周六(8/11)1鬼月禁忌 2同志 愛台灣 下午4:00-6:00

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 看到夏朵美髮左轉    星期六 聚會時間為下午4:00-6:00

鬼月禁忌

Top 10 taboos to avoid during Ghost Month in Taiwan | Culture | FOCUS TAIWAN

1. Don't go swimming

This restriction seems to have the widest consensus among those who observe Ghost Month. It is considered highly dangerous to go swimming because it is believed that evil spirits that had drowned may try to drown the swimmer to gain a chance at rebirth. The upside for non-believers is that the beaches are pretty much empty for the whole month.

2. Don't go out alone at night

Young children and young adults in particular should avoid going out alone after dark as it is believed that wandering ghosts can more easily possess the young.

3. Don't whistle, especially after dark

Whistling is thought to attract evil spirits and once they've been lured in, they may follow the person around for long periods of time, bringing ill fortune.

4. Don't sit in the front row of Gezaixi shows

This is probably one of the biggest pitfalls for newbie foreigners during month. Beware that the front row of Gezaixi (Taiwanese opera) shows performed on the streets should be avoided at all costs because it is strictly reserved for spectral spectators only.

5. Don't pick up money on the street

People are admonished not to pick up real money or take it home because it will bring them bad luck. Picking up a hell bank note (joss paper) is considered an insult to the spirits and a bad omen as well.

6. Don't just turn your head around if someone pats you on the shoulder

It is believed that the living have two protective flames, one on each shoulder. If a ghost pats you on the back and you only turn your head, you'll snuff out that protective flame, thus making you vulnerable. To avoid this, turn the whole body at once instead of just the head.

7. Do not kill rare insects in your house

Some believe that their ancestors come to visit their relatives in the reincarnated form of a rare insect. The definition of "rare"is debatable, but basically a type of insect that has rarely if ever been spotted in your house before such as butterflies, grasshoppers or moths, and for their part, roaches are probably not considered "rare."

8. Don't hang clothes outside to dry

The thinking with this is that devious spirits will wear your clothes as a way to sneak into your house.

9. Don't lean against the wall

Ghosts apparently like to stick on walls because they're cooler, so don't push your luck and lean against them during the month.

 

同志 愛台灣

Reasons why Taiwan is the best LGBT destination      taiwan news

1. First Asian country to approve same-sex marriage

In May last year, Taiwan’s Constitutional Court ruled that barring gay couples from marriage violated “the people’s freedom of marriage” and “the people’s right to equality”. This ruling paved the way for Taiwan to become the first country in Asia to introduce legislation to permit same sex marriage. The legislation process to enshrine this in law has been slow since then, but with most Taiwanese people supporting the move, and opposition coming primarily from US-based Christian organizations, it shouldn’t be too long before Taiwan passes this landmark law.

2. Home to the largest Gay Pride celebration in Asia

There has been a Gay Pride event in Taipei since 2003 and with more than 80,000 people taking part in the most recent event, it is officially the biggest in Asia. Taking place over 4 days, with the main parade always being held on the last Saturday in October, the weekend is packed full of events, parties, and fun. The parade itself begins in Ketagalan Boulevard, outside the Presidential Palace before following a two-hour route through the city center. Other Pride events have also taken place in Kaohsiung and Taichung. 

3. Great LGBT Movie culture

Taiwan has a long and rich culture of making LGBT-themed movies. Taiwanese Director Ang Lee is well known for directing Brokeback Mountain, but that was not his first movie with LGBT themes. Back in 1993, he made The Wedding Banquet about a gay Chinese man who stages a sham marriage to please his parents. In 1997, The River by art-house director Tsai Ming-liang told the tale of a Taiwanese patriarch who secretly frequented gay saunas, while the hugely successful 2002 film Blue Gate Crossing is about an innocent love triangle complicated by ambiguous sexual orientations. The 2006 film Eternal Summer also featured a similar love triangle, while in 2015, the multiple award winning Thanatos, Drunk, told the tale of a young Taipei man, his gay brother and their sexually ambiguous gigolo friend. Taiwan also hosts an annual renowned LGBT Film Festival, the Taiwan International Queer Film Festival.

4. Thriving LGBT nightlife

If you are looking to party in a proper gay club, Taipei has the place for you too. There are no shortage of gay clubs around the city, but the most famous is probably G*star Club. The club boasts a light-up dancefloor and plays host to regular stream of the best DJs in Taiwan. For gay men in Taipei, it is probably the must-visit nightclub. For lesbians, that accolade probably goes to Taboo. Taboo offers live music some nights and a fairly small dancefloor, but later in the evening and at weekends it is packed with revelers enjoying the wide range of music that is played.  

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週四 (8/16)1.更好交際 2.好兄弟

板橋區文化路一段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

更好交際

How to Be Social  wiki

    Make small talk.

    As the saying goes, there’s nothing small about small talk. You may feel like you’re allergic to talking to people about the weather or the local sports team, but this is the way you can begin to develop a more serious bond and to get to know people on a deeper level. While you may want to jump right into a discussion of whether or not there’s a God or about your complicated relationship with your mother, you’ll need to be able to make more superficial conversation with people before you can get to a deeper level. Don’t think that you’re above small talk or that you have no time for it; instead, think of it as a way of moving towards truly getting to know people.

   Be interested, not interesting.

    You may think that the best way to be social is to make people think that you’re an awesome person who they need to spend more time with. Well, this certainly couldn’t hurt, but the fact of the matter is, people are much more likely to want to socialize with people who are interested in them, instead of people who are just interesting in general. While you can certainly reveal information about yourself, one way to socialize more is to show a real interest in people by asking them questions and showing that you care about their lives.

    Embrace new people.

    People who have trouble being social are usually afraid, distrustful, or just skeptical about new people. They may think that new people have nothing to offer them and that they are better off sticking to the familiar. Well, you should think that, to new people, you are certainly worth getting to know – and that you’re a new person to somebody. Instead of being skeptical of new people until they prove themselves to you, try to assume that most people have good intentions and give them the benefit of the doubt. If you approach new people as potential friends instead of potential enemies, you’ll be on your way to being much more social.

     

     Learn to read people.

    Another way to be social when you talk to people is to learn to read them, even when they are saying the opposite of how they feel. You should become a master at decoding body language, and should be able to tell how a person is feeling just from how that person is standing or by the look on his face when he’s not talking. If someone is telling you that he’s doing fine, but you can see that his eyes are puffy or that his clothes look a bit disheveled, then you may find that he actually needs a helping hand.

  

       好兄弟

Taiwanese Ghost Month | International Neighbors

By Yu-Ting

During the Ghost Festival, people pay tribute to ghosts. They prepare food and drink offerings to keep them safe from ghost harassment. Marriages, moving houses, business transactions and other important events are viewed as taboos during this month. It is believed that the ghosts would create obstacles and then make things go wrong. In many parts of Asia, Ghost Festival is a holiday full of taboos and restrictions instead of happiness.

What to avoid during the ghost month?

For the Taiwanese, the Ghost Month is an ominous time. Many activities are said to bring misfortune during this time, especially after dark. Among the taboos are weddings (or it won’t be a happy ending), swimming (or ghosts in the water may drown you), making big business decision, such as investment (or it fails in the end), and moving in to a new home (or ghosts will live with you), whistling (or it could attract ghosts to you), etc.

Over all, we avoid the word “ghost” and say “good brothers” instead to protect ourselves from evil demons. On the other hand, feasts are held, not only in families but at temples all over Taiwan, to feed and entertaining the wandering ghosts. People believe that if the ghosts and ghouls aren’t kept pleasant, they will do some eerie things to the living.

Don’t provoke the Ghost! The Funny experience from my poor friend, Jay

During the ghost month, we seldom go outside after dark. However, my neighbor, Jay, who did not believe in ghosts, always laughed at us, “How could you be so superstitious! We’re in the 21 century.” or “We’re educated people who have definitely never seen a ghost.” Therefore, he didn’t mind any taboo in Ghost month.

However, he changed his faith about ghost one evening during the ghost month. I still remember vividly. It was a rainy night, and he had to pick up his sister, Jane, who took the overnight train. Just on his way to train station, the rain was so heavy that he could barely see what was going on outside. Suddenly, he saw some white stuff move, as if it was floating in the air, and following him. At that moment, his car couldn’t move forward and all he could do was back up. He was so terrified that he pulled over the car then ran to home immediately. I have no idea how many miles he ran before knocking on my door. I cannot forget how frightened he was as if he had seen a ghost when he knocked the door to ask my brother for help. Well, I snickered behind the door and texted to my brother,”

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周六(8/4)1.明星逃稅2.檢察官濫權 下午4:00-6:00

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 看到夏朵美髮左轉    星期六 聚會時間為下午4:00-6:00

明星逃稅

China’s X-Men actress Fan Bingbing denies tax evasion as inquiry launched

Zhuang Pinghui  scmp

China’s tax authorities have launched an investigation into allegations that show business celebrities are evading taxes by using a fraudulent dual-contract system.

The State Administration of Taxation (SAT) said on Sunday it has ordered its local bureau in eastern Jiangsu province to investigate “the tax evasion issue by certain film and television professionals as alleged in online discussions”.

Anyone found to have broken the law will be punished, it said.

Chinese film studios and production companies saw their share prices plunge on Monday in response to the news.

Amid Fan Bingbing storm, five celebrities who had tax troubles and how they paid for them

The announcement by the SAT came after a row erupted between actress Fan Bingbing and well-known television presenter Cui Yongyuan.

The 36-year-old is currently shooting a sequel to the 2002 film, Cell Phone, which tells the story of a famous talk show host. Cui publicly criticised the film for what he said were similarities between the experiences of the central character and his own life.

Last week, Cui published an image of a document on his verified social media account that he claimed was a contract for a job for which Fan would be paid 10 million yuan (US$1.6 million). Although most of the document was blurred out, the actress’s name could be seen.

Cui also posted an image of what appeared to be another contract, no details of which could be seen, but which he claimed was linked to the first and had a value of 60 million yuan.

He did not name Fan in the second post, but some internet users and media outlets jumped to their own conclusions.

However, in footage released by news portal Pearvideo.com on Monday, Cui said the two documents he posted online were not about Fan, but insisted dual contracts did exist in show business.

“I am not making a clarification. I can say again that I have a drawer of contracts. The government should step up regulations on show business,” he said.

He also told China National Radio that the authorities had contacted him and he would provide the documents and information to help with their investigation.

 

檢察官濫權

Ministry suspends Hualien prosecutor - Taipei Times

Hualien County prosecutor Lin Chun-yu (林俊佑) has been suspended for alleged abuse of authority and his case has been forwarded to the Control Yuan, which is to decide whether to start impeachment proceedings, the Ministry of Justice said yesterday.

Media reports last week said that Lin, claiming that his daughter had been bullied, took two senior police officials to a Hualien City kindergarten on June 21 and June 28, where surveillance footage showed him interrogating children aged two to four.

The footage showed Lin ordering teachers to stand aside as he bellowed and threatened the children in an attempt to find out who had been bullying his daughter.

Some toddlers reportedly urinated on the spot.

The ministry’s Personnel Review Committee yesterday convened a meeting to discuss Lin’s case and decided to suspend him for a serious breach of conduct, effective immediately.

“We will process the documents related to the case with utmost urgency and reduce his salary by half during his suspension,” Deputy Minister of Justice Chen Ming-tang (陳明堂) said.

The committee found that Lin had exceeded his authority as a prosecutor and engaged in serious misconduct, Chen said, adding that it has forwarded the case to the Control Yuan.

“Lin spoke for himself when asked to offer an explanation before committee members. He bowed in apology and said that his behavior had tarnished the reputation of prosecutors,” Chen said.

The ministry had originally planned to give Lin a second chance by transferring him to the Penghu County Prosecutors’ Office.

However, media reports about the decision sparked a public outcry.

Lin would have been able to continue working as a prosecutor and earn a monthly wage of NT$120,000, as the ministry pays a bonus to prosecutors working on outlying islands.

“We do not want Lin,” Penghu County Commissioner Chen Kuang-fu (陳光復) said when he heard about the pending transfer. “He is not welcome here.”

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週四 (7/31)1.路怒症?2.社交網沉迷

板橋區文化路一段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

路怒症?

Protecting Yourself Against Road Rage    axleaddict

What Is Road Rage?

Simply put, road rage is driving in an aggressive, hostile, or angry manner. The nicest and kindest of people can turn vicious behind the wheel. Any little thing can set someone off. The worst part is that people act on their rage, now more than ever, with sometimes deadly consequences.

I often suffer from road rage. I feel like I have a very extreme case. I don't know how many times I get behind the wheel and try to talk myself down before I even start driving. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. However, I have found certain ways to deal with my rage.

I have also been a victim of road rage; in fact, I was the victim of someone else's rage just prior to writing this article. I wasn't prepared when I became the victim of road rage, but I am now.

This article will cover:

    how to control your road rage,

    how to prevent others on the road from developing road rage,

    and what to do if you are the victim of road rage.

 How to Prevent Your Own Road Rage

I have been dealing with my road rage since I was first behind the wheel. I have tried to temper it, but sometimes it grows out of control. It's not bad, but it could be better. Here are some tips I do when I realize my blood is boiling while out on the road:

    Leave on time. Sometimes my rage gets going because I am in a hurry. If I need to go somewhere, I try to leave on time so I don't feel rushed. If you feel less rushed, then you will have less of a reason to get upset by other drivers.

    Listen to music. If you listen to music, you have something that distracts you. Try not to pick music that may put you in an aggressive or fast-driving mood. Pick something that could calm you down.

    Think about what you could lose if you act out your rage. Road rage can make you do stupid things, from giving a rude gesture to actually assaulting someone. You could end up in jail, lose your job, lose your family, or even lose your life. Think before you act.

         

社交網沉迷

Ways To Stop Your Social Media Addiction

ByPhoebe Waller

Growing up, we millennials didn't even know what social media was, let alone how it might play such a big part in our adult lives. If you feel you are becoming addicted to social media, don't worry, there are steps you can take to beat your social media addiction.

 Limit Yourself

Set a timer on your watch or phone, to limit the amount of time you spend on social media. Choose a limit depending on the severity of your addiction – say an hour a day, which equates to seven hours per week – and whenever you check your accounts, start your timer going. When you reach your limit, be strong and don't be tempted to add on extra time. This will be a strong test of your willpower, but it will be worth it in the end.

Get A New Hobby

You may have a lot more free time on your hands now that you're trying to cut down on your social media usage, so why not pick up a new hobby to fill your spare time? You could learn a new skill or do something you've always wanted to do but never had the time. You'll probably surprise yourself at how much free time you have when you stop mindlessly scrolling through your newsfeed. Plus your new hobby will keep your mind and hands preoccupied when you're craving social media.

Spend More Time With Your Loved Ones

Instead of keeping up to date with your friends' and family members' lives through a screen, spend time with them in the real world and reconnect with them. Make new memories and keep them personal to you — you don't need to document everything you do in life with selfies.

Make It A Treat

Look at social media as a treat. You might not buy an artisanal coffee everyday or get your nails done every week, but you may reward yourself with these kinds of small treats when you feel like you deserve it. So think of social media in the same way: only allow yourself screen time when you've achieved something or you've done something productive first. This way you might change the way you think about social media.

 Meet People IRL

There are so many ways you can meet people in real life. You could join a club, attend a talk, organize a get-together where all your friends bring a friend, or embark on a single's night. Whatever activity you choose, you'll be making connections with new people in reality, which totally beats stalking your ex on Facebook, obsessing over celeb's Instagram feeds, or trying to take the perfect workout selfie.

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