Putting up the barricades
Now, however, the ministry of education – in charge of the building’s management - believes it has the legal right to make the change . Its ordered workmen in..and they’ve begun putting up scaffolding around the monument, ready to removing some of the inscriptions . It also sent in several hundred police to try to prevent protestors from disrupting the work.
Barbed wire barricades have been put up to prevent people from entering the plaza around the memorial hall.
He's been dubbed Japan's Andy Warhol (whom the artist regards as a personal hero) ...mainly because of his ability to blend "high art " with "low art" - drawing on contemporary culture in Japan (manga, anime and pop) and blurring the boundaries between fine art and commerce. He embraces "cuteness" - or "kawai" - welcoming pop culture and consumerism.
He's now one of the best known Japanese - and Asian -contemporary artists...and his works can fetch huge prices at auction (his painting, Vapor Trail sold for $2.1m at Sotheby's in New York this year)
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He's probably best known among the general public for his collaboration with designer Marc Jacobs in designing handbags and fashion products for Louis Vuitton. More recently, he collaborated with rapper Kayne West on the singer's album and is designing a jewellery line for him.
He calls his cartoon-like style “superflat” - characterized by flat planes of color with no artistic perspective.. And he's effortlessly moved across different genres from huge sculptures to painting and commercial work. He's now planning to release a full length feature animation in 2009, Kaikai and Kiki - which is also the name of his factory. The factory holds a twice yearly event, promoting other contemporary young Japanese artists.
Murakami is an individual, an art name and a brand. His work has been copied onto mugs and t-shirts., as well as the expensive LV bags.
He has said he's inspired by the business models of Bill Gates (Microsoft) ; and Steve Jobs at Apple computer.
Does the commercialisation of his work undermine it or diminish its value? not according to the artist, who says the art market needs famous names and lots of art works. History will judge, he says.
He's quite a phenomenon. I'm intrigued to see what he will do next.
President Chen Shui-Bian and Vice President Annette Lu - holding burning torches - led the runners - jogging down Ketagalan Boulevard, outside the Presidential office, to a nearby old city gate
Its the first leg of a round the island relay covering 1200 kilometres, and taking in 25 cities and counties.
First, we let our feet be feasted upon my these tiny "doctor" fish...they feed on the skin of your feet...yeuch.
There are plenty of hotels with their own spas, but some public springs too..like this one. Just 80 nt!! (a little less than $3 usd) - a bargain.
This is the source of the spring.
Jiaoshi is the township which has the most hot springs in Ilan.
Cute food
thought this was funny...a sign saying no spy cameras are installed at this hotel - with a spy camera next to it. Note the unfortunate name of the hotel! 
Fighter jets - American F16s, French Mirages, and Taiwan's IDFs flew overhead - while military vehicles drove past the presidential offie, carrying missile systems - including some domestically developed advanced missiles.
Some Taiwanese special combat units were also part of the event.
Of course the show of strength is laden with political symbolism. A message to China that Taiwan can defend itself against any military attack. And a message to the public to show that the island is capable of building its own defences.
Protestors - while few- were kept well away from the plaza. Barbed wire, riot police and plenty of road blocks.
