When the owners of the Yuhung Betel Nut Stand in Kaohsiung's Linyuan Township (林園鄉) made the decision to spend NT$26,000 (US$788) on an African grey parrot for their store, they were looking for a pet that could become like a child to them.
Little did they know, however, that the bird would take such a strong liking to the family business.
Customers don't need to ask the price of a pack of betel nut or a can of beer, as Pika has learned to shout them out as soon as they walk through the door.
He also serves as a watchdog, ruffling his feathers and stamping in circles around his perch to scare off strangers.
But Pika hasn't put all of his unusual intelligence to such productive use.
He is also notorious among customers and neighbors for having learned to swear like a trooper.
He has shown a proclivity for absorbing all the Taiwanese profanity not fit for print that might be overheard at a betel nut stand, so that now customers can expect to get not just betel nuts when they visit the shop, but also a torrent of verbal abuse.
Pika has a special talent for hurling insults and discouragement at people playing the lottery, which has led to the occasional threat by more than one disappointed gambler that he might be delicious if served roasted.
But most people in the community have been able to forgive most of the bird's crude manners and policemen from the local station regularly pass by so that they can wave hello.
Pika has also learned to yell "registered mail" when he sees the mailman approaching on his motorcycle, sometimes from as far as 20m away.
And any sensitive customers who are offended by coarse language had better get used to it or find somewhere else to go for a chew; Pika is only six years old, and African gray parrots can live to more than 50 years of age.
A series of discussions on the legacy of martial law and authoritarianism are to be held at the Taipei International Book Exhibition this month, featuring findings and analysis by the Transitional Justice Commission. The commission and publisher Book Republic organized the series, entitled “Escaping the Nation’s Labyrinth of Memory: What Authoritarian Symbols and Records Can Tell Us,” to help people navigate narratives through textual analysis and comparisons with other nations. The four-day series is to begin on Thursday next week with a discussion between commission Chairwoman Yang Tsui (楊翠), Polish-language translator Lin Wei-yun (林蔚昀), and Polish author and artist Pawel Gorecki comparing
‘EFFECTIVE DETERRENCE’: If the Biden administration suspends arms sales to Taiwan, the military could still ready a nimble fighting force for defense, an analyst said The “US Strategic Framework for the Indo-Pacific” last week sparked debate among analysts after US President Donald Trump declassified the document 20 years ahead of schedule. Trump on Tuesday last week released the document that had governed US strategic action in the region since the US leader approved its use in 2018. The document, which outlines US priorities in the region, emphasizes the importance of defending Taiwan against military aggression and facilitating the country’s development of asymmetric strategies and capabilities. The overall directive of the document is for the US to prevent China from establishing sustained air and sea dominance inside the first
MOVING OUT: A former professor said that rent and early education costs in Taipei are the nation’s highest, which makes it difficult for young people to start families The population of Taipei last year fell to the lowest in 23 years due to high rent, more transportation options and the expansion of northern cities into a single metropolis, academics and city officials said on Monday. Data released this month by the Ministry of the Interior showed that the capital was home to 2,602,418 people last year, down 42,623 from 2019. The decline is second only to 1993, when the population fell by 42,828 people, while Taipei’s population was the lowest it has been since 1997. Taipei saw the biggest drop among the six special municipalities, while Taoyuan led the group in
A legislator yesterday called for authorities to investigate the sale of Chinese-made, Internet-connected karaoke machines containing “propaganda songs.” Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chen Ting-fei (陳亭妃) said she was approached by a person who had discovered Chinese patriotic songs such as My Motherland (我的祖國) — which is commonly referred to as China’s “second national anthem” — in Chinese-made karaoke devices sold in Taiwan. The machines are popular, as they can connect to the Internet, providing access to thousands of songs, she said. One retailer, who asked to remain anonymous, said that the machines first entered the local market about three years ago, starting with
RSS