Taiwan Pop

The Slide Down of MRT

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Vawter) — Tue, 12 Jan 2016 09:44:00 -0800

It is already 2016 and President Benigno S. Aquino III or "PNoy"'s term is about to end. This means that it is finally time to look back to all the achievements and failures his governance has done.

One major drawback of the president's term is the issue within the Metro Rail Transit or MRT. Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Secretary Joseph Emilio Aguinaldo Abaya's incompetence was a huge deal over the past years. From his never ending promises to bogus and midnight transactions, Abaya's failure as a secretary was all over the news. But how come he is still the secretary? That is the bigger question now.

As a regular commuter, I cannot utter my despair and anger at how the MRT turned out. Before, everything was tolerable but not it is a complete pain in the ass. Remember back in 2010, the Metro Pacific Group bought out the Metro Rail Transit Corp. (MRTC), private owner-builder of the railway, for an amount of $110 million with the hopes of expanding the services of the MRT. However, due to Abaya's incompetence, he didn't even bother replying or show any form of interest. Well I guess it's because it doesn't involve any personal interest. Now, 6 years later, we're worse. MRT has lost its charm. Where are the coaches that Secretary Abaya promised? Just look at how Abaya brought five family members at the 2013 APEC transport ministers’ meeting in Japan. Shady eh?

Abaya is really a face of someone who has no delicadeza. He has no guts at all. Instead of doing his job as the secretary, he failed miserably. Under his administration, we have seen the worst of the transit. What used to be the major mode of mass transportation in the metro, the MRT is now a complete hell. All thanks to Jun Abaya. So what's next for MRT? As long as Abaya is still in the position, it will continue sliding down the path and until it completely submerges into the pit of doom.

What do you think?

- Justin -

MRT: A Field of Broken Hope and Dreams

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Vawter) — Wed, 18 Nov 2015 08:56:00 -0800

The countdown has already started and we're just a few days left before the years ends. But as the year comes to a close, I can't help but wonder: what happened to the MRT and LRT?

If I would describe MRT and LRT in a couple of words, it would have to be: A field of broken hope and dreams. In January this year, the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) and Light Rail Transit (LRT) increased their fare matrix by almost twice the previous fare with the promise of a better service. But now that the year is about to end, where is now the so-called "better service"?

As a commuter who always ride the LRT, I have not seen any major improvement at all except for the removal of the old magnetic cards being replaced by the BEEP cards which can be tapped and used on all rail lines. Did this make things easier? on a scale of 1 to 10, I would give it a 2. It also made me wonder, why did the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya focused on these machines instead of improving the coaches? And speaking of coaches, the new trains are expected to arrive by January next year after DOTC approved the the delivery of 48 new trains this June. But why did it took them so long? I have a theory in mind: since 2016 will be the election period, I can't help but think that Abaya will just put the burden on all these things he have failed to do onto the next DOTC secretary. Talk about incompetence to the highest level. I still don't know why he is still the DOTC secretary when clearly, he is an irresponsible person and he is not fit for the post. Was there something good he has done in DOTC as its secretary? I don't think so. He has done nothing but cause trouble and pain to all commuters. So now that he is giving away promises that improvement for MRT is on its way already, as long as he is the secretary, I doubt we will see any improvement at all.

Cheers~!

- Justin -

Why Metro Manila Traffic is Indeed Fatal

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Vawter) — Wed, 26 Aug 2015 20:29:00 -0700

"Metro Manila traffic is 'not fatal' or 'burdensome to the daily lives of the people.'", these were the words of Department of Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya's televised comment regarding the horrible traffic situation in the metro. As someone who braves the everyday traffic, I find this comment very insulting. You can only say that because you don't face it every now and then. Total crap!

In a study by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, they revealed that Metro Manila traffic jams cost around $57 milion, that's P2.4 billion from the Philippine economy’s daily potential income. This is a great loss to both the workers and employers.

As a student, I have to face 2-3 hours of traffic going to school. Imagine this travel time. From Fairview, Caloocan City, it's the same travel time going to Morayta as well as going to Pampanga. Actually, it's much faster going to Pampanga than the former. With this, I can say that people like me are losing a lot of time where we could have spent it being productive at work or school.

So to Mr. Abaya, how can you say that the traffic is not fatal when it consumes a lot of our time? Is it because you don't have to go to EDSA? Have you even experienced travelling in EDSA? Well why not try it and let's see if you can still say those words.

Right after his controversial statement, Abaya apologized but mentioned that he will not explain as that means he is trying to defend himself which is another crappy thing to say. His apology is definitely not sincere,

Here's my challenge to the secretary: try going to Taft from Fairview and let's see what will happen next. You can either ride a bus or the mrt. Whatever your choice is, good luck and let's see what will happen to you.

I am not just speaking in behalf of myself but in behalf of everyone who faces this traffic jam. You should be ashamed of yourself Mr. Secretary. Really ashamed.

What are your thoughts on this?

- Justin -

The Failure of the MRT Bidding

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Vawter) — Wed, 28 Jan 2015 18:36:00 -0800

It’s another year and MRT Line 3 is facing numerous issues over and over again. With propaganda strikes over the fare increase that happened as 2015 arrived, MRT Line 3 continues to rattle everyone’s mind but this time it’s about the bidding of the maintenance and operation of the train station.

If we will look back last year, the bidding failed big time. We can even remember when Sumimoto Corporation offered to provide the maintenance and operation services of the train. But it is still a big puzzle as to why Department of Transport and Communications Secretary Jun Abaya did not accept Sumimoto Corporation’s offer.

Looking back at last year’s events, the bidding ended in an enormous failure as companies failed to submit their offers. And now, as 2015 starts, Metro Rail Transit (MRT) has opened its doors again for bidding. But just like last year and the years before, it was yet another failure. But this time, there was no bidder. So what exactly is happening?

If I would be asked about my opinion regarding this issue, I can definitely say that DOTC is up to something. It’s either they want to delay the process or really prevent the private sector for getting the contract. Another issue we can relate this into is the time when Secretary Jun Abaya and his family and friends were involved in the mystery of the maintenance and operations of the MRT. It was found out that they were given the contract when clearly they were just a new company (which is most likely created for the sake of project). In the end, the MRT went on a disaster with numerous accidents happening within the last 2 years alone.

So the question is this: Why is the bidding such a failure? Are we seeing another case of mystery involving Abaya here? Or is it another issue connected to the buyout?

Questions arise as the MRT continues to face its horrors created by Secretary Jun Abaya. But one thing is clear in my opinion. Metro Rail Transit’s failure is because of the failure of Jun Abaya as a Secretary of the DOTC. Without Abaya in the picture, perhaps there is a better future for the Metro Rail Transit.

What do you think?

Cheers~!

- Justin -

The Truth Behind the Fare Increase

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Vawter) — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 19:21:00 -0800

It’s already the fourth week of January 2015 and the debate is still ongoing regarding the sudden fare increase of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 3 and the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 and 2.

Earlier this year, the fare increased by almost 100% as students like me faced the return of the classes. January 4 marked the date of the sudden increase that took all of us by surprise. If you would look closely at the data, the last significant increase was almost a decade ago and if I would be asked, I think it would be just fine to increase the fare as it is already time to upgrade the maintenance of operation of the trains. You can check out my stance on this on my previous posts.

However, as I dwell deeper into the issue, my stand on the case began to change and now I think that the fare increase was unjust, has no clear basis and is done for corruption purposes. How did I come up with this conclusion? Well just look at the facts that were presented.

When asked how they came up with the new fare matrix, Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Secretary Jun Abaya were not able to explain clearly as well as present data that will support their case.

Also, Secretary Jun Abaya failed to attend hearing at the Senate and gave “meeting with clients” as an excuse even though they were given information about the hearing date weeks before so they could prepare.

Another thing that we could look to is this question: Why does DOTC keep on pushing the buyout to happen? Well, it didn’t go well as they have planned as the Senate scrapped their petition for this but yeah, I still haven’t figured out why they keep on pushing for it. The most possible reason is that they want to full control of the train and most likely, they’ll just give the maintenance to a company they are in favor of just like what they did years ago.

At the end of the day, the fare increase was uncalled for and was not justified. When you look at it from a shallow perspective, one would think that it is just for upgrade purposes. But why do they need to increase the fare when in fact, they had the budget for it? What exactly happened??

What do you guys think?

Cheers~!

- Justin -

Is The Fair Justifiable?

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Vawter) — Wed, 14 Jan 2015 08:09:00 -0800

As a regular commuter and patron of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) and the Light Rail Transit (LRT) in Metro Manila, the fare increase is pretty disturbing. Imagine paying twice your fare last year. But the real question here is this: is the fare increase justifiable?

First, the increase of fare in the LRT and MRT seems to have not undergone public hearings. Comparing it to the process of increasing the fare for other public utility vehicles (PUVs) such as jeeps and buses where they undergo public hearings and consultations, the sudden decision of increasing of the fare in the LRT and MRT is questionable. No explanations were offered and given except for the statement by the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) that it was overdue for years.

Second, according to the MRT-Hong Kong, it would be best if MRT Line 3 shuts down until it is fully rehabilitated to protect the users and for safety reasons especially after the horrible incidents that happened last year where it proved that MRT Line 3 is no longer safe. If this is so, then why is still MRT Line 3 operating? Plus even increase the fare when they should be considering the rehabilitation of the train first.

Last but not the least, after all the controversies DOTC Secretary Jun Abaya faced including the unexplainable giving of the contract to the maintenance firm which happens to be owned by Jun Abaya, Undersecretary Jose Perpetuo Lotilla, and then-MRT-3 general manager Al S. Vitangcol. There was no proper bidding that happened and everything seemed to be done under the table.

After all these issues, is the fare increase of the MRT and LRT really justifiable when in fact, it seems that they all have the budget and the fare increase is not really necessary. And don’t forget the fact that despite of the budget the department, there was no upgrading of the maintenance and operations that happened during Abaya’s stay as the secretary of DOTC.

What do you think?

Cheers~!

- Justin -

Is it time to increase the fare?

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Vawter) — Wed, 24 Dec 2014 11:19:00 -0800

Most classes will officially resume on January 5, 2015. And being a student who is a regular commuter of both the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) and the Light Rail Transit (LRT), my emotions are torn with the current state of the train stations. Starting on January 4 next year, the fare for MRT Line 3 and LRT Line 1 and 2 will increase as per Department Order No 2014-014 issued by Department of Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya.

When you come to think of it, it would really be a burden for students like me since that means we have to cut our budget for other things since we need to allot more of our transportation expenses. However, when you look at the bright side of it, it could possibly lead to a better service and maintenance operations given that the management will use the additional profit to good use.

If I would to be asked, I think it's time we increase the fare. And no, it's not because my parents are the one giving me the money, but more of because it's really time to upgrade. Imagine, when the MRT started in 1999, the original fare was around Php 17 to Php 34. But a year after, in 2000 in was lowered down to Php 10 to Php 15. And now, as we head over to a new year, the expected fee for MRT Line 3 shall be around Php 28 from North Avenue station to Taft Station. That's still a lot cheaper compared to buses.

So what's the real deal here? If the government can handle it well, then it would be great. But if we see that there's really no improvement, then most likely, we're just giving them more money to take home.

What do you think? Do you agree that it's time to increase the fare or should we focus first on the improvement of the management?

Cheers~!

- Justin -

MRT: A Case of Hidden Desire?

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Vawter) — Tue, 9 Dec 2014 10:59:00 -0800

It's still a mystery for me as to why Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Secretary Emilio "Jun" Abaya won't accept Japan's Sumitomo Corp offer to be the maintenance provider of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 3.

I've been patronizing the MRT ever since and it has been my top choice of transportation. Not only it is the cheapest, but it's also the fastest mode of transportation. Imagine, for someone like me who lives in the north which is Caloocan, traveling from North Avenue station in Quezon City all the way to Taft station in Pasay City can only take around thirty minutes of my time. That's a huge deal for me since if you happen to be traveling in a rush hour mode via bus, it can take you as long as three hours to make the trip. That's one horrible state in our traffic system that we are currently facing today. So for a commuter like me, MRT is a huge blessing. But will it always be the case?

With the current situation of the MRT, riding the train can also mean your last ride. Trains being derailed, the systems shutting down, power failure, we have yet to see things in their worst state. Is this a problem with the maintenance and operation or is it just another case of a corrupted management?

Sumitomo Corp submitted a proposal involving railway system rehabilitation over an eighteen (18) period at an estimated cost of $97 million. This is definitely a deal. After all, they are the top option as the maintenance provider for the MRT Line 3. However, Secretary Jun Abaya thinks otherwise. He won't sign the deal. As to why? We never really know. My speculation is he wants to pursue to buyout so that the government can take full control of the operations. Also, it's possible that Abaya wants to choose another maintenance provider in which he could gain personal interest just like with that happened with APT Global.

At the end of this issue, Secretary Abaya has all the say being the secretary of the DOTC. And one wrong move can change the future of the commuters. So is this yet another case of personal interest? Or is DOTC just being careful with the proposals Sumimoto is sending?

Cheers~!

- Justin -

MRT Buyout: Why?

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Vawter) — Wed, 26 Nov 2014 03:17:00 -0800

Executive Order 126. This is what Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya believes to be their ace as they push through the government's takeover of the Metro Rail Transit.

Issued by President Benigno Aquino III in February 2013 the Executive Order (EO) 126 or the "Repealing Executive Order No. 855 (S.2010) and Authorizing the Implementation of the Equity Value Buyout of the Metro Rail Transit Corporation and Prescribing Guidelines Therefor" states that the Metro Rail Transit Corporation (MRTC) issued Equity Value Buyout (EVBO) Notices to DOTC in pursuant of the Build-Lease-Transfer Agreement (BLT Agreement) wherein the government will be required to purchase MRTC’s right, title and interest in MRT Line 3.

The government has actually allotted Php 56 Billion for the EVBO following Executive Order 126. However private shareholders of the MRTC insisted that the value falls short from its total Equity Value (EV), and pointed out that the Php 56 billion the government has allotted only accounts for the bonds controlled by the two state-run banks: the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) and the Land Bank of the Philippines (LandBank).

Thus, the government can only complete the buyout if and only if they are able to settle the bonds which costs at around Php 53 Billion. As mentioned by Senator Sergio Osmeña III at the Senate hearing on the proposed 2015 budget of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) on Thursday, November 20, if they really want for the buyout to push through, the government needs to settle at least Php 100 Billion and not the Php 56 Billion which they have alloted.

In the first place, why is the government such eager to take full control of the MRT Line 3 when they have not even consulted with Metro Rail Transit Holdings formally to talk about the buyout.

And since the government could not afford the buyout, they are interested and looking at the option of using taxpayers' money to complete the buyout which I find really unfair. Why would you use our money to gain full control of the operations and maintenance of the train when you could have just proceed to the bidding of it to the private sector.

But if you look at the bright side, if indeed the buyout becomes successful and hopefully, there will be no issue regarding the operations and maintenance, then we could be looking at a better service with lower ticket price. This, however seems to be too good to be true.

Up to the this moment, there's a lot of questions and concerns that DOTC and the government needs to address. As for now, we can do nothing but just wonder. Why?

Cheers~!

- Justin -

MRT BUYOUT: Yes or No?

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Buenagua) — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 19:12:00 -0700

In a recent turn of events, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) announced that they are expecting to purchase the privately-owned equity shares of the Metro Rail Transit Corporation (MRTC) via the Equity Value BuyOut (EVBO) in the first week of January 2015.

This initiation was expressed by DOTC Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya wherein the government aims to get in full control of the operations and management of the MRT 3.

The long-term plan of the government for the MRT-3 is to implement the equity value buy-out (EVBO) of the system’s private-sector owner Metro Rail Transit Corp. (MRTC) as provided for in the Build-Lease-Transfer (BLT) Concession Agreement. Under Executive Order No. 167 s. 2013, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) and the Department of Finance (DOF) are tasked to implement the EVBO to finally end the negotiation between the DOTC and the MRTC.

However, if we look into the issue deeper, this MRT buyout plan of the government can be a really big problem. Secretary Jun Abaya expressed that the government is buying everything out, from the bonds to the remaining equity interest in private hands. The government allotted P54 billion ($1.25 billion) for the buyout. This amount was included in the P2.26-trillion ($50.45-billion) national budget for 2015. And if ever the budget for 2015 will be passed, the takeover can be in effect as early as the first week of January that same year.

But, isn’t P54 billion a huge amount considering that it will be taken from the 2015 national budget? When you come to think of it, as Quezon City Congressman at House Committee on Metro Manila Development Chairman Winston Castelo mentioned, why not take the P54 billion and use it for other projects instead? Projects that could actually solve the traffic jam problem within the metro. Plus, a huge factor is that the government does not even have a proper plan laid out as to what they are going to do after the buyout.

Another case we can look at is that perhaps DOTC is just buying P27 billion worth of bonds that they already own but pretends to buy MRTC so that they can use the P54 billion allocated amount for the project for their own greed.

This issue is still ongoing and we are yet to get answers from DOTC and MRTC. But I am firm on my stance, the MRT buyout should not happen as it might lead to another endless case of corruption.

What do you think?

Why MRT3 Should Be Shut Down

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Vawter) — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 20:49:00 -0700

We all know what has been going on with MRT 3 for the last few months. All these emergency brakes, open doors, crashing and etc. As an avid user of the metro rail train, these incidents that has been happening is clearly a threat to all passengers. Would you feel safe riding the train knowing that any moment it could crash again? Yes, it is true that the MRT is the fastest mode of transportation in Metro Manila especially with all that heavy traffic jam that seems to be endless. There seems to be no hope or whatsoever to fix this problem. So if you are working from north to south, then most likely you are a passenger of the MRT.

But like what I mentioned, nowadays, riding the MRT is a tough decision. Safety is not a guarantee which leads me to this discussion: is it time to shut down the MRT3??

I actually have four reasons why I think MRT 3 should be shut down temporarily:

1. There is no enough train coaches -- the government told us that they will be buying more train coaches to accommodate more passengers but we're still not receiving any. The ratio between the passengers and the coaches is getting wider and wider. If you look at the numbers, the amount of passengers keep on getting higher while the number of coaches is stagnant.

2. The maintenance is a failure -- The government has extended Autre Porte Technique Global Inc’s (APT Global) maintenance contract and this is another thing to question. I still haven't figured out why the maintenance has went good to worse over the course of the years. It just sucks.

3. The contract behind it -- MRT3 is in a build-lease-transfer contract with Metro Rail Transit Corp (MRTC), which is majority owned by privately-held MRT II Holdings. This being said, the controversy behind this contract seems to have no end. There's no clarity.

4. Poor operation -- let's admit it. MRT 3 is not the most convenient thing to ride as a form of transportation. Horrible experience awaits you.

“Let us just wait for the statement of Secretary (Joseph Emilio) Abaya on what step the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) should take to achieve the objective of repairing the MRT,” these were the words of Press Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. when asked whether the Palace is open or opposed to the suggestion of shutting down the MRT 3.

If this will actually happen, there will be wide effect of the shut down. Yes, the traffic jam will worsen since the passengers will be forced to ride other forms of transportation such as buses. But to think of it, it might be time for MRT 3 to upgrade their services and lets just let them take their time fixing the train otherwise, we are just looking ahead for another disaster.

What do you think? It is it really time for MRT to be shut down?

Cheers~!

- Justin -

Hebe Tien’s bare face attracts advertisers

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Vawter) — Fri, 7 Feb 2014 22:47:00 -0800

The S.H.E member recently posted photos of herself without makeup.

Taiwanese singer Hebe Tien recently returned to her hometown in Hsinchu, Taiwan, to visit her parents during Chinese New Year.

Undeterred by her celebrity status, Hebe made use of a special promotion at a café to grab a free cup of coffee with her mum. The mother and daughter took turns to pose for photos, while the S.H.E member uploaded a self-portrait on Facebook.

A picture showing off Hebe’s flawless complexion gained over 10,000 likes within a few hours. Besides fans who heaped praise on the singer’s bare face, advertisers were also reportedly impressed by her natural good looks. Some were even said to have contacted Hebe for commercial deals.

Happy to spend time at home, Hebe said that she gets rid of all negative emotions whenever she meets her parents. “Even if it’s only for a short while, being together with my family feels very heartwarming,” she added.

Source: Xin MSN

- Justin -

Stefanie Sun's New Album: 克卜勒 Kepler + World Tour

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Vawter) — Sun, 2 Feb 2014 06:09:00 -0800

After more than 2 years of break, Stefanie Sun is back again with a new album + concert tour. Entitled "克卜勒" (Kepler), the album and tour is Stefanie's tribute to her fans who have stayed with her over the years. It was named after the brightest Kepler's Supernova that appeared in the Milky Way in 1604.

Although there are no official music video yet for the album, the lyric video for her title plug was released last January 16. And I must say that it's an interesting ballad.

For the world tour, the kick off will be this coming Valentine's Day, February 14 and 15 over at Taipei Arena followed in Shanghai on 19. The show is already considered a success after being sold out for the first hour. There's no official list of concert dates and venues but it will be held in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and possibly ten other cities in mainland China.

Stay tuned for more updates! :)

- Justin -

Selina Jen Releases "青春是" (The Blossom of Youth) MV

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Vawter) — Sat, 1 Feb 2014 08:08:00 -0800

After being busy for quite some time, S.H.E. member, Selina Jen is back with another music video for her newest single, "青春是" (The Blossom of Youth).

The song is the official sound track of "Twa Tiu Tiann 大稻埕" which is a romance-fantasy movie featuring Chris Wang as Jack, a college student who accidentally time traveled to 1920's where he met Rose played by Jian Man-Shu. I am really curious about the movie especially that their names seems to be inspired by the characters from Titanic.

The music video for the song feature clips from the movie. I really love the song because of its simplicity and you can feel the sincerity of her voice.

Looking forward to her new album!!

- Justin -

Show Luo accidentally exposes himself and everyone laughs

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Vawter) — Fri, 31 Jan 2014 06:45:00 -0800

Taiwan Artiste, Show Luo known as acting, singing and dancing king, he is willing to sacrifice to act ugly and funny. When Show is filming the variety show "娛樂百分百 100% Entertainment" together with Alien Huang, 蝴蝶 Hu Die, 威廉 William and 敖犬 Owodog, they are required to wear a fat outfit while dancing. During dancing, Owodog accidentally falls down and Show offers a helping hand. However Owodog fails to hold it firmly, thus pulls down Show's Pants and accidentally exposed himself. This causes everyone having a great laughter.

Source: on.cc
Translated by: Asian E-News Portal

- Justin -

Kenji Wu and Laurinda Ho flirt in public

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Vawter) — Fri, 31 Jan 2014 06:11:00 -0800

The couple was recently spotted on a date in Taipei

After their relationship came to light last year, Taiwanese singer Kenji Wu and his girlfriend Laurinda Ho, daughter of Macau casino tycoon Stanley Ho, have been spotted together on several occasions. Last Sunday, the couple was seen shopping for a cake in Taipei.

A male friend sent the couple to a bakery, where Kenji gentlemanly opened the car door for his girlfriend. In the shop, the lovebirds openly flirted with each other, whispered into each other’s ears and got touchy-feely while choosing the cakes.

After shopping, the company of three drove to Kenji’s house to store the cakes before heading out again for a movie.

Meanwhile, Kenji’s manager refuted the claims that Laurinda spent the night at the singer’s place, stating that the heiress had stayed at another friend’s apartment.

Source: Xin MSN

- Justin -

Final Cut Pro X Level Two Apple Certification Exam

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Vawter) — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 18:35:00 -0800

Documenting your mastery of Final Cut Pro X is exactly what successfully passing the Level Two Apple Certification exam (9L0-810 – Level Two) achieves. Besting this professional test ensures you possess extensive knowledge and skill in working with even the most detailed and complex of the program’s features. The 9L0-810 exam is therefore intended for candidates with some years of experience working in their field and who also have at least a year or two of intensive use of Apple’s Final Cut Pro X software in editing, producing, directing, or similar projects.

There are prerequisite requirements for taking the 9L0-810 exam, including holding a prior Apple Pro Level One certification in the Final Cut Pro X software. The Level One certification is earned after successful completion of the 9L0-810 – Level One exam, which can only be taken after finishing an Apple training course in preparation for the test. Therefore, prerequisites for the Level Two exam include a Level One training course, and successful completion of the Level One 9L0-810, as well as the Level Two 9L0-810 exam.

To prepare for either of these tests, you’ll want to consider several paths. One is to gain as much hands on experience utilizing the Final Cut Pro X platform as possible, including the use of more advanced features and tools. Another path to consider is the use of Apple training materials offered through the company’s training website and through local training centers. Additionally, you may wish to use other sources, like ExamTrace (visit it here), to boost your exam performance and to gauge you’re testing readiness by using practice exams and tutorials that are available on-demand on the provider’s website.

This is a sponsored post.

- Justin -

Kimberley Chen's New Album: Kimbonomics 金式代

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Vawter) — Sat, 11 Jan 2014 00:34:00 -0800

After her debut two years ago, Kimberley Chen instantly rose to fame with having more than 1,000,000+ followers on Facebook and various social networking sites. Her online presence made her one of the most promising singers of the new generation.

I am a fan of hers because she has this sweet, innocent look yet has a very strong, powerful voice. And now, she is back with her second album "Kimbonomics 金式代".

The album is packed with 10 tracks, ranging from slow mellow ballad to pop.

Favorite tracks would include "Good Girl", with its catchy pop tune and "分手說愛你" (Break Up Club) for its powerful display of her voice. Also, a must hear song would have to be "I Loved U Before It Was Cool" which is a full English R&B song that has that good feel.

Overall, this album is so good! It showed a different side of Kimberley as it contained more pop songs versus her debut album.

Track list:

01. 分手說愛你
02. 世界毀滅
03. 你在身邊
04. Good Girl趕快愛
05. Over The Moon
06. 寂寞咆哮
07. 有愛直說
08. Run
09. I Loved U Before It Was Cool
10. 我會再想你

- Justin -

Hebe Tian 田馥甄 -- 愛著愛著就永遠 Forever Love Lyrics [English Translation]

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Vawter) — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 23:24:00 -0800

Here's the English translation of the lyrics of 愛著愛著就永遠 Forever Love by Hebe Tian!

Please credit the translator and this blog when transferring.
Translated by @justinbuenagua at http://taiwanpop.net

剛剛才告別了冬季
Gang gang cai gao bie le dong ji
Had just said goodbye to winter

淚還在眼角結著冰
Lei hai zai yan jiao jie zhe bing
Tears were still frozen in my eyes

和你相遇
He ni xiang yu
And you were met

傷痕有相同的氣息
Shang hen you xiang tong de qi xi
OUr scars have the same flavor

在適合相愛的天氣
Zai shi he xiang ai de tian qi
Love in a suitable weather

為你猶豫
Wei ni you yu
For you, [I] hesitated

我們在寂寞中靠近擁抱中痊癒
Wo men zai ji mo zhong kao jin yong bao zhong quan yu
We [became] close in the loneliness, embraced recovery

卻不敢輕易說愛情
Que bu gan qin yi shuo ai qing
But will not dare to say love

有些人愛著愛著就變了
You xie ren ai zhe ai zhe jiu bian le
Some people love and love [and then they] change

而誓言愛著愛著會忘記
Er shi yan ai zhe ai zhe hui wang ji
And vowed to love and love [and then] forget

我們在微光中前進曖昧中小心
Wo men zai we guang zhong qian jin ai me zhong xiao xin
We move forward in the dim light, Carefully ambiguous

摸索著幸福的道理
Mo suo zhe xing fu de dao li
Groping for happiness and truth

怕只怕愛著愛著又放棄
Pa zhi pa ai zhe ai zhe you fang qi
Afraid that we'll love and love and [then] give up

有沒有愛著愛著就永遠的幸運
You mei you ai zhe ai zhe jiu yong yuan de xing yun
[For] There will be no luck in love and love forever

說不定永遠很容易
Shuo bu ding yong yuan hen rong yi
Maybe forever is very easy

困難的只是誰願意
Kun nan de zhi shi shui yuan yi
But it's difficult to find who is willing

全心全意
Quan xin quan yi
[To give their] heart and soul/ whole-heartedly*
("全心全意" may refer to both heart and soul and whole-heartedly)

我們在寂寞中靠近擁抱中痊癒
Wo men zai ji mo zhong kao jin yong bao zhong quan yu
We [became] close in the loneliness, embraced recovery

卻不敢輕易說愛情
Que bu gan qin yi shuo ai qing
But will not dare to say love

有些人愛著愛著就變了
You xie ren ai zhe ai zhe jiu bian le
Some people love and love [and then they] change

而誓言愛著愛著會忘記
Er shi yan ai zhe ai zhe hui wang ji
And vowed to love and love [and then] forget

我們在微光中前進曖昧中小心
Wo men zai we guang zhong qian jin ai me zhong xiao xin
We move forward in the dim light, Carefully ambiguous

摸索著幸福的道理
Mo suo zhe xing fu de dao li
Groping for happiness and truth

怕只怕愛著愛著又放棄
Pa zhi pa ai zhe ai zhe you fang qi
Afraid that we'll love and love and [then] give up

有沒有愛著愛著就永遠的幸運
You mei you ai zhe ai zhe jiu yong yuan de xing yun
[For] There will be no luck in love and love forever

行不行
Xing bu xing
Okay

Please credit the translator and this blog when transferring.
Translated by @justinbuenagua at http://taiwanpop.net

- Justin -

Kimberley Chen Comes Back with "Good Girl" + Acoustic Version

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Vawter) — Mon, 16 Dec 2013 18:51:00 -0800

Our girl is back this year! With a new album set to be released this December 19, Kimberley finally released her first plug "Good Girl" via HitFM.

The song is a mix of dance pop and rap that showed her growth after releasing ballads from her debut album. While I do love the song, I prefer the acoustic version which she released on her YouTube channel 2 days ago because it highlighted her powerful vocals.

Although there are no official releases yet about her new album, don't worry! We'll keep you updated! As for now, check out Kimberley's audio for "Good Girl" :)

Acoustic Version
Cheers~! - Justin -

飛兒樂團 F.I.R. Releases "Better Life" MV + Lyrics

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Vawter) — Tue, 10 Dec 2013 18:43:00 -0800

I am a huge fan of F.I.R. and when they released the official teaser and audio for their titular plug "Better Life", I was very excited!

I love the song really much because it is so inspiring and the melody just captivates me. But the best thing about this is the mv itself. It features the life of various people and at how they look at life. After all, we should say goodbye to find a better future ahead of us.

Lyrics

Translated by @justinbuenagua
Please credit the translator when transferring everywhere
http://taiwanpop.net

如果要相信那就要相信到底
Ru guo yao xiang xin na jiu yao xiang xin dao do
To believe that is to believe in the end

未來的命運就掌握在我們手心
Wei lai de ming yun jiu zhang wo zai wo men shou xin
The future destiny is in our hands

更好的那一天讓我們一起追尋
Geng hao di na yi tian rang wo men yi qi zhui xin
[A] Better day, let us work together to pursue [it]

No need to say goodbye
Never to say goodbye
愛會永遠永遠存在
Ai hui yong yuan yong yuang cun zai
Love will exist forever
No need to say goodbye
We have the better life
Better life

請不要忘記忘記我們的約定
Qing bu yao wang ji wang ji wo men de yue ding
Please do not forget to forget our promise

說好不哭泣雨天過了就會放晴
Shuo hao bu ku qi yu tian guo le jie hui fang qing
Said not to cry when it rains, it'd be fine

候鳥冬季遠行只是短暫的分離
Hou niao dong ji yuang xing zhi shi duan zan de fen li
Winter migratory birds travel [and get] separated [for a] short [period] only

人生就像旅行要期待會有奇蹟
Ren sheng jiu xiang lu xing yao qi dai hui you qi ji
Life is like a trip to look forward to, There will be a miracle
就像是海與天終究會靠在一起
Jiu xiang shi hai yu tian zhong jiu hui kao zai yi qi
Forever together

We have to say goodbye
It's time to say goodbye
愛會永遠永遠存在
Ai hui yong yuan yong yuang cun zai
Love will exist forever
It's time to say goodbye
We have the better life
Better life

Translated by @justinbuenagua
Please credit the translator when transferring everywhere
http://taiwanpop.net

- Justin -

[Weibo/IG] Vanness Wu for G-Shock MT-G

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Vawter) — Tue, 10 Dec 2013 08:47:00 -0800

After collaborating with Reebok, 3.V.O.7 and G-Shock, Vanness Wu partners again with the same company for their new set of watches called the "MT-G" series.

In his Instagram and Weibo account, Vanness captioned:

謝謝casio！跟你們合作是我的榮幸~ #CASIO #Godisgood #workhardprayharder
Thank you G-shock! It's an honor and blessing to work with you~ #CASIO #Godisgood #workhardprayharder

The MTGS1000D (as shown in the background) is currently priced at $100.

- Justin -

Wu Chun’s wife suffered miscarriage last year

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Vawter) — Tue, 10 Dec 2013 08:32:00 -0800

The singer-actor revealed that his two-month-old son is actually his third child

While speaking to the Taiwanese media at a recent event, Wu Chun disclosed that his wife Lin Li Yin suffered a miscarriage last year. “I wasn’t at home when she felt pain in her womb at that time. We lost the baby,” he said with remorse.

However, Li Yin successfully conceived their third child, “little Chun”, after a few months of recuperation. The baby boy was reportedly born on October 11 this year.

Having gone through the loss of the unborn baby, Wu Chun now treasures his family even more than before. The actor would call or video conference with his three-year-old daughter, Nei Nei, whenever he has a break during filming.

Although Wu Chun is often separated from his loved ones due to work, Li Yin has been supporting her husband by managing the gym business in Brunei and taking care of the kids, something the actor is thankful for. “She is the best,” he asserted.

In response to criticisms about his lack of honesty regarding his status, the 34-year-old emphasised that he decided to announce his marriage in order to “let his wife live comfortably”. “This is my personal affair and I did not harm anyone,” he reiterated.

Wu Chun also said that he is not worried about jeopardising his showbiz career because of his marital status.

Source: Xin MSN

- Justin -

F.I.R. 飛兒樂團 's New Album: Better Life

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Vawter) — Thu, 5 Dec 2013 05:58:00 -0800

Celebrating their 10th year in the music industry, F.I.R. releases their newest album, "Better Life".

From a super fantasy pop rock genre, F.I.R. goes down a little to a more dramatic anthem with their titular plug. And as the chorus says, "No need to say goodbye/ Never to say goodbye/ 愛會永遠永遠存在 (love will exist forever)/ No need to say goodbye/ We have the better life/ Better life".

"Life is like a process of constant washing, only to begin with in the past say goodbye, in order to have a new future." -- Ah Qin

On a personal note, F.I.R. has been one of my fave bands since they are unique and have a different flavor. And as a fan, this album just brings me such joy and tears. It's their tribute to their fans.

The album is expected to be released next week and will come with 10 tracks.

Track list:

01. 七號公路 Route 7
02. Light up the way
03. 天使都哭了 Crying angel
04. 是你 It's you
05. 大航海鬥士 The ocean fighter
06. I remember
07. 花瘋 Crazy flora
08. 千軍破 Clash of kingdoms
09. 孩子的天空 The children of the sky
10. Better life

- Justin -

[Download] Aaron Yan App for iPhone and Android

noreply@blogger.com (Justin Vawter) — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 21:59:00 -0800

If you are a fan of Aaron Yan, then check this out!! A fan app was made dedicated to Aaron and is now available for download for both iPhone and Android users.

Features:

you can only use the app by logging in using either your sina weibo or yinyuetai account (but I bet hardly any pudding here as a yinyuetai account?)

the gallery features an album full of arron eye candies! (saves a LOT of phone memory!)

still on the gallery, on the top right hand corner, you would see like a toggle switch. tap the right side and you’d be directed to the eye candy videos~ (wifi or data connection required, but I prefer to use wifi so we won’t rack up our phone bills hehehe)

the trace option on the main menu is a calendar which features Arron’s schedule this month (the latest is 12.01, details are all in Chinese though)

the fan board features the app’s social site where you can upload photos. It’s like instagram, minus the filters (or I just haven’t found it?)

you can also use the app as an alarm. I tried it and the alarm tone is Unstoppable Sun’s chorus. You can set the alarm to repeat in specific days (days of the week are all in chinese still)

latest news can also be found on the news section… (not so latest though… O.o)

-via 100frh

To download, just go to http://www.yinyuetai.com/apps/fanapp/yyl.

Enjoy! :)

- Justin -