For the next meeting of Happy Friends Reading Club we will shift to an alternative procedure, discussing a number of papers collected at the CONFERENCE ON MODES OF ACTIVISM AND ENGAGEMENT IN THE CHINESE PUBLIC SPHERE (26-27 APRIL 2012 at the National University of Singapore). 

Although the 5 texts chosen from the 5 panels at the conference will be made available to those interested, we will ask several among the Happy Friends to read carefully with a view to presenting the basic points of the papers at the meeting. This method is chosen to get a cross-section of the discussions at the conference, and perhaps of some sort of “current state” of activist practices in China. 

There will also be a brief discussion reviewing the art and activist positions at East Asia Multitudes Meeting held at Occupy Central in Hong Kong, where two members of HomeShop had been present.

The meeting is scheduled for 6pm on May 27th, 2012 at HomeShop. 

实战语言演练场 COMBAT LANGUAGE

活动时间 date__  2012年5月17日，星期四晚上七点 | Thursday, 17 May 2012, 19.00
地点 location__ 家作坊 HomeShop［地图 / map］

外语学习的最高境界有两个：1，用所学语言谈恋爱   2， 用所学语言吵架 第一种相当私人的，亲密的，心有灵犀的，语言不可或缺，但并不十分重要，我们无需练习，第二种是相当公开的，针锋相对的，你死我活的，语言十分重要，演练 必不可少，哪里可以演练？实战语言演练场系列为我们开辟了最佳演练场地！通过语言实战进入文化背景，通过语言实战熟练掌握关键词，通过语言实战进提高逻辑思辨…

There are supposedly two areas in which you can know you’ve mastered a foreign language: 1) being able to speak in the language of love and 2), being able to verbally put up a fight. The first is private and intimate, a heart to heart where language is necessary but perhaps not the most important, nor possible to practice in a group setting. The latter is a public, sharply dialectical, either you or me head-to-head where language is very important. So why not come together at HomeShop for our COMBAT LANGUAGE playground? Learn more about culture, hot topics in China and your real fighting spirit through COMBAT LANGUAGE. Improve your vocabulary and put your logic on its toes!

第二场 Debate Two

论题 topic__  “可更新能源挑战化石燃料  Fossil Fuels or Renewable Energy?”

随着人们对气候变化问题的日 益关心，确信者和怀疑者各持己见，我们面临的问题是：工业燃料所用的能源资源对环境和经济都有影响，有时我们会顾此失彼。中国大量依靠煤 炭燃料，消费量超过世界总消费量的一半。在另一方面中国在世界上也已经成为了风能和太阳能利用的先行者，无论哪种方式，能源生产都是一个获利颇丰的行业。煤炭燃料与可更新能源相互冲突，以长远的目光看，谁将入主中原？答案尽在我们的语言实战演练场！

With people getting caught up in the politics of climate change, believers versus skeptics, the reality is that the source of energy that fuels industry affects both the environment and the economy. China is heavily dependent on coal burning more than half of the world’s annual consumption. China has also become to world leader in wind power capacity and solar panel manufacturing. Any way you cut it, producing energy is a highly profitable business. Burning fossil fuels is in conflict with renewable energy, so which one has the long term future in China? Get yourself ready for combat language debate!

价格 cost__  30元（包括饮料 includes beverages）

参与者 participants__  中高级英语学生以及任何对本话题感兴趣的朋友
Intermediate to Advanced students of English, or any English speakers interested in the topic

报名请联系 registration required__  qu@homeshopbeijing.org, 138 1180 9604
报名后你将通过邮件收到一份相关阅读材料。
After signing up for this workshop you will receive all the necessary materials/vocabulary list by e-mail to prepare for the debate.

组织者 organised by__  曲一箴 Twist QU and Michael SABELLI

糖葫芦的后现代生活
The Life of Postmodern Tanghulu

时间 date/time__2012 年5月12日，周六下午2点起
                        Saturday, May 12, from 14.00
地点 location__家作坊 HomeShop，东城区交道口北二条8号 [地图]
                    Dongcheng District, Jiaodaokou Beiertiao 8 [map]

5月12号的WaoBao！献宝兑宝活动中，你还可以跟交道口北二条糖葫芦世家学习如何制作糖葫芦然后用你的处女作和别人交换。
用你的现代意识加上传统的制作工艺，一起打造北京传统甜点零食－糖葫芦的后现代生活。
实验范围从传统食材山楂到大胆的狮子头，囊括所有球形食材，最后我们会让它们都成为糖葫芦！（如果你想让自己的初体验作品更加特别一些，你也可以带一些你认为好玩的球形食物和我们交换）

As part of Saturday’s WaoBao! Spring Cleaning swap meet on the 12th, we’ve invited the oldest family on our block to teach us how to update a Cultural Revolution old recipe for making candied fruits on sticks, the old Beijing sweet of choice. Experiment with various ball-shaped edibles, from the classic 山楂 hawthorn to the risky 狮子头 lion’s head minced meatball. Bring your leftovers from the fridge to tanghulu-ify, or trade for our finished pieces! All will be available for trade and bargaining along with all the other goodies on site.

传说_The legend of tanghulu
南宋绍熙年间，宋光宗最喜爱的皇贵妃病了，她面黄肌瘦，不思饮食。御医用了许多名贵药品，医治无果。宋光宗只好张榜招医。有一位江湖郎中揭榜进宫。为其诊脉 后，开出山楂和红糖。一起煮即食。每次3－5粒。半月黄贵妃病愈。后此法传入民间。酸、脆、香甜的沾山楂法流传至今。
During the splendid reign of the Southern Song dynasty, the favourite concubine of emperor SONG Guangzong fell ill and could not eat, making her emaciated and haggard. Imperial doctors tried all sorts of expensive cures to no avail, so SONG put forth an open call seeking medical help. One traveling doctor managed to enter the court to see the concubine, and after taking her pulse, he prescribed her a cure of hawthorn and brown sugar to be cooked together and eaten. Half a month later the concubine was healed, and ever since then, the recipe became a favourite of the people. Sour and crisp yet fragrantly sweet, this miracle method of preparing hawthorn has lasted until today.

宋氏家族介绍_About the SONG family
位于交道口北二条一号在解放前由宋氏人家小手工经营几年。公私合营后停业。80年代改革开放开始后，恢复经营。品种有大小山楂、山药、橘子、黑枣、香蕉等数多种。每日万余串送往故宫、王府井、东单、西单、前门等地。深受老北京市民欢迎喜爱。
Before the founding of the People’s Republic, the SONG family of Jiaodaokou Beiertiao 1 was already involved in a small homemade tanghulu workshop for several years. With private businesses suspended during the Cultural Revolution, they stopped until finally during the reform and opening-up of the 80s, the family business was able to be picked up again. During its peak, the SONG’s tanghulu (including hawthorn, Chinese yam, tangerine, smoked jujube, banana and many other varieties) satisfied the cravings of many old Beijingers and were delivered all over the city to locations such as the imperial palace, Wangfujing, Dongdan and Qianmen.

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“糖葫芦的后现代生活”工作坊又Carrot Design工作室与家作坊的何颖雅发起。WaoBao！献宝兑宝活动由Michael EDDY、何颖雅、Fotini LAZARIDOU-HATZIGOGA和曲一箴（家作坊）与林苏葳（ClearWorld Media）发起并组织.
The “Life of Postmodern Tanghulu” workshop is co-hosted by Been from Carrot Design and Elaine W. HO from HomeShop. WaoBao! Spring Cleaning is organised by Suvi RAUTIO (ClearWorld Media) with Michael EDDY, Elaine W. HO, Fotini LAZARIDOU-HATZIGOGA and Twist QU (HomeShop).

WaoBao！献宝兑宝活动

Spring Cleaning for International Give Your Stuff Away Day
国际“变废为宝”节

时间 date/time__2012 年5月12日，周六下午2点至6点
                        Saturday, May 12, 14.00-18.00
地点 location__家作坊 HomeShop，东城区交道口北二条8号 [地图]
                    Dongcheng District, Jiaodaokou Beiertiao 8 [map]
豆瓣同城活动 Douban event__www.douban.com/event/16419765/

五月十二号（星期六）来家作坊就不仅仅是打酱油啦，前来参加“献宝兑宝活动”。夏日炎炎，让您的居 室，柜橱，里里外外更宽敞明亮一些吧，五月十二号这一天把你家淘汰下来的物 品，如手机、衣服、箱包，旧家具及其它生活用品带到家作坊来，与需要它的人交换，使你的 闲置物品变成别人的宝贝，别人长期不用的东西成为你的最爱！除了交换闲置物品以外你也 可以交换服务和技能，如，用帮别人看孩子来交换网站设计、用一顿自家做的便饭来交换非限行号车辆的一日使用权，同时我们也会教你怎样旧物“再设计”改造， 还会播放如何把垃圾变废为宝的短片，十分有趣！带着你的朋友来跟我们一起玩吧，说不定你还会“交换”到一个新朋友带回家哦。还有免费饮料和小 吃提供，在本街道居住时间最长的家庭之一宋家，将教授我们如何再设计“后现代有种糖葫芦”！

从五月五号起家作坊开始接收你不需要的 闲置物品。请你快把不要的物品拿到交道口北二条8号来，我们会先给你一张“兑宝券”。你需要的宝贝在 等待你“赎”它回去…你“冷宫”里的宝贝也让我们垂涎三尺。取长补短，互利互助，皆大欢喜，何乐不为?!（也可于12日当天带来你将交换的物品！）

On Saturday, May 12th, come and do more than get the soy sauce at HomeShop’s “WaoBao Spring Cleaning” event! The purpose of the day is for you to gather everything you’ve left covered in dust in your closet and swap these things with other people who can make new use of them! Traders should bring everything from unwanted mobile phones to clothing and bicycles on trading day, and get ready to drive hard bargains. Money is no currency on this day, just bring your stuff and prepare your sharp and sparkly bargaining tongue! In addition to swapping stuff, you can also swap your skills and services, like trading babysitting time for a day’s use of a valid license plate on the right driving day, or a home-cooked meal in exchange for website design services. As well as the trading, mini-upcycling and DIY project workshops will take place on site, and we’ll be showing a few short films about how our consumer habits have created a big trash society and the few individuals who are trying to give new life to it. Free drinks and snacks will be on offer, and one of the oldest families on the block, the SONG family, will also be on hand to teach us how to upcycle the classic tanghulu candied fruit skewer into postmodern balls on sticks, WAO!

Get off of the internet and WaoBao the clutter in your life instead! Starting May 5th, we’ll begin accepting donated must-haves to develop a stockpile of treasures, so for those of you with the bounty and not the space but the desire to see things loved a second time, please drop by HomeShop during opening hours to bring items and get tickets redeemable for trade on Spring Cleaning Day. (You can also bring your stuff directly on the 12th!)

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“糖葫芦的后现代生活”工作坊又Carrot Design工作室与家作坊的何颖雅发起。WaoBao！献宝兑宝活动由Michael EDDY、何颖雅、Fotini LAZARIDOU-HATZIGOGA和曲一箴（家作坊）与林苏葳（ClearWorld Media）发起并组织.
The “Life of Postmodern Tanghulu” workshop is co-hosted by Been from Carrot Design and Elaine W. HO from HomeShop. WaoBao! Spring Cleaning is organised by Suvi RAUTIO (ClearWorld Media) with Michael EDDY, Elaine W. HO, Fotini LAZARIDOU-HATZIGOGA and Twist QU (HomeShop).

“茶” 
欧阳潇

“Tea”
by OUYANG XIAO

Last meeting in discussing the anthropological features of humans (bio-historical linguistic disoriented animal whose innovativeness is what endows it for acts of “evil”) we stumbled, again, on the possibility to assign human nature. One person claimed this is always a problem, as the definition can never be made outside of the time in which it is stated. Truism? 

But this does lead to speculations about what is possible to know.

Recently, some mention has been made of time here and there. Questions about objects (as they exist in time? as they exist beyond the grasp of our consciousness, precede and outlast us) shift the discussion to a place some of us are not really familiar with. Can this metaphysics be a detour to another time for us?

For next meeting, the text “On the Undermining of Objects: Grant, Bruno, and Radical Philosophy” by Graham Harman, is proposed. (p. 21–40 in the attached PDF “The Speculative Turn: Continental Materialism and Realism,” 2010) 

The meeting is scheduled at HomeShop on May 13th at 6pm.