The Shenzhou 7 rocket is a well-composted rocket, according to Taiwan News and Central News Agency (CNA). Picture: CNA

In English-speaking countries, English-speaking journalists submit their work for review to English-speaking editors. For Taiwanese journalists writing in English, this step is considered unnecessary.

From time to time, therefore, it is essential to remind Taiwan’s journalists of how humourous their writing can be . These days, news releases and published newspaper articles are distributed world wide and archived permanently on the Internet. Newspapers in the global information economy are no longer ‘local’ in scope and reach. A global readership means that writers must strive to reach a global standard in their writing and research. Let’s call this ‘glocalisation’.

Here is an example from a brief perusal of today’s news in Taiwan’s English language dailies:

From Today’s News in the Wild East:

Taipei Major: setting environmental protection into action needs some cost

Taipei Major, Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) this morning said that setting environmental protection into action sometimes might be at the cost of time or money and made people inconvenient . But the city government would improve at the next time.

It was the first time Taipei City government held International Car-Free Day on “non-holiday”. So, city government dispatched more transportation and provided to take the buses freely for people. The Major said, although it was not inconvenient on non-holiday, it still was beneficial to environment.

Thanks Mr journalist. Your bad English will live forever on many websites that aggregate news around the world forever and ever, amen.

Please go to the editor at the next time.