August Movie Buzz (2015)

August 7

Boruto: Naruto the Movie


Dark Places


Fantastic Four


The Gift


Ricki and the Flash



August 14

The Man from U.N.C.L.E.


Straight Outta Compton


August 21

American Ultra


Hitman: Agent 47


Sinister 2


Z for Zachariah


August 28

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon II: The Green Legend
(film poster unavailable)

Regression


War Room

July Movie Buzz (2015)

July 17

Ant-Man



Bajrangi Bhaijaan


Mr. Holmes



Trainwreck



July 23

Smosh: The Movie


July 24

Paper Towns


Pixels


Southpaw


July 29

Vacation


July 31

Karachi se Lahore


Mission: Impossible- Rogue Nation

April Movie Buzz (2015)

April 3


Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!- action, thriller


Furious 7- action, thriller


Woman in Gold- drama

April 10


Broken Horses- drama


The Longest Ride- romance, drama

April 17


Child 44- drama, thriller


Monkey Kingdom- documentary


Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2- action, comedy


Unfriended- horror

April 24


Little Boy- drama


The Age of Adaline- romance

Strange Lies

It's always strange meeting an old classmate or an old friend
one of the weirdest things
both parties recognize each other, but just pretend like they don't
move on with their lives as if nothing happened
can even sit by each other and never move a muscle
in their lips and in their tongues to say, "Remember me?"
Maybe, it's a fear thing
a kind of fear on both sides
an irrational one
that person over there will know all of your secrets
if you just admit
you're that person from the past.

No one likes to admit that.
It's just the way life goes,
the constant playing of guessing games
to keep their lives private,
concealing all their darkest secrets within themselves.
Walk out gracefully
with shoulders back and chin high
standing tall as if a string were attached
keeping the shoulders upright,
preventing one's posture from slumping
determined to show each other that they've changed
resilience to fight no matter the battle
that they are strong.
This time, they give it their 110 percent
to show each other that everything they thought they knew
is all just one big, fat lie.

The Millenial Generation

The Millennials
leaning forward
engaged
inclusive
tolerant
parents are friends and helpers
personal media is where they are and what they want
seventeen to twenty-one
discovered a way to extend the magic point
the changing timetable of adulthood
completing school
leaving home
becoming financially independent
marrying
having a child
road trip mentality.

Millennials know where everyone is
isolation is being killed
can reveal their awesomeness to everyone
favorite website is Facebook
favorite brand is Apple.
Premium, yet accessible
Savvy, yet approachable
Massively personal
Technology as fun-enabler
so innovative, they obsolete themselves
a company that feels like a movement
Justin Bieber and Facebook
Internet and Kindle
Inclusiveness versus clichés
the target-- more for less
work-life integration
job-hopping
trying to figure out things
and settling for no less
lifestyle and friends above work
finding that dream job fantasy
you can do anything you want
just don't forget the praise.

The Island Vehicle

The island,
Chinatown
are small communities
everyone knows each other
a family-like quality
each one a maternal safe zone
that offers a sense of protection
security from dangers lurking
provides structure
support
a sense of certainty
where uncertainties run rampant.

Direction
normalcy
closure
changes are inevitable
invisible
stripped of identity
no more motherly embrace
died
just six years old
those old sounds
soothed me
comfortable again
cocoon-safe
time standing still
freedom
betrayal
afraid because of departure
family will starve
mother, find happiness
your "American Dream"
diminished.

Safe in my own setting.
Times of difficulty and tumultuous changes
increased desire to escape
reality
use past memories as a vehicle.

Stuck in Silence

Stuck in two completely different worlds
introverted
extroverted
subjective
objective
countryside
city
does not belong in society
trying so hard to find a community
"home"
desire to gain mobility
not only limited to the boundaries of one's own mind
to the socially constructed institutions of the world
want to travel freely
in both worlds
without being stared at
judged
knows firsthand
heartache
torment
feeling hopeless
stuck in one world
extremely depressed
stay silent
silence was debilitating.

Distant River

Distant
invisible
as if you don't see me anymore
the worst feeling in the world
just your friend
I don't like it
wish you only knew.

Hope
one day soon
give me one more chance
rejected
don't know what to do anymore
guilty
couldn't do anything more
cared deeply
move on
guilty
like a stain that never goes away
sticks forever
never fades
no detergent to get rid of the stain
no white out to eliminate it.

been stressed out lately
the mind keeps sabotaging itself
it's starting to go haywire
can't troubleshoot the problem
solve it
get rid of it
existing at this very moment
academic? family? friends? 
root of the problem
regarding you
confused
everything
down the drain
in a few seconds
quick
grieve and take it in
don't feel like myself anymore.

Just want to give up
everything
don't have the answer
not sure
might be a while
until I'll really feel whole
complete once again
wait it out
see where the river takes me.

Pizza Freshness

 

Pizza
stretched
pliable piece of dough
love
magical
respect and desire
this holy combination
cheese, crust, sauce and more
urge to scarf down
savoring each morsel for all of eternity
obsession with one slice
it was love at first bite!
a special gift
pizza solves everything.
Accepted the challenge
fresh loaves of bread
mouthwatering
freshness

What's Your Reaction to All Things 'Eye Candy'?

Share your opinions, thoughts and comments on what you think about MTV's new thriller, 'Eye Candy'.

MTV's New 'Eye Candy' is Disturbingly Beautiful

After Lindy Samson (Victoria Justice), a gifted hacker uses a dating app called Flirtual, she becomes the target of an unidentified serial killer who is bothered most by those who lie about their flaws. Lindy must now investigate and figure out who this killer is before it's too late.

Watch the first three, full-length episodes free:

                                                           Episode 1: 'K3U'

 

Episode 2: 'BRB'

 

 

Episode 3: 'HTBU'

 

 

 'Eye Candy' airs on MTV Mondays 10/9c

New Films Releases in January 2015

 

 

1/16- Blackhat
         Spare Parts
             The Wedding Ringer

     1/23- Mortdecai
               Strange Magic
               The Boy Next Door
      1/30- Project Almanac
                Wild Card

'Insurgent' Hits Theaters March 20, 2015

The next sequel of Veronica Roth's 'Divergent' trilogy series will be released in theaters on March 20th of this year.

Watch the official trailer below:

More About Epic Arts Cambodia

Epic Arts Cambodia Dancing to Pharrell Williams' 'Happy' (AMAZING!)

Check out this amazing video made by a group of talented kids and people in Cambodia who are part of an organization called Epic Arts Cambodia.

 

Click the link in the 'What's Interesting Today?' section of this website for more info about their organization as well as how you can donate and/or volunteer.

3 Other Ways to Learn Chinese

Intro:

我在高中第一次学中文的时候，我经常用我的记忆力学中文，但是中文课一点一点变成得更多困难。结果，这种情况迫使了我发现新的方法学中文。所以，我跟你今天要分享三个学中文的其它方法。

1. 声音联想 (Sound Association)

第一是声音联想。这个方法包括: 类似的声音、经验、和观感。

比如:

o   我在Kumon学习数学和阅读的时候，我很苦闷，因为他们给了我太多的功课。

o   如果你计划参观Maui, 你应该带一件毛衣，因为Haleakala很冷。

o   Dakota Fanning 得到她的电影奖以后，有开心的反应。

2. 汉字图画 (Chinese character pictures)

第二。汉字不只是笔画和线条，也是漂亮的艺术名作。这是ShaoLan对汉字的印象和用这个看法做汉字图画叫“Chineasy"。"Chineasy" 是一个视觉的学习系统教汉字、简单的故事和短语。

ShaoLan 说："我要人们懂中国、中文和中国文化，不迷失在翻译 ("I want people to understand China, Chinese and Chinese culture without getting lost in translation"). 

3. 短故事/短电影 (Short Story/Short Film)

第三。使用新词汇做短故事或者电影。这是一部我自己做的短电影。它是婚和恋的爱情故事。

Conclusion:

而且，

如果你还是觉得你的中文不好，不用担心。

Combining The Arts and Sciences

Although we are naturally born to be three-dimensional thinkers, we still somehow like to separate everything and place things into their own categories, especially the arts and sciences.

Most people see science as being more analytical while art is more creative and therefore, totally separate entities. However, it turns out that science needs art just as much as art needs science. They are actually interdependent on each other.

For instance, the fiction stories found in novels like Harry Potter often have some element of imagination (in this case, witchcraft and magic) which many readers will consider as art. However, creating fiction stories require an increasing amount of research on the author's part. In addition to this, imagination also requires knowledge in order for it to work. Imagination cannot work solely on its' own and neither can science.

In the case of science, art is often used to enhance the text that author's and publisher's present in science textbooks. If they were to only include text about the subject without any detailed illustrations and graphs of the concepts they present, most people would never understand concepts like DNA transcription and physics projectiles. No one would probably even bother to pick up a science textbook if this were the case. This also doesn't suit people who have different learning styles-- those who are more visual learners.

The difficulty with this kind of integration of the arts and sciences is that our society and the culture in our society often places higher value on the sciences which is now referred to as "STEM" or science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Many schools across the United States as well as in other countries around the world are currently trying to implement more of these "STEM" programs in high schools, universities and are even promoting it to students as young as elementary school age. There's nothing wrong with trying to implementing and encouraging students to study the  "STEM" curriculum. However, schools shouldn't only be focusing on just teaching students about science. Rather, schools need to develop and then, implement a curriculum that includes a plate of diversity-- one that includes both science and art.

It shouldn't stop there. Many schools and universities will claim that: "Yes, we already have the curriculum that teaches both subjects,"  but an even larger problem is that schools, parents and our society does not teach our world's youth about the interrelatedness and interconnectedness of art and science. They only teach them how to separate the two, categorize them and treat them as two completely different fields of study.

The College Experience at The University of Hawai'i at Manoa

 

PHYS 151 Lecture class at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa

Of course, college is not always fun at times-- the homework, the one-hour and 20 minute lectures; and the 3 hour science labs. However, there are many ways you can have fun while also learning something valuable.

Here is a list of things you can do to enrich your college experience:

1. Be Bold, Take a Risk and Give Non-major Related Courses a Chance
Don't just take courses that you need for your major. Try to diversify your schedule and explore new classes and academic departments that are of interest to you and/or courses that you have never heard of, but are curious about. Don't be afraid to step out of your field of study. If you have an interest in literature, art, science, and/or history, etc., don't hesitate and take the initiative to enroll yourself in these classes while you're still in college. It will also help broaden your mind and help you to see things from different perspectives, so that you can apply the knowledge you learn in these classes to the classes related to your field of study as well as to the field of study called "life".

The UH Manoa campus, in particular, has a number of amazing life-changing classes to enroll in. UH Manoa is also known for its' challenging curriculum in the arts, literatures and languages.

Recently, the university has been recognized as a teaching university specifically in the Department of Chinese Language and Literature and has been granted permission to teach a professional Chinese curriculum under a national flagship program. This program aims to increase students' language proficiency level in Mandarin Chinese, so that each student can use their language knowledge in any sector of work that they choose to do. Students will also get free Chinese tutoring and this program will require students to take their major-related courses with instruction in Chinese. For example, if you are a Biology major, you have to take some Biology courses that are taught in Chinese to stay in the flagship program.

Here are some of the most interesting courses I've taken throughout my earlier years in college:
1. Biomimicry (Zoology)
2. Structure of Chinese (Chinese Linguistics)
3. Chinese Semantics and Communication (Chinese Linguistics)
4. Stories of Personal Peace (Peace and Conflict Education)
5. Introduction to Women's Studies (Women's Studies)
6. Introduction to Sociology (Sociology)
7. Dystopian Fiction (English)
8. Asian American Literature (English)

2. Get Involved and Be an Active Participant on Campus

Here are some of the coolest ways to get involved around campus:
1. Get involved in student government
2. Write for the college newspaper (they always need students to write a good story! This is not limited to writing, you can be a photographer, a comic artist, etc. So many different things to do!!)
3. Start your own club/organization (video game, dance, journalism, major-related clubs, etc.)
4. Join an athletic team (swimming, golf, cross country, soccer, etc.)
5. Volunteer (be a tutor on campus for difficult subjects, library volunteer, etc.)
6. Get an on-campus job (If you love to eat, why not work at your favorite eatery on campus?)
7. Study Abroad (travel around the world with a group of travel savvy students)
8. Participate in Internships
9. Do undergraduate research
10. Keep an eye out for giveaways, prizes and events around campus (talent shows, raffle drawings, social events, dances, movie night screenings)
11. Be a peer mentor or a peer-counselor (help students transition from high school to college life, give academic advice to fellow students and direct them to the right resources to achieve college success, etc.)
12. Be a campus tour guide for prospective students (help students navigate the campus, share your own experiences and what you've learned in college so far, give insight into what student life is really like. What are the best eateries on campus?)

3. Be Your Best Self and Have Confidence in What You Know. Then, Inspire Others To Do The Same.
Most Importantly, be your best self every single day and inspire others around you to do the same. Be an advocate for change in your college community.

College: The 4-year Pathway

 

Year 1 (Freshman)

This is one of the most exciting, but also one of the most anxiety-provoking years of your college experience because you are still transitioning from high school to college life. You may know recognize a few of your high school classmates and friends, but you may not know the majority of the students attending your university. You also have no clue as to where all your classes are. Your classes, your teachers and your environment are all new and this can often be intimidating. 

Solution: familiarize yourself with your university and network with other students and teachers who will help you to feel more comfortable and show you around the campus. Sooner or later, you will know how your university's system works as well as all of the cool hot spots around campus to buy lunch. Just don't rush yourself in trying to join on-campus clubs yet. That can be saved for your second year. It is important to focus on your schoolwork and be informed about what your university has to offer. 

Year 2 (Sophomore)

Okay, so you are already familiar with your university's system inside and out. Your second year is about keeping up-to-date with all your academic progress and making sure that you have completed your prerequisites for your major. This year is pretty much a continuation of your first year. However, you have to make sure that you have officially documented your major at your university and that you have decided  to continue studying your chosen major. Go to your academic adviser if you need assistance in creating your four-year plan or need to track your academic progress for both major and general education requirements.

In addition to keeping track of your academic progress, your sophomore year is a great time to join some on-campus clubs that you may find interesting. There are a variety of different clubs to choose, so don't limit yourself and be open-minded. The University of Hawai'i, in particular, has over 1,000 different clubs including an array of major-related clubs, service clubs, religious-affiliated clubs and athletic clubs.

  

Year 3 (Junior)

Your Junior year is when you can finally take all of those non-introductory and upper-level courses that you've been dying to take ever since you were a freshman. Take a bunch of different classes and again, stay open-minded; and expect the unexpected. Junior year is stressful and involves a lot more studying, but it can also be fun if you make it fun. If you are taking a bunch of science classes or difficult classes, also incorporate a few easy classes to create balance in your academic schedule. This will also help to take off some of the stress load, so that you can still have some leisure time to spend time with friends and family; and to spare you some time to do your hobby. 

Experiences of a CSL Student (一位中文学生的经验)

Learning any language is very difficult and often frustrating for many people. Foreign students or English second language students (ESL) who come to an American or European university to study often find it difficult to learn English. However, it's not only foreign students who find it difficult to learn new languages, but American students studying other languages besides English also find it just as difficult, particularly Chinese second language students (CSL). 

In most American high schools, students are required to take two consistent years of the same language, so each student must carefully choose which language he/she would like to study during those two years. Many schools offer a selection of different languages including Spanish, Japanese, Chinese and occasionally, Hawaiian as well as many other languages. In the high school that I attended, in particular, I decided to study Mandarin Chinese because I wanted to learn more about their culture, customs and language. I didn't know what to expect on the first day of class and I came to find out that studying Mandarin Chinese was even harder than I thought it would be. At first, I felt frustrated learning the language because it was so different from English-- the sentence structure wasn't straight forward, the pinyin and tone marks made everything more confusing and writing the characters was extremely time-consuming. However, I constantly studied and went around my house trying to name every item in Chinese. "Pencil. Bi 毛笔... Book. Shu 书..." Besides doing this, I also had to come up with a fun studying method to make it easier to remember all the characters and how to pronounce them. For instance, take the word "外头 wai tou" which in English means outside. In Chinese, "wai tou" sounds like "wide toad", so imagine how massive this toad would be if you had it as an indoor pet. The toad is too wide to live inside, so it has to live "outside". 

The more and more I kept making up these fun ways to learn Chinese, learning the language was not only more fun, but it also grew on me and I ended up studying beyond the two year high school requirement and then, eventually studying it at the university. 

Although Chinese can be somewhat difficult at times, learning it as well as learning any new language can be an enriching experience and it's an experience that I highly recommend. Learning a new language will not only help you in your professional career, but it will also help you to see the world from a different perspective. You will also meet a diversity of people who are willing to learn and teach; and it will open a door to new opportunities to study abroad and travel with other students with similar interests.