Podcasts about Taiwanese

Welcome to Summer Slash 7, the ultimate destination for horror movie reactions, reviews, and trivia! This episode dives deep into Child of Peach—a cult Taiwanese fantasy with flying swords, magic peaches, and Power Rangers-style villains—and Friday the 13th Part 7: The New Blood, where psychic powers clash with Jason Voorhees in one of the franchise's most infamous entries.Hilarious commentary on iconic horror moviesDeep dives into slasher franchisesNostalgic nods to cult classicsOur unique Binge Now, Late, or Never rating systemDon't miss:Trivia about Child of Peach's folklore origins and wild special effectsBehind-the-scenes facts about Friday the 13th and its MPAA dramaA preview of upcoming Part 7 horror reviews, including Halloween H20Join us for the craziest summer horror marathon yet! Perfect for fans of slasher movies, cult classics, and over-the-top fantasy flicks.Try Hulu for 30 days FREE https://tr.ee/Ul1i-qP1otRIDE1UP EBIKE OFFERS https://go.ride1up.com/SHDO 

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06-25-25 The Bizarre File #1846 In China, a cargo truck was found teetering on the side of a bridge, 300 ft drop, after a landslide incident. No one was injured. A veteran hiker fell to his death off a cliff after being attacked by a bear in north-eastern Greece. A Virgin Airlines passenger got kicked off a flight all over a fanny pack. A Taiwanese couple is in hot water after hiring pole dancers to appear at their second-grade son’s graduation.

Apple wil als medefinancieerder van de Formule 1-film F1 The Movie duidelijk graag een groot succes maken en gaat daarom zelfs zó ver om advertenties met kortingscodes in de Wallet (voor Apple Pay) te tonen, in elk geval in de VS. Joe van Burik vertelt erover in deze Tech Update. Verder in deze Tech Update: Beijing heeft boos gereageerd op Taiwanese maatregelen die de Chinese tech-sector ondermijnen Bij Microsoft lijken komende week nog eens extra ontslagen te komen, nu bij Xbox-divisie, naast de salesbanen die waarschijnlijk gaan verdwijnen volgens eerdere berichten See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. China has never condemned the invasion, and its government and media have carefully avoided using term “Ukraine War,” opting instead to refer to the war as the “Ukraine crisis,” the “Russia-Ukraine conflict,” or the “special military operation,” a term that echoes Moscow's language. Beijing's approach to the Ukraine War has included support for Russia, a commitment China's own principles, including respecting Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and a professed desire for peace.This episode's discussion will focus on China's evolving posture toward the war and China's relationship with Ukraine. Joining the podcast this episode is Dr. Vita Golod, who is a Junior Research Fellow at the A. Yu Krymskyi Institute of Oriental Studies, National Academy Sciences of Ukraine, and a Visiting Adjunct Instructor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.She is also the co-founder of the Ukrainian Platform for Contemporary China and a board member of the Ukrainian Association of Sinologists.  Timestamps[00:00] Start[01:35] China's Relationship with Ukraine Prior to Russia's Invasion[05:06] President Zelenskyy's Accusations Against China [08:20] Contemporary Ukrainian Perceptions of Relations with China [12:14] Ukrainian Perceptions of Sino-Russian Relations[16:25] China as a Mediator and Peacemaker[19:06] China's Interests in the Outcome of the Russo-Ukrainian War[21:21] What concrete steps could China take to facilitate peace? [23:14] China's Role in the Post-War Reconstruction of Ukraine[28:08] The Future of Sino-Ukrainian Relations

Kia ora,Welcome to Wednesday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand.I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz.And today we lead with news the US dollar is falling, and the benchmark US 10 year treasury yield is down also, near a seven week low. These are the key reactions to the easing of Middle East hostilities.But first up today, we should note that the weekly Pulse dairy auction for the two main powder products brought lower prices yer again. The SMP price fell -2.6% from last week's full auction to US$2704/tonne, which the WMP price fell -1.9% tp US$4006/tonne. The represent yet another retreat which essentially cancel the April to May price gains.In the US, Fed boss Powell was at Congress today giving his semiannual Monetary Policy Report. He is back again tomorrow. He repeated that they are in no rush to cut rates, certainly not in July, and that their scenario of two more -25 bps reductions in 2025 remains their current outlook. Their focus is on inflation risks which they still have worries about, not economic growth, and that is helped by a stable labour market.Meanwhile, the weekly Redbook survey of the US retail impulse showed sales volume growth easing lower, the lowest since the April tariff-tax induced price spike in early April. And if you exclude the seasonal dips at the end of 2024/25, this growth is the lowest since March 2024 even with the tariff-tax push effect on retail pricing.The US Conference Board's survey of consumer sentiment weakened in June. And this time the weakness spread to 'present conditions'. They report consumers were more pessimistic about business conditions and job availability over the next six months, and optimism about future income prospects eroded. It is a trend they have been noting since the start of 2025.Also fading was the Richmond Fed's latest factory survey for June. Although new order intakes declined more slowly, it still declined and the order backlogs in the region are now falling faster. Unless they get an improvement in new orders, production cutbacks are looking. And the service sector survey in the same mid-Atlantic states region is no better. In this district too, reshoring is not in evidence.We should also note that credit stress for US commercial real estate is staying unusually high. This extended trouble will force an increasing number of lenders there to book losses, and because the worst losses are coming from the largest buildings, it could be destabilising for some mid-sized banks. There was a large well supported US Treasury bond auction earlier today for their 2 year Note. This delivered a median yield of 3.73%, down from the 3.90% at the prior equivalent event a month ago.In Canada, their May inflation rate was reported overnight, unchanged at 1.7%, which was the expected result.Taiwanese retail sales were weaker in May, down -1.6% from the same month a year ago and extending a weaker trend. They were expected to rise marginally. However Taiwanese industrial production was outstandingly strong, up more than +20% from the same month a year ago and extending the April surge.In South Korea, consumer sentiment has improved sharply since the election of a reform-minded new president. Apart from a brief post-pandemic spike, they haven't been this optimistic there since 2017.And in case we don't miss it, the German economy is rising again, gaining in confidence and extending the gains that started in mid 2024. The turnaround hasn't been dramatic, but it has built more than you might have thought.The UST 10yr yield is now at 4.30%, and down -3 bps from this time yesterday. The price of gold will start today at US$3,320/oz, and down -US$61 from yesterday.American oil prices are down another -US$4.50 from yesterday at just over US$64.50/bbl while the international Brent price is now just under US$67.50/bbl as Middle East security concerns seem to fade.The Kiwi dollar is now just on 60.2 USc, back up +½c from yesterday. Against the Aussie we are +10 bps firmer at 92.6 AUc. Against the euro we are up +20 bps at 51.8 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today at under 67.9 and +20 bps firmer than yesterday.The bitcoin price starts today at US$106,141 and up +3.7% from this time yesterday. Volatility over the past 24 hours has been modest at just on +1.9%.You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz.Kia ora. I'm David Chaston. And we will do this again tomorrow.

Taiwanese parents hire pole dancers to celebrate son's graduation, police intervene to disperse crowd. Disneyland Paris calls in police over alleged fake wedding with child bride. Dozens attend the Hetero Awesome Fest in Idaho. // SUPPORT by joining the Weird AF News Patreon http://patreon.com/weirdafnews - OR buy Jonesy a coffee at http://buymeacoffee.com/funnyjones Buy MERCH: https://weirdafnews.merchmake.com/ - Check out the official website https://WeirdAFnews.com and FOLLOW host Jonesy at http://instagram.com/funnyjones

We recently sat down with Wen-Jen Deng one of the artists in residence at the Taiwanese American Arts Council's House 17 on Governors Island and Ming Turner, curator of Wen-Jen's art exhibit :The Embedded Stitch- Contemporary Fiber Art, which is currently showing at Tenri Cultural Institute until June 28th Related Links: https://talkingtaiwan.com/a-conversation-with-wen-jen-deng-taiwanese-fiber-artist-and-curator-ming-turner-ep-314/   According to Deng's curator Ming Turner, “Deng is a core member of the influential Taiwanese artist collective, Hantoo Art Group. Her early works were primarily oil paintings which incorporated embroidery and collage using traditional Taiwanese floral fabrics. Deng often draws inspiration from Taiwanese food culture— her earlier pieces explored the island's distinctive betel nut culture, while more recent works have focused on everyday culinary traditions and the cultural heritage of the Sirayu Pingpu people.”   Special thanks to Ming Turner for translation assistance during this interview.   Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:   Wen-Jen's upbringing in Taiwan and how she knew she wanted to be an artist What Wen-Jen thinks an artist's role in the world is Why Wen-Jen studied art in France and how she was inspired by Marc Chagall How Wen-Jen started off doing oil painting as an artist How Wen-Jen switched from using oil paint as her medium to fiber and textiles How Wen-Jen worked in a textile shop making Chinese dresses while she was a student in France Why her early source of inspiration was food Her series of work that focused on lotus shoes and pig's hooves (pigs feet), betel nuts, and other everyday Taiwanese cuisine How Wen-Jen discovered her mother's was from the Siraya tribe during her 2017 residency at Soulangh Cultural Park in Tainan, and that inspired her to move her focus from food to indigenous culture How Wen-Jen learned indigenous weaving techniques How Wen-Jen's mother was a seamstress but Wen-jen did not pick out any of those skills from her mother How Wen-Jen taught herself to embroider when she was working in the textile shop in France How all of the embroidery and sewing on Wen-Jen's works are done by hand How in the process of weaving and embroidering Wen-Jen gets in a focused state of meditation The field work that Wen-Jen does related to her artwork Ming shared some of her thoughts on the significance of Wen-Jen's artwork Wen-Jen's artwork “Oyster Noodles” which will be on display at the TAAC Governors Island House 17 How Taiwan's transition from authoritarianism to democracy has impacted artists in Taiwan How artists in Taiwan get funded How Wen-Jen's sculptural piece which is shaped like the island of Taiwan and shows its topography will be displayed at the TAAC House 17 on June 21       

Tofu gan, a type of dried tofu, popular in China and Taiwan has gained attention in Japan over the past few years as a health food. This week on Eating in Australia, Melbourne-based cooking instructor Mayu Tomaru introduced a recipe using this versatile ingredient. - 中国や台湾では知らない人がいないといわれているほどポピュラーな食材「豆腐干（とうふかん）」。日本では数年前から、「健康食」として注目されるようになりました。メルボルンの料理講師・都丸真由さんがお届する今週の「オーストラリアで食べる」では、この豆腐干を使ったレシピが紹介されました。

In this episode of the How To Carnivore podcast, I chat with Aviva Tu about her inspiring health journey and how adopting a carnivore-focused diet transformed her gut health, skin clarity & colour, and hormonal balance. Aviva opens up about her evolution from a traditional Taiwanese diet through various eating styles, ultimately finding healing and stability with meat-based nutrition. We dive into the real-life challenges she faced along the way including social pressures, adapting her mindset, and learning to trust her body's signals. We discuss:

Hsiao Bi-khim | 蕭美琴 is Taiwan's Vice President, sworn in on May 20, 2024, alongside President Lai Ching-te. A seasoned diplomat, she served as Taiwan's de facto ambassador to the United States from 2020 to 2023, becoming the first Taiwanese official to attend a U.S. presidential inauguration since 1979 when she attended Joe Biden's in 2021. Known as Taiwan's “cat warrior” for her deft diplomacy, Hsiao strengthened U.S.-Taiwan ties, advancing arms sales, trade agreements, and Taiwan's global presence despite China's opposition. Born to a Taiwanese father and American mother, she grew up in Taiwan and New Jersey, earning a BA from Oberlin College and an MA from Columbia University. Hsiao advocates for Taiwan's sovereignty, democratic resilience, and inclusion in international organizations, as seen in her 2025 meetings with U.K. and Israeli delegations. Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: ⁠https://www.roka.com⁠ - USE CODE SRS ⁠⁠https://www.betterhelp.com/srs⁠⁠ This episode is sponsored. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/srs and get on your way to being your best self. ⁠⁠https://www.bubsnaturals.com/shawn⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.meetfabric.com/shawn⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.shawnlikesgold.com⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.helixsleep.com/srs⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://hexclad.com/srs⁠⁠Find your forever cookware @hexclad and get 10% off at hexclad.com/srs! #hexcladpartner ⁠⁠https://www.moinkbox.com/srs⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.paladinpower.com/srs⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://uscca.com/srs⁠ Hsiao Bi-khim | 蕭美琴 Links: X - https://x.com/bikhim  X - https://x.com/TECRO_USA  Presidential Office - https://english.president.gov.tw  Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs - https://en.mofa.gov.tw Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The National Security Hour with Col. John Mills Ret. – Forced organ harvesting by the Chinese Communist Party remains a hidden atrocity, threatening captured Taiwanese troops and persecuted minorities like Falun Gong, Uyghurs, and Christians. Wealth and intimidation silence mainstream coverage, while China's global influence fuels conflicts in Iran and domestic unrest in America. Medical Dr. Torsten Trey exposes these crimes through...

It has now been 30 years since the passing of Teresa Teng 鄧麗君, the legendary Taiwanese singer who transformed Asian pop music, and even influenced regional politics. But three decades have not dimmed her star. Teng remains beloved by millions across Asia and around the world. Now, to the delight of her fans, there is news of one final encore from the “Eternal Queen of Asian Pop”: a previously undiscovered Japanese-language recording has been found. The new song is reportedly set for release on June 25, 2025. To mark the occasion, we're re-releasing this classic 2022 Formosa Files episode celebrating her extraordinary life and legacy. Enjoy!

The National Security Hour with Col. John Mills Ret. – Forced organ harvesting by the Chinese Communist Party remains a hidden atrocity, threatening captured Taiwanese troops and persecuted minorities like Falun Gong, Uyghurs, and Christians. Wealth and intimidation silence mainstream coverage, while China's global influence fuels conflicts in Iran and domestic unrest in America. Medical Dr. Torsten Trey exposes these crimes through...

5/8 The Party's Interests Come First: The Life of XI Zhongxun, Father of XI Jinping Hardcover – 3 June 2025 by  Joseph Torigian  (Author) https://www.amazon.com.au/Partys-Interests-Come-First-Zhongxun/dp/1503634752/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0 1949 XI ZHONGXUN China's leader, Xi Jinping, is one Cf the most powerful individuals inCtheCworld--and one of the least understood. Much can be learned, however, about both Xi Jinping and the nature of the party he leads from the memory and legacy of his father, the revolutionary Xi Zhongxun (1913-2002). The elder Xi served the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for more than seven decades. He worked at the right hand of prominent leaders Zhou Enlai and Hu Yaobang. He helped build the Communist base area that saved Mao Zedong in 1935, and he initiated the Special Economic Zones that launched China into the reform era after Mao's death. He led the Party's United Front efforts toward Tibetans, Uyghurs, and Taiwanese. And though in 1989 he initially sought to avoid violence, he ultimately supported the Party's crackdown on the Tiananmen protesters. The Party's Interests Come First is the first biography of Xi Zhongxun written in English. This biography is at once a sweeping story of the Chinese revolution and the first several decades of the People's Republic of China and a deeply personal story about making sense of one's own identity within a larger political context. Drawing on an array of new documents, interviews, diaries, and periodicals, Joseph Torigian vividly tells the life story of Xi Zhongxun, a man who spent his entire life struggling to balance his own feelings with the Party's demands. Through the eyes of Xi Jinping's father, Torigian reveals the extraordinary organizational, ideological, and coercive power of the CCP--and the terrible cost in human suffering that comes with it.

SHOW SCHEDULE TUESDAY 17 JUNE, 2025. Good evening: The show begins IN THE CONFERENCE ROOM at the Federal Reserve, waiting for the Fed board to see data that move it to reduce the high rate of borrowing -- the cost of money... 1917 EDERAL RESERVE BOARD https://substack.com/profile/222380536-john-batchelor?utm_source=global-search CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR FIRST HOUR 9:00-9:15 #Markets: What is the Fed waiting to see? Liz Peek The Hill. Fox News and Fox Business 9:15-9:30 #Markets: What was "No Kings?" Liz Peek The Hill. Fox News and Fox Business 9:30-9:45 1/2: Iran: The nuclear weapons makers. Andrea Stricker FDD 9:45-10:00 2/2: Iran: The nuclear weapons makers. Andrea Stricker FDD SECOND HOUR 10:00-10:15 #Berlin: Chancellor Merz success so far. Judy Dempsey, Senior Scholar, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Berlin. 10:15-10:30 #EU: Global Euro and its possibility. Judy Dempsey, Senior Scholar, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Berlin. 10:30-10:45 Harvard: The fail of 2020. Peter Berkowitz, Hoover Institution 10:45-11:00 PRC: Quiet remarks about its Iran oil supplier and weapons customer. Jack Burnham, FDD THIRD HOUR 11:00-11:15 #AUKUS at the G-7: Gregory Copley, Defense & Foreign Affairs 11:15-11:30 #ECOWAS: In failure. Gregory Copley, Defense & Foreign Affairs 11:30-11:45 Iran: After the fall down. Gregory Copley, Defense & Foreign Affairs 11:45-12:00 Charles III: Modern kingship works. Gregory Copley, Defense & Foreign Affairs FOURTH HOUR 12:00-12:15 5/8 The Party's Interests Come First: The Life of Xi Zhongxun, Father of Xi Jinping Hardcover – 3 June 2025 by Joseph Torigian (Author) https://www.amazon.com.au/Partys-Interests-Come-First-Zhongxun/dp/1503634752/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0 China's leader, Xi Jinping, is one of the most powerful individuals in the world—and one of the least understood. Much can be learned, however, about both Xi Jinping and the nature of the party he leads from the memory and legacy of his father, the revolutionary Xi Zhongxun (1913-2002). The elder Xi served the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for more than seven decades. He worked at the right hand of prominent leaders Zhou Enlai and Hu Yaobang. He helped build the Communist base area that saved Mao Zedong in 1935, and he initiated the Special Economic Zones that launched China into the reform era after Mao's death. He led the Party's United Front efforts toward Tibetans, Uyghurs, and Taiwanese. And though in 1989 he initially sought to avoid violence, he ultimately supported the Party's crackdown on the Tiananmen protesters. The Party's Interests Come First is the first biography of Xi Zhongxun written in English. This biography is at once a sweeping story of the Chinese revolution and the first several decades of the People's Republic of China and a deeply personal story about making sense of one's own identity within a larger political context. Drawing on an array of new documents, interviews, diaries, and periodicals, Joseph Torigian vividly tells the life story of Xi Zhongxun, a man who spent his entire life struggling to balance his own feelings with the Party's demands. Through the eyes of Xi Jinping's father, Torigian reveals the extraordinary organizational, ideological, and coercive power of the CCP—and the terrible cost in human suffering that comes with it. 12:15-12:30 6/8 The Party's Interests Come First: The Life of Xi Zhongxun, Father of Xi Jinping Hardcover – 3 June 2025 by Joseph Torigian (Author) 12:30-12:45 7/8 The Party's Interests Come First: The Life of Xi Zhongxun, Father of Xi Jinping Hardcover – 3 June 2025 by Joseph Torigian (Author) 12:45-1:00 8/8 The Party's Interests Come First: The Life of Xi Zhongxun, Father of Xi Jinping Hardcover – 3 June 2025 by Joseph Torigian (Author)

Tim and Brennan continue discussing movies about fast zombies by taking a bite out of the Taiwanese movie THE SADNESS! Love the Podcast? Leave us a review! Follow Brennan on Twitter, Instagram, and Letterboxd Follow Tim on Letterboxd Support Alternate Ending and check out our member perks, including voting for the films we cover on this program, via the Alternate Ending Patreon page!

睽違半年Happy Hour總算更新啦！這次若晴跟Angel來聊聊最近剛從研討會回來的一些見聞和心得，非常適合搭配上一集新手村005一起收聽！當然我們也不忘Happy Hour的慣例，跟大家分享了一則近期非常振奮人心的客製化基因療法突破的新聞。等待Happy Hour已久的聽眾趕緊收聽吧！ 節目內容： 跟大家更新一下近況 客製化基因療法大突破 芝加哥三腳貓4/6小聚 AACR開幕式小花絮 跟同事學了poster session的搜集資訊的招數 小廢物拿好拿滿還有免費專業大頭照 NIH fellowship小會議見聞 會議結識新朋友的喜悅 -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened down 14 -points this morning from Friday's close, at 22,058 on turnover of 2.2-billion N-T. The market closed in negative territory on Friday, after Wall Street made marginal gains following the release of more data about inflation in America. Influencer Holger Chen denies receiving money on China trip Online celebrity Holger Chen is denying claims that he received money from China to travel there last week. Speaking to reporters after wrapping-up a six-day trip to Shanghai, the gym-entrepreneur-turned-online-influencer, stressed the he paid for the trip to China with his own money. Chen also said that he "never degraded Taiwan and never said Taiwan was not good" during his trip - despite allegations (指控) that he belittled Taiwan by praising China. According to Chen, he also didn't engage any business discussions on the trip, but he hopes to have commercial opportunities in China in the future. Chen arrived in Shanghai last Tuesday, stating he was hoping to act as an "ambassador of peace" and encourage more cross-strait exchanges on his first trip to China. Pope Leo XIV blesses Taiwanese newlyweds and wishes peace for Taiwan Pope Leo XIV has blessed a newlywed Taiwanese couple in person during a public appearance in Rome - where he applauded missionary work in Taiwan and pledging (誓言) to pray for peace in the country. According to a Facebook post by Taiwan's Embassy to the Holy See, the couple met the Pope during the weekly Public Audience, and the Pope smiled warmly and his eyes "lit up" upon hearing they were from Taiwan. The post says the Pope praised the missionary work of Taiwan's Chinese Regional Bishops' Conference and the local Catholic Church, and promised to pray for "no wars" for the nation. Trump says Israel-Iran will come to deal 'soon' and warns Tehran against retaliating against US US President Donald Trump wants Israel to hold off on a plan to assassinate (暗殺) Iran's top leader, as he holds out hope for a negotiated settlement. The AP's Jennifer King reports. France Macron Stops in Greenland French President Emmanuel Macron warned that Greenland is “not to be sold” nor “to be taken” in a key visit to the strategic Arctic territory. Macron says he's conveying a message of French and European solidarity, as the French leader is on his way to a summit of the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations in Canada that will be also attended by US President Donald Trump. Last week, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth appeared to acknowledge (承認) that the Pentagon has developed plans to take over Greenland and Panama by force if necessary but refused to answer repeated questions during a congressional hearing Thursday. UK MI6 Female Chief From the UK…. MI6 has appointed its first female chief. Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Sunday that Blaise Metreweli will be the next director of the U.K.'s foreign intelligence agency. She is currently the MI6 director of technology and innovation (創新). Metrewel steps from the shadows into the light as the only MI6 employee whose name is made public. She will take up her post in the fall. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ －挺你所想！與你一起生活的銀行－ 中國信託銀行APP超越大升級， 眾多好用功能，力挺你的金融需求！ 趕緊註冊行動銀行，就送OPENPOINT100點。 立即點擊連結看活動詳情～ https://sofm.pse.is/7qsbfa -- 打造綠能與AI科技的示範驗證場域，串聯嘉義、南科、高雄及屏東等園區，大南方智慧轉型的關鍵樞紐，歡迎一同探索沙崙智慧綠能科學城，共創智慧未來！ 參訪進駐資訊請至 https://sofm.pse.is/7qsbfb 網站查詢 經濟部能源署/臺南市政府經濟發展局(廣告) -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

藥妝店 yàozhuāngdiàn – drugstore (selling both medicine and beauty products)維他命 wéitāmìng – vitamin美妝用品 měizhuāng yòngpǐn – beauty products, cosmetics百元商店 bǎiyuán shāngdiàn – 100-yen shop, Japanese dollar store大創 Dàchuàng – Daiso (a popular Japanese 100-yen shop)唐吉訶德 Tángjíkēdé – DON DON DONKI (a Japanese discount chain store)蹲下來 dūn xiàlái – to squat down提醒乘客 tíxǐng chéngkè – to remind passengers握緊扶手 wòjǐn fúshǒu – to hold the handrail tightly飯糰 fàntuán – rice ball, often wrapped in seaweed明太子 míngtàizǐ – pollock roe (cod roe), a popular Japanese filling or topping天婦羅 tiānfùluó – tempura (Japanese deep-fried dish)雜誌 zázhì – magazine接觸 jiēchù – to come into contact with, to be exposed to秩序 zhìxù – order, discipline大聲喧譁 dàshēng xuānhuá – to make loud noise, to be noisy準時 zhǔnshí – punctual, on time韓風 Hánfēng – Korean style (especially in fashion and pop culture)服飾 fúshì – clothing and accessories席捲全世界 xíjuǎn quán shìjiè – to sweep across the world, to become globally popular打扮 dǎbàn – to dress up, to style oneself美妝 měizhuāng – beauty and makeup醫美 yīměi – medical beauty treatments (cosmetic procedures)微整型 wéizhěngxíng – non-invasive cosmetic surgery or minor plastic surgery偶像明星 ǒuxiàng míngxīng – idol, pop star你想讓中文更進步嗎 ? 我可以幫你！

Some people bought Tamagotchis in the '90s. Others? They paid birds to predict their future. In this week's episode, we take a glimpse into Taiwan's wild obsession with fortune-telling — and what it reveals about culture, comfort, and even politics. From oracle bones to rose stones, the history of Taiwanese divination has been an unpredictable ride.  Go check out our website. And follow us on social media...LIKE, SUB, etc!

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Finding Belonging: Lian's Journey in a Taiwanese Valley Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-06-12-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 夏日特有的湿润空气笼罩着整座山谷，山风轻拂，让人心生愉悦。En: The unique humid air of summer enveloped the entire valley, with the mountain breeze gently blowing, bringing a sense of joy.Zh: 连和魏站在台湾这座丰饶的山谷中，看着眼前的景象。En: Lian and Wei stood in this fertile valley in Taiwan, gazing at the scene before them.Zh: 这里的夏季节日热闹非凡，彩色的旗帜迎风招展，鼓声阵阵，伴随着龙舟的桨声，以及人们欢乐的笑声，整个村落都沉浸在热烈的氛围中。En: The summer festival here was bustling with excitement; colorful flags fluttered in the wind, the sound of drums echoed, accompanied by the paddling of dragon boats and the joyful laughter of people, immersing the entire village in a lively atmosphere.Zh: 连是一个城市里长大的年轻人，她渴望找到一种归属感，尤其是重新连接与这个原住民社区的关系。En: Lian was a young person who grew up in the city, longing to find a sense of belonging, particularly wanting to reconnect with this indigenous community.Zh: 而魏，则是她年长的堂兄，他在这个社区备受尊敬和珍爱。En: Wei, on the other hand, was her older cousin, respected and cherished in this community.Zh: 然而，魏对于连的突然出现感到疑虑，认为她或许只是对自己的文化有表面兴趣，并不是真正尊重。En: However, Wei felt doubtful about Lian's sudden appearance, suspecting that she might have only a superficial interest in her culture without genuine respect.Zh: “你来这里，是为了什么？”魏的声音虽然平静，却透着一丝不信任。En: "What are you here for?" Wei's voice was calm, yet carried a hint of distrust.Zh: 连微微一笑，坚定地说：“我想得到你的信任，希望能继续传承我们家庭的传统。”En: Lian smiled slightly and said firmly, "I want to earn your trust and hope to continue the traditions of our family."Zh: 节日的活动在进行，连决定用行动来证明她的真心。En: As the festival activities continued, Lian decided to prove her sincerity through actions.Zh: 她穿行在人群中，欣赏手工艺品，品尝传统食品。En: She moved through the crowd, admiring handicrafts, and tasting traditional foods.Zh: 她全心投入，与社区的人们交流，学习他们的习俗和历史。En: She immersed herself fully, interacting with community members, learning their customs and history.Zh: 每一个微笑，每一次打招呼，似乎都在拉近她与这个社区的距离。En: Every smile and greeting seemed to bring her closer to this community.Zh: 突然，在河边的龙舟活动现场，一位队员不小心扭伤了脚，无法继续参赛。En: Suddenly, at the dragon boat event by the river, a team member accidentally sprained their ankle and could no longer participate.Zh: 赛前气氛有些紧张，大家都感到无措。En: The pre-race atmosphere was tense, and everyone felt at a loss.Zh: 连毫不犹豫地走上前去，自愿加入这个陌生但活力四射的团队。En: Lian unhesitatingly stepped forward, voluntarily joining this unfamiliar but vibrant team.Zh: 魏站在人群中，默默地注视着连的一举一动。En: Wei stood in the crowd, silently observing Lian's every move.Zh: 他心想：“也许她真的愿意融入。”En: He thought to himself, "Perhaps she really is willing to integrate."Zh: 在龙舟竞赛的激烈时刻，连和她的同伴尽力划桨，虽不熟练，但她的坚定与勇气感染了周围的人。En: In the intense moments of the dragon boat race, Lian and her teammates paddled with effort, though not skillfully, yet her determination and courage inspired those around her.Zh: 比赛结束后，夕阳下，魏走向连，脸上难得露出了笑意。En: After the race, under the setting sun, Wei approached Lian, a rare smile appearing on his face.Zh: 他从怀中取出一个精致的家族传家宝递给连。En: He took out a delicate family heirloom from his bosom and handed it to her.Zh: “这是我们的祖先留给我们的，希望你能好好珍惜。”魏认真地说道。En: "This is what our ancestors left us, and I hope you cherish it well," Wei said earnestly.Zh: 连感受到手中沉甸甸的重量，不仅是物质上的，更是这一份信任和传承的意义。En: Lian felt the weight in her hands, not just physical, but the significance of trust and heritage.Zh: 此刻，她知道自己终于在这个社区中找到了归属感，不再是外来的过客，而是这个文化的一部分。En: At this moment, she knew she had finally found a sense of belonging in this community, no longer an outside passerby, but a part of this culture.Zh: 节日的烟火升上夜空，连仰望着，满怀感慨。En: The festival fireworks rose into the night sky, and Lian looked up, filled with emotion.Zh: 魏的信任使她更加珍惜自己的一部分遗产，她与这个社区的纽带更强了，心也比以往任何时候都要沉静而充实。En: Wei's trust made her even more cherish her heritage, strengthening her bond with this community, and her heart was more peaceful and fulfilled than ever before. Vocabulary Words:unique: 特有的humid: 湿润enveloped: 笼罩breeze: 山风fertile: 丰饶bustling: 热闹非凡fluttered: 迎风招展drums echoed: 鼓声阵阵paddling: 桨声laughter: 笑声longing: 渴望indigenous: 原住民cherished: 珍爱superficial: 表面sincerity: 真心admiring: 欣赏handicrafts: 手工艺品immerse: 全心投入customs: 习俗sprained: 扭伤tense: 紧张unhesitatingly: 毫不犹豫integrate: 融入heirloom: 传家宝earnestly: 认真地significance: 意义heritage: 文化fireworks: 烟火bond: 纽带fulfilled: 充实

氣候 qì hòu - climate極端 jí duān - extreme暴雨 bào yǔ - torrential rain熱浪 rè làng - heatwave乾旱 gān hàn - drought氣候變遷 qì hòu biàn qiān - climate change化石燃料 huà shí rán liào - fossil fuel全球暖化 quán qiú nuǎn huà - global warming生物多樣性 shēng wù duō yàng xìng - biodiversity喪失 sàng shī - loss冰蓋融化 bīng gài róng huà - ice cap melting海平面上升 hǎi píng miàn shàng shēng - sea level rise海洋酸化 hǎi yáng suān huà - ocean acidification減少碳排放 jiǎn shǎo tàn pái fàng - reduce carbon emissions垃圾分類 lè sè fēn lèi - garbage sorting資源回收 zī yuán huí shōu - recycling廚餘 chú yú - food waste寶特瓶 bǎo tè píng - PET plastic bottle鋁罐 lǚ guàn - aluminum can鐵罐 tiě guàn - tin/steel can玻璃 bō lí - glass資源回收車 zī yuán huí shōu chē - recycling truck再利用 zài lì yòng - reuse餐具 cān jù - tableware / utensils環保袋 huán bǎo dài - eco-friendly bag / reusable bag免洗餐具 miǎn xǐ cān jù - disposable tableware一次性餐具 yí cì xìng cān jù - single-use tableware淨灘 jìng tān - beach cleanup淨山 jìng shān - mountain cleanup撿垃圾 jiǎn lè sè - pick up trash快時尚 kuài shí shàng - fast fashion家電 jiā diàn - household appliances你想讓中文更進步嗎 ? 我可以幫你！

Jenn speaks to Taiwanese bred, global citizen Charlotte Lin Founder and visionary behind CLESIGN a pioneering brand that fuses advanced technology with elegant design to create exceptional yoga and fitness products. From her upbringing in Taiwan to her studies in HK and the UK, Charlotte shares her childhood experience growing up as the middle child, taking the leap of faith to do what she felt called to do and what she has learned along the way. She dives into the ups and downs of starting a business and launching it when COVID started and how she is always looking for way to be innovative in a competitive wellness marketplace!  (Recorded on May 27, 2025)About Charlotte Lin:Charlotte Lin is the founder and visionary behind CLÉSIGN (KE SIGN - ke sai), a pioneering brand that fuses advanced technology with elegant design to create exceptional yoga and fitness products. With over a decade of experience, Charlotte has transformed her passion for yoga into a global brand known for its innovative, high-performance materials and stylish aesthetics. Her leadership and dedication to quality have positioned CLÉSIGN as a standout in the competitive market, earning a loyal following worldwide.Episode Resources:Global WebsiteAsia WebsiteIG AsiaIG Design Eco ArtIG Charlotte

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 130-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 21,921 on turnover of 5.6-billion N-T. The market closed higher on Monday, as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing saw its share price rebound to hit the 1,000 N-T mark for the first time in three months. The overall rise was led by the electronics index - which added 0.75-per cent during the trading day. Market watchers say investor attention was centered on T-S-M-C, while other semiconductor and tech stocks were mixed. MAC says 3,100 spouses renounce China residency The Mainland Affairs Council says more than 3,100 spouses from China have submitted proof of renunciation of their Chinese household registration. The statement comes after the National Immigration Agency issued a notice to spouses to submit proof that they had renounced their Chinese household registration in April. The notice stated that spouses from China had until June 30 to renounce (放棄) their Chinese household registration or their Taiwanese household registration would be revoked. However, people having difficulties obtaining such a document have been granted an extension of the deadline or may submit a written affidavit in lieu of (以…替代) documentation. A total of 2,000 have so far applied for postponements or submitted an affidavit. 23 indicted for exporting garbage disguised as plastic waste The New Taipei District Prosecutors' Office has indicted 23 people for their roles in exporting garbage disguised as plastic waste. The prosecutors' office says evidence suggests the fraud ring netted (獲得) more than 49-million N-T in illicit gains. According to the indictment, environmental waste management firms collected general waste and stored it at sites in New Taipei and Changhua County. The waste was then transported to Kaohsiung, where it was compressed, repackaged and disguised as plastic waste and then shipped to Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia and Vietnam for sale. The suspects have all been charged with violating the Waste Disposal Act. Trump's travel ban takes effect Trump's new travel ban is taking effect as tensions escalate over immigration enforcement in the US. AP's Julie Walker reports. Carney: Canada to meet NATO military spending goals by next year Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney says, Canada will meet NATO's military spending goals by early next year. Carney also said that Canada would diversify defense spending away from the US. The announcement means that Canada will achieve NATO's spending target of 2% of GDP five years earlier than previously planned. Carney says, Canada's military equipment has aged, and only one out of every four submarines is seaworthy (適航的). NATO figures show that Canada is estimated to be spending 1.33% of GDP on military spending in 2023. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____. －－－－以下訊息由 SoundOn 動態廣告贊助商提供－－－－ 新鮮事、新奇事、新故事《一銀陪你聊“新”事》 第一銀行打造公股銀行首創ESG Podcast頻道上線啦 由知名主持人阿Ken與多位名人來賓進行對談 邀請您一起落實永續發展 讓永續未來不再只是想像 各大收聽平台搜尋：ㄧ銀陪你聊新事 https://sofm.pse.is/7qk75c -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Good evening: The show begins in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania with POTUS leading the steelworks in celebration of renovated mills. CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR 1904 PITTSBURGH FIRST HOUR 9:00-9:15 #KeystoneReport: Air Force One to West Mifflin PA. Salena Zito, Middle of Somewhere, @dcexaminer, salenazito.com 9:15-9:30 #PacificWatch: #VegasReport: Hollywood turned back. @jcbliss 9:30-9:45 #SmallBusinessAmerica: Slowing. @genemarks @guardian @phillyinquirer 9:45-10:00 #SmallBusinessAmerica: Optimism. @genemarks @guardian @phillyinquirer SECOND HOUR 10:00-10:15 #Ukraine: 101st Airborne D-Day veteran speaks. Colonel Jeff McCausland, USA (Retired) @mccauslj @cbsnews @dickinsoncol 10:15-10:30 #Ukraine: Is the IDF overstretched overtasked? Colonel Jeff McCausland, USA (Retired) @mccauslj @cbsnews @dickinsoncol 10:30-10:45 1/2: SCOTUS; Guns and hiring and worship, 9-0. Richard Epstein, Civitas 10:45-11:00 2/2: SCOTUS; Guns and hiring and worship, 9-0. Richard Epstein, Civitas Institute THIRD HOUR 11:00-11:15 1/8 The Party's Interests Come First: The Life of Xi Zhongxun, Father of Xi Jinping Hardcover – 3 June 2025 by Joseph Torigian (Author) https://www.amazon.com.au/Partys-Interests-Come-First-Zhongxun/dp/1503634752/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0 China's leader, Xi Jinping, is one of the most powerful individuals in the world--and one of the least understood. Much can be learned, however, about both Xi Jinping and the nature of the party he leads from the memory and legacy of his father, the revolutionary Xi Zhongxun (1913-2002). The elder Xi served the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for more than seven decades. He worked at the right hand of prominent leaders Zhou Enlai and Hu Yaobang. He helped build the Communist base area that saved Mao Zedong in 1935, and he initiated the Special Economic Zones that launched China into the reform era after Mao's death. He led the Party's United Front efforts toward Tibetans, Uyghurs, and Taiwanese. And though in 1989 he initially sought to avoid violence, he ultimately supported the Party's crackdown on the Tiananmen protesters. The Party's Interests Come First is the first biography of Xi Zhongxun written in English. This biography is at once a sweeping story of the Chinese revolution and the first several decades of the People's Republic of China and a deeply personal story about making sense of one's own identity within a larger political context. Drawing on an array of new documents, interviews, diaries, and periodicals, Joseph Torigian vividly tells the life story of Xi Zhongxun, a man who spent his entire life struggling to balance his own feelings with the Party's demands. Through the eyes of Xi Jinping's father, Torigian reveals the extraordinary organizational, ideological, and coercive power of the CCP--and the terrible cost in human suffering that comes with it. 11:15-11:30 2/8 The Party's Interests Come First: The Life of Xi Zhongxun, Father of Xi Jinping Hardcover – 3 June 2025 by Joseph Torigian (Author) 11:30-11:45 3/8 The Party's Interests Come First: The Life of Xi Zhongxun, Father of Xi Jinping Hardcover – 3 June 2025 by Joseph Torigian (Author) 11:45-12:00 4/8 The Party's Interests Come First: The Life of Xi Zhongxun, Father of Xi Jinping Hardcover – 3 June 2025 by Joseph Torigian (Author) FOURTH HOUR 12:00-12:15 Lancaster Report: Slower shopping. Jim McTague, former Washington editor, Barron's. @mctaguej. Author of the "Martin and Twyla Boundary Series." #FriendsOfHistoryDebatingSociety 12:15-12:30 Italy: Mt. Etna spectacularly. Lorenzo Fiori. 12:30-12:45 NASA: The cutbacks. Bob Zimmerman behindtheblack.com 12:45-1:00 AM Sunspots: Plunge count. Bob Zimmerman behindtheblack.com

1/8 The Party's Interests Come First: The Life of XI Zhongxun, Father of XI Jinping Hardcover – 3 June 2025 by  Joseph Torigian  (Author) https://www.amazon.com.au/Partys-Interests-Come-First-Zhongxun/dp/1503634752/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0 China's leader, Xi Jinping, is one Cf the most powerful individuals inCtheCworld--and one of the least understood. Much can be learned, however, about both Xi Jinping and the nature of the party he leads from the memory and legacy of his father, the revolutionary Xi Zhongxun (1913-2002). The elder Xi served the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for more than seven decades. He worked at the right hand of prominent leaders Zhou Enlai and Hu Yaobang. He helped build the Communist base area that saved Mao Zedong in 1935, and he initiated the Special Economic Zones that launched China into the reform era after Mao's death. He led the Party's United Front efforts toward Tibetans, Uyghurs, and Taiwanese. And though in 1989 he initially sought to avoid violence, he ultimately supported the Party's crackdown on the Tiananmen protesters. The Party's Interests Come First is the first biography of Xi Zhongxun written in English. This biography is at once a sweeping story of the Chinese revolution and the first several decades of the People's Republic of China and a deeply personal story about making sense of one's own identity within a larger political context. Drawing on an array of new documents, interviews, diaries, and periodicals, Joseph Torigian vividly tells the life story of Xi Zhongxun, a man who spent his entire life struggling to balance his own feelings with the Party's demands. Through the eyes of Xi Jinping's father, Torigian reveals the extraordinary organizational, ideological, and coercive power of the CCP--and the terrible cost in human suffering that comes with it. 1910 MAO

Chef Mei Lin drops by the Cheese Store for a conversation that spans from cutthroat cooking competitions to the delicate art of letting wontons speak for themselves..The Top Chef winner and Daybird founder reflects on her evolution as a chef—from building intuitive muscle memory on shows like Tournament of Champions to finding a new groove with 88 Club, her elegant, straightforward Chinese restaurant in Beverly Hills. The crew dives into issues of pricing and perception in ethnic cuisine, the myth of the $55 tasting menu, and why simplicity might be the boldest move of all.Plus: a sentimental chicken dish, Taiwanese breakfast evangelism, and a surprise call to Nicholas Kraft—co-founder of the fast-food fashion collective Chain—about getting Dom his own limited-edition Arby's x Chain BBQ bib.Follow Mei, 88 Club, and Daybird:www.instagram.com/meilin21www.instagram.com/88clubwww.instagram.com/daybirdlaFollow Dom, Andy, Industry Only, and The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills:www.instagram.com/domsfoodswww.instagram.com/andywangnylawww.instagram.com/industryonlylawww.instagram.com/thecheesestoreofbeverlyhillsAnd make sure to check out the

網咖 wǎngkā – internet café打電動 dǎdiàndòng – to play video games煙霧瀰漫 yānwùmímàn – smoky, filled with smoke通宵 tōngxiāo – to stay up all night複合式經營 fùhéshì jīngyíng – multi-functional business model設施 shèshī – facilities縣市 xiànshì – counties and cities省住宿費 shěng zhùsùfèi – to save accommodation costs划算 huásuàn – cost-effective, a good deal電腦設備 diànnǎo shèbèi – computer equipment頂級 dǐngjí – top-notch, premium level門票 ménpiào – admission ticket必修課 bìxiūkè – required course選修課 xuǎnxiūkè – elective course名額有限 míng'é yǒuxiàn – limited spots available搶課 qiǎngkè – to rush to register for a classVIP座位 VIP zuòwèi – VIP seating私人的包間 sīrén de bāojiān – private room雙人房 shuāngrénfáng – double room餐點 cāndiǎn – meal, food offering自助吧 zìzhùbā – self-service bar貢丸 gòngwán – Taiwanese pork meatballs包廂 bāoxiāng – private booth or room枕頭 zhěntou – pillow坐墊 zuòdiàn – seat cushion櫃檯 guìtái – front desk, counter索取 suǒqǔ – to request or ask for (an item)毛毯 máotǎn – blanket你想讓中文更進步嗎 ? 我可以幫你！

Today's West Coast Cookbook & Speakeasy Podcast for our especially special Daily Special, Blue Moon Spirits Fridays, is now available on the Spreaker Player!Starting off in the Bistro Cafe, Trump lost four court cases within hours of each other.Then, on the rest of the menu, Trump's surgeon general pick criticizes others' conflicts but profits from wellness product sales that puts money in her own pocket; a jury awarded a California prosecutor $3 million after she was forced out of her position; and, seventy law professors, attorneys and former Florida Supreme Court justices filed a Florida Bar complaint accusing Pam Bondi of ‘misconduct' as US Attorney General.After the break, we move to the Chef's Table where China issued warrants for Taiwanese hackers and banned a business for pro-independence links; and, the private lunar lander from Japan crashed into the moon in a failed mission.All that and more, on West Coast Cookbook & Speakeasy with Chef de Cuisine Justice Putnam.Bon Appétit!The Netroots Radio Live Player​Keep Your Resistance Radio Beaming 24/7/365!“Structural linguistics is a bitterly divided and unhappy profession, and a large number of its practitioners spend many nights drowning their sorrows in Ouisghian Zodahs.” ― Douglas Adams "The Restaurant at the End of the Universe"Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/west-coast-cookbook-speakeasy--2802999/support.

A hacking group goes after Salesforce data, the FBI takes down the BidenCash carding forum, China offers rewards for Taiwanese military hackers, and high risk bugs are patched in enterprise software from HPE and Infoblox. Show notes

Researchers discover what may be China's largest ever data leak. CrowdStrike cooperates with federal authorities following last year's major software bug. A researcher discovers over half a million sensitive insurance documents exposed online. Microsoft offers free cybersecurity programs to European governments. The FBI chronicles the Play ransomware gang. Google warns a threat group is targeting Salesforce customers. A former Biden cybersecurity official warns that U.S. critical infrastructure remains highly vulnerable to cyberattacks. The State Department offers up to $10 million for information on the RedLine infostealer malware. Our guest is Anneka Gupta, Chief Product Officer at Rubrik, on the challenges of managing security across systems. Some FDA workers want to put their new Elsa AI on ice. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an episode? Sign-up for our daily intelligence roundup, Daily Briefing, and you'll never miss a beat. And be sure to follow CyberWire Daily on LinkedIn. CyberWire Guest Today we have Anneka Gupta, Chief Product Officer at Rubrik, talking about organizations moving to the cloud thinking security will be handled there and the challenges of managing security across systems. Selected Reading Largest ever data leak exposes over 4 billion user records (Cybernews) CrowdStrike Cooperating With Federal Probes Into July Software Outage (Wall Street Journal) Two Decades of Triangle Insurance Documents Exposed Publicly (Substack) Microsoft offers to boost European governments' cybersecurity for free ( (Reuters) FBI: Play ransomware gang has attacked 600 organizations since 2023 (The Record) Google Warns of Vishing, Extortion Campaign Targeting Salesforce Customers (SecurityWeek) ‘I do not have confidence' that US infrastructure is cyber-secure, former NSC official says (Nextgov/FCW) China issues warrants for alleged Taiwanese hackers and bans a business for pro-independence links (AP News) US offers $10M for tips on state hackers tied to RedLine malware (Bleeping Computer) FDA rushed out agency-wide AI tool—it's not going well (Ars Technica) Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here's our media kit. Contact us at cyberwire@n2k.com to request more info. The CyberWire is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Time and again, as you go through nearly 200 episodes of Fine Is a 4-Letter Word, you'll find stories from guests who found themselves disconnected from what's supposed to be a connected world.Your circle of close friends you see all the time - your "besties"? Go back two years and tell me how many of them are the same people.Your avid following on social media who hang on your every post? Delete your account and I bet maybe two of them even try to reach out somewhere else.Sometimes being disconnected is a lonely place to be. Other times, it gives you the advantage of not being indoctrinated into other people's beliefs.It could also mean your tribe is quietly forming behind you as you go through this journey called life - as Margaret Rogers discovered when her own journey became a giant a-ha moment.The daughter of Taiwanese immigrants, her parents' cultural way of showing love was to make sure she had the security that came with providing for her basic needs. She wanted for little materially, but the rest was up to her. Her parents told her two things: "We want you to be happy, healthy, and have a steady job" and "Money's easy to spend and very difficult to make".In school, she was the only Asian girl in class. There weren't the thriving, nuclear Asian communities that exist in almost every city today. In college, taking an engineering class filled almost entirely with white men, her professor interrupted his lecture and singled out the woman, asking her, "do you understand?" for no particular reason at all.Graduating with degrees in both electrical engineering and computer science, Margaret easily got a job during the dot-com boom. But then the bubble burst. She decided she really wanted to do "consulting" with only a vague notion of what that is. So she said "if you're laying people off, pick me" and started her own firm. This was all turning out just fine. Really. But Fine is a 4-Letter Word, as Margaret found out after another company acquired hers and she became an executive there. When it hit her that the acquirer had bought the company's technical skill but abandoned the culture she had built, she felt like she'd let down the team she'd nurtured and assured she'd take good care of.So, who had Margaret's back now?You'll discover that in a moment. You'll hear her story about the power of mentorship that began when she hired her first employee and recognized how that changed her own life forever. You'll also see how everybody from her Taiwanese grandmother to so many she's met along the way have come together behind her like a posse. Like she's Wonder Woman and they're her Avengers.Listen all the way through as it will hit you right at the end.Margaret's hype song is "Let's Get It Started" by The Black Eyed Peas.Resources:Margaret Rogers' website: https://parivedasolutions.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaretpengrogers/Invitation from Lori: This episode is sponsored by Zen Rabbit. Smart business leaders know trust is the foundation of every great workplace. And in today's hybrid and fast-moving work culture, trust isn't built in quarterly town halls or the occasional Slack message. It's built through consistent, clear, and HUMAN communication. Companies and leaders TALK about the importance of connection and community. And it's easy to believe your organization is doing a great job of maintaining an awesome corporate culture. Because you've got annual all-hands meeting

拍照 pāizhào – to take a photo單獨 dāndú – alone; individually端 duān – to hold something level (e.g., with both hands); to carry除此之外 chúcǐ zhīwài – besides this; in addition景點 jǐngdiǎn – tourist attraction; scenic spot蹲下來 dūn xiàlái – to squat down瘦 shòu – thin; slim姿勢 zīshì – posture; pose比耶 bǐ yē – to make a “V” sign with fingers (gesture for peace or victory in photos)結合 jiéhé – to combine; to integrate臀型 túnxíng – shape of the buttocks側身 cèshēn – to turn sideways抬腳 tái jiǎo – to lift a foot強調 qiángdiào – to emphasize屁股 pìgǔ – buttocks線條 xiàntiáo – lines; body contours or shape你想讓中文更進步嗎 ? 我可以幫你！

Episode #351: Aurora Chang's diverse background and upbringing deeply influence her perspective and activism. Born in Taiwan, she spent formative years in South Africa, the United States, Singapore, and the United Kingdom, an international upbringing that provided her with a multifaceted worldview. This exposure also played a role in informing how she views her Taiwanese identity, particularly as she grappled with questions about her country's sovereignty in light of its complex relationship with China. Her academic focus on history, politics, and economics, coupled with her involvement in movements like the anti-extradition protests in Hong Kong and advocacy for Uyghur and Tibetan rights, shaped her eventual commitment to global justice and solidarity. Aurora's reflections on Myanmar highlight the darkest aspects of authoritarianism alongside the unyielding resilience of grassroots resistance, emphasizing the scale of oppression in Myanmar following the 2021 military coup. For Aurora, Myanmar's resistance movement stands as a symbol of both tragedy and inspiration. She notes the organizational strength exhibited by those opposing the military junta, despite operating under extreme duress. The images and accounts of suffering serve as visceral reminders of the stakes involved in such conflicts. At the same time, Aurora reflects on how Myanmar's movement provides critical insights for activists worldwide, particularly regarding tactical readiness and building resilient communities. "There's a lot that we can learn from Myanmar's resistance," she says simply. This global view ties closely to Aurora's concerns regarding Taiwan's political landscape. She warns against complacency, drawing parallels between the fragile sovereignty of Taiwan and the relentless encroachment seen elsewhere across Southeast Asia on the part of China. Aurora highlights the value of civil defense and preparedness as lessons she believes Taiwan could take from Burma's resistance to safeguard its democratic values and sovereignty.“It's literally, you change one mind at a time, and you thank God for it!” she exclaims, on the long process of activism.. “It's just like that, and that has to be enough for the time being. It's a really slow process, but listening is so important, and getting those stories out, amplifying the voices of people who are in these intersections, is really important.”

This past Sunday, May 26th we stopped by the annual Passport to Taiwan that's held in New York City's Union Square Park. The first Passport to Taiwan was held in 2002 and it's become the largest outdoor Taiwanese American event in the entire United States. Related Links: https://talkingtaiwan.com/passport-to-taiwan-2025-ben-hedges-a-laowais-view-of-china-and-ambassador-lee-of-teco-ep-313/ While there I spoke with the Taiwanese American Arts Council's (TAAC's) Executive Director Luchia Meihua Lee, Ambassador Tom Lee of TECO-NY, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York, and Ben Hedges, host of Lao Wai Kan Zhongguo also known as the A Laowai's View of China & Taiwan YouTube channel. Passport to Taiwan is a celebration of Taiwanese art, culture, music, community, and of course food. Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode: ·   The Taiwanese American Arts Council's (TAAC's) house on Governors Island, House 17 is twice the size of last year's house ·   The theme of the Taiwanese American Arts Council's (TAAC's) House 17 on Governors Island is Eco Art on Island ·   How the Taiwanese American Arts Council's (TAAC's) House 17 on Governors Island will be open from May 17 to November 2 ·   Ambassador Tom Lee mentioned this is the first time that TECO-NY (Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York) has had a booth at Passport to Taiwan ·   Ben Hedges, host of the YouTube channel, Lao Wai Kan Zhongguo has emceed Hello Taiwan events ·   How 7-11 stores in Taiwan sponsored travel videos on Lao Wai Kan Zhongguo's YouTube channel ·   How Ben will be relaunching the Lao Wai Kan Zhongguo's YouTube channel   Related Links: https://talkingtaiwan.com/passport-to-taiwan-2025-ben-hedges-a-laowais-view-of-china-and-ambassador-lee-of-teco-ep-313/

Sense And Sensibility is Ang Lee's take on an English tale of manners, money and matrimony. The Taiwanese director was an outsider to this world, obviously, but he also brought a formality and desperate longing to this project. Lead actress Emma Thompson won an Oscar for her adaptation of Jane Austen's classic novel. And it's a good role, doing the buttoned-down thing she did so well back in the '90s. She's a funny woman who made her name being serious. Kate Winslet, Alan Rickman and Hugh Grant are all very good too, but the men take a back seat to the sisters in this movie about (subtle) feminism. So rescue the woman you adore while on a horse when she gets caught in the rain and then try to love enough for two as our 669th episode has the Ellises seeing what the deal is with the Dashwoods and their men in Sense And Sensibility. Well, Actually: at the 11:55 mark, it should be Elizabeth "Spriggs" plural, not "Sprigg" singular. Also, the director of the oft-mentioned 1994 Little Women was Gillian Armstrong. The sponsor of this podcast is Sparkplug Coffee. They offer Have You Ever Seen listeners a onetime 20% discount. You just have to use our "HYES" promo code. The website is "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Subscribe to our podcast, but also rate and review the show. Do all that on YouTube as well. We're "@hyesellis" in the search bar. Comment and subscribe on YouTube too. Share your own thoughts about the movies we discuss by sending us an email (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com). Or try social media: Ryan's handles are @moviefiend51 and ryan-ellis on Twi-X & Bluesky while Bev is @bevellisellis and bevellisellis on Twi-X and the 'Sky.

政治 zhèng zhì - politics中國籍的配偶 zhōng guó jí de pèi ǒu - spouse of Chinese nationality依親居留的身分 yī qīn jū liú de shēn fèn - residency status based on family ties直播 zhí bō - live broadcast武統台灣 wǔ tǒng tái wān - reunification of Taiwan by force檢舉 jiǎn jǔ - report to authorities / file a complaint移民署 yí mín shǔ - Immigration Agency廢止 fèi zhǐ - to revoke / to abolish長期居留許可 cháng qí jū liú xǔ kě - long-term residency permit限期離境 xiàn qí lí jìng - to leave the country within a set deadline像雪片一樣飛來 xiàng xuě piàn yí yàng fēi lái - come pouring in like snowflakes (metaphor for overwhelming volume)陸配 lù pèi - Chinese spouse (of a Taiwanese citizen)違反 wéi fǎn - to violate兩岸人民關係條例 liǎng àn rén mín guān xī tiáo lì - Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area鼓吹 gǔ chuī - to advocate / to promote散播 sàn bò - to spread政治言論 zhèng zhì yán lùn - political speech陸委會 lù wěi huì - Mainland Affairs Council主管機關 zhǔ guǎn jī guān - competent authority大肆報導 dà sì bào dǎo - massive media coverage台灣排華 tái wān pái huá - anti-Chinese sentiment in Taiwan迫害中國人 pò hài zhōng guó rén - persecution of Chinese people思想審查 sī xiǎng shěn chá - thought censorship侵犯言論自由 qīn fàn yán lùn zì yóu - infringement of freedom of speech罔顧人權 wǎng gù rén quán - disregard for human rights疑慮 yí lǜ - doubt / concern中國解放軍 zhōng guó jiě fàng jūn - People's Liberation Army of China失火了 shī huǒ le - "Fire!" (shouting fire)踩踏 cǎi tà - stampede傷亡 shāng wáng - casualties危害 wēi hài - harm / endanger走向極端 zǒu xiàng jí duān - go to extremes---If you've been learning Chinese and feel like you want a bit more support, I'd love to help!

In 1963, a 32-year-old American grad student in Taipei wrote a newspaper editorial complaining that Taiwanese people were great at treating friends kindly, but kind of awful in public. Within days, he had unintentionally launched a nationwide student movement for civility, morality, and self-awareness. But this student-led push for better manners would also lead to arrests, prison time, and even psychiatric detention.In this episode, we tell the strange true story of the “Self-Awareness Movement,” how it exploded from one opinion piece, and explain how it contributed (or didn't) to Taiwan's public behavior transformation. Listen as we go from the sharp-elbowed chaos at bank counters and bus stops of the 1960s to today's orderly lines and the quiet pride of the MRT.SHOW NOTES, TRANSCRIPTS, pics, links, and more at formosafiles.com

A weekly magazine-style radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. The show is produced by a collective of media makers, deejays, and activists. Happy Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month! Even though the Trump Administration has eliminated recognizing cultural heritage months, we are still celebrating diversity and inclusion here at APEX Express and KPFA. We believe in lifting up people's voices and tonight on APEX Express the Powerleegirls are focusing on “Asian American Children's book authors”. Powerleegirl hosts Miko Lee and daughter Jalena Keane-Lee speak with: Michele Wong McSween, Gloria Huang, and Andrea Wang   AAPINH Month Children's Books part 1 transcript Opening: [00:00:00] Apex Express Asian Pacific expression. Community and cultural coverage, music and calendar, new visions and voices, coming to you with an Asian Pacific Islander point of view. It's time to get on board the Apex Express.   Ayame Keane-Lee: [00:00:49] Happy Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Even though the Trump administration has eliminated recognizing cultural heritage months, we are still celebrating diversity and inclusion. Here at Apex Express and KPFA, we believe in lifting up people's voices. And tonight on Apex Express, the PowerLeeGirls are focusing on Asian American Children's book authors. PowerLeeGirl hosts Miko Lee and daughter Jalena Keane-Lee. Speak with Michele Wong McSween, Gloria Huang and Andrea Wang. Thanks for joining us tonight on Apex Express. Enjoy the show.   Miko Lee: [00:01:21] Welcome, Michele Wong McSween to Apex Express.    Michele Wong McSween: [00:01:26] Thank you, Miko. It's nice to be here.    Miko Lee: [00:01:28] I'm really happy to talk with you about your whole children's series, Gordon & Li Li, which is absolutely adorable. I wanna start very first with a personal question that I ask all of my guests, which is, who are your people and what legacy do you carry with you?   Michele Wong McSween: [00:01:45] I would say my people are really my family starting with, my great, great grandparents who came here down to my grandparents, my parents, and onto my children because, to me family is. The reason why I created Gordon & Li Li in the first place, it was really to bridge that connection for my children. I didn't grow up feeling that connected with my culture because as a fourth generation Chinese American, I was really in the belief that I'm American. Why do I need to know anything about my culture? Why do I need to speak Chinese? I never learned. As a sidebar to that, I never learned to speak Chinese and it didn't really hit me until I had my own kids that I was really doing a disservice to not only my kids, but to myself. my people are my family. I do this for my kids. I do this to almost apologize to my parents for being so, Disrespectful to my amazing culture and I do it for the families who really want to connect and bridge that gap for their own children and for themselves.    Miko Lee: [00:02:53] And what legacy do you carry with you?    Michele Wong McSween: [00:02:55] Again, my family. My, great grandparents. Really. Started our family's legacy with the hard work and the prejudices and all the things that they endured so that we could have a better life. And I've always felt that it is my responsibility to teach my own kids about the sacrifices that were made and not to make them feel guilty, but to just make them appreciate that we are here. Because of the the blood, sweat, and tears that their ancestors did for them. And so we are, eternally grateful for that. I think it's important for us to continue that legacy of always doing our best, being kind and doing what we can do to further the experience of not just our family, but the people in our community that we connect with and to the greater world.    Miko Lee: [00:03:43] when you were growing up, were your parents speaking with you in Chinese and did you hear about your great grandparents and their legacy? Was that part of your upbringing?    Michele Wong McSween: [00:03:52] I heard about my great grandparents in the stories that my mom told us, but to be quite honest, I wasn't receptive to really digging deep in my cultural understanding of. my great-grandfather and what he went through. I know mom, I know he came over in 19 whatever. I know he brought over all these young sons from his village, but I really didn't fully take it in and. No, I didn't hear Chinese spoken in the house much. The only time my parents spoke it was to each other so that we didn't know what they were talking about. They had like this secret code, language. My experience with my language was not, That positive. we did attempt to go to Chinese school only to be teased by all the other kids because we didn't speak it. It didn't end up well. my mom ended up pulling us out and so no, we were really not connected all that much to the language.   Miko Lee: [00:04:48] I can really relate to what you're saying. As a fifth generation Chinese American, and my parents their ancestors came from different provinces, so their dialects were so different that they even spoke to each other in English. 'cause they couldn't understand each other in Chinese. So it happens so often. Yeah. Yeah. And so I really relate to that. I'm wondering if there was an epiphany in your life or a time where you thought, oh, I. I wish I knew more of those stories about my ancestors or was there some catalyst for you that changed?   Michele Wong McSween: [00:05:17] All of this really kind of happened when I moved to New York. I, you know, raised in Sacramento, went to college in the Bay Area, lived in San Francisco for a while with a job, and then I eventually moved to New York. And it wasn't until I came to New York and I met Asians or Chinese Americans like me that actually spoke Chinese and they knew about cool stuff to do in Chinatown. It really opened my eyes to this new cool world of the Chinese culture because I really experienced Chinatown for the first time when I moved to New York. And it was just so incredible to see all these people, living together in this community. And they all looked the same. But here's the thing, they all spoke Chinese, or the majority of them spoke Chinese. So when I went to Chinatown and they would look at me and speak to me in Chinese and I would give them this blank stare. They would just look at me like, oh my gosh, she doesn't even speak her own language. And it kind of made me feel bad. And this was really the first time that it dawned on me that, oh wow, I, I kind of feel like something's missing. And then it really hit me when I had my kids, because they're half Chinese and I thought, oh my gosh, wait a minute, if I'm their last connection to the Chinese culture and I don't speak the language. They have no chance of learning anything about their language they couldn't go that deep into their culture if I didn't learn about it. So that really sparked this whole, Gordon & Li Li journey of learning and discovering language and culture for my kids.    Miko Lee: [00:06:51] Share more about that. How, what happened actually, what was the inspiration for creating the Children's book series?    Michele Wong McSween: [00:06:58] It was really my children, I really felt that it was my responsibility to teach them about their culture and language and, if I didn't know the language, then I better learn it. So I enrolled all of us in different Mandarin courses. They had this, I found this really cute kids' Mandarin class. I went to adult Mandarin classes and I chose Mandarin because that was the approved official language in China. I am from Taishan, My parents spoke Taishanese, but I thought, well, if Mandarin's the official language, I should choose that one probably so that my kids will have at least a better chance at maybe some better jobs in the future or connecting with, the billion people that speak it. I thought Mandarin would be the way to go. When I started going to these classes and I just realized, wow, this is really hard, not just to learn the language, but to learn Mandarin Chinese, because we're not just talking about learning how to say the four different tones. We're talking about reading these characters that if you look at a Chinese character, you have absolutely no idea what it sounds like if you're, if you're learning Spanish or French or German, you can see the letters and kind of sound it out a little bit. But with Chinese characters. No chance. So I found it extremely difficult and I realized, wow, I really need to support my kids more because if I am going to be the one that's going to be bridging this connection for them, I need to learn more and I need to find some more resources to help us. when we would have bedtime story time, that whole routine. That was always the favorite time of my kids to be really, quiet and they would really absorb what I was saying, or we would talk about our days or just talk about funny things and I realized, wow, these books that they love and we have to read over and over and over again. this is the way that they're going to get the information. And I started searching high and low for these books. back in 2006, they didn't exist. and so I realized if they didn't exist and I really wanted them for my kids, then I needed to create them. That's the impetus, is there was nothing out there and I really wanted it so badly that I had to create it myself.   Miko Lee: [00:09:09] Oh, I love that. And I understand you started out self-publishing. Can you talk a little bit about that journey?    Michele Wong McSween: [00:09:15] I'm glad I didn't know what I know today because it was really hard. luckily I had, A friend who used to work for a toy company, it was all through connections. there was nothing really on Google about it. there was no Amazon print on demand. There were none of these companies that provide these services like today. So I just kept asking questions. Hey, do you know a toy manufacturer in China that maybe prints books? Do you know a company that could help me? get my books to the states. Do you know an illustrator that can help me illustrate my books? Because I had gone to fashion design school, but I had not learned to illustrate characters or things in a book. So asking questions and not being afraid to ask the questions was really how I was able to do it because, Without the help of friends and family, I wouldn't have been able to do this. I had all my friends look at my books, show them to their kids. I had my kids look at them, and I kind of just figured it out as I went along. Ultimately when I did publish my first book, I had so much support from my kids' schools. To read the books there, I had support from a local play space for kids that we would go to. I really leaned on my community to help me, get the books out there, or actually it was just one at the time. Two years later I self-published two more books. So I had three in total. no one tells you that when you self-publish a book, the easy part is actually creating it. The hard part is what comes after that, which is the pr, the marketing, the pounding, the pavement, knocking on the doors to ask people to buy your books, and that was really hard for me. I would just take my books in a bag and I would explain my story to people and I would show them my books. sometimes they would say, okay, I'll take one of each, or Okay, we'll try it out. and slowly but surely they would reorder from me. I just slowly, slowly built up, a whole Roster of bookstores and I kept doing events in New York.    I started doing events in Los Angeles and San Francisco, and through that I gained some following, some fans and people would tell their friends about me. they would give them to their nieces they would give them to their cousin's kids, or, things like that. I knew that I had to do it because my ultimate goal was to have Scholastic be my publisher. That was my ultimate goal. Because they are the publisher that I grew up with, that I love that I connected with, that I was so excited to get their book club, little flyer. I would check off every book that I wanted. And my mom never said no. She always let me get every single book I wanted. I realize now that that's what really Created the love of books for me is just having access to them and, going to the libraries and seeing all these books on the bookshelves and being able to take them out and read them on the spot. And then if I loved them enough, I would check them out and take them home and read them over and over. So it was really, my experience, having that love for books that I thought, oh gosh, it would be a dream. To have Scholastic become my publisher. So after 10 long years of events and community outreach and selling to these bookstores, I finally thought, okay, I've sold, about 17,000, 18,000 books. Maybe, maybe now I can take my series to them. I also had created an app. Maybe I can take this to them and show them what I've done. Maybe they'll be interested in acquiring me. And I got an appointment with the editor and I pitched my books on my app and within a couple of days they offered to acquire my books, which was my dream come true. So anyway, that was a very long story for how self-publishing really is and how ultimately it really helped my dream come true.    Miko Lee: [00:13:08] Now your books are on this Scholastic book, fair Circuit, right?    Michele Wong McSween: [00:13:13] Yes, they are. Well, it's actually just one book. They took the three books, which were everyday Words. Count in Mandarin and learn animals in Mandarin. They took all three books and they put them in one big compilation book, which is called My First Mandarin Words with Gordon & Li Li. So it's a bigger book. It's a bigger board book. Still very, very sturdy and it's a great, starter book for any family because it has those three first themes that were the first themes that I taught my own boys, and I think. It just, it's very natural for kids to want to learn how to count. animals were, and my kids were animal lovers, so I knew that that's what would keep them interested in learning Mandarin because they actually loved the topic. So, yes, my first mandarin words with Gordon & Li Li does live on Scholastics big roster.   Miko Lee: [00:14:01] Fun. Your dream come true. I love it. Yeah. Thanks. And you were speaking earlier about your background in fashion design. Has there been any impact of your fashion design background on your voice as a children's book author?   Michele Wong McSween: [00:14:14] I don't know if my background as a fashion designer has had any impact on my voice. I think it's had an impact on how I imagined my books and how I color my books and how I designed them because of working with, you know, color palettes and, and putting together collections I can visually see and, can anticipate. Because I have that background, I can kind of anticipate what a customer might want. And also, you know, speaking with people at my events and seeing what kids gravitate to, that also helps. But I think there's so much more to being an author than just writing the books. You know, when I go to my events, I have a table display, I have setups, I have props, I have, I actually now have a, a small. Capsule of merchandise because I missed designing clothes. So I have a teeny collection of, you know, sweaters, hoodies, onesies, a tote bag, and plushies   Miko Lee: [00:15:04] they're super cute by the way.    Michele Wong McSween: [00:15:06] Oh, thank you. So, you know, fashion has come in in different ways and I think having that background has really helped. kind of become who they are    Miko Lee: [00:15:17] Can you tell us about the latest book in the series, which is Gordon and Li Li All About Me. Can you tell a little bit about your latest?   Michele Wong McSween: [00:15:25] Gordon & Li Li All About Me is really, it's, to me, it's. I think my most fun interactive book because it really gets kids and parents up and out of their chairs, out of their seats and moving around. And you know, as a parent, I always would think about the kind of books that my kids would gravitate towards. What would they want to read and what as a parent would I want to read with my kids? Because really reading is all about connection with your kids. That's what I loved about books is it gave me a way to connect with my kids. And so a book about body parts to me is just a really fun way to be animated and get up and move around and you can tickle and, and squeeze and shake it around and dance around. And, you know, having three boys, my house was just like a big energy ball. So I knew that this book would be a really fun one for families and I have two nieces and a nephew, and I now, they're my new target market testers, and they just loved it. They had so much fun pointing to their body parts and the book ends with head, shoulders, knees, and toes in English and in Mandarin. And so of course. Every kid knows head, shoulders, knees, and toes in English. So we sing that. We get up, we point to our pottered parts, we shake it around, we dance around. And then the fun part is teaching them head, shoulders, knees, and toes in Mandarin because they're already familiar with the song. It's not scary to learn something in Mandarin. It just kind of naturally happens. And so I think the All About Me book is just a really fun way to connect with kids. I've actually launched it at a couple of events already and the response to the book has been overwhelming. I was at the Brooklyn Children's Museum and even the president of the museum came and did the head shoulders. Knees and toes, songs with us. It was so much fun. Everybody was dancing around and having a great time. So I'm just really, really excited for people to pick up this book and really learn about the body. It's, you know, body positivity, it's body awareness, and it's just a great way to connect with your kids.   Miko Lee: [00:17:31] So fun. I, I saw that you're recently at the Asian American Book Con. Can you talk a little bit about that experience?    Michele Wong McSween: [00:17:38] Oh, that was great. That was the first of its kind and. I led the entire author segment of it. I would say individual authors. There were, there were, publishing companies that brought in their own authors, but I was responsible for bringing in the independent authors. And so I think we had about eight of us. There were Indian, Korean, Chinese, Taiwanese, and we all came together for this one really special day of celebrating our voices and lifting each other up. And there was so much energy and so much positivity in that event, and I. Actually was just thinking about reaching out to the organizers last year and seeing if we could maybe do, part two? So, I'm glad you brought that up. It was a really positive experience.    Miko Lee: [00:18:27] So we're celebrating the end of Asian American Pacific Islander Native Hawaiian month. Can you tell us why this month is important to you?    Michele Wong McSween: [00:18:36] When you have something designated and set aside as, this is the month that we're going to be celebrating Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander heritage all month long, I think it kind of perks up. People's ears and they think, oh wow, this is a great opportunity for me to see what's happening in my community. I think it just brings the awareness to. The broader community and ultimately the world. And I think when we learn about each other and each other's cultures, it brings us closer together and makes us realize that we're really not that different from each other. And I think when there are so many events happening now it peaks the interest of people in the neighborhood that might otherwise not know about it and it can, really bring us closer together as a community.   Miko Lee: [00:19:27] Michelle Wong McSween, thank you so much for joining me on Apex Express. It's great to hear more about you and about your latest book Gordon & Li Li and the entire series. Thank you so much.    Michele Wong McSween: [00:19:39] Thank you, Miko   Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:19:40] Thank you all so much for joining us. I'm here with Gloria l Huang, author of Kaya of the Ocean. Thank you so much for joining us, Gloria.    Gloria Huang: [00:19:48] Oh, thanks so much for having me here.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:19:50] So first off, one question that we're asking all of our guests on our show tonight is, who are your people? However you identify, you know, your community, your ancestors, and what legacy do you carry with you?    Gloria Huang: [00:20:01] Oh, that's such a good question. So I am my heritage is Chinese. My parents were born in China and then grew up in Taiwan. And I myself was actually born in Canada. But then moved the states pretty young and and American Canadian dual citizen and now, but I, my heritage plays a lot into my. Kind of my worldview. It really shaped, how I grew up and how I saw things. And so it features very prominently in my writing and in my stories as you could probably tell from Kaya the ocean.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:20:34] Yes. And I love the book so much. It was such a    Gloria Huang: [00:20:37] thank you,    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:20:38] amazing read. And I'm also half Chinese and love the ocean. Just love the beach so much and have always felt such a connection with the water. I don't wanna give away too much things about the book, but I was wondering if you could talk about your inspiration for writing it and a little bit about, setting and everything.   Gloria Huang: [00:20:56] Of course. So the inspiration for the book actually started I came up with the idea when the world was first emerging from the pandemic and I was seeing a lot of people obviously experiencing a lot of anxiety, but a lot of children very close to me in my life. And they were experiencing it for the first time, which was can be so difficult. I remember when it happened to me and there's just this tendency to. Worry that there's something wrong with you or that you've done something and you feel so alone. And so I remember standing by the ocean one night actually and thinking that I'd really love to write a book about a girl who is struggling with. The anxiety just to be able to send a message to all these kids that there's nothing wrong with them. They're not alone and really all parts of who they are. Even the parts they might not love so much are important parts of these amazing, beautiful, complicated people. They are. So that was the inspiration for that part of the story, the setting. I was very inspired. As you mentioned, the ocean is a huge inspiration to me. It actually comes into my mind, a lot of my stories and someone pointed that out once and I was like, you're right, it does. And I think part of it is that I love the ocean. I love the beach. I love being there, but I'm also so in awe of this powerful thing that, you know, where we know so little about it. It is. There's so much mystery to it. It can look so beautiful on the surface and be so dangerous underneath. I love it as a metaphor. I love it as a part of nature. So I think that was a huge part of why I wanted to incorporate that, especially because I think it also plays well into the metaphor for how some people experience anxiety and you can be calm on the surface, but so much is happening underneath.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:22:29] Absolutely. Yeah. Those interplay with each other and are metaphors for each other in such a beautiful way, mirror the experience. Yeah. I wanted to talk a little bit more about anxiety and particular, as a young Asian American girl the cultural specificity of having anxiety as a young Asian American woman.    Gloria Huang: [00:22:46] Yes I definitely think it's no coincidence. I think that anxiety often goes hand in hand with perfectionism and pressure and I, many people feel that kind of pressure, but certainly a young Asian girl especially with immigrant parents, will feel specific kind of pressure. And so I was really trying to portray that, Somebody once said to me, they were like, oh, I really like how Kaya on the surface seems so put together. She's, got really good grades. She works really hard at school. She's close to her parents, but there's all this going on underneath. And I actually think that's not unusual in terms of that experience for Asian American children of immigrants, and especially if you're female I was really trying to. Tease that out. And then in addition I think there's a tendency, and this might exist in other cultures as well, but in Asian culture, at least in my family history there's a tendency not to really want to talk about mental health. There was a, there's a joke in my family that my parents thought anything could be solved with good sleep and good nutrition, like anytime you had any problem. And I think that there is a, there's a. resistance to feeling like your child can be struggling in a way you can't help them. So I, really wanted to touch on that, part of the cultural pressures at play in kaya's life.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:23:59] And you did so beautifully and it was very relatable, as a anxious Asian girly. And also just, the discussion of big feelings and somehow, having inklings that you may be more powerful than you even realize, but the kind of like emotions that come with that too.    Gloria Huang: [00:24:15] Yes. I think that's a huge part of it is that like when you experience these huge feelings they feel powerful, know, in a negative way. But what I was really trying to get at was, there is also power in accepting these parts of yourself and realizing that They can make up this powerful being that you are, even if you might not love them in that moment.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:24:34] Yeah. I felt very seen by the book and I, couldn't help but wonder wow, what would it have been like if I had read this when I was, 13 or 12 or kind of Closer to the age of the characters in the book.   Gloria Huang: [00:24:45] Thank you so much for saying that it actually means a lot because a lot of my motivation when I do write these books is to write for people who are either of that age or, wish they had a book like that at that age, which is also how I feel a lot about books nowadays and oh, I, I'm so glad that exists. I wish that had been around when I was that age.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:25:03] Yes. Were there any books that really set an example for you that either you read, maybe when you were, in the young adult. Age range or that you've read now as an adult where you're like, okay, this is definitely the audience that I wanna be writing for.   Gloria Huang: [00:25:17] Definitely. I actually love this question 'cause I'm a big reader and so I love talking about books . When I was a kid, middle grade books were my gateway into my love of reading. So I still remember a lot of my favorite books, but I would say a recent book, it's actually maybe not that recent now, it's maybe a couple years old, but a book that really. Had an effect on the middle grade book was when you trap a tiger by Tae Keller and it explores. The kind of Korean experience, but also through the prism of kind of understanding generational grief. And it was just so beautifully done and really made an impact on me. So that was one recently that I thought was really powerful. And, I was like, this is an important book. This is definitely a book I would've loved as a child. When I was younger and I was reading books, there were three books that meant a lot to me. One was called the true confessions of Charlotte Doyle, and it was like a swashbuckling adventure story starring a girl, which was, at that time not very common. And it was, it meant, it was so earth shattering to me to be able to see a female character in that role. So that was great. There's a book called. Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt. And it's an adventure story and it also stars. The main character is a very strong female character and Tuck everlasting, which I just think is a beautiful book. It's also female characters. Now I'm saying it out loud. They are all female main characters. And all about, existentialism and adventure and things that, it was important for me to see. Female characters exploring. But I did also wanna say that when I was reading middle grade books, some of my favorite books included a series called, babysitters Club, which I think that they've redone now as a graphic novel. And that was actually really important, not necessarily for the stories, but because there's a character named Claudia Kishi who. Was a Japanese American character and she absolutely shattered the minds of, I think all kids that age were Asian descent and female in reading these books because there just wasn't a character like her before that, she was so cool and artistic but she had immigrant parents and she had a sister who was very good at math and they didn't get along and she loved junk food and she was. So incredibly nuanced and it was just not something that we saw back then. So that really inspired me, I think, to want to add to the diversity of voices. And thankfully there are many more diverse voices now than when I was reading.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:27:30] I love that. And I also feel like books that you read at that age, they stay with you forever.   Gloria Huang: [00:27:35] They really do.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:27:35] And they shape so much of like your worldview and your friendships. And I'm curious, 'cause I know the book was released this year in January. Mm-hmm. So what has it been like for you on your book tour and what's been some other responses that you've heard? I.    Gloria Huang: [00:27:48] It's been really great. It was so exciting to do the book launch and then just the amount of support from the writing community from, my, my kind of network, my agents and my publisher and editor. And also just readers. It's been really great. But one thing I think I wasn't expecting to love quite so much, not because I was expecting to not love it. I just said, it occurred to me that I would feel this way is getting feedback from, child readers is amazing because, I think as writers we love feedback no matter what. And if it's positive feedback, that's even better. But having a child reach out and as some of my friends will send a video of their. Children reacting to the book or they'll, their, let their child type out a text messages and just to hear how the book hits with them and to hear their excitement or to hear that they were moved or to have them want to know what happens next. It meant so much to me because it was, they're the target audience and to have them feel seen in that way was just, it's just the ultimate kind of powerful feeling.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:28:51] That is so sweet. Oh my gosh. I can only imagine. And so you're talking about the young readers. Yes. But I'm also curious if you have any advice or thoughts for young writers who might be wanting to share and get similar stories out to the world?   Gloria Huang: [00:29:05] Yeah I definitely do. And one of the. Experiences I've had that's been great is I've been doing, some school visits and I go and I talk about the book, but I actually talk about the writing process. And when I do that, I really talk to the kids. As if they're writers. The one of the first questions I ask is, hold up your hand. If you love writing or you think you want me, you might wanna be a writer someday. And a lot of hands go up and I tell them like, what the publishing process is, what are, the different genre options, what you might wanna consider, how you come up with an idea, how you sit down and write it, how you reach out to an agent. And I am surprised at how. Intensely, they're hanging onto every word and they're insightful questions after it. It shows me that a lot of them are really thinking about this. I think for one of the school visits, I remember someone held up her hand and she said what is the youngest age I. Someone has been able to be published. And I thought that was great. Because they're so inspired and you can tell that, that they're thinking for the first time this is a possibility. I have all kinds of advice during the school visits, the main piece of advice is really. Just that it can be a tough industry. writing is a very isolated process usually. There's a lot of kind of obstacles and there's a lot of gatekeeping. And so I tell 'em that the most important thing they can do is just keep pushing through and not to let any, setbacks stop them, because the ultimate goal is to reach even just one person.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:30:24] Absolutely. And what kind of advice do you give around learning how to hone your own voice and also having discipline when it comes to an artistic practice?   Gloria Huang: [00:30:33] Yeah, I think that's such a great question. And I was gonna say this piece of advice is probably more for I. Older writers, but adult writers, I guess I should say. The one thing that I've really been thinking about having published a middle grade book is the very specific and unique experience of writing for middle grade audiences. I think a lot of my friends who write for older audience groups, young adults, adults, They have their own challenges, but one of the things that is different is when they're writing, they are writing for the same target audience. That's also the decision makers. So generally, adults and young adults are picking their own books, and they're speaking to someone who will. Ultimately be the ones to pick up the books where when you're writing for middle grade audiences they're not usually the decision makers. at bookstores, they may or may not be in charge of which book they buy, in. Schools, usually it's a librarian or a teacher. So in some ways you're writing for one audience, but you're also writing a subject matter that you're hoping the decision makers will decide is worthy to put in front of your ultimate readers. So that's one challenge. And then the other challenge is I think middle grade audiences are so. fascinating because they're going through this amazingly unusual time in their lives, whether it's eventful and there's new experiences and that can be exciting, but also scary. So there's a lot to mind in terms of topics, but they are also a mixture of being very sophisticated readers who are on the cusp of being teens. And so there's a healthy dose of, skepticism, but they're still young enough that they. Believe in magic, at least in the literary world. So you, there's a lot of room to play with that. But they also. They sound different. They speak differently than adults. So it's important to get the dialogue, for me I, turn to children in my life, including my own, just to do a check to make sure that the dialogue sounds authentic and something that, people, that kids would say. So a lot of thoughts there, but I think, I've been thinking a lot about middle grade and writing for middle grade, and what a unique experience it is.   Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:32:26] Yeah, that's such a good point about the decision maker and having the multiple audiences, and I'm sure sometimes the decision makers are reading the books too, right? Or reading it with their kids or what have you. For your personal writing practice, are there any upcoming projects that you can share with us? And how do you stay inspired for what I imagine is like the long haul of writing something.    Gloria Huang: [00:32:45] I'm happiest when I have like several projects in the pipeline. So as soon as I am done a book or it's, outta my hands, it's with my agents or my editors. I'm looking to write another book. And I think sometimes I probably overwhelm my amazing book before agents. 'cause I'm like, I'm ready to start another story. And they're like, we're still looking at the book you just sent us. But I, that's very much how. I am happiest. I would definitely say that everybody finds their own rhythm. I'm in some writers groups and some people are incredibly fast drafters and just need multiple projects at a time. And some people are like, no, I need to work on one project and I need to have it to perfection and I'm gonna work on it for a year or two. And I think whatever works for the individual artist, I think is the best kind of process for them. But yes, for me it's very much about having multiple projects. I think I'm most inspired when I have different projects going at the same time. finding your own rhythm, I think is my advice.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:33:40] kaya of the ocean has, strong themes and storylines about, myths, mythology, Chinese mythology, and goddesses. I'm curious if you wanna talk any more about that and then also if that shows up in any of the other projects you're working on    Gloria Huang: [00:33:54] Yes, the Chinese mythological water goddess that features. Pretty prominently in Kaya of the Ocean is Matsu. And I find her to be such a fascinating character. She is a real goddess who's worshiped still in Asia. I think. Fishermen often will, pray to her for safe passage when they go out on the water. And my father told me about her when I was younger he told me like the side stories and I thought that was really interesting. But it was only when I started thinking about this book that I thought, I'd love to, I'd love to incorporate her. I hadn't heard about her too much in, in the fictional world, even though I knew she was still like a revered goddess. But I thought it was so cool that she was this strong. I. Strong female figure in a space that didn't always have that, hundreds of years ago. And so I dove into her story a little bit and found out, the story is that she was once a human child who loved to read and then she was afraid of swimming in water until she was older and then she drowned, saving, trying to save some relatives and it was interesting 'cause I'd already started plotting out Kaya and writing Kaya. And so much of her story wove easily into what I had already come up with. Like there, I think she has two sidekicks that were one time enemies that she, made into her friends and I'd already had Kaya written with two friends, Naomi and Ana. So I, there was just so much that I felt was kismet. And it was really fun to be able to weave that story together and fictionalize it. But I think it was also meaningful for me to be able to do that because. When I was younger, I loved reading Greek mythology. the stories are beautiful and they've been redone in beautiful ways, but it definitely was an area where I didn't necessarily see myself reflected. As part of my goal to add to the diversity of voices, I really wanted to feature Chinese mythology and bring those stories in so that. Kids can either see themselves reflected in those stories and or understand a new kind of set of mythology and learn about a new culture.   Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:35:46] Yes. I'm so glad you put it that way because it is, it's such a privilege to have access to, our own I. Cultural stories and knowledge through these, like fun and modern interpretations. Definitely. So I'm so glad that this can provide that.    Gloria Huang: [00:36:00] Oh, thank you. I did realize I didn't answer your other question, which is does it feature my other works? Which so I have sold another middle grade novel and I'm, it's not announced yet. I'm hoping to announce it soon. And I have some other. Books. I'm working on a young adult novel so far. They have not featured Chinese mythology, but I do definitely have a type that my most of my books tend to be contemporary settings, but with elements of speculative. Fantasy, just like the light touch of that and sometimes a little bit of historical elements as well. So they, they definitely all have that similar motif, but so far chi of the ocean is the only one to feature a Chinese mythological goddess.   Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:36:43] Thank you so much for sharing that. I love that. And I really love the relationship that Kaya had with her two friends and just and then also like the cousin that comes and just capturing like the banter amongst, amongst the girls.    Gloria Huang: [00:36:56] Thank you so much. that was really important to me, I think because at the stage that Kaia is in her life the loves of her life really are her two friends, Naomi and Ana, and they feature very prominently in how she learns to cope with her anxiety and her symptoms of anxiety. And so I really, I think that I really wanted to center her their friendship as much as possible. So I'm I'm glad that you saw it that way too.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:37:19] Yeah. And I feel like, I mean, it truly is the most important relationship. And so it's nice when works of fiction and yeah, works of fiction, can reflect that in such a beautiful way. I know you mentioned that you have daughters or have children?    Gloria Huang: [00:37:32] I do, yes. I have a son and a daughter. And my daughter actually was quite involved because when I first started writing Kaya, I think she was exactly of the age that she would be the target reader group. And so she actually helped Beta read it. She provided a lot of feedback. She became like a cheerleader. She was definitely involved in the process and I think that was really exciting for her. my son became of the reading age once it came out, so he reads it and he's a big fan too,   Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:38:00] that's so sweet. I love that your daughter was part of the editing process too. That's amazing.    Gloria Huang: [00:38:04] Yeah. Yeah. She loves writing and always says she wants to be a writer herself, so it was really special that she got to be part of this and see it up close.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:38:13] Oh wow. Do you think you would do any collaborative projects with her in the future?   Gloria Huang: [00:38:16] It's so funny that you say that. She always suggests that. And then sometimes they'll actually start a Google doc and they'll say, let's write a story together. And we all have, of course, very different writing styles. And then at some point they both actually usually just start reading what I'm writing. And at that point I'm like, this is not collaborative. You have to write as well. So we've had a couple of false starts, but that's always a joke that we're gonna do that together.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:38:39] that's so sweet. What else is upcoming for you? I know this is, Asian American and native Hawaiian Pacific Islander month right now, and the episode will come out towards the end of May. So if there's anything else coming up from you for this month or for June or the summer. Yeah. We'd love to hear what you have going on.    Gloria Huang: [00:38:57] Oh, yeah. Today actually Kaya's audio book was released people can listen to it. It was narrated by this amazing, narrator, Cindy K. And so anywhere you find audio books is available. And that was really cool. I've listened to a little bit of it and you, when you write, you hear the words in your head one way, and then it's amazing to hear like another artist do their take on it. So that's really cool. I will be at the Bay Area book Festival at the end of the month of May. There. Doing like different panels and I'll be on a panel. it's about Fantastical Worlds. I'm really excited about that. hopefully we'll be able to announce this other book soon. As you, you may know publishing is a very long lead time it will be a while before it's released, but I think the hope is to release it during, a API month as well just not this year. And working on a young adult novel that hopefully we can go on submission with at some point. But it's an exciting time for sure.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:39:51] Wow, that does sound so exciting. I can't wait to hear about your new projects and to continue to read the work that you put out into the world. Is there anything else that you'd like to discuss or talk about?   Gloria Huang: [00:40:01] I think just to say a thank you to you for, having me on here and reading Kaya of the Ocean and really anyone who's been interested in joining Kaya and her friends on their journey. It's just, it's so amazing, I think, to create these characters that become real to you, and then have them become real to other people. I don't have the words to describe how meaningful it is to me, but thank you.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:40:24] Thank you for letting us join into the world of Kaya for a little bit 'cause it was very fun and healing and all of the amazing things. And thanks so much for joining us today on Apex Express.    Gloria Huang: [00:40:36] For sure. Thanks so much.   Miko Lee: [00:40:38] Welcome, Andrea Wang, award-winning children's book author to Apex Express.    Andrea Wang: [00:40:43] Thank you, Miko. I'm so happy to be here.    Miko Lee: [00:40:46] Happy to have you. I'd love to start first with a personal question, which is, who are your people and what legacy do you carry with you?   Andrea Wang: [00:40:57] My people are from China. My mother's family belonged to an ethnic minority, called the Haka or the Kaja people, and she and her siblings were. A military family, and we're each born in a different province. And when the Chinese Civil War ended in 1949, they went to Taiwan where she grew up and immigrated to the United States in 1965 or 1966. My father's family are from Guangdong Province, and so I'm Cantonese on that side, although I don't speak any Cantonese. And he went to Hong Kong after the Chinese Civil War. So I am the daughter of Chinese immigrants, second generation Chinese American.    Miko Lee: [00:42:01] And what legacy do you carry with you?   Andrea Wang:[00:42:03]  I carry the legacy of their stories, both the ones that I know and the ones that I don't know yet.    Miko Lee: [00:42:12] Ooh. It sounds like there's lots of juicy things for you still to discover. That is fun.    Andrea Wang: [00:42:16] Yes.    Miko Lee: [00:42:17] Today we're talking about your new book, watercress, can you share what the audience, what the book is about, and then what is your inspiration for this book?    Andrea Wang: [00:42:25] So the book is about a Chinese American girl who is growing up in rural Ohio and her parents spot watercress growing in a ditch by the side of the road, and they immediately pull over and make her enter older brother, get out of the car and get down into the ditch with them and collect this. Vegetable, but to her it's a weed. And so when they serve it to her and her family at dinner, she really is unhappy about this and. For her, picking food out of a ditch has a really different meaning than it does to her parents who survived a lot of hardship in China. And it's not until her mom tells her a story about her childhood growing up in China and spoiler alert, loses a sibling to the famine that the girl begins to understand and better appreciate her parents, her culture, and her heritage.   Miko Lee: [00:43:29] And the inspiration for this book.    Andrea Wang: [00:43:32] So the inspiration is largely my own life. this is a semi autobiographical story. The memory of picking watercress by the side of the road was just something that I couldn't forget, I don't know why this memory continued to haunt me into adulthood. And then after my mom passed away, I started writing down, memories and stories of being with my family in order to maintain a connection to her. When I wrote this, at first it was a personal essay and it just wasn't working. I would put it away and I would occasionally take it out and I would put it away and take it out and work on it again. And it wasn't until I decided to pursue writing for young people that I completely changed the manuscript from a personal essay into a picture book. But at that point it still wasn't working. It was in third person and it wasn't very personal It took me several more years to figure out the heart of the story for me. So it was largely based on my own memories and my mother's childhood stories that she shared with me.   Miko Lee: [00:44:39] Can you share more about the power of memory and the artistic process? 'cause you've written many books and in different genres as well, but can you talk a little bit more about memory and its impact on your work?   Andrea Wang: [00:44:52] Yeah, that's a great question. I tend to write primarily for myself. And to figure out how I felt about certain experiences, how they've changed me, to try and process things I feel like I remember a lot about my childhood. parts of it are very vivid and I like to go back to those. Moments that have stuck with me all these years and explore what it means to me. Like I'm just very curious about why I remember certain things watercress was largely my way of processing my childhood feelings of shame about my family and my culture. I have leaned into that and am still writing stories about identity and the struggle to find our identity. Memory has a lot to do with it. I put myself in every single book.    Miko Lee: [00:45:45] Ooh, that's so interesting. And you're talking a little bit about shame and overcoming that. I'm wondering if you could speak more on, if you feel like memories hold the power to heal.    Andrea Wang: [00:45:56] I firmly believe that memories hold the power to heal. I think that writing watercress and talking about these feelings has really helped me, , heal from, that sort of trauma of not feeling like I belonged as a kid and also that I may have been. Not the nicest kid to my parents, not the most filial, right? And so writing this story was, as I say in the author's note, sort of an apology and a love letter to my parents. So it's been very healing and healing to hear about from all the. People who have read the book and had it resonate with them, the things that they regretted in their lives and hoped to, heal as well.    Miko Lee: [00:46:42] Oh, have you heard that story a lot from adult readers?   Andrea Wang: [00:46:46] I have. They will often tell me about the things that their parents did that embarrassed them. A lot of foraging stories, but also stories about, relatives and ancestors who were sharecroppers or indigenous peoples. And it's just been fascinating how many people connect to the story on different levels. There is that theme of poverty. I think recognizing. That's not often talked about in children's books, I think makes people feel very seen.   Miko Lee: [00:47:14] Yeah. That feeling of shame is really showcased by the illustrator Jason Chin. I mean your young you character kind of has a grumpy look on their face. And it was just so fun. Even in the book notes, Jason Chin, the illustrator, writes about how he combined both the western and eastern style of art, but also his similar cross-cultural background. I'm wondering when you very first saw the artwork and this was kind of young you did anything surprise you by it?    Andrea Wang: [00:47:42] I mean, it's amazing, gorgeous artwork and I was really struck by how he dealt with the flashbacks because when I sold this manuscript, I. Had no idea how an illustrator would deal with how interior it is and, , and how they would tackle those flashbacks. And there's one spread where on the left hand side of the page, it shows the main character's current time and then it morphs across the gutter of the book into. The moms past and her childhood memories in China, and it was just exquisite is really the only way to describe it. It was, it's just brilliant, and amazing. We don't, as picture book authors typically get to work with our illustrators. We often do not have contact with them through the making of a picture book. But in this case. Our editors said since it was such a personal story for me, that he, , felt that Jason and I should collaborate. And so I provided photos, family photos, photos of Ohio, lots of different, , source materials to Jason and would talk to him about the feelings that young me in the book went through. And so the fact that, he was able to take all of that and put it on the page, it was just. Spectacular.    Miko Lee: [00:49:01] Oh, that's so fun. I also understand that you love mythical creatures as you I, and one of your children's books is the Nian Monster, which I love. I'm wondering what is your favorite mythical creature and why?   Andrea Wang: [00:49:15] I. Have been sort of fascinated with the qilin, the, or they call it the Chinese unicorn. Right. Although it looks very different from what we think of a, a European unicorn looks like. Yes. And I think it's because they're supposed to be this really benevolent, creature and Have all sorts of powers and I would love to do more research about the qilin and, you know, incorporate that into a book someday.   Miko Lee: [00:49:42] Ooh, fun. Next book. I love it. you have so many books and I'm really curious about your upcoming book Worthy about Joseph Pierce. I love these as Helen Zia talks about these. MIH moments that are missing in history. And Joseph Pierce was the highest ranking Chinese American man who fought in the Civil War. Some people might recognize this picture of this Chinese American guy in a kind of civil war, uniform. Can you tell us one, when is the book being released and a little bit more about it?    Andrea Wang: [00:50:11] Sure. The book is being released on September 9th, 2025, and it is. A picture book, which we typically think of as for younger readers, but it is 64 pages. So you know, it's an all ages picture book. I think my editor and I would like to say, and it is the story of a Chinese boy born in the, First half of the 18 hundreds in China in Guangdong province, and was sold by his father to an American ship captain named Amos Peck. the reasons for that are, lost to time, right? He left no primary sources behind, there was so much going on in China at the time. Famine war, you know, all of these, Difficult things that his father probably sold him in order to keep the rest of the family alive and as well as give him the opportunity to have a better life. And he did end up in Connecticut. He was raised with the captain's, siblings and sent to school and treated almost like a member of the family except for the fact that he was. Clearly Chinese and there were very few Chinese people in, Connecticut at that time. he joined the Union Army when he came of age and was able to leverage his service into gaining citizenship, which really people of color, weren't really able to do successfully back then. And so. He gained a citizenship. He married, he had a family. He was able to own property and accomplish all these amazing things. Sort of right before the Chinese exclusion Act was, enacted. So he was a very brave guy.    Miko Lee: [00:51:45] It's a wild story and you sent me on a little bit of a rabbit hole, which is fun. Just, looking at Ruth Ann, McCune's. historical piece that there were 10 different Chinese American men in the Civil War, but he was exceptional because he rose to such high ranks. And I just think it's so interesting that, in the 1880 census, he registered as Chinese. But then after the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882, he listed his race as Japanese in the 1890 census. but he was racialized as white so that he could buy property and everything. Yeah. Can you just talk a little bit about that, like talk about code switching? He like literally changed his race,    Andrea Wang: [00:52:26] right. And people at that time could not tell the difference. Similar to now, people often can't tell different Asian, ethnicities apart. Right. I found actual newspaper articles where Joseph Pierce was interviewed about the battles, that the United States was having with Japan or the battles that Japan was having. He was asked his opinion on what the Japanese government was doing because he told these reporters he was Japanese and that was really the only clue that I had that he, Was code switching that after the Chinese exclusion Act was passed, he felt like he needed to protect himself and his family and he must have cut off his cue because otherwise, you know, that would've identified him immediately as Chinese. So that went into the book. I think it's a powerful moment, right, where he's doing what he has to do to survive and ensure his protection and his family's safety,   Miko Lee: [00:53:25] You have a, a really interesting background. Just having No really, I mean, having done all these different things and I, you know, I think you have a science background too, right? Can you talk about the times that we're living in right now, the political times that we're living in, where our government is banning books that don't align with certain conservative ideologies, where right now certain words are forbodden suddenly. And can you talk a little bit about how that impacts you as a children's book author?    Andrea Wang: [00:53:59] it is very disheartening and discouraging that the current climate is against, people who look like me or other people of color. And as a children's book author, we are experiencing a huge decrease in the number of teachers and librarians who are asking us to come and visit schools, to talk to students, which is horrible because. These young people are the ones who need to learn from books, right? Knowledge is power. And if we are not keeping them informed, then we are doing them a disservice. I think the attacks on our freedom to read are really unjust. and. personally as an author of color, I understand that books like Worthy may end up on some of these banned book lists because it does talk about racism. but these are the stories that we need now, and I'm going to continue writing these stories about the Hidden History, And to talk about these difficult subjects that I think kids understand on some level. but if they're not reading about it in books, then it's hard to spark a conversation with, educators or adults about it. So I think these books that I'm writing, that many of my friends and other children's book authors are writing are providing that. Sort of gateway to talk about, the topics that are so important right now.    Miko Lee: [00:55:29] Thank you so much for sharing, and thank you so much for being on Apex Express today. We appreciate your voice and the work that you're putting out there in the world. Is there anything else you'd like to say?   Andrea Wang: [00:55:39] you know, there's so much to say, I think just to. Stand up for what we all believe in and to, I encourage people to stand up for their intellectual freedom and that of their children.   Miko Lee: [00:55:56] Thank you, Andrea Wang. I appreciate hearing from you and hearing your voice and seeing your work out there in the world.    Andrea Wang: [00:56:03] Thank you so much, Miko. It was a pleasure.   Miko Lee: [00:56:05] Please check out our website, kpfa.org. To find out more about our show tonight. We thank all of you listeners out there. Keep resisting, keep organizing, keep creating and sharing your visions with the world because your voices are important. Apex Express is created by Miko Lee, Jalena Keane-Lee, Preti Mangala-Shekar, Swati Rayasam, Aisa Villarosa, Estella Owoimaha-Church, Gabriel Tanglao, Cheryl Truong and Ayame Keane-Lee.   The post APEX Express – 5.29.25 AAPI Children's Books appeared first on KPFA.

Elise satisfies her stomach with Taiwanese food and Doree gives advice on puppydom before they hear from listeners about parenting and self-care, hair oil for curly hair, and the different forms meditation can take. To leave a voicemail or text for a future episode, reach Doree & Elise at 781-591-0390. You can also email the podcast at forever35podcast@gmail.com.Visit forever35podcast.com for links to everything they mention on the show or visit shopmyshelf.us/forever35.Follow the podcast on Instagram (@Forever35Podcast) and sign up for the newsletter at forever35podcast.com/newsletter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Talking about Taiwan Travelogue, a notable work in Taiwanese literature. 聊聊台灣文學作品《臺灣漫遊錄》。

This week in the Video Dungeon we're gathering the Dragon Pearls and summoning Shenlong! Looking for the weirdest Dragon Ball movie ever made? Join us as we dive into the bizarre, action-packed, and hilariously unauthorized world of Dragon Ball: The Magic Begins! This 1989 Taiwanese live-action adaptation takes Akira Toriyama's beloved characters on a wild ride — with questionable wigs, off-brand names, and a ton of unintentional comedy. This film is a so-bad-it's-good cult classic from Taiwan that retells the Dragon Ball saga with over-the-top martial arts, and unforgettable costumes. Think Goku meets bootleg Power Rangers. Joining us is special guest, Jenna Fryer, all the way from planet Namek!

立法院 lì fǎ yuàn - Legislative Yuan (Taiwan's parliament)立委(立法委員) lì wěi (lì fǎ wěi yuán) - legislator國民黨 guó mín dǎng - Kuomintang (KMT), Taiwan's main opposition party民進黨 mín jìn dǎng - Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Taiwan's ruling party民眾黨 mín zhòng dǎng - Taiwan People's Party (TPP)多數 duō shù - majority法案 fǎ àn - bill; proposal國會改革法案 guó huì gǎi gé fǎ àn - congressional reform bill花東交通三法 huā dōng jiāo tōng sān fǎ - three transportation bills for Hualien and Taitung更有力的監督政府 gèng yǒu lì de jiān dū zhèng fǔ - more effective government oversight濫權 làn quán - abuse of power審判權 shěn pàn quán - judicial power行政處分權 xíng zhèng chǔ fèn quán - administrative penalty power五權分立 wǔ quán fēn lì - five-branch separation of powers (Taiwan system)考試院 kǎo shì yuàn - Examination Yuan (Taiwan's branch in charge of civil service exams)監察院 jiān chá yuàn - Control Yuan (for auditing and oversight)審查過程 shěn chá guò chéng - review process充分 chōng fèn - sufficient; thorough用人數壓過去 yòng rén shù yā guò qù - push through by majority numbers立法凌駕行政 lì fǎ líng jià xíng zhèng - legislation overriding the executive branch衝突 chōng tú - conflict; clash阻擋 zǔ dǎng - to block; to obstruct搶下了主席台 qiǎng xià le zhǔ xí tái - seized the speaker's podium一口氣通過了 yì kǒu qì tōng guò le - passed in one go爭議 zhēng yì - controversy公民團體 gōng mín tuán tǐ - civic groups集結抗議 jí jié kàng yì - gather to protest發起連署 fā qǐ lián shǔ - launch a petition罷免 bà miǎn - recall (from office)藍營 lán yíng - the “blue camp” (KMT and allies)訴求 sù qiú - demand; appeal中共代理人 zhōng gòng dài lǐ rén - Chinese Communist Party proxy中共政協主席 zhōng gòng zhèng xié zhǔ xí - Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference王滬寧 Wáng Hùníng - Wang Huning (top CCP official)高層 gāo céng - high-ranking official統戰 tǒng zhàn - united front (political strategy by CCP)頭號人物 tóu hào rén wù - top figure; key player被台灣社會質疑 bèi tái wān shè huì zhí yí - questioned by Taiwanese society賣台 mài tái - betray Taiwan to China政權 zhèng quán - regime; political power舔共 tiǎn gòng - to flatter or appease the Chinese Communist Party賴清德 Lài Qīngdé - Lai Ching-te (Taiwan's current president)搞台獨 gǎo tái dú - push for Taiwan independence靠攏美國 kào lǒng měi guó - align with the U.S.製造社會對立 zhì zào shè huì duì lì - create social division綠色恐怖 lǜ sè kǒng bù - “green terror” (term used to criticize the DPP)獨裁極權 dú cái jí quán - dictatorship and authoritarianism加速台獨 jiā sù tái dú - accelerate Taiwan independence不擇手段地謀獨 bù zé shǒu duàn de móu dú - seek independence by any means necessary---If you've been learning Chinese and feel like you want a bit more support, I'd love to help!

Angelica Oung joins Teen from Taipei to talk about perfect bilingualism, wayward Taiwanese politics, and Noah Smith's weaboo fixations. Pt. 1 of 2 Bonus episodes: patreon.com/planamag

For today's episode, Lawfare Foreign Policy Editor Daniel Byman talked with Evan Braden Montgomery and Toshi Yoshihara, both Senior Fellows at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, to discuss their recent Lawfare article, "Beijing's Changing Invasion Calculus: How China Might Put Taiwan in its Crosshairs." Together they discuss how China might use a blockade, subversion, and nuclear threats to intimidate Taiwan, the United States, and key regional states like Japan. They also discuss how Taipei and Washington might change their approach to reduce the risk of Taiwanese coercion.To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Investors were caught off guard last week when the Taiwanese dollar surged to a multi-year high. Our strategists Michael Zezas and James Lord look at what was behind this unexpected rally.Read more insights from Morgan Stanley.----- Transcript -----Michael Zezas: Welcome to Thoughts on the Market. I'm Michael Zezas, Morgan Stanley's Global Head of Fixed Income Research and Public Policy Strategy.James Lord: And I'm James Lord Morgan Stanley's, Global Head of FX and EM Strategy.Michael Zezas: Today, we'll focus on some extreme moves in the currency markets and give you a sense of what's driving them, and why investors should pay close attention.It's Thursday, May 8th at 10am in New York.James Lord: And 3pm in London.Michael Zezas: So, James, coming into the year, the consensus was that the U.S. dollar might strengthen quite a bit because the U.S. was going to institute tariffs amongst other things. That's actually not what's happened. So, can you explain why the dollar's been weakening and why you expect this trend to continue?James Lord: I think a big factor for the weakening in the dollar, at least in the initial part of the year before the April tariff announcements came through, was a concern that the U.S. economy was going to be slowing down this year. I mean, this was against some of the consensus expectations at the beginning of the year.In our year ahead outlook, we made this call that the dollar would be weakening because of the potential weakness in the U.S. economy, driven by slow down in immigration, limited action on fiscal policy. And whatever tariffs did come through would be kind of damaging for the U.S. economy.And this would all sort of lead to a big slowdown and a kind of end to the U.S. exceptionalism trade that people now talk about all the time. And I think since April 1st or April 2nd tariff announcements came, the tariffs were so large that it raised real concerns about the damage that was potentially going to happen to the U.S. economy.The sort of methodology in which the tariff formulas were created raised a bit of concern about the credibility of the announcements. And then we had this constant on again, off again, on again, off again tariffs. That just created a lot of uncertainty. And in the context of a 15-year bull market of the dollar where it had sucked enormous amounts of capital inflows into the U.S. economy. You know, investors just felt that maybe it was worth taking a few chips off the table and unwinding a little bit of that dollar risk. And we've seen that play out quite notably over the last month. So, I think it's been, yeah, really that those concerns about growth but also this sort of uncertainty about policy in general in the context of, you know, a big bull run for the dollar; and fairly heavy valuations and positioning. Those have been the main issues, I think.Michael Zezas: Right, so we've got here this dynamic where there are economic fundamental reasons the dollar could keep weakening. But also concerns from investors overseas, whether they're ultimately founded or not, that they just might have less demand for owning U.S. dollar denominated assets because of the U.S. trade dynamic. Now it seems to me, and correct me if I'm wrong, that there was a major market move in the past week around the Taiwanese dollar, which reflected these concerns and created an unusually large move in that currency. Can you explain that dynamic?James Lord:  Yeah, so we've seen really significant moves in the Taiwan dollar. In fact, on May 2nd, the currency saw its largest one-day rally since the 1980s, and over two days gained over 6.5 percent, which for a Taiwan dollar, which is pretty low volatility currency usually, these are really big moves. So in our view, the rally in the Taiwan dollar, and it was remarkably big. We think it's been mostly driven by Taiwanese exporters selling some of their dollar assets with a little bit of foreign equity inflow helping as well. And this is linked back to the sort of trade negotiations as well.I mean, as you know, like one of the things that the U.S. administration has been focused on currency valuations. Historically, many people in the U.S. administration believe the dollar is very strong. And so there has been this sort of issue of currency valuations hanging over the trade negotiations between the U.S. and various Asian countries. And local media in Taiwan have been talking about the possibility that as part of a trade negotiation or trade deal, there could be a currency aspect to that – where the U.S. government would ask the Taiwanese authorities to try to push Taiwan dollar stronger.And you know, I think this sort of media reporting created a little bit of a -- well, not just a little, a significant shift from Taiwanese exporters where they suddenly rush to sell their dollar deposits in to get ahead of any possible effort from the Taiwanese authorities to strengthen their currency. The central bank is being very clear on this.We should have to point this out that the currency has not been part of the trade deal. And yet this hasn't prevented market participants from acting on the perceived risk of it being part of the trade talks. So, you know, Taiwanese exporters own a lot of dollars. Corporates and individuals in Taiwan hold about $275 billion worth of FX deposits and for an $800 billion or so economy, that's pretty sizable. So we think that is that dynamic, which has been the biggest factor in pushing Taiwan dollar stronger.Michael Zezas: Right, so the Taiwan dollar is this interesting case study then in how U.S. public policy choices might be creating the perception of changes in demand for the dollar changes in policy around how foreign governments are supposed to value their currency and investors might be getting ahead of that.Are there any other parts of the world where you're looking at foreign exchange globally, where you see things mispriced in a way relative to some of these expectations that investors need to talk about?James Lord: We do think that the dollar has further to go. I mean, it's on the downside. It's not necessarily linked to expectations that currency agreements will be part of any trade agreement. But, we think the Fed will need to cut rates quite a bit on the back of the slow down in the U.S. economy. Not so much this year. But Mike Gapen and Seth Carpenter, and the U.S. economics team are expecting to see the Fed cut to around 2.5 per cent or so next year. And that's absolutely not priced. And, And so I think as this slowdown – and, this is more of a sort of traditional currency driver compared to some of these other policy issues that we've been talking about. But if the Fed does indeed cut that far, I do think that that's going to put some meaningful pressure on the dollar. And on a sort of interest rate differential perspective, and when we look at what is mispriced and correctly priced, we see the Fed as being mispriced, but the ECB is being quite well priced at the moment.So as that weakening downward pressure comes through on the dollar, it should be reflected on the euro leg. And we see it heading up to 1.2. But just on the trade issue, Mike, what's your view on how those trade negotiations are going? Are we going to get lots of deals being announced soon?Michael Zezas: Yeah, so the news flow here suggests that the U.S. is engaged in multiple negotiations across the globe and are looking to establish agreements relatively quickly, which would at least give us some information about what happens next with regard to the tariffs that are scheduled to increase after that 90 day pause that was announced in earlier in April. We don't know much beyond that.I'd say our expectation is that because the U.S. has enough in common in terms of interests and how it manages its own economy and how most of its trading partners manage their own economies – that there are trade agreements, at least in concept. Perhaps memorandums of understanding that the U.S. can establish with more traditional allies, call it Japan, Europe, for example, that can ultimately put another pause on tariff escalation with those countries.We think it'll be harder with China where there are more fundamental disagreements about how the two countries should interact with each other economically. And while tariffs could come down from these very, very high levels with China, we still see them kind of settling out at still meaningful substantial headline numbers; call it the 50 to 60 per cent range. And while that might enable more trade than we're seeing right now with China because of these 145 per cent tariff levels, it'll still be substantially less than where we started the year where tariff levels were, you know, sub 20 per cent for the most part with China.So, there is a variety of different things happening. I would expect the general dynamic to be – we are going to see more agreements with more counterparties. However, those will mostly result in more pauses and ongoing negotiation, and so the uncertainty will not be completely eliminated. And so, to that point, James, I think I hear you saying that there is potentially a difference between sometimes currencies move based on general policy uncertainty and anxieties created around that.James Lord: Yeah, that's right. I think that's safer ground, I think for us as currency strategists to be anchoring our view to because it's something that we deal with day in, day out for all economies. The impact of this uncertainty variable. It could be like, I think directionally supports a weaker dollar, but sort of quantifying it, understanding like how much of that is in the price; could it get worse, could it get better? That's something that's a little bit more difficult to sort of anchor the view to. So, at the moment we feel that it's pushing in the same direction as the core view. But the core view, as you say, is based around those growth and monetary policy drivers.So, best practice here is let's keep continuing to anchor to the fundamentals in our investment view, but sort of recognize that there are substantial bands of uncertainty that are driven by U.S. policy choices and by investors' perceptions of what those policy choices could mean.Michael Zezas: So, James conversations like this are extremely helpful to our audience. We'll keep tracking this carefully. And so, I just want to say thank you for taking the time to talk with us today.James Lord: I really enjoyed it. Looking forward to the next one.Michael Zezas: Great. And thank you for listening. If you enjoy the podcast, please leave us a review wherever you listen to the podcast and share Thoughts on the Market with a friend or colleague today.