The Nanyang Chronicle Vol 20 Issue 01

THE NANYANG

CHRONICLE

VOL. NO.

20

01 12.08.13 ISSN NO. 0218-7310

KOUFU TAKES INSIDE: OVER CHRONICLE THE

Canteen B welcomes vendors old and new

NEWS | 3

U T N O T E D I GU

Insert epic standfirst here

Vintage shopping in Georgetown

GRIME AND GLORY LIFESTYLE | 8-9

Wilber Pan’s World Tour Singapore

潘玮柏搏命演出 南苑 | 20

02 NEWS

THE NANYANG

Our editors’ pick of interesting news stories around the world.

Photos: internet

Following the unfortunate death of Glee actor Cory Monteith, 31, last month, the show’s upcoming season premiere has been pushed back by a week from 19 Sept to 26 Sept.

Writers of the musical comedydrama series are rewriting the plot of the fifth season to ease out Monteith’s character Finn Hudson by the third episode, said Fox Entertainment Chairman Kevin Reilly.

The episode will allude to Monteith’s actual drug abuse, which led to his death.

At a press conference, at the Television Critics Association, Reilly announced that the show may not continue after season six.

But he added: “Never say never.”

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CHRONICLE 01

The Briefing Room:

What’s next for Glee?

VOL. NO.

Burgers from a petri dish

Fingerprint recognition

Within 10 years, beef patties could be produced in laboratories.

Made from the stem cells of a cow, the first test-tube burger was introduced to more than 200 journalists and guests invited for at a press conference in London on 5 Aug. Those who tasted the burger said it had the texture, but not the juiciness of regular beef.

This was because the burger was made up of only muscle tissue, whereas a conventional burger would also consist of fat marbling, which gives it its taste.

The 142g burger took nine weeks to produce and cost about $330,000 per patty.

Some researchers predict that this could very well be the answer to future food shortage issues, but the dangers of the laboratoryproduced meat remain unknown.

The latest beta released by Apple for the iOS 7 features a biometric capability for future versions of devices like the iPhone and iPad. Apple included a programme code for a Biometric Kit that enables users to scan their fingerprints on the home button for user recognition.

Experts speculate that Apple might roll out a new electronic payment system with the arrival of the new operating system.

Regardless, experts are certain that unlocking the device would be its primary use.

MP shares selfies on Instagram

Immortalised in bronze

Member of Parliament (MP) Baey Yam Keng has been trending on social media sites for his self-portraits on Instagram.

The Tampines GRC MP posted photos of himself running, after a gym session and even while working at the parliamentary library. He has over 1,500 followers on Instagram.

Former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew was presented an early birthday gift of himself on 6 Aug. The bronze bust of Mr Lee was a present from the Lyon-Singapore Association and the Municipality of Lyon.

It was meant as a tribute towards his accomplishments and the bilateral ties shared between France and Singapore.

Cast by French artist-sculptor Nacera Kainou (pictured), the bust weighs 80kg and is 90cm high.

It took her over six months to complete the work.

The bust will be displayed at the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities at the Singapore University of Technology and Design.

News Canteen B is now Koufu Over the summer break, the South Spine canteen received a major facelift as food court operator Koufu takes over the management of the eatery.

Cynthia Choo News Editor

A

fter a two-month renovation, Canteen B reopened in late July with more stalls and an air-conditioned cafe.

Now managed by food court oper ator Kou f u , t he newly renovated canteen has 15 stalls, which include four new stalls selling dim sum, pizzas, Japanese cuisine, and dessert.

Koufu has also changed the top deck of the canteen at basement three to an air-conditioned cafe.

The cafe, 1983 — A Taste of Nanyang, offers coffeeshop staples including nasi lemak and bun sets.

T he new food cour t has a seating capacity of 1,050. The operating hours have also been e x tended, ser v ing food f rom 7am to 9pm.

O n l y t h e I n d i a n , m i xe d vegetable rice, chicken rice, and Western food stalls retained their previous vendors. All other stalls

Rebranded: The newly renovated canteen, under the management of Koufu, brings more food choices to NTU.

have new owners.

Also, the former yong tau foo, bubble tea and fruit juice stalls are no longer part of the line-up.

Currently, only the Western food stall has Halal certification.

Nasi padang stall owner Mr Zan Ho said his stall is awaiting approval for the Halal certificate, which could take up to six months

to secure.

Mr Jimmy Lee, Chief Housing & Auxiliary Services Officer said the department hopes more stalls will obtain the certificate.

New look at a cost

Students at the new canteen were pleased with the new look and food choices.

A costly change for some I t used to cost Ms Pr iyanee $5,000 to run her Indian food stall at Canteen B. Now, under new operator Koufu, she has to pay around $6,500, and so worries about breaking even.

“If I don’t make a profit within two or three months, I will have to leave,” said the 65 year-old, who has been running her stall for nine years.

Stall vendors said that under Koufu, the basic rent is based on a projection of their assumed profit margin. The basic rent amount, hence, may differ from stall to stall.

For example, the Indian food and chicken rice stalls have a base of $3,000 while the Japanese cuisine has a base of $3,500.

Other stalls were not available for comment or denied to answer regarding their base rental cost.

Also, if a stall earns above the basic amount, 13 per cent of all additional profits will have to be paid to Koufu.

Additionally, dishwashing fees have increased from $2,000 under the previous operator to $2,500 under Koufu.

There is also a $500 monthly maintenance fee. An administrative fee of $50 is also charged each time they change notes into small change.

Koufu declined to comment on the change in the rent system.

Despite incurring almost double her fixed expenditure, Ms Priyanee’s food prices have not changed much.

She still sells plain roti pratas at 50 cents each. This is despite having requested the Koufu management for an increase in prices.

Other vendors also encountered the same problem. The owner of the Western food stall, who declined to be named, said that her prices have stayed the same even after the change.

“My request to sell popular set lunches like grilled dory and chicken chop at $3.80 was denied. I ended up having to sell it at the original price

PHOTO : YEO KAI WEN

Tan Shu Wei, 20, a second-year student from the Nanyang Business School (NBS), said: “The food court looks cleaner, and there's a change of furniture and cutleries.”

But the improvements came at a higher price.

Chicken rice costs 50 cents more, now at $2.50 a plate. The mixed vegetable rice stall now

charges $2.40 for a plate of rice with one meat and two vegetable dishes, a 40-cent increase.

Satish Nenon, 22, a third-year student from the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, did not take well to the change.

He said: “I was shocked to see that prices have increased. I wasn’t expecting it.”

Satish added that he felt students should have been informed by the school about price changes beforehand.

Kenny Phua, 24, a PhD student from NBS, said: “I wouldn’t mind if prices increased 20 to 30 cents.

It would only be fair to the vendors who face increases in rent.”

Chicken rice vendor Chuan Hock Lian said his rent has increased due to the new rental scheme.

He sa id he u sed to pay a basic rent of $3,000. But now, an additional 13 per cent for earnings that exceed the basic rent is charged.

Mr Chuan explained that he requested to increase food prices due to the higher rent, and Koufu approved his request.

“If the school doesn’t allow me to increase my chicken rice price by 50 cents, I won’t be able to pay my workers,” he said in Mandarin.

Justif ying his increase, he added: “I increased the price, but I also offer additional dishes such as toufu or vegetables.”

41.3% – Dishwashing 8.3% – Maintenance 0.8% – Money Changing

49.6% – Basic Rent

A stall's Cost breakdown of $3.50,” she said.

The rationale for controlling the prices is to keep canteen food affordable for students, said Mr Jimmy Lee, Chief Housing &

Auxiliary Services Officer.

Vendors can only hope for larger traffic to their stalls during the school term.

Owner of the Japanese Cuisine

Graphic : JONATHAN CHAN

stall, Ms Esther Chew, 35, said: “With offices and schools in the vicinity, I hope it will help to boost business.”

— Cynthia Choo

VOL. NO.

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NEWS 05

THE NANYANG

01 CHRONICLE

Student chefs cook up a storm

PHOTO: Lim Mu Yao

FROM the hall pantry to the new South Spine Food Court.

That’s where graduate Wu Di (left), 26, and final-year student Song Han Fu, 24, both from the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, took their passion for cooking.

Wu and Song are the proud owners of Chinese Cuisine, a Southwest Sichuan cuisine stall at the newly renovated food court.

The pair met a year ago through a mutual friend and discovered that they shared similar passions for cooking and enterprise.

Last May, they seized the opportunity to start a business

by responding to a recruitment adver t isement by Kouf u , eventually landing a space to operate in NTU. The stall boasts a selection of Sichuan dishes like mala hot pot set ($3.20), dan dan noodles ($3) and braised sliced pork rice ($3). Some of these dishes can be rather spicy, but patrons can request for a less spicy version.

As the business is still new, Wu remains uncertain about the success of the venture.

But he said: “We will cross those hurdles when we come to them.”

— Wong Pei Ting

Standing up for Darren After the blunder at his valedictorian speech, Darren Woo, 25, has been on the receiving end of flak by netizens. But friends say he is a humble guy.

Isaac Tan News Editor

N

etizens know him as the smart-mouthed graduate w ho m ad e i n s e n s it i v e remark s in his valedictor ian speech last month.

But course mates and professors who knew Darren Woo describe him as a humble and down-toearth guy.

“Da r ren isn't t he k i nd of person who discriminates against anybody,” said fellow sociology graduate Jeremy Khoo, 25.

“He is one of the most genuine individuals I have met. He talks without any airs.”

Woo, the valedictorian of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS), received heavy criticism after a video of his comments, which implied Chinese majors had a poor command of English, went viral on social media.

The video has since garnered over 50,000 views and 200 over com ments on YouTube. Most of these comments have been negative.

The sociology graduate, who spoke on behalf of the HSS cohort, was sharing his experience about playing squash with his mother.

The account was meant to lead on to his point about the need to honour one’s parents.

Following the anecdote, Darren said: “This is especially so for the Chinese majors who probably

have not gotten what I just said in English.”

He went on to quote a Chinese proverb and added: “I can speak Chinese too.”

It was because of this statement that many netizens felt Darren had overstated his stand. In the comments section on Youtube, some called him names and others even insulted him with vulgarities.

Yet those who knew Woo were certain it was an honest mistake.

Assistant Professor Tan Joo Ean, who used to teach Woo, sa id t hat he has a hea r t for t he u nder pr iv i leged a nd t he disadvantaged, and described him as having a “strong sense of social responsibility.”

“I accept his apology... but it was still inappropriate.”

Neo Pok Yen, 25 Graduate HSS Chinese Division

A s s h e w a s not at t h e convocation, Prof Tan’s initial reaction after hearing the news was one of disappointment.

But she quickly changed her mind after watching the recording.

“It became apparent to me that he was overwhelmed by the gravity of the occasion.

“He chose to deal with his nervousness with an attempt at humour instead of focusing on the very serious duty of being valedictorian,” she said.

Khoo shares a similar view.

“I think in the heat of the moment, what he thought was

SPEECH BLUNDERS: An off-the-cuff comment made at the HSS convocation was all it took to rile up netizens.

f u n n y j u s t c a me ac r o s s a s insensitive, and nerves probably played a part in his delivery,” said Khoo.

A f te r t he i nc ide nt , Wo o apologised on his Facebook page.

He also posted the official transcript vetted by NTU and stated t hat t he controversial statement s were not pa r t of the original script.

Woo ended the post stating: “This is the written speech, not a transcript of the spoken speech of which I am not proud of.”

Friends of Woo posted words of encouragement on his Facebook wall and were convinced his

apology was sincere.

One of them said: “We all know you didn't mean it and we will support you no matter what because we know you are a great person!”

While most have looked past the mistake, some were more concerned about the context in which the statement was made.

N e o P o k Ye n , 2 5 , t h e valedictorian nominee from the Chinese division, read Woo’s public apology and said: “I understand it’s just a joke, but such things should not be said at a convocation where professors, parents, and students from other faculties are present.

PHOTO: Internet

“I accept his apology and I believe he had no ill-intentions, but it was still inappropriate.”

When reached by the Nanyang Chronicle for comment, Woo politely declined, saying that he did not wish to speak further on the matter.

In response to his apology, Prof Tan said: “I'm glad to see that once he realised what he had done, he immediately took responsibility for his actions and apologised without reservation.”

“I'm sure he has learned many lessons from this unfortunate incident and he will come out of it a better person,” she said.

Lifestyle

#EatingClean

Over four million Instagram pictures contain the #eatclean tag, and more are catching up to this trend. Bernice Koh and Wong Pei Ting take on two new-age supermarkets to find out what else there is to eating clean other than snacking on celery and cherry tomatoes.

Tangy Tangerines PasarBella at The Grandstand 200 Turf Club Road #02-K48 Singapore 287994 Opening hours: Mon – Fri: 9.30am – 7pm Sat & Sun: 9.30am – 8pm Tel: 6681 6550 IT IS not just an apple a day that can keep the doctor away; staying healthy doesn't just mean sticking to the usual fruits .

At first sight, these fruits might seem strange — green, yellow and even brown tomatoes; yellow dragonfruit with stringy flesh; and doughnut-shaped peaches.

But over at Tangy Tangerines, a stall in The Grandstand's PasarBella, such fruits and vegetables are a common sight.

The stall offers over 30 selections such as pears, pluots (plum-apricot hybrids), and purple carrots.

Tangy Tangerines first started as an online fruit delivery service by Alvin Poh, Cedric Chew and Niki Ng, all 27.

Riding on the ‘eat clean’ wave, they

later set up stall at PasarBella, a farmer’s market that imports fresh produce, seafood, wines, and more from countries like France, Holland, and Malaysia.

The usually humble tomatoes are wonders to behold at Tangy Tangerines.

They either possess generations’ worth of history or look as though they belong in a fairy’s garden patch, with the fruits still on the vine.

Despite being pricier than wet markets, Tangy Tangerines still has a regular customer base, and the popular produce such as tomatoes, portobello mushrooms, and kale are often sold out quickly.

The stall sees a mix of Singaporean and expatriate customers, with some buying up to a crate of fruits and vegetables at one go each week.

“Some of my customers are fruitarians (people on a diet of fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds), or go on juice cleansing diets,” said Chew, one of the co-owners.

But at the end of the day, despite many being eager to follow the trend of eating clean, it is tough to sustain this lifestyle for long as it requires much motivation.

Having like-minded friends and family members who eat clean helps. After all, it doesn’t take much effort to make a salad or sauteed some mushrooms.

Chia's Vegetable Supply K. K. Market Blk 665 Buffalo Road #01-88 Singapore 210665 Opening hours: Tue – Sun: 9am – 5pm Mon: Closed Tel: 6294 4901

TEKKA Market might just be the only wet market in Singapore where vendors invest in sound systems and sell fresh produce to a themed music playlist.

And Mr Victor Chia, owner of Chia’s Vegetable Supply stall, was the undisputed trendsetter there.

Follow the strains of upbeat Brazilian music from the entrance of Tekka Market and you will soon find yourself greeted by Mr Chia himself.

At his stall, two rows of vegetables are lined up, as though preparing to engage in an epic dance-off to the music — Asian versus Western vegetables.

In fact, due to the groovy music, returning customers often recall the stall by its nickname “The Bossa Nova Stall” far more readily than by its actual 25-year-old name.

Kailan and chye sim aside, the stall’s main draw lies in its gourmet western vegetables — kale, parsnip, zucchini, and artichoke.

The spread offered at this wet trove has been extensive enough to attract Michelinstar chefs — especially because high-end ingredients like dry chanterelles, dry cepes, and bolets are also available.

“I am quite a fussy buyer. Suppliers know I don’t accept Chinese broccoli when they run out of the Australian ones that I always buy,” said Mr Chia.

“It’s because I know that people know about eating well nowadays. Naturally, they are more picky about their choices.”

Mr Chia does not agree with how other grocers wholesale cheap vegetables from unsafe sources in China, where they normally use copious amounts of pesticide.

His stand on only purchasing top quality vegetables explains why his vegetables are the most expensive in Tekka Market.

“Sometimes they reap more profits because they make their vegetables grow fast with chemicals. I don’t see this working in the long run,” he said.

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01 Fennel $1.20/100g A common ingredient in Western households, Fennel leaves are often used to remove fishy smells. Having a taste that's milder than anise or liquorice, the bulb can also be sliced and added to salads.

02 Tomatoes $1.60-$3.70/100g Normally, tomatoes are picked when they're green and unripe.

However, vine-ripened tomatoes are picked after turning red, giving them a fuller, sweeter flavour.

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Heirloom tomatoes are grown from seeds passed down several generations and have distinct smokey and acidic flavours.

cheese and jalapenos — all pitted by Mr Chia — can be thrown straight into a salad for taste, making healthy eating easier.

03 Carrots $0.65-$2.20/100g Yellow and purple carrots are higher in antioxidants, with an intensely sweet flavour. The carrot tops, which taste like parsley, can be used as garnish.

05 Roselle $0.80/100g When the waxy outer layers of this Hibiscus flower is brewed in hot water with honey, it tastes like Ribena with its sour notes and hint of sweetness.

04 Pitted assortments $4.00-$6.00/container These sun-dried tomatoes, chargrilled artichokes, kalamata, and olives stuffed with feta

06 Pine nuts $2.50/container A popular ingredient in salads and pestos, these edible seeds of pine trees can be toasted to

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enhance their nutty flavour.

07 Banana blossom $2.00 each It isn't just the banana fruit that's edible. Beneath the banana flowers’ deep red husks, are tender yellow hearts that go well with mint. Soak the heart in vinegar with water to remove its sappy taste.

08 Kale $2.80/100g Containing more iron than beef and more calcium than milk, kale is currently the trendiest of super foods. To make kale

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chips, season kale with salt and olive oil before baking it.

09 Jalapenos and Habaneros $0.70 each Adding peppers to a salad may seem pretty far-fetched — but it actually aids the body in burning calories, and adds a kick to the salad.

10 Drumstick leaves $1.00/bundle As its name suggests, its fruit takes after a drumstick's long and thin appearance. High in protein and fiber, its seeds can be eaten after being soaked in

11 PHOTO: LIM MU YAO salted water for 7 to 10 minutes. The leaves are also edible and are often used to make daal — a mild curry normally eaten with chapatti.

11 Pennywort leaves $2.10/bundle Belonging to the same group as celery, pennywort leaves taste like a mixture of mint and celery. They can be added into a salad or made into a drink by blending together with ice and sugar syrup.

01-03are from Tangy Tangerines while 04-11 are from Chia's Vegetable Supply.

08-09 LIFESTYLE weekend to spare

VINTAGE IS NOT DEAD I

Chief Editor Wong Pei Ting lets out her inner rag-and-bone man and recommends two hot spots to unearth vintage novelties at the borders of Georgetown, Penang.

almost brought home half a wooden toilet door in the name of my love for vintage.

I d iscovered it i n a roof less shophouse in Georgetown, Penang, that could barely contain its goods — and its overgrown weeds — within its crumbling walls.

And this wasn’t a flimsy piece of threeply wood, mind you. This door weighed at least 10 kilogrammes.

G eor getow n , a tow n made up of shophouses, is known among vintagehunters as a developing cultural trove — a burgeoning infusion of decay and preservation.

Even without stepping into a flea market or a collector’s store, I had discovered a steal.

I could already picture it lying on my bedroom floor, repainted in teal, backing a frameless floor mirror — flaunted as a rustic showpiece.

Determined, I started planning what I would need to get this treasure to the safety of my home.

One: baggage surcharges for the extra 15kg of luggage I would have to check in.

Two: a 30-minute walk back to my backpackers’ hostel.

Three: transportation from my hostel to the airport.

But a normal taxi wouldn't be able to fit my two-metre tall prize into its boot or its back seat.

Perhaps it could be strapped to the roof of the taxi?

Oh, forget it. I would be stretching the RM20 (S$8) taxi fare and the patience of the unfortunate driver.

A chartered bus? Courier service?

Suddenly, a voice broke through my spiralling thoughts.

“Girl, be careful. People here ambil dadah (use drugs). They sleep there at night,” said a curious masseuse, who had come over from next door.

Immediately, my eyes were drawn to a tidy mattress half-hidden behind a pillar of creeping plants.

Unprepared for an operation of that scale, unwilling to burn a hole in my pocket, and suddenly stricken by fear, I moved on to more reasonably-sized deals — without the lurking costs.

Door, I tried.

HUNGRY FOR THE GRUNGY: Singapore's older shophouse districts piqued Pei Ting's curiousity for used items that most would regard as trash, leading to this spontaneous trip to Georgetown. PHOTOS: TAY YONG EN & WONG PEI TING

Lorong Kulit Flea Market

Here, they were selling plain brass keys at RM2 each and an ornate brass key at RM30.

I dug through basket after basket of trinkets, most still soaked in the ceasing morning rain.

antique seller justified the price with a juicy tidbit — it has an interesting bit of history.

Apparently, during the 1900s, cast iron (or enamel) number plates were issued to squatter households by the Straits Settlements’ colonial administration to

Lorong Kulit, Georgetown, Pulau Pinang 10460 THE next best alternative for scoring a steal from the streets would be Penang’s version of Singapore’s Sungei Road Thieves Market.

Lorong Kulit Market, a 10-minute bus ride away from Chulia Street (Georgetown’s main commercial strip), lies closeted in the middle of a grid of shophouses that would be difficult for first-timers to find.

Despite the rain, I was greeted by a sizeable crowd after venturing past the wire-mesh gates — that’s how popular the flea market is.

Here, vintage hunters must conquer the distractions of soliciting fruit sellers, before they can zero in on their game.

The treasures that surfaced as I fished through a stall’s loot dispelled my earlier thoughts of buying the vintage Fossil brand replicas of keys.

“

The brass forks sold here resembled the "dinglehopper" the Little Mermaid used to comb her hair.

T he br a s s fork s sold he r e ( R M 5 ) resembled the “dinglehopper” the Little Mermaid used to comb her hair, and the rusty horse hooves (RM10) reminded me of the Pharaoh’s chariots that were consumed in the Red Sea. Above all, what caught my attention the most were a basket of door number plates.

But RM40 for a rusting cast iron sign in peeling paint made me balk, until the

"

bring order.

Though they originally came in dull grey, subsequent owners painted the cast iron signs over, resulting in the numerous assortment of colours they now sport.

“You cannot put this on your door here at Pulau Pinang (“Penang" in Malay) It will get stolen and then you will most probably find your door plate sold here again,” said one of the vendors.

“But bring home to Singapore, can.”

I was sold upon hearing the backstory.

At the other stalls, I also found a metallic telescope (R M600 ) f rom the British Navy up for bargains and broken typewriters fetching up to RM1000 each.

Those were too far off budget, so I settled happily on a Miyama Kogaku collapsible sport opera scope for RM110 — reasonable for an antique made in Tokyo, complete with its original box and a serial number tag.

The market opens on weekends from 9am and closes after vendors are satisfied with their day’s keep — usually by early afternoon.

Yesteryears 52 Lorong Singgora, Kampung Makam, Pulau Pinang 10150 Abandoned shophouses in Georgetown are quickly stripped clean of all

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03 their valuable objects.

Especially of the out-of-production Peranakan tiles that lined their five foot ways.

The result is a large group of antique dealers who snoop around excavation sites, and each others’ private collections to buy each others’ finds.

Some restored items can fetch up to a few thousand ringgit, according to hobbyist Mr David Yeo, 59.

Yesteryears is Mr Yeo's mini antiquedealing business that spun out of his hobby, which started with him repairing old cuckoo clocks about twenty years ago.

At his antique restoration workstation, which was nestled in his front yard, he pulled out his best finds, stopping at length for me to admire a big Peranakan Famille Rose basin and other Straits Chinese porcelain kitchenware that looked like they belonged right in a museum.

Come to think of it, the toilet door I coveted would have been deemed as trash by professional standards.

But M r Yeo pitc hed i n a nd sa id:

“Actually, it is up to your taste. If it is tasteful to you, it is however much you quote the price to be.”

I know what I would bear to quote a higher price for: handmade Peranakan tiles.

The tiles from the Arts and crafts mov e me nt f r om t h e 186 0 s f e at u r e organically painted motifs of flora and fauna in pastel colours, and cost RM100 each.

Tiles from the Art Nouveau era don brighter colours in more symmetrical, undulating designs that often feature vines, selling at RM80 each.

With clashing geometric prints back in style, tiles from the 1920s Art Deco movement might gel better with today’s trends, with their bold shapes and patterns.

They also go for RM80 each.

My visit to Mr Yeo’s house was akin to a trip to a Penang museum with a personal guide, as he was happy to explain the history behind every antique he owns, piece by piece.

But do note t h at a pr ior phone appointment (+016 4200728) is required.

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Cast iron door number plates Hand-painted peranakan tiles Chulia Street Street vendor at Lorong Kulit Plain and ornate keys for sale Traditional clog shoes at Lebuh Chulia Morning Pasar

Downtown vintage hot spots THOUGH the shopping malls in Georgetown are increasing in number, don’t bother visiting them. They are mostly developed

by Singaporean firms and so are like any generic mall in Singapore.

Little Penang Street Market A stark contrast to the unevenly-sheltered Lorong Kulit, Little Penang Street Market is a well-tented collective of pop -up second-hand stores catering to an expat market at upscale Upper Penang Road.

Books and vinyls are the biggest draw here. It opens every last Sunday of the month, 10am-5pm.

• Penguin, Pelican and Ladybird titles, RM6-10 each • Hard-cover atlas, RM30 • Vinyl records, RM10 each • Strepsils metal boxes, RM4 each • Tin toy owl, RM30

Shops along Chulia Street A morning walk down Georgetown’s longest, busiest street brings plenty of surprise finds. Items here cost less than half of those at Singapore’s Armenian Street, but are of similar quality and charm.

• Handcrafted postbox, RM30 • Traditional clog shoes, RM8 41 Living Story, Love Lane 41 Living Story sells modern remakes of old novelties su ch as Chinese advertisement posters and toys. The store opens Mon-Sun, 10am-6pm.

• • • •

Swimming duck wind-up toy, RM18 Pecking chick wind-up toy, RM10 Hopping frog wind-up toy, RM10 Chinese adver tisement posters, RM10-30 depending on size

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LIFESTYLE 11

THE NANYANG

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travelogue

TWO WRONG TURNS MAKE A RIGHT Despite her frightening first encounters in Ghent, Belgium, the impressions Hilary See had of the city were quickly turned around by a generous dose of picturesque lanes and savoury golden fries.

PAINTING THE STREET: Legalised by the government to prevent graffiti artists from vandalising the town, Ghent’s graffiti street has become a canvas for artistic expression.

A

fairytale jaunt through charming medieval architecture set against eclectic graffitied streets.

That was what my Belgian friends sold me when they raved to me about Ghent months ago. It sounded like an ideal travel destination, away from the city bustle.

But the first hour in Ghent was the exact opposite of the idyllic rest stop that my mother and I had hoped for.

As we left Gent-Sint-Pieters railway station for the nearby tram station, we witnessed a brawl right across from where we were standing.

A teenager had bumped into a young man without apologising, infuriating the man and his friend. This led to a scuffle that left the scrawny teenager with a bloody nose.

Unnerved by the confrontation, we hastily boarded the tram as soon as it arrived, to head to the safety of our hostel.

Unfortunately, after alighting at a seemingly safe street, we suddenly heard loud, crass singing.

Looking behind, I noticed a scruffy, middle-aged man stumbling in our direction with a bottle of alcohol in his hand. There was no doubt about it — he was drunk.

As he got closer to us, my mother and I quickened our pace, but it wasn’t easy maneuvering two 30kg luggages on cobbled streets.

Thankfully, we lost him after turning two corners, and soon reached our hotel.

Safe and Sound

When we recounted the two incidents to the hostel staff, they reassured us that Ghent was typically safe during the day and what we witnessed was rare.

I couldn’t help second-guessing what the staff said, even as she handed me a copy of the city map — was this just an attempt to salvage our tainted image of Ghent?

But when we set out on foot to explore the city, my misgivings were slowly assuaged as we interacted with more locals.

Surprisingly, many of them could communicate in English, and were more than willing to help us with directions. Some even led us right to our destination — they could not be more different from the hostile people we encountered earlier upon arrival.

One of the locals eagerly introduced us to Temmerman, Ghent’s oldest sweet shop that had been selling confectioneries for eight generations, and had more than a century’s worth of history.

Upon entering the store, we decided to try some of its famous cuberdons (raspberryflavoured sweets).

A chat with the store owner revealed that most of the younger generations of Belgians, like himself, spoke up to five languages – Dutch, French, German, English and Flemish (a Dutch dialect).

But it wasn’t just the people who made an impression.

Just walking along the old streets of Ghent

transported me to the medieval ages.

Think high stone walls, uneven cobblestones, and flags with dragons emblazoned on them.

The streets were lined with old shophouses made of stone, with stained glass windows and wooden doors.

Occasionally, bells from the locals’ bicycles (they were big on cycling) or trams would echo through the streets.

After weaving our way through endless crowds of tourists in Barcelona and Amsterdam, my mother and I were thrilled to find the streets in Ghent relatively empty.

There were no camera-wielding tourists or tour guides waving mini flags around. It was as if we had the magical cobbled streets of Ghent all to ourselves.

Made in Ghent

Walking along the smaller lanes, we came across the brick walls of Werregarenstraat, a long narrow street filled with graffiti on both sides — a sharp contrast to the earlier medieval part of Ghent.

Initially designated by the government as an avenue for graffiti, the walls of Werregarenstraat eventually evolved into a canvas for both experienced and amateur artists.

Large art pieces done by graffiti artists are left untouched only for a couple of days before inexperienced spray-painters, nicknamed “toys”, doodled over their artwork.

PHOTO: HILARY SEE

As such, the walls of Werregarenstraat sport new artwork every few days.

On our way to the Leie canal, we noticed several unassuming pushcarts lining the streets. Although there weren’t any signboards, the deep-fried smell was unmistakable — they were selling fries.

Pursuing the aroma, we were drawn to one of the pushcarts, where a burly man in an apron slathered a brown sauce over piping hot fries.

We later found out that the brown sauce was Stoverije: a meat sauce made with beer, mustard and beef stew.

I decided to try out the snack after seeing people around me munching on them.

Fries in hand, my mother and I strolled down the Leie canal, flanked by a mix of stone buildings and modern architecture, before deciding to visit one of Ghent’s oldest medieval architecture, the Gravensteen.

Otherwise known as the Counts’ Castle, the Gravensteen dated back to the 12th Century.

Currently a museum exhibiting torture instruments, it was formerly a court, a prison, and once even a cotton factory.

After gawking at a used guillotine and a morbid collection of thumb screws, we sat along the canal — my box of fries now empty.

And it dawned on me that my Belgian friends and the hostel staff were right. After all: exploring the streets of Ghent did lead me to realise that it was a place with more charm than harm.

12-13 LIFESTYLE spotlight

SUMMER MOVIES 2013:

HITS & MISSES Illusionists, zombies, mutants, and robots — a motley crew packed our silver screens this summer.

We round up the highs and lows at the box office.

THE WOLVERINE

ACTION [PG13] Hugh Jackman, Rila Fukushima, Tao Okamoto, Hiroyuki Sanada 127min

,,,,,

A

s one of the world’s favourite mutants, Wolverine hardly catches a break.

Logan aka Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) scarcely has time to grieve for his beloved Jean Grey (Famke Janssen) after the traumatic events in X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), before being coaxed out of hermitage by fellow mutant Yukio (Rila Fukushima).

Yukio brings him to Tokyo to bid sayonara to Yashida (Hiroyuki Sanada), a Japanese soldier Logan saved in World War II, now dying of cancer and wishing to see him for the last time.

But when Yashida dies, his g r a ndd au g ht e r M a r i ko ( Tao Okamoto) is left in charge of his massive technology corporation, which is under threat from the yakuza.

Logan is hence drawn into the conflict by his heroic instincts to protect the damsel-in-distress.

The Wolverine is replete with fast-paced action scenes as our hero slashes and slices through tattooed yakuza with cool grimness.

In a hear t-stopping scene, Logan tussles with baddies on top of a high-speed bullet train, fending off gun-toting, knife-throwing men with only his metal claws.

In his fifth film as Wolverine, Jackman has perfected the gruff, tortured, unbeatable character.

And his female co-stars don’t disappoint either.

Despite being fresh faces on the big screen, Fukushima plays the red-haired, sword-wielding Yukio with grit and style, and Okamoto is convincing as the embattled heiress with steely inner strength.

Sadly, the actors’ talents are wasted with a rushed development of the insipid romance between Logan and Mariko.

The chemistry (or lack thereof) adds nothing to the story, and feels almost obligatory.

The movie’s boring script also leaves the actors with little space to enliven the plot.

Lines from Mariko about family

SHARPENED CLAWS: Hugh Jackman is back on screen as Wolverine, this time facing off members of the Japanese mafia.

honour and duty are dull and uninspired, and only serve to further the stereotype that Eastern values are rigid and absurd.

By throwing ninjas, samurais and the yakuza into the mix, the film milks the Japanese references for all they’re worth, but they seem to be introduced merely to emphasise the exotic Asian setting.

For example, Logan receives a katana as a gift from Yashida, but neglects to use it in the film.

With its impressive fight scenes, The Wolverine makes for an enjoyable, straightforward action movie.

But as far as cinematic romances go, it might be best for the Wolverine to stay away from the ladies and stick to what he does best — defeating the bad guys with style and aplomb.

-Yvette Kan

THE LONE RANGER

ACTION, COMEDY [PG13] Johnny Depp, Armie Hammer, William Fichtner 149min

,,,,, REPLACE the oceans, pirates, and swords in Pirates of the Caribbean with deserts, bandits, and guns — and you get The Lone Ranger.

But The Lone Ranger’s attempts to replicate the rollicking fun of Pirates are lacking, to say the least.

What results is merely an inferior, watered-down copy of the latter.

Based on the 50s television series of the same name, the film

follows Texas Ranger John Reid (Armie Hammer) and his eccentric Native American sidekick Tonto (Johnny Depp) as they seek justice for their murdered loved ones in the American Wild West.

The film is enjoyable enough, with Hammer as a bumbling, unexpected hero and Depp as a quirky, maniacal social outcast.

There is also just the right amount of train robberies, gunfights and explosions as well as deadpan humour — t y pical of Depp’s characters — to entertain.

But at over two hours, certain scenes could have been shortened to condense the drawn-out plot.

Fight scenes on moving trains might be fun to watch, but resilient enemies that pop up one after another makes the viewer wonder just when the fighting will end.

PHOTO: INTERNET

With the Pirates franchise’s Jer r y Br uc k hei mer a nd Gore Verbinski pairing up and Depp playing the bizarre lead again in The Lone Ranger, it’s difficult not to compare the two films.

Sadly, the Pirates trio fails to bring anything new to the table.

Tonto is almost a mirror image of the screwy oddball Captain Jack Sparrow, and Reid is akin to the hapless Will Turner (Sparrow and Turner being the heroes of Pirates).

As a flick set in the Wild West, international audiences unfamiliar with the original television series might also find it difficult to connect with The Lone Ranger.

In all, the movie saddles itself up for a ride straight into a box office flop.

-Yvette Kan

THE NANYANG

VOL. NO.

20

CHRONICLE 01

NOW YOU SEE ME

THRILLER [PG13] Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Mark Ruffalo 115min

,,,,, FROM large-scale illusions to close-up tricks, Now You See Me is a movie you have to see to believe.

T he caper f i lm feat ures a suspenseful cat-and-mouse game between magicians and police investigators, tak ing v iewers through a thrill worth the time.

Directed by Louis Leterrier, the movie’s colourful cast includes Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, and Dave Franco, whose characters form a team of magicians known as the Four Horsemen.

Throughout the movie, the Four Horsemen are investigated by nononsense FBI agent Dylan Rhodes (Mark Ruffalo) and Interpol agent Alma Dray (Melanie Laurent) for committing heist crimes under the cover of magical illusions.

WORLD WAR Z

ACTION [PG13] Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, Daniella Kertesz 116min

,,,,, IMAGINE cycling in the dead of the night through an infested military base where zombies lie dormant.

The film gets a thumbs up for its stellar audience engagement, especially in a scene where the Horsemen appear to leap from the edge of a building, only to miraculously turn into a shower of money that rains over a cheering crowd.

Prov iding the answers to the myster y of their magic performances is Thaddeus Bradley (Morgan Freeman), whom the investigators approach to understand the Horsemen’s deceptions.

Instead of the loss of interest that usually follows a dr y deconstruction of a magic trick, Bradley’s revelations further fuel the excitement and suspense.

The film strikes a fine balance between the fast- and slower-paced scenes, and deserves a nod for reserving the latter for the meaningful exploration of the characters Rhodes and Dray.

But while the plot twists are well-executed, the unpredictable and slightly far-fetched storyline might rile some audiences.

Nevertheless, Now You See Me entertains without relying on tired Hollywood cliches such as typical stereotypes or crass humour.

-Joni Lim

IT’S NOT AN ILLUSION: (Clockwise from bottom) Dave Franco, Jesse Eisenberg, Isla Fisher and Woody Harrelson team up as the Four Horsemen — illusionists who commit heists during their performances.

PHOTOS: INTERNET

There is no sound, save for the rain and squeaking of wheels.

Just then, a ringing phone jarringly breaks the silence and sets off the now-agitated zombies.

Fans of thrillers are in for a treat, for the above is just a glimpse into what viewers might expect from the film’s many nail-biting sequences.

World War Z is a gripping production, even though the film’s adapted screenplay deviates greatly from the bestselling novel by Max Brooks.

The movie follows Gerry Lane

(Brad Pitt), an ex-United Nations investigator who goes on a mission to find the source of the zombie pandemic.

Or igina lly w r it ten as a collection of individual recounts, the story is reworked by director Marc Forster into a standard linear narrative with one hero instead of the original few, a bold move that might offend some fans.

But the film compensates with tension and suspense, as the zombie pandemic spreads at a frightening pace and whole cities are lost to the undead.

PACIFIC RIM

ACTION [PG13] Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Rinko Kikuchi 131min

Unlike most other zombies in popular culture, Forster’s zombies are athletic and swift, once they lock in on their human targets.

This means fast, deadly zombie attacks that not even flying helicopters are spared from — and these unexpected attacks keep viewers alert throughout the movie.

On its own, World War Z is a worthy, adrenaline-pumping watch that even viewers typically averse to zombies or apocalyptic themes might enjoy.

-Joni Lim

WIN A PAIR OF ZOUK PASSES

,,,,, WITH a huge budget comes high expectations — which director Guillermo Del Toro fails to live up to in his latest action-fantasy movie, Pacific Rim. The US$190 million movie centers on the grand showdown between Kaijus (giant monsters from the bottom of the Pacific Ocean) and Jaegers (massive war defence machines built by countries of the Pacific Rim).

The Jaegers — and their human pilots — initially defeat the ferocious Kaijus with ease.

But the Kaiju attacks increase in intensity and number, forcing commanding officer of the Jaegers, Stacker Pentecost (Idris Elba), to bring Raleigh Becket (Charlie Hunnam) back into the force to pilot his previous Jaeger once more.

True to the film’s promise of action, the battle scenes are visu-

As with most film adaptations, World War Z has its differences from the original, but fans will be appeased by a splendid visual manifestation of their beloved novel.

T he specia l ef fects of t he US$190 million film realistically brings to life the members of the undead.

Viewers will be in awe of the speed at which 8,500 digital zombies scramble on top of one another to climb over a wall, forming what Forster called in an interview a “zombie tsunami”.

Simply answer this question: Do you agree with our reviews?

Don’t think we did Pacific Rim justice by giving it 2.5 or feel that The Wolverine is overrated?

MONSTERS VS ROBOTS: Action and sci-fi buffs will enjoy the epic battle sequences in Pacific Rim.

ally spectacular and well-designed.

The Jaegers tower over the impressive sets and their robotic parts are immaculately detailed, while the Kaijus are reminiscent of Godzilla and range from the toxic Slattern to the menacing Knifehead.

But despite the well-executed action sequences, the movie struggles with character development.

The movie’s many subplots and supporting characters vie for screen time and end up poorlydeveloped and forgettable.

For example, Mako Mori (Rinko

Kikuchi), Raleigh’s co-pilot, is still traumatised by her childhood encounter with a Kaiju. While this unravels, her relationship with Pentecost and Raleigh also jostles for the viewer’s attention.

Although the film’s stunning visuals are worth watching on the big screen, Pacific Rim is weighed down by its problematic screenplay.

That being said, action buffs who are willing to forgo that in favour of large-scale fight scenes are likely to enjoy this film.

-Eunice Lim

We want to know what you think.

Impress our Reviews Editor, Charmaine, with your answers and you could be partying the night away at Zouk with a friend.

Join the conversation on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/chronNTU

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14-15 SHOWCASE ILY M A F AK

THE RO J

AS AN interracial couple in the 1980s, walking down Chinatown meant receiving unwelcome stares for Jane Lim, 50, and Perry Ramzeen, 73.

Their relationship was fraught with hurdles as they also had to overcome the initial objections of Ms Lim’s parents. However, Mr Ramzeen’s sincere and gentlemanly ways eventually won them over.

Today, their union is a source of pride for their daughter, Aneza Ramzeen, 22. Her Sri- Lankan and Chinese roots give the third-year student from the Nanyang Business School something interesting to talk about when she meets new people.

GAIN SINGAP A N OR OR B E E H

THE G

T

AN

TIMOTHY Goh, 22, was born in Singapore, but spent 18 years in Beijing, China.

“I’ve always identified myself as a Singaporean citizen,” said Goh. “But I never really considered Singapore my home.”

Although he has been here for four years, Singapore is still a little foreign to the second-year student from the School of Art, Design and Media.

But he feels increasingly at home here, especially after going through National Service (NS) and other common Singaporean experiences.

He first encountered Singaporean culture when he entered NS in 2009. “It was a big culture shock for me, but the two years were very well-spent,” he said.

“Army taught me to be humble, to learn from my mistakes, and to keep an open mind.”

Going through that Singaporean rite of passage helped Goh gain a greater sense of belonging. The avid shutterbug documented his NS experience as a photographer with the Officer Cadet School.

“The memories from such common experiences can really make a place feel like home. And being a sentimental person, I like to record them for keepsake.”

Ms Lim notes Singapore’s progress through the years with regards to recognising mixed race unions — societal attitudes are shifting from tolerance to acceptance.

“We live in a globalised world today. Even our identity cards have a double-race listing now, whereas everything used to be listed under ‘Others’,” she said.

L i k e w i s e, A n e z a f e e l s t h a t t h e Singaporean identity is evolving.

“In the spirit of forging a new identity as Singaporeans, we are in the process of forgetting our origins,” Aneza said.

“To me, the Singaporean identity has always involved jumbling things up to make something new.”

STA amon

In celebration of Sin Photo Editors Lim Mu Ya out five NTU students for Singaporea

R E IV FOR the past year, Lim Jia Wei, 24, has been spending his Saturday afternoons with intellectually disabled people like Mohammad Asraf, 34, who has Down’s Syndrome.

Lim volunteers at the Woodlands Gardens School, run by the Movement for the Intellectually Disabled (MINDS).

Ser ving with the MINDS community as part of NTU’s Welfare Services Club, Lim found empathy and compassion through volunteerism.

Although Asraf’s inability to speak makes it challenging to take care of him, Lim finds it highly rewarding.

“It’s not easy interacting with Asraf as he generally doesn’t know what goes on around him.”

“He is in his own world,” said the final-year student from the School of Computer Engineering.

“But I want to see him every week. It gives me a great sense of fulfillment to watch over Asraf and to know I’m enriching his life just by being there for him,” said Lim.

THE NANYANG

VOL. NO.

20

CHRONICLE 01 “I had no web design skills at first. I picked them up along the way with the help of my friends,” said the third-year student from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. “It really took a leap of faith, but I have never looked back since,” she said.

“Making cards is fulfilling as I’m not just an artist, but more of an encourager.”

The Handicra ft

AGNES Lee’s love for bringing joy into the lives of others led to her starting up thepostcardpress.com, an online postcard business.

Making a custom card might be a tedious task to many, but to Lee, 22, picking up the pen and paper is an act of love, be it for that special someone or for a passing stranger.

But setting up the business was no easy task.

er

TH EC

ACK EB OM

ARS ng us

KID

ngapore’s birthday, ao and Yeo Kai Wen seek their unique takes on the an identity.

“In the spirit of forging a new identity as Singaporeans, we are in the process of forgetting our origins.”

Aneza Ramzeen, 22 Year 3 Nanyang Business School

Failing after years of hard work didn’t stop him from wanting to start again.

E n t r e p r e n e u r J e r e m y K o, 25, o w e d his te n a c i t y to a b u r nin g d e sir e to prove that he could be his own boss.

“I came from a secondary school of rich students, and I used to feel a bit inferior compared to my classmates — many of whom had their own chauffeurs,” said the final-year student from the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information.

That drove him to teach himself photography, web and graphic design, and other skills that could possibly help him realise his aspirations to become a businessman.

But even his wide skill set was not enough to ensure the success of his first business venture, which failed due to cashflow problems.

Undaunted, he tried again — and in less than a year founded Movement First, which supplies fitness equipment, all by himself.

To set up the company, Ko scouted all over China for factories that manufacture gym equipment, securing countless deals while on exchange in Shanghai.

“It all starts with having a purpose — once you have that, you will be driven to use the skills you have for that end,” said Ko.

THE

CHRONICLE

GUIDE TO NTU

What’s New On Campus

Transport Updates, Hall Improvements & Simply Things to Do

Legend: Campus Loop – Red Line

Campus Rider – Green Line (Weekdays Only)

Campus Loop – Blue Line

Campus Weekend Rider – Brown Line (Weekends & PH)

NEWS.

HALL RENOVATIONS ROAD ENHANCEMENTS 2 new roundabouts have been built near the Jalan Bahar and Pioneer Road North entrances to smoothen traffic flow.

Older halls around campus will soon receive a full revamp.

Hall 6 residents can expect new furniture, flooring and electrical cables, as well as renovated pantries and TV lounges.

NEW BUS ROUTES

Halls 4, 5 and 7 can also look forward to similar upgrades in the next few years.

Campus Loop Red Line replaces former Routes A and B, while Campus Loop Blue Line replaces former Route C. Campus Rider replaces Route D. The bus stops from the previous routes have been staggered, with some relocated. Notices are put up on bus stops that are not in service.

Newer halls can also expect improvements, as the Halls 8-11 have been renovated to include non-slip tiles and new washing machines.

From $3 to $4

Canteen 9

Canteen 16

School of Biological Sciences, Level B1 Mon-Fri: 7am-9pm Sat: 7am-4pm

Canteen 9’s food more than makes up for its dim lighting.

The main attraction of Canteen 16 is Golden Spoon, the tze char stall.

It’s easy to miss this cafe as it’s hidden at the basement of the School of Biological Sciences.

The Western food stall’s kebabs are thick, juicy, and flavourful, while the spicy tofu soup from the Korean cuisine stall comes in a generous portion of tofu, clams, and pork.

Also, the Western cuisine stall has a new vendor. The previous vendor owner has moved to Canteen 13.

The Quad Cafe

B

Canteen Now operated by Koufu open from

50-60¢

increase in price of drinks

7am-9pm NEW STALLS japanese pizza&salad dimsum desserts INCLUDING

15

air-conditioned cafe 1983 A Taste Of Nanyang

The cafe serves Korean food, chicken rice and Ayam Penyet, and is in the midst of gaining Halal certification.

Canteen 4

Hall 4 Mon-Sun: 7am-9pm Despite its small quarters and run-down exterior, Canteen 4 is said to serve good cereal chicken at the tze char stall.

Hall 4 Mon-Sun: 7am-9pm

Hall 16 Mon-Sun: 7am-9pm

Canteen B

Canteen 11

SS3-B4 Mon-Fri: 7am-9pm Sat: 7am-3pm

This canteen contains a mini convenience stall of its own, set up by the canteen’s owner.

Despite the change in canteen operator, prices remain relatively low: from $2.50 for a salad to $3.70 for a tori karaage set.

Hall 11 Mon-Sun: 7am-9pm

Both the Indian food and tze char stalls are the hall residents’ favourites.

With its huge portions and friendly vendor, the stall is also the most popular in the canteen.

Two stalls, one selling sushi and the other serving Malay cuisine, have been added on the upper level to ease the lunchtime crowd.

food stalls

Upcoming Eateries Umi Sushi opens in mid-August at the top deck of Canteen B. Canteen 1 is renovated, and includes the new Wan Chai Hong Kong restaurant.

Canteen 2 is under renovation.

Artease Cafe

School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Level 1 Mon-Fri: 9am-9pm Sat: 9am-3pm Bubble tea cafe Artease is an alternative to Starbucks, giving students their caffeine fixes at a lower price.

Popular for its salted caramel milk tea, the cafe also gives a 10 per cent discount to NTU students and staff.

From $2.20 to $3.00 NIE Canteen

Nanyang Institute of Education (NIE) Block 4, Level B1 Mon-Fri: 7am-6pm Offering $2.20 for a bowl of noodles and 45 cents for a drink, the NIE Canteen is possibly the most value-for-money canteen on campus.

From $10 - $30

From $4 - $5

McDonald’s

N2.1, #01-08 Mon-Sat: 7am-12mn Sun: 10am-8pm As the only eatery on campus open until midnight, McDonald’s is often crowded with students after 10pm.

Prices here are also 20 per cent lower than external outlets due to student rates.

The New World

Vanner

Hidden beside The Palette, The New World recently added two stalls: one selling fishball noodles and the other serving claypot rice.

The Swedish bistro comes the closest to a fine-dining restaurant in NTU.

N2.1, #01-01 Mon-Sat: 8am-9pm

Nanyang Auditorium, #01-01 Mon-Fri: 10am-10pm

The stall Komala’s is popular among Indian vegetarians.

Subway

N2.1, #01-07 Mon-Fri: 7am-9pm Sat: 7am-3pm

It serves dishes such as pan-seared scallop and smoked duck in mango salsa salad.

The beers and wines coupled with live music performances make Vanner a pleasant spot for winding down.

Subway provides a healthier alternative to students with their popular sandwiches and wraps.

Its daily $5 combos are a hot favourite with students.

While you’re there, you can visit the new Popular bookstore to pick up some stationery.

THINGS TO DO OUTSIDE NTU ‘Ah Lian Beehoon’

Jurong West Street 61, Blk 651 Singapore 641651 NTU students know this stall as ‘Ah Lian Beehoon’, but its actual name is Bai Li Xiang Economical Beehoon. It is noted for its fried beehoon, crispy chicken wings, and sambal chilli. Open till the wee hours, it is a popular supper hangout.

‘Ah Fang’ Coffee Shop

Jurong West Street 91, Blk 907 Singapore 640907 Nicknamed ‘Ah Fang’ by NTU students, Lai Lai Coffee Shop is a 5-minute walk from Halls 4 and 5, across the overhead bridge. Its Indian Muslim food, wanton mee, and beverage stalls are open 24 hours.

Boon Lay Power Nasi Lemak

Blk 221B, Boon Lay Place #01-106, Boon Lay Place Food Centre Singapore 642221 5pm-2am daily A 5-metre queue at this famous nasi lemak stall is a common sight, but don’t be daunted as it moves quickly. Boon Lay Power is a must-try if you’re new to the Jurong neighbourhood.

From $5 - $7 Starbucks

Student Activities Centre Mon-Fri: 7.30am-10pm Sat: 8am-6pm Sun: 10am-4pm With the drinks 10 per cent cheaper than regular outlets, long queues are common so expect to wait up to 15 minutes for your order if the place is packed.

Pitchstop

Innovation Centre B1, #01-108 Mon-Fri: 9am-10pm As the first student-run cafe in NTU, Pitchstop offers a respite from the noisy canteens.

Serving Western cuisine, their thin-crust pizzas are cooked in a wood-fired oven.

A Kronenburg 1664 straight from the tap costs $9 (about $3 cheaper than normal).

Hay Dairies Goat Farm

3 Lim Chu Kang Agrotech Park Lane 4 Singapore 718859 Opening Hours: 9am-4pm daily Hay Dairies is Singapore’s only goat farm, and rears over 800 goats for their milk. Admission is free and there are milking demonstrations at 9am and 11am. Do remember to grab a bottle of goat’s milk while you are there. The nearest MRT station is Jurong East.

Canadian Pizza N2.1, #01-06 Mon-Fri: 7am-9pm Sat: 7am-3pm

EAT.

The downside is that it’s a 10-minute walk from the NIE bus stop (Campus Blue Line) to the canteen.

The pizza chain serves the usual crowdfavourites such as Meat Lovers and Hawaiian Classic.

Waiting time for your pizza can reach 10 minutes.

The Palette

N2.1, #01-04 Mon-Fri: 7am-8.30pm Sat: 10.30am-8.30pm

The Western cafe offers sandwiches, salads, and hot pastas at reasonable rates.

Hamburgers with grilled patties and fresh toppings are served with fries at $3.50.

Daily set lunches start from $3.80.

The Observatory at Science Centre

15 Science Centre Road Singapore 609081 Opening hours: Fridays, 7.45pm-10pm

The Singapore Science Centre’s Observatory holds stargazing sessions every Friday night to spot some planets and stars. However, do check the Observatory’s Facebook page before heading down as sessions might be cancelled in the event of poor weather.

JOIN THE CON COME THIN

NVERSATION. NK WITH US.

THE NANYANG

CHRONICLE nanyangchronicle.ntu.edu.sg facebook.com/chronNTU

台湾出走记 —— 刊19页

新闻

言论

废除车站隐忧多

学生会已在废除的车站张贴通告，以免造成乘客空等的困扰。

王禄娴●报道

从

7月22日起，南洋理工大 学学生会实施了新的校 内接驳巴士路线，这个新措施 将会对三万三千名学生造成影 响。有些巴士站完全不包括在 新的校内接驳巴士路线内，可 是，这些不再使用的巴士站因 未被拆除而造成学生困扰。

眼睁睁看着巴士不靠站 无论是正在乘坐还是等待巴 士，许多学生至今对巴士是否 停靠于某些车站还存在疑惑。 来自机械与宇航工程学院三 年级的吴程说：“乘搭校内接 驳巴士时，有些学生在按了车 铃后以为巴士会停在他们宿舍 前的巴士站。可是他们不知道 原有的站已被废除，所以只好 从别的站走回宿舍。” 黄金辉传播与信息学院二年 级的陈慧恩也被新路线混淆， 她在巴士站等了好久才发现巴 士已经没有在该站停靠。她认 为：“当局应该拆掉在新巴士 路线下不再使用的巴士站，以 避免误导更多乘客。”

多个学院受到影响 新路线的实行对许多学院造 成了直接影响，其中就包括艺 术、设计与媒体学院，二年级 生杨凯荔表示：“１７９路公 车本就不停靠在我们学院前的 车站，如今校内接驳巴士也不 再停靠，真的很不方便。”

“ 新 的 巴 士路线能减 缓 车 上 所 载的学生人 数 ， 但 在 等候时间、 便 利 与 否 的情况上， 并 没 针 对 问题而作出 调整。” 黄植贤 艺术、设计与媒体学院二年级

对于住校的学生，新路线 也给他们带来烦恼。在四条 新路线中，只有周末才运行 的“Campus Weekend Rider” 会停靠在七号宿舍前的车站， 居住在此的学生在周日就必须 走到其他车站搭车。 就读商学院三年级的洪薇婷

摄影:林慕尧 觉得：“七号宿舍的位置本来 就较偏僻，如今宿舍外的车站 周日停用，一旦遇到下雨天， 若走到黄金辉传播与信息学院 前的巴士站，一定会被淋湿， 十分不便。” 艺术、设计与媒体学院二年 级生，黄植贤则指出校方还是 必须以学生为前提，更好更完 善地策划巴士路线以及增加巴 士数量。 他表示：“据我所知，校方 并没有完全采用学生所提议的 路线。新的巴士路线能减缓车 上所载的学生人数，但在等候 时间，便利与否的情况上，并 没有针对问题而作出调整。”

势 不知 可 挡 的 玩 偶 热 洪媛

中文编辑

名快餐企业麦当劳于今年5月推出了一系列凯 蒂猫玩偶，吸引大家争相购买。这股凯蒂猫 余热还没散去，商家便乘胜追击，搭上来自《神偷 奶爸2》中小小兵（minions）的狂热，随每份儿童 套餐附赠玩具。这让许多粉丝不惜排队，只为可以 将其带回家，不到数小时，玩偶便被一扫而空。 这看起来不起眼的小小玩具，却将许多潜在的 社会问题浮出水面。此次的玩偶热潮甚至对公共秩 序都造成影响。公民记者网站就曾揭露在马来西亚 槟城，人们为了抢买小小兵，不惜推挤将麦当劳的 卷帘门撞坏，一拥而入，场面十分混乱。如此危险 的行为给自身和旁人都带来了困扰，也让人开始质 疑如此迫切地大量收购是否只是单纯想作为收藏。 其实，相信在这些大量收购玩偶的人当中，并 非所有都是收藏爱好者。他们其中有人是盲目跟 风，只为融入潮流的洪流之中，但他们并非了解收 藏的真正价值。收藏爱好者们会悉心打理收藏品， 延长其收藏寿命和增加价值，而盲目跟风者在热度 散去后，便把玩偶们闲置一旁，时间久了旧了，就 失去了收藏的价值。但此举只是造成盲目跟风的现 象，浪费时间和金钱，但还不至于损人利己。 如今，网上常常可以看到有人出高价售卖和收 购这些玩偶的帖子，从几十元至上百元，这个仅花 几元钱就能购买的儿童套餐赠品，却因为人们的狂 热一夜之间“身价”翻了数十数百倍。商家本为了 提高营业额而以售卖玩偶为行销手段，无可厚非。 人们在购买后因为不想保留而转手出售给真正的爱 好者这本是一件好事，但有人利用这种心理，大量 收购玩偶后再以高价卖出，从中牟取暴利。而许多 狂热爱好者的加入，使价钱越炒越高，越炒越离 谱，长期下去，必然会有更多人深受其害。虽然目 前麦当劳已经展开了网络预订，但这个玩偶热太 盛，玩偶供不应求，这些贪婪之人仍有机可乘。 下一个再掀玩偶热潮的卡通或影片公仔还未 知，但这些潜在的问题仍在继续蔓延，要想真正杜 绝，只有大家都秉持着一颗诚意珍藏和共享喜悦的 心，才能让所有不良之风消失殆尽。

不排除未来改变路线 南洋理工大学学生会的师 生关系执行李嘉仪表示学生会 将尽快通过电子邮件和在废除 的巴士站张贴通告通知全体师 生，以免造成更多困扰。 针对一些拆除废除巴士站的 建议，她也透露：“新巴士路 线虽然没有各站停靠，但是路 线未来可能还会再更改，一些 巴士站还是有可能再使用，因 此不会被拆除。”

插图：何婉惠

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THE NANYANG

01 CHRONICLE 生活之海外游记

实习记者 台湾出走 蔡欣颖只身到台湾的网路新闻公司实习，甚至还获得机会外出采访观赏棒球赛学习写体育新闻。

文／摄影 蔡欣颖

上

个学期在考试结束的第 三天，我开始打包行 李，选择前往自己从未去过的 台湾，在当地一家网络新闻社 《今日新闻》实习。

异地工作需懂得随机应变

想自行前往海外实习，最大 的难处莫过于寻找实习公司的 问题。因此, 我认为最佳方法是 游览他们的求职网站, 以联系相 关负责人。此外, 由于不清楚台 湾媒体公司接收实习生是否有 期限，因此越早将履历寄出, 让 自己有机会获得更多公司的回 复。幸运地，我在一月份便获 得《今日新闻》的回复，就此 确定了5月份前往去台湾实习的 机会。而在台湾读书的朋友， 也让我在她们家住一个月，省 却了我在住宿方面的烦恼。 在国外生活，虽然感到害 怕，但也让我学习如何独立生 活，熟悉当地人的生活方式。 初到台湾时，人生地不熟，每 次上班都必须换乘三条地铁线 才能到达公司。渐渐的，我发 现住家附近有几辆巴士能直接 到达公司附近，只要转达一条 地铁线就能抵达目的地了。因 此, 不妨留意周遭的环境, 或许 可以找到能方便生活的捷径。 此外，在异地工作，最重要 的是懂得如何随机应变，适应 当地的工作文化。在《今日新 闻》里，大家并没有因为我是

新加坡人的身份，而给我特别 待遇。我与其他员工一样, 必须 以繁体字写稿、必须照着他们 的写作方式，在最快的时间内 完成稿件。

看到不一样面貌的台湾，感受 不一样的台湾，也让我更有勇 气进行接下来的另一个挑战： 一个人旅行。

意识不足 努力改进

一个人出去旅行，是想要 提前送自己一份难忘的生日礼 物。很多人认为，独自旅行少 了一个人分担沿途中的快乐、 少了一个人分享周边的各种美 食，但换个方式想，却多了一 份自由、多了不少的时间，去 认真感受周遭的一景一物。 入住老房子，也是我这次旅 行的其中一项清单。做了许久 的功课，总算让我找到这间名 为“静巷六弄”的民宿。人，

实习期间，由于时逢“广大 兴号渔船遭射杀”事件，让我 感触最深刻的是副总编辑要求 我在最短的时间内，完成一段 发言的翻译。虽然原文不长， 但涉及政治内容，让我倍感压 力。虽然最后顺利完成工作， 却让我意识到自己的不足，并 且必须多加改进。 初加入新闻社时，我便大 略告诉编辑自己想多往外采访 新闻，因此他们便让我跟随体 育、财经以及科技组的记者 们，参加记者会或到体育现场 采访报道。 印象最深刻的不外是有幸参 与大型科技品牌华硕与微软在 台北举行的2013 COMPUTEX 国际电脑展发布会活动。那时 候, 在场的都是来自世界各地 的记者们, 而他们每一个人, 手 里拿着各式各样的电子产品, 为 的是与时间赛跑, 抢先在网上同 步报道品牌新推出的产品. 此 外, 微软在发布会后, 另外安 排采访时间, 让我有机会与微软 OEM全球副总裁尼克帕克(Nick Parker) 近距离接触. 虽然最终 没有发问，但却让我见识到其 他资深记者的专业表现，并且 对科技新闻写作产生兴趣。 以实习记者的身份，也让我

一个人旅行不孤单

可以一见钟情，而这民宿也是 如此。整间屋子的氛围格外宁 静，有种魔力让人放缓脚步， 让人完全放松心情，享受与老 房子独处的时间。 房子里没有电视机，取而代 之的是陈列在书橱上的各种书 籍，要住进来的旅客暂时忘记 四方盒里的虚幻，重拾书中的 真实。 与屋主乃伸交谈，他说自己 想要打造一个安静的空间，让 每个人都能在这里“给自己多 留一些时间”，因为生活中， 我们常常扮演着不同的角色， 互相配合彼此的步伐，而逐渐 迷失方向。他的这番话反映了 我选择一个人旅行的原因，想

要暂时放下周围的一切，留给 自己一些空间。

从容面对旅程

一星期的单独旅程下来，让 我感受最深的，就是不要抱有 太多的期望。旅行之前，我有 很多想要去的地方，如台中的 彩虹眷村、高雄的自助新村， 很多想要吃的食物，如旗津的 海产、台中的田乐早午餐，却 因为种种原因，没有办法前往 或品尝。虽然如此，我并不感 到失望，因为我获得了更多意 想不到的惊喜。 在嘉义台铁站参加“台铁 125周年纪念”举办的有奖问答 比赛、在高雄坐上一位陌生大 叔的摩托车前往与友人相约的 咖啡厅、在台中意外发现深藏 在巷子里面的东海艺术街以及 夜市，让我整段旅程过得额外 充实。

学会调适心情

除了实习，蔡欣颖（右）也趁机到台湾各地自助旅游，上图为 和“静巷六弄”的民宿主人合影留念。

一个人旅行，周围的人与 事都左右了你的心情。在台中 留宿一晚颇有名气的咖啡店住 宿时，却因为店员总是摆着黑 脸，所以让我感觉心情不愉 快。然而，没有同行的朋友， 也就没有发牢骚的机会，因此 一个人要懂得如何调适自己的 心情，转移注意力，让自己忘 记旅途的不愉快。 初来的不安，回去的不舍。 能够在台湾完成海外实习和一 个人旅行的梦想，让我觉得一 个人并不寂寞，也不孤单。

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THE NANYANG

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CHRONICLE 01 娱乐

潘玮柏“释放自己”世界巡回演唱会新加坡站

演艺十年 火红开唱

出道十年的潘玮柏身着火红亮片夹克绚丽开唱，发高烧依然带病演出，拼尽全力带来精彩表演，敬业精神满分。

白艳婷●报道

顶

着38.7度的体温，潘玮 柏依然“卖命”演出， 于7月20日在新加坡博览中心 The MAX Pavilion举行《释放 自己》世界巡回演唱会。高烧 丝毫没有影响他的表演，现场 气氛高昂。粉丝们都称赞潘玮 柏的敬业精神满分。 整场演唱会长达两个小时， 潘帅笑着说：“今天我是用生 命在唱、用吃奶的力气在跳。 我完全不像生病，我把全身力 量都释放出来！”动感十足的 前奏和高科技的绿色LED向粉

丝投射，演唱会还没开始就早 已炒热全场。银幕打开后，潘 玮柏更是乘坐大型“闪光球” 出场。一身火红亮片夹克配 搭黑色墨镜的潘帅以四首high 歌，《释放自己》、《次世 代》、《MVP》和《反转地 球》为演唱会掀开序幕。 现场的粉丝人手一支红色 的荧光棒，随着歌曲的节奏挥 舞，放眼望去一片“红海”， 场面壮观。但或许因为生病作 祟，演唱开场时他上气不接下 气，很多部分都得让合音帮忙 演唱，虽然过程不完美，但是 敬业的态度仍让台下歌迷改到 欣慰。

影评 电影播映室 电影：《小时代》 主演：杨幂、郭采洁、柯震东、 谢依霖 类型：青春、时尚

,,,,,

电

影以繁忙的上海都市为背景，讲 述四个从小感情深厚，但有着不 同价值观的姐妹，林萧（杨幂饰）是个 性格温和、重友情但迷糊的小女生，反 观顾里（郭采洁饰）是聪明理智、牙尖 嘴利，公认的“女王”等等，电影中他 们先后经历友情、爱情乃至亲情的巨大

此外，因为从小在美国长 大，潘帅最拿手的就是嘻哈 饶舌的演唱，因此现场展露 两手也是演唱会不可或缺的桥 段，他把几首耳熟能详的成名 曲包括了《我的麦克风》以及 《Kiss Me 123》等都演绎得游 刃有余。 有快歌自然少不了舞蹈，演 唱《无重力》时，他走向舞台 中央的45度斜坡上和两名女舞 者躺在地板上，带来一段又火 辣又充满热情的互动式反重力 舞蹈，让大家眼前为之一亮。 除了与舞者轧舞，潘帅也带 来了三段精彩的独舞，他奋力 地表演自由式舞蹈，聚光打下

转变。剧情看似沉重，但有“Hold住 姐”谢依霖的加入，为电影增添不少笑 料，她现实生活的个性和故事中相符， 因此爆笑演出的神情非常自然。 剧中男演员们与女生们的爱情关系 错综复杂，他们的个性也非常鲜明，男 主角宫洺（凤小岳饰）则是像谜一样的 男人，虽事业有成，但处女座的他却有 个爱搜集各类杯子的怪癖；而顾源（柯 震东饰）虽然和女朋友顾里一样出生于 富贵人家，但少了几分高傲冷漠，多了 些成熟稳重. 这部影片中国青春文学作家郭敬明 的处女作。也许因为第一次当导演，他 过于拘泥表现自己利用先进的拍摄技术 呈现华丽的画面，忘了观众其实比较期 待更真实的剧情。 然而正因为导演是原著作家，所以

映射出他认真的孤线以及挥洒 的汗水，画面唯美，也掀起了 演唱会的高潮。

感性感谢歌迷的支持 潘玮柏在演唱会上展露了感 性的一面，抒情歌曲的诠释方 法有别于专辑里的歌唱方式， 注入了更多的情感，他唱《转 机》时更数度哽咽，让台下歌 迷向他呐喊“不要哭！”。 除了感谢歌迷一直以来的 支持，演唱会设立了回馈歌迷 的桥段，在演唱歌曲《专属于 你》时，潘帅从座位第一排挑 选了一名幸运的女粉丝上台， 两人手牵手一起坐上特别设计

他的剧本选择了小说中许多经典的桥段 配上文艺的台词，创作出犹如文学电影 般的享宴，有别于其它以贴近真实生活 为主的影片。 也许因为跳脱了现实的框架，剧中场 景也呈现地较为奢华，令人为之惊艳， 剧组不仅借到了上海的高级酒店拍摄， 甚至还请当局封路让他们在高架桥上拍 戏；服装方面，每位人物以及每一场戏 都特别设计了不同的服装，似乎在展现 一场华美艳丽的高级服装秀。 想要观赏电影的观众要特别注意的 是，你可能会觉得电影结尾有些突兀， 这是因为《小时代》其实分成多部播 出，可惜首部曲中很多情节没有交代清 楚，让人不免担忧下一部可否完整地交 代剧情。电影将在8月15日正式上映。 （文／陈韵儿）

摄影: 林慕尧 的心型小屋，场面温馨浪漫， 同时也羡煞不少女歌迷。 演唱会中最催泪的桥段莫过 于播放了一段回顾潘玮柏入行 十年的片段。自称自己不是天 才型艺人的他坦言：“我不是 要证明我有多厉害，而是证明 真正努力是没有错的！”这也 是他不停努力，学写歌，跳舞 和饶舌的推动力。 曾经因为《爱。无限》荣获 金钟奖最佳男主角，但能力被 受质疑的潘玮柏，在自己演唱 会上首次担任制作人，精心编 排桥段、努力演绎，为自己出 道十年的演出交上一份完美的 成绩单。

图片:创艺电影提供

Undergraduate Investment Forum

ISSUE 58 | NTU INVESTMENT INTERACTIVE CLUB | WWW.NTU-IIC.ORG

Money Management

By Dawn Lim

As an undergraduate, we face new challenges, decisions and commitments. One such milestone in life is achieving financial independence, which is something not quite well understood by this psychographic segment of ours. New financial goals have to be set based on our own time horizon, and they have to be reviewed frequently. This boils down to money management.

Where to start?

Money management is an umbrella that covers both saving and investing amongst other things. Many of you may have considered investing to let your money work for you. But where do we start? It is a great leap of faith to take, daunting to some as it seems like a game for the rich.

To begin investing, capital is required. This can be obtained simply by proper planning and discipline; you do not need to have plenty of cash as your starting base. Instead of jumping onto the bandwagon, it would be wiser to start on financial planning, budgeting and prioritizing on goals you want to meet. By

UNDERGRADUATE INVESTMENT FORUM IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

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setting aside a small percentage of your monthly allowance (or earnings if you are working) this cash can quickly accumulate, which can then used for wealth accumulation through wise investments. This may seem like common sense, but many young adults are often living from hand-to-mouth, with hardly any more cash to spare, not to mention investments.

Why Save?

Savings will not help you grow your cash in terms of returns; in fact, savings in the long run actually mean a loss due to the concept of time value of money-- "A dollar today is worth more than a dollar in the future". The interest rate of your savings account is usually lower than the inflation rate, meaning your returns from the interest paid to you hardly cover the value your savings have lost due to inflation.

So why save if it is so? This is because savings are usually safe with minimal risk and are highly liquid, meaning it is easily accessible should you need it at a short notice. By setting aside this minimal amount every month, it will

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soon become the fundamentals of your very first investment. Accumulating a pool of funds prepares you with the liquidity to grasp any possible investment opportunity that comes by without affecting your living standards at any point in time. By accumulating funds, it also allows you to explore more options that may require more capital but also promises greater returns. Other than being your source of funds to build up your investment portfolio, it also serves as a safety net should an emergency arise.

Final words..

In a nutshell, we should start young in working towards financial freedom. This requires money management to be achieved in the long run. Saving cannot provide you the returns investing can offer you, nor can investing promise the low risk levels saving ensures on your capital. Hence, a good balance of both would be pertinent towards achieving this lifelong goal.

Opinions EDITORIAL HAVING a degree leads to a good job.

I wish it were that simple, but that was what more than half of the people in their 20s agreed to in a recent Straits Times career survey.

Having a degree can lead to a better job, but I can’t go past the absolute qualifier of “good” present in the earlier statement.

It signifies a sense of closure that is inconclusive at best.

Perhaps a more useful statistic would be the number of those fresh graduates who are actually satisfied with their new jobs.

In the 9,500 NTU graduates this year, 7 in 10 found jobs before convocation.

The survey seemed to point to the prevalent attitude of most students toward personal development — that is, to sideline any such development and instead secure a job as fast as possible, all the better before convocation.

An NTU graduate job survey also revealed that the three least sought after degrees by students were from the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Science (HASS).

But HASS Dean Alan Chan was unfazed by the statistic.

“With a good education, there is nothing to fear. My only concern is some of them may be a little impatient in trying to get ahead,” Professor Chan says.

He values a student’s personal exploration and lifelong

learning far greater than a student’s starting salary.

Fresh from tossing her mortarboard, that was what graduate Edwina Ong, 23, learnt in her four years.

Like many, she was uncertain about the job prospects of her degree while at NTU. From attending classes to cramming for examinations, the graduate from the school of Art, Design and Media did all that was demanded of her as a student.

But she wished she had explored other avenues for personal fulfilment and not just “go with the flow”.

From engaging in personal projects to going for exchange programmes and internships, many graduates leave university benefitting from these experiences unrelated to the theoretical rigor of academia.

“It is not difficult to find a job but it is discovering what you really want to do that takes time,” Ong said.

If you are a freshman, there’s no limit to what’s in it for you this semester — if you don’t stop at just clinching the grades.

For a start, you can decide to join in the conversation here at the Chronicle and come think with us.

We welcome you to join our online conversation on our Facebook page (www.facebook. com/ChronNTU) and website (www.nanyangchronicle.ntu. edu.sg).

THE NANYANG

CHRONICLE chief editor Wong Pei Ting Managing editor Wan Zhong Hao sub-editors Fiona Lam Han Hui Jing Steffi Koh Tiffany Goh DIGITAL EDITOR Benjamin Lim COMMUNITY EDITOR Matthew Ng News editors Cynthia Choo Isaac Tan

Chinese editors Hong Yuan Liu Ting Ting sports editors David Lam Nazri Eddy Razali photo editors Lim Mu Yao Yeo Kai Wen VIDEO PRODUCERS Miranda Yeo Sim Yu Ling INFOGRAPHIC EDITOR Jonathan Chan ART EDITOR Celeste Tan

Lifestyle editors Bernice Koh Nicole Tan

business managerS Lionel Lim Ho Xiu Xian

Reviews editor Charmaine Ng

production support Ng Heng Ghee Ong Li Chia

dapper editors Felicia Quah Rebecca See opinionS editor Andrew Toh

Teacher advisors Debbie Goh Lau Joon Nie Zakaria Zainal Wibke Weber

A students’ newspaper published by the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information (WKWSCI) Nanyang Technological University 31 Nanyang Link, Singapore 637718 Tel: 6790 6446 Unsigned editorials represent the majority view of the editorial board of The Chronicle and do not necessarily reflect the policies or views of Nanyang Technological University, its employees, the students or the Council of the University.

Signed opinion columns, letters and editorial cartoons represent the opinion of the writer or artist and are not necessarily those of The Chronicle.

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Facebook: The Nanyang Chronicle Website: www3.ntu.edu. sg/chronicle General Enquiries: chronicle@ntu.edu.sg

frankly, my dear

A column by Chronicle Editors on issues close to their hearts

Enjoying the little things

Andrew Toh

Opinions Editor

I

ran as fast as my legs could carry me, the policeman in riot gear barely more than a few metres away.

All around me, the crowd shoved and shouted, ever y one of us trampling over each other to stay out of reach of the authorities. The unfortunate ones who couldn’t run fast enough were tackled to the ground and led away in cuffs.

Thankfully, I managed to escape that experience unscathed.

That was four months ago, when I was in Montreal on my exchange programme.

I relished that rush of adrenaline in my veins and the dizzying feeling of ecstasy in that moment as I ran with the frenzied crowd.

Another heart-racing experience was when I had volunteered with the campus newspaper to take photos for another protest at Montreal’s City Hall.

There were no clashes this time, but the crowd was excited and the atmosphere tense. Riot police were filing into the area by the dozens to keep the peace.

Throughout the procession, I saw youths as young as 15 years old going up right before the policemen, taunting them and spewing expletives in their face.

I snapped away with my camera, completely ignorant of the danger I was putting myself into. The photo editor who had accompanied me there told me later that day that it was a miracle we hadn’t been arrested.

I guess I’m what most people would call an adrenaline junkie. I actively seek out experiences that sometimes put my life in danger.

That thirst for adventure has led me through Vietnam and Cambodia on lone backpacking trips, and even horseback riding through the wild plains of Mongolia.

Spending that five months in Montreal, away from any form of parental control and self-restraint, only served to bring that craving to a new high.

After a while however, it started to feel like nothing was ever enough to quench that thirst for excitement.

I was always chasing that next big high, never being content with the present.

GRAPHIC: GRACE HO

We’re all too familiar with the motto: “YOLO” — you only live once. But we end up chasing experiences that, at the end of the day, only leave us feeling dissatisfied and wanting more after the adrenaline wears off.

The same siren song is played through the airwaves and on the silver screens: Carpe Diem; Seize the day; Live each day like it’s your last.

Life for us thrillseekers become an unending series of highs, with the occasional pause to rest and refuel before heading out again for the next big adventure.

Looking back however, I realized that the little things that figured very much in my life too.

Minor events like catching up with an old friend over a cup of coffee, staying home on a Sunday morning to read, or enjoying an intimate, home-cooked dinner with my flatmates; these were as much a pleasure to me as going out to report on the next protest, or spending half the night screaming my lungs

out at a rock and roll concert.

C.S. Lewis once wrote that it was simply no good to try and keep any thrill. In fact, he emphasised that it was the very worst thing one could do.

“Let the thrill go — let it die away — go on through that period of death into the quieter interest and happiness that follow — and you will find you are living in a world of new thrills all the time,” he wrote.

It’s perfectly fine to want to have new and exciting experiences in our lives. But ultimately it’s the little things that we will return to again and again.

And similarly, it’s these little things that will give us pleasure no matter how many times we experience it, unlike adrenaline rushes that get stale after a while.

So I might jump at that next opportunity to report on another protest, or suddenly pack my bags for another backpacking adventure, but I will always stop and relish that cup of coffee with a friend before I go.

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Activism shrouded in passivity PinkDot offers a good example of this.

As the biggest lobbying group for the LGBT cause in Singapore, Pi n k Dot of fer s a fasci nat i ng model of activism. It uses social media to reach out to the public, but at the same time, it takes its activism out to the public.

PinkDot events offer goodies and identit y trophies that are unobtainable by just liking the PinkDot page alone. Supporters a nd volu nte e r s he lp to f i nd sponsorship, endorsements, and set up events every year.

Brian Leonal

T

he recent haze in June has thrown up some interesting comments on the internet.

User Ls commented on Yahoo!

Singapore: “A s Singaporeans a nd M a l a y s i a n s , we s hou ld put ou r h a nd s toge t he r a nd boycot t Indonesian products.

T he aut hor it y shou ld impose sanctions to teach this culprit (Indonesia) a lesson.”

And on socio-political blog TR Emeritus, User Singaporeans United commmented: “In t he f u t u r e w h e n I n d on e s i a h a s ear t hqua kes, tsunamis, don’t help them.“ Another Yahoo user called for cutting investments to Indonesia.

Yet another called for boycotting Indonesian maids.

And so Singaporeans poured t he i r t houg ht s out onto t he internet. They ‘like’d’, commented on, and shared each other’s post on Facebook.

But what does this achieve?

With PSI levels rising to a record-high of 403. the severity of the haze caught Singaporeans by surprise. And just like in every other issue, Singaporean netizens jumped onto the bandwagon of online discourse.

A lt houg h it lac ked a cor e organiser, the whole movement seems to exemplify clicktivism.

Clicktivism refers to the use of social media to promote a cause.

However, it often veers towards slacktivism, which is when the campaign becomes ineffectual and fails to achieve any practical change.

It looks very impressive, until you discover that these compassionate souls have raised about USD 6,000 (or half a penny per person).

Clicktivism gives the impression that social media is a seamless solution to all global predicaments.

Clickt iv ism is problemat ic mainly because it does not lead to any practical benefits. It gives the impression that social media is a seamless solution to all global predicaments, hence making the so-called activists feel good about themselves without having made any practical change.

S o w h at e x a c t l y p l a g u e s “slacktivist” campaigns? Evgeny Morozov, a researcher of media effects, wrote in Foreign Policy magazine: “Above all, it’s the unrealistic assumption that given enough awareness, all problems are solvable. Or in the language of computer geeks, given enough eyeballs, all bugs are shallow.”

GRAPHIC: LARA LOI

Morozov gave a st u n n i ng example of the popular Facebook group “Saving the Children in A f r ica”, wh ic h ha s member s exceeding 1.2 million people.

“It look s ver y i mpr essive, until you discover that these compassionate souls have raised about USD 6,000 (or half a penny per person),” he wrote.

Some activism websites such as change.org have even taken to dividing their petitions into ‘featured’, ‘popular’, and ‘recent’ sections.

A not her activ ism site,

thepetitionsite.com, has a section called ‘hottest petitions’.

These classif ication effor ts make it much easier for readers to sign petitions deemed important as information is now presented bite-sized.

But how ca n one sig n a petition presented in a bite-sized manner, lacking in credibility and elaboration?

T h i s goes bac k to t he m i sconcept ion t hat nu mbe r s are the most important measure of success, even for something as intangible as social change

— simply get whoever thinks the issue is pertinent to sign it, regardless of whether it makes a positive difference or not.

So what makes a successful and effective clicktivism campaign?

Of course, there first needs to be a central organisation.

S u b s e q u e n t l y, d o n’ t g i v e supporters badges of recognition unless they have proven their wor t h . A l so, c r eate d i ve r se , d i s t i n c t i v e a nd non - t r i v i a l tasks so supporters don’t spend their time sharing petitions on Facebook and begging for likes.

Paer in Choa, a spokesman for PinkDot, said that they had reser vat ions when t hey f i r st created PinkDot. “To be honest, when we started the campaign, the idea was for Singaporeans to wear pink clothes to show support for freedom to love. We did not know whether it would work,” Mr Choa said.

“Singaporeans are generally reserved and careful.”

“The first Pink Dot has shown that our event is safe to attend and t hat it generated a ver y positive and happy vibe. This encourages others to participate in the event in the subsequent years,” he added.

T he f i r st event saw 2,50 0 p e o p le at t e n d i n g , a n d f i v e years later, PinkDot sees 21,000 people attending and corporate sponsorship funding its events.

The haze has faded. And so has another opportunity to step into the future of environmental sustainability. In its earlier days, communication and information technology was envisioned to facilitate discourse and become the gateway to open knowledge.

But instead, it both encourages and justifies inaction. If there is anything that the haze should teach us, it is that our fates are still inter t wined in t he most fundamental and physical way, unchanged by the invention of fibre-optics and graphene.

As UNICEF Sweden communication director Petra Ha llebrant said before in an i nter v iew: “L i kes don’t save children’s lives. We need money to buy vaccines.”

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More than a first impression Zachary Tang

A

Harvard University study once revealed that a person has only five seconds to make a good first impression; and eight subsequent positive encounters are needed to turn over a negative one.

Now t hat ’s qu ite a bit of pressure placed on us — firstyear students at NTU — as we wander wide-eyed into a new environment, all eager to become somebody.

Thrown into the jungle that i s f r esh ma n or ientat ion , t he immediate things we notice are superficial traits: outspokenness, usefulness for future projects, or physical attractiveness Yet, in retrospect, are first i m p r e s s i on s r e a l l y a l l t h at important?

In the last month, around 10,000 NTU freshmen attended some form of orientation camp — be it under their faculty, hall, or a school club.

As a freshman myself, I’ve ju st got ten my f i r st taste of university life by going through orientation camps and meeting hordes of new people.

I remember sitting in a circle ju s t m i nute s a f te r t he s t a r t of ca mp, s u r rou nded by t he

unfamiliar faces whom I’d be spending every moment with for the next five days.

Seem ingly insign if icant details registered in my mind during the rare moments I had to myself: that boisterous jock chatting up three chicks at the same time; or that group of girls talking and laughing a little too loudly.

Too easily, people get boxed into stereotypes before we get to know them. We make preconceived and at times unfair judgements about strangers based on cursory factors like charisma, fashion sense or physical characteristics — before even having a proper conversation with these people.

I n a single glance, we decimate 20-odd years of life and experiences in a person we know absolutely nothing about.

Ou r cu lt u re’s convent ions

In a single glance, we decimate 20odd years of life and experience in a person we know absolutely nothing about.

We uncover substance and depth we’ve never noticed nor expected, and we see a whole different side to the person.

As Arthur Dobrin, author of The Lost Art of Happiness, puts it: “First impressions matter, but substance has the final word.”

First impressions matter, but substance has the final word. prize the quality of being social and outgoing above everything else. Susan Cain, author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, shared in her TED talk last year: “Our most important institutions — our schools and our workplaces — they’re designed mostly for extroverts and for extroverts’ need for lots of stimulation.”

Fur t her more, we have t he subconscious habit of seeking out t he gregar ious, loud and opinionated.

In the hustle and bustle of adapting to new environments and making friends, we ought to remember that the most sociable one s a r e n’ t ne c e s s a r i l y t h e smartest or the most interesting companions.

GRAPHIC: MUHAMMAD SABRI

Huff ington Post columnist and social psychologist Judith Johnson wrote: “Our point of view is built upon thousands of little snap judgments and assumptions we make about who and what we encounter in our lives.

“This amalgamation becomes so familiar to us that we seldom question its veracity.”

But as we start getting to know the person better, we gradually d i spose of ou r pr emat u r e judgement.

So, perhaps it’s the fourth, the fifth or maybe even the 15th impression that should matter — t he one whe r e wor d s a nd images start to resonate beneath a perfunctory shell and we find ourselves connecting with these new fr iends on an emotional level.

Ma ke snap judgement s i f you have to, but let us hold these judgements up to some scrutiny by giving everyone an equal chance to change that first impression through open-minded conversations and mutual respect that extends beyond skin-deep qualities.

Maybe then they’ll give you that same chance too.

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5mm apart from story

Cultivating a facedown nation Andrew Toh Opinions Editor

T

he debate over smartphones and our dependence on them has reared its ugly head again with the recent findings from a study published by the National Institute of Education (NIE) in June.

This time however, the issue has t ur ned to the increasing usage of smartphones and its effect on children, especially preschoolers.

The main gist of the study is that more children nowadays a re becom i ng e x posed to smartphones at a younger age. It was found that 65 per cent of preschoolers aged five to six started playing with electronic devices even before they turned three.

And it seems that parents aren’t doing much to curb the amount of screen time that their children are getting either.

Out of 60 parents interviewed, only 18 said they imposed rules on how much time their children had with such gadgets.

T he r ema i n i ng placed no restrictions whatsoever on their children.

If the younger generation are already becoming dependent on smartphones at such a young age, one cannot help but wonder: What would the future of our society look like? Are we on the way to becoming a nation of shoe-gazers?

I’m not suggesting of course that we collectively throw our cell phones into the rubbish bin and go back to an agrarian state of nature where we communicate with each other through tin cans and a string.

The world has become too interconnected and globalised for that.

But when it comes to the point where an entire family at the dinner table are too busy texting on their phones to catch up with each other, then we must ask ourselves if the days of having a simple, pleasant conversation

We must ask ourselves if the days of having a simple, pleasant conversation with the people we’re closest to are gone. with the people we’re closest to are gone.

In other states, this uneasy dependence on smartphones gets worse.

T he gover nment of Sout h Korea, home to the world’s largest smar tphone marker Samsung Electronics, recently announced plans to roll out nationw ide counselling programmes in an

GRAPHIC: JONATHAN CHAN

effort to curb addiction.

T he measu res were made f ol low i n g t h e r e s u l t s of a government survey which found that one in five students were addicted to smartphone use.

Addiction in this case was def i ned a s spend i ng mor e than seven hours a day using t he phone and ex per iencing s y mptom s s uc h a s a n x ie t y, insomnia and depression when separated from the device.

In Taiwan, the smartphone phenomenon has even led to the coining of the label “heads-down tribe”.

I spoke to several individuals on whet he r t he y fe lt sma r t phones really had an adverse effect on our relationships.

Yin Shiyuan, a second-year student from Nanyang Business School, felt that it all comes down to the self-discipline of the user.

“If you are able to prioritize your relationships with people before the phone, then I feel that it’s okay,” he said.

In the 23-year-old’s opinion, that means “putting down your smartphone when you’re talking to someone, and learning to use it to the best of your discretion.”

Toh Swee Kim, a mother of three children aged 10, 12 and 17, said that she would not give any of them a cellphone until their final year of secondar y school.

“They don’t have any selfcontrol and are always using the Internet on the computer. Unless it’s a necessity, I won’t give it to them,” she said.

Perhaps we should advocate a no-smartphone day for our country; a day where everyone leaves their smartphones at home and learn to survive without it.

T here might be a few ca sua lt ies, but I’m su re t he fallout from such a detachment won’t have too severe an effect on our society.

In our classrooms, we could follow the example of South Korea, where teachers confiscate the phones of their students prior to the lesson.

Dr Ni r ma la K a r uppia h , a r e s e a r c h ad v i s or at N I E , spearheaded the aforementioned study. She advises parents to set boundaries on smartphone usage from an early age.

“Computer s, i Phones a nd iPads are here to stay so we hope to educate parents on the dangers i nvolved i n t he m i su se a nd excessive use of them,” she said at a presentation of the study’s results at a conference.

For me, the solution is simple: the phone stays in the pocket when I’m in the company of friends.

Staring at a screen, no matter how engaging, can never replace the authenticity of a face-to-face conversation.

OPINIONS 25 canteen talk What do you think of the new Canteen B? The seating capacity is still too small. In the past it has always been too crowded so we try to come a bit earlier.

Professor Su Guaning, President Emeritus, 63

I like the airconditioning, but I’m quite unhappy that the Yong Tau Foo stall is gone.

Jasper Seah, HSS, Yr 3, 24

The Chinese cuisine is much better.

Previously, the Beijing Delights stall had a lot of bad reviews from Chinese students.

Kai, EEE, pH.D, 25

The dishes are more expensive. I used to pay two dollars for a plate of mixed rice but now I have to pay two-ninety.

Er Kang Ning, HSS, Yr 3, 22

There is more variety in food, but I think that when school starts, it is going to be very crowded.

Dr. Nethaji Dharmarasu, Research Scientist at TL@NTU, 43

PHOTOS: WONG PEI TING

26 SPORTS

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SUMMER SUMMARY

While most of us had a restful summer break, student-athletes from NTU were busy competing locally and overseas. We recount the sporting highlights of this summer.

Bigger, boulder, better (top): Pumpfest 2013, an annual bouldering competition organised by the NTU Outdoor Adventure Club (ODAC), was held at City Square Mall in June. The competition had climbers competing in the Under-17, Novice, Intermediate, and Open categories over the span of three days. ODAC’s 16th anniversary this year was marked by Pumpfest’s largest turnout since it started in 2008, with climbers from Malaysia, Indonesia, France, Holland, Philippines, and New Zealand.

All geared up (right):

Calvin Kang, 23, a third-year student from the Sport Science and Management faculty psychs himself up for the 4x100m relay final of the Universiade.

En garde (upper left): Nicolette Soh (right),

21, a third-year student from the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, duels with her opponent from Mexico in the epee women’s team event of the 27th Summer Universiade. Soh and Kang were two of the six athletes representing Singapore at the event held in Kazan, Russia.

Podium finish (bottom left): Suzanne Seah (third from right), 23, a third-year student from the Sport Science and Management faculty won two Gold medals during the South East Asian Canoeing Championship 2013 held in Palembang, Indonesia. She competed in the K4 (500m) and K2 (200m) events.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF: ANDREW TAM, ALEX GOH, SINGAPORE CANOE FEDERATION

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sports talk

Athletes dare to bare David Lam Sports Editor

N

ude physiques. Rippling muscles. Chiselled abs.

Athletes have been stripping down for sports magazines, but not everyone is happy — writers and subscribers give tons of flak to publications for their spreads of bare body specimens.

The annual Swimsuit Edition in Sports Illustrated (SI) has been a target for those who believe the focus on sports is drawn away by swimsuit modelling.

SI subscribers themselves responded negatively to these features — when the Swimsuit Edition was first released in 1978, 340 readers unsubscribed.

Till today, many SI readers continue to cancel their subscriptions every year after SI releases its swimsuit issues.

And athletes come under even greater fire when they reveal more of themselves.

When tennis professional Agnieszka Radwanska, 24, posed nude for ESPN’s The Body Issue this year, Polish media and her Catholic youth group accused her of baring too much and exhibiting unbecoming behavior.

Beautiful Bodies

Radwanska defended herself, explaining she had no intention of bringing shame to her community.

“If you read the interview, it only discusses my job and what I have to do physically to... participate at the highest level,” she said in a Facebook post.

Despite the harsh criticism, there is beauty in this baring of bodies.

For Sydney Leroux, 23, of America’s national women’s soccer team, being featured in The Body Issue was her way of showing others how to be comfortable in their own skin.

“It’s a big deal to be an athlete and feel confident in your body and show it off,” said Leroux.

Taut and Proud

Closer to home, some NTU athletes are also unabashed about their sculpted physiques, and encourage others to be confident about their bodies.

Landdis Su, 23, a national discus-thrower, has posted his shirtless photos on Instagram, and isn’t bothered by what others say about him.

“People who don’t participate in competitive sports don’t

PHOTOS: INTERNET

“The one the others have.”

BALL’S IN HER COURT: Agnieszka Radwanska drew the focus away from her off-court controversy with her stellar showing at the Bank of West Classic competition.

understand the training that we go through and they often cannot appreciate its rewards, skin-deep or not,” said the second-year student from the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information (WKWSCI).

Likewise, national fencer Nicolette Soh, 21, shares photos of her taut, post-workout abs on Facebook.

“Some people might think I am showing off, but I believe that sharing my lifestyle with others will inspire them to make a change too,” Soh said.

The third-year WKWSCI student admits that she works out to look good, but prioritises building muscle and getting fit over losing weight.

In fact, unlike fashion magazines that often glamourise rail-thin models, sports magazines may do a better job portraying what it means to be beautiful: lean, mean, and strong.

So if athletes baring their bodies can encourage people to eat clean and get fit, then, to borrow The Body Issue’s tagline, it’s certainly OK to stare.

If the price is right reluctant to pay so much since he will only watch Liverpool matches.

“I have no reason to watch ga me s of tea m s t hat I don’t support,” he said.

Nazri Eddy Razali Sports Editor WHAT should have been a cause for celebration quickly turned sour, when the prices for BPL content announced recently by SingTel caught fans offside.

Football addicts had been kept on the edge of their seats even before the BPL season starts in mid-August­— ever since the Media Development Authority (MDA) rolled out new regulations for BPL content to be available on both Singtel MioTV and Starhub.

Fa n s e x pe c te d t he ne w regulations to mean lower BPL content rates, with the increased competition.

Alas, that was too good to be true — the BPL package will cost $59.90 per month for both SingTel and StarHub customers.

This is significantly higher than SingTel’s previous $34.90 monthly spor ts bundle that it replaces. That bundle came with BPL channels, Champions League, and other sports content.

Own Goal

While the MDA regulations mean that consumers no longer have to second-guess which cable TV service provider to choose for BPL content at the start of each season, some students have expressed

they said that?

Less Content

pre-game tussle: BPL fans are thinking twice about paying a premium to watch their favourite stars in action after the recent price hikes by SingTel and Starhub.

their discontent at the price hikes.

Siow Weiliang, 24, a third-year student from the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, lamented that the price hikes caught him by surprise.

“I was actually expecting the prices to drop, now that there’s some semblance of competition as a result of the MDA regulations,” said Siow, who considered signing up for cable TV before the MDA regulations announcement.

“It’s quite disheartening that

fans from neighbouring countries pay much less for their football fix.”

Malaysia’s cable TV provider, Astro, provides BPL content in a package from RM125 ($49).

And in Indonesia, customers pay only R P 90,000 ($11) for Nexmedia’s sports package.

The price tag also appears unjustifiable to many fans like Siow, as they will be paying for all 380 BPL matches but not watching every single one of them.

As a Liverpool fan, Siow is

Others bemoan the shrink in the new package’s content despite its higher subscription fee.

“I used to be able to watch football and other sports for much less,” said Zulhilmi Zulkifli, 23, a third-year student from the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences (SPMS).

“With my MioTV subscription ending soon, I’m not too sure I want to pay that much just to watch football and nothing else,” Zulhilmi said.

Meanwhile, some football fans have found ways to work around the price hike.

Kelvin Ang, 23, a third-year student from SPMS, prefers getting his dose of football at bars with like-minded individuals instead.

“I watch Chelsea matches at Harry’s@Esplanade with fans from the official Chelsea Supporters Club Singapore,” said Ang. Similarly, Siow stated he will most probably watch football elsewhere.

“I can always go to my friend’s house to watch the games on his televsion,” he said.

“The best part? It’s free.”

Fernando Alonso, referring to his competitors’ F1 cars, when asked what kind of car he wanted for his birthday. The Ferrari driver performed poorly at the Hungarian Grand Prix earlier.

“I’m the one responsible for this. But I do want to make it clear I did not search for this. This was something that was presented to me.”

Melky Cabrera, baseball outfielder for the Toronto Blue Jays, after being arrested for taking performance-enhancing drugs with full knowledge of the repercussions.

“What do you think they are smoking over there at Emirates?”

Liverpool owner John W Henry on Arsenal’s £40,000,001 bid for their striker, Luiz Suarez. By exceeding the £40m mark, Liverpool must inform Suarez of Arsenal’s offer.

Sports

Find out what's been hanging ­­— Page 26

getting physical with...

Wrestling the myths Fights may be scripted, but the intensity and sweat cannot be faked.

Jacqueline Lim finds out just how physical the sport of professional wrestling is with the studs from Singapore Pro Wrestling.

I

won’t deny my skepticism towards professional wrestling as I stepped towards the lone wrestling ring in the middle of the floor.

Singapore Pro Wrestling’s (SPW) makeshift gym and arena at t he top level of Kampong Ubi Community Centre looked sparse — there were no flashy spotlights and pyrotechnics like on television.

A s I climbed bet ween the ropes and into the ring, it must have been painfully clear how unimpressed I was when I asked the wrestlers if they took the stage in the same boring fashion that I did.

In response, “The Statement” leapt over the 1.5-metre hemp rope w it hout he sitat ion a nd landed in an exaggerated posture — his feet spread apart and his palms facing the floor.

A ndr uew “T he Statement” Tang, 24, was an exemplar y physical specimen, with veins and muscles bulging all over his frame.

Before I had time to gawk, main coach Vadim Koryagin, 34, started me off by making me “run the ropes”, as it was called.

It i n vol v e d r u n n i ng a nd turning your back towards the ropes to propel yourself across the ring repeatedly.

My body protested as the thick hemp ropes dug into my skin time and again, but I kept silent as I didn't want to sound whiny right at the beginning of the session.

The rest of the SPW beefcakes began to saunter into the gym and entered the ring one by one as I did this exercise.

Theatre of Brutality

Minutes later, the entire stage was reverberating as the boys moved on to practise rolls — an exercise of throwing your body onto the floor — and I began to see their dedication to theatricality.

Tu m b l i n g a n d t h r o w i n g themselves onto the floor, they never once shed their on-stage personas throughout the drills,

with only small grimaces to mark every fall.

Tang explained showmanship was a large part of pro wrestling, and wrestlers had to maintain their dramatic expressions and actions during training to make it a matter of habit.

Stage presence was essentially what made the audience come back for more, as the wrestlers’ personas and the plotlines they were involved in stirred emotions in the spectators.

T he s e plot l i ne s i nvol ve d conflicts between the “babyfaces”, whos e ac t ion s a r e i nte nde d to encourage the audience to cheer and support them, and the "heels", who act to draw the ire of the spectators.

The training session quickly debunked the myth that the ring was a glorif ied mattress that cushioned wrestlers’ falls.

In fact, the ring had only five centimetres of foam laid on top of the plywood — real injuries could still happen without the proper precautions.

As the training went on, I began to feel my body grow sore from repeatedly throwing myself to the floor.

I experienced this at length as t he guys proceeded on to more complicated drills, such as the Snapmare and the Headlock Takedown.

In the Snapmare, Tang held my head under his sweaty armpit with his fists clenched together, kneeling, then flipped me over using his thigh as a pivot. He slammed me to the ground in one swift movement.

As I lay on the ground reeling f rom shoc k , Kor yag i n look s expectantly at the rest of the Chronicle crew outside the ring.

“Reporters always say we’re just about a grip here and a lock there. So, we slam them onto the mat. Then they know,” said Koryagin.

And then came the Headlock Takedown.

As Koryagin locked my head in between his left arm and leg while in a high-kneel position, I desperately went, “No, no, no,” out loud.

No mercy was shown to this damsel in distress.

Koryagin flung me over and slammed me onto the ground effortlessly.

I would sooner have covered qua r terly f isca l t rend s t ha n this, had I known I would be manhandled in this manner.

WATCH the video of how Jacqueline fared by scanning the QR Code:

Showtime

Thankfully, the wrestlers soon mov e d on to p e r for m t he i r choreographed routines and I stood mesmerised as I watched the amazing theatrics.

“The Statement” stood beside me, giving commentary as the guys did their slugfest.

“Coord i nat ion i s a ke y requirement of pro wrestling as it determines your stage presence and how fluid your moves look,” he said.

“Opponents in a match also must have chemistry in order for the fight to be engaging. It takes the whole package.”

Spectacle, drama, and muscles.

The whole package indeed.

harder to breathe (Top): Andruew "The Statement" Tang struggles to break free from Jacqueline's headlock. showing the ropes (Bottom): "Trexxus" (left) explains wrestling drills to Jacqueline while "The Statement" (right) provides an example.

PHOTOS: YEO KAI WEN