Flies are often deemed a necessary nuisance when patronizing snack shops, but the paper flytraps that are used to catch the pests also can be a source of nausea. During National Taipei University of Technology’s exhibition showcasing its graduating class that was held on May 8, the work of one student — “The Last Supper” — was particularly riveting. Lin Kuan-wen, an industrial design major, has come up with various fruit-shaped designs for paper flytraps, including watermelon and papaya-shaped traps. From a distance the traps actually look like sumptuous fruit, and what appears to be fruit seeds are actually flies that have been caught and stuck to the traps.
Hailing from Changhua County, her family has run a small eatery there since she was a child, and according to Lin, the shop often attracted copious amounts of flies. However, her mother always felt that any of the flytraps sold on the market were visually unattractive and could potentially cause customers to lose their appetite if they saw a trap filled with trapped flies.
Feeling suddenly inspired, Lin came up with the design for her the fruit-shaped flytraps. “The Last Supper” flytraps appear to be delicious fruit while the trapped flies look like fruit seeds.
Photo: Chang Chia-ming, Liberty Times
照片:自由時報記者張嘉明
Like a piece of paper that emits the sweet fragrance of fruit, whether it be watermelon, dragon fruit or papaya, all you have to do is open the seal, apply the sticky substance and place it in a restaurant. The new invention has attracted a lot of attention, including interested manufacturers. With a smile on her face, Lin says that flytrap manufacturers are quite intrigued and have already contacted her about collaborating. She is also planning to add fruit essence to the traps so they give off the sweet smell of fruit and catch flies more effectively.
(Liberty Times, Translated by Kyle Jeffcoat)
小吃店難免招惹蒼蠅,但捕蠅紙總讓人噁心!台北科技大學五月八日舉辦設計畢業展,工業設計系林冠芠的「最後的饗宴」特別吸睛,她設計出西瓜、木瓜等水果造型捕蠅紙,遠看就像個甜美的水果,上頭還有點點水果籽,近看才發現,哇!水果籽竟是一隻隻被粘住的蒼蠅!
Photo: Tung Chen-kuo, Liberty Times
照片:自由時報記者佟振國
林冠芠從小在彰化長大,家中的小吃店難免招惹蒼蠅,母親以市面常見捕蠅紙捕蠅,視覺上並不美觀,黏滿蒼蠅的捕蠅紙也可能讓客人覺得噁心。
她靈機一動,設計出水果造型的捕蠅紙,「最後的饗宴」外觀就像漂亮水果,被黏住的蒼蠅則成了水果籽。
不管西瓜、火龍果、木瓜等,只要撕開黏膠擺放在餐廳,就像是散發水果香的卡片,相當引人注目,也吸引廠商注意。林冠芠笑說,捕蠅紙業者相當有興趣,已有業者洽詢合作可能,她也打算在水果捕蠅紙上加入水果果素,讓捕蠅紙可發出水果香味,更能有效地捕蠅。
(自由時報記者陳怡靜)
Tangbao are one of the most internationally renowned delicacies, that win the hearts of both locals and tourists. Their charm lies in the paper-thin flour wrapper that needs to be folded evenly almost 20 times. Folding a tangbao requires skill to deal with a bulging filling and a thin wrapper. Tangbao are served in a bamboo steamer in which they are steamed, not only adding to the visual appearance, but ensuring they do not get cold before reaching the table. The best way to enjoy a tangbao is to dip it in a mixture of vinegar and soy sauce with
The Bank of Japan (BoJ) announced a seismic change in direction on March 19, hiking interest rates for the first time in 17 years. The move represents an unwinding of an ultra-loose — and maverick -- policy aimed at putting Japan’s “lost decades” of stagnation and deflation behind it. The last time the BoJ raised interest rates was in 2007, but its war against deflation began in earnest in 2013 under then-prime minister Shinzo Abe. “Abenomics” combined generous government spending and central bank monetary easing. The BoJ spent vast amounts on bonds and other assets to pump liquidity into the
Have you ever wished for an extra hour to prepare for exams or finish homework? In some countries, people actually adjust their clocks to gain or lose an hour, all for the sake of Daylight Saving Time (DST). Specifically, clocks are set forward by an hour in March and then set back in November. One of the primary reasons for implementing DST is to make better use of natural daylight so that people can reduce energy consumption. The concept originated with Benjamin Franklin in 1784 and became widely adopted during World War I. Today, this system is in place
For the first time, the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has fined a company for improper disposal of its defunct satellite. The satellite cable company Dish Network was fined US$150,000 because it failed to move an old satellite that was no longer in operation to a safe distance from others currently being used. The FCC had asked Dish Network to move one of its older satellites, EchoStar-7, 186 miles further from the Earth. However, the satellite had only advanced 76 miles before it ran out of fuel at the end of its operational life in 2022.