123112 (M) On this New Year Eve of 2012 posted on fb

December, 31, 2012  Posted on my facebook

On this New Year Even of 2012

Don’t be surprised!!! In responding friends’ birthday requests, I sent out mine too. Life is so precious. Everyone is unique and important.

I grew up from a culture that the birthday is mother’s suffering day - the very first! So we siblings learned to behave (we all, today, still behave, believe it or not- even mother passed away !) hope that mother’s suffering could be alleviated !

Traditionally, on the birthday, there is a ritual to spank the child to remind him/her of being a good kid ! That's! (Here is the old saying prevailing when we were kids - 大人生日吃肉, 小孩生日被揍 ! Adults' birthday - enjoy a meal; children's birthday - get ready for a spanking and behave!) What an early childhood development philosophy/theory !

My feline Majesties don’t believe how I experienced my birthday. Well, anyway, as long as they have their birthday cakes, catnip, and toys available, they don't care what I say is true or not !

Happy birthday to friends -on this New Year Eve!

Dec. 29, (Sa), 2012 I posted a picture on my fb

They are all mothers (fathers, not hanging around !) in the picture, but, only one who might suffer less....because her children won't be eaten (but might be shot in schools - reported by news >;' (((... ).
24 minutes ago · Edited · Like


Crystal Huang The loving mothers make family sacred, but it is the caring fathers who do the noblest. But, how to create the noble father? Then, look into the whole socio-economic system how it constructs or destroys our beloved male comrades !

Dec. 29, 2012 Don't be afraid of what I have

                             http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFxNcKT5ODQ         

Dec. 27, 2012 Illusions

Dec. 27, 2012 Transcending Death

An Invitation - the Taiwanese Vernacular Literature

Dec. 24 (M), 2012.  Browsing through my newsfeed on fb, I found a message by Professor Li from Taipei, Taiwan- my native country. Then I echoed with a simple translation of his messages:

"Define the nature and status of the Taiwanese Literature".

Paper/Proposal Invitation from Professor Li  (By Professor 李勤岸)

本期徵稿期限：即日起至2013年4月30日止
本期發行時間：2013年10月
（徵稿不限專題）

台灣的母語文學如何界定？台灣文學指的是否是以母語創作的文學？還是凡是台灣作家創作的文學，不論其語言為何均為台灣文學？這些問題一直困擾台灣文學的創作者與研究者，自日治時期至今不曾間斷，也不曾降溫。台灣文學史已經出版幾本了，他們又是如何來評價、編選母語文學？
台灣在世界並非孤立，台灣文學在世界文學並非孤立，因此台灣的母語文學應該與世界各地的母語文學等同齊觀，可以比較，可以借鏡。台灣文學史在世界文學史也非孤立，因此時間上的綜觀也是必要的，各國的文學是如何成就、如何建構他們的文學的？與該國的母語關係又是如何？
殖民中與後殖民的作家往往面對寫作語言的選擇，這些後殖民作家的語言態度如何影響寫作？
華語作家已經有人獲得諾貝爾文學獎，台灣曾經有文學雜誌評選十大可能獲選的作家。諾貝爾文學獎與母語寫作有多少關連？
有鑑於此，本期《台灣學誌》專題將徵求下列議題之相關學術論文，尚祈各位學術先進，踴躍投稿：
一、 台灣文學中母語書寫的史觀
二、 母語文學文類研究：詩、散文、小說、戲劇、歌謠、民間文學
三、 母語與後殖民文學
四、 各國母語文學的比較
五、 諾貝爾文學與母語文學
六、 世界文學史中母語文學的位置
七、 其他與母語文學相關之議題

 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I am a layperson in the literature field. But I think this is a great thought and endeavor of Professor Li.  So, I tried a simple translation as follows for some of my fb friends who asked what the messages were embedded in my post.

Any errors will be my inadequate knowledge in this discipline. Here it goes:

How to define the vernacular Taiwanese (refer to 母語- mother tongue) literature? Does it mean the Taiwanese Literature is the one created or written via the originality of the Taiwanese languages, or any literature written by the Taiwanese writers? These issues are just a tip of the iceberg, still baffling the Taiwanese literati and researchers. The hegemonic domination of the Japanese colonial-imperialism on Taiwan during 1895 to 1945 A.D. has left a controversial legacy in the local literature development, which has been continuously confronting current researchers and writers.

 The history of the Taiwanese Literature has been published in various editions and formats. But how to assess, select, and compile the authentic ones needs your knowledge and wisdom.

Geo-historic-politically speaking, Taiwan is interconnected with the international community, so as her literature.  From the comparative-literature-perspective, Taiwan’s literature plays and contributes a significant role to enrich the world's.

The profound colonial and post-colonial experiences provide abundant motifs for various types of writers. How do these experiences affecting the orientation of the writers is a dimension expanding our understanding of humanity. There are several Asian Nobel writers in the literal category. Based on these inspirations,  this issue of “台灣學誌”  (Monumenta Taiwanica) would like to invite your paper/proposals, focusing on the following subject matters:

1. The historical perspective of the vernacular literature,
2. The vernacular literature in forms of  poetry, prose, novels, drama, folksongs, and folklores,
3. The vernacular literature and the post-colonial literature,
4. The comparative studies in the vernacular literature,
5. The Nobel prize in literature and the vernacular literature,
6. The status of the vernacular literature in the world literature history,
7. And the relevant topics relating to the vernacular literature.
Dead line: April, 30, 2013

Dec. 23, 2012 The Time and Space Calculator

         http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKZUrhXuXyw

         http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IF2U7zTpdTQ&playnext=1&list=PL2817170CB602C2FA

        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5OYbKtMZkc

The Grand Love

                                                     

A Fairy Tale for Dummy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzg8DTzh4yk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cS4LCoh0VGQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbad22CKlB4

What It is vs. How It Should Be

These days, gun and media seem re-surging on the tip of the iceberg. I was looking for some old writings regarding imaging making and its impact on society done when I was an art student. Then the following one appeared first, but, in a "neutral and objective" tone that makes me wonder who, what, how the contemporary image makers, surely, the particular digital ones, who dominate the ubiquitous video game business (for the better and the worse) and the relevant products, taking on their role, status, and functions in this rapidly transformed-into-the-virtual world!!!

 Note on Graphic Design And Visual Communication of Gregg Berryman

                                      By  Crystal Li-chin Huang, 1999

1. Summary:

            “ The absence of design is a hazardous kind of design. Not to design is to suffer design by default.   We cannot afford to have graphics, products, and architecture  ‘just happen.’ ”            

The book is about history and practice of graphic design published in 1979 and revised in 1984.   From the design necessity, the roots of design, the targeted audience, to the process and methodological explanation about different terminology, function and  practice, the author, domestically and cross-culturally laid out a fundamental techniques, concepts and principle of visual communication.

Either for visual literacy or professional practice in design, he emphasized  that the solid foundation of this discipline is the most important part of the design education process.  Through the stable establishment of  historical awareness and visual intelligence,  the designer develops variety of alternative solutions to reach the optimal goals - finds the best and brings it into use.

2. Observation:

Some interesting observations were identified and discussed as follows:

a. The horrendous  “eye harassment” of the author’s specific intention:

There are several things in my life that I almost try not to touch. To read a series of CAP words - not to mention the handwritten CAP of whole body text, is one of them.  The author’s all CAP lettering in this book reminded you the formidable analogy and opposite test in the GRE vocabulary section.

So, we know this scheme, or we should say “a very special design” - the author’s choice of hand lettering rather than typesetting to explain design concepts, as he named it-  was personal and was intended to help to remove some sort of the “mystery “ of design, but I  think the most important point is that all caps typesetting reduces reading speed by about 15%. Your can not just read it by browsing or skimming, but chewing and pondering as slowly as you have to. This is a very special experience to me.

b. The difference between Design and other Natural Sciences, e.g.,  mathematics or chemistry:  the author mentioned that the former discipline had more than a single solution for each problem, i.e. alternative solutions, which is different from the Natural Sciences (p.2). Designer attempted to find the optimum or best of the alternative solution.  Actually, this is partially true.  Many hard-core sciences do have  alternative solutions  to a problem set. Trial and error and experiments are necessary for many natural sciences in order to find the best, efficient and economic ones. The major difference is the methodological approach: the latter is pure rational, objective and scientific with universally precise criteria to measure the outcome.

            c. Two forces are in constant opposition: The author pointed out that Design was not art but a creative pursuit and could bring equal satisfaction (p.3)   He also mentioned that the fine artist had an audience of only one (herself or himself).  The graphic designer dealt with a mass audience of sometimes millions. Due to the different intent, the self-expression or personal creativity must be tamed and brought into a delicate balance for the constant need to satisfy an audience in a logical and rational manner within the economic limits.  From the author’s assumption that to fit the targeted audience’s need (time, appreciation, and cost) would confine certain degree of  the creativity of a graphic designer, so design was not art. And the fine artist was his or her own audience.

            These generalizations may not hold true today.  Since the trajectory of fine arts has been evolving from 60’s  Conceptual, Performance, Minimalists’ formalist visual vocabulary...etc. into 70’s pluralism and 80’s post-modernism which critique the Esoteric Modernist concept of the artist as a lone individual heroically creating a unique new personal reality.  The post-modernists place the artist within a socio-economic and political system, which ends the concept of avant-garde genre developed in the 60’s. 

Especially the Simulationists -  they aim their art with a populist audience. The imagery shared by the culture as a whole takes precedence over individualistic forms.

The boundary of fine arts vs. applied arts, arts vs. craft is unavoidably becoming blurry.

            So, I am wondering to what extent the tension between “Two forces”-creativity vs. audience need is existing in today’s design market and practice?

d. Selecting an effective mark is bound by the scale of a business:

The author mentioned that when a budget was small, few exposures could be purchased, magnifying the need for quick recognition and low abstraction.   A high level of abstraction is a luxury only the high-rolling client can afford (p.11)

            Here exists an interesting phenomenon- Good abstraction is a desired and determined variable in the selecting the effective marks.  Because the low budget can make the low abstraction marks possible and get quicker recognition with more effective visual tools. Then, the big business is self-imposed into a dilemma: to spend much more money to gain slow recognition with wide abstraction range for the luxurious/high aesthetics’ sake?

Could big businesses have the luxury to gain quicker recognition with effective visual tools that small business enjoys and get the quality of abstraction with fixed budget?

            e.  This book was published 15-20 years ago;  I did not check it out whether there was an up-to-date version of it.  Some sections (such as mass/multi-media imagery making and rendering), would have been more elaborated and interesting, if the newer version did exist.

3. Effects on the current work:

This is my first class of Graphic Design that helps a neophyte understand the techniques, principles, method and the main gestalt concepts of this discipline.  Not only in the micro level of processing the graphic design per se, but also to the macro state of its practical operation in the competitive marketing world, the author provided the first hand and insightful direction to the learner.

Men spread widely, women choose wisely???

December 19th, 2012 (W)

An indirect FB friend posted something supposed to be humorous, and then turned out to be "funny":

Here it goes:

"A store that sells new husbands has opened in New York City , where a woman may go to choose a husband. Among the instructions at the entrance is a description of how the store operates:

You may visit this store ONLY ONCE! There are six floors and the value of the products increase as the shopper ascends the flights. The shopper may choose any item from a particular floor, or may choose to go up to the next floor, but you cannot go back down except to exit the building!

So, a woman goes to the Husband Store to find a husband. On the first floor the sign on the door reads:

Floor 1 - These men Have Jobs
She is intrigued, but continues to the second floor, where the sign reads:
Floor 2 - These men Have Jobs and Love Kids.
'That's nice,' she thinks, 'but I want more.'
So she continues upward. The third floor sign reads:
Floor 3 - These men Have Jobs, Love Kids, and are Extremely Good Looking.
'Wow,' she thinks, but feels compelled to keep going.
She goes to the fourth floor and the sign reads:
Floor 4 - These men Have Jobs, Love Kids, are Drop-dead Good Looking and Help With Housework.
'Oh, mercy me!' she exclaims, 'I can hardly stand it!'
Still, she goes to the fifth floor and the sign reads:
Floor 5 - These men Have Jobs, Love Kids, are Drop-dead Gorgeous, Help with Housework, and Have a Strong Romantic Streak.
She is so tempted to stay, but she goes to the sixth floor, where the sign reads:
Floor 6 - You are visitor 31,456,012 to this floor. There are no men on this floor. This floor exists solely as proof that women are impossible to please. Thank you for shopping at the Husband Store.

After a glimpse, I said, "Ohhh, boy, it is funny, no kidding!"  I typed a few words to echo-

 Here is a perspective for your other 50% audience:
 - a man goes to the wife-store to purchase a woman. He is shocked to know that there are 6 floors to choose from. "I have to use my legs to walk around in the first floor. That's a lot of work! Up to the 2nd floor to get one? Are you kidding me? Here are tons of.... (hoes)...", he is whining. He is too lazy to go to the 2nd floor. He just grabs one as long as she has "two or three items - depending on how to define an 'item' " he needs in the comfy first floor....

This message existed solely as a happy proof that men are too possible for the "low-life" pleasure :P!
Anyone doubts that how easily to stay and "indulge" oneself at the "bottom" level of Maslow's hierarchy of needs, which most animals can do much better job ?

Then, I went back to this posting person's site with another glance. I found that this friend posted an update with a wife-store version intended to balance the gender bias in the previous post.

I responded -
"Mr. xxx  just updated a gender-'neutral' remedy to avoid the egg-tomato-can-bottle-beer targeting and tossing from the 'gentlemen camp'! For most women, what a pity! Only 'one' floor is enough- to reduce the workload for the items desperately needed by the man!"

Then I needed to copy and paste the wife-store version on my wall for readers to enjoy the humor better. Strangely, I could not find the original post. Seemingly Mr.xxx is less redneck than I am.

Fortunately, I vaguely remember the intended gender-neutralization contents, paraphrased as follows:

"The same 6-floor warehouse with the same purchasing instructions as husband's in the wife-store:

In the first floor, the wife serves sex;

In the second floor, the wife serves sex and beer;

The 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th floors - are empty - no any prospective husband visits !!!

Thank you for shopping at the Wife Store."

Conclusion-  Are there alternative explanations to the bio-psychological determinant of "Men spread widely, women choose wisely???"

A short conversation with my colleague on fb

On December 14, I posted a photo from Farmacy's site to point out one of the symbiotic relationships between mental illness as a bio-psycho-cultural sickness and the pharmaceutical  industries relating to Newtown's Sandy tragedy and the subsequent copycat events.

My colleague (an Economics professor) posted the following response:
Drug companies easy to hate with high CEO salaries etc., however, profits are not evil - they are what make the world go around. In case of drug companies, some of that profit is used on research and development to find valuable treatments for ailments you or your family might suffer from. I certainly don't want to stop that process - I have Rheumatoid Arthritis!

I replied:
Agree, to some degree! There are US-Canada border crossing buses, delivering our NECESSARY medicine-consumers to CA for the affordable medicinal drugs or treatments (the price, not necessarily the generics, can range from 3 to 10 times inexpensive). CA seemingly does not neglect their medical research, though. Yes, profits are not evil, but can be the insatiable blood of the profiteers. Pursuing profits can be an unfathomable act, the black-hole - irresistible and uncontrollable under Certain politico-economic system.

Who loves my gun

Prayers for the 27 (18 children) victims who were killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting tragedy, Newtown, Connecticut outside of New York City early Friday.

The tragic factors, probably, again, the bundled cliches of deteriorating economy, struggling families, mental stress/illness, dependency, drifting life (e.g., drugs and alcohol abuse), domestic terrorism, inadequate social programs/services/education, media manipulation, and their origin of social inequality derived from the "abusive type" of Capitalism.

(There are some ramifications going on - In addition to the prayers, the top gun issues, and the rest of controversies, seemingly, an emerging of another Conspiracy Theory is spreading, e.g., regarding UN new voting act, how many gunmen, the gunman's parents, in particular the father's issues, and the rest of unfolded info... ).

Mulan and the Art of War

                                                                                                                                                                                

                                 Disney’s movie ‘Mulan’ has its roots in history

(This article was written for the Dunn County News when I was a LifeStyle Columnist several years ago).

                                                   By  Crystal Li-chin Huang

A while ago I went to the State Theater to watch the Disney production- ‘Mulan (木蘭) ’- an actual historical figure named Mu-lan Hwa (Hwa-花 is her last name), who lived between the Sui (隋) and Tang (唐) dynasties,  581-618 A.D.

It was an interesting movie with high quality of special effects in portraying her images. After the delightful entertainment I found out that there were more messages beyond the screen that I learned from my history classes, and stories read in Taipei when I was a school kid, which might interest you as well.  So, here they go: 

Like her western counterpart Xena Warrior Princess, the well-known Mu-lan Hwa has long been identified as a heroine in the Far Eastern Asia. 

In the screen, through wonderful entertaining effects, Mu-lan Hwa,  the historical heroine known for her military acumen, bravery, filial piety (孝- familial loyalty) and patriotism was slightly modified.  The Disney’s version of Mu-lan  becomes a very simple, feminine, and cunning cutie. The subtle touch, however, of family honor, social responsibility makes the originally pontificating theme in history acceptable and enjoyable.

But, unlike the traditional Disney’s portraying of female cartoon images, such as Snow White, Cinderella, Little Mermaid, Beauty and Beast etc., the Mulan’s legend seems having a tinge of  feminism through the celebration of her heroic deeds.

The underlying point is that, contrary to conventional feminist ideology, Mu-lan’s disguising herself as a male warrior did not say much about her gender awakening in the historical and social context of the time. Patriarchy and male supremacy had been taken for granted for centuries. Rather, the young woman’s motivations for becoming a warrior lay more in the sense of filial piety (or the conventional repressive familism) that she had to help her father who was too old to serve in the military during the turbulent time.   In the traditional version of the tale (not mentioned in the movie), she also had a brother who was too young to go to the battlefield.

In short, from the known historical documents, Mu-lan was recorded as an excellent warrior, gone through numerous bloody campaigns, and proved the remarkable martial skills and strong determination in a male gender preferential society.  The family love, courage, duty, honor and commitment which are held in high regard in the society, through her, reveal the Confucian ethical humanism.

Furthermore, a significant point of view associated with Mu-lan’s legendary deed well known in Far Eastern Asia is the military thought and practice associating with the philosophy and art of war.

                                       

Historically speaking, the thousand years of constant “barbarian threats” and unremitting incursions of volatile nomadic peoples' invasions fostered generations of professional military figures to develop sophisticated battlefield strategies.   During the fifth and sixth centuries B.C, the most significant war theorists are Sun-tsu (孫子), Wu-tsu (吳子), and Han Fei-tsu ( 韓非子).

Among classic military treatises, the one perhaps known best in the West  is “The Art of War ( 孫子兵法)”, -a holistic warfare classic consisting of inter-disciplines of  tactics, psychology, geography, management, espionage (and perhaps, with a little bit flavor of Machiavellianism), and so on, by Sun-tsu. A compendium was compiled in Song (宋) Dynasty-the Seven Military Classics, (1078 A.D. circa). This dynasty was also famous for its eminent female generals/warriors, such as Lang Hong-yu (梁紅玉), Chin Lang-yu (秦良玉), Mu Guai-in (穆桂英) and her female in-law  warriors in the respectable family of Young Gia Ginag (楊家將).

In stark contrast to the militarists were the dominant philosophy of Confucius (551-479 B.C.) and Mencius, (371-289 B.C. - another important ethical philosopher, second to Confucius),  who insisted in cultivating the ruler’s virtue and implementing benevolent policies. Their humanistic philosophies were a major factor in the conduct of military affairs that were more or less disdained by hegemonically oriented government officials for many centuries.

Yet that suppression of military thought did not smother the seed of its wisdom. The most profound treatises developed by Sun-tsu - “The Art of War” was first translated by a French missionary about two hundred years ago. The book was reportedly employed by Napoleon and some Nazi High Commands.

Over last decades, due to  globalization fostering business expansion and competition, a growth of  the Western society interest in the Far East  has been noticeable. In particular one sees the phenomenon of  “corporate warfare” in its incarnation, these traditional philosophies and strategies for battle are now employed in the business arena.

In some part of the Far East, the continuously reinterpreting  the ancient wisdom  has been lingering on, again, in the business world.  For example, a commercially revised Sun-tsu’s warfare theory has once become the bestseller for quite a while.  Not to mention people in China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, the Japanese, Koreans, and Singaporeans have held the intensive study to seek out the insight from the Art of War not only in the entrepreneurial sphere, but also pursing the wisdom applied to the personal  life.

As to a final note- in my native country, Taiwan, Mu-lan is a synonym for a female officer or cadet.  Being a veteran- Mu-lan myself, Disney’s production of Mu-lan more or less provides me with an emotional tie.  Now, pick up the book, reread the Art of War, I do enjoy messages between the lines, more than ever.

Dec. 6, 2012 Calling - Una Paloma Blanca

                                http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHE1DvsM0ek

                                http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yA3XBMH-Yzw

                                http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8XmLuTmKIM

                                http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2FRLxfhDUM

                                http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bh2LmUYqUTE

                                 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69AvNm8zubo

A Pilgrimage of a Cross-cultural Sojourner

     

A Pilgrimage of a Cross-cultural Sojourner   By Crystal Li-chin Huang 

 (This article was written a while ago when I was a LifeStyle columnist for the Dunn County News.)

          Goethe once wrote “He who does not know a foreign language does not know his own.”   For some people who are politically correct for not favoring  bilingual or multicultural issues, this statement might not sound creditable.  On the other hand, Kipling’s ” East is east and west is west, and  never the twain shall meet,” presented another perspective which is very different from those who have thousand reasons to cross the cultural boundary.

          Either voluntarily or not, millions of people, from centuries ago immigrated to or lived for a time in the United States- a nation applauded for her diversity, democracy, equality, and modernity;  a nation  inspires people with dream and hope (still holds quite true today- since this article was written several years ago). 

          That also means millions of people had gone or is going through the bitter and sweet process of  cross-cultural transitions, or “transformations”, either by their own will or not. 

           

          No matter for avoiding political persecution, oppression, or other socio-economic reasons, such as for the better life chances and/or other inspirations,  it demands tremendous courage and risk-taking to move geographically and culturally. And the issue of adjustment is a heavy task that has to be made. There are gains and losses. 

          This phenomenon is not merely a historical footnote.  As human beings have been inevitably moving toward the global interdependence, more and more people will take on this cross-culturally transitional route.

          Cross-culture experience entails both advantage and heavy cost!

          It can enhance the cross-“culturers” to develop a global perspective and a critical, while sometimes, marginalized mind. It stimulates one to acquire the facility to move back and forth between cultures. Furthermore, it can provide one with the experience to enjoy and appreciate human diversity in terms of class, gender, race, ethnicity, faith, creed, ancestry, languages, norms and values, just to name a few.  

          But, to readjust oneself to a new culture, in some way is similar to restarting a new life. There are losses which are immeasurable in this process.   Many cultural “transitioners” experience tremendous hardship far beyond that Dorothea Lange’s Migrant Mother can describe.

           I know some friends who gave up their prestigious status, intellectual prowess and achievement in their countries for the sake of freedom, democracy, or better opportunities. One couple, seeking political asylum, were medical doctors in their country, but worked as janitor and  dishwasher in America.  Under the difficult condition, they gradually overcame the linguistic and cultural barriers, and went back to their track. Another family, emigrating to the U.S. as refugees during World War II, have gone through homelessness, isolation, eventually conquered the challenges of acculturation and identity confusion.

          In my own community, some of Hmong friends, whose help U.S. army during the Vietnam war, became the source of the ruthless persecution of their own in the post war period.  Coming to U.S. with a humble mind, restarting their lives, they have been confronting unimaginable challenges: the lifestyles, the language barrier, the different social structure, the difficulty of parenting under two value systems and so on.

          As to myself- was an international student who is fascinated by the concept of “global Village,”  having been through the challenging journey of my own. The learning process in linguistic and cultural (in particular, race, ethnicity, class, and especially, political ideologies) acquisition and acculturation takes forever to learn and to adapt. 

          There are gains and losses, joy and frustration, appreciation and disappointment- all kinds

of human dramas going on in the daily presentation of the cross-cultural sojourner!