What occurred in Hong Kong the other night was a ‘BLACK’ rainstorm signal. Hong Kong has a 3-level system for rainstorms, increasing in severity from ‘AMBER’ to ‘BLACK’. A ‘BLACK’ signal means that residents are warned to stay indoors, schools are either closed or in a state of lockdown, and public transit is suspended for fears of floods and serious traffic congestions; essentially, Hong Kong is at a standstill.

Yesterday’s BLACK signal lasted from 4:10am to 9:45am, resulting in school closures, work abruptions, and floods in key traffic tunnels such as the original Cross-Harbour Tunnel (紅磡海底隧道). See a pretty incredible taxi ride through the tunnel that was quite literally “underwater” here.

Other severe weather conditions that can be found in Hong Kong include hailstorms, typhoons, and tropical storms (aka cyclones).

Think Tornado Moore in Oklahoma did some damage? Look through some of the most wickedly damaging weather Hong Kongers have withstood below. Don’t say we didn’t warn you next time you visit during typhoon season!

Source 1, 2, 3, 4

The post Extreme Weather: Hong Kong Edition appeared first on AX3 Battery | Asian Entertainment and Lifestyle Online Magazine.

1) AX3 Battery: Thanks for sitting down to chat with us Janice. So what is your impression of Vancouver? Do you like it here?

J: I have never been to Vancouver, but I have been to Toronto many years ago for a show.

2) AX3 Battery: Anything specific you want to do here in Vancouver?

J: I actually heard there are some nice vintage stores here on Main Street! I was really looking forward to it because I love vintage clothing and handbags. I love how you have to dig through and find gems along the way.

3) AX3 Battery: What projects are you currently working on?

J: I co-produced the cover of John Lennon’s “Imagine” with Fergus Chow and I thought it was so much fun. Leon had confidence to allow me to venture into music production. That’s something new for me and I am really excited about it.

4) AX3 Battery: What is the proudest moment or successful moment so far?

J: I think I view success a little differently now, that is my proudest moment I have to say when you realize “you are not so successful after all”.

5) AX3 Battery: What is your definition of success now?

J: Oh it has totally flipped on its head. Of course everyone view success as, you know money, fame, recognition, popularity, favour. But I realize those things don’t necessary define who I am.

At one point I had all those things but it made me even more miserable. Why is that? And I realize that it’s because people don’t love you for you, they love you for all these things you have accomplished. So is that really success? I don’t know.

But now I have really come to terms with it and success is really where your heart is at with God. And when you get too proud, and you are somehow going to be humbled. Everyone will. So I learned that lesson and realized that is a good place to be.

6) AX3 Battery: What is your favourite song from your album?

J: 他不慣被愛 is definitely my favourite. There is something about it, just the composition and the feel of it. I must say that I really worked my butt off in this album. I used 2 years to accomplish it and that’s unheard of in the Hong Kong music industry because everything moves really quick. So I really struggled within myself.

I was at a studio booth and I was actually crying and I had the lyrics up in my face so that Mark Lui wouldn’t see me crying. I was so frustrated with myself and I was like “Why aren’t these songs coming to life?” But I realized I really needed to push myself because I was so conformed by my old ways of doing things and I realized that I need to push myself in areas I got a little too comfortable. I am actually really grateful Mark pushed me to that place because he didn’t become too complacent. Even though there were tears and sweat involved. At the end it was all worth it.

7) AX3 Battery: It there someone you would like to collaborate with?

J: 明哥(Anthony Wong)! I am so grateful that I really get to meet him at this trip. This is not really my first time meeting him, but I’m just so thankful for the opportunity to really get acquainted with him. We had time to share and to know more about what kind of music he likes. And I heard he is working on a new album so maybe I can somehow find my way in to helping him? I appreciate his artistry, his vision, and the fact that he is actually doing something different in the HK music industry. He is very down to earth and a humble guy.

8) AX3 Battery: Have to ever thought about having a concert here in Vancouver?

J: Yes please! I would love to. It was ages ago when I did a show in Toronto.

9) AX3 Battery: What would you like to try to do?

J: I think I would love to try acting if it was in English but not in Cantonese. I always was intrigued by very complex roles like psyco and action films. I am always wanting to try new things, whether I am good at it or not. But I would love the opportunity if it comes .

10) AX3 Battery: And finally, what keeps you charged?

J: I got to say God, Jesus. Because He really is the purpose of my life. And the most important person in my life. So He keeps me going.

The post Airplane Wednesdays: Special feature- Janice Vidal (Exclusive Interview) appeared first on AX3 Battery | Asian Entertainment and Lifestyle Online Magazine.

I know that this weather of ours has been spotty lately with all of this on-and-off sunshine; however, we cannot let such a meagre obstacle stop us from preparing for what’s really important: the upcoming summer season! While having fun in the sun and sand is a crucial element to creating wonderful summertime memories, one must always remember to stay both stylish and healthy. Sunblock and hats are must-haves for staying skin-cancer-free; while you may think that a good tan is the most important thing to obtain from being outdoors on a hot day, you don’t want to come away with a much less pleasant gift from those UV rays! Now, before this post becomes a lecture on the dangers of the sun and on skin cancer prevention, let’s get to the cute hats!

In the picture below, I was enjoying that interesting bout of hot weather and sunshine that we had a few weeks back- English Bay was spectacular on that particular day. While I bought this hat for $10 in San Francisco at H&M, it is readily available for an equally affordable price at local H&M stores. And though I also possess several other hats in other materials and in darker colours, I feel like nothing spells out summer more than a straw hat. What do you think?

Check out the collage below for some summer hat inspirations:

1. (H&M) This straw bowler hat trimmed with a cute black ribbon is an adorable twist to the usual straw fedora hats that usually adorn the heads of many a female during the summertime.

2. (H&M) With a brim that is a tad wider than the typical fedora, this particular style will provide that extra bit of style and shade that will have you being both effortlessly fashionable and skin-cancer-free.

3. (Forever 21) Want to try out the baseball cap trend that has been running rampant lately (although it has been vastly popular among many Asian females for a long time)? Why not go big and wear this piece featuring an exotic tropical flower print that will have you in vacation mood for summer.

4. (Forever 21) A beach side necessity: straw floppy hats with a bright, bold scarf to add some flavour to the equation while keeping you safe from excessive lobster burn.  While the floppiness may not allow for this hat to be worn while walking around town, its droopy design will give you an alluring air of mystery.

5. (H&M) Another type of hat that may be a valuable asset to your closet: a slightly more structured version of the floppy hat that is the perfect way to attain a look of classic glamour while staying cool in the warm rays of the sun. Think of wearing this piece while dressed in white and sipping a happy hour drink on the patio.

6. (Yesstyle.com) This two-tone fedora with a striped band gives a little edge to the usual design.

Thank you for reading this week’s Trendy Tuesday, I hope that you all think of incorporating some head-wear into your ensembles this summer. Not only will such items add an extra element of style to your outfits, they are invaluable ways with which to keep you healthy and happy.

Have a wonderful week everyone!

The post Trendy Tuesday: The Top 6 Hats You Need for Summer appeared first on AX3 Battery | Asian Entertainment and Lifestyle Online Magazine.

It’s like something straight from the aftermath of a horror movie! After being defeated, the giant white creature dissolved into a steaming pile of white ooze. There’s definitely a Ghostbusters II reference in there somewhere.

Last week, a large amount of an unidentified, white substance began emerging from the ground at an intersection in the Pukou district of Nanjing, China. Reports indicated that the white, foamy stuff didn’t exactly smell pleasant.

Residents initially believed it was the result of a recent large-scale road construction, but authorities later revealed it to be a substance used to soften soil for subway construction.

The incident caught the attention of Weibo users who had comments like “It’s like a pancake,” “It’s Magic!” and “Looks like some kind of alien.”

As disappointed as everyone is that this isn’t proof of any paranormal activity, there’s always the chance that this is still a government cover-up.

Sources: 1, 2

The post Mind-Blown Mondays: Mysterious White Substance Emerges On Nanjing Street appeared first on AX3 Battery | Asian Entertainment and Lifestyle Online Magazine.

The add-on works by allowing you to load a liquid tank into the device, which is mixed and dispersed into the air with the command of the Scentee app. The device is currently only running on the iPhone 4S via the bottom connector but will soon branch out to Android devices by connecting through the headphone jack.

Some uses that the developers explained included waking up your friends, using it with games (a shooting game accompanied with the smell of gunpowder), giving a nice scented atmosphere for yoga.

Check out a video of a demo of the device below! So this seems like a cool idea and all, but the big question is will the use of scents in mobile communication catch on? What do you think?

Sources: 1,2

The post Send A Smell With Your Message With Scentee Smartphone Add-On appeared first on AX3 Battery | Asian Entertainment and Lifestyle Online Magazine.

He has been working on this since 2011, where 4D technology was also present in his 2010 world tour, New Era World Tour (超時代演唱會). It had a similar theme of an opening video that recorded himself in 360 degree view. That opening scene had “displayed a pre-recorded image of Jay Chou in a transparent triangular pyramid in midair, play[ing] a white feathered guitar, [where] suddenly he turns into flames, [and] his real self appears”. Talk about epic in its truest definition, huh? For those effects, this whopping price tag was $40 million NTD (over a million dollars in CAD)!

The 4D effects uses the same technology as holograms. The theatrics reportedly involved “lifelike, animated 3D effects that gave the impression of physical movement on stage” where Chou was allowed to “fly onto stage in an aircraft, landing it in the ruins of a city”. 3D screens with mapping technology were used to aid in this effect. In addition, almost 100 cameras were used just for the opening video which is only a minute and a half long. The cost for the creation of the video was about $8 million NTD ($270,000 CAD), one of the most expensive costs Chou has had. He states:

 The choreography must have a knock-out effect. I want the audience to feel like every time they blink their eyes, they’re missing something.

Have you attended a Jay Chou concert before? Do you think this will live up to his previous tours or will surpass it? Let me know about your experiences in the comments below!

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4

The post Jay Chou Incorporates 4D In World Tour appeared first on AX3 Battery | Asian Entertainment and Lifestyle Online Magazine.