Journal: Graduate Performance Success

12/17(Wed) Our graduate performance day! That was very success for us~~

I happy to join this performance because I was a transfer student. This performance let me know many classmates and learn team spirit. I am a dancer and to rent clothes work.
I have to understand story background then find rent shop to rent clothes. And I also have to learn dance everyday. I was happy the performance is so success!!!
My partner is a beautiful girl, huei-jyuan, her role is Tiger. She is very lively and easygoing for me. Remember, before performance my button was broken and she found needle to help me right away. I was so happy to know her. And this performance process I often mindless hurt her right leg by my high heels. But she only care me if jump her shoulder safety. She is really a nice girl~~

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Assignment: The Poem

Robert Frost - The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Answer:

“The Road Not Taken” is explants Robert Frost's had to choose in the life road. But he was afraid of choosing result. The road that forks into two different directions always presents a choice to be made, in life as well as in poetry. Robert is not pleased about having to make this choice and says that he would like to travel both roads.Therefore, he image the result help himself to choose life direction. I think everyone has to face many chooses in the future. People also always doubt which road is right and image consequences.


Robert Frost - Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Answer:

On the surface, this poem is simplicity itself. The speaker is stopping by some woods on a snowy evening. He or she takes in the lovely scene in near-silence, is tempted to stay longer, but acknowledges the pull of obligations and the considerable distance yet to be traveled before he or she can rest for the night. I like the poem because the poet use simple way to convey his feeling.

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Issue: Smoking-free Life

http://www.health99.doh.gov.tw/box2/smokefreelife/lawClause.aspx?CategoryIDNo=160

Smoking is harmful for people, it increases your risk of developing lung cancer. Even though second-hand smoke and third-hand smoke! Nobody likes disease so everyone has power to refuse Second-hand and third-hand smoke. 1/11(Sun) starts don't smoke in public in Taiwan. That's a good idea. For smoker and non-smoker health, Taiwan's law rules to fine those smoker. If smoking in ban places, you'll pay 10,000-50,000 NT dollars. I hope smoker will reduce in the future.
NEWS: http://www.taiwannews.com.tw/etn/news_content.php?id=834839&cate_rss=news_Environmental&cate_img=273.jpg

When you see smoker in public, you can call the phone 0800-531531 to complaint.

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Assignment: Lawmakers pass overhaul of law on animal rights

(1)Because of public and international pressure, a new tougher animal cruelty law was passed in 2007. What is your response to this law? Is the penalty sufficient, too strict, or too lenient? Do you think this law is enforced or is it just for show? (in other words, how often do police investigate animal cruelty crimes?). Do you have any specific suggestions for how the system could be improved? http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2007/12/15/2003392585

Answer:

I feel happy for the legislature overhauled the Animal Protection Act in 2007. I think "According to the amendment, animal owners are required to provide vaccinations for their animals in addition to satisfying their basic needs such as food, water and protection from harassment and abuse." is animal owners should to do. And the government should to provide public play areas for pets. It's very great idea. Maybe to put some food for those was abandoned pets. I also think the government should to foster those was abandoned pets and to provide vaccinations for the first time.

The law to penalty those harm pets people.

*According to the amendment, anyone who abuses or causes serious harm to animals or kills a dog or cat may be fined between NT$100,000 and NT$500,000 -- double the fine before the bill was passed. Photographs and names of violators may be published as part of the punishment. *Violators who repeat their offense within two years may be fined between NT$200,000 and NT$1 million (US$30,800).
*Upon a third violation within five years, violators may be sentenced to one year in prison and be fined up to NT$1 million.
*Anyone who uses live animals as game prizes or sells dead dogs or cats may be fined between NT$50,000 and NT$250,000.
*Abandoning an animal that could negatively affect the ecosystem is punishable by a fine of NT$30,000 to NT$150,000.
*Abandoning animals not detrimental to the ecosystem is punishable by a fine of between NT$15,000 and NT$75,000.

I think penalty sufficient for fines but the law maybe can't enforce. Because defines is too wide and complex for fines. The law should be easy to understand and pet breeders need to renew their licenses every three years is too long. Should to renew licenses six months and renew pets photos. The government to inspect pet breeders and penalty illegal behavior facilities.

(2)Visit “Animals Taiwan”. Take a look around the website. What is the purpose of this group? What sorts of things do they do? Look around and read (in English) a bit. Don't forget to read “recent posts". http://www.animalstaiwan.org/index.php?mnid=36

Answer:

"Animals Taiwan" is a group of people, both expatriate and local, concerned about the welfare of animals in Taiwan, in particular that of the stray population. We work to raise awareness of the stray problem and education people about the responsibilities of pet ownership.

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Assignment: Whale Wars

Question

International treaties have banned the hunting of whales for food because of declining whale populations world-wide. However, every year Japanese fishing craft hunt and kill thousands of whales near Antarctica in violation of international treaties. They are able to do this because the law allows hunting some whales for scientific research. The vessels call themselves “research vessels”, but others say they illegally hunt and sell whales for food. Some environmentalists, enraged by the Japanese government's hunting, decided to take matters into their own hands. They have bought boats and equipped them to scare whales away from hunters and forcefully challenge hunting boats. This results in frequent fighting and violent clashes between the two sides. Some people call these environmental activists terrorists. Some environmentalists call them heroes. The Japanese government calls them pirates. Both sides say that the law is on their side. How far is “too far” in defense of the environment and preventing the extinction of a species? What do you think? Respond to this question is at least two well developed paragraphs.

Answer:

After watching the documentary series "Whale Wars" about they fight against the Japanese hunt whals story , I feel hunt behavior is very brutal. I disagree with hunting of whales for food. For me, Japanese behavior is disgraceful because they used "research vessels " names to hunt whales.

Sea Shepherd will portect whale avoid attacking by Japanese hunt. Their behave are very brave! They uses innovative direct-action tactics to investigate, document, and take action when necessary to expose and confront illegal activities on the high seas.

I think we should not hunt endangered animals, instead of protecting them.

Besides, killing animals indiscriminately will destroy ecological balance. Therefore, I believe if we are restraint for killing animals, the ecological will keep balance which is the best way for us.

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Issue: Big Fish

Recently, I saw a movie named Big Fish. It is interesting movie. In the movie, the father always tells his legendary life to his son, however, it is not true at all. When his son was young, he liked to listen to his father legendary life. He thought his father was a hero when he was little. But when he grows up, he doesn't believe the story anymore and he becomes angry with his father. He can't understand why his father is keeping telling a fake life. Therefore, he doesn't want to talk with his father after he married. Three years later, he finally starts to talk with his father because his father's health is getting worse. His father talks a lot with him during the rest of his life. Then he knows his father's mood and he portrays the perfect ending of his father's life. Of course the ending is not true but he realizes his father's feeling and thinks his father is right ultimately.

I agree the father create an imagery story to teach his son the life experience. I think the father's intention is he knows he is old, so he has no time to create his new life. He regrets he didn't make his life worthful when he was young. He wants to let his son perceive how to live more valuable; therefore, he creates a long story about his life. Besides, he tells an illusory story because he wants his son to remember it easier. If the father teaches his son by telling amount of proverbs as everyone knows, it will become tedious and forget them quickly. Instead, an imaginary story will be more interesting. He uses an extraordinary way to create an unusual story which is full of adventure and romance in order to make his son understand life is not boring, it also can be attractive. It depends on oneself whether the life will be exciting or not. I think the father did a very good job and his son would have very different view from others about the world.

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Issue: Good Design

In the mid-1950s, coinciding with the resurgence of German industry, the design world developed a formal language dominated by the watchwords: practical, economical and rational. This quickly spread throughout Europe and became the official doctrine for decades to come.
"Forms follows Function" was the order of the day. The designer's job was to analyze an object in order to eliminate any superfluous features and so attain the maximum degree of functionality.
The idea was to make the product as useful as possible by achieving an optimal performance and ensuring absolute clarity for the user. Ergonomic questions were down to the very last detail.
Braun, the manufacturer of small, domestic electrical apparatuses associated with the Design College of Ulm, be came the standard bearer for this new functionalism.

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Homework: Gay Rights Legislation

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan is expected this year to become the first country in Asia to legalize some form of gay marriage.



In Taiwan ,not much ado over gays saying 'I do'




This article suggests that gays and lesbians in Taiwan are generally afraid to “come out” to their family. The article goes on to suggest that most families operate under a“don't-ask, don't-tell”policy. In other words, most families just don't want to know if they have a gay son, daughter, brother, sister, and so on. In your opinion, do you think this is correct? This article is from 2004. Do you think the situation is any different now?


Answer:

If I were gay, I think I don't have courage to admit I am gay. Because I care about others’ ideas, I afraid that others will push me out of their groups. I don't want to be alone, so I will keep my secret in my mind, instead of telling others. Although I am not gay, I still respect them. Everyone has their right to love others no matter he loves boys or girls, we should esteem him.
Gays also have some advantages. First, I think gay is more considerate than other boys because some of them are a little bit like girls. And girls are usually more considerate than boys. Second, some of them like to dress fashionably, so I can ask them some questions about clothing. Third, they are nice and easy to be friends because they not only know girl's heart but also know boys' heart well. To sum up, I think gays have girl's advantages at the same time have boy's advantage, that's why most of them are easily to get along with others.
After I watched this documentary about Harvey Milk, I think he is very brave. Harvey Milk is a good model for gays. Until now, there is some small groups look down on gays. Therefore, I encourage gays to participate in gay's parades to show their opinions. I hope one day gays have an equal power as everyone has which includes marriage.

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Assignment: Harvey Milk

Harvey Bernard Milk (May 22, 1930 – November 27, 1978) was an American politician and the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California, as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Milk was born and raised in New York where he acknowledged his homosexuality as an adolescent, but chose to pursue sexual relationships with secrecy and discretion well into his adult years. His experience in the counterculture of the 1960s caused him to shed many of his conservative views about individual freedom and the expression of sexuality.

About Harvey Milk

Harvey Milk was a very brave man. He didn't fear expression in people's eyes. He encourages gay to face life. The film "The Times of Harvey Milk" tolk his views and people views to him.
I felt heart ache for his result. I think people should not edge out gay, they have power to choose like girl or boy.

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