High up on the Alishan Highway in Chiayi County, the road passes through the village of Shihzihlu (十字路), where a station on the Alishan Forest Railway is also located. The village name refers to a four-way crossroads, and although this village is the point where the railway and highway have their cl
I Play Rocky, Peter Farrelly’s comic and crowd-pleasing tale about the making of Rocky, might seem like a one-two punch of pure nostalgia. It’s been almost exactly 50 years since Sylvester Stallone’s breakthrough boxing classic first arrived in theaters. You need hardly more than a few Philadelphia
As an early stab at rules for conversation, Cicero did a fine job: watch your tone, never look bored, never lose your temper and never ramble on, particularly about yourself, he advised.Now scientists have followed in the great orator’s footsteps and discovered a telltale signature of an enjoyable c
Former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), then running for his first term in 2007, proposed his “10 Well Being Projects for Central Taiwan”. Among these was fixing the Central Cross-Island freeway between Guguan (谷關) and the Techi Reservoir, which had been closed si
The polling situation this election cycle is dire. The quantity of polls is way down and many conducted are effectively useless. One Oct. 29-30 poll for the Taichung mayor election shows the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) candidate Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) up by 10 points, while another Oct. 28-30 pol
How much do you earn? If the question makes you bristle — and I realize we haven’t even met — would you answer it if someone convinced you that your candor might just change the world?In her deliciously original first book, the former Guardian data journalist and illustrator Mona Chalabi sets out to
There’s a ritual that all workers must observe before entering the printing room of Malaysia’s largest Quran production center. Known as wudu, it’s a purification that Muslims perform ahead of prayer to prepare mentally, physically and spiritually.“If they want to touch the Quran, if they want to wo
Some consider how Taiwan conducts elections a model other countries should emulate. There are good reasons to do so, considering the messy outcomes in some other countries, such as the current seemingly endless wait for the final US midterm results. However, Taiwan’s system does have some aspects th
The teenage daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has drawn intense international media attention as their frequent public appearances together fuel speculation that he is grooming her to succeed him one day.There are debates about her status, but most experts expect Kim to eventually hand ove
Tainan’s temples and food culture might seem a world away from Lincoln’s cathedral and the farmland of eastern England. Yet agriculture, historic places and the communities that depend on them offer a persuasive explanation for Taiwan’s newest local partnership in Britain.Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che
One of the most important corruption cases of the year faded from the public eye for a while this summer, only to resurface last week as prosecutors brought in “independent” indigenous legislator May Chin (高金素梅) for questioning and the Coast Guard seized two fishing boats in connection with the spra
Nov. 9 to Nov. 15When a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) warplane crash-landed at Taoyuan Airbase on Nov. 11, 1965, officials called it the “greatest birthday present for Sun Yat-sen (孫逸仙).”On the eve of the Republic of China (ROC) founder’s birthday, three airmen had apparently defected to Ta
Switching from dairy products to plant-based alternatives could lead to deficiencies in vital micronutrients, especially among young people and women, a study has found.Even moving partly to vegan alternatives to milk, cheese and yogurt could lead to falls in iodine, calcium, riboflavin and vitamin
With its sea foam-green and white decor, exposed brick columns and “classic Italian dishes” served atop European oak tables, La Costa was billed as an elegant slice of Italy in the urban heart of Queensland, Australia’s sunshine state.“We promise, it’ll only take a moment to realize you’re not in Br
Within Kaohsiung’s Dashu District (大樹區), Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum (佛光山佛陀紀念館) serves as both a major religious destination and a popular attraction for visitors. Some come to this 100-hectare complex for a weekend’s worth of exploration and education, while others see it as a Buddhist community hu
Even Godzilla can be felled by an old hazard: the sophomore slump.Though Godzilla has been stomping around for more than half a century, “Godzilla Minus Zero” is a sequel. It follows the quite excellent, Oscar-winning Godzilla Minus One, a reset for the kaiju franchise that brought Godzilla back to
After thrilling the international festival circuit, US indie sensation Club Kid set in the queer New York party scene will hit Taiwan cinemas in December ahead of what many critics see as a tilt at the Oscars.The debut film from Jordan Firstman became one of the buzziest titles at this year’s Cannes
In the late 2010s, Taiwan reached another one of those extraordinary and entirely negative superlatives that seem to define its existence: its farmland had become the most expensive in the world. Between 2010 and 2018, agricultural land prices more than tripled, reaching NT$48.03 million per hectare
Throughout last month, television news was awash with footage of seas of people waving festive orange and black banners and ribbons. Parting the waves is a campaign truck decked out like a ship, with Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taipei mayoral candidate Puma Shen (沈伯洋) — typically dressed in j
RSS