Taipei American School | 800 Chung Shan North Road, Section 6, Taipei, Taiwan | blueandgoldonline.org | VOLUME XXIII, ISS. 03 | February 16, 2017
SEWAGE SPILL
ORPHANAGE CLUB LOSES EVERYTHING AFTER PIPE BREAKS
By Amanda Huang & Charlotte Lee “I haven’t even begun to think about how Orphanage Club will be affected. Everything used for our outings, materials we’ve used for years, is gone. We’re taking it day by day,” says Mr. Arnold, Orphanage Club (OC) sponsor. On January 14, a sewage pipe broke in the basement parking garage, flooding the Orphanage Club’s storage area with water from the showers and toilets. According to Mr. Arnold, the flood destroyed hundreds of thousands, perhaps even millions, of NT worth of items. Since the alarm that usually sounds in the case of a flood was either broken or idle that day, by the time the OC members headed down to the basement, many of their donations, as well as all the valuable items stored in “the cage,” were soaked and could not be saved. Charissa Chiu, co-President of OC, says, “I was one of the first people to find out about the flood. At first I assumed that it was because of the rain since there was heavy rain the night before, but then there was the smell. For some reason it smelled like urine and feces.” Clarence Abrena (11), Vice President of OC, was also one of the first people to witness the flood. When he first entered the basement, the water was ankle deep, so he had to tie plastic bags around his shoes. However, soon after, the plastic bags
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broke and and his shoes soaked up both the smell and the water. After the students notified the maintenance crew of the flood, they worked nonstop from 7am to 5pm to clean out the mess. Since Orphanage Club had so many things stored in the basement, it was unclear how severe the damage was. With the strong smell of sewage, masks and bleach
Everything the club uses on outings was lost, along with all the prizes and decorations OC uses for PTA fairs and other events. Thousands of greeting cards, whose proceeds assist indigenous children at the Puli Christian Hospital, were ruined. Approximately 400,000 NT worth of the T-shirts and sweatshirts designed and sold by the Orphanage Club since
Orphanage Club rebuilds: Jing Yi Ng (12) and Cassandra Yeh (11) sell raffle tickets outside the lobby. were a must, and the cleaning process was painfully slow. In the end, the custodians even washed the cars in the basement and the hallways leading up to the basement to ensure the health and safety of people at TAS. According to Charissa, “the water dried and the bacteria went airborne” after the maintenance crew spent days scooping the water out with dustpans.
the 1970s also had to be thrown out. All clothing and household items that were going to be sold at the rummage sale on June 10 had to be discarded, as well as the winter clothing OC had been accumulating to give as part of Christmas parcels to the inhabitants of Orchid Island. Charissa says, “I was absolutely taken aback by the amount of donations
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we had to throw away. Everything that needed to be thrown away took up a couple of parking spaces and were piled in a huge mountain that almost touched the ceiling of the basement.” Most devastating of all, all of the club’s photographs, annual scrapbooks, awards, correspondence, and written history collected over the past 47 years was lost forever. Mr. Arnold recalls how Mrs. Peng, a now retired cafeteria lady, had created thousands of origami pieces when she worked at TAS in the 1970s. That too, was destroyed. Jing Yi Ng (12), co-President of OC with Charissa, says, “Right now I think we’re just really trying to ensure that we’ll be able to cover our expenses for outings and our annual donations without having to spend too much of the money that is already present in the OC account. We also have to replace items for our different committees, and that’s definitely a challenge given how much we lost. [Along with a raffle ticket sale on February 15] we also have an upcoming book sale.” Dr. Hartzell, upper school principal, says, “While the broken pipe was an unfortunate setback for OC, the event provided yet another example of the dedication of our maintenance and custodial staff, many of whom gave up their time off to respond to the extremely unpleasant work of cleaning up the mess. The TAS staff—in all areas of the school—are exemplary, and we can never celebrate them enough.”
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ORPHANAGE CLUB NEEDS DONATIONS OF THE FOLLOWING ITEMS: SWIM GEAR & INFLATABLE ITEMS SPORTS EQUIPMENT CLOTHING HOUSEHOLD ITEMS ELECTRONICS
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the blue & gold february 16, 2017
The world’s best pickup game
The best of the best: This year’s Eastern (top) and Western (bottom) Conference All-Star starters. [NBA.COM]
By Daniel Wang The National Basketball Association has a grueling season. For 169 days every season, teams compete against each other for a position in the playoffs and the chance to win the NBA championship. However, every year, from February 17 to February 19, some of the biggest stars of the association come together to entertain fans worldwide during All-Star weekend. For example, this year’s dunk contests features last year’s runner up Aaron Gordon while Klay Thompson will defend his 3-point contest championship. Ultimately, these events and contests are preliminaries for the main event: The NBA All-Star Game. Dating all the way back to 1951, the All-Star game is probably the most anticipated event of the entire weekend. There is only one time during the year in which the top 12 players in the East scrimmage against the top 12 players in the West. This year, the Eastern Conference
starters comprise of two Cleveland Cavalier players in Kyrie Irving and LeBron James. Former All-Star MVP Irving is scoring a career high 23.8 points per game while one of the best all-around players in the game, and soon to be 14-time All-Star, in James is averaging 25.6 points, 8.3 assists, and 7.7 rebounds per game. Other than the two Cavalier’s, the rest will be making their first appearance as starters in the All-Star game. DeMar DeRozan and Jimmy Butler are both averaging careerhighs in points per game with 28.0 and 24.7 respectively. Meanwhile, Giannis Antetokounmpo, also known as “The Greek Freak”, is having a breakout year with 23.5 points, 5.5 assists, and 8.8 rebounds per game. On the other side of the country, the Western Conference is highlighted by two Golden State Warrior players in Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant. Curry, the reigning MVP, is scoring 24.6 points per game while 8-time AllStar Durant is averaging 26.3 points and
8.5 rebounds per game. Accompanying them will be one of the top candidates for the MVP of the 2016-17 NBA season: James Harden, who is having 28.6 points, 8.2 rebounds, and a league leading 11.6 assists per game. Last but not least, defensive juggernaut Kawhi Leonard averages 25.8 points and nearly 2.0 steals per game while first time All-Star starter Anthony Davis is scoring 28.6 points and grabbing 12.0 points per game. An interesting story that developed was the unlikely rise of Zaza Pachulia in the voting polls. Hailing from the Republic of Georgia, Pachulia averages a mere 5.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. Yet, the 6’11 center finished 2nd in the fan voting among frontcourt players, finishing in front of this years starters such as Anthony Davis and Kawhi Leonard. Whether his placing was the result of internet trolls or the collective effort of his home country, this years new voting system (fans (50%), players (25%) and media
(25%)) prevented the veteran from suiting up for the contest as players and media members did not join in on the support. However, while Pachulia climbed the ranks of the voting polls, Russell Westbrook slipped down the voting polls. Currently, Westbrook leads the league in points per game with 30.6, while dishing 10.4 assists and grabbing 10.6 rebounds per game. Despite averaging a triple-double, being the AllStar MVP for the previous two years, and being a favorite for the MVP of this season, Westbrook was snubbed from the starting lineup this year. The interest around Westbrook continues as for the first time since former teammate
...Westbrook was snubbed from the starting lineup this year. Kevin Durant signed with the Golden State Warriors, the two superstars will be playing together once again. When asked whether Westbrook was on speaking terms with this former teammate he answered bluntly, “nah”. The reunion of the two players alone will be an interesting dynamic to observe during the All-Star game. Last but not least, this year’s first time All-Stars consists of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kemba Walker, Gordon Hayward and DeAndre Jordan. However, due to the limited number of
superstars who are able to participate in the All-Star game, every year there are deserving players who are kept out of the game. For the first time in 8 years, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade and Chris Paul are all not part of this years selection. Meanwhile, rookie sensation Joel Embiid and two former Rookie of the Year winners in Karl-Anthony Towns and Damian Lillard were not voted on to or chosen for the All-Star game. Despite the exclusion of some players, this year’s star-studded weekend of basketball will be a fun one to watch. Watch the game and all events leading up to it on Videoland. SCHEDULE Feb 18 (8 AM): NBA Celebrity Game, Rising Stars Challenge Feb 19 (9:30 AM): All Star Saturday Night Feb 20 (9 AM): 66th NBA AllStar Game PLAYERS Eastern Conference All-Star Starters: Kyrie Irving, DeMar DeRozan, Jimmy Butler, Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James Eastern Conference Reserves: Paul George, Kevin Love, Kyle Lowry, Paul Millsap, Isaiah Thomas, Kemba Walker, John Wall Western Conference All-Star Starters: Stephen Curry, James Harden, Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis Western Conference Reserves: DeMarcus Cousins, Marc Gasol, Draymond Green, Gordon Hayward, DeAndre Jordan, Klay Thompson, Russell Westbrook
New Super Mario Run runs afoul of expectations By Barron Tsai
It’s me, Mario: Despite a meteoric rise, the app’s popularity is steadily declining. [GAMESPOT.COM}
Nintendo released Super Mario Run on Dec. 15, 2016. This mobile game, currently only available on iPhones, skyrocketed to the top of the charts on the Apple App store in the United States. It also set a record for the most downloads within the first week of an app’s existence on the App Store, getting 40 million downloads within the first four days of its existence. Super Mario is an iconic character and a staple of many childhoods on consoles such as the Nintendo DS. As users move away from traditional gaming consoles to their phones, Nintendo appears to be making forays into the mobile gaming market. The numbers do not lie this game’s initial popularity was far beyond that of Pokemon Go. Bianca Tseng (10) says that “it reminds [her] of Flappy Bird since it is so simple and addic[ting].” Despite it’s popularity, Nintendo’s stock value has actually plummeted. Within five days of its launch, Nintendo’s share value fell about USD $3 billion. This might be due to a variety of user issues with the app. One major design issue is that the
game uses an estimated 50 MB of data per hour played - which can rapidly eat up mobile data if not playing with
...it reminds [her] of Flappy Bird since it is so simple and addic[ting]. a WiFi connection. The problem? Playing the game requires a strong, steady connection to the Internet at all times - which means no playing in the subway. Further compounding user frustrations is the cost structure of the app, which users say was not made clear to them upon initial download. The game is free to download, but is only free to play up until the third level. Users must pay a one-time fee of USD $9.99 to unlock the rest of the game.
The app design scares investors off, as users might not want to spend the money to play a game that they can not play offline, eats their mobile data, and is relatively short for the cost. Furthermore, Nintendo’s choice to use one-time purchases rather than recurring in-app purchases means that Nintendo does not have a longterm revenue stream. According to data from Bloomberg and Apptopia Inc., users believe the USD $9.99 cost is too high. Only 1-2% of users who download the app actually buy the full version. Apptopia estimates that the number would have jumped to over 10% if Nintendo lowered the price to USD $2.00. Despite the loss in revenue, and the rapidly decreasing popularity, Nintendo does not look to be worse off in the long run, as it remains a gaming behemoth. This foray into the mobile gaming market, while unsuccessful, is unlikely to affect Nintendo in the long run. It will look to return to traditional gaming with the release of the “Switch,” a new console later this year, and gamers everywhere continue to use Nintendo consoles.
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the blue & gold february 16, 2017
Meet the next 4 years of American leadership By Andrew Lin
Following his victory over Hillary Clinton in the 2016 U.S. Presidential election, Donald Trump and his cabinet prepare for 4 years of leading the United States of America. Here are his 10 most important cabinet picks:
Vice President: Mike Pence Mike Pence, former Indiana Governor, ran with President Trump in July 2016. Pence serves as the biggest connection between Trump himself and the Republican establishment, which is sometimes at odds with Trump. A fierce conservative, Pence is a supporter of fiscal conservatism and a staunch opponent of LGBTQ rights and abortions. His appointment to Vice President was praised by many, such as Speaker Paul Ryan, within the party due to several decades of political experience.
Secretary of Defense: James Mattis James Mattis, former Marine Corps General, is known as “Mad Dog Mattis”. Mattis enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1969 and later became the Commander of U.S. Central Command. Mattis is an outspoken critic of Russia: he has condemned Russian activity in Ukraine and in the Baltic states. Members from both the Democratic and Republican parties, such as Leon Panetta and John McCain respectively, have praised Mattis’ appointment as the Secretary of Defense.
Secretary of State: Rex Tillerson Rex Tillerson joined the oil corporation, ExxonMobil, in 1975 and became CEO of the company in 2006 before stepping down to join Trump’s administration. Tillerson has a strong relationship with Russia and its President, Vladimir Putin, due to past business dealings. Tillerson has also openly supported the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the trade agreement that President Trump has withdrawn from, and has acknowledged to some extent that humans have contributed to climate change.
Secretary of Treasury: Steven Mnuchin Steven Mnuchin was a partner of Goldman Sachs for 17 years before joining the Trump administration. After leaving Goldman Sachs, Mnuchin purchased a national bank, renamed it OneWest Bank, and became the company’s CEO. Mnuchin served the Trump campaign’s finance chairman. Despite Mnuchin’s lack of experience in politics, his appointment has been lauded by former Secretary of Treasury Henry Paulson as a solid choice.
Attorney General: Jeff Sessions Jeff Sessions, one of the most conservative members of the Senate, was an Alabama senator prior to the election. He opposes illegal immigration and same-sex marriage, is a skeptic of climate change, and is prolife. Sessions’ track record with social issues has become a major cause of concern as it is riddled with accusations of racism and opposition to LGBTQ rights and civil rights movements. Sessions has also supported previous attempts to construct a border wall at the Mexican-American border.
Secretary of Education: Betsy DeVos Elisabeth (Betsy) DeVos, is a billionaire chairwoman of the energy company, Windquest Group. She has made a name for herself as a proponent of school vouchers and school choice but has also advocated for the privatization of schools. Her selection as the Secretary of Education was met with mixed reactions: some, such as Jeb Bush, have praised the pick while teachers unions have criticized the selection as they believe DeVos does not have the experience to lead the department.
Chief of Staff: Reince Priebus Reince Priebus is the chairman of the Republican National Convention (RNC). Priebus helped reorganize the Republican party through the “Growth and Opportunity Project”, a project report that aimed at acquiring a better direction for the future of the Republican party, and advocated opening up the party to women and the LGBTQ community while abandoning anti-immigration stances. Priebus has also worked under the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
Secretary of Health: Tom Price Tom Price served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and as the chairman of the House Budget Committee. Price, a major opponent of Obamacare, has criticized Obamacare for giving the government too much control over the health care system. Price is also aligned with pro-life and an opponent of samesex marriage. Many Republicans, including Newt Gingrich and Speaker Paul Ryan, have praised Trump’s selection of Price, calling Price a leader in health care solutions.
Secretary of Energy: Rick Perry Rick Perry served as the Governor of Texas, and was a presidential candidate during the 2012 election cycle. Perry has described himself as a fiscal conservative and has opposed creating a state income tax. Perry is an opponent of the LGBTQ community, a global warming skeptic, and a supporter of the death penalty. He is still famous for his 2012 presidential campaign gaffe where he vowed to abolish three departments but forgot one of the departments’ name: ironically, the Department of Energy.
Director of Environmental Protection Agnecy: Scott Pruitt Scott Pruitt was the Attorney General of Oklahoma. Prior to his selection, Pruitt served in the Oklahoma State legislature and as the head of the Republican Attorneys General Association. Pruitt is an open and staunch opponent of the EPA, condemning the agency for overextending their powers and regulations. Pruitt is also a climate change skeptic and has filed several lawsuits against climate regulations set by the Obama administration.
Jan ‘17
has experienced a record year, more than doubling in price. The main cause behind this resurgence was the weakness of the Chinese economy, causing investors to try to move their money abroad. Government regulations prevented Chinese citizens from doing this through traditional methods, leading them to turn to the unregulated Bitcoin instead. Driven by this factor, Bitcoin reached US$ 1,153 on January 4th, within touching distance of its all time price high. In the latest twist in Bitcoin’s rollercoaster story, though, the very next day, the Chinese yuan showed signs of strengthening, causing the currency to rapidly drop by nearly three hundred dollars. Regardless of these movements, Dr. Bruce remains skeptical of Bitcoin’s status as a viable investment, saying that “I would categorize Bitcoin as a highly speculative investment, possessing a disproportionate amount of risk. It certainly doesn’t fit within the traditional parameters governing investing, and its lack of transparency and oversight makes it a ‘buyer beware’ situation.”
Bitcoin: worth more than just a bit
By Julian Lee
In the early hours of January 2, 2017, the value of the digital currency known as Bitcoin passed the 1,000 USD mark for the first time in over three years. This makes it more than 250 times more expensive than the Kuwaiti Dinar, which is conventionally considered the most valuable national currency in the world. Bitcoin was launched in January 2009 by an unknown founder using the name Satoshi Nakamoto, whose identity still remains a mystery. At its inception, according to Investopedia, Bitcoin’s initial value was USD $0.008, or less than one cent, but within five days, a Bitcoin was worth 8 cents, and its USD value continued to increase rapidly over the next few years, rocketing into the hundreds. What sets Bitcoin aside from other currencies is the fact that it does not physically exist; there is no such thing as a Bitcoin note or a Bitcoin coin. All transactions are conducted over the Internet, and are not backed or regulated by any country’s government. Bitcoin has recently made inroads
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Ups and downs: Bitcoin’s dramatic price fluctuations in the past few months [COINDESK]
into Taiwan, led by two competing startups called MaiCoin and BitoEX. Deals with these two companies have made Bitcoin available for purchase at the multi-purpose kiosks of over 12,000 convenience stores around the country, including popular chains like 7-11, Hi-Life, OK-Mart. FamilyMart has also begun to accept Bitcoin as payment for cash vouchers at their stores. In addition to these convenience stores, according to CoinMap, 18
businesses in Taipei accept Bitcoin for their goods and services, including 12 Baskets, the largest producer of agricultural products and artistic crafts in eastern Taiwan, and BeerBicycle, a bicycle shop and bar in Wanhua. Despite this, Dr. Bruce, AP Economics teacher, expressed doubt against Bitcoin becoming more mainstream in the future. He says, “the essence of a viable currency is that it is widely accepted by all as a medium
of exchange, has a stable value, and is subject to monitoring and control by a central bank. Bitcoin currently fails all three of these characteristics.” Bitcoin’s expansion has faced opposition from the Taiwanese government; according to CoinDesk, the Taiwanese government has stated that it will not be allowing the installation of Bitcoin ATMs, and has required banks not to receive or exchange Bitcoin. In the last 12 months, Bitcoin
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the blue & gold february 16, 2017
Revenge: not an excuse to murder By Grace Cho
Psychopaths, serial killers, and rapists—those who commit immoral, violent crimes against other people— often survive their victims by decades. They live while many of their victims die. I think that is wrong. Due to human rights and respecting criminals as human beings, these prisoners usually stay in jail for several years or remain imprisoned for the rest of their lives. The death penalty, also known as capital punishment, is a legal process where the state sentences the criminals to die as a punishment for a severe crime they have been found guilty of. While I believe is the right of an individual to live peacefully and be free from harm, I also believe that individuals have a right to live a life without a fear of violent crimes. Unfortunately, many individuals commit murder, rape, and assault, and have no regard for life or the property of others. Since these individuals violate other people’s lives, it is only fair that they are brought to justice and suffer the fate they rightfully
Death Penalty Map: China, Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and USA are the top 5 executioners. [AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL]
deserve. There were more than 1,634 people executed in 2015. Among this immense amount of people, there must be a few innocent people who were killed university. Therefore, I strongly insist that the death penalty should be allowed with strict restrictions in processing by only using death penalty to those criminals who caused appalling
death to occur. Even though the crime might be obvious, they should be in several trials in order to have no flaws in the outcome of the trials. Some other people believe that sentencing a person to death is a denial of the prisoner’s human rights. I do not believe this is true as only those who have committed severe crimes will be
killed. Another argument against the death penalty is that few countries use it, so a large portion of the world must believe it is wrong. It is true that there are only 58 countries in the world who permit and use the death penalty against violent criminals. However, this is faulty logic. Many of the world’s
leading and most populous countries permit the death penalty including China, Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, United States, and so on. These are the countries with the record of most executions. Taiwan, for example, reintroduced the death penalty in 2010 whn the government realized its necessary after a 4-year old girl was killed senselessly. I believe the death penalty saves lives. By sentencing murderers with capital punishment, you can save future lives as murderers will think twice about killing if they fear death. Moreover, it helps the victim’s family have a disclosure upon their tragedy. There were 102 countries that completely abolished the death penalty by the end of 2015. Personally, it is abstruse for me that with increasing crimes, there are still many countries who would totally abolish death penalty due to reasons like respecting criminal’s rights. But what about the victims who had died? We should respect the victims as much as the criminals.
The problematic “Post-truth” phenomenon By Cherice Tsai The post-truth phenomenon is a concerning issue because it exerts practical and negative influence in our society. The Oxford Dictionaries named “post—truth” word of the year for 2016. Post-truth is an adjective defined by the Oxford dictionaries as “relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.” Throughout 2016, the concept of “post—truth” has become prevalent in American politics, with individuals, including politicians and the public, resorting to personal feelings or intuition when making statements and decisions. The way the US American Presidential election and the presidential debates occurred this past year has been concerning to many: a platform which had previously allowed for productive political discussion became also a grounds for personal attack. As New York Times columnist David Brooks points out, in this year’s elections, we have seen the degradation of moral capital, or the “shared habits, norms, institutions and values that make common life possible.” “[In our societies, we] agree on a million informal restraints — codes of politeness, humility and mutual respect that...steer us toward reconciliation,” Brooks says. But when political candidates resort to personal attacks and make statements not to provide information about their policies but to reduce their opponent’s credibility, they break these codes and appeal to the public’s emotions. Even when policies are discussed or evidence is provided in support of claims, there is no emphasis on fact-checking. This is the idea of “post—truth.” The lack of emphasis on truth. Though seen in politics, the problem also exists in other aspects of our lives: a neglect of opinions other than our own. It’s worth examining what’s contributing to polarization both in politics and in our
beliefs. Social media is one cause contributing to this problem — a Twitter post can gain as much credibility as a published journal. Because social media has become such a prevalent aspect of our lives, we are much more likely to come across a twitter post affirming a pre—existing belief than to actively seek an article advocating an opposing one. Social media increases exposure to beliefs similar to our own. Individuals whose social media profiles we follow will likely present ample statistical evidence that portrays the perspectives/ actions of opposing parties in the worst light possible, and will offer facts that best support the side we support. Just like anything that goes viral on the internet or becomes popular in real life, we often see the better versions of whatever is being relayed. The reason that the system of government is such an important aspect for discussion is because it carries necessary implications for society and our social interactions. What democracy advocates for, in part, is the equality of each person to make their own thoughts matter. Democratic societies are often also individualistic and encourage people to voice their beliefs. Social media has only magnified this: by allowing any and every one to publish their opinions regardless of whether or not they’re supported. It’s possible to extract that in a way, the significance we place in our own beliefs and our own ability to make judgements has only disinclined us further to seek criticism to our beliefs. Opinions are sometimes valued so much that we feel a need to have an opinion just because it is better than holding a neutral stance. And because we often see ideas as a part of ourselves, it is easy to take it personally when personal beliefs and ideas are attacked. Sometimes, individuals go to lengths to defend their beliefs just because they want to be right, not because they actually hold
those beliefs so strongly in the first place. Emotions can prevent a genuine exchange of ideas. One of the most immediate solutions to the post—truth phenomenon is unfortunately not a new idea. It seems that in our daily lives, simply making ourselves more aware is the most important action we can take. Challenge your opinions almost as much as you place faith in them. We hear repetitions of this idea ever so often from various people. “Put yourself in someone else’s shoes,” we hear from our parents. “Exercise critical thinking,” our teachers tell us. In order to avoid immersing ourselves in this post—truth mentality and to prevent the problems that result, the first baby step we can take is to make ourselves conscious of our biases: implicit and explicit.
Post-truth mentality: Personal beliefs are being used as justification for truth [MARTIN SHOVEL]
AMANDA HUANG, Co-Editor-in-Chief CHRISTINE LIN, Co-Editor-in-Chief ANYA LAI, News Editor ANDREW LIN, Opinions Editor CAROLYN WANG, Arts & Culture Editor SHEREEN LEE, Features Editor CHRISTINE LIN, Verdict Editor
GRACE CHO, Staff Reporter & Designer MELISSA CHO, Staff Reporter & Designer AUDREY KONG, Staff Reporter & Designer CHARLOTTE LEE, Staff Reporter & Designer COCO LEE, Staff Reporter & Designer JULIAN LEE, Staff Reporter & Designer CATHERINE LIN, Staff Reporter & Designer KELLY PHIL, Staff Reporter & Designer BARRON TSAI, Staff Reporter & Designer CHERICE TSAI, Staff Reporter & Designer DANIEL WONG, Staff Reporter & Designer LINDSEY KUNDEL, Adviser
Published by Taipei American School The Blue & Gold is produced and distributed free of charge monthly during the academic year by the Journalism classes of Taipei American School, 800 Chung Shan N. Road, Section 6, Shih Lin, Taipei, Taiwan 111. The views expressed in The Blue & Gold The Blue & Gold demonstrates leadership in the school community as a non-biased newspaper that is dedicated to maintaining journalistic integrity, presenting timely information and coverage In striving to create and produce a comprehensive school newspaper, The Blue & Gold website (www.blueandgoldonline. org) is dedicated to providing a greater voice to the members of the community. Speech is protected on the condition that it does not infringe on others and upholds the Taipei American School values of Honesty, Respect, Responsibility, Kindness, and Courage.
the blue & gold february 16, 2017
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Time for Taiwan to set an example
Marching for equality: Gay rights supporters chant at an LGBTQ rally in December 2016. [EUROPEAN PRESSPHOTO AGENCY]
By Carolyn Wang Love is love. Only 22 countries out of 196 countries in the world have legalized same sex marriage. Without a bill legalizing same-sex marriage, gay people around the world are being being restricted from marrying their loved ones. But that is not all, gay couples do not have the same rights as straight couples. If a person in a gay relationship dies, their partner does not receive right to their properties. Not only that gay couples do not both receive child custody. This is the cause of many troubles as the children are
split from their family. While only 22 countries legalized gay marriage, only 13 countries in the world see homosexual actions punishable by death, for example, Qatar, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. Taiwan is currently making big progress with LGBTQ issues. Taiwan is becoming known as one of the most progressive countries in Asia, and our community is taking big strides towards marriage rights for all. Every year Taiwan hosts a gay parade that is one of the biggest ones in Asia. The rally is supported by LGTBQ people from all over
the world and this year it attracted over 80,000 people. The acceptance towards LGBTQ community is rapidly growing in Taiwan. Late last year, the legislature submitted a bill to Parliament that proposed changing the definition of marriage to union between two people, rather than between a man and woman. Although there is not a definite time to when it will be approved, if it is approved, same-sex marriage could be happening in the late 2017. There have been multiple attempts in the past to submit a bill like this,
but they were all not successful. All the past submitted bills were rejected. “Nobody has the right to take rights like marriage away from others,” says Karen Dalton, supporter of same sex marriage. This year, there is more hope for the legalization of same-sex marriage. President, Tsai-Ing Wen has openly proclaimed her support for same-sex marriage and gay rights while the Democratic Progressive Party has also been largely supportive of gay rights. According to a public poll, it shows that the Taiwanese society is evenly split between legalizing same-
sex marriage. “Why call it gay rights when it is a human right?” exclaims Becky Roffler (11), an advocate for same sex-marriage. Everyone deserves unconditional love. Everyone deserves to have someone who can spend the rest their lives with. Everyone has the right to a happy and fulfilling marriage with the one they love. Why are we taking this right away from people? LGTBQ people deserve to be seen as equal in the eyes of law and in society. All citizens of Taiwan should be able to receive the same rights and freedoms.
Non-Western terror victims ignored
A nation mourns: Protesters take to the streets after the 2015 Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris. [NEWSWEEK]
By Charlotte Lee “Our schema is shaped by what we encounter and experience in our lives. Who we interact with. What we read. What we’re taught. I think that the disparity in coverage and conversation can be connected to what we know about and what perceptions we have. Our actions...fall in line with our perceptions,” says Mr. Walker, an AP World History and AP/IBSL
Psychology teacher. According to Mr. Walker, the way our lives have shaped our perspectives largely contributes to the way we see, think, and react. Our perspectives can also shape the way we differentiate the relevant from the irrelevant, or the important from the unimportant. Just over fifteen months ago, on November 13th, 2015, the Stade de France Stadium was attacked,
marking the first of three suicide bombings in Paris that night. Along with mass shootings, the Paris attacks that night totaled 130 deaths.The following weekend, Facebook was brimming with posts from countless people demonstrating their support for the fallen through the hashtag #prayforparis. Three days later, TIME magazine reported that over 70 million people had shared this hashtag through
Instagram. In March 2016, three more suicide bombings were claimed by ISIS in Brussels. These attacks resulted in 31 deaths. In both cases, these bombings were headline news and considered very shocking—shocking enough to be newsworthy. However, this support and surprise is not proportional to how people react to terrorist attacks outside of Europe. Outside of the Western world, it seems that terrorism is not as terrifying. However, four months following the Brussels attack, the sum of deaths in the Middle East, Africa and Asia totaled to 43 times the that of the deaths in Europe and the Americas. This is despite the fact that an ISIS suicide bombing in Baghdad in July 2016 tallied up 292 deaths: one of the most deadly attacks from ISIS ever. Not all flags of victimized countries were seen on top of Facebook profile pictures, and few can claim they saw #prayforbaghdad trend so successfully. Almost immediately after the Brussels bombing, Ashley Kirk from the Telegraph presented a graph featuring data of the countries with the largest increases in terrorism over past years: Libya, Ukraine, South Sudan, and Central African Republic. From this, it can be concluded that the Western world did not experience the most number of deaths nor the greatest increase in terrorism. So, specific attacks sometimes receive more attention when
they are not necessarily the most deadly ones. When asked his opinion why people react the way they do, Mr. Walker brought up that on the same day as the Paris attack, a bombing in Baghdad killed 21 people. One day prior, 42 people were killed in Beirut. He mentioned that the ideas people “commonly associate with [different] locations” and the preconceived notion of what is associated with “terrorism” —both “shape our behavior”. He says that “the call for greater understanding of terrorism, global context, history, and, well, people in general is needed.” Perhaps it is the idea that a bed of nails hurts less than a single nail. What seems to the public as constant violence in the Middle East and Africa can make tragic events seem normal and expected. Yet, the deaths there still count, and still hurt just as much as anywhere else. Terrorist attacks in the West may be rarer, but that does not make the attacks elsewhere less newsworthy. Violent acts of terrorism affect multiple groups of people, but are being misrepresented because at some point, we may have become numb to high death tolls coming from countries that sound like they are used to violence. It is hard to learn about things that may scare us. Nonetheless, we owe it to both ourselves and the people of those countries to learn about what is happening in the rest of the world.
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the blue & gold february 16, 2017
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Forego comfort for a cause
#same
The Blue & Gold discusses the value of relatability in modern culture.
By Richard Arnold
[OXFORD UNIVERSITY RESEARCH ARCHIVES]
Relatability Universality is only skin-deep breeds inspiration By Catherine Lin “Donald Trump tried to assimilate into Earth culture and failed,” announced one Guardian headline after he was caught eating pizza with a knife anf fork. His pizza-eating habit was criticized as an indication of his detachment from the common people. New York mayor Bill de Blasio and 2004 Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry have both also for being caught on camera eating pizza “the wrong way.”
Praising books for being relatable sends the wrong message about what makes a good novel. The expectation that politicians should be relatable has led to absurd spectacles involving politicians photographed while eating at small diners on the campaign trail or provoking scandal with thousanddollar clothes. This causes politicians to be judged not by how experienced or competent they are, but how “relatable” they seem to us, the “commoners.” A habit of eating pizza with a knife and fork becomes a vulnerability for politicians, even though this trait has nothing to do with how well a candidate will do once in office. Celebrities also participate in charades of relatability. Anna Kendrick says she likes sweatpants and fast food. Taylor Swift may have a private jet and supermodel friends, but she bakes cookies and cuddles with her cats on Instagram—just like us. But relatable celebrity personas are still personas. Celebrities who portray themselves as relatable are not more authentic than one that does not try
By Shereen Lee to seem down-to earth. Relatability is not only applauded in people; according to the New Yorker, the word “relatable” appeared in 116 Times Book Review articles in the year 2013 alone. Praising books for being relatable sends the wrong message about what makes a good novel. The best books change the way we think instead of merely agreeing with what we already know. Books can be valuable precisely because they force the reader into the shoes of someone very different from themselves. Claiming that Shakespeare is great simply because his themes and are universally and timelessly relatable forgets that reading to see ourselves reflected in characters is shallow at best and selfabsorbed at worst. Can most Taipei American School students really relate to rape or slavery? The idea that good books are good simply because they are “relatable” refuses to acknowledge that complete understanding is often impossible. The popularity of relatability speaks to our enthusiasm for people who are weird and flawed, just like us: Buzzfeed’s 2014 list of the top 10 most relatable TV characters ever included a man desperate for love, a pretentious know-it-all, and an awkward “human disaster”. Identifying with a politician, celebrity, or fictional character is not the problem. Relatability only becomes harmful when it becomes the starting point for thinking about and judging people and characters. It obscures the gulf between our lives and theirs. To be satisfied with relatability is to ignore the insight to be gained from difference. Sometimes, the best politicians, actors, and books may not be the most relatable ones. Denigrating unrelatability causes people to lose sight of that. Instead of applauding relatability, we should reward the well-managed crisis, the well-acted scene, and the well-written passage. Sometimes being “just like
When the public found out that Kim Kardashian had been robbed at gunpoint last autumn, the Internet soon became a breeding ground for everything from political statements about gun control to memes. The one notably absent reaction: sympathy. “Should have killed #KimKardashian,” wrote one Twitter poster. “Finally, some good news on a Monday!” wrote another. Before long, social media platforms were filled with accusations that Kardashian’s social media usage was to blame for the robbery, or even that the event was only a publicity stunt. Why did so many target Kardashian for being a crime victim? The most likely explanation is her untouchable persona. Kardashian’s entire life—family drama, fertility struggle, even breakfast food choices—has been monetized and made palatable for public consumption. Events that should have been awkward or intensely personal were airbrushed in a way that made her and her family seem to transcend regular people. In the same way, the “breaking news” coverage and drama surrounding Kardashian’s attempted shooting made the event look like just another real-life episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians. In her public persona, Kardashian made herself larger than life, the opposite of relatable. In return, she has become, in the eyes of the public, subhuman. Clearly, she has benefitted from this brand of fame during less turbulent times. But it has cost Kardashian too. Creating a persona distant from its audience, whether in a book, through an acting role, or in the public sphere, prevents the audience from ever truly understanding that character. In fact, considering the audience’s circumstances can help create an experience more likely to engage them, just as great rhetoric is shaped by people who think about the effects of their words before they speak.
Fundamentally, many of the industries now praised by relatability are those which are bolstered by empathy. In literature, connection with our shared humanity can often enrich a text and encourage readers to deeply engage with the text. A student in Shakespeare struggling to parse the language, for example, can find some sense of understanding by relating with the characters. In politics, leaders are expected to know the struggles of the common people in order to effectively lead. Populists from the 19th century Alphonse de Lamartine to 2016’s Bernie Sanders have succeeded because they truly understand what others in their country need. In politics, relatability is an increasingly relevant issue because leaders are now expected to serve their people, not the other way around. Aggressive marketing of relatability is sometimes the only way to communicate to an electorate that they can identify with the struggles of their people. Conversely, failure to effectively relate to citizens shows that the politician might not be the most effective leader for their country because it demonstrates their inability to inspire. Doctors, engineers, and programmers, on the other hand, are not likely to have “be relatable” on their checklist any time soon. These individuals do not have the same responsibility because their job does not require them to engage the same way that authors, actors, and leaders should. Their job consists primarily of aptitude at a task, which can be easily measured by the quality of work put out. So while the prevalance of “relatability culture” can seem manipulative or shallow think of the alternative: blank, perfect, and forgettable celebrities; dull and droning authors; and self-serving, narcissistic leaders. Whether or not relatability is manufactured, distance in our society only brings harm to ourselves and to them.
During my nearly five decades as a member of the TAS community, I have always been proud of the commitment of our members to use their talents, time, and energy to benefit countless charitable causes. TAS students, faculty, staff, and parents have often rallied after disasters in Taiwan, as well as throughout the world. Recent ones were the earthquake in Turkey in 1999 just a few days before the devastating earthquake centered in central Taiwan. There was the flooding in Pakistan and the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans; the list is long. Tri-M has been working diligently for over two decades to assist our neighbors at St. Anne’s Home. For years TAS’s musically talented, as well as some determined residents at St. Anne’s, entertained in the auditorium to a packed house. Just as at its recent concert in the Small Theatre, the variety and quality of the musicians’ performances were amazing— definitely evenings to relish and remember forever.There were few evenings of splendid entertainment at such a bargain. The admission was always 200 NT or less. Needless to say, St. Anne’s Home, founded by a Dutch priest who was loved at TAS in the 1960’s as a soccer coach and Latin teacher, needs and appreciates all of the financial support it can receive. I propose the TAS community reflects on the need to have refreshments during a Tri-M charity concert or a Syrian Benefit Run. Do we need to have refreshments as an enticement to attend an event organized to raise needed funds to help the less fortunate? Just think of how much additional financial support the organizers of Tri-M or other praiseworthy projects could donate to their causes if the money for refreshments was added to the price of tickets or registration fees for charitable events. As we enter the New Year of the Rooster, I propose we consider this issue. With our TAS community’s values including kindness, respect, and responsibility, can we forego refreshments and contribute a larger donation to St. Anne’s Home and other deserving charities?
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the blue & gold february 16, 2017
Investigating the Tiger Center
Lifting weights: Bella Kintzley (10) squat 45 kg. [ANYA LAI]
Don’t skip leg day: Vincent Chen (12) squats 180 kg. [VINCENT CHEN]
The Tiger Center: not just for the boys By Anya Lai When I walked into the fitness center a few weeks ago, I counted 18 people inside. Of these 18 people, only 4 were girls. Every time I visit the Tiger Center after school, there are more males than females working out. Furthermore, use of the weightlifting machines is heavily dominated by males. Even when girls are using the fitness center, they tend to use the treadmill or bikes and take their mats outside to work on some abs, rather than using the shoulder press for example. Stefanie Mayer (12), a user of weightlifting machines for at least three times a week, says “Typically, girls who aren’t athletes tend to shy away from the weights, instead favouring the cardio machines or body-weight exercises on mats outside the gym. For me personally, I would love to see more girls... be completely unafraid of the heavier weights and getting ‘bulky’.” Vincent Chen (12), agrees with this and says “There is a common misconception that girls shouldn’t workout because they will get too bulky. However, the truth is that girls do not produce enough testosterone to become bulky. Girls shouldn’t be afraid to lift weights because it is beneficial in a lot of ways: offseason training for sports, improve their physique, or increasing
their strength.” However, lifting weights can also benefit those not looking to get stronger or train for a specific sport. Bella Kintzley (10), a sophomore that goes to the gym at least 3 times a week, works out to improve her mental health. She says “Working out pushes your limits and helps you reach new heights. It made me feel more confident as a person. I wanted to become stronger and it made me feel more confident as a person...a large role in getting into lifting was reading comic books as a kid and seeing strong powerful women that were inspiring to me.” Also a frequent visitor of the fitness center during offseason, touch rugby player Chloe Chen (10) says, “Girls should work out more because it increases their self confidence and makes them think more positively.” Chloe and Bella are not the only girls at the gym who have reaped these benefits. Nicole Hsu (12), says lifting helps her relax and release stress, while Angela Wu (12) believes “it’s a nice way to let out stress and get your summer body ready.” Stress in highschool is common, and students look towards the Tiger Center to help minimize this. However, only working on cardio and
abs may have negative impacts as well. TAS Athletics Trainer, Ms. Amber Hardy says, “A lot of people will come in here and just run all day, but it is important to do strength training and flexibility as well.” Ms. Hardy believes the reason that girls don’t use the machinery as much is that “they don’t know how to use them and are intimidated by them.” She says, “being unaware of how to use the equipment” is most likely the reason the girl to boy ratio is much lower. Another reason there are more guys than girls may be because they don’t feel comfortable in the maledominated atmosphere. Three season athlete Georgia Van Dooren (10) says “Some girls may feel awkward and scared, and self conscious is such a big deal...we should take advantage of the facilities.” Lower School PE teacher and CrossFit goer, Ms. Carly Bargiel, believes that girls should have more confidence in going to the gym and not feel insecure or uncomfortable by themselves. She says, “There is no better feeling than feeling strong and I want every girl at our school to feel strong and confident in a gym setting. I like to think of being strong and physically fit as a better beautiful.”
Stronger mindsets, stronger bodies By Amanda Huang Every time I walk into the gym, I can expect to see a group of boys standing around the weights, all there with slightly different goals and motivations, whether it be training off-season or lifting to stay healthy. Maintaining a healthy and balanced lifestyle is something that TAS has always promoted and embodies with our stateof-the-art Tiger Health and Wellness Center and excellent PE program. In the past few years, however, body image has grown to be an unspoken yet prevalent concern for dozens of TAS boys. Vincent Chen (12) says, “The workout culture at TAS is messed up. Everyone is so focused on getting abs and big arms that they often forget to train their legs and for functional strength.” Powerlifting focuses primarily on gaining maximum functional strength and is officially defined as a strength sport that consists of three attempts at maximal weights on three lifts: squat, bench press, and deadlift. Vincent says, “The sport of powerlifting has opened so many doors for me that it has given me the drive to keep going back to the gym and giving my all every workout. A lot of people ask why I only train for functional strength,
and the reason behind that is because all my life I’ve been proving stereotypes wrong, and being an Asian, competing at a powerlifting meet on an international stage would break many barriers.” Ivan Yang (12) started lifting for entirely different reasons. When he was little, people would always point out how skinny he looked. Eventually, he got annoyed at all the comments and being skinny started to make him feel weak. After he started to work out and see results, he became addicted. Now, as a bodybuilder, he directs his focus and training on size and physique. For Vincent and Ivan, powerlifting and bodybuilding, respectively, have become their main motivation for lifting. “I feel like people care so much about body image that they are scared to go to the gym. They are afraid to be judged and laughed at, at least that’s how I felt when I first ventured into the gym,” says Vincent. In fact, Vincent actually started working out at a commercial gym where nobody knew who he was. For six months, he was too afraid to workout at the school gym. Myles Silsby (12) believes that some boys at TAS aren’t heading into the gym carrying the right mindsets. “There’s a good chunk of people who
go to the gym frequently and really stay fit. That being said, there’s a worrying amount of kids who don’t do legs. Also, you have some boys who take supplements or extra protein but don’t even work out, with the belief that the things they’re putting into their body will help them out somehow,” he says. Ivan says, “I think it’s a mentality issue. Boys at TAS want to work on their physique but they either give up too easily or they’re afraid of being judged for being inexperienced. At least that was how I felt when I was an inexperienced lifter.” According to Ivan, the biggest enemies we counter when it comes to getting big or fit is time and yourself. Patience and passion are essential and consistency is crucial. Mr. Mitchell, Head Strength Conditioning Coach, also warns against the dangers of working out for the wrong reasons. He says, “I think it’s really good that people are getting into the weight room. We [the athletic department] have made it a focus to get more kids active through the fitness classes. The dangerous part is when students start to focus on body image, rather than what they are getting out of the workout. It’s not good when people start to compare themselves to other people.”
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the blue & gold february 16 2017
The formula to a long-lasting relationship By Anya Lai & Carolyn Wang
The Blue & Gold interviewed a few couples at TAS, for the secrets to a long-lasting relationship.
ANGELA WANG & DON TAYLOR
Cold weather: Angela hugs Don to keep warm in the cold weather. [AMANDA HUANG]
Speaking out may be the key Their relationship sparked during a party in August when Don Taylor lost a bet. The secret to their relationship is communication. “Don’t close up and shut the other person out. Talk to them and resolve the issue together, it’s alright to be upset. [A] problem [occurs] when neither partner is willing to talk and resentment manifests,” Angela and Don say. They both welcome changes in a relationship, but only if it’s for the good. Even though Angela and Don have not made it past the one year mark yet, they already have long distance plans for the future. Angela says, “He lights up my world and I would never want to be without him, even if I have to wait years to be together again.” It is obvious that opening up to each other keeps their relationship happy.
REID CHILES & OLIVIA HSIN
Going Strong: Olivia Hsin and Reid Chiles look into each other’s eyes lovingly. [CAROLYN WANG]
LAURYN VAN DOOREN & OLIVER GERBIG
Common interests are a plus When news gets around that a new student is coming to school, most students’ first reaction would be to search them up and stalk them on Facebook or Instagram. Never would one have thought that simply chatting up a new girl would turn into a three year relationship. Seniors Lauryn Van Dooren and Oliver Gerbig are one of the most wellknown couples at TAS; they are always there to support each other through troubles and not to mention, sports games. One of the fondest memories they share is from one Valentine’s day. “He [even] snuck into my house by jumping the fence and surprised me with chocolates and flowers,” says Lauryn.
Sports games: Lauryn and Oliver support each other at their soccer games. [LAURYN VAN DOOREN]
JEFFREY YU & BENITA WU Have a person who makes you better Imagine getting asked out through email. This digital idea may never have crossed a high schooler’s mind. Yet, the longest lasting freshman couple came together through a long email thread. Freshmen Olivia Hsin and Reid Chiles have been dating for more than a year. In this year, they have grown together and changed themselves for the better. For example, Reid gave up eating any nuts because of Olivia’s allergy. But most importantly, he became hard working and improved his below average grades. On the other hand, Olivia has become more open about what she feels: instead of keeping thoughts to herself, she has learned to speak about them with her partner. This couple definitely continues to make each other better people.
Hover hand: Jeffrey nervously holds his hand around Benita for the picture. [CAROLYN WANG]
Be honest and communicate In most relationships, couples are expected to love their partners just the way they are. However, throughout Benita and Jeffrey’s four year relationship, Jeffrey has practiced a different idea: he suggests to “judge your partner as much as you want because if they can’t take it that means you guys aren’t meant to be.” Their high school love story began with Benita as a wing woman for Jeffrey’s last relationship with Benita’s best friend. However, Jeffrey broke up with Benita’s friend and Jeffrey’s constant asking for history notes sparked a love. When asked to rate each other, Benita looked expectantly into Jeffrey’s eyes and he replied, “8-, ehh..,no.. 9.9.” Benita then replied, “He’s a solid 8.7.” Benita and Jeffrey truly embody the values of being honest and communicating one’s feelings.
Love letter to caffeine By Audrey Kong
Dear Toffee Nut Crunch Latte, I knew from the first moment that you would greatly contribute to my less than 6 hour nights of sleep. On some nights, thanks to you, my workload never surpassed the 2 a.m. deadline—and I never had to face my mother’s 2 a.m. fury and intense rage. On other nights, I either had to protect you from becoming a victim of stereotypes or prove your innocence. It’s “common knowledge” that along with a series of other negative effects, caffeine stunts children’s growth. However, “no one has ever turned up evidence that drinking coffee has any effect on how much children grow”, says Mark Pendergrast, the author of Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How It Transformed Our World.
Thank goodness, I was afraid that these negative stereotypes would cause others to falsely accuse and blame you for my horrendously short height. Concerns and beliefs regarding coffee’s health effects trace back to a 1800s food manufacturer, C.W. Post. He advertised caffeine-free coffee alternatives and became a millionaire by vilifying coffee and saying how horrible it was for you. Not only was coffee supposedly responsible for stunting growth, Post claimed that it caused heart disease and cancer. According to Smithsonian Magazine, “One study followed 81 adolescents for a six-year period, and found no correlation between daily caffeine intake and bone growth or density.” However, due to Post’s influence, even doctors and health agencies in the early 1900s cautioned that caffeine was essentially “poison”,
according to a 1912 issue of The Salt Lake Tribune. Overtime, the belief that coffee stunts growth became a popular myth and has remained, despite a lack of scientific evidence. Thanks C.W. Post, I really appreciate that your marketing strategies are causing distress in my personal relationship here. Toffee Nut Crunch Latte and I have problems that are none of your concern. However, thank you for your thoughtfulness. Speaking of problems, Toffee Nut, you cost too much. You could dissolve all the money from my wallet in a single command. Despite your ridiculously high living standard, every time I’m with you I feel so energized. You are truly magical. I remember our first moment. I was enchanted, fascinated by all the possibilities. Don’t worry, I didn’t bat an eyelid at Cascara Latte or Caramel Macchiato. I admit I did
[HEALTHLINE.COM]
eye Vanilla Latte for quite some time though. The top nutrition panel in the United States concluded that a daily consumption of three to five cups of coffee for adults reduces risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2
diabetes. Therefore, world, let me have these moments of blissful happiness with my Toffee Nut Crunch Latte. Sing it from the rooftops. The adults were wrong: there is no evidence that coffee stunts growth.
avant-garde ATHLETE By Coco Lee, Christine Lin (10), Audrey Kong
If you are looking for a sports team to join at Taipei American School, the athletics department will most likely have you covered. Its diverse sports program offers many competing opportunities for any students who are willing to invest themselves. Unfortunately, for those who train for sports that require specific training facilities or lack popularity, they can only train outside of the school. We decided to uncover some of our athletes.
Guo Chen (10): Table Tennis Guo Chen (10) has been playing table tennis since he was in first grade. “There was a ping pong classroom near my house so my mom asked, ‘Do you want to go play?’ and I said sure. That was the first time I played and I really liked it, so I continued,” says Guo. Table tennis is a sport using a bat to hit a lightweight ball across a table with a dividing net in the center. The first World Championships for table tennis took place in 1926 in London, but it was not an Olympic sport until the 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics. Guo practices one and an half hour everyday. He does fitness training to improve his strength and stamina. As for competitions, Guo goes to small ranking tournaments in Taiwan to gain experience and confidence in a game. That way in July, when he plays his most important tournament of
the year (the US Nationals), he can perform in his best condition. “I still remember the first time playing the US Nationals: I under-performed due to jet lag and pressure; therefore, I was really unsatisfied with my performance. However, because of that tournament, I gained valuable experience and understood what I really need to work on afterwards” says Guo. As a table tennis player, pressure is definitely the number one obstacle since it leads to not playing with his maximum potential. Therefore Guo works on overcoming pressure by playing more games and becoming more aggressive and focused in game. Another struggle for Guo is communication with his coach. “Sometimes when I don’t perform well, my coach literally will just...stop talking to me, which really frustrates me.
Whenever he does that, I’ll often go tell him what I didn’t do well in that game and how I should improve. This shows that I do care about the game, leading to our normal and casual conversation about the game,” explains Guo. Guo recommends this sport to others in our school. He says, “I recommend this sport because it’s good for your eyesight and it helps with your hand eye coordination. It’s also indoors so you can turn on your air conditioner and play.” He also explains, “Table tennis is an unique sport because it’s extremely fast sport and requires quick reflexes and a good use of your whole body. Furthermore, many people often believe that the only part of the body that you need to use when playing ping pong is your arm;
however, that’s not correct because the most frequently used body part is actually our legs. When playing table tennis, even though the area of the table tennis table seems small compared to tennis or basketball court, we still have to move a lot and always need to be prepared for the next incoming ball.” Guo says his role model is Ma Long from China because “he’s a courteous and low-key player despite his remarkable achievements. I also want to play like him because his play style is really balanced, and he consistently plays at a high level regardless of all the pressure he may experience.”
Audrey Yang (10): Equestrianism Audrey Yang (10) has been riding horses for most of her life. Although an injury halted training for a few years, she formally resumed around 4 years ago. Like a few sports enthusiasts, a movie, Robert Redford’s The Horse Whisperer, inspired her to take up horseback riding. She noted that “the connection between the horse and the person really touched [her] heart.” To Audrey, what distinguishes equestrianism from other sports is the opportunity to communicate with an animal partner. She explains, “In basketball, you play with the ball. While the ball is dead, a horse is a living partner. [Horseback riding] is the only sport I know that allows the person to talk to a partner who is not a human.” Audrey trains dressage riding 4-5 times a week for around 2 hours each session. A typical training day starts
with preparation. She changes into gear and grooms her three horses, Jazse, Undercover, and Danuberth. Then, she usually practices for 40 minutes before ending the day by washing the horses. Unsurprisingly, her favorite part of the sport is being able to take care of her beloved horses: “They are like my babies.” That is why the most memorable moment of her riding history was when she had to sell her first pony. When asked
about whether more people should ride horses, “You have to have a heart for animals [to take up horseback riding.” In the context of talking about how many people start horseback riding as a method to slim the waist, she pointedly says that “If you abuse the opportunity to be with such lovely creatures, you will not enjoy what you are doing.” As we know from every war history and film we’ve
encountered, equestrianism has been around for a long time. Since 3500 B.C., horses have been used for war, travel, and agriculture. Today, modern, competitive horseback riding include three categories: dressage, showjumping, and eventing. Dressage, essentially a horse dance, began in Ancient Greece as a method to train war horses. During a competition, the rider and the horse perform a series of choreographed movements. movements Showjumping actually traced its origins to the creation of the Enclosure Acts in eighteenthcentury England. Fences were set up to enclose lands, so previously freeriding hunters began jumping their horses over these obstacles. Eventing combines cross-country riding with jumping.
Maxwell Chen (10): Fencing Maxwell Chen (10) began fencing in second grade when he joined a club at his old school in New York: “I wanted to try it out and ended up really enjoying it.” When asked why he preferred this sport over others he said, “I don’t really enjoy playing team sports.” With team sports, one gets the pressure from having to do well for the
teammates in addition to oneself. He prefers this individual sport so he can “focus on [himself ].” After transferring to TAS, Max now has less time to train than he did before. He practices three times a week and 2 hours each time. Training begins with warming up and then drills (repeating movements, strategies, and steps). Finally, fencers pair up with others to free-fence. The most challenging part of this sport proves to be speed., speed is crucial to fencing as each round starts and ends so quickly. With the sabre especially, Max notes that “Without good speed and reflexes, you wouldn’t be effective even if you have good strategies.” Upon being asked about his most memorable moment in his fencing career, he recalled an incident at a
small competition back in New York. During the pool rounds, he got paired with the son of an Olympic fencer. At first, he beat his opponent by 5-4. Max later saw the father yell at the boy, who “pretty much [peed] himself.” Fifteen minutes later, Max lost by a longshot 5-2. In the end, he was just shocked by the occurrence. The first signs of fencing dates back to Ancient Egypt around 1190 B.C, but the modern fencing we see today most closely originated from traditional sword-fighting in Spain in the 15th century. Fencing began moving from a form of military training to a sport circa 14th century. The combat sport was included in the first modern Olympics in Athens 1896. Though typically called “a gentleman’s sport” due to its male-dominant history, women became included in the
Games in 1926. Today, there are three categories of fencing when competing, using three different blades. The sabre, the lightest weapon and fastest game, targets the arms, head, and torso. For the epee, the heaviest weapon and slowest game, the whole body is a target area. The foil, the moderate arm, only allows the torso as a target area. Typical competitions consist of players grouped in pools at first and play against each other in short rounds out of 5. You win, you move up. As one goes further into the competitions, the later matches go up to 15. Essentially, you get to continue until you lose.
Claire Toh (10): Ice Skating Claire Toh (10) started skating because her kindergarten friend played hockey and her mom suggested she try figure skating. She explains that her mom “thought that it was a good idea because [she] wouldn’t get tanned...and [would] fit the Asian stereotype.” Figure skating is a sport where athletes perform jumps, spins, and footwork on ice in singles or in pairs. It was first started by utilizing ballet moves with additional techniques such as leaps and turns on ice. “Figure skating is a mixture of art and sport” says Katarina Witt, a German figure skater. Figure skating was featured in the 1908 and 1920 Summer Olympics and it became an official Winter Olympics Sport in 1924. From then, figure
skating became one of the most popular Winter Olympic sports. Claire tries to skate three days a week. On weekdays, she skates no more than one and an half hour but on weekends, she skates two sessions that are one and an half hour each. Claire explains that when practicing, there are many different parts in training. After warming up, Claire practices footwork, jumps, spins, ends her session by practicing her long or short program. Surprisingly, despite her current excellent skills, Claire had hard inevitable times in the past to face. From ankle swelling to bruise and wounds from falling, she had a hard time keeping up the passion in her sport. “There was a time when I was
facing a huge obstacle transferring from freestyle skating into novice skating. I had a hard time getting use to harder choreography and learning all the new moves,” says Claire. When she even thought of giving up, she explains knowing that she has come this far and all the work would be wasted if she gives up because of this small obstacle. Claire believes ice skating should be more recognized and more common. “I definitely think people should do ice skating because it is a really fun sport to do and the skating community in Taiwan is really small. So it is great for people to join and get more people to know this amazing sport.”
Laurent Hsia (12): Ice Hockey Laurent Hsia (12) has been playing Ice Hockey from when he was very young. He explains he first started skating then naturally started Ice Hockey too. “I think [Ice Hockey] is a very different sport from what normal people would play. So I think it shows a different aspect of who I am.” Ice Hockey is a game where usually six people from each team competes on ice to score a rubber disk into a net, guarded by a goalkeeper. Becoming a very popular sport in Canada, Ice Hockey became an official olympic sport in the 1924 Chamonix Winter Games. Laurent practices around three to four times a week and two of those are tournament games. He trains for Ice Hockey by doing drills on ice
and works on fitness when he off the ice. Laurent competes in tournaments with a club team in Taipei where they practice regularly together. “The majority of the tournaments [he] participates in are local and national ones against other teams in Taiwan.” He explains, “occasionally though, there are international tournaments hosted either [in Taiwan] or overseas.” Despite his passion towards Ice Hockey, because of his busy schedule, there were times of struggle. “There was a time in my junior year of hs where I had limited time so I stopped
going to practices and participating in tournaments and so I stopped improving and felt inferior to my other teammates. But eventually I found the time to put in more work and improve. Also, I
wanted to play for the U18 national team along with my other teammates but couldn’t because I don’t have a Taiwanese
passport and my dad didn’t want me to get one. I still don’t and I think that is one of the biggest disappointment in my life” says Laurent. Laurent definitely suggests this sport to other students. He explains, Ice Hockey is a “very different sport from what normal Taiwanese people will play or people who goes to TAS would play. But it’s really fun, exciting, different, and it’s a good experience.” Also by being a team sport, he explains, “hockey is not only fun and exciting but it also teaches you how to work and communicate with others. Most of all, it teaches you the importance of humility.”
Yvonne Hao (11): Ballroom Dancing Yvonne Hao (11) has been ballroom dancing for 8 years. As a young girl, she was instantly intrigued when she saw that girls got to wear high heels; she eventually fell in love with this dancesport. Besides her classes on Saturdays that are four hour long, Yvonne also trains on Sundays for two and a half hours. She generally goes to the studio around three times a week. On top of that, she usually practices at home, once or twice a week. Yvonne starts her training with stretching, which is especially important because ballroom dancers dance in 5-7 cm heels. After stretching, Yvonne does “energy practice,” a routine where all of the dancers go through every single dance that they know consecutively without a break, in order to
train their stamina. In ballroom dancing, posture and presentation is extremely crucial. “You focus on specific parts of your body that other sports don’t focus on,” says Yvonne. During a competition, the dancers never know when and where the judges will look at – it could be their posture, it could be their basic footwork, it could even be their facial expressions. In Yvonne’s hectic training and practice schedule, her teachers, Alex and Melody Hou, keep her anchored and provide her with inspiration. According to Yvonne, her teachers are the only Taiwanese ballroom dancers that place in the top 6 of the Blackpool Competition, a worldwide competition. Their strict yet parent-like personalities is what keeps Yvonne going.
There are two categories in a ballroom dancing competition: Modern Dance and Latin Dance. Modern ballroom dancing, including waltz, tango, and more, “is more smooth and elegant” whereas Latin ballroom dancing is “more wild” and incorporates more jumping. Both Modern and Latin ballroom dancing include 5 types of dances. Yvonne does all 10 types in both Modern and Latin. While Yvonne loves to “[be] able to dress up nicely and exercise at the same time,” ballroom dancing is much more than just aesthetics. In this sport, especially on stage, “you rely on your own practice.” Although Yvonne and the other dancers on her team can rely on each other for support, ultimately “on
Thomas Chen (11): Martial Arts Thomas Chen (11) was drawn into martial arts by the Kung Fu arts movies and books that surrounded him during his childhood, as well as his role model, Jet Li. To him, doing martial arts is like “fulfilling a childhood dream, a child’s fantasy.” Despite getting the chance to fulfill his childhood fantasy, Thomas says, “the more you go into it [martial arts], the more you realize how much hard work it requires and how different it actually is from you fantasy. But [I] still got drawn into it anyways.” Thomas trains three to four days a week, usually one to two
weekdays for more than three hours and Saturdays and Sundays for one and a half hour on each day. Training begins with stretching and “attempt[ing] to do splits that I can’t do,” says Thomas. Thwwen, he warms up with some flips and aerials. Afterwards, Thomas just continuously does the routine over and over. “You get taught routines and you just keep practicing over and over” while “the master would look at you and adjust your postures and positions,”says Thomas. “It takes a while before you can see progress” in martial arts.” He recommends that people should
only practice martial arts if they really love it. Martial arts takes years of repetitive practice to perfect. It took Thomas around eight years of practicing basics to finally go out, compete, and do well. Thomas comments, “other than the fact that I can learn flips, mentality is very important [in martial arts].” The sport is very different from team sports since. “It’s about enhancing your mind and body at the same time,” says Thomas. Martial arts is a very intense, traditional, Chinese sport. “It’s like [writing] calligraphy with your body.”
to but
stage, you and your friends are all rivals in a friendly and competitive way.” During competitions, half of the competitors are eliminated in one round. Ballroom dancing is not just about glamour, “it’s a type of dance that requires passion but at the same time, you know how restrict yourself”, says Yvonne. Ballroom dancing is “crazy, elegant”.
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the blue & gold february 16, 2017
IASAS CULTURAL CONVEN
A snapshot of works in pr By Shereen Lee
Christine Wan: art without a traditional canvas The whale shark in Christine Wan’s (11) digital portrait is terminally ill, but not from any common disease: instead, it has fallen to technology, a virus unlike any other. “Today, digital platforms are society’s primary way of interacting with nature,” she explains. “That concept is shown through the chromatic aberrations over the shark, which put a visual wall between the man viewing the scene and his surroundings.” This juxtaposition between nature’s purity and the artificial medium through which it is experienced is inspired by Wan’s own disconnect from nature: “I often hear my dad talking about catching cicadas, playing with snakes, or fishing in a nearby lake,” she says. “But because of irreversible damage, our generation will have much
fewer opportunities to interact with the environment.” Christine will present this project, titled “Through the Monitor,” at the IASAS Cultural Convention in Kuala Lumpur from March One. “I chose it because it was very representative of my portfolio, which focuses on humannature interaction,” she says. “I’m very drawn to that theme. I guess it’s to compensate for the time I could’ve spent appreciating nature.” She also chose this social commentary piece because it was her most developed and technically advanced. At the same time, she constantly aspires to higher goals. “Well, I’m finished with my piece,” Christine says. “As in, I’ve stopped working on it for now. But like Da Vinci said, ‘artwork is never finished, only abandoned.’”
Her aspirations for perfection are closely linked to her original sentiments toward art. “I would constantly compare my work with those around me,” she says. “So unlike other artists who picked up crayons at age one, I hated art as a kid.” She later began to enjoy the process of making artwork, moving from origami to sewing to drawing over the course of her lower and middle school years. As a Tiger Baby, Christine has gone through the entire 13-year arts curriculum at TAS; in spite of this, she is actually a newcomer to the IASAS art program this year. “As crazy as it sounds, I’m thinking of applying for an art major in college,” she says. “It used to be just a hobby, but art has become really central to my life and I want to take that outside of high school.”
Michael Wen: from tap to contemporary When Michael Wen (12) first walked into his Dance/PE class in sophomore, he could not even touch his toes. However, after performing the stretching and conditioning exercises for a month, he found that not only did he [improve], but also that it helped him relieve stress. “The body movement was very relaxing. Unlike other classes, I didn’t have to worry about academics.” Now, stretching remains one of his favorite aspects of dance. He says, “I feel like I get to understand my body so I can push myself when learning and creating movement.” Michael’s dance journey began at five years old, when he took tap dancing classes in South Africa, but he stopped in fifth grade after his move to Taiwan. He credits the Dance/PE class for
allowing him to rediscover his passion for dance. “Although I initially joined dance to fulfill the PE requirement, I enjoyed the class so much that I decided to continue with IB, dance productions,
The long hours and bruises are worth it. and dance teams,” says Michael. He emphasizes that confidence is an important part of dance. “It is very scary to try a lift I haven’t performed before because I don’t want to be giving
people concussions,” says Michael. “I need to really trust myself and my dance partners.” The dancers also need to get out of their comfort zones when choreographing during rehearsals, which happen every day except Sunday. “We all have movements that we do too much because we are comfortable with them,” he says. “To find unique movements, we often get in awkward positions and get floor burns, which are the worst.” However, the long hours and bruises are [worth it]when the dancers perform their 20-minute pieces at the Cultural Convention. Michael plans to continue exploring new forms of dance in the future. “I hope to learn ballroom dancing in college and maybe even pick up tap dancing again,” he says.
Happy Moo: genius co-lyricist of a new musical For the first time in IASAS Drama history, the group will be creating their own play, Wait and See! from scratch, based loosely on the plot of The Breakfast Club. “[The devising process] was super stressful,” admits Happy Moo (10). “Our whole play is written by the cast ourselves.” They will be taking tunes from familiar Broadway musicals, from Hamilton to The Book of Mormon, and parodying them to fit in a play of their own. The final song, however, will be Happy’s own composition. It is an original piece written for the play, a process which challenged her. “It’s different from other songs I’ve written before because I have to consider every direction,” she says. “The harmony, build up, and overall
feeling involved in creating a song for a musical is challenging in a way I haven’t approached music before.” The production is especially demanding for all actors on the team, especially since the they write the dialogue “as they go”, according to Happy. Happy is not an actor, but she was selected to join the IASAS Drama team onstage as a pianist. “This year, all of our music is going to be live on the stage,” she says. Many of the actors are also musicians, so they will be joining her in instrumentals, but Happy will be accompanying the whole show. “I’m so excited for performance day, when we’ll finally be on stage and our work will be showed to an audience,” she says.
It’s different from other songs I’ve written before because I have to consider every direction.
hil
kelly p
the blue & gold february 16, 2017
13
NTION 2017:
rogress
Brian Kuo: he’s Juilliard material
Brian Kuo (11) was nine years old when he made his first performance faux pas, forgetting the rest of his piece in the middle of an arpeggio run. So he stood up to face the audience and announced, “I forgot!” “Since then, memorizing has been the easiest part of performing from me,” he says. Trial and error plays a large role in his cello performance, and he can usually found in the auditorium during free periods, experimenting with other musicians. As a cellist who primarily performs solo, Brian’s interactions with other musicians every year at IASAS are special for him. “It’s interesting, how the program fosters collaboration between students,” Brian says. “Through that, you’re able to learn in a way that you’re unable to individually.”
The IASAS Octet has just started working on their piece for the IASAS Cultural Convention, the Mendelssohn Octet. During orchestra classes and after school, the group now logs three to six practice sessions a week. These sessions involve not only individual practice, but coachings from professional musicians, as well as in-depth studies of the composition. “Mendelssohn wrote the piece when he was 16 -- what are we doing with our lives?” Brian quips. In fact, Brian has begun a composing venture of his own: a viola sonata, which will be premiered at the Cultural Convention by Terry Chung (12) and accompanist Alvin Hsu (12). Brian’s sonata cleverly compiles styles spanning from familiar, canonized Bach to the esoteric,
controversial Prokofiev, a testimony to his appetite for music appreciation. “I admire the complexity and dynamics of all the different styles, genres, and instrumentation,” says Brian. “It never gets old: even now, my favorite piece changes every time I listen to a concerto.” “I remember listening to a chamber music ensemble when I was small and picking out the sound of the cello,” he says. “I’ve loved it ever since.” While he does not plan on becoming a musician as a career, he hopes to maintain it as a lifelong hobby. His future for composing is more unclear. “I’ve really liked my first interactions with composing so far,” Brian says. “It’s a lot of work, but looking at the final product and hearing someone else play it a unique experience.”
Juliana Kao: the control booth is her habitat
When one attends a performance of IASAS Tech delegate Juliana Kao’s (12) favorite musical, The Phantom of the Opera, it quickly becomes clear that the star of the show is not the main character, Christine, or, in fact, any cast member at all. Instead, the honor goes to a figure much more surprising: the chandelier. While the lighting fixture takes up less than a minute of showtime, Phantom’s chandelier more than makes up for it in sheer shock value, unexpectedly crashing down from the ceiling mid-performance. All who see the show, from the most inexperienced amateurs to seasoned industry professionals, cite it as a defining moment. Management of stunning effects
like these makes Tech the lifeblood of theater. “For every production there is so much that goes on backstage: lights, sound, running crew, rigging, stage managing, costumes, makeup, set-building…” Juliana says. “There are so many things the audience doesn’t know about, but which are essential to the production.” Juliana herself also feels the benefits of the activity. “Tech sharpens skills that are applicable in daily life,” she says. “Managing multiple things at once, fast problem solving skills, and a cool head are all things you learn which are important elsewhere, too.” Juliana mostly manages lights, and has “teched” for countless performances since middle school, from the Mean Girls production to dance showcases
and more. However, she has also learned about several of the other operations behind the scenes, dabbling in areas from set-building to lighting with other members of the team. This interchange is another essential aspect of the Tech community: “Everyone who is a part of [TAS’s Tech team] is always there for each other,” Juliana notes. As a TAS senior, Juliana hopes to continue Tech in college, factoring drama program quality into her college choices. “College will be a very new experience, and hopefully, I will be able to keep contributing to a tech community then, too,” she says. “But right now, I’m just really glad that I’ve become part of this incredible family over the years.”
Aaron Gould: he’s game for forensics and debate “My first word was ‘no’,” says Aaron Gould (12). “Clearly, I was destined to be a debater.” But his journey towards perfecting the art of disagreement really began in freshman year as a 2014 IASAS debate team researcher. Since then, he has participated in six debate tournaments, including the Tournament of Champions Public Forum in Kentucky to the 2016 Cultural Convention in Kuala Lumpur. This year, Aaron is one of seven students representing Taipei American School at the IASAS Cultural Convention in Bangkok, along with Alan Tsai (12), Gene Chou (11), Eliot Wang (11), McKenzie Engen (9), Kelly Phil (9), and alternate Si Yun Ee (10). “Even when he is speaking
gibberish, he sounds like he knows what he’s doing,” remembers Theodora Tang (11), who competed in the 2016 Tournament of Champions Public Forum alongside Aaron. Throughout his debate career, he has befuddled teammates from saying things like “To solve a puzzle, you have to get all the puzzles” to making up words like “fantastiliculous.” “When you do not know what to do,” Aaron says, “take a deep breath and fake it.” And if you fail, “learn and move on.” For him, debate is most of all about learning to be unafraid. He especially enjoys practice sessions where the team is out of its depth: speaking with pens in their mouths, shouting at each other at the top of their lungs, or holding
their own against their coach, Dr. Coburn-Palo. “I learn a lot from researching and debating,” says Aaron. “It’s an activity
When you do not know what to do, take a deep breath and fake it. If you fail, learn and move on. that trains nuance, because there is no single correct answer. You have to know both sides of the argument.”
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the blue & gold february 16, 2017
And
go to...
By Melissa Cho It’s finally that time of the year where we honor the best of film. Here are some of our predictions on who and what films will bring back those fancy golden statuettes! [A24]
[Paramount Pictures]
[The Studio Scoop]
[Hollywood Reporter]
Best Actor: Casey Affleck. Casey Affleck is practically a shooin for this final award. He won awards at the Golden Globes, the Gotham Awards, the National Board of Review, the Critics’ Choice Awards, the Satellite Awards, and dozens of regional film festivals. The film he starred in, Manchester by the Sea, was also the most nominated film by the Screen Actors Guild Awards this year. The film received a 96% approval rating on both Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic. Affleck who delivered a masterful performance of an uncle who looks after his teenage nephew after the boy’s father passed away. Kudos to him.
Best Actress: Emma Stone. We all thought that Natalie Portman was for sure going to win this category. She flawlessly impersonated previous first lady, Jackie Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, in the biographical film, Jackie. However, the tables turned when Emma Stone took home the Golden Globe for Best Actress instead of Natalie, despite both actresses being in different categories. She also brought home the Volpi Cup and the Screen Actors Guild Award for her performance. She sang, danced, and acted as a struggling actress in La La Land. Natalie Portman already won an Oscar in 2011 for Best Actress in the film Black Swan. Maybe she might pull a Meryl and win another Oscar, but it’s very likely that Emma Stone will win, since she was also nominated for Best Supporting Actress in 2015 for her performance in Birdman but came away empty handed.
Best Supporting Actress: Viola Davis. Her captivating performance in Fences won her both a Critics’ Choice Award and a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress, so there’s a high chance that she’ll be bringing back the Oscar for this respective category. The fierce How to Get Away with Murder university law professor never ceases to impress us with her enthralling on-screen performances, both in television and film!
[Save The Cat!]
Best Animated Feature Film: Zootopia. Disney films usually remain undefeated in this category. Frozen, Big Hero 6, and Inside Out all won this prestigious award in the previous years. Although Moana and Zootopia were two of our favorite animated films of 2016, the latter did take home the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture - Animated, over Moana.
[Film Affinity]
Best Picture: La La Land. La La Land is an unstoppable force. It triumphed at the Golden Globes; the film won all seven nominations, including both Best Actor and Best Actress in a Motion Picture or Comedy. It was nominated for a whopping record-tying of 14 Oscar nominations. It also received a standing ovation when it premiered at the Venice Film Festival in August, and critics from The Telegraph, Vanity Fair, Variety, TIME, The Guardian, and BBC all gave the film a full five stars. Both Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling were triple threats in the film, the impressive one-take scenes and cinematography visuals were amazing, and 99.9999% of the film’s viewers cried a river of tears in the cinema. Musical films are like a thing now.
Best Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali. He won both the Critics’ Choice Award and the Screen Actors Guild Award for this category. Although Aaron Taylor Johnson scored Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture in Tom Ford’s Nocturnal Animals at the Golden Globes, his win came as a shock; most viewers and Golden Globe attendants were almost completely sure that Mahershala would win. His pivotal role in Moonlight as a drug dealer resonated with people. He may not have taken home a Globe, but he is one of the frontrunners for possibly taking home an Oscar.
[IndieWire]
Best Director: Damien Chazelle. Let’s not even bother discussing this. It’s Damien Chazelle. He won a Critics’ Choice Award and a Globe for his rad directing abilities. His film took over the Golden Globes. The Academy can just mail him the Oscar now.
New year, new sequels By Daniel Wang For every new year, there are new things to look forward to: resolutions, experiences, but most importantly - movies! As 2017 begins, it is finally time to look at the highly anticipated movies that we should all watch this year. Carrying on from the momentum of last year, this year may be the year of superhero movies. The DC Extended Universe will kick off the year with The LEGO Batman Movie, followed by Wonder Woman, and ending the year with The Justice League. For the first time on the big screen, comic book fans and people around the world will finally get to see DC’s most iconic superheroes (Batman, Superman, Wonderwoman, The Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg) join together. Similarly, Marvel Studios will be coming out with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Spiderman: Homecoming, and Thor: Ragnarok. Following Spider-man’s huge success in Captain America: Civil War, Your Friendly Neighborhood
Spider will have his solo movie in the third Spider-man reboot, which will focus on a younger Peter Parker. Finally, 20th Century Fox will produce the tenth installment of the X-Men series with Logan. This will supposedly be Hugh Jackman’s last portrayal as the Wolverine, which is based off of the Old Man Logan comic book story arc. Furthermore, this year’s notable action movies include the sequels of many franchises. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales and Transformers: The Last Knight are both the fifth installment of each of their respective film series’s while the British-American spy movie Kingsman: The Golden Circle is the sequel of the first film. Star Wars: The Last Jedi and The Fate of the Furious are the eighth installments of their franchises and should be the most successful of the aforementioned action movies due to the popularity of the series. Vin Diesel will be reprising his role as Dominic Toretto who is tempted into the criminal world which leads to
the betrayal of those closest to him. On the more comical side, talking cars and yellow minions return in the computer-animated films Cars 3 and Despicable Me 3 while Captain Underpants will make his animated debut in theaters in Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie. Accompanying these animations will be the third appearance of the Barden Bellas as they continue their A-Capella brilliance in Pitch Perfect 3 2017 will also bring the first Baywatch movie, based on the television series, starring comedic geniuses Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron as they attempt to protect their beach. Evidently, a majority of the movies coming out this year are continuations of franchises that people seem to enjoy. With a wide range of genres and talented actors and actresses, these movies have a lot of potential for entertainment. Let us all hope that these movies will not be disappointments.
The year of movies: With a number of big names, this year will be exciting.
[Clockwise from top left: Paramount Pictures, Marvel Studios, Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures]
the blue & gold february 16, 2017
2017: TRENDS WE HOPE TO SEE
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Over 2016, we’ve seen a number of trends: the Dab, rolled up ice cream, Instagram stories, the mannequin challenge on Youtube, and more. Here are trends we hope to see in 2017.
By Cherice Tsai
[TWITTER]
Being “Woke”
Oxford dictionaries define the term “woke” (adj) as being “alert to injustice in society, especially racism.” We are seeing this trend gain momentum, with notable examples including high-profile Super Bowl 2017 advertisements which addressed issues such as the environment, sexism, immigration. and tolerance of diversity. This year, we should not only stay woke in our classes, but stay woke to be conscious of political and social issues in our surroundings, in our local community, and in our environment.
[RUTH GRACE]
“Leave Me Alone” sweaters
Sometimes the cafeteria may get too loud. Sometimes your friend is being too annoying. Perhaps you look unpresentable, or you simply want to escape reality. Maybe you just don’t know the answer to a question your teacher is asking. Look no further, for this is the perfect clothing item for you. The “Leave Me Alone” Sweater will solve all your problems—you can simply remove yourself from these uncomfortable situations by zipping yourself away. This convenient garment secludes you in your own little world, free from the pressures and noise of the outside world.
[VR LIFE]
[OBUY]
Red and White Slippers
Tired of splurging on expensive designer flip flops that break every few months? Invest in these cheap yet comfortable and potentially fashionable slippers for a fraction of the price. Of course, white is a color that can be paired with almost anything, and the tinge of red will only add some flashiness to your outfit. These slippers even come in blue and green—so you have a great variety to choose from! Donate the money you save by purchasing this handy footwear to a charitable foundationand promote good for the world—starting with these slippers.
Virtual reality therapies
Virtual reality therapies are able to address psychological issues— phobias, addictions or other mental conditions. By creating multi-sensory environments and tricking the brain from current context, VRT, which uses specially programmed computers, visual immersion devices and artificial environments allows brains to re-wire themselves and may even re-establish mobility in limbs. With a lower cost compared to traditional cognitive behavior therapy and its promise as an effective method of treatment, VRT, if able to become more accessible, is ready to become a new trend in 2017.
[AMY HSU]
Beach clean-up bondings
Like spending time at the beach? Like to hang out with your friends? Like to help the world? Through beach cleanups, you can do all three at the same time! Instead of going to the movie cinemas, head down to Baishawan or Fulong beach with a couple of large trash bags. Once you get there, don’t just lie around and wallow in the sun, stand up, move your muscles and help clean the beach of cans, glass, and plastic. A great way to do good for both our community and environment, while also having fun at the same time!
Steinbeck vs. Star Wars: highbrow & lowbrow culture By Catherine Lin The Oscars are coming up, accompanied by the usual media controversies over which movies deserve a gold statuette. The battle for Best Picture between the two frontrunners, Damien Chazelle’s La La Land and Barry Jenkins’s Moonlight, is generally portrayed as a battle of opposites—whimsical escapism versus gritty realism, nostalgia versus progressive, bigbudget versus small-budget—but amidst all the uncertainty and speculation, one thing is certain. The winning film will be highbrow, while more lowbrow works like Rogue One, this year’s installment of the Star Wars saga, go unrecognized. For Kendrick Hew (12), the Academy is only doing its job. “Art has always triumphed over popularity at the Oscars,” he says. “That’s because the purpose of the Awards is to shine a spotlight on artistically accomplished films that don’t always receive enough attention at the box office.” Movies without a mass audience may still merit recognition, and the Oscars are a venue for the film community to reward great art with acclaim when the public does not reward it with dollars. The distinctions between highbrow and lowbrow—artistic and commercial—are less clear than they might seem at first glance. “The classics of Hitchcock and Welles,
Head to head: La La Land and Moonlight compete for the Best Picture Academy Award. [IMPAWARDS.COM]
now studied in film schools around the world, were released for a mass audience,” Jeremiah Hsu (12) says. Art created to make money can still
be good art. For jazz musician Brandon Tsou (12), the line between highbrow and lowbrow art lies not in its purpose,
but in how it is experienced. “Some genres in music require more mature ears. Pop is an easy stroll, while jazz is for serious listeners who care
about technique, tone, and advanced musicality.” At the same time, a relaxing stroll may simply be more enjoyable than a marathon. Lowbrow art need not be demeaned for making comprehension and pleasure easily attainable. The seemingly deliberate opacity of highbrow art, including contemporary painting, can be offputting. “What am I supposed to get out of an all-black canvas?” says David Wang (10). The hierarchy between the sophisticated and the trashy makes little sense if lowbrow work is of equal or better quality. “I respect both Steinbeck and Riordan for the same reason: their imaginations.” Unfortunately, associations with inaccessibility keep the world of highbrow art exclusive. “I know a lot of guitarists who think the jazz is too hard to play, and that it’s something totally out of their reach,” says Brandon. “Anyone should be able to try it...with this hierarchy, the jazz community will remain small forever, which does not help the art form at all.” The line between popular and elite culture need not be intimidatingly impenetrable. Jeremiah says, “The ultimate separation between the average consumer and the connoisseur is not the elegance of their tastes, but their exposure to genres beyond the bestseller list, the top charts, or the theaters.”
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the blue & gold february 16, 2017
Moana: An Ocean Journey By Kelly Phil
An island adventure: Moana is an epic ocean voyage riddled with musical performances and stunning visuals. [IMPAWARDS]
Moana is a film that will definitely earned its place in history for years to come. Since its December release, Moana has gained a much-deserved reputation for a unique take on a classic Disney Princess image. With its musical performances and stunning visuals, Moana has won the hearts of many. One of the best qualities of the film is that the title character, Moana, voiced by Auli’i Cravalho is a powerful female leader from the very start. While most Disney movies have their so called “heroines” painted as damsels in distress whom the male protagonist needs to save, Moana is the complete opposite of that. Since her childhood, Moana’s parents prepared for her future role as the leader of the tribe. Later in the movie when Mauri, the demigod, gives up hope and leaves her for dead, Moana goes forth outsmarting the lava demon, Te Ka. Personally, it felt as though the story had less to do with the journey Moana was on with Maui but more to do with the process of self-discovery that we see Moana engage in constantly. From the very beginning, Moana is in a leadership role, and seeing someone like her experience personal turmoil deviates from the usual damsel in distress.
The setting was also a refreshing change from the usual European characters and scenery. The surprisingly accurate presentation of daily life and sailing culture are a huge leap from Pocahontas. In traditional polynesian cultures, both dance and song are considered important parts of life. This along with tattoos, sailing boats, and coconuts were all parts of cultures in the region; and was a fact properly shown in the film. The plot is based on the Long Pause, a period in Polynesian history in which there are no recordings of sailing whatsoever until it started again a couple decades later. However, there have been criticisms regarding some of the more minor characters. The small pirates that we see are the Kakamora, and are shown to be little folk wearing coconuts. Disney describes them as “a diminutive race donning armor made of coconuts. They live on a trash-and-flotsam-covered vessel that floats freely around the ocean.” But, the Kakamora are actually based off of legendary short-statured warriors of the Solomon Islands. Sadly, they bear no resemblance to the Disney knock-off. Many have criticized the use of coconuts to describe a respected part of Polynesian history and lore. Because ‘coconut’ is a racial slur often used against Pacific
Islanders, it doesn’t exactly create the right image. Disney often has a bad reputation for reshaping fairy tales to fit a familyfriendly environment, often shifting away from source material and instead perpetuating ideas like the female character always having a love interest. Pocahontas, for example, is a widely criticised instance of Disney attempting to create a story without using accurate information. Instead of celebrating the culture of Native Americans, most of the movie was more of a white savior story. Thankfully, Moana is instead is a step away from this setting. Overall, Moana seems to be a very consequential Disney movie in the sense that it came in the culmination of years of criticism Disney was subject to. Viewers and critics were in search of something new that wasn’t always a European damsel in distress that lacks agency. They have managed to stay true to Polynesian customs of the time while portraying Moana in leadership positions. Moana is a fresh break from the mainstream princess narrative Disney is usually known for, and should be commemorated for its attempt at such a piece. Hopefully, Disney learns from its successes as they have with their mistakes and hopefully continue the trend Moana has started.
Mighty Quinn’s: Meat Lover’s Heaven By Coco Lee
Brisket
Mac & Cheese
The Brisket, a cut of beef from the lower chest, is one the restaurant’s signature dishes. It does a wonderful job in giving a soft and tender texture with a salty base of flavour. The house recommends eating the brisket Mighty Quinn’s BBQ Sauce that adds into the flavour with a sweet vinegar taste.
Mighty Quinn’s Mac & Cheese is one of the side dishes. It has a delicious flavor of cheese with the slight crunch of bread crumbs that are added in. The aromatic flavor of the mac and chesese goes perfectly with the rich taste of the main meat dishes.
Pulled Pork
Dirty Rice
Spare Ribs
Mighty Quinn’s Pulled Pork is also one of the recommended dishes. It is soft and tender like the Brisket but chewy and more juicy as it contains much more marinated sauce and oil. This dish is also recommended to be consumed with Mighty Quinn’s BBQ Sauce.
Mighty Quinn’s Dirty Rice is served as a choice with one of the main meals. Customers may order bread (hamburger buns) instead. The Dirty Rice is fried rice based on pepper, garlic, and small pieces of meat. The unique flavor of all of these ingredients compliment each other excellently, forming a delicious result.
The Spare Ribs are also recommended by Mighty Quinn’s. Unlike the Brisket and the Pulled Pork, the texture of the ribs are harder and chewy compared to the Brisket and Pulled Pork. This dish also demonstrates more of a burnt and smoky aftertaste that portrays the taste of barbecued meat.
Hours: 11:30 AM - 11:00 PM Address: 111, Taipei City, Shilin District, Lane 14, Section 7, Zhongshan North Road, No. 2 Need a place to hang out and enjoy American barbeque? Mighty Quinn’s is a perfect place to hang out with friends. Just opened where Swenson’s was, it serves delicious signature dishes of American styled barbequed meat that is roasted to perfection. It’s origins are from New York City, and the store has just opened nearby with a affordable price of around 200-300NT.