One Day Tour by City Cat

This is City Cat. Actually, many people confuse about Cat. Why use Cat? An animal? In fact, Cat is an abbreviation of "Catamaran". It means a fast sailing boat with two hulls. It is really convenient transportation in Brisbane. Please take this if you come to Brisbane.^^

Big Storm in Brisbane

I think everybody cannot see the video well, sorry about that...ha...^^!!!But you can hear the sound is loud and severe, right?^^

However, I did not want to mention about the storm, because it is similar to Typhoon which attack many Asian countries in Summer. I have been staying in Brisbane since finishing the final examinations on 8th November....... Borning.......

Final Examination

Finally, I finish one semester desperately, because it is really a distinct feeling with Taiwanese edcational system. In the semester, I almost gave up. However, I have overcome these cumstances. I believe next semester will be harder and harder.

This is a real special experince, but it is also a very hard studying experince. There are several differences between Australia and Taiwan on education. First of all, in Australia, they separate one class into lecture and tutorial. This semester I chose IMC and Marketing Management to my subjects. Both of them made a same situation that my adept ability is making a report and doing assignments. However the final examinations were both worried, because I need to write something as the same as the national exam in Taiwan. I am really not good on this.

I think my personality is a little bit sensitive and tense, so I worried about my final examination. Although many people tell me please don't worry about that, I am still worried. However, Joanne, my girl, really relieved my anxiety peacefully. Therefore, I can confront the result without fear, actually just nervous.

Anyway, I hope I can pass this semester, and enter next semester. Furthermore, I take a summer course in the summer vacation. I wish I can focus on this subject and bring the assignments to Taiwan. Joanne~ I miss you. This time I need to study by myself.......

~September 27th 2008 - My Birthday ~

Although my birthday had passed for a long time, I want to finish this article.

~2008~ Time goes by so so so so so quick~ However, I think also because of that, I can meet her in Australia. Time is like a double-edged sword, but I have confidence to deal with it. This year, my birthday I will never forget it, because it has specific meaning for me.

Joanne, she makes many Korean meals for me, it makes me so happy. It's my first time has this feeling. By the way, Joanne, my gorgeous girlfriend, by the time, she makes these delicious foods. I really love it and also move my heart.

Especially, the Korean dry noodle that is my favorite. Ah, as well as the Korean Pancake.^_^. Today, I enjoy it. Thank you for giving me the clothes, delicious food and making this party. You are the best for me.^^

Today, I make a wish, I keep these on my mind. I hope it will be come true. ^^ I think you know what I make^^~ha~^^

First Semester

During this around 2 more months, finally I understand why people said it's like a life in a hell. No matter the assignment is important or not, 1,500~2,000 words are the essential volume. Therefore, almost I had a bad idea that was buying a flight ticket from Brisbane to Taipei.==; This idea just appeared for 1 minute, because I think I should overcome this circumstance, because I have overcomed many exams and finally get this consequence.

Actually, I did not sleep well recently, because it is near the end of semester, many assignments have to submit before the due date. Under the pressure is my life and circumstance now. Yesterday, I handed over my one of the assignments. It's so relax, however, it's just a few minutes break, because next week will have meeting exam and two assignments that need to submit, too. Anyway, I am happy to achieve one, even still have many......

Now~ there is a girl who support me a lot.^^. I am really happy. Thank you~^^ It makes me more confident and relax.

Almost near the end of the semester, therefore I get more and more exams and assignments. I hope I can overcome this semester and welcome next.

A JOKE^_^Killing me!!!!!!

I want to share the joke with you guys, but in Chinese is much funny.

Enjoy this, it is really killing me.^_^

我的同學-連寶爸，傳了篇笨版的文章給我，超好笑
向大家分享一下：

3x7 公車記事 笑話

晚上6：30 台北車站人正多的時候，公車人都塞的滿滿滿，尤其是3x7

我跟朋友兩個人帶著要用來做結力作業的材料上了人擠人的公車，

其中有一根長大約 一米 六的鋁管，

因為人多到不行，我們只好把它直立著放，並一起抓好不讓它倒下。
雖然這裡不是黑特，不過還是想幹譙一下：

3x7的司機，你可不可以車上塞滿了人就不要在飆車了!!

飆車就算了，技術也好一點，不要闖個紅燈還不上不下的!!

故事是在一個紅綠燈發生的，

爛司機為了趕那剩3秒的綠燈，剛剛擠上車的女學生還來不及站穩，車就飆出去了。

好死不死，闖燈失敗，司機就非常豪邁的緊急煞車，

各位想像一下，一輛公車從急衝到急停，會發生什麼事情？

就是全部人都往前面擠!!!

剛剛那個剛上車的女學生，情急之下，順手就抓著我跟朋友握著的那根鋁管....

我還來不及跟她說：

那不是扶手 那不是扶手 那不是扶手 那不是扶手 那不是扶手那不是扶手那不是扶手

結果她，就成為壓死駱駝的最後一根稻草，夾帶著全車站著的人的重量，

我、朋友+她 三個人狠狠的往擋風玻璃撞去....

慌亂之中，我們還把收零錢那個箱子給拆了....

這都不是重點，重點是：

當我好不容易恢復過來，想問問那位女同學有沒有怎麼樣，

她應該是驚嚇過度，又或者是有哪裡受傷了，整個人臉色蒼白，

而且因為跌成一團，整個裙子都往上翻到天上去....

朋友基於禮貌想提醒她一下就跟我說了兩個字"內褲"

我本來要問出口的：同學，妳的臉色好白，有沒有怎麼樣？

不知道為什麼變成：同學，妳的內褲好白，有沒有怎麼樣？

同學，妳的內褲好白，有沒有怎麼樣？

同學，妳的內褲好白，有沒有怎麼樣？

同學，妳的內褲好白，有沒有怎麼樣？

雖然她的內褲真的是純潔的白色，不過我不是這個意思呀 囧RZ

我不是變態呀.....

我真的不是變態呀.....

可能是報應，我的期中考跟那篇文一樣紅紅的爆開來了....

當我脫口而出：同學，你內褲好白，有沒有怎麼樣？

那女同學的回答讓我無限囧

『我...我...沒事，不過我把你的管子弄彎了....很抱歉...

我的內褲沒有怎麼樣，不過我的腳有點扭到，

還有，下次關心別人之前，請先關心其他地方好嗎？』

當下，整車頓時一片死寂，

只有我那沒良心的同學笑的跟白痴一樣....

我只能低著頭，抓著歪曲的鋁管和連根拔起的零錢箱，

忍受著眾人異樣的眼光、和女同學尷尬的氣氛下，一直到下車。

這篇沒有笨點....

直到下車時，司機大喊：

同學，你要把我吃飯的東西帶去哪裡 ........

Master Degree---I get you, finally!!!

I love my classmates, they are so friendly and kind. It is my pleasure to be a good friend with you. Although we will departure apart to different, I believe we will keep in touch for a long time. No.... we will be a good friend in our lifetime.

I got the result of my master examination this week. I want to yell at the whole world that I pass the test. I have been in Austriala for one year all together. Within this one year, I think I never have a enjoyable life. I always put myself under the pressure. Now, I really want to go travelling and make new friends outsite. In fact, I want to know more Aussie friends and I quite like Aussie life, especially Brisbane. I don't know why, but Brisbane's weather is almost the same to Taipei. Pureness, safety, friendly and green are all I feel in here, so I seem to be adapted and become an Aussie.

Few days ago, I wanted to celebrate our graduation, so my sharemates and I went to the Gold Coast. We went on a picnic on the beach. That was really nice atmosphere. We were chatting about out 12-week-EAP course. Happy, sad, depressive and surprised feeling that we got is our treasure. In the future, I believe the master is much more difficult than EAP. However this recall will become a function to relieve our pressure.

It is my first time throw up on the street....Australia street.....>
I do thank my friends take care of me. I should control myself not to drink too much.ha.... Anyway, I think my drinking ability will be getting better.^_^ha......

INNATENESS & EFFORT

Before, I usually thought people's intelligence started at the same time. During my lifetime until now, I just seem to believe one thing that people can be reshaped by working hard or study hard, in order to make their lives better. Hence, people's equal status is decided by their endeavours.

Undoubtedly, some people indeed have their capacities to do everything or something simply and fluently. For instance, when I was high school student, I really hated English. However, some of my classmates could learn and have examinations quite smooth. In comparison, I had struggled in a whole week, even I just could get an only pass score. However, if you endeavour and struggle for your life, we still can get a favourable result.

For me, everybody has their own so-called glass-ceiling. Actually, it is used for women's careers, but I think it is also useful in people's intelligence. Smart person is easy to get lazy, because he/she thinks that he/she is easy to have success. On the other hand, normal people who want to have breathtaking accomplishments will study or work in their adept domains in depth, so they usually will have a good achievement and even overtake those sort of smart guys a lot.

However, some of the careers, they thoroughly need some special people to do. A case in point is that, journalists' feature is that immediate reaction and sensitive olfaction of news. Even though you can study hard at broadcasting college, you do not have these conditions that everything is in vain.

Whether you are intelligent or diligent, your destiny is held in your hand. We should think what do we want? Do not worry about your IQ, humans' lives are not only this. There is a Chinese idiom is that people's abilities always have functions in every occupation. You have to find out by yourself. I believe everybody has this capability to find what you want. Eventually, endeavour still is the only way to exploit the unknown domains where you want to go, so keep going and do not give up. I believe we always can get a terrific redult.

FOOD, WINE, AND BEER

Actually, I wanted to write something yesterday, but I did not, because there was no feeling to say. Today, my sharemates made a party for their Swiss and Aussie friends. Luckily, George, my another sharemate, and I participated in the party. We tasted about Swiss food, and it was really particular flavour.

Before mentioning this part, I want to say I also made a party for my classmates last week. In fact, that was a wine party, because we just finished a crucial assignment, so my classmates wanted to have a drink. Coincidentally my friend and I would go to the West End for ingredients, therefore I was straightforward to ask them have a lunch and bring some glasses of wine to my accommodation. That's really a busy day. Some people went to buy the beer and I was chef in the party.

Eventually, we started eating our delicious meals, however, meanwhile, a crazy guy wanted to have some fun with the wine and beer. That's strange, because we didn't even finish the food. Anyway, we still were ongoing to begin the game with the beer. However, do you know who does the first person get drunk? Yes, the guy who wanted to have a fun with the beer and wine. That's ironic, right!? ha... She..yes she couldn't even walk straight==...

Today, the another party, Swiss meal was special that I have never try, and next Sunday, we will make Taiwanese food for them. I think ours are better, ha. I hope they will enjoy it. Furthermore, I hope my examination will get the good result within the 2 weeks left.

Enchanted

Hello~Everybody~Long time no see, again. In fact, I do have some problems recently, so I don't have enough time to write anything.... Or...a little bit lazy, I think. Anyway, How's going everybody? I wish you all ok!

At first, I want to say I am fine in advance. I just... I do not like examination, you know? That's usually annoyed to me, but sometimes I just have sort of halluciation in my mind such as good scores in the test, proficient English speaking ,and having my pretty girl. All in all, they usually are not true and even contrary. I have to admit that I am not an optimist, unfortunately sometimes sensitive and vulnerable perception occupy my mind. Now and then, I would complain to my friend that I was just like a girl in period, because it was easy to get angry all the time. The most important thing is I still cannot find the method to overcome this circumstance, especially I am getting elderly, that's pity, isn't it?

Today, actually this morning, I saw a movie that is "Enchanted". A comedy usually wouldn't let me think just laugh, but this movie was not only funny but also moving. As a dialogue: "Everybody has problems, everybody has bad times. Do we sacrifice all the good times because of them? No!". Although I don't believe the happiness like forever and ever after, there are still some meaning trustworthy for us. I recommend you guys to see this movie.

Oh... it's late now. I need to do my homework, ha.... fight for my future and go for it.

Bucket List

I haven't written my blog for almost 1 month. Recently I have done my first plan,pass the EAP, however, I would rather not know what I am done than I studied hard. Today, just like before, I finished my homework and started watching the movie, Bucket List today tonight.

In this movie, there is one of my favorite movie stars, Morgan Freeman. He is a classic actor in Hollywood. In addition, he always plays the role of the movie that is lifelike and move you. Return to this movie, many people spend all the time at work in the liftime, however most people don't realize that time goes by rapidly and they almost don't find what they want, what is the most important thing in their life.

Unfortunately, it seems to happen on me right now. Like in the fog, sometimes I just forget what I am doing and just rush to nowhere. Especially finishing some exams, yes yes my target is studying master degree and finding a good job. I think that is the time to write down my bucket list. You know, you are luck, I am luck, because we haven't suffered from any terminal diseases. We don't need to hurry and finish our goals.

Now and then, we just want to stay constant to keep anything familiar. Is that a good idea? It's full of adventure in my life, I love to and I want to. In fact, when I was in junior high school student, I knew I had official characteristic, it means the person who like making his life stable and safe. Until now, I would still like to revise it. Anything you want to do, just do it! And then give your destiny to God. Despite adverse circumstance usually comes, don't be afraid of that. I belive if I surpass that, I will become one of the successful person in the world.

Amazing Love

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTCLw1L_YFc&feature=related
It's my favorite song.^_^

I’m forgiven, because you were forsaken
I’m accepted, you were condemned
I’m alive and well, you’re spirit is within me
Because you died and rose again

I’m forgiven, because you were forsaken
I’m accepted, you were condemned
I’m alive and well, you’re spirit is within me
Because you died and rose again

Amazing love, how can it be
that you my king would die for me
Amazing love, I know it’s true
It’s my joy to honor you
Amazing love, how can it be
that you My king would die for me
Amazing love, I know it’s true
It’s my joy to honor you
In all i do i honor you

I’m forgiven, because you were forsaken
I’m accepted, you were condemned
I’m alive and well, you’re spirit is within me
Because you died and rose again

Relax Before EAP

Today, I want to share my feeling in the past few days. Finally, I passed the fucking examiantion. And now, it is a whole new milestone on my studying. Before this course, I went to a crazy party and Church for releasing myself.

In the Japanese Party, this was my first time to see the Japanese who were so crazy in the party. In fact, I had known that Japanese enjoyed making or going to the party. However, this time, WOW, Cool....ha. Firstly, I wanted to make a party to celebrate our passing the exam, so I invited some of my friends to come to my sharehouse. A Japanese friend, Yusuke, he also would make a party next day. Therefore, I discussed with him and changed my plan that we combined two parties to one day. The location was in his house.

In this party, there were Taiwanese, Japanese, Korean and Thai. It was very appropriate to practice our English. Tasting the Thai food was the most impressed of this party. Bravo!!! I hadtasted Thai food in Taiwan, but I felt sour and spicy. Therefore, I didn't have any good feeling on Thai food. However, my Thai classmates really changed my mind. He is a very good chef and has a part-time job in the restaurant in Australia. That's truly good!!!



In the end of the party, we had had a little bit drunk. And Japanese were getting excited. They started talking about everything, such as girls and some funny things, ha...... as well as became crazy. How crazy it is?! They stripped off all their clothes> <

Every Sunday, I usually go to the Church in the QUT. I suggest many friends to come with me, because I think it's absolutely proper to practice English, on the other hand, there is a good music band and I love to listen to their performance. What a marvellous!!! I will put the Video on my Blog, enjoy it.^_^

Easter In Australia

Parade for Easter !!!!

Easter in Australia, it is a special day to me, because I have never participate before. In fact, My friend and I was going to a Japanese party. When I was on the bus, my friend called me and said, Kevin! hurry up! Today, in the city, there was a big parade. And I said to my friend, took a photo and I was on my way!!!

The police had already blocked many streets for passing of the procession. That was stunning! I have never seen this occasion, so I was just rushing to find my friend and taking a lot of pictures in the motion. I thought this parade had proceeded for around 30 minutes. However, this 30 minutes had let me feel that there was still some fascinated things in Aussie...ha.

During this parade, my friend and I took lots of photos. Furthermore, my friend wanted to have a photo with Aussie girls, but I really didn't have this experince before. However, I truly admired my friend, Bernie. I told him there were two pretty Aussie over there, as well as he just asked me some English sentences and went chatting with those girls. How amazing! Those girls were very kind and took photo with him. HA~~therefore, I took a photo, too.

This is completely a magnificent day! Bernie is an auspicious guy! He just comes to Australia 1 month. However, he has seen something that I never see, I have been here 10 months==!. Moreover, We have a crazy party and marvellous Easter in Church, too. I will write down next time. ^_^

EAP~~~PASS, Next Different English Stage

During 15 weeks, I am in the GE course from Intermediate 1-5 to Upper Intermediate 1-5. In fact, I have lots of arguments in the QUT, in comparison with the Langports, my last language school, or the UQ, I am astonished to the QUT operation system. Neither business nor education is not prominent. Especially it is University.

On the other hand, I should be happy, because I made some appointment with the extraordinary manager and I complained a lot with him. It was not only complaint but also improvement. How come? That's because I have capability to discuss with an English speaker. Maybe I should be proud of that. In addition, I didn't prepare for the IELTS in the QUT, but I got 5.5 on average, particularly Speaking 6.5 and Writing 6.0. I am recovering my confidence on IELTS. Therefore, if I would have failed the EAP entry exam, I would focus on IELTS and get the best scores to apply the UQ.

Sometimes faith gives us another chance to find our exits. In spite of many weaknesses in this environment, we still need to overcome that, because we chose that and we have to be adapted. I have to admit that I complained too much before. Now maturation and flexibility both are what I need to learn. Furthermore, I think I still need to practise English everyday. Next Stage, EAP is another difficult milestone.

Time goes by quickly. How to think, how to do, somstimes it just flicks up and everything will be different. It is a really adventure in my life. However, I indeed have gotten some strengths from Australia. Plan always can not catch up with Change. I hope I can just follow my feeling and get a good futhre in my lifetime.

Another Stage one by one

Finishing again, I have just finished the Intermediate 6-10 course last Friday. In the meantime, my friend who was from Thailand also graduated.

In fact, I cared about the result a little bit in this time, because of the boring General English course. I have been repulsing that for a long time, so this time, I really wanted to change to next stage and I hoped I can learn more and more different English. However, I really loathe caring for any grades in the class. Learning English happily, it's important to me, because it can let me study much better. Unfortunately I stay in that environment, so I have to be adapted. Finally I passed to next stage. I am looking forward to seeing what I can get in the Upper-Intermediate couse.

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Today I have a lunch with PAT. Normally, I will go to the church every Sunday. For this church, I really want to introduce all of my friends to participate in there with me. I am not asking people to be a Christian, but it truly is a good place to practise your English. First time I came to that place, I thought there was a Church, just a church. It was located in the QUT, Kelvin Grove Campus, which I have been studying there, so I was a little bit surprised. In the buliding, it's just like a concert hall not church. As well, a live band was performing. I love their songs and lyrics, because it's gorgeous. After that, I go to there every Sunday for chatting with Australian and music.

.

I apologize for staying from the point...ha...PAT.^^!!! He will fly to Thailand at 11:00PM. He is a good boy and he has a great aptitude. APTITUDE this vocabulary also he taught me. He intends to have a pilot examination this month. I really hope he will have a good result. By the way, don't forget driving us to go abroad.^_^

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Tomorrow, a new start. God bless us.^_^

Chinese New Year Eve in Aussie

Goodness!!! It's the first time I am not staying with my family. I just finished phoning to my parents. It is the holiday beginning in Taiwan now, so I am a littile bit alone in Aussie. Although I can hear from people that there are many celebrations in China Town or Sunny Bank( Little Taipei ), I still prefer living in Taiwan rather in Aussie.


However, my sharemate, Carol, and I have been making a Hot Pot Party in our House. We invited our own classmates and went to buy some ingredients of Hot Pot in supermarket. Unfortunately, it was raining cats and dogs after school. Therefore I called Carol and asked her if we made a party today or not. Unexpectedly, she told me that it wasn't raining in the city. Suddenly, I made up my mind to continue this plan.

Aussie bus system always confuses me by their punctual conception and manners. In Taiwan, if the drivers have been seeing you running to catch up the bus. They certainly would stop and wait for you. I have never ever seen this circumstance in Aussie. Even I was one of the victims. Once...oh no...twice, I had arrived a bus station at 8:10am, but it was really exaggerated that the electronic board showed buses' arrival time 8:15, 8:20, 8:30, 8:40am. All of them weren't coming until an office lady called the Transportation. Few minutes later, they sent another bus there. Today I confronted the same condition again, so I went to the city late.

Eventually, we bought everything and cooked and ate in out house. In Taiwan, we need to have a dinner together. Therefore, we just set up this atmosphere of Chinese New Year Eve. It has been passing 12:00 to 7th Feb. In convention, we always hold our age until next day. In New Year have new hope, I will be better and better.^_^

Australia Day^_^

It's my first time to celebrate Australia Day, and now I know it is on Twenty-Sixth February.

In fact, nithing's special on this day, however Aussie has really much love to make lots of celebrations than Taiwan. From 8 o'clock AM to around 10:30PM, there were many sideshows, fighter plane show, concerts and so on. In the morning, to be honest, I just learnt how to understand English in the film. It's a little bit boring.

Despite there was nothing particular, I was surprised by the airforce show nearby my sharehouse. As a result of the fighter was flying too near the ground, and the engine was so loud. Meanwhile, I was cooking and listening the music. After this, ha..... I considered to memorise all the vocabularies from the flim. Moreover, I was looking forward to enjoying the church tomorrow. The song in there was really fantastic.

We were late to the South Bank, nevertheless our good mates had already occupied some seats there. You can see the show in my Album. ^_^so..... Enjoying that^_^ HAHAHAHAHA......

Veronica Guerin

I have just finished matching the movie,Veronica Guerin, which I borrowed from the city library. After the movie, I saw the news of Heath Ledger's death. The press respected his family's feelings, so they wouldn't take a picture of Heath's body even for the newspapers. It make me feel the press in these countries has really shown their self-discipline. In comparison with Taiwan journalists, it wouldn't be happened.

This movie is based on a true story. It takes about how the press confronted a drug dealer in Ireland in the mid-1990s. Around 15,000 people injected heroin everyday and methadone clinic registered addicts as young as 14. For this reason, Veronica Guerin, who is known for reporting church scandals and corporate corruption, started writing about the crime.

.

When I was a student reporter in Taiwan, I was always fascinated by the press' power. Even the prime ministers would go down to shake hands with the journalists. On one hand, they respected their policies. On the other hand, they needed them, especially the famous, popular and just reporter. Unfortunately, I've never seen this sort of the press in Taiwan. However, I think because of the different environment would make different person. Unfortunately, the boss of the broadcasting corporation's power is too big to make true and honest story. Especially, they are cooperating with the politicians even the criminals,but it's another agenda for anohter time.

.

The end of the story is tragic. She was shot in the car in the daylight, when she was waiting for the traffic light. In spite of it was horrible and frightened to the mass, people were furious and they took place in many marches to force the government to legislate against drug trafficking. After her death it causes the constitution to be more and more completed.

.

Eventually, we really need a reporter who is like her, Veronica Guerin. The Social Justice is deteriorating. The Taiwan President Election will take place this year. Every time at this moment, people always follow the politicians from television. Therefore I wish this year's election we will have a clean and practicable policies.

Desperate

The title has no meaning, just I want to make an article that many vocabularies I have learnt these past few days. Therefore maybe today, there will have some paragraphs strange.

Tomorrow, Nick, my another best friend, will leave Australia and go back to Taiwan. This guy is a genuine tourguide. Overseas students always ask him about the travelling where they can go and how to plan the itinerary. He can help you solve any conundrums of Australian trip. That's stunningly impression on me. As well as I am glad to meet him, actually we didn't know each other when I attended the Langports, the language school, in the first session. However, in the second session, we were in the same class and sometimes we were in the same group, but we still just had a few conversation. I thought because we both had same principle.

Firstly, when I arrived here, I didn't want to talk with Chinese speakers a lot, because I wanted to improve my English. That was my target and why I came here. I thought Nick had the same opinion as mine. Unfortunately, my thought was wrong.Ha.... I knew him because we had the mutual friends. When we are getting familiar, he is the same crazy as me, no... I am normal. We have ever collaborated in studying for a few time, that's cool and I can learn someting from him as well. We entered the IEP course together and had a wonderful studying period.

Eventually, I hope he can come back as soon as possible. Therefore, Nick, please study hard, ok?! We look forward to seeing you again in Aussie. Although we had an half-successful farewell, I still hope you really have a good time here. Find what you want, and come back here. Make up your mind. Just do it!^^

Taiwan nationalists in huge win--From UK BBC

Taiwan's opposition nationalist Kuomintang (KMT) party has won a landslide victory in parliamentary polls, official results show.

The KMT, which wants closer ties with China, secured 72% of the seats in the 113-seat chamber, beating President Chen Shui-bian's party, the DPP.
The independence-leaning president said he was "shamed", resigning as chairman of the Democratic Progressive Party.
The elections are seen as a barometer for the presidential poll on 22 March.
China regards Taiwan as a renegade province that should be reunified.

Referendums

With all the votes counted, the KMT secured 81 seats, Taiwan's election commission announced.
TAIWAN'S POLL RESULTS
KMT - 81 seat
DPP - 27 seats
other parties - 5 seats
The DPP got 27 seats (24%), while smaller parties won five seats.
Under a new electoral system, the number of seats in Taiwan's new parliament has been cut from 225 to 113.
The change was adopted in 2005 to reduce corruption and improve efficiency but observers say the new system may marginalise smaller parties in favour of the DPP and the KMT.

A new voting system was also introduced whereby voters cast ballots for both a party and a particular candidate in their constituency.

Seventy-three seats were contested by a total of 296 individual candidates representing 12 parties, while 34 seats were to be allocated on a party list system. A further six seats were reserved for ethnic minorities.

Two referendums were held alongside the legislative election.
The first asked voters to support legislation to force the KMT to return state assets the DPP says were illegally amassed during the 1950s, while the other, tabled by the KMT, called for action against corrupt officials.

Beijing quiet

BBC China analyst Shirong Chen says the two main parties concentrated on local issues and shied away from discussing China in the run-up to the vote, a tactic the Chinese government has also adopted.

Beijing has learned from its past misadventures during Taiwanese polls that verbal warnings and missile tests would backfire in favour of candidates from the pro-independence DPP, our correspondent says.

China has been focusing on getting countries like the US and France to oppose Taiwan's referendum on joining the UN, which will be held alongside the presidential election in March.

China has also been persuading Taiwan's diplomatic allies to switch recognition from Taipei to Beijing, prompting the Taiwanese foreign minister to make a futile trip to Malawi to consolidate bilateral ties.

Opposition sweep to victory in Taiwan--From USA CNN

TAIPEI, Taiwan (CNN) -- Taiwan's opposition Nationalist Party won a landslide victory in legislative elections Saturday, giving a big boost to its policy of closer engagement with China two months before a presidential poll it now seems poised to win.

President Chen Shui-bian, who has been criticized for aggravating relations with China by promoting policies to formalize Taiwan's de facto independence, resigned as chairman of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party immediately after the extent of the defeat became clear.
"I should shoulder all responsibilities," Chen said. "I feel really apologetic and shamed."
His resignation does not affect his status as president.

With all votes counted, the official Central Election Commission said the Nationalists had won 81 seats in the 113-seat Legislature, against only 27 for the DPP, with four going to Nationalist-leaning independents, and one to a Nationalist satellite party.

Critics say Chen's China policies have allowed Taiwan's once-vibrant economy to lose competitiveness and have ratcheted up tension in the perennially edgy Taiwan Strait.
The Nationalists ruled a united China before 1949 and were the mainland communists' enemies in the civil war. But the party and Beijing have in recent years found common cause in their opposition to Chen.

Washington also has made it clear it finds Chen's policies toward Beijing dangerous and provocative -- particularly a planned referendum on Taiwanese membership in the United Nations, which appears designed to underscore the democratic island's political separateness from the communist mainland.

A March 22 presidential election to chose a successor to Chen, who must step down after eight years in office, pits the ruling DPP's Frank Hsieh against Ma Ying-jeou of the Nationalist Party. Recent opinion polls give Ma a 20-point lead, and Saturday's win by his party is likely to give the former Taipei mayor a further boost.

The DPP wants to formalize the independence Taiwan has had since an inconclusive civil war nearly 60 years ago -- but has held off out of fears that China would make good on its repeated threats to attack. In contrast, the Nationalists favor more active engagement with China and do not rule out eventual unification.

Speaking at Nationalist headquarters in Taipei, Ma relished his party's victory -- enough to give it a three-fourths majority together with the five allies -- but cautioned against overconfidence going into the presidential elections.

"We need to be cautious about the presidential poll, and hopefully we can win," he said. "With a Nationalist presidency and Nationalist-controlled legislature, we can push forward the reform expected by the Taiwanese people."
If the Nationalists do go on to recapture the presidency, they will be in a strong position to end years of deadlock between Taiwan's legislative and executive branches, and stabilize the island's rocky relations with China.

During Chen's two terms as president, the Nationalists used a slender legislative majority to block many of his policy initiatives, including the purchase of a multibillion-dollar package of American weapons. Also left stagnating have been negotiations to open direct air and shipping routes between Taiwan and China.

In the legislative campaign, Ma emphasized his message that Chen's reluctance to engage China inflamed tensions and hurt the island's economy -- one of the 20 largest in the world, and a major research and manufacturing base for the computer industry.

Ma also drew attention to American unhappiness with Chen's China policies. Twenty-nine years after it shifted recognition from Taipei to Beijing, the U.S. remains Taiwan's most important foreign partner, supplying it with the means to defend itself against any future Chinese attack.
In contrast to Ma, Hsieh maintained a relatively low profile in the legislative campaign, apparently because of his ambivalence over Chen's pro-independence stance.

Hsieh hews to the DPP's pro-independence line in principle, but has made it clear he rejects some of Chen's hard-line policies, including his moves to limit Taiwanese economic ties to the mainland.

He favors ditching Chen's requirement that Taiwanese companies limit investments in China to less 40 percent of their asset value. He also has indicated a willingness to expand direct charter flights across the 100 mile-wide Taiwan Strait.

Ma and the Nationalists go considerably farther. They want to remove the asset requirement altogether, and sanction regular flights between China and Taiwan.
China's government did not immediately react to the election results, but was likely to be pleased with the Nationalist victory.

In May 2005, then Nationalist Party Chairman Lien Chan made a historic visit to the mainland despite objections from Taiwan's government.

"The election will have a positive impact, benefiting stability across the Taiwan Strait," said Yu Keli, head of the Taiwan Studies Institute, a Chinese government-backed think tank in Beijing. "The Taiwanese electorate has delivered a no-confidence vote on Chen Shui-bian.

Taiwan's nationalists want better ties with China--From Australia Press ABC

Taiwan's main opposition Kuomintang, which won parliamentary elections in convincing fashion, once viewed China as its worst enemy. Now, the party wants to develop closer ties with Beijing.

The Kuomintang (KMT), which had ruled Taiwan for more than 50 years until the election of pro-independence President Chen Shui-bian in 2000, now looks poised to reclaim the executive, heralding a new era in cross-strait relations.

The KMT was founded in 1894 by Sun Yat-sen in Hawaii, where he recruited supporters to fight against the Qing dynasty in China.
The young revolutionaries overthrew the Qing government in 1911 and established the Republic of China.

The KMT ruled mainland China until its forces, led by generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, were defeated by Mao Zedong's communists in a bloody civil war.
Under Mr Chiang, the nationalists set up a government in Taiwan in 1949, laying the foundation for the island's industrial development and eventual emergence as one of the world's major economies.

But Mr Chiang governed the island for nearly three decades with an iron fist, persecuting dissidents and limiting freedoms in an effort to counter the perceived threat from China. He died in 1975.

His son Chiang Ching-kuo, who served as president and KMT chief from 1978 until his death in 1988, is warmly remembered as a reform-minded leader who had lived a simple life and cared for the people.

Chiang Ching-kuo relaxed a 38-year-old ban on China-bound travels in late 1987, allowing Taiwanese to visit the mainland for family reunions and opening the door to the future expansion of cross-strait civilian exchanges.

But following his death in 1988, the party - under the leadership of Lee Teng-hui from 1988 to 2000 - fell victim to widespread corruption and factional fighting.

The Kuomintang collapsed in the 2000 presidential polls, as disgruntled voters handed power to Mr Chen's pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), hoping for clean politics. Mr Chen was re-elected in 2004.

The KMT's one-time animosity towards Beijing is now a thing of the past.
In 2005, Lien Chan became the first KMT leader to visit the mainland in 56 years, meeting Chinese President Hu Jintao to formally end hostilities with the Chinese Communist Party.

KMT presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou, the current frontrunner, says he will push for a peace accord with Beijing if elected in March, and work to expand business ties and reinstate direct transportation and postal links.

- AFP

The First Day of 2008

Today is the first of 2008. In fact, I truly need to organize something.

In this few day, no...In these past two days, we had some enormous change such as friendship. Waht's friendship? In this New Year, I had big finding. The story is based on the truth. What is the things that can let friends who have known each other for 5 years fall out and become acquaintances. When I heard the reason which let me feel, what the hell??? I think everyone hears that will become furious. However, I don't want to judge kind of this thing, because I am not in there. Its just let me think about what is the friend? What is the friendship?

It seems to be a bad start, but it's still a new start. For me, I can easy to make a friendship with another people, but who is your friend, I think when you get along with them, you've already known. The point is how far will you connect with them? I mean even if long time you didn't meet each other, you still have a nice meeting next. We can see that Chatting, making funny, outspoken and being honest are filled. You won't find any difference between now and before. That's the best friendship for me. In fact, I am really glad to have lots of good friends now, I truly am. Although my crazy uni classmates make a gossip about me, I still love them.^_^

In the end, I would like to visit many places, particularly Tasmania and Woolooloo(I am not sure the spelling, it's a desert). As well as I want to meet different people of nationality. Nowadays I found except culture is distinct, other else like love, feeling, personality and so on all the same. Today nothing special, I saw a terrible movie. It's a little bit waste my time. However, I learnt some vocabularies from that sucks movie. I will finished another two which were rented from the city library. Anyway, I love you guys who really care about me, thanks a lot. ^^