“Manifest,” meaning to dream or will something into existence, has been named this year’s word by Cambridge Dictionary, after a surge of celebrity-inspired popularity on social media.Though far from a new coinage — as an adjective meaning “clear” or “obvious,” the word dates back in English to at le
For all the excellent works in English on Taiwan under Japanese colonial rule, there have been few (if any) monographs dedicated to Taiwanese women as imperial subjects. Studies on the colonial government’s assimilation policy (doka) and, during World War II, its imperial subjectification efforts (
The black and white silent movie flickered into life as the pianist started up with a dramatic flourish. Cue the latest exploits of daring master criminal “Three-Fingered Kate.”The head of a gang behind a string of audacious robberies, Kate — who is missing the last two digits of her right hand — al
The young Buddhist lama sat on a throne near an altar decorated with flowers, fruit and golden statues of the Buddha, watching the celebrations of his 18th birthday in silence, with a faint smile.Jalue Dorje knew it would be the last big party before he joins a monastery in the Himalayan foothills —
Hong Kong has endured a turbulent history since being handed over from Britain to China 27 years ago.Here are some key dates: 1997: HANDOVER On July 1, at midnight, Hong Kong is returned to Chinese sovereignty after 156 years of British rule.The tiny territory has its own mini-constitution that gove
The entire saga involving the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) and its Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) continues to produce plot twists at such a rapid pace that fiction publishers would throw it out for being ridiculously improbable. This past week was particularly bizarre, but surprisingly the press has almos
We’ve lost direction and our brains are shrinking — at least, our hippocampi are. These seahorse-shaped parts of the brain measure about 5cm, sit just above both ears and drive our spatial awareness and orientation. London taxi drivers, famed for taking the Knowledge, a test that involves memorizing
The self-destructive protest vote in January that put the pro-People’s Republic of China (PRC) side in control of the legislature continues to be a gift that just keeps on giving to the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT). Last week legislation was introduced by KMT Legislator Weng Hsiao-lin (翁曉玲) that
Nov. 18 to Nov. 24Led by a headman named Dika, 16 indigenous Siraya from Sinkan Village, in what is today’s Tainan, traveled to Japan and met with the shogun in the summer of 1627. They reportedly offered sovereignty to the emperor. This greatly alarmed the Dutch, who were allies of the village. The
Gabriel Gatehouse only got back from Florida a few minutes ago. His wheeled suitcase is still in the hallway of his London home. He was out there covering the US election for Channel 4 News and has had very little sleep, he says, but you’d never guess it from his twinkle-eyed sprightliness. His orig
A “meta” detective series in which a struggling Asian waiter becomes the unlikely hero of a police procedural-style criminal conspiracy, Interior Chinatown satirizes Hollywood’s stereotypical treatment of minorities — while also nodding to the progress the industry has belatedly made.The new show, o
Burnt-out love-seekers are shunning dating apps in their millions, but the apps are trying to woo them back with a counter offer: If you don’t want a lover, perhaps you just need a friend? The giants of the industry — Bumble and Match, which owns Tinder — have both created apps catering to friendly
Ah, the Christmas movie. That old chestnut. That cozy perennial pastime where — let’s just pick one scene from Red One — Dwayne Johnson, playing Santa’s body guard, faces off with a witch-possessed mercenary (Nick Kroll) and ice-sword-wielding CGI snowmen on the sandy beaches of Aruba. Can’t you jus
If you’re 34, watch out: Tom Hanks says 35 is the worst age. Why ask Hanks — delightful as he seems — as opposed to, say, the highly qualified global community of happiness psychologists and social scientists? Because he’s got a film out, duh — Here, which required him to be rejuvenated to various a
Dimmed red lighting and cozy corners, the soft glow from the streetlights outside; the music, modern yet sexy, envelops hushed conversations. JUJU entices us to their snug Spanish spot to clink wine glasses and share indulgent dishes. This place was designed for sultry romantic evenings. But be warn
Crouch through the small metal door and walk down the dark tunnel, and even before you step into the abandoned air raid shelter, the air reverberates with pounding techno beats. Young Chinese holding booze and cigarettes shake and sway in a red-lit passageway, below a big screen rolling through quot
Major oil companies, including Shell and precursors to energy giants Chevron, ExxonMobil and BP, were alerted about the planet-warming effects of fossil fuels as early as 1954, newly unearthed documents show.The warning, from the head of an industry-created group known as the Air Pollution Foundatio
When I started to read Rachel Shabi’s new book, I felt a profound sense of relief and recognition. As she writes: “The left has ceded the space on antisemitism… and the right has smartly and strategically filled that void.” As someone who has been involved for years with various causes where leftwin
REVERSING DIABETESHalf a billion people worldwide live with diabetes. There are different types with different causes, but all lead people to have too much sugar in their blood. If not well controlled, this excess glucose can inflict damage throughout the body, putting people at risk of gum disease,
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