Hualien snack box maker delighted after ‘scam’ buyer turns out to be Mayday

Hualien snack box maker delighted after ‘scam’ buyer turns out to be Mayday

2024-08-30

A snack box maker in Hualien was left perplexed after a mysterious customer placed a large order under the suspicious name “B’in Music.” At first, the shopkeeper had thought scammers were trying to take advantage of him. But all his fears were dispelled after finding out that B’in Music was actually a record label, founded by none other than pop-rock band Mayday. Apparently, the label is hoping to buy its Mid-Autumn Festival gifts in Hualien to help locals recover from the April 3 earthquake. These gifts will be given to people in rural areas. Let’s hear from the snack box maker.

Liu Jui-chi
Hualien snack box maker
They said they were “B’in Music” but I wasn’t “bein’” convinced. We thought, how can it be that they placed such a large order? We told them to pay for half of the money upfront and they immediately transferred the money. We looked into it and found out that B’in Music was actually Mayday. We were so touched and excited.

Liu Yi-lin
Hualien hotelier
The evening that Mayday announced they’d be coming to Hualien, we started getting inquiries over the phone. Even now occupancy is on the rise.

Mayday will be holding a free concert in Hualien in early November, to help revitalize the local economy. Local hoteliers say the effect is already noticeable, with the phone ringing off the hook for bookings. Slowly but surely, locals are seeing some hope after a tough few months.

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花蓮伴手禮業者收大單以為詐騙! 竟是五月天要"做公益"

2024-08-30

0403地震重創花蓮觀光業，但最近花蓮的伴手禮業者接到大筆訂單，下訂的對象說是相信音樂，一度讓業者相信是詐騙！結果後來確認是五月天所屬的音樂公司，業者非常感動。相信音樂說，這次中秋送禮要從花蓮選購，要送到偏鄉做公益。

[[花蓮伴手禮業者劉瑞祺]]
“他說他們是’’相信音樂’’，那我們其實不太相信，因為我們覺得怎麼可能，有那麼大的訂單，而且我們說要繳一半訂金，就馬上匯款進來，然後我們也稍微查證一下，真的是’’相信音樂’’，就是五月天，那這件事情其實我們，很感動也很激動”

[[花蓮飯店經理劉宜霖]]
“五月天公布要來的那個晚上開始，陸續就開始接到，許多詢問的電話，包含連現在住宿率，也慢慢有所提升”

五月天日前在演唱會上宣布，11月初，要到花蓮免費開唱，為振興花蓮觀光注入一道強心針，不只伴手禮名品店，就連飯店業跟著受惠，瞬間湧入搶訂潮，也讓在地人重燃希望。

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Government appoints first female Judicial Yuan president

Taiwan may soon to see its first female Judicial Yuan president. At a press conference on Friday, Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim announced seven nominations for Constitutional Court judges, including Chang Wen-chen, a distinguished professor at National Taiwan University’s College of Law. Chang is simultaneously also the first woman to be nominated to be Judicial Yuan president. The vice presidential nominee is former Legislator Yao Li-ming. If the opposition-dominated Legislature approves these nominations, the proportion of women among Constitutional Court justices will hit a record high.

Hsiao Bi-khim
Vice president
We nominate Ms. Chang Wen-chen as a grand justice and Judicial Yuan president, and Mr. Yao Li-ming as a grand justice and vice president.

Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim is the convener of a committee charged with head hunting Constitutional Court justices for the Judicial Yuan. She personally announced the new list of nominees, seven in all.

Hsiao Bi-khim
Vice president
Ms. Chang Wen-chen is the first female nominated to be a Judicial Yuan president. Mr. Yao Li-ming has rich experience in participating in constitutional reform and clearly understands the overall context of the development of Taiwan’s democracy. We look forward to this new generation of justices that transcend the political aisle and will lead the promotion of judicial reform, with progressive values and concepts that are compatible with our people’s sense of fairness.

Seven of the 15 serving judges on the Constitutional Court will see their terms expire on Oct. 31. Under President Lai Ching-te, a new list of nominees was announced in accordance with additional provisions of the Constitution. Among them, the nominee for Judicial Yuan president is Chang Wen-chen, a distinguished professor at National Taiwan University’s College of Law. She had been involved in interpreting the Constitution when same-sex marriage was being legalized and adultery was decriminalized. The nominee for vice president is Yao Li-ming, a former legislator and current chairman of a foundation dedicated to monitoring the Legislature. If the appointments are approved by the Legislature, close to half of all the Constitutional Court justices will be women, the highest number in Taiwan’s history.

Chang Wen-chen
Judicial Yuan president nominee
The first time President Lai asked me to serve as Judicial Yuan president was the first time we met. He told me he had been observing me for a long time, and I would like to give him my wholehearted thanks for his faith in me. If I gain the trust and approval of the Legislative Yuan, as Judicial Yuan president, my most important task will be to build social trust in our courts and defend human rights and the rule of law in our democratic Constitution.

The nominations represent a push towards gender equality. Hsiao said she hoped that the nominations could win the Legislature’s approval, so that the functions of the Constitutional Court could continue to flourish and the progress of the constitutional system could be promoted.

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Lai Confers awards on non-commissioned officers

President Lai Ching-te on Friday morning made a special visit to the defense ministry to hand out awards to model non-commissioned officers and squads in celebration of Armed Forces Day. In his speech, he vowed to defend Taiwan’s sovereignty and freedom and democracy. However, he also said Taiwan should become the world’s “helmsman” for global peace. He noted that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are indispensable to global prosperity.

Lai Ching-te
President
Each member of our national military, and each unit, is an indispensable force in defending national sovereignty. I wish you all a happy Armed Forces Day.

In his capacity as commander-in-chief, President Lai Ching-te was accompanied by defense minister Wellington Koo, as he conferred awards on model soldiers.

Lai Ching-te
President
Admiral Chiang’s son has been exposed to the military since he was a child. He is about to become a freshman at the Air Force Academy. The baton has been handed from one generation to another for the nation. Private First Class Chung’s mother has no way of being here as she is undergoing chemotherapy, but I hope mother Chung knows that to be recognized as a role model in the nation’s military, he must have performed extremely well.

President Lai listed the non-commissioned officers who received awards one by one for their efforts in protecting the nation, and he did not forget to mention their spouses and children. In his address, he mentioned his defense and diplomatic policies, as he insisted on defending national sovereignty. He also stressed Taiwan’s determination to use its utmost strength to protect peace in the Taiwan Strait.

Lai Ching-te
President
Peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are an indispensable element in global security and prosperity. Taiwan must be the helmsman of peace. We will uphold the four pillars, jointly protect our cherished democracy and freedom, insist on defending national sovereignty to protect Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu, and let the Taiwan Strait develop peacefully.

Lai invites all Taiwanese to support the nation’s military and the government has taken the lead in increasing the nation’s defense budget because a “true peace” cannot be reached without strength.

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Asian American voters culturally, politically diverse

Since 2020, Asian Americans have been the fastest-growing group of eligible voters in the U.S., according to Pew Research Center. In 2022, California had the most eligible Asian American voters in the U.S., followed by New York and Texas. From Houston, Texas, VOA’s Elizabeth Lee has more on the potential and challenges of the Asian American vote.

For flavors from Asia, Houston, Texas is a one-stop-shop. The foods found here reflect the melting pot of Asian cultures living in the counties that make up the Greater Houston region. One of them is suburban Fort Bend County, where Asians make up more than 21% of the population. It’s also where Chinese American immigrant JJ Clemence lives.

JJ Clemence
Chinese American
I think for either party, they really cannot, cannot afford to ignore the Asian community.

Asian Americans are among the fastest-growing ethnic groups in the U.S., according to Census data. Voter turnout among this group has also seen record increases in the past two presidential elections. The Democratic nominee for president, Kamala Harris, has taken notice and recently released two ads targeting Asians. More Asian Americans call themselves Democrat than Republican. One reason: More than half of Asian American voters are immigrants.

Becky Kim
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I think Trump’s policies hurt minorities a lot.

Richard Murray
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A lot of his policies not only took aim at illegal immigrants from Mexico or South America, but also restricted legal immigration.

Still, a 2024 survey of Asian American voters found that 22% identify as Republicans.

Daniel Wong
Chinese American
Less government is what Asians want. You know, more freedom and less tax.

The survey also found 31% of Asian American voters identify as independents. But 42% of Asian American voters surveyed say they have not been contacted by political candidates or a political party. Daniel Wong, who had served in local elected office, says Asian American voters are partly responsible.

Daniel Wong
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We are not organized; we don’t understand the American political system. That’s why we don’t know how we’re going to energize to put our energy together to shoot for whatever common goal, which we don’t have.

The projected 15 million Asian Americans eligible to vote have roots in different countries. During the last presidential election, close to 60% of Asian Americans voted. Political activists say forming relationships with new Asian-American citizens and educating them about the political process will mobilize them to get involved.

Elizabeth Lee, VOA News, Houston

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Xiao Xiang-wen bags Taiwan’s first medal at Paris Paralympics

Taiwan has won its first medal at the Paris Paralympics, and its first medal ever in taekwondo at the event. The medal winner is taekwondo practitioner Xiao Xiang-wen, who competed in the men’s K44 58-kilogram division. Xiao says his next goal is to win gold at the Los Angeles Paralympics in 2028.

Xiao Xiang-wen and his coach Wu Yen-ni trot around the ring hoisting Taiwan’s Paralympic flag. Xiao’s bronze medal is Taiwan’s first at the Paris Paralympics. It is also Taiwan’s first ever medal in taekwondo at this competition. In the semifinal, Xiao had been up against Israel’s Asaf Yasur, the top seeded fighter. He lost the match 16-6, leaving him in the match for bronze against Spanish rising star Joel Martín Villalobos.

Xiao put on an outstanding offense, winning the match 16-8 and bagging bronze. Though he hadn’t achieved his goal of winning gold, he says the bronze was not a bad result. As a university student, Xiao had been intending to join Taiwan’s national taekwondo team. But before the qualifiers, he was injured in a car accident that damaged a network of nerves in his right arm. Now 25, he has made it to the Paralympic team, and won a bronze to boot. He had his coach to thank.

Xiao Xiang-wen
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Coach, I love you. Thank you for being with me on this hard journey. It has been exhausting to try to earn points to get on this stage and we had to constantly go abroad for competitions. That left her with very little time to spend with her family.

Wu said she was very aware of the tremendous effort Xiao had made to win the bronze medal.

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It is already extremely hard for able-bodied people to achieve this. And especially for him, having emerged from a low point in life. The injury in his right arm made things more difficult, as it impacted his ability to write and type. So studying and handing in homework became more difficult, but he overcame all the obstacles in his way.

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A 7.2 earthquake struck Hualien on April 3, shaking the ground in many areas of Taiwan. Its intensity reached a 4 in greater Taipei, which is in theory high enough for the government to send an early quake alert. But no warnings were sent out, giving rise to much controversy. Now, the system’s standards are getting an update.

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Under current rules, early warning messages are only sent out when an earthquake’s magnitude is 5 or more and its predicted intensity in the area is at least a 4. Starting Sept. 1, warnings will also be dispatched when the predicted intensity is 3 or more, provided the quake’s magnitude is at least 6.5. In related news, the Central Weather Administration says temperatures this autumn will be average or slightly warmer than usual. Precipitation is expected to be either within normal levels or more abundant.

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Usually, some low pressure systems form, and low pressure bands remain in the vicinity. When that happens, there is a possibility of rains all over Taiwan. After October, we’ll see some changes to low-pressure currents to the south of Taiwan, and northeasterly winds will start prevailing near Taiwan.

The meteorologist said that starting October, rains will mainly be concentrated in Northern Taiwan. He urged residents in Central and Southern Taiwan to conserve water, as the area could experience droughts.

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2024-08-30