Bliss English Club

Dear Blissers,

Welcome back our Magic Johnson Show!

His waving magic hand is always dazzling and cheating our watchful eyes. Remember how we wondered his vivacious bouncing rabbit disappearing on the spotlight at Bliss 2017 YEP! ( Here you go the video clip~ )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8urVFZ2wsf0&feature=youtu.be

You surely can’t miss this fat chance to learn the TOP secret behind the scene!

Feb. 24,2018 is made just between “You and Johnson”!!!

**Listen to What Magic Johnson tells you as follows:

Introduction

What is magic? What comes to your mind when you think of word magic? Optical illusion, misdirection or just sleight of hand? Why don’t you find out for yourself?

Meeting Agenda :

14:30~14:45: Warm up – Self Introduction

14:45~15:50: Close-Up Magic & Tutorial

During this session I will show you some close-up magic and teach you guys how the tricks are done.

1 Tiny Plunger

2 Ambitious Cards

3 Crazy Man’s Handcuffs

4 Ring & Chain

5 I got your number & Zodiac

6 The Journey

15:50~16:00: Take a Break

16:00~16:10: My Special Experience

16:10~17:00: Card Magic

1 The Key to Success

2 Incredible Coincidences

3 Mystery Number

17:00~17:30: Sharing

1 Which session of the meeting is most impressive or what is your favorite trick of the day?

2 Have you ever seen magic before? Please describe the effect.

3 Q & A (Optional)

Key Words

1 sleight of hand 手法

2 misdirection  錯誤引導

3 playing cards  撲克牌

4 hearts        紅心

5 diamonds     方塊

6 spades     黑桃

7 clubs         梅花

8 illusion       錯覺

*Also kindly note: This Saturday’s Meeting Place will be at東豐喜藝文空間, 師大路68巷13號TOHOHI Arts Corner at Exit 3 Taipower MRT Station, addressed at No. 13, Lane 68, Shih-ta Road, Taipei, charged at NT$150 per person with a cup of tea, the detailed location of which is attached

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**Soft Reminder: No Bliss Meetings on 2/10 & 2/17 For Chinese New Year”

<Reflections of “Your Beliefs Create Your own Reality” by Sanli on Feb. 3, 2018

Date: Feb. 3, 2018

Topic: Your Beliefs Create Your Own Reality

Host: Sanli

Participants: Annie, Angel, Alisa, Selina, Barkeley, Johnson, Emma, Mike, Hazel, Sasa, Cara, Fox, Sandy, Joe, Daniel Yang, Willy, Daniel Chen, Winnie, Erica, Sanli,

Meeting photo: https://photos.app.goo.gl/An9LDphupHAxe5883

Full house Meeting-20 Participants

Sanli’s Russian passion brought new and old friends together to explore our own learning process without fear of outside freezing and drizzling weather! 

“You Create Your Own Reality” by Jane Roberts –Faith determines

Sanli used her own example to convince us what we see may cheat but our beliefs may lead us to change the future.

Why do you want to learn English?

The inspiration and drive to learn better comes varied and personal from job demands, school scores, colorful lives, making foreign friends, travel or simply trying to attract one’s first love.

Learn from Jesus & Budda—confident to show what we mean, 100% perfect in your own concern  

Both quotes successfully present profound meanings with simple words. It proves that everyone undoubtedly can use simple sentences to show what they mean with limited vocabulary and basic grammar.

Practice “r” with Sanli

Everyone used a cotton stick under the tongue to practice pronouncing “r”, hard and tough but Sanli said we will succeed if we never give up doing!

How do you know you have improved?—None of other people’s Business

Sanli said the improvement may differs among people in time, stages, conditions, sometimes stagnant, sometimes speedy but it will bring the ecstasy once the goal achieved. Followinly she told being honest will help us to understand whether the language anxiety or outer problems hinder the improvement.

Reflections:

We learned a lot from Sanli’s conduction. Out of her sincerity, she not only successfully transformed her own self-revelation into attendees’ own in her charismatic nonverbal relaxing atmosphere but also evoked our critical thinking on every aspect in lives. Indeed, it was such a fruitful meeting that we looked forward to her next soon!

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Revision with meeting photo link:Reflections of <All about the Interior Design Course” by Annie on Jun. 13, 2018

 Date: Jun.13, 2018

Host: Annie

Attendees: Annie, Ellen Huang, Hazel, Monika, Vicky, Uncle Toing, Johnson, Diana

Photo: https://photos.google.com/u/1/share/AF1QipNgPdi-iffQmXGSlqmgGHLArGigYKMmiEfKzwwbMGcI0DpgTV4NjQVgcc6jUbtzKQ?key=M29yX1ZodXV0T2NkekFBbXVudU03anJod2hfSWRB

Summary:

The meeting was conducted on the basis of “Quiz Contest” as follows:

0113 Bliss Quiz Contestant Name: ________________

1.     A. Leaking b. Bad compartment c. poor lighting/sunlight d. pest

2.     Layout plans1. Scene setting out 2. New compartments 3. Site Configuration 4. Ceiling, 5. Flooring 6. Hydropower (plumbing) 7, Luminaire circuit diagram

3.     How to measure 東豐喜as Interior Designer does?

4.     Who are East-oriented or west-oriented people?

5.     Examine which sitting and facing of 東豐喜 is

6.     Wisdom in Three-Section Compound –(omitted)

7.     Why develop bio -mimicry? (Omitted)

8. Styles (Quiz contest) Basics and why?

•    1. Mediterranean & Bali ( Turkey blue & leisure)

•    2. Elegantism(natural material like fabrics, wood..)

•    3. Baroque (luxury, gold)

•    4. Minimalism (transparency)

•    5.pop (bright colors)

•    6. Modern Metropolitan (no blockage)

•    7. Chinese

•    8. Japanese /Zen

•    9. Loft (steel, cement, tube)

•    10. Country Style (white & flowers)

•    11. Simple & mixed & Eclecticism (budget concern & practical)

8.2< 5 Proposals>1/1/1, 2/2/1, 3/2/1, 3/2/2, 4/2/2 (Your new compartment & reasons)

9. Q &A <Which is which> Interior Design Procedures:

1. Client’s Demand

2. Examine at the site

3. Measure and Out-setting plan

4. 7 layout plans

5. Quotation/price list

6. Sign the Contract 30%

7. Apply for renovation permit

8. Remove (tear down) the chicken/pig, old floors/compartment walls.

9. Plumbing assembly/wall plastering/flooring/ceiling works

9.2 Production (drawing lots)

10. Painting works 30%

11. System Furniture assembly 30%

12. Work final inspection＆acceptance 10%

10. Fun “Miniature Design Work” if available & interested but not compulsory: see attachments for reference

1. (Winnie Tu) Living room: TV, Wall, Floor, Coffee table, TV cabinet, sofa, dining sets

2. (Diana) Major Bedroom 1: wardrobe, window, dresser<desk>, door, bed

3. (Uncle Ting) Restroom: shower, wash basin, shower curtain, toilet, window, door

4. Ellen Huang) Room 2 next to restroom: bed, wardrobe, desk/dresser, window, and door

5. (Ellen Huang) Room 3 next to the kitchen: door, window, bed, wardrobe, and desk/dresser

6. (Johnson) Kitchen: kitchen cabinet, refrigerator

Reflections

1.      Informative: learn how to read “7 layout plans” “Interior Design Procedures”, identify who are “東西四命” ,design a “new compartment of each own”

2.      Good conducting skills: fluent and flexible flow, Q-A design for full engagement and enough practice for oral English & topic-related information.

3.      Minor Suggestion: “Style” and “Interior Design Procedure” can be shifted earlier for background related knowledge

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<Reflections of” Energy in Taiwan” by Uncle Ting Lee on Jan.6, 2018>

Date: Jan.6, 2018

Host: Uncle Ting

Topic: ” Energy in Taiwan”

Meeting's photo link https://photos.app.goo.gl/mSWS4wdVkov0b9kt2

Uncle Ting’s meeting surely is very informative one which answers our worries about the current Taiwan Energy Issue with the well-prepared PPTs summarized as follows: .

1, Type of world energy resources.

Fossil fuel: oil (crude), coal (Thermal Electricity), gas (natural), New (Shale Oil) 

Nuclear (uranium) fuel

Renewable: wind, solar, hydro (marine), biomass (living matters), ocean (undersea “Flammable ice)

2, what energy resources we have in Taiwan?

100%Taiwan Energy Supply from: 48.93% Oil, 29.35% coal, 13.66% Gas, 6.25% Nuclear (uranium imported), 0.43% Hydro, 0.25%Solar/Wind,0.12 Biomass

In which 2% from Taiwan itself, 98% imported

3, How is Taiwan’s power generation? Namely where is Taiwan Electricity from?

Structure of Electricity Generation 2016:

1. LPG-fired 32.4%, Nuclear Power 12%, Renewable Energy 4.8% (wind 11.6%, Solar 9%, Biomass 1.5%, Waste 25.8%, Hydro 52.1% pumped hydro 1.3%)), Coal-fired 45.4%
2. Major Energy consumed for Electricity: 6.37% of Oil, 66.84% of Coal, 80.48%of Gas, 100% of Nuclear (Uranium)

4. Taiwan Energy Policy Problem: Google the Global Nuclear Plants Map!

(1) Assumption: Renewable energy can replace Nuclear power

(2) Disillusion: please think about global nuclear plants map in the meeting!

(a). As statistics shown, Nuclear power occupies 12% electricity while renewable 4.8% unreliable for Taiwan’s climate and geography and instant damage for export-focused! It is easy talk but impractical! 

(b) As for Green (renewable)energies all advocated by the country with already plentiful natural energy resources or easily importing from bordering Nuclear plants or Middle East branches, Taiwan stands as an isolated island and relies on exports for living.

5. Some Related information:

1. LPG Plants: Middle East Qatar, Indonesia, Malaysia, MiaoLi TaiAn (TWN), CNPC Yongan Natural Gas Plant for 98% of LPG TWN, Taoyuan Power Plant For Electricity(大潭) via Natural Gas

   (2)Globally 200 Nuclear Power Plants and 400 generators totally. TWN Nuclear plants at Maanshan/Wanda/Jinshan/Longmen

   (3)Nuclear fusion (using Uranium atomic reaction heats the cooling water into steams to drive turbines to generate electricity and Reactor waste! Nevertheless,       compared with other sources, it is regarded as stable and long-lasting.

Appreciations:

We thank our beloved host, Uncle Ting’s indepth illustration to unveil the energy myth and broaden our global view on nuclear power plants. It really equips us with  further development on practical soluton for the problem! 

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Dear Blissers 

Do you know Barack Obama ,  the former American president wrote a letter for which foreign magazine before he resign from his presidency in 2016 ?

Do you know which magazine got its average weekly circulation over 1.4 million while the other major world famous magazine ,like Time , NEWSWEEK got their circulation recession in 2017 ?

Do you know which magazine is targeting their audience to the elite people like bankers , influential executives and policy-makers ?

This coming Sat. on 1/20 , come with me to reveal the secret of The Economist, an UK magazine firstly published in 1843 and enjoy their curated selection of articles on global affairs, politics, and business after an extraordinary year of ups and downs in 2017 .

Please read and loop up all the vocabularies with enclosed PDF file of these 3 articles prior to the meeting 1/20 and please also print them out if you need to read and take note during the meeting ( Note: There won’t be any hard copies of the article provided in the meeting ) :

1. Why America’s evangelicals love Donald Trump

5. Why Russia is once again under the rule of a tsar

9 .Why more people are buying bitcoin

Here’re the guided questions of each article we’re going to discuss together during the meeting ,please prepare your answers of following questions prior to the meeting too.

1. Why America’s evangelicals love Donald Trump

(1) What does prosperity gospel worship?

(2) Why did American evangelicals give Trump the title "Man of God" despite he married three times, which is against the Christianity? How should the evangelicals face their religion?

5. Why Russia is once again under the rule of a tsar

 (1) Putin enjoys an approval rating over 80% by convincing his people " if there's no Putin, there's no Russia" , In your opinion , how and why he can successfully persuade his people this idea ?

(2) Why in the long run, if the economy still heavily replies on it's natural resource will cramp Russian ambitions ?

9 .Why more people are buying bitcoin

(1.) What impact of bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency will bring to the world ? Please share your point after reading this article.

(2.) If possible, will you buy bitcoin? Why and why not ?

(3.) Do you think bitcoin will face with the same situation as Mississippi bubble or South Sea bubble?

Meeting Agenda:

2:30-3:30  Q&A of 3 articles, any question of the articles could be raised during

          this one hour session

3:30-4:15  Separate to 3 groups for article discussion

                 Group 1 : 1. Why America’s evangelicals love Donald Trump

                 Group 2: 5. Why Russia is once again under the rule of a tsar

                 Group 3: 9 .Why more people are buying bitcoin

4:15-5:00  Summary and presentation by each group ( each group 15 mins)

                    -   Each group members takes terms to

                         1)      make a summary of this article and

                         2)      Share the answers of the guided questions after your discussion

5:00-5:30 Open discussion and wrap up the meeting

                   -   Exchange your opinions regarding the answers you learned from other group , agree or disagree the answers and why ?

My dear Bliss fellows , in this coming Sat. let’s open up our mind and soul and learn the true spirit as The Economist’s founder and all their editors for the past 175 years  :

 to take part in “ a severe contest between intelligence, which presses forward , and an unworthy, timid ignorance obstructing our progress”

在推動前行的智慧與阻礙進步的膽怯無知進行激烈鬥爭時，參與其中。

See you all soon this Sat.

Ellen with love

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My Dear Blissers,

No one can deny “East or west, home is best.”

And an ideal home inhabits any wondering souls and nourishes them for future!

As I feel Interested in “Real Estate” and attended 3-month Vocational Interior Design course, I am going to exchange with your own experiences there this coming Saturday on Jan.13, 2018.

I also prepare gorgeous “3 Interior Design Books” as gifts for Best answers for the guided questions as below:

Please Google & YouTube Ref. prior to the meeting:

Ref. 六十干支表

Ref. 紫薇斗數算命”windada”website

Ref. Interior Design Styles & proposals

Ref. 3-D application—biotech

Ref. Miniature Furniture making

For those who care about Energy Issue in Taiwan:

Can you imagine life without lights or fire and transportation without gas or electricity?

It will be a huge disaster especially for Taiwan lacking in energy resources which needs importing from other countries.

This coming Saturday on Jan.6, our highly recommended Energy Expert, will enlighten us the various kinds of energy resources in the world and which one(s) Taiwan relies on and challenges it meets?.

Most importantly, what kinds of future energy Taiwan can possibly adopt?

For the preparation prior to the meeting, please join me in welcoming our beloved host, Uncle Ting’s introduction:

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