A sense of transformation has been in the air in Greater Kaohsiung ever since the World Games were held there in 2009. Residents have stopped focusing on issues such as labor movements, industrial migration, or the relocation of Chinese Petroleum Corp. Instead, they are talking about going to concerts at the Kaohsiung Arena, attending lawn concerts of the Kaohsiung Spring Arts Festival, visiting the Kaohsiung Design Exhibition at the Pier-2 Art Center, and getting early-bird tickets for the Kaohsiung Film Festival. The vibrant cultural and arts scene is giving the younger generation cause to believe that the city is getting ever closer to its goal of being the city of happiness.
According to Kaohsiung Bureau of Cultural Affairs Director-General Shih Che, a survey showed that people in the 20 to 29 age bracket are under the greatest pressure from work, compared to those from all other age groups. These people — mostly recent graduates or newbie parents — have high hopes for their future, but are also discovering that this is the toughest time in terms of developing their careers. People in this age group, however, tend to know what they are about, and are often outspoken critics of the government. If these people are satisfied with what the city government is doing, then it shows that they are happy with the food, fashion, housing, transport, entertainment, and leisure facilities in the city.
The survey serves as confirmation that the city government’s efforts are paying off, and is very encouraging to local performing arts groups such as the Kaohsiung City Ballet, Spring Wind Art Theater, Taiwan Drama Performance, Sun Hope Taiwanese Opera Troupe, Counterpoint Chamber Music, Fan Mei Dance Company, Firefly Theatre, and others, all of which have been seeing much larger audiences and higher box office takings in recent years.
Photo: Yang Ching-ching, Taipei Times
照片：自由時報記者楊菁菁
International-level exhibitions on view at the Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts have included works by Andy Warhol, Pixar Animation, the Bauhaus movement, Amedeo Modigliani, and Alfons Mucha. These exhibitions have achieved the most successful attendance records in the museum’s history. The Pier-2 Art Center draws a huge crowd, especially during winter and summer vacations, but also on other holidays. Greater Kaohsiung’s burgeoning development not only attracts visitors from abroad, it also provides a model for other cities and counties in Taiwan to follow.
(LIBERTY TIMES, TRANSLATED BY LIN YA-TI)
高雄從二○○九世界運動會開始嗅到蛻變氣息！民眾話題不再鎖定勞工運動、產業外移或是中油遷廠等，而是討論著高雄巨蛋聽演唱會、春天藝術節草地音樂會、駁二特區設計展、高雄電影節早鳥票等。豐富多元的藝文展演，讓新世代深刻感受到高雄朝著幸福城市生活目標邁進。
文化局長史哲表示，一份問卷調查顯示，二十至二十九歲年齡層是人生面臨工作壓力最大的階段，多半是社會新鮮人或新手爸媽，對人生期許很高，但也是最打拚艱苦的期間。這個年齡層相對主張自我，會對施政有諸多批評。因此這群人對於市府團隊滿意度高，顯示高雄城市生活品質獲得肯定，食、衣、住、行、娛樂、休閒各方面需求獲得滿足。
Photo: Chang Chung-yi, Taipei Times
照片：自由時報記者張忠義
這項問卷調查肯定市府團隊努力，也鼓舞高雄藝文展演團體信心，高雄城市芭蕾舞團、南風劇團、台灣戲劇表演家、尚和歌仔戲、對位室內樂團、汎美舞蹈團、螢火蟲劇團等表演藝術團體，也感受到這幾年來觀眾群增加及市場票房熱潮。
美術館幾檔國際特展：安迪‧沃荷、皮克斯動畫、包浩斯、亞美迪歐‧莫迪里亞尼、阿爾豐斯‧慕夏也創下開館來新高，駁二特區寒暑假及假日強強滾的人潮。高雄迅速發展的經驗不僅吸引國內外旅客到訪，更成為外縣市取經的範本。
（自由時報記者楊菁菁）
Photo: Chang Chung-yi, Taipei Times
照片：自由時報記者張忠義
The cocoa industry is currently facing a crisis, with this year’s cocoa trading price soaring to an unprecedented $10,000 per ton—a 400 percent increase from last year—stemming from diminished crop yields. Given cocoa’s indispensable role in chocolate-making, this surge has driven up chocolate prices and triggered concerns about the sustainability of global chocolate production. West Africa, home to over half of the world’s cocoa trees, is at the center of this issue. The Republic of Cote d’Ivoire and the Republic of Ghana, in particular, are facing severe challenges from both natural disasters and human-induced factors, substantially impacting cocoa harvests. Climate change, with
Scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery in the depths of the Pacific Ocean: oxygen production without the involvement of living organisms. Four kilometers below the surface where sunlight cannot reach, researchers have found metallic lumps generating what they term “dark oxygen.” This form of oxygen is produced through a process independent of photosynthesis. Unlike the traditional photosynthesis process, where organisms use sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to create energy and oxygen, the newly discovered phenomenon operates in complete darkness. The accidental finding occurred during a study of metal-rich lumps in an abyssal plain between Hawaii and Mexico. These lumps, known as
A: What were the highest-grossing films globally last year? B: “Inside Out 2” was the highest, followed by “Deadpool & Wolverine,” “Despicable Me 4,” “Dune: Part 2” and “Moana 2.” A: “Inside Out 2” was also the highest-grossing film in Taiwan. B: It grossed nearly US$1.7 billion worldwide, or NT$55 billion, becoming the best-selling animated film of all time. A: I can’t believe I missed the movie last year. A: 去年全球最賣座的電影有哪些？ B: 冠軍是《腦筋急轉彎2》，其後是《死侍與金鋼狼》、《神偷奶爸4》、《沙丘：第2部》、《海洋奇緣2》。 A: 《腦2》也是去年台灣票房冠軍耶。 B: 這部鉅片狂賣近17億美元，約550億台幣，成為全球影史最賣座動畫電影！ A: 真不敢相信我錯過了這部強片。 （By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張聖恩）
A: In addition to “Inside Out 2” at the top, what were the other highest-grossing films domestically last year? B: “Gatao: Like Father, Like Son” was the only Taiwanese movie among the top 10 blockbusters, which included five animated films. A: I’m surprised that the Taiwanese hit “The Pig, the Snake and the Pigeon” wasn’t on the chart. B: But it grossed over 500 million Chinese yuan in China, which is nearly NT$2.5 billion. The figure was five times higher than that of the best-selling film in Taiwan. A: Its success shows that Taiwanese movies should go international. A:
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