【精英翻譯】的部落格

Sweet Rice Dumplings 
This year’s Lantern Festival falls on Friday, and a number of restaurants in Taipei hope to capitalize on this opportunity to sell sweet rice dumplings which are traditionally consumed at this time. This year, some are turning these dumplings a special color by adding green tea or red yeast to make this traditional treats more attractive.

Yenshui Beehive Fireworks 
To improve safety at the upcoming Yenshui Beehive Fireworks Festival, Tainan City Fire Chief Lee Ming-feng has deployed a team of investigators to inspect local beehive firework fortresses. They are checking to ensure that all fireworks used have passed inspection. If any such fireworks are found to be high risk, including those with a plastic top, they will be in violation of a fireworks ordinance, potentially liable for a fine between NT$30,000 to 150,000.

Handan Festival 
A warm-up activity was held this morning in Taitung to prepare for an upcoming celebration of the Taoist deity, Lord Handan. A man was topless, clad only in red shorts, standing on a palanquin as many tossed fireworks at him. This year’s festival will be a little different, as international exchange students will be given the chance to experience this extreme test of courage, and a hip-hop group is also expected to perform.

彩色湯圓 
周五就是元宵節了，湯圓、元宵業者摩拳擦掌，台北有餐廳，將湯圓外皮，揉進抹茶、紅麴、原味三種口味，外型色彩繽紛。

查鹽水炮城
鹽水蜂炮即將到來，為了確保安全，台南市消防局長李明?特別率隊，檢查民眾製作的炮城，通過檢查的炮城，會被貼上合格貼紙，如果被取締到使用危險性高的塑膠炮頭的炮城，立刻依煙火爆竹條例，可以處3至15萬元！

台東炸寒單
年度元宵炸寒單，上午在台東先為活動暖身，上身赤裸只穿著紅色短褲的寒單爺，站在神轎上接受鞭炮轟炸，要告訴大家，今年元宵節台東的炸寒單很不一樣，到時不只會有國際交換生一起體驗炸寒單之外，更還有嘻哈舞團一起鬧元宵

New Taipei City craftsman spurns mass production methods to produce premium ink sticks (2014/02/10)

Adding to the spirit of Lunar New Year are the couplets that adorn the entryways of homes. Today most of the ink used to make these couplets is mass produced, but a few artists still insist on using premium, handmade ink sticks. Tonight we head to New Taipei City to visit one of the few ink stick manufacturers who still adheres to traditional methods. The products he creates are valued for their color, their flexibility and even their unique scent. 

Tsai Ing-wen reveals she is considering a run for DPP chairperson (2014/02/09)

The DPP will hold an election to select a new chairperson at the end of May. Previously, this position has been a stepping stone to a presidential run, the next one taking place in 2016. Former DPP chairperson, Tsai Ing-wen, announced she is considering running in the election, joining a field that already includes Su Tseng-chang and Frank Hsieh.

Tokyo sees heavy snowfall leading to disruption of air travel (2014/02/09)

Two days of heavy snowfall has led to travel chaos in Tokyo, Japan. Beginning Saturday afternoon, Tokyo’s Haneda Airport has seen hundreds of flights grounded, stranding 5,000 passengers. Even flights from Taiwan to Japan have been cancelled or delayed. 

Valentine’s Day Prayer (2014/02/09)

Valentine's Day will soon be here and many single men and women will be praying to Yue Lao, “God of Marriage and Love” at Dihua Street’s Xia-Hai City God Temple. This year is special as Yue Lao will be making a trip to Japan on Valentine’s Day to aid everyone’s matchmaking prayers. 

Farmers, consumers benefit from chemical-free agriculture (2014/02/09)

Increased attention toward healthy eating and the environment is inspiring more farmers to embrace chemical-free agriculture. Tonight we look at how organic farming is benefitting consumers and the farmers who choose to practice it. 

New Cabinet spokesperson, Sun Li-chyun, is formally announced to the public (2014/02/07)

The first Cabinet reshuffle of the Lunar New Year has been announced. The most important change includes the resignation of Cabinet spokesperson, Cheng Li-wun, who will be replaced by Sun Li-chyun, the current Vice Chairman of the Fair Trade Commission. 

DPP-led municipalities continue to oppose changes to history textbooks (2014/02/07)

Controversy continues over proposed adjustments to the high school curriculum guidelines. Six DPP led municipal governments believe there is a deliberate attempt to de-emphasize Taiwan in the new curriculum as they advocate a temporary suspension of the changes. 

OTC to offer first ever co-branded credit card providing lots of tantalizing benefits (2014/02/07)

Taiwan’s Gretai Securities Market, the operator of Taiwan’s over-the-counter stock market, will soon issue a co-branded credit card. It hopes to parlay its relationship with some 900 companies on OTC into offering special discounts and other benefits.

New Taipei City works to protect old trees (2014/02/07)

New Taipei City is actively working to save old trees. At the request of residents it will make environmental modifications and even call in a tree doctor to protect these precious resources. 

Colors and new 4G functions target young people for cell phone upgrades (2014/02/06)

This year cell phone makers are betting functions such as swapping colors along with 4G support and waterproof functions will help attract consumers. Many others believe that cheaper prices will help woo young cell phone users. 

Year of the Horse Lantern Festival expected to draw up to 7 million visitors (2014/02/06)

Organizers of this year’s Lantern Festival in Nantou County will begin final tests of the many lanterns on display on Friday. But preliminary checks have already attracted many photographers eager to get an early look at the horse themed lights. Some 6 to 7 million people are expected to visit the festival, which opens on Feb. 14.

New Taipei adds new twist to century-old harbor cleansing festival (2014/02/06)

The Yehliu Cleansing of the Harbor Festival has been around for a century, but this year’s ritual to begin on Saturday will have a new twist. Visitors can have fun on the water in the comfort of an inflatable ball. 

Taipei International Book Exhibition opens and invites independent bookstores (2014/02/05)

The Taipei International Book Exhibition opened today. While a number of independent bookstores joined the fair, there was intense competition from a comic and animation festival in Nangang. 

Taiwan looks to develop e-commerce industry (2014/02/05)

The government forecasts e-commerce becoming a trillion NT dollar industry next year. In this special report, we look at the steps Taiwan needs to take to achieve this e-commerce milestone. 

Sky Lantern 
Pingxi’s Sky Lantern Festival began today. This year a special sky lantern was fashioned after the Taipei Zoo’s giant panda cub, Yuanzai. This particular sky lantern stands 4.5 meters tall and 3.5 meters wide. The final day of the festival is Feb. 14 which is also the last opportunity to see your wishes rise to the heavens on a sky lantern.

Local Lego Designs 
Many people love playing with Legos. One 26 year-old Taiwan native, Chen Guan-Chou has recreated well known Taiwanese architecture such as old temples and theaters out of Legos. His work is being appreciated by fans on-line. Over the past two years, he has spent NT$200,000 to create seven different works representing Taiwanese architecture with his next task being a road side betel nut booth.

Switching to Pitching
Taiwan’s Lin Che-hsuan who once battled for an outfield spot with the Boston Red Sox is getting another chance to make it into the Major Leagues. He’s giving up his appearances at the plate to convert to pitching. Lin’s father says he knew about his intent to switch to pitching before he signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers. Another Rangers pitcher, Alexi Ogando, made a similar switch from the outfield to the pitching mound. 

圓仔天燈 
2月4日開跑的平溪天燈節，今年主題燈是現在最夯的貓熊寶寶「圓仔」，這盞超萌主燈，高有4.5公尺，寬則達到3.5公尺，將在2月14日天燈節最後一天，帶著大家的心願，一起升空。

樂高台灣味
玩樂高積木，是不少人的兒時回憶，26歲的陳冠州，獨鐘台灣特色建築，創作?廟宇、老戲院等等，作品受到網友大力讚賞。陳冠州2年多來，耗費20萬元，創作出7座台灣特色建築，下個任務，要創作「檳榔西施亭」。

哲瑄轉投手
今年加盟遊騎兵隊的我國旅美好手林哲瑄，打擊砲火不足，長年待在各隊小聯盟，現在確定將棄打從投。林哲瑄的父親林漢森表示，其實在與遊騎兵簽約前，就知道林哲瑄要改練投手。而遊騎兵隊上第四號投手奧岡多，就是棄打從投成功案例。

Taipei neighborhood chief funds food bank with unclaimed items lost on the MRT (2014/02/05)

A community-based food bank in Taipei helps provide mid-to-low-income residents with necessities. Part of its inventory and funding comes from serving as a clearing house for unclaimed items lost on the Taipei MRT. 

◎魏國金

Some 1400 people filed a joint lawsuit Thursday against three companies that manufactured Japan’s Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant, saying they should be financially liable for damage caused by its 2011 meltdowns.

◎俞智敏

◎詹立群

Australia’s national science agency has issued a rare apology to a seven-year-old girl for not being able to make her a fire-breathing dragon.