Taiwanese Trash Trucks

This is one of hundreds of 60-second radio spots created by the Center for East Asian Studies (CEAS) for Kansas Public Radio (KPR). The purpose of this outreach program is to introduce the people of Kansas to the culture and current issues of East Asia.Broadcast Transcript: Here in Taiwan, culture plays a cruel joke on American children. What's that down the street? A slow-moving truck? playing a cheerful, synthesized ditty on a sunny afternoon? Yay! The kids beg for some change off the folks and run outside already debating over whether it will be a Bomb Pop or a Fudgesicle. Alas, it will be neither because it isn't the ice cream man. It's the trash man. Garbage decomposes quickly in warm, humid Taiwan, so it's illegal to place it out on the street for collection. Instead, the trash truck plays music from a roof-mounted speaker as it passes through, to let people know when to bring out their garbage. It may be an efficient system, but it feels bogus to a hot kid. Poor things. They run out expecting cool and tasty and end up with foul and nasty. #ceas #hacker #taiwan #boy