By Christine Song
What do these words remind you of? Most likely a star-packed movie set with upscale paraphernalia and a relentless director trying to capture the perfect take. Well, although I have never been to a movie set, never met any acclaimed director, and am certainly no star, I have, however, had the opportunity to frequent a set of another nature. If you’re a fellow X-er, or just a compadre, you should be familiar with MTV. I don’t mean the false generic name for music videos. I’m talking about the television channel your mother would love to see you swear off. As one of the newest members of its team of VJ’s, the MTV office and studio have become something of a second home to me. Because this job is a little different from tutoring or translating or any other DFLLite favorites, I thought perhaps I could share some stories. It all started one sunny afternoon when my sister, a friend, and I headed for Idee Department Store for MTV’s audition. Although I went with a faint hope of becoming the next VJ, I was really actually quite skeptical. There was, after all, the stereotype cast on show business that you cannot get in without connections. But I went anyway, for fun, and to check out the contenders on the scene. The procedure consisted of two steps. You do your shtick at Stage One and if they like you, you qualify to march onto Stage Two, where a random ballot is given with a task assigned. Does this sound like a video game/treasure hunt? Well, it certainly felt like one. Anyway, the best part of the day was to see what people came up with. A man performed a Charlie Chaplin-esque skit while muttering unintelligible Japanese (he turned out to be Taiwanese). Another came with his coffee maker and, well, made coffee. Then there were singers and dancers and rappers and, believe it or not, an Elvis lookalike, and more singers and dancers. I presented the week’s pop charts in English and proceeded onto the next part of the show, where I was assigned to talk about two movies. Maybe it was my English, or maybe they liked the way I introduced the flicks. Whatever reason it may have been, they made their decisions promptly and two days later I was informed I had been selected as one of the ten contestants up for Round Two. The following weeks consisted of taping various shows on our part and further selection on their part. Four months later, there are three of us left who have officially become a part of MTV Taiwan. During this period, I met just about every singer with a current album, taped numerous episodes of different shows, appeared in two concerts, had my hair styled, my official VJ shots taken, and attended a press conference. Therefore, to say the least, these people have stupefied me with the efficiency with which they work. Up until now, I have never posed for a non-Polaroid shot and then seen the photograph within an hour’s time! I must admit this job proved much more challenging than I imagined. Like many people, I am sure, I truly believed talking to a camera–and only a camera!–a piece of cake. I mean, come on, what’s there to fret about when there is no live audience? Well, many things, as it turned out. There are still the jitters, with or without an audience. (I attribute this to the awareness that my performance is at the disposal of anybody who owns a TV set.) When I finally got over this initial stage, there was the need to develop a TV persona. I have to distinguish the difference between talking to a friend in person, when they can see and hear and feel and smell you, and speaking to a multitude through the camera, when I become two-dimensional instead of three. It becomes, consequently, essential that I adapt the technique to attract viewers’ attention through voice and body language and then somehow turn it into personal charisma. This would involve observing myself on video and repeated practice. As if that were not enough of a task, there is also the way you look at the lens, both for TV and photographs. Stay focused; show your better side. Look happy, but not unnatural. Ugh! Is there a book to teach you this? But of course, this job is supposed to be fun, and that is exactly what it is. I get to look nice with my hair done and clothes fitted. Although I have to do my own makeup, I have a stylist who generously offers pointers. The people I work with are superb; they show me a sense of humor different from that which I have known. I am very lucky, because MTV Taiwan is a nice establishment in a business often reputed to be not so nice. I am receiving a kind of training not normally accessible, and have been able to keep my life as a student. So I guess the most important thing right now is to enjoy it while it lasts! #Volume 6 Issue 3
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By Shawn S.W. Kim
English is the most important international language and is becoming more and more popular in Taiwan. However, it is also a somewhat bitter subject for many of us. Students have studied grammar and word lists far into the night only to realize that they still can’t speak English well. In my Freshman English class at Taida, I heard other students say that they had simply given up: “I’ve studied English for so many years and I still don’t know anything.” It seems sad that despite all the money, time, and energy spent on learning the language, the outcome is not very satisfying. Many students in Taiwan seem to think it’s simply impossible to learn English here, and that you have to go abroad if you want to see improvement. Although it can be helpful, studying English in a foreign country is not absolutely necessary. The problem is not where, but how one studies. I know many students from Taiwan who have studied in the United States for years but still have trouble with English. Likewise, I have met many students who have never gone abroad but speak excellent English. One does not need a plane ticket to speak English, but only a change in basic assumptions and study methods. First and foremost, students should approach English by reminding themselves that language is a tool, a skill, and not only an academic subject. The only way to improve a skill is to practice it. Singing English songs, watching English movies, reading English books for pleasure, and making conversation in English are all excellent ways to learn it. Just studying word lists, sweating over grammar exercises, or translating every word into Chinese are bad study methods that don’t work to develop communicative competence. Of course, some study is necessary, but the proportion of study to practice must change. Don’t just study English, practice it. A second and even more evil English-learning myth is that only native speakers can teach it. Some native speakers are not properly trained, may not even like teaching, or do not understand Chinese culture or language to reach out to local students. This is especially true in many cram school English classes, which are very numerous in Taiwan. Of course, some native speakers are excellent teachers, but you will learn best from a good teacher, no matter where he or she is born. Finally, the third and perhaps silliest assumption that inhibits English learning is the idea that one shouldn’t speak English until able to do so perfectly. I have realized that this horrible attitude actually stops the majority of my classmates from learning the language, because the only way to get better is to practice. Making mistakes is a positive part of the learning process. You can’t become a soccer star by just studying a book, and you can’t speak English without actually trying to speak it. In my opinion, uprooting these shortsighted assumptions can revitalize English education in Taiwan. Parents and students must change the way they think about English in order to achieve their learning goals. Teachers too need to evaluate their methods and attitudes, and replace them with new techniques and proven approaches. Close cooperation via mutual respect between teacher and students would be the first giant step towards this sort of educational reform. #Volume 6 Issue 3 By Ashley Ku
Midterms, club activities, relationships, and the approaching graduation, life can be just a little too much sometimes. But these things don’t have to get in your way; there are some extra supports that can help you along the way. If you are looking for something to relieve the pressures both inner and outer, try meditation–the remedy that can bring you a whole new perspective. Transcendental meditation (靜坐) as well as Yoga and Vipassana are all forms of meditation. But don’t worry about these esoteric terms, the basic rules behind each of them are similar. It is said that the whole idea of meditation originated in India more than 3,000 years ago. More recently, in 1957, a Vedic scholar named Maharishi Mahesh Yogi reestablished transcendental meditation. It has since become the mainstream of spiritual therapy, and this form of meditation is most commonly known today. Meditation has made a comeback because of the increasing stresses and strains around us. It is now harder than ever to maintain both mental and physical health, which is considered the basis of being fit. There have been over 500 studies completed on meditation, all agreeing on its positive effects. It can improve mental ability, health, and social behavior, by improving your memory and reaction time, reducing tension and anxiety, as well as increasing self-confidence and tolerance. Participants therefore gain concrete benefits such as alleviated asthma and fewer headaches, higher levels of focus and concentration. According to Maharish, “Transcendental meditation opens the awareness to the infinite reservoir of energy, creativity and intelligence that lies deep within everyone.” However, the main reason people meditate is because it’s easy to learn and easy to practice. There is one golden rule: be comfortable. Wear loose clothes and find a quiet spot, then you can start meditating. Ideally, you should practice at a fixed location and time, since familiarity is more helpful to make you relax. Sit in a comfortable position with your back straight. It will ease most of your tension. You can cross your legs but it’s not necessary. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Some people will circle their thumbs and middle fingers, keeping the flow of chi (氣) circulating. You can try it if you want to. After settling down, the 20-minute procedure begins. In the first five minutes, loosen the parts of your body, starting from the head and working down to the toes. Then in the next fifteen minutes, try to enter deep concentration. There should be only one thing in your mind–breathing. Pay attention to your breath going in and out of your nose. It’s all right if you find your mind wandering away, thinking what you are going to do next or wondering if this meditation is going to work. Just bring it back gently. Like everything else, the more you practice the better you will do. Give it some time and you will see its value. Meditation is a personal spirit-growing experience. There is no right and wrong in it. It is successful as long as you are relaxed. If you need some extra help to get into the meditation mood, try some soft-colored lights, amber and sapphire for example, scented candles, and play New Age music or nature sounds like waterfalls or dolphins. Some people also like chanting a word. Saying om, hum or even calm is said to help concentrate. The ultimate goal of meditation is to make people more accepting. Your job is to observe, not to control or judge. By practicing to meditate regularly, you gradually learn to accept things that have happened. Meditation won’t resolve the difficulties and frustrations in your life, instead; it will change your relationship to them. When you manage to accept the current situation, you become a more relaxed person and better responder to life. The principle of meditation is “simple, natural, and effortless.” So don’t force yourself doing anything while meditating. Apart from that, there is no so-called failure in meditation. It is a friendly relaxation remedy that everyone can teach themselves. Whether you feel the changes inside you or not, it’s always good to give yourself a peaceful 20 minutes from time to time. If you are interested in more information, visit these two very helpful websites: http://www.tm.org, the official transcendental meditation website; and http://www.meditationcenter.com, a friendly on-line guide. #Volume 6 Issue 3 By Ming Lee “Ooh, look! How handsome! I hope some day I can find a prince charming just like him,” said a lovely woman sweetly, showing a newspaper to her closest friend. Who is this mysterious person? Wang Lee-hom (王力宏)? No. Edison Chan? (陳冠希) No. He is Taipei City Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九). You can disagree with his views on some issues, but you must not deny that his dashing good looks appeal to lots of people. During his visit to Hong Kong in February, people constantly greeted him with “Hi,little brother Ma!” (小馬哥,你好!). How wonderful his charisma is! I’ll bet you would be impressed, too, if you met him some day. Ma Ying-jeou started his tour in Hong Kong on February 11. He immediately extended his hand to the crowd and said, “How do you do? I am Ma Ying-jeou.” His courtesy instantly gave the people a good impression. During his five-day visit, Ma was like a movie star: people on every corner welcomed him and were crazy in love with him. Most people know that Ma likes to take exercise every morning in Taipei. Even though he had many meetings throughout the day, you could still find him jogging every day at dawn – slowly, in front of the burning media spotlight. He waved his hands to those who saw him and called out his name. An old woman in Hong Kong Park said excitedly, “How nice he is, and always smiling. What a wonderful man!” On the second day of his visit, Ma delivered a speech at Hong Kong University, full of humor. When he spoke in Cantonese, laughter and applause filled the hall. On top of that, many college students were absolutely passionate about him, lining up for hours just to hear him speak, and just to take a picture and get an autograph of their idol. Even Hong Kong movie stars like him. Ladies constantly went up to him to shake his hand and give him roses. Ma courteously smiled and nodded his head in thanks. Even on Valentine’s Day he received many admiring gifts. Before he left, Ma took the subway to visit some places like Mongkok (旺角) and Kowloon Tong (九龍塘). His visit ended on February 15, but people’s insatiable appetite continued even after that. Days later, they were still talking about him in the streets and over dinner tables. Surely everyone is waiting for him to come again soon! #Volume 6 Issue 3
By Anne Lo When you feel exasperated, or exhausted… Step inside. Feel the serene atmosphere of the cozy room. The sweet aroma from various herbs wash over you as you notice a teapot on the table, accompanied by a cup. You sit down at the table and pour yourself a cup of tea. The beautiful color reveals itself in the pure white cup and once again, the mystical scents rush up to you. You take a sip, close your eyes, and feel the comforting flow running through your body… Welcome to the world of floral and herbal tea As far back as 2000 years ago, people have understood the value of floral and herbal teas. Many kinds of flowers and herbs are medicine in themselves, and drinking tea made from such herbs and flowers are a great way to improve one’s health. Simply indulging yourself with the color and scent is pure enjoyment in itself. Nowadays tea shops featuring floral and herbal tea are becoming more and more common. However, despite this fact, many people are still reluctant to give it a try. Let’s face it, students don’t have the money and working people just don’t have the time. But what about bringing the splendor and the elegance back home where you can enjoy your own tea every day? A tea house at MY house?! Definitely! With just a few simple pieces of equipment and ingredients you can enjoy the sensation of floral and herbal tea every day, and also offer your friends a different treat when they come to visit. It’s easy. All you need are: 1. A teapot: for brewing the tea. The kind of pots made especially for floral and herbal tea are usually made of glass so you can see the colors. 2. Tea cups: again preferably white so you can see the color. 3. Materials:. The flowers and herbs used for making tea can be bought at places such as department stores, Di-hua Street (迪化街), Working House, and tea shops. It is best to buy materials that are already wrapped. Pay attention to the expiration dates. When choosing materials, be sure to choose ones that are colorful, complete in shape, and dry. And remember always to store material in a dry, cool place. If you are drinking floral and herbal tea for health reasons only, then carrying a thermos pot with tea you is also a convenient and thrifty idea. So what kind of tea can I make? Any kind you want! There are over hundreds of flowers and herbs that are fit for making tea, and different herbs have different benefits. Tea can be made with one herb alone or blended with others. You may choose according to your needs. Here are some recommended blends. They are all popular blends found on menus of tea shops. Golden Sunshine One tablespoon of chamomile, one tablespoon of pot marigold, one tablespoon of lemongrass, and one teaspoon of lavender. Benefits: Strengthens the body, good for the eyes and the skin. Country Tea One tablespoon of jasmine, one tablespoon of vervain, one tablespoon of mint. Benefits: A refreshing blend that eases drowsiness and calms frazzled nerves. Also good for the stomach and dry or allergic skin. Goodnight Tea Two or three sticks of linden, one tablespoon of lavender, one tablespoon of chamomile. Benefits: Relieves stress and helps you sleep. The kitchen within the garden… As a matter of fact, the flowers and herbs used for making tea can be used in cooking as well. Pot marigold, for example, can be put into soups and salads. Here are two recipes. One for an alcoholic drink made with herbs, the other for a type of cookie made with my personal favorite — lavender! Hot Buttered Irish 30 c.c. of whisky, ½ spoonful of sugar, 10g of butter, one tablespoon of lemon juice, 30 c.c. of orange juice, four or five buds of cloves, ½ teaspoon of nutmeg Mix the ingredients together to create a drink that helps fight colds. It is especially good for runny noses caused by allergy — a common problem in Taiwan. Lavender cookies 120g butter, 60g sugar syrup, 4 eggs, 300g cake flour, lavender as desired 1. Sift the flour. Preheat oven to 200’c. 2. Beat butter and sugar syrup together until white. After that, beat the eggs in one by one. Be sure to mix the first egg completely into the dough before beating in the next. Stir the lavender in until the dough is as hard as it should be. 3. Take the dough out of the mixing bowl. Shape the cookies with cookie cutters. 4. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Now, Have fun trying them out! #Volume 6 Issue 3
By Shawn S.W.Kim
The Korean alphabet, called han-gul, consists of twenty-four letters, fourteen consonants and ten vowels. The letters are combined to form phonemes so that the actual number of letters is increased to forty, nineteen consonants and twenty-one vowels. Han-gul is a true alphabet that letters are always arranged in syllable blocks. This makes it possible to write Korean from top to bottom or from right to left, without having to turn the letters around in any way. Another advantage is that han-gul and Chinese characters, which are commonly used in Korea, can be readily mixed in writing and printing. Han-gul, or ka-na-da, as the alphabet is often called, using its first three syllables, is one of the most scientific phonetic alphabets in existence. Symbols are derived from the shape or form of the organs of speech (i.e. the mouth, the tongue, the throat) and the shape the organs take during articulation. Instead of evolving, the alphabet was consciously created by a group of scholars King Sejong commissioned in 1443 to develop a script which would enable Koreans of all classes to express themselves in writing in their own language - a Ural-Altalic language whose origin is lost in antiquity. Until the invention of han-gul, Koreans used Chinese characters to express themselves in writing; sometimes using the characters to represent their original meaning and sometimes simply to represent sounds. Consonants: (k)(n)(t)(r or l)(m)(p)(s or sh)(voiceless)(ch)(ch’)(k’)(t’)(p’)(h) Vowels: (a)(ya)(o)(yo)(o)(yo)(u)(yu)(u)(i) Ready for some practical examples? Watch how a consonant and a vowel can be combined to express virtually any sound! Thus, due to its scientific design, it is quite easy to approximate the sounds of foreign words in the Korean alphabet. Following are some examples of English words expressed in Han-gul. London– New York– Hong Kong– I–am–a–boy– Ok, you’ve just had a crash course on Korean alphabet. It is not so difficult, is it? It’s not uncommon for a foreigner to gain a working knowledge of Han-gul after one or two hours of intensive study. So, do you want to learn Korean? #Volume 6 Issue 3 By Lindy Huang
This year there will be 80,000 new university graduates competing with you for that job that pays major money, has first-class benefits, and provides self-actualizing challenges. Ok, maybe some of the new graduates will go to graduate school, and some of them will serve in the military, but most of them are going to enter the job market. Taking into account postgraduate students, and the guys who just got discharged from their military service, the competition is even more severe than you think. But don’t panic! It’s never too late to start. First, have your resume ready, and then, start looking. Resume A resume is the passport to opening hiring doors in all companies. A good resume gives those doors a good shove. Your resume is usually the first impression your employer has of you, and this impression has a lasting impact. The first thing you have to remember is that your employer is as busy as everyone else, so don’t expect him/her to read a life-long autography of yourself starting from your kindergarten experience. The resume must be simple, easy-to-read, and yet professional. The development of an inside perspective begins with lots of research – about yourself and the companies you want to join. When you know what an employer is looking for, you can tell him/her why you should be the one they employ. Interview Generating Techniques 1. Direct Research This is usually the most time-consuming and yet rewarding approach. It involves going to the library and finding reference books on industries and companies you are interested in. There won’t be one cure-all solution; you might have to go through stacks of reports to get the information you want. Remember to stick to the relevant information – company names, personnel contacts, industry briefs, performance reviews, and perhaps some relevant news clippings. Your effort will eventually pay off when a company interviews you. 2. Newspaper The most traditional way for people to look for jobs is through the classified ads in the newspaper. While direct research gives you background information, the classified ads give you a list of open positions. In addition to identifying the particular title you are looking for, try to identify the companies that regularly hire in your field. If the job you are looking for is not being advertised, it does not necessarily mean your company is not looking for you. If a company is in a hiring mode, a position might be available. It won’t hurt to call and ask. 3. Job Fair There is job fair held every year at Taiwan University, usually occurring during a weekend in March. When you attend job fairs, go prepared - take as many resumes as there are exhibiters, as well as a notepad and a pen. More importantly, go with specific objectives in mind. Visit every booth, not just the ones with flashing lights and models; talk to someone in every booth, and ask questions about the company - who they are, and what they are doing; collect business cards from everyone you speak to so that you can follow up with a letter or call for further inquiry; collect company brochures. Lastly, dress for business! 4. Campus Recruitment Presentation Besides the job fair, there are hundreds of company presentations taking place daily in the second semester. This is one of the advantages to studying at Taida; companies actually try to get the best people from our university. As all speakers love to get feedback, don’t forget to ask questions. You will also get more information about the company, and will be able to customize your skills to suit the particular needs of the company. 5. The Electronic Job Hunt There have been many changes to online information. With the internet you can save the trouble of going to the library or running around to get a job. The most useful on-line job search sites I found are www.104.com.tw and careers.yahoo.com.tw. These websites have complete databases and strict regulation on protecting privacy. You can search for company names, job titles, or preferred location, and each listing gives you specific qualifications for the job. It saves a lot of time for both employers and prospective employees. 6. Others Have you ever thought that your professors might have the connections you need? Maybe a call from him/her will be all it takes to get the job. Have you tried the government employment agency or Taida’s career center (http://140.112.163.60)? Maybe it can give you an unexpected opportunity. There are many alternatives in landing a job, so prepare yourself so that you can grab the chance when it’s there. Not as clueless as before, right? Start now, and go get that job you want. It might be difficult in the beginning. Get your mind ready, and be humble. Graduates from Taida have already proven to be brilliant and outstanding. We can rely on the reputation we already have, but also show the real world that we are even better than they think. #Volume 6 Issue 3 By Alice Lu
Clocks lying fluidly like melting pancakes on a rigid foundation. A huge red flaming couch that looks like a woman’s least favorite wig. A grand piano under the twilight zone waiting to be played. Sound familiar? It’s one of Dali’s most famous surrealist works, which appears in your high school history textbook. And the pancake clock has become a classic symbol of modern fine art. So who is Dali anyway? Born in 1904 in the small town of Figueres, Spain, Salvador Dali was the only young male in a female-dominated family. In order to upset his father Dali deliberately wet the bed until the age of eight, when he found that he could upset him more by bad behavior at school. But his talent of painting was soon discovered by his father and was sent to Madrid Fine Art School. In 1926, his first one-man show was held in Barcelona. “ I am the genius the world is about to know.” He said. Dali was greatly influenced by Freud’s Interpretation of Dreams. He tried setting up his canvas beside the bed to paint before sleeping and upon rising to capture subconscious imagery. Around 1930, Dali became the leader of the Surrealistic Movement. His painting, Persistence of Memory, is probably the most recognized surrealist painting in the world. His fame continued to grow based on his flair for publicity, clothing, costumes, shop interiors, stage sets, book illustrations and designs for jewelry. That’s not all, this incredibly versatile man also writes. His writings include poetry, fiction and a controversial autobiography, “The Secret Life of Salvador Dali”. He died in 1989 and was buried in his museum in Figueres. When I heard Dali’s exhibition is coming to Taipei at Palace Museum, I thought it’s going to catch public’s attention like one of those penguins in the zoo. I assumed that I have to wait hours in the line before getting in from my previous experience. But to my surprise, nobody I knew was talking about the exhibition. And when I showed up at Palace Museum 10am sharp, no line was blocking my way towards the ticket window. In fact I was one of the earliest who got there. I rented an audio guide to help me understand because Dali likes to use the techniques of double images, hidden appearances, and counter appearances. There is one time I came across a picture of a pregnant lady while my friend insisted that it’s an ugly old man. I know we’re both right, it’s just one of Dali’s little tricks he played. And another time we were told to stand 10 feet away from the frame in order to see a portrait of President Lincoln. Certain images were also repeated in many of his paintings, such as eyes, bones, blood, crutches, clouds, soft bodies, and soft objects. Each of them represents a different meaning. The crutch is the significance of life and death and a support for inadequacy in life. The boneless body is reminding us set our imagination and spirit free. But some of the other work he did is merely strange combinations of livings and objects, which will never occur in real life. But isn’t it what dreams are like? They are not meant to be explained. They are our feelings and desires that creep out only at night. Most people can’t remember their dreams as they wake up, but not this crazy guy. He spent his whole life figuring out his subconscious honestly after realizing science and logic are too simple to explain the complexity of life.” The only difference between me and a madman is that I am not mad.” This is how Dali describes himself when people claim his is insane. Is he really a mad guy? Is he too modern for his time? I read his paintings carefully at Palace Museum and my answer is definitely “No”. In fact, “He is a real genius!” #Volume 6 Issue 3 By Jennifer Lin
“We can come together at [football] camp, but the reality of the world tears us apart,” so says a T.S. Williams High School football team member in Alexandria, Virginia, perfectly portraying the frustration and disappointment experienced during the period of racial integration in the U.S. during the 1970’s. Remember the Titans, based on a true story, explores the integration of a black and a white football team and how they struggle to become state champions. At first glance the film might seem one of those egotistic macho-man productions satisfying the fantasies of sports fanatics. But, just as Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon is much more than martial arts and spectacular special effects, Remember the Titans presents a story of the gradual reconciliation of an originally bigoted community. For Alexandria, the year 1971 brought a huge change to its conventions and social system—the combining of three high schools into one, including both all-white and all-black schools. And also, from now on, there could only be one football team. But centuries of habitual and lawful segregation had made people suspicious of others’ skin color, and no one wanted their lives to be “polluted” by those of another racial background. So when black head coach Herman Boone (played by Denzel Washington) was approved by the school board to take the place of white coach Bill Yoast (played by Will Patton), the local white population angrily revolted against the idea. Boone’s one passion in life is coaching football, is a man of great honor and strength. He immediately sees that the task at hand is not so much leading his team to the championship as teaching them how to overcome the prejudice in their hearts. In order to train his “kids” to respect a person of another race, he collaborates with Yoast to put them through a series of exhausting training programs at a football camp. The idea of the camp is that by making the boys practice to exhaustion, they will forget to notice the color of their teammates’ skin; the only thing they see is the fear of losing. The boys began to come together through constant teamwork and communication, climaxing in a heart-rending speech delivered by Boone on the hallowed grounds of Gettysburg, which was near the camp. Only through the acknowledgment that one’s teammates are also human beings, and the recognition that everyone has the same aspirations for success, can the whole team gradually come to terms with one another, giving birth to a new team aptly called the Titans. Although this display of personal and communal strength is a well-worn theme, director Boaz Yakin succeeds in involving the audience in the emotional ups and downs of the characters by bringing out individual stories and struggles. Equally important is the subtle growth of Yoast, who becomes a better man by struggling with his displacement and consequent humiliation, and eventually overcoming the frustration of having been “put under” a black man. The mutual fear and distrust that dissolves with time is also shown in the long-lasting friendship between the all-white team captain Gerry Bertier (Ryan Hurst) and black quarterback Julius Campbell (Wood Harris). No production can ever escape some criticism or other, and neither has the Titans. More than one major publication has declared it to be lacking in the brutal reality of racism during its worst period, yet it is more or less agreed that Yakin has made good sketches of all aspects of racism—its prejudices, confusions, and ambiguities. But the central idea of the movie is to convey the way people’s opinions alter and how hatred can be eliminated by cultivating trust, not to record a series of anti-integration marches and protests. As the team captain puts it, “I was afraid, and all I saw in [them] was what I was afraid of.” This illustrates how far-reaching fear is, and how it pervades all of society. Football is only a game, but in the film it transforms the fear of difference into the strength of understanding. #Volume 6 Issue 3 By Shih Hwa Du
Torishige is a famous yakitori-eating establishment. You must telephone and book a reservation and you are allowed only one hour. It is tiny and cramped inside, with barely enough room for the 8 customers who sit around the L-shaped counter, as the hostess grills her delicious chicken shish kebab morsels in a corner on her pan. Everyone waits patiently, she has a short temper. There are no complaints. None would be tolerated anyway. The sake is heated in a battered old aluminum teapot. I ask her for permission to photograph her and she blushes with embarrassment. After a volley of dishes in the span of an hour, I leave to make room for the next customers anxiously waiting in line outside in the 8-degree chill. She is booked solid every evening. This moment, this place, recalls so much that has been lost; the scale, the closeness to other bodies, the moment when people fuse together as spirits in one place; the shabbiness of it, the barracks-like aspect. It is hard to find this today in the stainless steel and glass international city the post war Japanese have manufactured. I prefered the Tsukiji market to the great new Tokyo-Edo Museum; it seems so much more vital and earthy and alive by comparison. The Tsukiji Central Wholesale Market supplies ninety percent of Tokyo’s fish and is the place to catch the flavor and energy of Tokyo without the ornate wrappings. It stands beside the Sumida River in a huge ramshackle factory building. Everywhere, there are rows (and rows…and rows) of fish fresh from the Pacific, from Indonesia, and from Mexico. Monster-long 150 pound tunas, crimson octopus, disfigured sea slugs and the pervasive stench…. it’s a de facto seafood museum! Men in bloody aprons with trimming knives hack at the tuna (surprisingly, all Japanese civility is forgotten). Small petrol-driven carts careen between the rows of stalls. It is Tokyo chaos in miniature. Outside, a snowy Mount Fuji is built from the Styrofoam trays the fish arrived in. In an effort to encapsulate the past, they recently opened the Tokyo-Edo Museum on the opposite bank of the Sumida River. It resembles a huge metal dog on four steel legs. Inside the body, 20m up in the air, full-sized buildings show what 19th Century Edo looked like. Access is by way of an escalator in a transparent glass tongue. There are a few tiny corners still left in Tokyo where you can catch a glimpse of the real old Edo-Tokyo. East of the great Kannon Temple in Asakusa, I stumble across a decrepit, small, wooden corner cabin with an entrance on one side and a garden on the other. It is occupied by an old woman who has turned it into a combined residence-restaurant. Her washing machine, clothesline, and garden of potted plants are placed outside on the pathway. She insists I come in and eat (lucky for me her prices are reasonable). In the notorious Piss Alley, near Shinjuku, the street narrows to not much more than 4 meters across and is lined on both sides by rows of tiny timber-framed shops. Red paper lanterns glow in the darkness. In the still corners, blue-silver eyes shine in the corners. Suddenly, as though charged by batteries, these houseflies buzz in my direction; it is only when they are within swatting distance that I realize they are men in dark suits, with oil-slicked hair, wearing eighties sunglasses. Presumably the yakuza (gansters)- as I’m later told. Unfortunately, down these ancient alleyways, the evils of capitalism run rampant; women in fishnet stockings and tiaras pout their lips enticingly. Tokyo is now ranked to be the most expensive city in the world. Needless to say, nothing in this city is for free. Free fun is only found in the eye of the beholder (beauty is no stranger to this concept either). People-watching is at its best in this city. Inhabited by 12 million people, its no wonder that fashion is a BIG thing here. This year’s look varies between the two extremes- ‘kogarus’ (young women in outrageous platforms, bleached hair, and mud-like complexions) and 'amazones’ (women in sexy black transparent clothing with an attitude that says “I’m sexy, strong and independent, so get out of my way!’). Fashion culture in Japan is all about women. Go to any department store, any trendy cafe or restaurant and you can be sure that 95% of the clientele is female. It is a city of the chic, where Louis Vuitton bags outnumber shopping bags, and 3-inch Gucci heels make music. The guys are hard to notice and you’re never sure if they’re really alive or not. If they are, they’re merely there to pick up the tab or to fill in space. If you’re going to watch the people scene, don’t bother showing up until around eight in the evening. Any earlier and the scene is just of the geeks and 9-5ers. Young people, true to their creed, hate getting up early. I really recommend Kosyu-kaido Ave in the Shinjuku area and the backstreets of the Roppongi subway station- the scene is truly colorful. Visiting Tokyo, it is impossible to get any idea of the city in its entirety. You see only bits of it at any one time; it is a collection of intense, colorful fragments. Most visitors assemble their picture of Tokyo from these fragmentary impressions. There is just too much of it, with little of it is related to anything else; so observers come away with just their collection of favorite fragments. This assumes that Tokyo is a whole, or just the common stereotypes, but the very opposite is true. Tokyo lacks integration; perhaps the only way to grasp the city is from above, from the Tokyo Tower. This is a brightly painted orange copy of the Eiffel Tower, only higher. From the 333 feet observatory, the city extends as far as the eye can see. All I can see are the rooftops and a running network of aerial expressways crisscrossing like disorderly strands of spaghetti and occasionally interweaving with the elevated railway lines. Over the Sumida’s mouth, the pale blue Rainbow Bridge hangs delicately- Tokyo has its own Golden Gate (surprising isn’t it?). Fumihiko Maki, professor of architecture at Tokyo University, and recipient of the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize for 1993 explains Tokyo thus: “Visually, Tokyo might not be very civilized, but it does possess a certain social civility.” Edward Seidensticker, a historian and prominent translator of Japanese literature said, “Everything is subsumed onto Tokyo and Tokyo is subsumed unto everything; and the nation marches victoriously on.”- Not completely true, just at a jogger’s pace. #Volume 6 Issue 3 |
Authors
The Taida Student Journal has been active since 1995 with an ever-changing roster of student journalists at NTU. Click the above link to read about the authors Archives
May 2024
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