Unveiling the Paradox: Mental Illness, Antidepressants, and the Conundrum of Repressed Emotions
– Isabelle Liu
In an era where mental health discourse is increasingly prevalent, the relationship between antidepressants and the repression of emotions remains a perplexing conundrum. Are these medications truly aiding in the resolution of underlying emotional distress, or merely masking symptoms, stifling authentic expression? This journal aims to dissect this intricate interplay, exploring the ramifications of antidepressant use on emotional processing and regulation. Through rigorous examination and personal narratives, I seek to unravel the complexities of mental health treatment, navigating the fine line between symptom alleviation and genuine healing. Join me as I confront the silence surrounding mental illness and antidepressant therapy, striving for greater clarity and understanding in the pursuit of holistic mental well-being.
The debate surrounding the impact of antidepressants on emotional expression is not merely conjecture; it is rooted in empirical evidence and clinical observations. Studies have indicated that certain antidepressants, particularly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), can indeed dampen emotional responsiveness in some individuals. Research published in the Journal of Affective Disorders highlights that while SSRIs effectively alleviate symptoms of depression, they may also reduce the intensity of both positive and negative emotions. This blunting effect, often described by patients as feeling emotionally 'numb' or 'flat,' raises concerns about the potential suppression of genuine emotional experiences. Moreover, neurobiological investigations suggest that the mechanism of action of these medications involves alterations in neurotransmitter levels, which could inadvertently disrupt the delicate balance required for nuanced emotional processing.
Furthermore, anecdotal accounts from individuals undergoing antidepressant therapy corroborate these findings, offering firsthand insights into the experience of emotional suppression. Many report feeling disconnected from their emotions, describing a sense of detachment or detachment from their own feelings. This phenomenon is not limited to depressive symptoms; individuals with anxiety disorders or other psychiatric conditions also report similar challenges in emotional expression while on antidepressants. Such testimonies underscore the complexity of the issue and emphasize the need for a nuanced approach to mental health treatment—one should prioritize holistic well-being over symptom management alone.
As someone who has embarked on the arduous journey of mental health recovery, the realization of antidepressants' impact on emotional expression strikes a deeply personal chord. For years, I grappled with the overwhelming weight of depression, seeking solace in the promise of medication. While antidepressants provided a semblance of relief from the darkest depths of despair, they also veiled the richness of my emotional landscape. It was as if I inhabited a world painted in muted tones, where joy felt distant and sorrow lacked its piercing edge. I tried many ways to try to find a balance between drugs, medication, and myself. For some time when I disconnected myself from medication and relied on drugs almost entirely, it was as if I was liberated from a prison that I personally didn’t realize existed. The freedom of immense joy and emotions was so addictive I refused to go back on medication for a period that lasted around three weeks, but then the downfall was greater than the joy. Everything hurt like it did all over again, only this time the contrast and the compare were so gigantic to the point I almost crawled back to the mental clinics, asking and begging for medications to ease my pain. Xanax, Prozac, Ritalin, Easyfor, Abilify, and the list goes on for so, so long, but these are what keep me in place. These hold me together, regardless of how much I crave for sobriety.
Reflecting on my own experiences, I found resonance in the accounts of others who shared similar struggles. People have different ways and paths with their journey with antidepressants, some of them refused medication from the very start but eventually need medication to stay alive, and some of which have been taking medication for so long they cannot even remember when they started. We formed an unspoken community bonded by our shared battles with mental illness and the complexities of antidepressant therapy. Together, we navigated the labyrinth of emotions, grappling with the paradox of seeking healing while contending with the numbing effects of medication.
Amid this emotional turmoil, moments of clarity emerged like beacons in the darkness. Through therapy, self-reflection, and unwavering support from loved ones, I began to reclaim ownership of my emotional journey. It wasn't a linear path, fraught with setbacks and uncertainties, but each step forward brought me closer to rediscovering the vibrancy of life's hues, and in time I believe will lead to a community of colorful resonance.
Super Bowl Culture in America: A Craze Unlike Anything in the Sports World
Photo source
By Zach 守道 Ahearn
The Super Bowl is the most hyped-up sporting event in America. Often referred to as the "Big Game," the Super Bowl is the annual championship game of the National Football League (NFL). Super Bowl Sunday has effectively become an unofficial national holiday, marked by socializing and greasy finger food. Evolving far past a sporting event, it has culminated into a cultural phenomenon that brings together fans and casual viewers alike. Let's dive into the heart of the Super Bowl to explore what makes this event so special.
The Super Bowl is the finale of the NFL season. It is typically played annually on the first Sunday of February and serves as the NFL season's end. The game pits the victors of the league's two conferences against each other in one game of football to see who is the best of them all. The winning team is awarded the Vince Lombardi Trophy, named after renowned NFL coach Vince Lombardi, signifying their achievement as the champion of that year's NFL season. Not only are people pulled into the top-tier athletic competition, but also for the witty commercials, fun social experience, and over-the-top halftime performance.
That's right, commercials play a big part in the NFL Super Bowl. This may have surprised you, but Super Bowl ads have gained massive popularity over the years because they're unlike anything seen before. The bar for entry to show an ad in the Super Bowl is extremely expensive. If you wanted a 30-second commercial slot for the most recent Super Bowl, it would have cost you 7 million USD. That's $233,333 for every second of airtime. Only the largest companies get a slot in the Super Bowl, so they go all out. Nearly all the ads played in the Super Bowl will feature some well-known celebrity in an effort to be memorable or unique. Most try to be funny with their ads; some try to make a statement, while others are plain weird. At the end of the day, each company strives to be the memorable ad everyone remembers from the Super Bowl, and some achieve that goal.
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To name a few, last year, a Super Bowl ad featured Byan Cranston and Aaron Paul in their hit show Breaking Bad as characters Walter White and Jesse Pinkman. Instead of creating meth in their signature trailer, they made Popcorners, a famous brand of kettle corn chips. This year, Arnold Schwarzenegger starred in a State Farm Superbowl Ad where the entire ad focused on Arnold's accent. Unable to say "neighbor" in the popular catchphrase, he keeps saying "neighba." You get the idea. Suffice it to say, it provides a lighthearted secondary form of entertainment while the players are resting.
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Another form of secondary entertainment many people look forward to is the halftime show. The halftime show is a highly anticipated musical performance during a large break in the middle of the game. It features a well-known artist or a group who gives a 13-minute elaborate show of their music. In the past, legendary artists such as Prince, Beyonce, and Michael Jackson have performed for halftime. It's the same, even in the current age. Some of the artists in the last three years were The Weeknd, Rihanna, and most recently Usher. The flashy halftime shows are something no one wants to miss. Katy Perry in 2015 rode in on a giant metal tiger while singing "Eye of the Tiger." Last year, Rihanna performed all her songs on floating moving platforms. In the latest Super Bowl, Usher went around on roller skates while singing all his hit songs. Even if you do not listen to the artists performing, the A-tier production keeps viewers glued to their screens.
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Super Bowl 58 recently took place on February 11, 2024. The above picture shows the match between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers. The action-packed game ended in an overtime win for the Kansas City Chiefs with a score of 25-22, marking a back-to-back win as they won the previous year. The game averaged 123.4 million viewers, which broke Super Bowl viewership records. To put this into perspective, it was the largest audience for an event since the Apollo 11 moon landing.
There may even be another reason why so many people tuned into this year's Super Bowl. Famous American singer Taylor Swift attended Super Bowl LVIII and had been following the Kansas City Chiefs the entire season. Not because she randomly became a fan but because she started dating star player Travis Kelce last summer. She's not the only celebrity to attend the Super Bowl this year as Elon Musk, Lady Gaga, and Jay-Z were some of the few to sit in the front row at the Super Bowl.
In summary, the Super Bowl isn't just a football game; it's a cultural phenomenon that brings people together. From the exciting competition and humorous commercials to the dazzling halftime shows, it's an event that captivates fans and casual viewers alike. Super Bowl 58, held on February 11, 2024, saw the Kansas City Chiefs triumph over the San Francisco 49ers in an overtime nail-biter, breaking viewership records with 123.4 million tuning in. With events like this, the Super Bowl remains a must-watch spectacle, showcasing the magic that makes it a cherished national tradition.
There is no denying that the harsh times of the present have affected people in ways that might turn them to a life of crime. Being a spy, a terrorist, or a murderer is considered the worst crime and often carries the most severe penalty: capital punishment, also known as the death penalty. These practices are being implemented on adults as well as juveniles. Nonetheless, many questions have been raised whether the death penalty should be used on juveniles under the age of 18, since they are still basically children. This article addresses this issue and asks whether young offenders should be given the death penalty for their capital crimes.
According to the American Civil Liberties Union in 2022, 228 children under the age of 18 in the United States have been given the death penalty. 21 of them have been executed, and 80 still remain on death row. The U.S. Supreme Court is currently considering the constitutionality of the juvenile death penalty. Many believe that such a barbaric practice should be eliminated. It is argued that children should not be considered equal to adults because they are not as culpable for their behavior and their actions. Moreover, international human rights law has already prohibited the death penalty for juveniles under 18. Killing young people is not going to solve the inherent problems of modern violent society. So we should look beyond the easy way out for a true solution.
Some people suggest that a child who has committed a brutal crime should have a stricter punishment and tougher treatment, which includes the death penalty. Nevertheless, executing young people is not the answer. Instead, society should be looking to educate and improve young people. Juvenile law should not be equal to adult law because children lack adequate experience to understand their actions like adults. This has already been recognized by a Supreme Court decision in 2005.
Young criminals should not be given the death penalty. Being punished in this way is unfair and it also is not the right solution. Children do not understand their behavior as adults do, and therefore they should not be held accountable for their crimes according to the same standards. If we are aiming for a healthy and safe society, executing young people is not the way to go.
Taiwan’s Most Dangerous Festival? A Guide to the Yanshui Beehive Fireworks Festival
By Katelyn Chan
Regarded as one of the most dangerous festivals in the world, the Yanshui Beehive Fireworks Festival is a must-see for any thrill seekers traveling to Taiwan. From the 13th to the 15th day of the lunar year, palanquins holding statues of the Chinese deity Guan Yu parade around the city of Yanshui, setting off fireworks and rocket platforms as they go. Meanwhile, festivalgoers wait eagerly in front of the rocket platforms, hoping to get hit by the flying projectiles. While there are many legends surrounding the origins of this unique festival, most point towards a Cholera epidemic that is said to have ravaged the Yanshui region during the late 19th century. Residents of the area prayed to Guan Yu, the Chinese god of war, asking him for help. As the story goes, residents then decided to parade through the streets of Yanshui during the Lantern Festival, setting off strings of fireworks along the way, either to accompany the deity or in the hopes of inviting him. The epidemic subsided shortly after, but the traditions it sparked have remained ever since.
Participants of this festival kicked it up a notch after WWII, when they switched from strings of fireworks to bottle rockets. Since then, they have used ‘beehive’ rocket platforms, named for the way they shoot hundreds of rockets in all directions. As the festival grew in popularity, so did the number and size of the fireworks. Nowadays, the belief that getting hit by a firework will bring luck and prosperity, and the intrigue of such tradition, brings thousands of people to the usually quiet town of Yanshui. However, due to the unique activities of this festival and its rather remote location, it can be overwhelming for first-timers looking to join in. To remedy this, here is a step-by-step guide to the Yanshui Beehive Fireworks Festival, with everything from transportation to preparation.
Step 1: Accommodations
Assuming you don’t live in Yanshui, you will need to find somewhere to stay for the duration of the festival. There are two main options for location – Yanshui itself or Tainan, the neighboring city. Tainan has more places to stay, with a wider price range. Additionally, the city has numerous other attractions to see and enjoy, and is highly suitable for longer trips. However, traveling between Tainan and Yanshui can get a little tricky, especially during the festival when buses operate on a different schedule and route. For this reason, I would recommend staying within Yanshui itself, if possible, even if it’s just for the night of the festival. This way, you have plenty of time to prepare yourself before the festival and don’t have to worry about leaving early to catch the bus and train required to get back to Tainan.
Step 2: Getting to Yanshui
If you are not staying in Yanshui, then you will need to navigate public transportation to get there. Unfortunately, due to its rather remote location, Ubers and taxis to and from Yanshui are limited. Luckily, getting there is relatively simple. From Tainan, simply head to the Tainan train station and catch a TRA (台鐵) train heading north. To find a train you can just use Google Maps, routing to Yanshui. The closest train stop to Yanshui is Xinying station, where you will need to transfer to a bus. Since the bus routes are changed for the festival, your best bet is to ask one of the workers there for help finding the right bus (Google Maps will not have the adapted routes/schedules). If you plan on participating in the festival, I recommend leaving from Tainan by 2pm, so that you have plenty of time to prepare once you get to Yanshui.
Step 3: Festival Preparation
Congratulations! You’ve made it to Yanshui! Now it’s time to get all geared up and ready for the festival. Make your way towards 鹽水武廟 (Yanshui Wumiao), this is the Guan Yu temple that the festival is centered around. As you walk, take note of the vendors selling protective equipment. Each vendor’s gear is slightly different and thus have different prices. Take your time picking out which one you want, and feel free to ask them for help. At the minimum, you will want a full-face helmet with some sort of fabric protector, a padded, flame-resistant jacket, thick pants, and close-toed shoes. Gloves are optional but highly recommended, especially if you plan on taking any pictures or videos during the event.
Step 4: Joining the Festivities
The festival start time and the route the procession takes can all be found online, so make sure you look for the most updated information. In 2024, the main festival started at 6:30 p.m. While you can certainly follow the procession from the start, it’s not entirely necessary. Instead, feel free to find a beehive platform, get a good spot, and wait for the procession to come to you. If you want to be right in the action, join the crowd and find a spot towards the middle of the platform; you don’t need to be right at the front, since the rockets will shoot outwards anyway. If you don’t want to be right in the crowd but still want to experience the festival, stand slightly off the path of the fireworks; on the sidewalks and by the buildings should be quieter.
Now, just wait for the procession to reach you. Once they do, they will light joss paper as offerings and the fireworks for luck. When the palanquins start shaking, that’s your sign that the fireworks have been lit. Make sure your helmet visor is all the way down, turn your back to the platform, and start hopping. Participants jump/hop/stomp to prevent the fallen fireworks from igniting their clothing. As the fireworks go off around you, try to remain calm. It will be very hot and crowded so make sure to breathe and keep your arms up to prevent yourself from being crushed by the crowd.
Step 5: Enjoy!
The chaos is what the festival is all about, so just enjoy the thrill of being there. Each platform will take about 5-10 min to set off all of its rockets, which will then be followed by a brief aerial fireworks show. Once the platform is all done, follow the procession to the next platform and repeat the process again.
Step 6: Finale
The final event of the night is the finale, which is held in a central location. In 2024, it was held at the Yanshui Junior High sports field. You can sit and relax on the field and enjoy watching fireworks going off in the distance. As the festival concludes, important figures will welcome visitors and give some brief speeches. This will be followed by the night’s final beehive fireworks, which will be shot into the crowd. As of 2024, this consisted of 4 trailers filled with rockets. Finally, festivalgoers will pack up and head back home, fireworks exploding above them, another year of luck successfully acquired.
Step 7: Heading Home
If you are unable to stay in Yanshui, you will need to navigate the public transportation back to Tainan. Be sure to check the last train to Tainan before you immerse yourself in the festival, so that you know what time you need to leave by. Additionally, be sure to account for the time you will need to walk to the bus station and the ride back to the station. From the Yanshui Junior High sports field, my group left by 10 p.m., and we ended up catching the 2nd to last train back. Thus, I recommend leaving no later than 10 p.m., and maybe even earlier to be on the safe side. Unfortunately, this means you may miss some or all of the finale. However, you should still be able to get your fill of fireworks and luck.
The Yanshui Beehive Fireworks Festival offers a unique opportunity for visitors to immerse themselves in the culture and history of Taiwan. While certainly daunting, the festival has much to offer and is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience for travelers in Taiwan.
In today’s age of technology and constant advertising on social media, consumerism is perhaps more rampant than ever. Social media influencers post hauls where they display the various new items they’ve acquired. Physical storefronts and online clothing stores boast the newest styles and trends. Phone carrier companies offer the newest phone model as an incentive for customers who switch to their plans. The messaging is everywhere: the latest product is the most desirable.
From the unsustainability of fast fashion to the export of waste from richer countries to poorer countries, consumerism in recent decades has both created new issues and exacerbated existing ones to an unprecedented degree. In the case of the latter, production in the Global North has always relied on exploitation in the Global South to source labor, resources, and more. Increasing demand for new products in large quantities around the globe has reinforced preexisting systems of power imbalance and extraction. For a product like smartphones, the case study of Congo illuminates unethical labor practices as an issue that often goes unconsidered in the consumerist cycle of updating to the newest model.
Congo is the world’s largest producer of cobalt, which is used to create lithium ion batteries. These batteries are used in almost every device that is rechargeable, such as phones, electric cars, and e-cigarettes. However, getting the cobalt to power them is extremely taxing. Locals, often including children, work long hours to harvest and load the minerals for transportation, earning meager wages amounting to less than a dollar every day (Australian Broadcasting Corporation).
The mining environment itself is a treacherous one where the risk of a lethal cave-in runs high. While the government has outlawed child labor on paper, it is rarely enforced in actuality, with children as young as five years old tasked with bringing the empty cobalt bags back to the mines to be filled once again. Boys in their teenage years may avoid actively working in the mines, but are instead tasked with carrying the heavy filled bags uphill. Aside from the issue of child labor, no human being should be relegated to labor intensive and life threatening work with minimal pay. The production of these batteries at a low cost for consumers relies on human exploitation of those who feel as if they have no other choice if they want to provide for themselves and their families (Australian Broadcasting Corporation).
The exploitation of Congo’s people and land is just one of many cases around the world in order to produce the goods to meet the demands of consumers in wealthier nations. An uptick of discussion of these issues on social media has led to more reflection on how consumers can mindfully manage their consumption with the awareness of its implications. For example, it may seem unimaginable that one could get by without using a smartphone in today’s modern society, but to what extent is it necessary to update phone models with each new release, or even every couple years? This question holds for products beyond smartphones and technology— the issue of overconsumption from every industry has lasting consequences that many do not take the time to consider.
While a logical response to this knowledge may be to use the same phone forever, planned obsolescence has also been a continued issue for the past few decades, perhaps most brought to light in the case of the 2017 Apple lawsuit where consumers discovered that Apple was deliberately slowing older phones due to battery issues. Goods are produced with the intention that they will break and require the consumer to repurchase a new product, thus guaranteeing further profit. No matter how sustainably a person tries to maintain their technology, planned obsolescence will eventually render it unusable. This complicates the situation further because consumers are often given no choice but to get multiple replacements for their products. While goods created a few decades ago could have significant longevity, items ranging from household goods to phones are intentionally produced to no longer have the lasting power of their predecessors.
The power that corporations hold over the market makes it difficult to find a large scale solution; customers finding a sustainable solution would mean an unacceptable loss in profit. However, social media users have presented solutions that one can practice in their personal lives, such as buying refurbished phones rather than purchasing new. Others have quit using electronic cigarettes, or vapes, which also use lithium ion batteries. Without a systemic overhaul, consumers can only raise awareness of the importance of mindful consumption and find workarounds to purchasing products that were made with a human cost.
Being informed of the consequences of our consumption and intentional with the new products we do buy can shift how we approach the future. If you are a consumer with buying power, corporations are appealing to you with direct and indirect advertisement all the time, through public transportation advertisements, social media influencer sponsorships, and the general presence of today’s consumerist climate where everyone seems to have the latest products. By actively considering the necessity and implications of your purchases, you take personal responsibility over an ethical and environmental issue that corporations fail to take themselves.
If Only I Could Hibernate: Uncovering the Socio-Economic Realities in Contemporary Mongolian Society
By Yesui Batgerel
Often associated with poverty and social inequality, the term “ger district” or “yurt district” comes from the informal settlement of immigrant pastoral nomadic families in urban areas in Mongolia. These districts are the inevitable result of challenges and hardships faced in the countryside, where climate change has threatened the survival of pastoral nomads. In the capital city Ulan Bator, the traditional nomadic spirit finds a modern-day expression in the form of bustling ger districts, which are characterized by desperation and poor living conditions. According to a 2020 survey by the Asian Development Bank, at present approximately 62% percent of Ulan Bator’s total population resides in ger districts. In the shadows of towering skyscrapers, the ger districts are usually overlooked and marginalized by Mongolian society at large.
A new Mongolian film, If Only I Could Hibernate, provides a sense of these struggles amidst a background of socio-economic challenges. Through its powerful narrative and imagery, the film offers a compelling exploration modern-day Mongolian society.
The official movie poster, which shows an image of the ger districts of Ulan Bator, the setting of the film
Plot
The opening scene of the film sets the stage for the main plot, depicting a migrant nomadic family struggling with the challenges of urban life after the loss of the husband and father figure. Ulziibat, the eldest son and the lead character of the film, possesses great ambition for education and personal growth. However, his unemployed and alcoholic mother is unable to provide support. Even in the opening scene, the director critiques many issues facing contemporary Mongolian society. Rapid urbanization has brought about sudden changes, and the film provides a thorough understanding of these issues not only for foreign audiences but for the people of Mongolia as well.
Ulziibat wishes to participate in the national physics olympiad. However, fails to do so due to his family’s financial struggles and social exclusion
The Significance of the Title
If Only I Could Hibernate carries profound metaphorical implications. It reflects the longing of residents in the ger districts to escape the harshness of their environment, much like bears who hibernate all winter. As one of the youngest siblings puts it in the climax of the film: “I wish we could hibernate like bears, so that we wouldn’t have to experience winters like this ever again.” The three siblings are sitting in their cold and damp yurt with no adequate heating or money to buy coal, no warm food or clothes to relieve them from the winter.
Ulziibat is preparing for the physics olympiad inside his yurt, wearing a blanket over him. His younger siblings are sleeping in the background.
Social Issues and Themes Depicted in the Film
As the main characters try to navigate through the daily obstacles of living in poverty and social exclusion, the audience sees their plight in the shadow of unemployment, unequal education, and lack of opportunity. First of all, their mother, a single parent, uneducated and illiterate, must bear the weight of providing for her three children, all while trying her best to get rid of her alcoholism caused by her husband’s death and the loss of their livelihood as pastoral nomads. Handling a wide range of jobs, from cleaning toilets to washing dishes at a restaurant, her weary eyes reflect the burden of an uncertain future.
The specter of social exclusion is large in their lives: the middle sibling’s longing gaze at a pair of shoes in a department store (unattainable dreams caused by economic hardship), Ulziibat's quiet request for a "food stamp" when buying groceries (a discount given to households living in poverty), or the stealing of cardboard boxes outside a supermarket to use for fuel to burn in their yurts (since they cannot afford coal).
Yet amidst the desperation, ethical questions arise. Illegal logging and petty theft offer temporary solutions to their desperate circumstances. Is survival a justification for such acts? To what extent are the actions of those driven to desperate measures by the harsh realities of poverty unethical? These are just some of the questions raised as the film proceeds scene by scene.
Ulziibat gets caught by his physics teacher while illegally logging in order find money for medicine for his younger sibling who's sick in the movie
In the end, however, the film presents a story not of defeat but of resilience: offering real, in depth, and valuable insights into the realities of present-day Mongolian society. The issues depicted in the film aren’t new; they’ve always been there but they have been overlooked and marginalized. Rather than just talking about them the film chooses to critique and to portray them vividly, providing a complex perspective and a long-lasting emotional impact on all audiences.
With their tiny frame, wide goggling eyes, pointy ears, and nimble ninja attack style, these small arboreal primates from the lush trees of the Philippines and Indonesia can be easily mistaken for the Jedi master Yoda. These real-life Yodas are called tarsiers. In fact, because of this uncanny resemblance, it was rumored to be the inspiration behind the legendary Star Wars character. With its array of features, tarsiers are one of the most intriguing yet enigmatic creatures in the natural world.
Named after its prominent and elongated tarsal bone that provides a unique heel morphology, tarsiers can leap at a remarkable distance of up to 6 feet – gliding through the air like a Jedi. Their fingers and toes are also tipped with adhesive-like pads that help them grip and cling to surfaces. These long, lightning-fast jumpers measure 3-5 inches long, excluding their tail, which is twice the length of their body. Despite their diminutive stature, tarsiers stand out as the only primates that are obligate carnivores, feeding off insects, lizards, and even small birds. They are considered one of the most adept and formidable predators because of their agility and stealthy hunting precision.
These furry miniature creatures are nocturnal, but unlike other nocturnal animals, their saucer eyes do not emit glow and reflect light at night. Research suggests that early species of tarsiers were born diurnal and have evolved to be more active at night. With eyes larger than their brains and unable to rotate, tarsiers compensate by turning their heads up to 180 degrees on each side, similar to owls. They boast the largest eyes relative to their body size among all mammals. The tarsier can also hear up to 91 kilohertz and cry out in the 70-kHz range. These numbers put its hearing abilities in the same range as bats and far beyond any other primate known.
These fascinating creatures have existed for approximately 45 million years, making them the longest-surviving primate, once roaming Europe, northern Africa, Asia, and North America. However, the encroachment of rampant deforestation and illegal poaching for the pet trade have led to a significant decline in their numbers, confining them to Southeast Asia. Since 1996, tarsiers have been classified as endangered, with the Philippines designating them as a special protected species through the creation of the Philippine Tarsier and Wildlife Sanctuary. This sanctuary attracts thousands of tourists yearly to witness the elusive animal in its natural but semi-enclosed habitat.
In contrast to Yoda's legendary 900-year lifespan, tarsiers live up to 20 years in the wild, with captivity further decreasing their life expectancy by half. Despite their entrancing allure, tarsiers struggle to adapt to confined spaces. The stress induced by close human contact can lead them to engage in distressing and self-destructive behaviors. This includes repeatedly banging their soft craniums against hard surfaces, such as branches or glass cages until they lose consciousness and cease breathing.
According to animal experts, these suicidal tendencies can be attributed to tarsiers’ known solitary nature and innate shyness. Lacking the intricate social structures of their primate counterparts, their communication relies heavily on vocalizations and scent marking to navigate and establish territory boundaries. Despite occasional interactions for mating, these encounters are short-lived, and female tarsiers typically take the lead. Notably, they are also monogamous, with mothers nursing their babies for only two months before they become fully independent.
The haunting phenomenon of the tarsier committing suicide is a stark reminder of the delicate balance between wildlife conservation and human interference. While the establishment of sanctuaries and protective measures is crucial for their survival, it is equally vital for us to respect the boundaries of their existence.
It is a sad irony that the very efforts made to preserve and protect tarsiers can inadvertently contribute to their untimely demise. Perhaps, stricter regulations, increased public awareness, and advanced technologies can aid in monitoring and safeguarding these captivating enigmas without subjecting them to unintended human proximity. This would ensure that these real-life Yodas can continue to grace the forests of Southeast Asia for generations to come.
Hide and Seek: Getting to Know Military Camouflage
by Peng-Yu Chen
The use of camouflage by humans is relatively recent compared to animals. Camouflage is crucial in nature and many animals have evolved to make use of it. Chameleons make subtle color adjustments to blend into their background, leaf butterflies have fake leaf stalk, veins, and perfect dead-leaf coloring, and stick insects resemble sticks. However, it was not until World War I that military camouflage began being used by humans.
History of Military Camouflage
For most of human history, combat was hand-to-hand and short distance. Consequently, knights and warriors wore identifiable colors and patterns to distinguish themselves from the enemy. In the 18th century, rifles developed a longer range, causing early British rifle units to start to wear dark green uniforms, making it harder to be aimed at. But it took longer for the rest of the military to apply camouflage. In 1848, the British Corps of Guides in India put on dust-colored uniforms called “khaki” to better conceal themselves. The word “khaki” is an Urdu word meaning dust-colored, derived from the Persian “khak,” meaning soil or dirt. Despite the use of khaki in India, British troops still wore scarlet uniforms during the Anglo-Boer War in 1880. The Boer, in contrast, wore tan-colored uniforms and were not so easily noticed from a distance. After the war, the British army officially adopted khaki as the color of uniforms along with the American, Russian, Italian and German armies.
By World War I, France was the sole large military power that was still dressed in colorful uniforms. The war was the first in history to use modern firearms, where aerial reconnaissance made it necessary to hide, thus camouflage quickly became vital. Since then, the French abandoned the colorful uniform and became the first to establish a dedicated camouflage. The British and Americans followed. The word “camouflage” comes from a French verb meaning “to make up for the stage.”
How Military Camouflage Works
The reason why military camouflage works is because it is visually disruptive. There are two basic elements, color and pattern, in camouflage clothing. It is colored with dull hues that match the predominant colors of the surrounding environment. For instance, in jungle warfare, it is typically green and brown to match the forest foliage and dirt; in the desert, it is a range of tan colors; and in snowy climates, it is white and gray. Soldiers’ faces are also painted with the colors that match the camouflage in order to complete concealment. At the same time, the meandering lines of mottled camouflage help hide the figure of bodies.
One thing the human brain is always looking for when analyzing visual information is continuity. As a result, when looking at pieces of mottled camouflage in a matching environment, the brain naturally connects the lines of the colored blotches with the curves of trees, ground, leaves, and shadows. It influences the way one perceives and recognizes the people who wear the camouflage. And once we begin to see camouflaged people, we feel weird owing to the fact that our brains are processing the visual scene differently from before.
During World War I, military forces discovered that ships are hard to camouflage. A dazzle camouflage design, which resembles a cubist painting with many colored geometric shapes jumbled together, was invented. It obscures the outline of the ship making it difficult to distinguish the starboard side from the port side and thus the enemy cannot figure out its heading.
Evolution and Solution
The purpose of military camouflage is to make soldiers or equipment invisible at a distance. However, the technology of seeing has improved throughout the decades. Military forces nowadays can point out people or equipment by using thermal imaging to detect the heat that is emitted. Aside from thermal imaging, there are also radar, image enhancement, satellite photography, and sophisticated listening devices to detect the enemy. To avoid being detected by new technology, modern camouflage can be made of material that keeps excess heat from escaping. Take ships for example, the major heat source is the engine exhaust, so certain modern ships cool the exhaust by passing it through sea water before it is expelled. Tanks as well have a similar cooling system to mask the heat of their exhaust. In the future, more and more sophisticated military camouflage will probably be invented.
8 Chinese New Year Taboos You Probably Didn't Know About
by Angie
Chinese New Year is an annual festival that celebrates the new year based on the lunar calendar. This year (2024), Chinese New Year was celebrated on February 10th. Traditionally, it is celebrated for 15 to 16 days. During those days, there are certain taboos people should avoid in order to avoid attracting bad luck when going into a new year.
Cleaning or sweeping
Cleaning the house on the first day of Chinese New Year should be avoided because it is believed that it might sweep away good luck and prosperity. Therefore, cleaning before the festival is common to rid the home of any accumulated bad luck, also known as “spring cleaning.”
2. Using sharp objects
Knives, scissors, and other sharp objects shouldn’t be used as it is believed that they cut away fortune and luck. It's a precaution to prevent accidents and mishaps during the festive period.
3. Washing clothes, laundry and or hair
Washing clothes and hair, or doing laundry on the first day of the lunar New Year is avoided as it is believed to wash away good luck and prosperity. Instead, people prepare their clothes before the festival and refrain from cleaning on the first day to preserve the positive energy of the new year.
4. Taking out the garbage
Discarding garbage or sweeping the floor during Chinese New Year is discouraged, as it might symbolize throwing away good fortune. Trash and waste are usually dealt with before the start of the festival.
However, on the fifth day of Chinese New Year, people are allowed to sweep the floors and take out trash. Since “rubbish” and “dust” turns into “symbols of poverty,” cleaning the house means to expel it.
5. Saying Unlucky Numbers
Avoiding unlucky numbers such as 4 (which sounds like the word for "death" in Chinese) and 7 (which sounds like the word for "gone" or "depart" in some dialects) is common during Chinese New Year. Instead, lucky numbers like 8 (which sounds like "wealth" or "prosper") are favored to attract good luck and fortune.
This also include giving red envelopes (紅包), since you should not give money in odd numbers. The reason behind is because the saying “好事成雙,” meaning “good things come in pairs." As such, the money you give should end with “lucky” even numbers such as six and eight (do not include the number four, though).
6. Go to bed early on Chinese New Year's Eve
It is believed to not go to bed early on the last day of the “old year,” because it is said to bring longevity to your parents, and the longer you stay awake the longer they will live.
7. Wearing Black and White
Wearing black and white is traditionally associated with mourning, so avoid wearing these colors, especially on the first day of the New Year. It is best to wear colorful clothes, more specifically red since red represents good fortune and joy.
8. No Porridge and Bitter Gourd
Having porridge during Chinese New Year may be considered bad luck and bring poverty because it is considered that only “poor people” have porridge for breakfast. Bitter gourd in chinese is 苦瓜, and it is said that one should not eat bitter food to avoid suffering (吃苦). Instead of porridge and bitter gourd, you can have fish and meat instead.
The adherence to taboos during Chinese New Year reflects a diverse array of cultural beliefs and traditions handed down from one generation to the next. Ranging from avoiding sharp objects to avoiding cleaning, these rituals are deeply engrained in Chinese culture's emphasis on propitious beginnings and the safeguarding of good fortune.
As we welcome the Year of the Dragon, it is crucial to appreciate and honor these taboos, not solely as superstitions, but as significant cultural customs that foster unity among families and communities during this celebratory time.
From the end of January to mid-February, two gigantic yellow rubber ducks were catching people’s eyes around Love River Bay at Kaohsiung Port, attracting 9 million visitors during their one-month display. Along with the joy and vitality they brought, the rubber ducks also created many economic benefits for the Kaohsiung area.
The original 18-meter-tall inflatable duck was designed by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman. His inspiration was surprisingly ordinary—a duck in a landscape painting he saw during a museum visit. He simply turned this idea into a large-sized version.
According to Hofman, by turning a common toy duck into public art, he hoped to strengthen the idea of commonality and connections all over the world, since everyone can remember their carefree childhood regardless of cultural and language barriers. He also describes the ocean as a global bathtub in which people are closely bonded.
Since its debut in the Netherlands in 2007, the duck has been traveling to harbors around the globe, and the sizes are carefully designed according to the weather and tidal changes in each city. This is its second visit to Kaohsiung, but this time there were two of them as a symbol of good luck: “double duck, double luck.”
According to Mayor Chen Chi-mai, the city government enthusiastically invited Hofman to come to Kaohsiung again, and the artist was amazed by the city's progress over the past ten years. A new craze swept the country, as the piers were filled with tourists taking photos and people squeezed themselves into the light rail just to get to the station where the two ducks were located. Tickets for boats that take visitors even closer were often sold out. Even if you were not in Kaohsiung, the familiar yellow figures were frequently spotted online.
Kaohsiung also deserves recognition for its efforts. Its port area has changed a lot. Several major public infrastructures were established, including the Pier-2 Art Center, Kaohsiung Music Center, Kaohsiung Port Cruise Terminal, the Light Rail Transit system, and Kaohsiung Public Library. The city used to be an industrial manufacturing hub, and now it has decided to promote tourism, culture, and high-tech and other green industries.
Kaohsiung has turned into a vibrant, international, and tourist-friendly city where ideas and expertise are always evolving. To win more favor from numerous visitors, the city government also arranged a series of events surrounding the rubber duck theme, including artwork, children’s events, food markets, amusement facilities, and children’s theater.
The first visit in 2013 was also popular, but as these photos show, the 2024 version contributed even more to the city's attractiveness.
Citizens attribute this huge commercial success to the government for their excellent organization of the event. Based on a poll, 83.4% of respondents expressed their appreciation, and the mayor's approval rating reached 85%. The rubber ducks are more than just entertainment. They have brought people to enjoy this newly-transformed city, and the bond between residents became stronger thanks to a shared sense of belonging. All in all, with the assistance of the rubber ducks, Kaohsiung, a progressive and captivating city, is drawing more and more attention in the global community.
Firearms Legislation in Thailand: Contrasting Approaches and Societal Impact
By Sarisa Ovararint
Thailand has the highest rate of gun ownership in the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and is ranked 13th in the world with a total of 10.3 million civilian guns. That means with a population of 70.1 million one in every seven people will have a gun. Surprisingly, among these 10 million guns, only 6.2 million are registered legally, while the remaining 4.1 million are illegal. Is it that easy to find illegal guns? Try a search for "illegal guns" on Google. It will show multiple buyers and sellers on both Facebook and X (Twitter) with a starting price of 15,000 New Taiwan Dollars, including delivery through services such as Kerry.
Until the past four years, Thai firearm laws had not been discussed for a long time. But there have been multiple mass shootings in different provinces in Thailand, such as the Nakhon Ratchasima shooting, a daycare shooting, and the Siam Paragon mall shooting. Many people feel that the primary issue with firearm laws is the lack of timely adjustments to accommodate the increasingly complex social context. In 2003, the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand conducted a study on firearm laws and proposed that allowing civilians to possess firearms has more negative consequences than benefits.
Apart from firearms contributing to crime, they are also linked to Thai suicide rates. Data from academic journals in criminology and legal science indicate that guns are the third most common method of suicide in Thailand, following hanging and poisoning. Moreover, firearms also pose the risk of accidents, such as unintentional discharges. They also increase the likelihood of disputes and provide opportunities for influential groups such as gun lobbyists to be seen in the news when there are local elections.
In comparison to Thailand, Japan can serve as a prime example of effective gun control. According to Japan’s gun policies, Japanese civilians only own around 310,400 firearms, or, roughly, 1 firearm per 400 people. One reason for this is the stringent process for firearm ownership. Japanese citizens who wish to own a firearm must undergo a rigorous process, including training, both a written and practical exam (with a passing threshold of over 95%), interviews with police officers, mental health assessments, drug tests, and background checks on both the individual and their family for any affiliations with influential groups. Additionally, once granted a license, firearm owners are subject to annual inspections by authorities, who also have the right to request information on stored weapons and ammunition, which must be stored separately and securely locked. Furthermore, licenses are only valid for three years, after which firearm owners must undergo training and repeat the entire process again.
New Zealand is another interesting country in terms of gun control. Following the mosque shootings in Christchurch in 2019, which resulted in 49 deaths and 48 injuries, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced a nationwide gun buyback policy to reduce the number of firearms (a policy Japan has implemented since 1685). Moreover, New Zealand has further strengthened its gun control laws by reducing the duration of firearm licenses from 10 years to 5 years, requiring registration of firearm clubs nationwide, banning the sale of semi-automatic rifles, military-style firearms, magazines discussing these products, checking travel histories, and conducting detailed interviews with applicants and their families. Additionally, New Zealand has implemented measures similar to those in Japan, such as requesting visits to homes to inspect and collect all firearms and ammunition.
Thailand's lenient gun laws have led to a proliferation of illegal firearms, contributing to various societal issues. In contrast, Japan and New Zealand's strict regulations have resulted in significantly fewer firearms in civilian hands and lower rates of gun-related incidents. These examples underscore the importance of effective gun control measures in promoting public safety and reducing the negative impacts of widespread firearm ownership. So does permitting gun ownership in Thailand actually make society safer?
From Formosa to Freedom: Navigating the Complex Tapestry of Taiwan's Colonial Heritage
by Noa Blu
As the neon lights of metropolitan Taiwan compete with the ancient whispers of its past, the streets are painted with the visible layers of colonialism, telling a tale of resilience, adaptation, and the ongoing quest for identity.
Like the layers at an archaeological dig, the overlapping strata of colonial history are visible in just a short walk through Taipei. The 2/28 Peace Park and museum (with a multi-year protest by Indigenous people against the government) is within walking distance of Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall and The Palace Museum, which is filled with items brought to Taiwan by the KMT.
A visitor to Dihua Street (迪化街), the oldest city street in Taipei, will see building after building made with brick facades, indicative of Japanese colonial architecture. Similarly, at Taiwan’s top university, National Taiwan University, founded as Taihoku Imperial University in 1928, we again see these preserved brick buildings. The Japanese colonial architecture that is preserved on the NTU campus stands beside the monument for a mathematics professor who was allegedly killed by KMT police.
One way to understand these different periods is to view them through the lens of stratigraphy. This branch of geology, which studies rock layers, is used by archeologists when looking at an area with continuous human settlements. The lower layers show older remains of settlements, and the upper layers hold newer residuum.
The colonization by the Japanese brought forced assimilation, labor exploitation, and suppression of local identity. Taiwanese were forced to adopt Japanese names, and the education system promoted Japanese history, values, and language while downplaying or erasing local culture. The Japanese also implemented land reforms that often disadvantaged the indigenous people of Taiwan, resulting in the loss of ancestral lands.
Yet today, the words “founded in 1928,” are proudly displayed on NTU clothing, even though NTU was reorganised in 1945, when the Japanese professors and students were kicked out. Just 15 years ago, 1928 was never even mentioned when talking about the school. This idealised version of historical consciousness appears again and again when talking to Taiwanese people about the Japanese colonial period.
Another example of the long-lasting effects of colonialism is in the southern part of the island, in Tainan, where sugar factories were built to utilise the local climate. Starting with the Dutch, then the Ming and Qing dynasties, and finally Japan, colonial powers owned sugarcane processing factories in the area and brought themselves great wealth. The existence of these factories has had a lasting impact, as food in Tainan is notoriously sweet, and made with a lot of sugar.
Taiwan’s history is a complex tapestry of colonialism and differing historical narratives. Before the Japanese were the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1662-1895), which was preceded by a Spanish colony in 1626-1642. The 400th anniversary of Dutch colonisation, which began in 1624 is being commemorated with exhibits across Taiwan but specifically in Taipei and Tainan.
Even the young Taiwanese who are descended from Chinese people who came to the island after the Chinese Civil War in the 1940s find that stratification has caused their ideas about themselves and their nation to evolve in a completely different way from what young people in China experience.
After the Japanese colonial period, the Republic of China (ROC), led by Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalist government the Guomindang (KMT), held authoritarian rule in Taiwan until democratization in 1987. Debates over the authoritarian rule of Chiang Kai-Shek and the KMT are treated quite differently from ones regarding Japanese colonialism. My mother, who lived in Taipei in the early 1970s, remembers censors placing stamps over the faces of communist leaders such as Mao Zedong in news magazines. The Taiwanese perspective on the return to Chinese rule after World War II and Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalist government is difficult to explain. While some acknowledge the economic development under Nationalist rule, like during the Japanese colonial period, others highlight the strict suppression of local culture and political dissent, also known as the period of “White Terror.” This more difficult aspect of authoritarian rule was remembered last month as people in Taiwan recalled the 2/28 massacre, a conflict that broke out between local Taiwanese and the KMT.
As one navigates through Taipei's streets, each preserved brick facade and every contested monument tells a tale of a nation grappling with its past. Each layer is a representation of a part of Taiwan’s history, that, no matter how complex, is visible and being embraced as an important piece of the nation. Unlike an archaeological dig site, the layers are already on the surface, not to be papered over or torn down, but to stay visible, for all to see.
No-frills advertisements, printed at times in student and alternative newspapers, went straight to the point: “Pregnant? Don’t want to be? Call Jane.” A telephone number followed.
In the dimly lit basement of a Hyde Park apartment, the hum of conversation blended with the steady tick of an old clock. Seven women, faces obscured by shadows, huddled around a worn wooden table. This was a meeting of the Jane Collective, Chicago's answer to the suffocating grip of illegal abortion in the late 1960s.
Heather Booth, a young college student with fiery red hair, nervously tapped a pencil on the table. She had started it all, a simple act of helping a friend in need that blossomed into a clandestine network of women fighting for reproductive rights. "We've had twelve calls this week," she announced, her voice barely a whisper. "More and more women are finding us."
A murmur rippled through the group. Each phone call represented a life in limbo, a woman desperate for a choice denied by law and societal stigma. There was Maggie, a married housewife trapped in a loveless marriage, and Sarah, a struggling student whose dreams were threatened by an unplanned pregnancy. Their stories, etched in hushed tones and tear-stained letters, fueled the Jane Collective's resolve.
“The Janes,” as they called themselves, were a diverse group bound by a shared purpose. There was “Jane” the doctor, her calm demeanor masking years of secret abortions performed under constant threat. “Jane” the lawyer navigated the legal minefield with razor-sharp wit. “Jane” the counselor offered solace and guidance in the face of fear and uncertainty. Each woman brought their skills and vulnerabilities to the table, forging a sisterhood in the shadows.
Their days were a whirlwind of activity. Phones answered in hushed tones, safe houses prepared with medical supplies, and intricate codes exchanged to ensure secrecy. The nights were for counseling sessions, whispered reassurances, and the constant gnawing fear of discovery. The police, ever vigilant, were a constant specter, the threat of imprisonment a chilling reality.
One night, during a tense operation, the sirens wailed in the distance. Panic seized the room, but the Janes moved with practiced efficiency. Equipment was dismantled, patients whisked away, and the apartment transformed back into an ordinary home. By the time the police arrived, they found nothing but a bowl of cooling pasta and a group of women feigning surprise.
The close call was a stark reminder of the risks they faced. Yet, the Janes continued their work, their resolve steeled by every life they touched and driven by an unwavering belief in a woman's right to choose. They performed abortions in makeshift clinics, sterile apartments transformed into surgical theaters. They relied on a network of trusted doctors and volunteers, a web of silent resistance woven across the city.
This was nearly half a century ago, back when abortion was illegal almost everywhere in the United States and alternative newspapers were in their heyday. There was no Jane, though, not literally anyway. Yet at the same time, Jane could be anyone. They became a beacon of hope in the darkness, a testament to the power of collective action in the face of injustice.
In 1973, the tides turned. Roe v. Wade legalized abortion nationwide, a hard-won victory fueled by the tireless efforts of countless women, including the Janes. The collective disbanded, their purpose fulfilled, but their legacy lived on. They had defied the law, challenged societal norms, and empowered women to take control of their own bodies.
“Jane was an every woman’s name,” used for anyone who once formed an underground network that provided abortion services, said Laura Kaplan, who was part of it and wrote about the experience in a 1995 book, The Story of Jane. The story is truly a reminder that even in the darkest of times, the collective courage of ordinary women can change the world. Their whispers in the basement became a roar that echoed through history, forever etched in the annals of the fight for reproductive rights.
With the U.S. Supreme Court overturning the decision of Roe V. Wade held for nearly half a century in June, 2022, it seems more imperative now than ever to have the solidarity, resistance, and spirit of the Jane Collective be revitalized to defend women’s reproductive rights.
FROST, JENNIFER. Australasian Journal of American Studies, vol. 39, no. 1, 2020, pp. 278–80. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/26973020. Accessed 1 Mar. 2024.
Every time you are at the supermarket counter you hear a loud "beep!" By scanning barcodes, the cashier can easily know the details of the product. Barcodes have indeed made a great impact on modern life. They are all around us in our daily lives, but how much do we know about them?
Barcodes are a method of representing data in a visual, machine-readable form, and they represent data by varying the widths, spacings and sizes of parallel lines, which have to be read using a barcode reader. In 1948, a graduate student, Bernard Silver, overheard the president of a local food chain, asking one of the deans to research a system to automatically read product information during checkout. He told his friend Norman Joseph Woodland about the request, and they started working on it. They based their invention on Morse code extended to thin and thick bars, and it first came out with a design like a bullseye. Silver and Woodland got the patent in 1952. Their invention worked in the lab but was wildly impractical due to the limitations of the technology of the day for there was no reader.
Evolution
It was not until the 1960s that the first practical implementation of a linear barcode came in. The Association of American Railroads sponsored a project where an MIT graduate, David Jarrett Collins, designed a system called KarTrak ACI (Automatic Car Identification) system. The system was used to track rail cars with a pattern of 3M Scotchlite blue and orange stripes which encoded mainly ownership details and a unique car number. The KarTrak barcode reader was a machine the size of a refrigerator and would activate as the train approached, shine a 500-watt light bulb on the cars and a sensor would interpret the reflections.
However, in 1978 KarTrak was abandoned due to its poor read accuracy and the high cost of computers. The 500-watt light bulbs were also wasteful and difficult due to the heat they generated, and the barcodes could only be read in one direction. Consequently, lasers replaced them, which was a major improvement in speed, accuracy and reliability. But how exactly did barcode become so important in daily purchases? The story started from a technology race developed between RCA and IBM throughout the 1970s. RCA had purchased the original barcode patent, but ultimately lost the race to IBM. IBM didn't have the patent, instead, they had Norman Woodland, the original inventor and the inventor of the linear UPC (Universal Product Code) barcode, which is the most common one nowadays. On June 26, 1974, the first grocery item marked with the UPC barcode, a 10-pack of Wrigley's Juicy Fruit gum, was scanned at the checkout of Marsh Supermarket in Troy, Ohio. This pack of gum and its receipt are now in the Smithsonian Museum.
How Does a Barcode Work?
Stores decide what information they want to collect and then the software will automatically generate a machine-readable barcode. Barcode readers uses lasers shining through the barcode to interpret it. First, the black lines absorb light, and the white parts will shine through and be reflected. The light detector in the readers detect the amount of light converted into computer-readable data. For instance, the black parts are recorded as 1 and the white parts as 0. Last, inventory management software will receive and decode this information on the system.
Most barcodes display a twelve-digit number providing information such as this:
First number: Product type
5 following numbers: Manufacturer Code
5 following numbers on the right: Product code
Last number: Barcode number according to a self-policing system
For example, the first three numbers of the barcode in the above picture shows the information of its manufacturer. Tic Tac is manufactured by an Italian company, Ferrero, and 809 is the country code of Italy.
The recent Dutch elections of the second chamber have left many across Europe astounded. In an unexpected victory, a far-right party won the legislative elections of The Netherlands’ lower legislative house. Led by Geert Wilders, the Partij Voor Vrede (PVV), or Party for Freedom is the right-wing party that won the plurality of seats in the recent November election. Unfortunately, the results of this election reflect a growing rise in far-right sentiments winning in national elections across Europe. I went through the PVV’s election manifesto and picked out their most disturbing policy goals to spotlight the dangerous precedents that the PVV wants to set. Their most outlandish goals can be separated into two categories: those regarding immigration and those regarding climate change.
First, the election manifesto expresses the party’s wish for a policy of administrative detention for so-called “jihad sympathizers.” Though the manifesto is vague on this point, this would, in theory, involve the arbitrary and indefinite detention of individuals outside of the traditional legal processes, such as the needs for reasonable suspicion, warrants, the right to a lawyer, and the right to a court case. This policy would open the door to essentially legal racial profiling, as government officials can detain anyone they purport to be “jihad sympathizers.” Additionally, the PVV wants to ban the Koran, mosques, and Islamic schools, and eliminate any government information, such as those on websites or in letters, from being translated into Arabic or Turkish. This overt discrimination against Middle Eastern people continues, as the PVV wants to ban the wearing of Muslim head-scarves in government buildings, but has no mention of Christian or Judaic head-scarves, for example. These policies indicate an underlying Islamophobic attitude, which the PVV also explicitly states in their manifesto, declaring that they want to allow less non-Western immigration and stop all asylum migration in order to lessen the presence of Islam in The Netherlands.
The PVV also supports a policy of possible denaturalisation for dual-citizens, where an immigrant's citizenship can be taken away if they break the law. Such a policy would be very concerning, as it could be used to target immigrants from specific backgrounds and evict them from their homes for even the smallest legal infraction.
The PVV’s other radical views relate to climate change. Though The Netherlands is known to be a country of windmills, the PVV wants to halt the addition of solar or windmill parks and stop the use of biomass energy. The party does not believe in climate change, and wants the government to stop considering climate change when deciding on laws. This of course involves pulling out of the Paris Climate agreement. In their election manifesto, the PVV states “the Climate Laws, Climate Agreement, and all other climate regulations will go directly through the shredder. No millions wasted on pointless climate-hobbies, but more money for our people” (translated from Dutch).
From climate change denial to explicit Islamophobia and discrimination against non-Western cultures, I hope that the PVV’s need to form a governing coalition will moderate their extreme views, but only time will tell.
Šibi Riby, whipping and ice-cold water. If you are not Slavic nor Christian, ‘Easter Monday’ probably doesn’t mean much, in fact, you might not even know a holiday like that exists. That is not the case for the women of Slovakia, a tiny country in the heart of Europe, who are haunted by the terrors of this day in their nightmares months in advance.
(source: SME)
Šibačka is the most well-known and strictly followed Slovak tradition, already mentioned in the 14th-century writings. Originally, it was (quite a kinky) way of expressing affection between lovers, but it quickly grew into today’s version with some made-up justifying meanings, such as the physical form of wishes for luck or health. Right after Easter Monday’s early morning mass, men start going across villages and towns to visit women they know, splash them with ice-cold water and whip them. Women are expected to stay home during the entire day, waiting for šibači (an expression for men that come to whip) making them food, and decorating kraslice - painted blown eggs that are given to men as thanks for the wishes, usually alongside the colorful ribbon that women wrap around the tip of šibač’s whip. The closing element of Šibačka is a perfume that men spray all over women’s hair symbolizing the wish for beauty as they leave, continuing their way to another house.
(source: Wikipedia)
I don’t think there is a need to explain why this has become a controversial topic regarding both gender inequality and blind devotion to national traditions, however, I would still like to describe different layers of why Šibačka sucks.
The idea of rewarding those who make you feel uncomfortable becomes even more problematic when it is being justified to girls from an early age as something beyond them – a cultural heritage, a well-known tradition, something that makes us Slovaks. Now, don’t get me wrong, it definitely is fun when you are six and chased by your cousin with a water gun, giggling and running around the house. It is less fun when you are thirteen and some creepy old dude, a family friend who you’ve seen maybe twice in your life is bending you over his knee and whipping your butt. The intention matters and so does the relationship with specific šibač, the issue here is that they travel in herds, like wolves, so if your older brother goes around with his friends-bullies you are not avoiding them.
(source: topky.sk)
That is another problem - for a tradition with a fetishy subtone, it definitely lacks a safe word. You can’t run, you can’t hide, you can’t refuse. Eventually, they will catch you, for ‘the sake of your own health’, of course. I remember we tended to strategize over escape plans with my sister the night before, but it never worked. Even more weirdly, neither did the ignorance. When I was eleven, in my rebel moment I decided to break out of the game by not trying to run or hide as girls and women usually do. At first, everyone laughed at my disinterest as I was carried by three guys to the bathtub, but after a few buckets of water and a quick ice-cold shower their smiles disappeared because apparently, it is boring when girls don’t run and scream. My grandma came to talk to me while I was changing into dry clothes to remind me that I have to be dramatic because that’s what makes it fun for šibači.
(source: Bystricoviny)
And then comes the alcohol, our national addiction. Šibači usually visit 5 to 10 houses during Easter Monday and it is considered rude not to drink at least two shots of vodka or other beverage with similar alcohol concentration at each house ('one for each leg' as they say) so you do the math. Around noon they are already drunk and Šibačka gets progressively wilder and more aggressive. Changing clothes twice an hour, being sick for the next week (because the temperature in Slovakia is usually around 0 degrees during the Easter time) and trying to get rid of that horrible smell of mixed perfumes in your hair for the months is inevitable if you are a Slovak woman. Weird how little women’s mental or physical health matters in a tradition whose main purpose is a wish for health.
As you can imagine, it is not great to be a woman on Easter Monday. Luckily Slovakian folklore also believed in women’s power manifested through witchcraft and so when the leap ‘witch’ years come, on Easter Tuesday, the roles get switched and women become šibači. Equality once in four years - speaks for itself. Thank god though, the next leap year is just around the corner...
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