as your sole TV diet. - MacGyver - Miami Vice - Star Trek: TNG - The Simpsons - Seinfeld

An Alan Furst novel just begs to be read on a train. #Books #AlanFurst

Lesson learned from my quick trip to Taipei: Google Maps' walking times are accurate if you don't dilly-dally, but allow more time for MRT/Metro times. #Taipei #Taiwan

Special shout-out to the Canadian Trade Office in Taipei for being ahead of schedule and completing the task in half the allotted time! #Canada #Taiwan

Expat life: Time spent in Taipei was from 9:41am to 12:58pm, and there was a lot of walking in humid, >30°C temps. And I can still make it back in time to teach all of my classes this afternoon. #Taiwan

Expat life: Going half an hour in the opposite direction from my appointment in Taipei to get a croissant, bismark, & espresso, showing up with 3 minutes to spare. Then another 30 minutes in another direction for a burger, cinnamon bun, & espresso before catching the train back to my city. #Taiwan

On the train. #Taiwan

Another good piece on former Uruguayan president, Jose Mujica. www.bbc.com/news/article... #Uruguay

A remarkable man from a remarkable country, whether you are a political person or not. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/m... José ‘Pepe’ Mujica, former guerrilla and ex-president of Uruguay, dies aged 89 #Uruguay

This is a good start to the discussion, but I think there's more to it. I refuse to watch #StarWars IX or #StarTrek into Darkness, but I've also abandoned #IndianaJones and #JamesBond. It's not just JJ Abrams, it's modern storytelling as a whole. youtu.be/KczF0DW5nXc... #Movies