The last month has been anything but tranquil. The news has been full of stories of protests over the fourth nuclear power plant, the first case of (imported) H7N9 avian flu identified in Taiwan, drought then flood in the central and southern portions of our island, and public outrage over the killing of a Taiwanese fisherman by the Philippine coast guard. Film director Ang Lee’s return to Taiwan to accept an award offered a welcome respite from all the turbulence.

Lee says in his biography that few people get what he’s saying. The first time I read that line, I didn’t quite understand what he meant. Having heard him speak at two recent symposia, I now know what he means.

Though he is an internationally acclaimed director and veteran of many films, Lee is uncomfortable facing questions from reporters and film buffs. He feels obliged to explain his thoughts on his work and his life, but has trouble expressing some of his feelings.

Lee says that his film projects have all given rise to difficult emotions. He finds each to be a kind of terrifying survival drill that requires him to extricate himself from the deep end of the pool. Lee is brave enough to take on the challenge, but says that film is too overwhelming a force for him to be anything other than its student. He says his willingness to dive in at the deep end comes from the way films, which wrap up stories in just two hours, contrast with the messiness of real life. He feels that they offer a bit of order and solace in our otherwise complicated and meaningless lives.

While Lee has frequently been asked for his input on film and cultural policy, he says he often comes away a little disappointed. “Every time I offer advice, the officials take notes very diligently, but what do they actually end up doing? I have no idea.”

Lee’s soft-spokenness is very much in character: he is someone who always cuts himself and others a little slack. But for all that his manner is casual when he speaks about film, his words are pregnant with meaning.

The H7N9 avian flu is a very different subject. We look at the issue from three perspectives: breaking the viral code, prevention strategies, and vaccine development. We start with the basics, such as how viruses coexist with human beings, what “H7N9” means, why flu viruses mutate and recombine, and whether this flu will reemerge in the fall and winter. By presenting experts’ answers to 10 important questions, we hope to help readers better understand the virus, the likely risks, and how to protect themselves. As Sunzi wrote, if you know your enemy, you can defeat it.

Fortunately, after more than a month of treatment, Taiwan’s only confirmed case of H7N9 is greatly improved and has been released from hospital .

Water resource management is a perpetual issue for Taiwan. “Rainy Taiwan vs. Thirsty Taiwan” looks at Taiwan’s rainfall records for the last 60 years and finds that the difference in precipitation between wet and dry years has doubled to 2,000 millimeters in the present day. Extreme weather is putting Taiwan in the very difficult position of needing to retain water while also preventing major storms from causing flooding.

After finishing work on those two serious pieces a few days ago, I saw a media report exposing as spurious a Face­book posting that had alleged that following the attack on a Taiwanese fishing boat by a Philippine vessel, a Taiwanese restaurateur was refusing to sell his carry-out meals to Filipino laborers. It’s sad to discover that someone would invent a story like this. The Internet has changed journalism, making a “reporter” of everyone. But the people disseminating these stories have no journalistic training and are simply passing along hearsay without checking its accuracy or source.

Regardless of the motivation, it is unforgiveable to disseminate false news that creates social chaos.

This month’s cover story on the delightful “scenery” to be discovered inside Taiwan’s hotels provides a much-needed respite from this month’s more serious topics. Enjoy!