By Casey Lee Biomimicry is a nature-inspired innovation method. It is a new discipline that looks deeply into nature’s time-tested design strategies to find sustainable solutions to design and engineering problems. Janine Benyus of the Biomimicry Institute explains this thinking: life has been on earth for 3.8 billion years, and in that time life has learned what works and what lasts. We should be looking at these mentors, these biological elders, since they have figured out how to create a sustainable world. The best ideas have already been invented. Here are four practical examples: 1. Sharkskin-inspired film that repels bacteria With the concern over bacterial diseases spreading rapidly in hospitals, people have been looking for a material that repels bacteria. A Florida-based biotech company has figured out a way to capitalize on shark skin, specifically on the way parasites and bacteria can’t stick to sharks. The trick is in the pattern of the skin’s surface. Scientists have figured out how to print this pattern onto adhesive film, which wards off bacteria and is ideal for use in places like schools and hospitals where germs are easily spread. Taking a close look at an animal with a known history of being able to avoid bacterial and parasitic infection is truly a great idea. 2. Glue from a marine worm can aid bone repair Torn flesh is easy to put back together with stitches, but when bones break, repairs are nowhere near as simple. Large fragments can, with the aid of metal screws and pins, be reattached and set in place for healing. Small fragments cannot be treated in the same way, as they are often too tiny to be connected with metal hardware. Surgeons have been searching for a glue to do this work, and Russell Stewart from the University of Utah may have found one in the secretions of an undersea worm. This marine worm has provided researchers with the recipe for a glue that can be used to piece together shattered bones. The glue does not dissolve in water. It is able to displace water and adhere to surfaces in wet places. And it solidifies soon after being secreted. It sounds ideal for repairing bones. 3. Spider silk-inspired fibers that collect water When fog condenses on a spider’s web it creates a stunning beads-on-a-string effect, making it possible to collect water efficiently. Fog harvesting nets made from nylon and polypropylene are already used to collect water in mountainous and mist-enveloped regions in Chile and Peru. But bio-inspired fibers are capable of performing this more efficiently. Scientists behind the technique use synthesized fibers modeled on spider silk threads to weave artificial webs that can harvest moisture from fog in areas of low rainfall. 4. Humpback whales can inspire efficient wind power Because sheets of water flowing over smooth flippers break into a myriad of turbulent vortices as they cross the flipper, sheets of water passing over a humpback whale allow them to keep their “grip” on the water and to make tighter turns, even at low speeds. Wind tunnel tests of model humpback fins have demonstrated the aerodynamic improvements the whales’ tubercles make, such as an 8% improvement in lift and 32% reduction in drag, as well as allowing for a 40% increase in the angle of attack before stalling. Human beings have been imposing rules on earth without fully understanding how these systems work. We have polluted the air and caused much damage to the planet. A bright world of abundance awaits us if we start looking into nature, looking at small algae to figure out how it photosynthesizes, how it generates energy from the sun. There are groundbreaking innovations that lay right in front of us, waiting to be discovered!
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by Joseph Lee As we all know, Sima Qian, was a Chinese historian of the Han dynasty. He is considered the father of Chinese historiography for his work, the Records of the Grand Historian, which contains the general history of China, covering more than two thousand years from the Yellow Emperor to his time, during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han. Although he worked as the Court Astrologer, later generations refer to him as the Grand Historian for his monumental work; a work which in later generations would often only be somewhat tacitly or glancingly acknowledged as an achievement only made possible by his acceptance and endurance of punitive actions against him, including imprisonment, castration, and subjection to servility.
The interesting fact that we don’t quite discuss about Sima Qian is that, from the ‘Records of the Grand Historians of China’, we are able to observe that Sima Qian has been not only one of the greatest Chinese historians but an economist as well. Via his works, there were vast accelerating developments in private businesses. He states that successful business men or money makers are beneficial for the economical development as a whole. By letting these men play an essential role in the society, some specific industries will succeed and flourish. Nevertheless, his thoughts are already in use in our modern economic theories and thoughts. During the Han Dynasty, Sima Qian’s point of view and statements related to business and money making have been strongly disagreed or criticized. By reading the Han-Shu, which is the official history recording book during the Han Dynasty, the educated people are treated as a high-end level of the society, with farmers on the second level, workers on the third, and merchants (regardless of whether they play a pivotal role of bringing new technologies and business) are placed on the lowest level. The role and the point of 'The Money Makers’ is that whether they be an individual or a group, businessmen are immoral. This is because they are not personally involved in primary production, but rather involved in the business making, which can be also translated as supplying business jobs and opportunities. In ancient China, no matter how successful or rich, they were viewed and treated as a lower class in the society. Young people or people who ought to choose their living would be encouraged to be farmers so that there will be enough agricultural supplies and crops to honor their own country.The main reason of the suppression of business in ancient China was that the ruling class did not want the number of wealthy merchants to increase. They were aware of the situations that via the increase of the rich businessmen would cause social problems, which might have lead to the mindset of inequality of wealth distribution. For instance, farmers, who work enormous hours for living, were easily being controlled by the ruling class. On the other hand, the wealthy merchants were not easy nor able to fully in control by them. In ancient China, there were several regulations to maintain with regards to the size of the private business. The reason behind these regulations were, “all land and resources belong to the King.” As the quote states, most of the land, resources and even industries were owned and being controlled by the rulers. The profits made by the merchants could have been described as dark spots by the rulers. Going by this mindset, the whole economy belonged to the King, and the rulers were wary of the rising power of the merchants and businessmen, and were equally terrified of losing their own influence. Sima Qian is only a discharged historian in early Han Dynasty, but his monumental contribution to Chinese civilization is to finish one of the most important Chinese historical texts, Records of the Grand Historians of China (Shiji). Though his ideas were written more than 2000 years ago, yet he foresees and has advanced knowledge in economic thoughts. His chapter on ‘‘The Money-makers’’ is insightful and his intuition in pointing out the advantages brought by the vast development of the private business sector to the betterment of the economic development of a state is being increasingly echoed by modern economic thoughts. If his opinions were taken seriously by any Chinese King, then the growth and progress of the economy in China might have completely been different. By Thomas Cytrynowicz What does it mean to be French? What values do French people uphold?
Is being French about being part of a people who value democracy over all odds, fight for its freedom against political evil and disruptive forces? Our ancestors – some of them - did die in order to bring monarchy down. Our great grand-parents did fight against the Nazi invaders as an organised “resistance”, though it was a minor part of the population. Is being French then about being part of a population who is currently facing its own demon; a people torn apart by a rampant extremism, both political and religious; thus endangering what we strongly claim to be our values? But what values are those, when a xenophobic far right party casts in some cases more votes than a so-called republican party? What values, when racism is again on the rise, targeting Jews, Muslims, refugees? Our political consciousness is in a miserable state, and we behold, quite wearily, the elite’s despicable little struggles for power. The “elite”: a political class which, for its majority, left or right, emerged from the same schools, trying to deal with problems the same way. A political class which lost the support of more or less half its electorate – abstention numbers from the recent elections. French are no longer represented by the people in power, yet they fight, tooth and nail, to keep their seats at the National Assembly, at the European Parliament (even those against the idea of a European Union), the different municipal councils,… Did the left wing bring a wave of change as what could be hoped from Hollande before he won the 2012 presidential election? Same people, same struggles, same affairs. The population is tired, has lost faith. Yet, among all this, there seems to be an event that once again brought the French together as a unified nation, beyond traditional cleavages, ideologies, social classes. Being in Taiwan, I can only observe from afar, powerless and sincerely worried. November 13th. We will remember this day as the most terrible terrorist attack in the heart of Paris. Daesh linked perpetrators sowed death, destruction, and fear in the streets of the capital and beyond. Such events pushed the government to take action, and here we are. A state of emergency was declared less than 24 hours after the attacks, then extended to the constitutional maximum of 3 months. This decision, supported by an overwhelming majority – 91% in favour! – has brought back to Hollande some popular satisfaction. The state of emergency grants the executive and specifically the police force more power to investigate and to ‘protect’ the nation. As such, active searches within individuals’ homes can now happen at any time of day or night, and without the upstream approval of the judicial branch, which is required in any other situation. Slippery slope, here we come. I may have been in favour of such measures following the attacks and for the next few days, in order to ensure the efficiency of the investigation and to protect the people against potentially remaining terrorists in the territory. But extending such extraordinary measures becomes a form of securitarianism, at the expense of our liberties. Reports have begun to emerge of police bursting into restaurants and private homes on the call of “potential threats”, yet sometimes they have been wrongfully informed. Doors are broken for no reason – “sorry we were wrong”- a child injured, wrong people put under house arrest for over a month, their apartments stormed. On the contrary, positive outcomes have been hard to gather. What a zealous police force we have when dealing with Muslims. Fostering a climate of fear is counterproductive. Alienating part of the population because of a common religion is counterproductive. It seems, however, that administrative errors like these, from which emerge fears of being wrongfully arrested, are becoming acceptable in today’s France. And it does not stop here. The ministers’ council is about to discuss a potential revision of the constitution in order to establish a new, lasting state of emergency. What lies ahead could truly become a modern version of the famous monarchic “lettres de cachet”, and yet an even stronger surveillance state. As long as this situation targets terrorists and legitimate criminals, we shall not fear. But what if, under the umbrella of the state of emergency and the powers its provides, anyone considered a disturbance to the government – environmental activists, philosophers, political opponents, journalists doing too good of a job, you, me? - Is easily ‘taken care of’ and labelled as an imminent threat? Enemies of the Republic beware, your apartment may be stormed anytime, and your freedom put at risk for the sake of security. Perhaps tomorrow. Or the day after tomorrow. Or who knows when. To date, only Egypt is under a quasi-permanent state of emergency and the abuses are numerous (check here for more information). The state of emergency might be sticking around longer than we could have hoped for. Civil liberties, goodbye? By May Lin It all began on an ordinary day. You finish your work early and rush home to enjoy a nice supper. Dinner was already served when you arrived at the door: juicy roast chicken basted in hot chili sauce and potatoes with baked cheese topping. What a pleasant evening! You turn on the TV and nestle down into the sofa. However, it all becomes a screaming nightmare the moment you see the oil scandal on the screen. All of a sudden, your perfect meal turns into a toxic feast. And you start to wonder how long you have been ingesting these contaminants. This is how the disturbing food safety issues began in Taiwan. News of tainted oil was revealed in 2014, and what’s worse, the nightmare continues to rouse public panic. In November 2015, the notorious Ting Hsin company, who brought about the oil scandal, was found innocent and its executives freed from jail. This judgment roused great indignation and set fire to a barrage of protests and boycotts of Ting Hsin products. Serious oil scandals have occurred one after another, which have given rise to increased attention to the issue of food safety. But how did the whole tragedy begin? In 2013, the renowned oil corporation, Chang Chi Factory Foodstuff Co. (大統長基股份有限公司), was found to have produced fake oil which it claimed as high-end olive oil. For years, the company viciously adulterated its cooking oil with low-priced cottonseed oil. To improve the color saturation, an illegal coloring agent called copper chlorophyllin was also used. According to dietitians, cottonseed oil without refinement contains gossypol, which leads to infertility when excessively absorbed. A few days later, Flavor Full Food Inc. (富味鄉食品股份有限公司) likewise admitted to have blended cottonseed oil into their cooking oil to increase profits. The market share of Chang Chi Factory was so huge that practically every downstream firm was found to have used the oil for food processing. Moreover, the fact that Ting Hsin enterprise maliciously concealed its purchase of oil from Chang Chi Factory was brought to light. Eventually, the two heads of the company were sentenced to prison. However, it was only the beginning of an evil plot. Merely a year later, it was discovered that tainted oil was being produced by a Kaohsiung-based company, Chang Guann Co. (強冠企業), and branded as Chun Tung Fragrant Lard Oil (全統香豬油). The company was found to have purchased gutter and waste oil which included animal parts, fat, and skin. It then refined the waste oil before blending it into processed lard, and sold the tainted products to its distributors. Among the distributors, Ting Hsin was again on top of the list, which also enraged cusumers. However, the situation worsened when a unit of Ting Hsin was once again accused of selling tainted cooking oil in September 2015. After investigation, the prosecutors confirmed that Ting Hsin unit, Cheng-I Food Co.(正義股份有限公司), had mixed animal feed oil with cooking oil and sold it for human consumption. Since Cheng-I Food Co. has roughly an 80 percent share of the lard oil market, not to mention the fact that Ting Hsin owned famous brands such as Wei Chuan (味全) and Kang Shifu (康師傅), these scandals have effected many households and retailers in Taiwan and aroused public concern over domestic food safety. The public blamed the scandals on the government and urged stricter laws regarding food safety. Nevertheless, when god has his church, the devil will have his chapel. Companies can always bribe their way through the system. That is to say, customers themselves have to take food safety into their own hands. To save you from going into hysterics, here are some tips to avoid spoiled food:
As a Chinese saying goes, eating is the first priority. Eating well is central to Chinese culture. Despite these terrifying food safety issues, it is impossible to stop people from eating. According to the Homemakers United Foundation, we can rely on no one but ourselves to guarantee our health. Spend a few minutes to check the food you are eating and avoid products that are excessively manufactured. This is the best way to prevent yourself from being affected by another food scandal. By Lily Hu This semester, I took a course on media literacy. Before the class, probably like most people in Taiwan, I complained about the excess violence, exaggeration, and pornography in the media. In comparison with other countries, Taiwan’s media pays little attention to global issues, limiting us to focus only on minor things happening around the country. Most people complain but never think of the reasons or try to find solutions. After taking the class, I noticed that I was mostly unaware of the hidden problems existing in Taiwan’s media market. Here’s what you can do to take action to change this situation. Action 1: Exercise your right of media accessibility Among hundreds of TV channels, there are some which always broadcast the same content, usually controversial, ideology-promoting issues such as politics and religion. But people also have a right to media accessibility. In many countries, citizens have the right to make their own videos and to broadcast them, and Taiwan is no exception. These channels are called PEG channels, or Public, Educational, and Governmental Use Channels, also called Public Access Channels. According to regulations, people can also ask the government for technical instruction and shooting equipment. Nevertheless, very few Taiwan citizens know that we have this kind of media accessibility, leaving PEG channels to be occupied by commercial or political organizations. Our right to access the media symbolizes an active exercise of our freedom of speech, and so members of my class and I decided to shoot our own video and to apply to broadcast it on PEG channels. First, we called the government for further information about the shooting the video, yet were told that they were not obligated to provide any technical instruction. We had to figure out how to use the camera and microphone by ourselves, and how to edit the sound with the images in order to make them coherent. Although the process of filming and post-production was difficult for amateurs like us, we were satisfied with it and it was broadcast on TV. Our video was short and not very popular, but we successfully exercised our right of media accessibility. Action 2: Take action to supervise the media The chaos of the media is quite familiar in Taiwan. We are bombarded by never-ending news exaggerated by violence, pornography, and sensational themes. There are three reasons why the situation is deteriorating. First, TV channels are only interested in Nielsen ratings, or audience ratings, so they neglect the quality of the news on their programs. Second, the profit-making atmosphere makes producers put emphasis on benefits rather than professional ethics. Lastly, the interference of political forces takes away the objectivity of the media.
One typical example is the presidential election in 2000. The procedure of opening ballot boxes and counting votes takes a long time. Nevertheless, some channels decided to broadcast an estimated amount of votes instead of waiting for the actual results. People became suspicious about the impartiality of the voting procedure. My group decided to take a second step. Since it is important for audiences to supervise themselves rather than rely on government regulations (because media corporations can always find ways to evade responsibility), we observed a piece in the newspaper about a teenage baseball team from Taiwan who won first place in a world competition. However, the newspaper only focused on the fact that they drank beer after their victory instead of reporting the game itself. The report covered what should be praised and overly amplified a small mistake, leaving a bad impression. Hence, we called the newspaper and asked them to change the story. At first, they didn’t even realize that their coverage was inappropriate. They simply wanted to focus on the beer-drinking issue. After an hour of questioning the authenticity of what was written in the report, they finally agreed that that they would change the story and listen to our advice about future issues. They even mentioned that they were surprised that students would pay so much attention to supervising the media and to take action to solve the problem. Although what we did was minor and will not eliminate the chaos in the media market, we did take a first step. In the future, if more and more people voluntarily take action, the media market can eventually become more bright and positive. By Ericka Valladares Do you have any regrets? You smile broadly and answer that you wouldn’t change a thing because that’s how life is. Every decision you made brought you here today and you are perfectly content with it. You regret nothing…
But then you stop for a moment and recall a past memory. Something trivial, like the haircut you had throughout high school which now makes you cringe every time you go through the yearbook, or that girl you dated in college who turned out to have psychopathic tendencies. Or something more serious perhaps? The university major you chose and now hate, the backpacking trip you always found excuses not to do, or giving up when you had the chance to continue trying. It took me a while to find an answer to this question and after finally accepting I did regret something, it just made me grow more curious. Was I the only one? What do other people regret? Are there people who are truly content with every decision they’ve made along the way? Will I stop regretting at some point in my life? So many questions, and I wanted answers. So I decided to open a poll, which received approximately 40 replies from people of twelve different countries, four different continents and with ages ranging from 17 to 50 years old. All these people opened up to me (anonymously, of course) and shared their biggest regret. I read through the answers which amused me for a long while. There were so many different regrets. Some were deeper than others, some were straightforward and could be expressed in a short sentence, and some were more complex and required a lengthy explanation. What I found the most peculiar was how people of different ages and from different continents shared similar regrets. After reading all the answers I received and considering my own regrets, I was able to draw one conclusion: people tend to regret what they did not do. A lost chance, words not said, feelings kept secret, not spending enough time with someone, being afraid of taking a risk… So now their heads are full of “should have,” “could have,” and “would have.” Open ends that keep them awake on quiet nights wondering what could have happened if they had done that thing that was on their minds. Would things be different? Would that person still be here? Would they be the same person they are today? Because even though mistakes are regrets later on, at least they remove all doubts of what could’ve happened. Moreover, a mistake could very well have brought you to the place where you should actually be. Plus, mistakes are human, we all make them and they always teach us a lesson; it doesn’t matter if the lesson is “Ok, now you know what not to do next time.” But those things you did not do such as the time when you were too afraid or the time when overthinking made you miss an opportunity, these things don’t give you any closure and all they leave you with is the bittersweet taste of doubt. Once in a conference I heard a photographer say that the best picture was the one not taken. In that moment I guess he meant that some things can never be captured with a lens but now, thinking from another point of view, I rather think that sometimes we make ourselves believe something is the best once we know we can’t have it. So, of course we will believe that the best shot for the million dollar picture is that one that was not taken in a split second. Because even though we have hundreds of other pictures, ONE picture that we did not take will stick to the back of our minds and nag us constantly. It might sound illogical, but that’s how human minds work: we will always want what we can’t have and we will regret what we did not do. So, try to make your mistakes. Jump off the bridge. Take risks. Try new dishes. Change your routine. Fall in love with the unknown. Send the first text. Make the first move. Ask that question. Give more hugs. Say what you think (after thinking). Take the word NO out of the dictionary when it comes to new experiences. Stop being afraid of what could go wrong and save yourself from the eternal doubt. And by this I do not mean live a reckless life or do things you will SURELY regret. What I mean is give yourself the opportunity of conquering new fears and trying new things. As for the regrets we currently have, I will quote one of the respondents in the poll. This person said he has no regrets because he sees all past mistakes as lessons that teach him how to improve as a human being. He also said that all that we have done or have not done is in the past and therefore should just build our story background, not become a heavy burden to be carried for the rest of our days. I know that as humans it’s hard to forget the things, people, and chances that have been lost, but then… maybe that’s the only way of learning: to lose fear and in that way be able to undertake new risks and stop losing along the way. Maybe, just maybe… letting go of that regret we are carrying today is the only way of stopping ourselves from building a big pile of “should have’s,” “would have’s,” and “could have’s.” by Jun Lin The park sits in a hollow with grassy slopes rising on all sides. Children run along the winding boardwalks and wooden decks that come all the way down to and around the koi pond at the heart of the park, where the willow trees bow towards the emerald water. Observatory decks and bridges with see-through floors stretch over the pond, granting a beautiful view of the park and the towers that surround it. Nearby a pathway matted with scraps of cypress wood, people lie down on the fields and chat in the cool afternoon shade cast by the tall neighboring buildings. Amid towering buildings and bustling streets, Maple Garden Park sits by one of the busiest traffic junctions in Taichung City. The park covers three hectares of land, but it is unusual for a park this size to be built in the 7th Redevelopment Zone, a fast-developing commercial hub in the Xitun District, where grand boulevards are lined with office towers, shopping centers, and expensive apartments. Property prices here reach up to 800,000 NTD per ping. You’d be curious as to why anyone would decide to build a park right where they could have made a more profitable investment. The truth is, Maple Garden Park was no ordinary park to begin with. In the early 2000s, the ground it now sits on was originally planned for a new expo center. Shining Building Business Co. was approved to carry out the BOT project in 2004 and began construction the next year. The project was due by the end of February 2008. Yet by then the only progress made was a massive hole dug around the construction site, which had filled with rainwater after four years and was left hollow and wasted. Eventually, the project company was so far behind schedule that it was impossible to see the construction completed. The project, full of problems, was thus terminated, leaving a massive pit of stagnant water in one of the most expensive neighborhoods in the city. It would cost more than an estimated 200 million NTD to recover the lost earthwork and to fill up the hole. Instead of trying to restore it, the government decided to rebuild the site into an ecological park. A different construction company undertook the new project. The water-filled pit was converted into a wet pond, a 20-meter deep detention basin that would store up to 200,000 cubic meters of water and protect the area against flooding. A park was designed around it, and Maple Garden Park opened in September 2012. People debated whether converting it into a park was the right decision to make, considering its location. Some have half-jokingly referred to it as “Taiwan’s Most Expensive Park.” Indeed, if the government tried to sell it they would make an estimated 22 billion. But the positive effects of having a park that is free and open to everyone are hard to quantify. In 2014, Maple Garden Park won the Prix d’Excellence in the Public Infrastructure/Amenities Category at the 65th FIABCI World Congress, an annual summit gathering of global real estate leaders.
Today Maple Garden is one of the city’s best known landmarks. Being right next to the Chaoma bus stop and close to a line of department stores, it is a popular tourist attraction. It’s also become a great place for families and friends to close off a lazy Sunday afternoon. In the evening, the park holds music performances on the round wooden platforms, and at night the bridges are strewn with colored LED lights. A small on-site restaurant serves drinks and light meals from 9.30 a.m. to midnight, but the park is open anytime to anyone. Maple Garden Park might not be the grandest or the most spectacular park that has ever been built, but it is nevertheless endearing in its own way. So step away from the noise and the traffic. Come take a walk in the park. by Stan Ho Whenever I play Go, I can’t hear any noise except the sound of the contact of stones and board; I can’t see anything except white and black like constellations shining in the sky; I can’t feel anything except the intense pressure that overwhelms the atmosphere. Let me show you the magical power of Go. The game known in English as Go—Igo in Japanese, Weiqi in Chinese, Baduk in Korean—is not only more difficult and subtle than chess. It may also be the world’s oldest surviving game of pure mental skill. Devised in China at least 2500 years ago, it stirred enough interest by the time of the Han dynasty (206 BC-220 AD) to inspire poets, philosophers, and strategic theorists. It is said that the board of Go represents the universe and the interactions between black and white stones imply that everything in the universe has its positive and negative sides. Stones can unite to become stronger while isolated stones might be captured or undergo “life and death” issues just like a reflection of human life. 8 reasons to play Go 1. Go is the simplest of games The Chinese term for Go is “surround chess,” if you directly translate it. Just like its name, the essence of Go is to surround more territory than your opponent. 2. Go is the most complex of all games There are 361 intersections on a Go board for displaying stones and all moves are possible at all times, adding even more to the complexity. Think about all the combinations it can generate. It is said that the possibilities of a Go game is 10 followed by more than 200 zeros. That’s why in the long history of Go, there are no two identical games. 3. Go is the most popular game in the world Although still rather obscure in the West, go is a popular game in Asia, especially in China, Japan, and Korea, where there are more than 100 million active players. Players can range in age from kindergarten children to old people with wrinkles all over their faces. When I pass the park near my home, there are always older people sitting on a boulder playing Go. 4. Go is about building, not destroying Most popular board games begin with a set position. On the contrary, Go begins with an empty board. Players seek to create strong, flexible structures by placing stones one after another. As you gain playing experience and have a deeper understanding of Go, stones can form meaningful and amazing patterns, just like letters and spaces can form a beautiful poem. 5. You can always find a place to fit in In Go, there is a ranking system, which not only shows how skillful you are but also provides protection for people who are not as well trained. In a Go game, the player who is ranked higher needs to take a handicap depending on the gap between rankings. In other words, the weaker player simply places several stones on the board to begin the game. The number of stones placed equals the difference in rank. Thus nearly any two players can have a mutually challenging game. In short, Go is a game in which you compete with yourself. 6. It’s easy to learn from mistakes "A stone laid is a stone played.“ Once a stone is placed on the board, it can’t be removed unless captured. Each game is a record of itself, and players can reflect on their past mistakes. Therefore, as in life, players have to live with their choices. But unlike life, players can learn from their mistakes and try to correct them in another game. 7. Ancient rituals impart important values Before we learn any skills of Go, a teacher usually talks about etiquette first. For thousands of years, many traditions have been passed down among Go players that allow us to express respect for their opponent, humility, and other important virtues. 8. Go is the oldest game still played in its original form When you place a stone on a Go board, you share the same experience of billions of people who have done exactly the same thing for thousands of years. Go probably originated in China, but no one really knows. 2500 years ago, Confucius advised his readers to avoid frivolous pastimes and to learn the virtues of this already ancient and venerable game. In Japan, the strongest players have been viewed as national heroes for centuries. Koreans were playing at least 1200 years ago, even before the Japanese. With the development of technology, playing Go on the internet has become a trend, speeding up the transmission of the game to nearly anywhere. I am looking forward to the day that wherever there are people, there is Go. Go is the ultimate mind sport that combines wisdom in a form of art. I am happy that I can seek happiness from Go and you should too.
By Jason Huang Less than two years ago, a new term appeared on the NTU campus: “deep-bowl” courses (深碗通識) as opposed to “shallow-dish” courses (淺碟通識).[1] The deep-bowl course is a new concept for general education at the university, but it remains controversial.
General education, or liberal education, is practiced in many universities throughout the world. In Taiwan, the concept of general education was begun in the 1980s by the then-president of NTU, as a way of emphasizing interaction between different fields and encouraging life-long learning. But problems soon arose from differences between Taiwanese education and the situation at foreign universities. Students in other countries were overwhelmed by only eight credits of general education, while Taiwanese students felt none of that pressure even though they had to earn more than double that amount. The Chief of Academic Affairs at NTU pointed out that the main reason behind this phenomenon was the lack of class requirements, resulting in rather superficial learning. Measures were taken to make general education classes more profound. Deep-bowl courses were invented, having longer hours with correspondingly more credits. Extra reading assignments were given and reports were intensified to stimulate a more active learning attitude. Discussion classes were incorporated and students were required to give short presentations. The head of the General Education Center pointed out that the idea was to ensure that students learned something, and that they didn’t just sit there learning passively. Discussion classes require students to divide into groups, and the lectures become topics for discussion. Teaching assistants are in charge of conducting these discussions, but the biggest problem is that the topics for discussion are often too difficult. According to one TA in a class called “The Exploration of Life,” the students didn’t have enough background information or knowledge. The number of students in a discussion class also matters. Small groups are easier for conversation, while large groups produce fewer interactions. However, the limited number of TAs makes it impossible for smaller groups. Taiwanese students are also reluctant to express their opinions orally, and this makes the discussion classes even more difficult. According to Professor Tsai Chen Gia (蔡振嘉), who has taught “Expressions of Love in Music,” in other countries discussion classes are generally heated and vigorous, but even then many students speak only for the sake of speaking, and in fact few profound ideas are proposed. Professor Tsai tried using online discussions via an internet teaching platform instead of discussion sections. This produced lots of student participation, but since students were unlikely to read through the numerous replies from others, the result was not really a very good discussion either. From students’ point of view, too, discussion sections don’t always work well. First, a successful discussion depends greatly on the TA in charge. Some discussion topics were determined by the lecturer in advance, but others are decided by the TAs themselves and things won’t go well if they choose a bad topic. Some classes are also more difficult to adapt to this format, such as science-related courses, where there is not much room for discussion of scientific facts or rules. Second, the students hardly pay attention to general education classes and rarely do the assigned reading. Thus it is difficult to initiate a good discussion. The result is that students don’t talk and the TA must do something to fill the class, resulting in another lecture. But the attitude of students toward general education classes is deeply ingrained in our educational system. Students don’t have enough time to work on assignments because they are taking too many credits. Study time is devoted to students’ major subjects rather than to general education courses, and thus increasing the workload by introducing deep-bowl courses doesn’t help the situation. The deep-bowl course is designed to help students learn more in their general education courses, but it only serves as a superficial solution. Maybe the university should reconsider the purpose of general education courses themselves. Or does the whole education system need to be modified? According to Professor Tsai, Taiwan has really long semesters, and students become very tired by the end of the term. Is student reluctance really the heart of the problem? There might be other underlying issues as well. [1] There are no formal English names for these types of courses. The translation only corresponds to the Chinese names; bowls and dishes are metaphors based on the course load, the number of hours, and, hopefully, the depth of things that students will learn. By Stephen Lee New Zealand, also known as Aotearoa, the “Land of the Long White Clouds”, is known to be a country with a beautiful natural environment and scenic views. Growing up in New Zealand, I have explored most of its beautiful scenery, but there are also other beautiful attractions I dream of going to in the near future. The ones listed here are places I’ve been to and highly recommend for people who want to visit. HobbitonHobbiton is located in the North Island. Brought to you from The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit, Hobbiton is a must-see not only for fans of the movie series, but for anyone who enjoys beautiful scenery. Hobbiton is located in a small town called Matamata, near the major city of Hamilton. Hobbiton intends to show tourists (and even local New Zealanders) where and how certain scenes in the movie series were created. As a bonus, Hobbiton also provides ginger ale as refreshment after exploring the land. Tekapo (Lake Tekapo & Mount John)Tekapo is located near the middle of the South Island. It is a place of peace and quiet as shown through the lake and sky. Lake Tekapo is a popular tourist destination due to its beautiful views. Popular activities include hot springs and trekking/hiking. Located north of Lake Tekapo is Mount John, the “window to space”. This mountain has an observatory built by New Zealand’s very own university, the University of Canterbury. During the day, the view from the mountain at Lake Tekapois simply amazing. At night, the Mount John observatory is a very popular spot for stargazing. New Zealand largest telescope, the Mount John Observatoryallows you to see the sun, various stars, and even planets! If you’re feeling tired and hungry, the Astro Café is there to satisfy your needs. Nothing beats the experience of drinking a warm cup of coffee while gazing into the star-filled sky. RotoruaLocated at the center of the North Island, Rotorua is filled with hot springs. The place is also famous for having geothermic energy that supplies natural heating for many homes. Are you sick and tired of paying expensive electricity bills during winter? Rotorua is the place for you! The heat from the ground opens up geothermal wonders for everyone. This picture is of the world famous Pohutu Geyser, an area where hot springs burst into the sky with so much force that the height can reach up to 30 meters. Of course, the hot springs aren’t only there for you to look at; you can also enjoy your own hot spring pool and spa. The heat of the hot springs is geothermal, which means that all of the water is naturally hot. No artificial heat is added to these hot pools, but cold water is added to cool the temperature so people can actually enter the hot springs. Tongariro Alpine CrossingWorld renowned as one of the most amazing treks, the Tongariro Alpine Crossing is a place for people who enjoy hiking and beautiful scenery. Located in the North Island, this place ranks among the top ten single-day treks in the world. The crossing is approximately 19.4 kilometres, so you will have to spend a whole day to complete this crossing. Are you up for the challenge? OamaruThe Moeraki Boulders is one of the many scenic attractions of the South Island. These boulders are actually concrete that have been exposed through shoreline erosion over many years. They can reach a diameter of up to 3 meters! It is known as the “Stonehenge of New Zealand” and Oamaru has become a very popular place to visit. Another place where many people visit is the Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony. Since the South Island is so close to Antarctica, it is common for penguins to swim up to New Zealand to nest. Blue Penguins are the smallest penguin species, and are extremely cute. The Oamaru Blue Penguin colony is a place for people to see these cute animals swimming and waddling around the coastline. Visitors can take a casual stroll around parts of the colony to see the natural habitat of the penguins. In conclusion, New Zealand is definitely a country known for its beautiful landscapes and sightseeing attractions. I feel extremely privileged to live in a place like New Zealand, and I highly recommend everyone to visit this beautiful country at least once in his or her lifetime. You won’t regret it!
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May 2024
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