週四 (5/9)1.單身經濟 2.智慧手機讓人受傷

板區橋文化路一段421巷11弄1號 (陽光甜味咖啡館)

埔捷運站1號出口 旁邊7-11巷子進入20公尺 看到夏朵美髮左轉    PM 7:00-9:30

單身經濟

As more singles live alone, businesses cater to their needs

 | FOCUS TAIWAN 

Taipei, March 27 (CNA) Single-person households have become more popular in Taiwan in the past decade and now there are an increasing number of services catering to those living alone.

Taiwan had 2.747 million single-person households by the end of 2016, accounting for 32.09 percent of all households in the country, up from 2.023 million in 2007, according to the Ministry of the Interior statistics.

Singles are most prevalent in urban area. The single-person households accounted for 34.92 percent, 34.51 percent and 34.25 percent of all households in Taipei, New Taipei and Kaohsiung, respectively, in 2016.

In the past, single thirty-somethings or older tend to stand out in social or family gatherings, but about 40 percent of people between the ages of 30 to 39 were unmarried in 2015, according to a statistics by the Ministry of the Interior.

Anyone unmarried is single, but he or she does not necessarily live alone. Some married people live alone, while many unmarried people live with their partners or children. As there are more single people in society, however, people who live alone tend to be more numerous too.

Businesses are starting to take notice of this consumer group.

A new variant of papaya produced by Yang Chien-te (楊乾德), a farmer in Gaoshu Township in Pingtung County, is about half the weight of the current ones on the market, and is sold for about NT$80 (US$2.65), suitable for a person to eat during breakfast. It has been welcomed by local consumers.

Recipe books for people living alone have meanwhile become popular mainly among women aged 30 and up, and especially for women in the 40-44 age group, according to Books.com.tw (博客來), Taiwan's largest online bookstore.

Travel books for solo travel are also selling well and some 80 percent of its buyers are women, it said. As a case in point, Chinese translations of picture books by Japanese woman author Naoko Takagi, who has published some 30 books on living alone since 2003, have been popular in the past decade.

Single people, however, admit there are inconveniences and awkward moments.

A 30-year-old public servant, surnamed Wang, who rents an apartment with her elder sister in Taipei, said she and her sister both dine out since they have different work shifts.

Wang said finding someone to have dinner with is not easy, because married coworkers have to go home and unmarried ones might have a date or other arrangements. So "single friendly restaurants are a salvation" for us unmarried people, she said.

Chang Hua-chen (張華宸), a barbecue restaurant owner, said his motivation to open his single friendly eatery was due to his own experience of being discriminated against in a lamb and goat barbecue restaurant.

He never thought his restaurant would become popular among singles, but now nearly 40 percent of all customers are singletons, Chang said.

Business owners have meanwhile noticed single people have different consumption habits.

Shen Yu-wei (沈佑威), a spicy hotpot restaurant owner, said single customers normally spend 50 minutes in a meal, while two customers might spend an hour and a half.

Shen said despite not taking as much time eating, single customers interestingly spend on average more than customers in a group.

"About 30 percent of our monthly revenue, which is nearly NT$1 million, comes from single customers," he said.

 

智慧手機讓人受傷

10 smartphone injuries that can easily be avoided

Sarah Jacobsson Purewal

Phone meets face

You’re not the only person who’s gotten a black eye because you dropped your phone on your face while texting in bed. According to a study commissioned by the UK-based National Accident Helpline, a whopping 60 percent of 16-24 year olds are in the same boat.

Distracted walking

Walking is, apparently, really hard. So hard, in fact, that human beings cannot walk and perform other mentally-challenging tasks, such as texting, simultaneously. According to the this report from the Governors Highway Safety Association, pedestrian fatalities are on the rise because we are just that terrible at walking.

Tech neck

As you get older, your body starts to hurt. You might have back pain, knee pain, or even neck pain—regular wear and tear can’t be avoided. But by “older,” we’re talking 55, not 25. If you’re a millennial with neck pain, it’s probably because you spend too much time hunched over your phone on the toilet.

Phone madness

Technology makes people insane. Saving money on technology makes people even more insane. In 2013, at least 20 people were injured when a frenzied South Korean mob tried to grab vouchers for a free LG phone.

Repetitive strain injuries

Think you can’t get carpal tunnel from your phone? Think again. Repetitive strain injuries don’t just affect your wrists. Check out this case study of a 29-year-old who ruptured a tendon from playing too much Candy Crush.

Selfie deaths

People are not the only victims of stupid selfie stunts. Innocent animals, such as this baby dolphin that has almost certainly never owned a smartphone, are also at risk. Repeat after me: SELFIES KILL.

Selfie stick deaths

Selfies alone are killing people, so what could possibly go wrong if we introduce a four-foot-long metal rod into the picture? Nothing, right? Selfie sticks are also pretty dangerous. In 2015, a person was struck by lightning and killed while holding a selfie stick (the stick attracted the lightning, naturally), while another person ended up crashing his car because he was trying to get the perfect selfie (on a stick). Selfie sticks are even a danger to international landmarks: Two American tourists were arrested in 2015 for carving their initials into the Colosseum with a selfie stick.

Tripping over a charging cable

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週二(4/30)1.託夢---神明來夢中! 2.新趨勢----簡約風

板區橋文化路一段421巷11弄1號 (陽光甜味咖啡館)

埔捷運站1號出口 旁邊7-11巷子進入20公尺 看到夏朵美髮左轉    PM 7:00-9:30

託夢---神明來夢中!

What is the meaning of dreams in Buddhism? | Questions to Lama Ole Nydahl

Lama Ole’s answer:

First of all, ordinary life is more important than dreams, because this normal waking state that we experience now is a collective dream. In contrast, whatever happens during the night is just individual dreams. We also wake up every morning within more or less the same dream, while at night the dreams change constantly. Our dreams at night are mostly related only to the mind, while the dream we are experiencing right now includes our body and speech.

On the other hand, we have special kinds of wisdom in dreams that we don’t have here, because we are more tied to experience and have more attachment during the waking state. One can also definitely deduce things from dreams.

To do this, we can divide the night into three phases. During the first third, the impressions of the day get put into different drawers in the store consciousness. In the second third, some people have nightmares; they feel pressure and difficulties in the middle of the night. I myself don’t know about this, but if it happens it can have two causes: disturbing energies from the outside or too-slow breathing that causes the body to develop fear of dying. The body then discharges a lot of adrenaline, and when our consciousness perceives this it reacts—“Hey, danger! Enemies!” But in fact it is only the body reanimating itself.

And then the third part of the night is useful. Shortly before waking up, one can dream of the immediate future. And right in the moment of waking, one can dream of the somewhat more distant future. This way, our store consciousness tries to bring a message through the clouds of ignorance and veils into the moment of awareness. This happens in dreams; the mind tries to show itself something. But it has big hindrances caused by expectations, fears, veils, tomorrow and yesterday, etc., which make what is displayed inaccurate.

But in general, you can say that dreams in color are more important than those without color. Dreams with upward movement are a good sign and those with descending movement are not so good, except when one decides out of great compassion to go down consciously and help the beings there. Mind is the boss; it can transform this.

For Buddhists the best dream, of course, is to see one’s lama or buddhas, to receive blessings, or to hear mantras. That’s absolutely great! It means that during the process of dying, the good impressions are so strong and deep that they will come up from the store consciousness and help us into a good rebirth.

In general, also for non-Buddhists or those who don’t work with their minds, the feeling one has while waking up is crucial. If, for example, you have killed people during the night and you wake up feeling wonderful, then this doesn’t mean that you have found your true sadistic nature, but rather that you have removed disturbances. And if you were helping elderly women cross the street all night but you wake up with mixed or bad feelings, then you surely had subconscious thoughts of being mentioned in their wills later.

In any case, the most important thing about dreams is to experience that which is dreaming, the dreamer itself. Try to know who is dreaming and what is being dreamt. And during the day, try to bring the feeling of dreaming into life. Then you are coated with Teflon—you are protected. You won’t get caught by disturbing emotions as much as usual.

新趨勢----簡約風

The decluttering trend could be a good thing for the environment

University of Arizona

Television shows like Marie Kondo's "Tidying Up" have shined a spotlight on minimalism and the potential benefits of decluttering.

In the Netflix series "Tidying Up," Japanese organization specialist and author Marie Kondo helps people pare down clutter and create more orderly spaces. The show has inspired thousands of viewers to rethink how they fold T-shirts and toss belongings that don't "spark joy."

But why is the series so popular, and what does the Kondo movement – and the minimalism trend in general – mean in the grander scheme of things?

In an age of overconsumption, getting rid of unnecessary items can bring people a sense of personal relief and pride, but it can also be part of a larger move to a lifestyle that is more environmentally sustainable, says Sabrina Helm, associate professor of family and consumer sciences at the University of Arizona.

Consumers need to be careful, though, not to simply fill cleared-out spaces with more stuff, she warns.

Helm, who teaches in the Norton School of Family and Consumer Sciences in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, talked with UANews about some of the psychological, social and environmental implications of moving toward a simpler lifestyle.

Q: Why do you think Marie Kondo and minimalism are so popular?

A: The minimalist movement taps into several cultural trends and global issues. First, consumers' lives are oversaturated; many houses are filled with "stuff," and as consumers, we have been trained to consume more and more, accumulating cheap stuff we don't really appreciate or value but deem disposable. In addition, interest in reality TV shows is still growing, with shows such as "Hoarders" already running for 10 years. Social media has a dominant role in inspiring and growing new cultural movements, so some influencers, such as "The Minimalists," find fertile ground for spreading new approaches to principally old ideas – namely, that more stuff does not mean more happiness. Amidst all this, there is also a growing movement around sustainability, and many now do realize that buying all that "stuff" wastes scarce planetary resources, leading them to reconsider what is really needed for having a fulfilled life.

Q: Do we see generational differences in who is embracing these ideas?

A: Reasons for embracing a simpler lifestyle are manyfold, and this idea may be appealing for all age groups, as can also be seen when watching "Tidying Up." Downsizing is appealing to many baby boomers, for example. The social media hype surrounding Marie Kondo indicates that millennials may be more engaged. What would be interesting to research in more detail is if the 2008 recession has left an imprint on consumers who grew up during that time or were hit hard by the economic consequences. I discussed this with my students, and some mentioned that their parents have a hard time giving things away because of an uncertain future, which may require them to have all that "stuff" again. So, they'd rather hold on to everything. Younger consumers may be more motivated by the green movement and climate change considerations.

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周六(4/27)1.Good timing 選總統 2.當生活不順時- PM 7:00-9:00

星期六 聚會時間 晚上7:00-9:00

板橋區文化路一段421巷11弄1號 (陽光甜味咖啡館)

新埔捷運站1號出口 旁邊7-11巷子進入20公尺 看到夏朵美髮

Good timing 選總統

Sea goddess 'told me to run for president'

bbc

The billionaire founder of Taiwan's electronics giant Foxconn has announced he will run for the country's presidency, citing divine endorsement.

Terry Gou will stand in the primaries of the Kuomintang opposition party, promoting a more China-friendly policy.

He said sea goddess Mazu encouraged him to promote peace across the Taiwan Strait.

Taiwan's presidential election is scheduled for January 2020 at a time of heightened tensions with Beijing.

Should the tech-billionaire be selected as Kuomintang candidate, he would pose a significant challenge for Taiwan's first female President Tsai Ing-wen, who is fighting low approval ratings.

Mr Gou is one of Taiwan's richest people and announced his bid on Wednesday at the Kuomintang headquarters.

"If I'm elected, I will represent Kuomintang in the 2020 presidential election to compete," he said. "If I'm not elected, it means I haven't worked hard enough.

"I will then fully support the candidate selected from the party's primary system."

Earlier in the day he told a crowd at a popular temple in Taipei that he'd received divine inspiration for his political bid.

  in a local dialect. "Mazu doesn't want Taiwanese society to be so difficult. Mazu told me to come out and do something."

He said the goddess had nurtured him from a child to a grown man. "I am Mazu's godson. I want to do more for Taiwan's people. I will definitely follow Mazu's instructions."

Foxconn founder Gou has made a fortune with his company manufacturing electronic devices for other companies.

The firm is widely known for producing many of Apple's iPhone models.

A China-friendly candidate

Sea goddess Mazu is widely worshipped in southern China as well as countries with large Taoist and Chinese Buddhist communities such as Taiwan, Malaysia, and Vietnam.

She is believed to protect fishermen and sailors.

If successful in his presidential bid, Mr Gou is expected to take a more China-friendly approach than the current administration of President Tsai.

 

當生活不順時---

Things to Remember When Life Gets Rough

Carol Morgan

It’s only a problem if you think it’s a problem.

Many times, we are our own worst enemy. Happiness is really dependent on perspective. If you think something is a problem, then your thoughts and emotions will be negative. But if you think it’s something you can learn from, then suddenly, it’s not a problem anymore.

If you want things to change, you need to start with changing yourself.

Your outer world is a reflection of your inner world. Don’t you know people whose lives are chaotic and stressful? And isn’t that largely because they feel chaotic inside? Yes, it is. We like to think that changing our circumstances will change us. But we have it backwards—we need to change ourselves first before our circumstances will change.

There is no such thing as failure—only learning opportunities.

You should just wipe the word “failure” right out of your vocabulary. All great people who have ever achieved anything have “failed” over and over. In fact, I think it was Thomas Edison who said something like, “I did not fail at inventing the light bulb, I just first found 99 ways that it didn’t work.” Take your so-called “failures” and learn something from them. Learn how to do it better next time.

If you don’t get something you want, it just means something better is coming.

That’s hard to believe sometimes, I know. But it’s true. Usually, when you look back at your life, you will be able to see why it was actually a good thing that something didn’t work out. Maybe the job you didn’t get would have made you spend more time away from your family, but the job you did get was more flexible. Just have faith that everything happens exactly the way it’s supposed to.

Appreciate the present moment.

This moment will never come again. And there is always something precious about every moment. So don’t let it pass you by! Soon it will just be a memory. Even moments that don’t seem happy can be looked upon as something that you might miss someday. As the country song by Trace Adkins says, “You’re gonna miss this…you’re gonna want this back. You’re gonna wish these days hadn’t gone by so fast….you may not know this now, but you’re gonna miss this…”

Understand and be grateful for your fears.

Fear can be a great teacher. And overcoming fears can also make you feel victorious. For example, when I was in college, I feared public speaking (one of the top 3 fears of all humans). So I find it humorous now that not only do I speak in front of a group every day by being a college professor, I also teach public speaking! Overcoming fears just takes practice. Fear is really just an illusion. It’s optional.

Allow yourself to experience joy.

Believe it or not, I know way too many people who don’t allow themselves to have fun. And they don’t even know how to be happy. Some people are actually addicted to their problems and the chaos in them so much that they wouldn’t even know who they are without them. So try to allow yourself to be happy! Even if it’s just for a small moment, it’s important to focus on joy, not your hardships.

You are not a victim.

You need to get out of your own way. You are only a “victim” of your own thoughts, words and actions. No one “does” something to you. You are the creator of your own experience. Take personal responsibility and realize that you can get out of your hard times. You just need to start with changing your thoughts and actions. Abandon your victim mentality and become victorious. From victim to VICTOR!

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週四 (4/25)1.無法取悅所有的人2.賣皮蛋被捕—不適合食用食物

板區橋文化路一段421巷11弄1號 (陽光甜味咖啡館)

埔捷運站1號出口 旁邊7-11巷子進入20公尺 看到夏朵美髮左轉    PM 7:00-9:30

無法取悅所有的人

Reasons Why It’s Impossible To Please Everyone

wanderlustworker

   

#1 — Everyone will always have an opinion no matter what

No matter what you do or how hard you try, people will always have an opinion about you. Often, it’s a negative opinion. They look at you with distaste and scorn. You can’t please those people no matter what you do. You can’t avoid them from talking and gossiping about you behind your back or even right in front of your face. And you shouldn’t bother trying either.

Nothing will ever change the thoughts and minds of others that are steeped in negativity. Nothing you ever do can please them. It’s quite literally impossible. So why bother trying? They will have an opinion about how you live your life, because it’s different from some Utopian ideals they have envisioned in their minds.

#2 — Right and wrong can often be subjective

I’m not talking about moral issues here. I’m not talking about murder or robbery or anything else that’s illegal in the eyes of the law. However, all of that aside, right and wrong can be almost entirely subjective. What’s right in one person’s mind, could be wrong in another person’s mind.

Most things are considered subjective. They’re open to interpretation. There isn’t a set way of doing every single thing in life that’s always the right way. Because of that, people will differ in their opinions of just how to approach something. If you’re not doing it their way, how can you expect to please them and everyone else for that matter?

#3 — We are all the unique product of our own experiences

No two people are exactly alike. Physically speaking, two twins might be completely identical, but their personalities are shaped differently. They are unique in their own special little ways. If two identical twins can be so different, how do you expect other people who are from different cultures and upbringings to be so similar?

Since we are all the unique product of our own experiences, and we all share different values and beliefs, we behave differently. Even someone you might think you know quite well might have a hidden value or belief that reveals itself when you do something that disobeys or runs in contrast to their particular thoughts.

#4 — People will always talk no matter what what you decide to do

The nature of humanity is to talk. We talk about others in an attempt to feel better about ourselves. Gossip is quite possibly one of the worst ways to pass the time. There’s no sense in gossiping. If you’re partaking in gossiping on a regular basis, then you’re filling your life with negativity rather than positivity. It’s harder to push past the status quo when you live in the negative realm.

Considering that people will always talk, there’s not much you can do to please those people. They will always find something about you to talk about. That’s just the nature of groups and clicks. They’re almost cult-like in their nature. They feed off of negativity and seeing others hurt. But you simply have to ignore it. Develop thick skin and turn the other cheek.

 

賣皮蛋被捕—不適合食用食物

Italian police confiscate hundreds of century eggs, calling them inedible

Kylie Knott and Laurie Chen asiaone

Italian police confiscate hundreds of century eggs, calling them inedible

Italian police confiscated 800 preserved eggs from two restaurants in Sicily earlier this month, labelling them as "unfit for human consumption".

Two Chinese restaurant owners in the commune of Misterbianco, outside the town of Catania, were detained.

In a statement dated April 9, Italy's health ministry said the eggs were not fit for human consumption and a violation of European Union import laws.

Most of the confiscated goods were century eggs, while some were salted duck eggs. Century eggs are a traditional Chinese delicacy made by burying eggs in a mixture of clay, ash, salt and lime for days or months until they develop a distinctive pungent aroma and salty taste.

Century eggs are also known as 1,000-year eggs. Photo: South China Morning Post

Many Chinese internet users took to social media to say that foreigners did not understand the cuisine.

"Century eggs are such a delicacy, how could they be unfit for human consumption," commented one person microblogging platform Weibo. Another wrote: "Foreigners are clueless when it comes to food."

Other Chinese social media users were quick to dismiss Italian food.

"What do they think of canned herring?" read one top-rated comment on Weibo.

While another user claimed that Italy's food safety standards were better than China's spotty track record of food hygiene scandals: "These kinds of foods carry a high level of harmful substances and do not reach the health and safety standards of their country. Just use your brain, do not be meaninglessly angry."

It's not the first time century eggs have been portrayed in a bad light.

The ingredients for cold bean curd with century egg and pork floss. Photo: South China Morning Post

In 2018, the Disgusting Food Museum in Malmö, Sweden, included century eggs in its exhibition of 80 of the world's most disgusting foods (other Chinese delicacies included stinky tofu, bull penis and spicy rabbit head).

In 2011, CNN voted century eggs the most revolting food of the year.

Century eggs can be eaten on their own, or as a side dish. In Cantonese cuisine, the egg is wrapped with slices of pickled ginger root while a Shanghainese recipe mixes chopped century eggs with chilled tofu. In Taiwan, century eggs on top of cold tofu with katsuobushi, soy sauce, and sesame oil, is a popular dish.

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