The Nanyang Chronicle Vol 20 Issue 07

THE NANYANG

CHRONICLE

VOL. NO.

20

07 04.02.14 ISSN NO. 0218-7310

Yen-J’s first solo concert in Singapore

钢铁情人演唱会 南苑 | 27 Ministerial Forum 2014

HOT-BUTTON ISSUES WITH PM LEE News| 3

Best showing in 14 years

NTU Track & Field On Top Sports | 30

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02 NEWS

THE NANYANG

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CHRONICLE 07

The Briefing Room:

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

Selfies with PM Lee

Protests turn violent

AFTER the Ministerial Forum 2014 last Tuesday, some students took the opportunity for selfies (selfportraits) with PM Lee Hsien Loong.

The Nanyang Chronicle Managing Editor Liu Ting Ting, 22, was one of them.

“I think it was cool to be able to stand beside him and actually take a picture with him. He was enthusiastic about it,” she said.

PM Lee had commented on the trend earlier in his speech: “I hold up the phone, struggle up, down, left, right, and still I cannot do it.”

POLICE responded with tear gas and rubber bullets when more than 1,000 Brazilians in Sao Paulo took to the streets on 25 Jan to protest against the high costs of hosting this year’s FIFA World Cup. The first in a series called “Operation Stop the World Cup”, planned by radical activist group Anonymous Rio, took a violent turn when a few acts of vandalism, such as the torching of a small car, culminated in clashes with the police.

Police detained more than 100 protesters.

Fiery farts

VOL. NO.

Americans petition for Bieber’s deportation

PHOTOS: INTERNET

Rare peek into North Korea

NINETY cows caused an explosion in a dairy farm on 27 Jan in Rasdorf, Germany. The shed roof was damaged after methane gas produced by the farting cows built up in the structure.

“A static electric charge caused the gas to explode with flashes of flames,” said the local police.

One cow was treated for burns.

ARAM Pan, a 37-year-old Singaporean freelance photographer, captured several 360-degree panoramas in North Korea, which were approved by the nation’s state-owned travel agency, Korea International Travel Company.

The photos, taken last August, offers a rare glimpse into one of the world’s most closed-off countries. But detractors, such as Professor Stephan Haggard from the University of California, San Diego, criticised the project of being “naive”, as officially-sanctioned photos could not possibly show the ‘true’ North Korea.

MORE than 70,000 Americans have signed an online petition to the White House, seeking to have Justin Bieber deported back to Canada.

To prompt an official response from the Obama Administration, 100,000 signatures are required.

“He is not only threatening the safety of our people but he is also a terrible influence on our nation’s youth,” wrote the creator of the petition, a Detroit resident going by the moniker J.A. The 19-year-old pop star’s latest shenanigans include getting arrested on 23 Jan for driving under the influence of alcohol, marijuana and prescription drugs, as well as drag racing.

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Anticipated Releases of 2014: Video Games

2013 has been a bumper year for video games with many quality releases vying neck-toneck for ‘Game of The Year’. Gaming studios look set to maintain the momentum in 2014 with a slew of high-profile releases in the wings. Reviews Writer Wu Bingyu picks out his most anticipated titles.

Movie Review: Her

A thought-provoking relationship between a man and his computer’s operating system serves as the centerpiece in this award-winning movie. Her challenges the conventional concept of love in the digital age. Reviews Writer Jonathan Yu tells you why this tearjerking romance is no mere fluff.

Contract Cleaner Dies on Hall 3 Rooftop

A man fainted and died on the roof of the Hall of Residence 3 around noon on 24 Jan. The victim, a 49-year-old worker, told his colleague he was feeling unwell and stopped work to rest. He collapsed soon after. Paramedics from the Singapore Civil Defence Force pronounced him dead later.

Hall 2 Underwear Theft Suspect Caught

An unemployed man, 36, was caught by the Hall of Residence 2 president, Lim Shao Wei, on 20 Jan for allegedly trying to steal female underwear. The Nanyang Chronicle understands that the suspect had stolen underwear at Hall 2 before. Police investigations are ongoing.

Movie Review: Osage County

Based on a Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning screenplay of the same name, August: Osage County is an incisive and witty look at the family ties that bind the women of the Weston family. It is a sharp reminder that the ones closest to us can be the ones who hurt us most. Reviews Editor Zachary Tang gets to the heart of this family drama.

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Find us at www.nanyangchronicle.ntu.edu.sg

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News

Serving the community — Page 5

Slowly, but surely PM Lee addressed pressing national issues from income inequality to online behaviour in last Tuesday's annual Ministerial Forum Nicole Loh

S

INGAPORE may be progressing well in economic areas, but the nation still needs to take baby steps in managing complex issues such as national and sexual identities, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Speaking to students at the Ministerial Forum 2014, held at the Nanyang Auditorium last Tuesday, PM Lee said that a Singaporean is “somebody who owes loyalty to the country, who feels that he belongs here, whose roots are here, who is prepared to fight and defend this place".

He said: “It’s not a pink IC or a red passport that counts. It’s where your heart is, and what you feel, and what you do. That’s what counts. And if we can eat roti prata or char kway teow, it’s so much better.”

He pointed out that both locals and foreigners have a part to play in social integration.

“If you are a foreign worker in Singapore, you have to abide by the law and do your part to make a contribution,” he said.

He added that Singaporeans have to respect them and treat them as equals, saying: “I feel that it is a mutual responsibility on both sides.”

During the two-hour forum with more than 1,000 university students, PM Lee received questions about topics ranging from homosexuality to concerns over the widening income gap.

"It's not a pink IC or a red passport that counts. It's where your heart is, and what you feel, and what you do.

That's what counts. And if we can eat roti prata or char kway teow, it's so much better."

Lee Hsien Loong Prime Minister

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CONVERSING TOGETHER: At the Ministerial Forum 2014, PM Lee gave lively yet thoughtful responses to difficult questions posed by students.

Wong Wen Pu, 24, a thirdyear student from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, wanted to know how Singapore can meaningfully engage the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community.

PM Lee said that it was not just about human rights and that it depended on the dynamics of Singapore’s population.

“This is a question of fundamental values — what sort of society you are and what are the norms of your society,” he said.

He added that there is now a considerable amount of tolerance and acceptance, but limits still have to be acknowledged.

Raphael Lim, 23, a third-year student from the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, proposed a progressive ta x system or minimum wage scheme to reduce income inequality.

“I have done photo essays about people who literally collect

cardboard and get 10 cents for one kilo of cardboard,” Lim said.

PM Lee rejected the proposal as he felt that society, not the employer, should be the one bridging the income gap.

“Instead of putting the burden on the employer, we put it on all taxpayers. The solution is to work fair,” he said.

The government also provides top-up schemes to assist low income Singaporeans, he said.

PM Lee reminded students that though they may be “digital natives”, they need to engage social media in an educated manner.

Referring to the Anton Casey incident, he likened the public’s online response to “a pack of hounds hunting”, saying that the Internet feeds all the wrong instincts.

“We can hold a stand, yes, but remain as civilised human beings,” he said.

SINGAPOREAN IDENTITY: Reuben Tan, 25, a final-year student from the School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, asked PM Lee what it meant to be Singaporean.

PHOTO: VINSON PHUA

PHOTO: JOLENE TAN

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THE NANYANG

07 CHRONICLE

Social start-ups still unpopular Youths in Singapore do not consider social enterprises as a practical employment opportunity, even though it is a rising trend worldwide

"It is about using the power of business to do good and change lives. It is not just about making a living, it is about making a difference."

PANG XUE QIANG

M

ost young people would opt for a job that pays enough to support their lifestyles, rather than one that pays less but benefits the community, a study found.

In a survey of young Singaporeans, 70 per cent said they were unwilling to work in social enterprises, as they would not be able to support themselves.

A social enterprise is a business that contributes part of its profits to improving communities or helping people, and wages are typically lower than in for-profit organisations.

Social entrepreneurship is a rising trend among youths worldwide, said Visiting Professor Thomas Ehrlich from Stanford Graduate School in a talk at NTU on 17 Jan. In Singapore, however, the uptake is still weak, according to the survey of over 440 Singaporeans aged 18 to 25. The study was conducted by a group of students from the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information for their Final Year Project (FYP).

Young people here shun social enterprises as they are unsure

Ho Ka Chee, 21 First-year student Nanyang Business School

SCOOP OF PASSION: Miss Tan Jia Hui, 21, co-founded 8 Fahrenheit, a social enterprise helping the less fortunate.

whether these organisations really benefit the community, the study found.

Cassandra Jean Joseph, 21, a third-year student from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences responded to the survey, asking: “Are social enterprises profit-motivated or are they just another fancy word for charity?”

Brenda Xie, 22, a member of the FYP group, added that the industry is having difficulties attracting capable individuals.

"Some of your time and talent should be directly involved in dealing with social problems. You should not be in an ivory tower."

Thomas Ehrlich Visiting Professor Stanford Graduate School

PHOTO: CLIFFORD LEE

“The industry currently suffers from a talent crunch because there lies a big knowledge gap among youths about social causes in Singapore,” she said.

Increasing exposure Their project raises awareness of social enterprises by showcasing successful examples. One such business is 8 Fahrenheit, an icecream shop that allows financially disadvantaged students to

work on flexible schedules.

Ngee Ann Polytechnic student Tan Jia Hui, 21, co-owner of 8 Fahrenheit, said: “When students have breaks in school between classes, they can always come to the shop and work.”

“This lessens their financial burden at home,” she said.

Prof Ehrlich encouraged students to move out of their comfort zones by participating in social causes.

“Some of your time and talent should be directly involved in dealing with social problems. You should not be in an ivory tower," he said.

Ho Ka Chee, 21, a first-year student from Nanyang Business School, supported the idea of social enterprises.

He said: “It is about using the power of business to do good and change lives.

“It is not just about making a living, it is about making a difference.”

More courses for science, engineering students LIM ZHENG WEI GODWIN NG STUDENTS with a passion for food can dabble in a second major in Food Science and Technology starting next semester.

Those interested in scientific innovation may also enjoy a new course offered by the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences (SPMS).

The major, offered in partnership with Wageningen University from the Netherlands, will be open to 30 top first-year NTU students pursuing degrees in Biological Sciences, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and Chemistry and Biological Chemistry.

Students will take modules in food chemistry and food production, with a focus on the industrial application of food science and technology.

Half of the modules will be conducted by professors from Wageningen through online lectures and video conferences. They will also fly here to supervise practical lessons.

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Graduates of the specialisation will receive a certificate.

Tan Choy Gek, 21, a final-year student from SPMS, welcomes the new major as it allows students to learn more about the food science industry.

“I am taking a food chemistry concentration currently but it is very brief. The new food science major, with more modules, is more in-depth,” she said.

Jamien Lim, 23, a second-year student from the School of Biological Sciences, however, thinks the second major will only suit those planning to enter the niche food industry.

He said: “It may be useful if the person really wants to work for food companies, but I have other goals that I want to pursue.

I want to work in the medical field in the future.”

NTU Associate Provost (Undergraduate Education), Professor Kam Chan Hin said: “It will be very hands-on as they will do experiments in food chemistry, food physics and food processing technology."

He added that the major's

BUILDING BLOCKS: This Edible Art Movement exhibit is part of the SPMS Science Made Fun exhibition promoting its new course, Making and Tinkering. The exhibit runs till 13 Mar.

practical approach complements students’ learning and prepares them to work in food companies developing or innovating products.

“NTU is not directly involved in the food industry and that’s the reason we partnered Wageningen, which has strong experience in food science education,” he said.

Wageningen Vice President,

Professor M.J. Martin Kropff, added that it is advantageous for students to work with faculty from the Dutch university as most food companies originate from Europe.

In addition to offering the new major, SPMS is also introducing a new course: Making and Tinkering. The course allows students to create their own science projects from scratch using scientific

PHOTO: NGO CHU TING

knowledge. They will also sharpen their problem-solving skills by overcoming design obstacles.

The course is available to all NTU students during the special term from 12 May to 1 Aug. Read more on the exhibit and course at: www.nanyangchronicle.ntu.edu.sg

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Lifestyle valentine’s day special

Valen(dine) Out

Take your Valentine’s date up a notch. From classy open-air bars to plate-smashing spectacles, Melissa Teh, Michelle Leong and Ng Yan Xiang show how you can make this Valentine’s Day one to be remembered.

TO IMPRESS: BREEZE @ SCARLET HOTEL

TO SHARE AN INTIMATE MOMENT: THE LITTLE PRINCE CAFÉ

33 Erskine Road Level 4 Scarlet Hotel S069333 Tel: 6511 3326

62 Somme Road #01-03 S207877 Email: littleprincecafe@gmail.com

Opening hours: Mon-Thurs: 5pm to 1am Fri-Sat: 5pm to 2am Sun: 5pm to 2:30am

Opening hours: Tues-Sat: 12pm to 9pm Sun: 12pm to 6pm

SITUATED on the rooftop of a luxury boutique hotel, Breeze is a great bar-and-grill for a private romantic evening away from the crowds.

Visitors get to enjoy a sweeping view of the Central Business District skyline on one side and the signature orange rooftops of the shophouses in Chinatown on the other.

Despite its open layout, a meal at Breeze is surprisingly intimate as conversations are carried away with the cool night air.

The Asian Grill is a must-try (bottom right), with a wide choice of meat, seafood and vegetables.The highlight of the dish is the Beef Yakitori ($6 for two skewers). Think chunky beef cubes drenched in yakitori sauce, and chargrilled to perfection with a delicate pink centre. The only quibble was that the marinade did not sufficiently suffuse the meat.

More adventurous couples should try the Shisamo ($3 for two skewers), a Japanese delicacy of grilled fish with roe.

The meat was fresh, soft and delightfully charred. The roe was not fishy, while hints of bitterness were balanced out with the accompanying sweet Thai dip.

A minor drawback was the beverage recommended to us – Graciously Scarlet ($15), a mix of gin, raspberry liquer, lime and ginger beer. But the cocktail was essentially just an extremely sweet drink, with no traces of lime or ginger beer.

Breeze, with its picturesque setting and exquisite food, makes for an ideal location to have an unforgettable Valentine’s Day date.

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PRIVATE OASIS: The intimate space at Breeze makes for an ideal couple’s retreat.

THEMED after the famous French novella Le Petit Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, the whimsical café interior features hand-painted murals of the novella’s illustrations by café owner, Yen Chong. Befitting of Valentine’s, the peaceful environment away from the crowds offers ample opportunity for gazing into each other’s eyes. The overall black and white theme is simple and classic.

An interesting drink option is the Rose Latte ($4) which is smooth in texture and suitable for those looking for something less intense than regular coffee. It gives off a light rose scent that lingers as a pleasant aftertaste.

While the food selection is limited, they carry a range of tea-time confections. Scones are priced at $4.50 for two.

The Raisins Homemade Scone and Seaweed Homemade Scone are soft enough to almost crumble in your mouth.

The Seaweed Homemade Scone in particular is an unique take on the conventional English snack. For sweet tooths, the scones come served with a good portion of apricot jam.

For something more savoury, the café also offers homemade quiche ($7.90 per portion, facing page, top left). The Bacon and Onion Quiche is a hearty combination of thin crumbly crust and fluffy egg filling, flavoured with bits of fragrant bacon and crunchy onion.

The café is also home to Yen’s personal collection of The Little Prince memorabilia. And the quiet ambience is befitting of a quote by the Little Prince: “The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or touched, they are felt with the heart.”

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TO SPICE THINGS UP: ESMIRADA 442 Orchard Road #01-29 Orchard Hotel S238879 Tel: 6735 3476 Opening hours: Mon-Sat: 12pm to 1am Sun: 12pm to 12am THE ambience at Mediterranean restaurant Esmirada is excellent, with dimmed interior lighting, candlelit tables and stone-tiled floors nurturing a luxurious, romantic atmosphere.

But before you dismiss it as just another fancy restaurant, it is one that practises an ancient Greek custom, which is a spectacle to behold. Every Friday and Saturday from 9pm to 9.30pm, it carries out ‘Zorba’ — the ritual where plates are smashed to chase away evil spirits.

The event begins with waiters bringing out stacks of plates – all new – and dropping them onto the floors of the restaurant. Should you wish to participate, the waiters in Esmirada will gladly hand you a plate or two for a smashing good time.

The range of Mediterranean cuisine offered includes kebabs, seafood, and meat dishes.

The Braised Lamb Shank ($34) is served with homemade Alsacian spaetzle (egg dumpling) and lamb jus (meat sauce).

The egg dumplings were unusual. Being soft and slightly chewy, they were reminiscent of local radish cake chai tow kway. But it is a dish worth trying as the velvety lamb meat is fall-off-the-fork tender.

The chicken ($28) and Iberico (pork) Collar ($32) skewers (right) are also recommended. The chicken kebab is barbequed with a Lebanese marinade while the Iberico Collar is cooked with a blend of Moorish spice. Both dishes come with bell pepper relish, tzatziki (yoghurt) sauce and oven baked russet potatoes.

For dessert, the lemon tart ($12), served with meringue and thyme, is highly recommended. The tart, sufficiently sweet and buttery, crumbles perfectly in the mouth. The balance of sweet and tangy in the lemon curd, coupled with the light, airy meringue, make a splendid fusion.

For more VALEN(DINE) OUT recommendations, visit www.nanyangchronicle.ntu.edu.sg A WHOLE NEW WORLD : Step into the world of the Little Prince as you dine in this quaint cosy corner.

PHOTOS: PHAM QUYNH ANH, JEANETTE ONG AND NG YAN XIANG

A SMASHING GOOD TIME: Relive the ancient Greek custom of ‘Zorba’ with your date — and create new memories with your partner.

INFOGRAPHIC: CALVIN NG

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08 OPINIONS

THE NANYANG

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CHRONICLE 07 NO.

valentine’s day special

Love Signals For Sale Ever wondered how businesses make profit from Valentines’ Day? Assistant Professor Au Pak Hung explains Cupid’s money making secrets through behavioural economics.

B

ob asks Alice out for a date on Valentine’s Day. Alice, not knowing Bob well enough, is not sure whether he is romantically interested in her.

Afraid of getting hurt, Alice does not want to go for another date unless she is sure that Bob is serious about her. While Bob loves Alice, he cannot simply talk Alice into believing it.

How, then, can Bob credibly signal his heart to Alice?

Let’s make the situation more concrete by assigning numbers to Bob’s problem.

If Bob is serious about Alice, he is willing to give up $200 in exchange for a date with her.

On the other hand, if Bob is not serious about her, he is willing to give up only $100.

Damien The Businessman offers Bob a solution.

“Why don’t you buy a gift from me worth $101?”, he proposes.

“While Alice does not know your heart, she knows that you are a rational person who would not give up $101 in exchange for something that is worth only $100 to him.

The only logical conclusion that Alice can draw, after receiving your gift, is that you are serious about her, and she will accept your date.”

Bob finds the argument reasonable.

He buys the gift and gives it to Alice, who, indeed, accepts the date.

The mechanism at work here is what economists call “signaling”.

Bob took an action that he would not have taken, had he not been serious about Alice. The gift connected the couple.

The story does not end here.

Having earned a profit of $101, Damien is not satisfied.

He believes that when Alice knows Bob better, she would go out

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with him even if he does not buy a gift for her.

It does not take long before Damien figures out a plan to continue making money from Bob. He talks to Alice before the next Valentine’s Day. “While Bob was in love with you last year, who knows whether his heart has changed? You can only tell from his actions,” “If he is still serious about you, he should not hesitate to buy you the gift; if his heart has changed, he would be unwilling to do so,” “In short, Bob still loves you only if, he buys you the gift,” says Damien.

After convincing Alice that the gift signals love, it is equally crucial to make sure that Bob knows that Alice has been convinced.

If Bob loves Alice, he is “forced by her belief” to buy the gift. If he does not, Alice would interpret this as a sign that his heart has changed, and would not be willing to go out with him anymore.

The loving Bob will therefore buy Alice the gift. See? Damien does not lie about Bob! Damien talks to Alice so that he can shape the couple’s beliefs and actions to his advantage.

If Damien’s plan is successful,

on coordinating people’s beliefs regarding how lovers behave in response to his/her heart, what the gift stands for, and the value of the gift itself. The diamond is a good example of a love signalling gift.

In 1930s, the world-dominant diamond supplier, De Beers, initiated the famous marketing campaign “A diamond is forever” in the United States.

Among other things, the campaign included endorsing star actresses to wear diamond rings in romantic scenes in movies, and encouraging news coverage on celebrities displaying diamond rings in romantic involvement.

Furthermore, De Beers maintains an effective monopoly on diamond supplies, thereby controlling its price and creating a sense of scarcity.

Damien talks to Alice so that he can shape the couple’s beliefs and actions to his advantage.

If Damien’s plan is successful, Bob will end up with an empty pocket every Valentine’s Day.

This strategy has been hugely successful, soaring diamond sales and creating the public belief that a diamond represents love.

Today, DeBeers is a multi-billion company.

But wait a second, why does Bob have to stick with the gift from Damien?

Even if Alice becomes skeptical, the only thing that Bob needs to do to signal his love for her is to give up $101, and there is no apparent reason why buying from Damien is the only option.

Maybe he can give Alice something different but of equal value?

Diamonds and gifts with high price tags are not the only ways to signal your love to the (potential) date.

The theory of signaling emphasises that a good signal should be credible: people who are not serious would not bother doing it.

Students who are cash-strapped may therefore consider making use of their plentiful ‘labor effort’ — they can write poems or songs and cook or make handicrafts.

Asst. Professor Au Pak Hung is from the Division of Economics in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences.

louder than words: Profits of Love

Afraid of getting hurt, Alice does not want to go for another date unles she is sure that Bob is serious about her.

Bob will end up with an empty pocket every Valentine’s Day. Damien can also use persuasion techniques (aka marketing tactics) to keep his customer.

First, he has to establish a strong tie between the gift and romantic love, The gift thus sends an unequivocal courting message to his fair lady.

Moreover, Damien would benefit from generating an impression that the gifts are scarce and of supreme quality.

Thus, people associate them with a high price.

This way, Alice understands immediately that the gift costs a lot to Bob, and he must be serious about her.

In sum, success of the “love signal production” business hinges

Graphic: Jonathan Lim

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DAPPER

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Photography: Leslie Wong Styling: Gabby Gabbana Hair & Makeup: Ryan Tan using MAKE UP FOR EVER Models: Siwen & Larissa (Basic) All clothing pieces are from Depression Singapore

1. On Siwen: Black leather jacket and black tube, stylist’s own; Fake leather drawstring bermudas, $89. On Larissa: Spikes dip-hem top, $69; Neck piece, stylist’s own.

2. On Larissa (left): Optical illusion sling dress (black), $99; Neck piece, stylist’s own.

On Siwen (right): Netted black jacket (black), $99; Fake leather drawstring bermudas, $89.

3. Sharp shoulder leather top (white), $69; Fake leather drawstring shorts (white), $89; Accessories, stylist’s own.

4. White sheer layer, $65; Black skorts, $95; Black tube and accessories, stylist’s own.

5. On Siwen: Netted long tank top, $59; Fake leather drawstring bermudas (black), $89; Black tube, stylist’s own. On Larissa: Netted long sleeve pullover (white), $59; Netted maxi skirt, $89; Black tube, stylist’s own.

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14 LIFESTYLE

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travelogue

CHEAP THRILL$

A well-needed respite that does not break the bank — the perfect getaway for many a stressed-out student.

Foo Rong En goes on a weekend jaunt in Kuala Lumpur with just $100.

I

f school pressure is getting to you, a weekend trip across the causeway might just do the trick.

I skipped conventional Johor Baru (JB), and headed further up to Kuala Lumpur (KL) for a short getaway.

KL is often seen as the more expensive cousin of JB, but you would be surprised at how far a shoestring budget can take you in the vibrant Malaysian capital.

Over the weekend, I gorged myself silly and shopped my feet sore, and still had enough left over for a drink on a helipad — all for just $100.

TRAVEL

Taking the bus to KL can be a nightmare; cramped quarters, noisy bus-mates and bumpy roads are a recipe for disaster.

My suggestion would be to have dinner in JB on Friday, take the overnight sleeper train ($18) from JB and wake up just in time for breakfast in KL. Train fares on the KL Monorail cost about $1 and taking the monorail to Bukit Bintang station is a brilliant start to the day, with nearby shopping centres Lot 10 and Sungei Wang selling clothes and electronics at a steal.

Meet new friends and keep your accomodation costs down — Hotel Arenaa Mountbatten, near Chinatown, offers dorm rooms with two bunk beds at only $45 per night.

Otherwise, hotels around Bukit Bintang charges on average, $70 per night, which is still quite affordable given their prime location on the city’s main entertainment belt.

PHOTOS | FOO RONG EN AND INTERNET

FOOD

To satiate your cravings for local food, visit Jalan Alor. The bustling street is just a stone’s throw from Bukit Bintang station and is jam-packed with food stalls that will leave you spoilt for choice.

The street comes alive at night with hawkers. A highly recommended place would be the famous Wong Ah Wah restaurant near Nova Hotel at the end of Jalan Alor. Served right off the grill, their sinful chicken wings ($1.20 each) are juicy and wellmarinated, with just the right amount of char.

I tend to sleep in during my holidays, but I couldn’t resist having breakfast in KL’s Chinatown. Take the free Kuala Lumpur City (GOKL) bus to Kota Raya, a shopping centre at the start of Petaling Street, in Chinatown.

At Petaling Street, slurp down silky beancurd ($0.50) drizzled with thick brown sugar syrup from Kim’s Soya Bean before

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PHOTOS: FOO RONG EN AND INTERNET

heading across the street to try the famous Hon Kee porridge stall where they serve piping hot bowls of smooth porridge with fish, chicken or pork, along with freshly fried you tiao (dough fritters). Their porridge, topped with handmade meatballs, is comfort food at its best.

ENTERTAINMENT

Petaling Street is also infamous for its counterfeit branded goods, where ‘LV’ shares a common home with ‘Gucci’ and ‘Ted Baker’.

“Real one! Come, I give you discount, RM20 ($7.70)!” one storekeeper shouted, beckoning enthusiastically.

I managed to haggle the price of a pretty ‘Ted Baker’ wallet down to $3.80, although the pink ‘Louis Vuitton’ box (attached with a sticker saying QTY 1000 Made in China) it came in was

both depressing and amusing.

Kenanga Wholesale City (nearest Monorail station: Hang Tuah) was a shopping haven ­— the seven-storey building would give any megamall in Singapore a run for its money.

The best deals and the quirkiest pieces can be found on the sale racks outside some shops — dresses and belts can dip to $1.90 and $0.40 respectively.

For those with more to spend, missing out on music concerts by famous superstars because your wallet is pleading for mercy is no longer an excuse. Concert tickets in KL are so much cheaper. I caught Paramore live at Stadium Negara — where I bought my ticket at just $70. This was a stark contrast to the $80 to $145 ticket price range when the American rock band visited Singapore in 2011.

To end the trip on a high, chill

Clockwise from Top: SKY HIGH: Have a drink on an actual helipad and soak up the scenic skyline of KL, including the iconic KL Tower COMFORT FOOD: A hawker in a Malaysian night market making apom balik, a crispy thin pancake filled with coconut shavings, peanut, egg, and butter.

A HIVE OF ACTIVITY: Throngs of people swarm Petaling Street, a popular place for both locals and tourists alike.

out at Heli Lounge Bar, where the 360-degree view on an actual helipad (perched on the 34th floor of Menara KL), will make it a night to remember.

Happy hour cocktails are priced at $7.70 — an unbeatable deal given the majestic view.

One final tip, if you are up for some random activity in KL, buy a Groupon voucher on the Groupon Malaysia site before your trip, and enjoy a further discount on the already affordable dining and entertainment options.

To return home, take the overnight sleeper train again and you

can reach Singapore at 7am, just in time for your lessons. Attention span not guaranteed.

ESTIMATED EXPENDITURE Transport Accommodation Food Shopping Total

$38 $20 $20 $22 $100

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VOL. NO.

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LIFESTYLE 19

THE NANYANG

07 CHRONICLE

FRISKY or

RISKY?

Here today, gone tomorrow. Lifestyle Editor Serena Yeh examines the rising trend of local pop-up stores and the risks behind this popular retail concept.

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op-up stores are sprouting up all around Singapore. From cosy neighbourhoods to swanky shopping malls, these retail outlets have a limited lifespan, lasting anywhere from a few hours to a few months.

Commonplace abroad, pop-up stores are often thought of as exciting and surprising due to its fleeting nature. American fast food chain In-N-Out Burgers famously popped up for four hours — it actually lasted for a mere five minutes because it sold out in that time — at Circular Road’s Golden Grill restaurant two years ago.

The retail concept is quickly gaining traction. Niche retailers and major brand names alike are jumping on the bandwagon.

For instance, Magnum Singapore set up Magnum Pleasure Stores in Clarke Quay, Vivocity and Raffles City last year.

Popular fashion online store Love, Bonito also opened its first pop-up shop in Tangs Vivocity last December.

Co-founder of Love, Bonito, Miss Rachel Lim, 26, said that the pop-up store concept is effective for reaching out to those who do not shop online.

"When (a store goes) into a location that is very quirky... the pop-up store must be able to create awareness and reach out to people to bring them there."

Adjunct Associate Professor Lynda Wee Nanyang Business School

A temporary physical store allows potential customers to try out sizes, eliminating a major drawback of online shopping. This awareness of their sizes may lead them to buy more online, Miss Lim said.

While all may seem fine and dandy, there are also challenges. One problem is find-

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STORES TO CHECK OUT:

RES

POP-

S T P O U

ing the right location, as brands do not go for tried-and-tested places but affordable locations, said Nanyang Business School’s Adjunct Associate Professor Lynda Wee. Tried-and-tested locations include common mall spaces, which are more expensive.

Referring to the pop-up store Temporium’s unusual location at Little India, Prof Wee said: “It’s really a risk (the store has) to take.

When (a store goes) into a location that is very quirky and not known for their café or goods, the pop-up store must be able to create awareness and reach out to people to bring them there.”

Even pop-up stores located outside shopping malls are not spared from the uncertainty of success. Due to the hot weather, people in Singapore tend to shop inside the malls. In addition, most malls along the Orchard Road belt are connected, which means pop-up stores need to draw people onto the streets, she said.

Other risks include deciding how long the store should stay open to maintain their novelty, Nanyang Business School’s Assistant Professor Dixon Ho said.

“Stores need to set targets, like one month or three months. When a store has achieved its goals, it has to be closed,” said Prof Ho. Prof Wee said that pop-up stores could also be limited by what they sell as they tend to offer “quirky, edgy and fun things”.

“Their range of merchandise must also be very compelling (for them to succeed),” Prof Wee added.

Accordingly, some pop-up stores create exclusivity. Love, Bonito’s pop-up store attracted customers with their Chinese New Year collection, which included pieces not sold online.

And it is this exclusivity that draws customers like Remee Chen, 19, a first-year student from the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences.

“Pop-up stores sell things that are unique. There is individuality in their products as compared to those made for the mass market,” she said. “Also, pop-up stores are not always present and they make you not want to miss out. I don’t mind travelling out of the way just to get some exclusive pop-up store offerings.”

Love, Bonito

POPULAR home-grown label Love, Bonito has opened its first temporary retail outlet.

Besides accessories, shoes and chic pieces, shoppers can also find exclusive pieces from their collaboration with haute couture French designer Julien Fournie.

Workshop Element (W.E.)

SET up by Singapore fashion designer Alfie Leong, this pop-up store houses more than a dozen local fashion brands. Expect familiar names such as Womb, Depression, and Korean-inf luenced products from Headline Seoul.

Tangs Vivocity 1 Harbourfront Walk #01-187 S098585 Closing Date: 31 Mar

Westgate 3 Gateway Drive #01-34/35 S608532 Closing Date: Mar

Temporium

72-74 Dunlop Street S209400 Closing Date: 8 Mar T H IS t wo-storey shophouse feat u res over thirty creative brands, including

PHOTOS: LOVE, BONITO AND INTERNET

BooksActually. Visitors can also check out their diner, Compl(e)ments Of, a collaboration between ceramics collective Weekend Worker, restaurant Wild Rocket, and gourmet coffee Papa Palheta.

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20-21 LIFESTYLE spotlight 1

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G N I L L E V A UNR

S T R E C N O C D N A S L A V I T S E F

The beginning of 2014 saw Phoenix and St Jerome’s Laneway Festival kicking off a year of multi-faceted music performances in Singapore. Reviews writers Lydia Tan and Teresa Zhou attended both, and examine what sets solo concerts and full-day festivals apart.

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usic festivals are heating up our shores more than ever. Local music festival Camp Symmetry ran for the first time last November and live series Hostess Club Weekender is coming this March.

Such festivals are evidently increasing in popularity, as seen by the overwhelming crowd of more than 10,000 people at Laneway on 25 Jan. At the same time, entertainment companies are bringing in fleets of mainstream and underground bands faster than we can keep up. Just how different are solo concerts and full-day festivals?

QUALITY VERSUS QUANTITY A hefty lineup means that one can experience multiple genres in one place at a festival.

Laneway’s Roscoe and Derrick Stages brought us 60’s-inspired psychedelic rock from Unknown Mortal Orchestra, downtempo electronic music from James Blake and R&B-influenced pop rock from HAIM, among a 12-act lineup.

The Cloud Stage also presented the post-dubstep creations of Mount Kimbie and electro-pop beats from homegrown songstress Vandetta.

While single-artiste concerts lack this variety, artistes are able to make up for this by crafting more comprehensive setlists.

We witnessed this when popular alternative French band Phoenix played songs spanning their entire discography at the Star Vista on 15 Jan. Within two hours, the band weaved together songs from

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newer albums, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix and Bankrupt! with songs from their early days like If I Ever Feel Better.

They had time to play Entertainment and Girlfriend twice, churn out medleys and perform an encore of four songs.

As loyal fans, it was not only fulfilling to hear such an extensive list of songs, but also exciting to witness the growth of the band.

ATMOSPHERE Festivals follow a rigid performance schedule and everything happens a mile a minute. Under these conditions, musicians have less time to connect with their fans.

At Laneway, we had to shuffle between three stages instead of the usual two, and its relentless pace left bands with signif icantly less time to connect with their fans.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra, for instance, was interrupted with soundchecks coming from the neighbouring stage. It was a major distraction to an otherwise enjoyable set — frontman Ruban Nielson had to start a song over after losing concentration.

A few bands like HAIM, still made it a point to interact.

Percussionist Alana Haim shook hands with front-row audiences and engaged in light-hearted banter with her sisters on stage, heightening the crowd’s energy level.

In terms of establishing rapport with audiences, singleartiste concerts have the upperhand.

Artistes are awarded more freedom to interact with fans and establish stronger connections.

Under these [festival] conditions, musicians have less time to connect with their fans.

During Phoenix’s show, lead singer Thomas Mars acknowledged fervent calls for an encore and rewarded fans by sitting on the edge of the stage to play a stripped-down version of Countdown.

He even climbed precariously onto the auditorium seats to personally thank fans and shake their hands.

We also noted that there was more room for creativity with visuals and lighting at the Phoenix gig.

The band made use of the digitised backdrop to create stunning moving images.

Love like A Sunset was accompanied by a video of a slow drive through Paris, and the screen during Rome alternated between luminescent pink and blue.

While the evening segment of Laneway saw artistes like Jamie XX and Daughter playing to the beat of the stage’s neon spotlights, they were in no way as elaborate as the ones we saw at Phoenix’s show.

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PHOTOS: GLENN YONG/ LANEWAY FESTIVAL SINGAPORE, DOMINIC PHUA AND MARCUS LIN

1. A GLORIOUS SIGHT: The largest indie music festival in Singapore, St Jerome’s Laneway Festival, saw the addition of Cloud Stage to the main Derrick and Roscoe Stages. Into its fourth year, the festival played host to a total of 18 acts.

2. GETTING CHUMMY : Thomas Mars of Phoenix having an intimate moment with fans of their show. They also ushered fans up on stage when it ended, a move rarely seen (or allowed) at concerts in Singapore. Unsurprisingly, chaos ensued.

3. CRITICS’ DARLINGS: (From top to bottom) Headlining act James Blake, Alana Haim of sister trio Haim, Lauren Mayberry of CHVRCHES and Jehnny Beth of Savages during their respective sets at Laneway. Each act had approximately 50 minutes to shine — sufficient for new artists with one or two albums but scarce for others with heavier discographies.

4. PHOENIX RISING : Thomas Mars playing his heart out with an arresting backdrop towering over him. This was part of an amazing array of visuals displayed at the Star Vista concert hall, complementing the moods of each song they performed.

EXPOSURE

Playing at huge festivals allows bands to gain more exposure.

Since festival line-ups typically involve rising artistes, they can benefit by reaching out to new fans.

People who went to Laneway for more popular bands such as Daughter and CHVRCHES were exposed to the raspy sounds of lesser-known acts like post-punk revival band Savages.

Similarly, judging by the amount of people dancing during his set under the scorching afternoon sun, XXYYXX’s dazzling experimental beats may have converted many non-electronic music listeners into fans.

Laneway’s addition of three homegrown acts this year also showcased our country’s talent.

A large crowd stuck around after Frightened Rabbit’s set for local indie rock band The Observatory. The talented young producer GEMA also brought audiences swaying to his lush synth melodies.

Local and rising acts get better opportunities to shine at festivals as audiences are more receptive to watching new acts, who are often viewed as ‘filler-acts’ when they open at solo concerts.

À LA CARTE OR BUFFET? Between the two, the overall experiences we had were poles apart. The laid-back environment of a festival allows you to plan ahead and avoid getting exhausted before the headlining act.

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At Laneway, aside from scrambling to catch bands we wanted to see, we also had to ration our time between queuing for meals and visiting merchandise booths.

The insulated environment of a concert allows you to focus entirely on the music.

The insulated environment of a concert allows you to focus entirely on the music, without advertisements and snacks screaming for your attention.

The quality of the live experience is enhanced as we don’t have to listen to music on picnic mats far away from the bands .

By the end of Laneway, all our drained minds could think of was a cold shower and a warm bed, but Phoenix’s twohour set left us fired up and pining for more. Perhaps less can sometimes be more.

With all that behind us, protesting against the workings of a festival could be akin to avoiding a buffet because it has too much food — in other words, an exercise in futility.

Nonetheless, we agreed to disagree. One of us enjoyed the warmth of the more in-depth Phoenix show, while the other preferred the all-encompassing concept of Laneway.

In any case, don’t let our preferences stop you — just be sure you have enough money when your next favourite band comes to town.

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22-23 SHOWCASE

BACK TO BASICS

Disappearing trades like pottery, batik-making and film photography are a rare sight.

Photo Editors Clifford Lee and Tan Xiu Qi find out why students are picking up these traditional crafts as electives.

POTTER MAGIC: Ceramics instructor, Ahmad Abu Bakar, 50, uses bone glue to seal two halves of a clay ball together as his class watches on. Clay ornaments will be sculpted further, carved with intricate designs, and must then be fired in a kiln before they become ceramics.

C

arefully moulding the clay into an elegant vase, Madam Noraham, 42, smiled as she added the finishing touches to her work.

“The first time I did ceramics was more than 10 years ago, when I was teaching at Admiralty Primary School,” recalled Madam Norahan, an undergraduate from the National Institute of Education (NIE).

“Back then, we used cookie cutters to cut out shapes from the clay,” she added with a laugh.

The ceramics student lamented the closure of many kilns in Si ngapore when dema nd for ceramic pots decreased over the years.

“Ever yone u ses plast ic containers (to store things) these days,” she said.

Madam Norahan is not the only student striving to preserve such traditional art forms.

Shi Zekun, 21, an experienced digital photographer, is going back to basics. Shi, a secondyear Business and Computer E n g i ne e r i n g dou ble de g r e e student, is enrolled in Photo Imaging I, a black-and-white film

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photography module from the School of Art, Design and Media.

Sh i sa id t hat a s muc h a s he would like using imaging prog r a m s l i ke Photoshop to enhance his digital photographs, nothing can capture the same feelings that an analogue camera can.

“There’s a certain magic in having to wait till your negatives are developed to see how the photos turn out. It trains you not to be too trigger-happy with your camera,” Shi added.

"I get students from all races and schools signing up to learn batik.

It’s oversubscribed!"

Mr Kamal Dollah, 45 Batik Instructor National Institute of Eduction

A deeply-traditional practice that is rising in popularity is traditional Chinese medicine.

Students at NTU’s Biomedical Sciences and Medicine (Chinese Medicine) are taught acupuncture and how to prescribe Chinese herbs. In Years 4 and 5, they complete their degree in Beijing, China, where they learn tui na (Chinese massage therapy).

“Traditional Chinese Medicine is becoming more popular among young people today. They believe in its effectiveness,” said Ng Weiling, 23, a third-year student who is interning at the N T U Chinese Medical Clinic.

“I aim to open my own Chinese medical hall one day I feel happy knowing that I can treat my family, my patients, my friends, and even myself; that I can relieve their pain,” she said.

Mr Kamal Dollah, 45, a fulltime artist who teaches the Batik elective at NIE, said that batikmaking, an elective reintroduced t h is yea r, is popu la r a mong students.

“I get students from all races and schools signing up to learn batik. It’s oversubscribed!” he said.

“It’s a sign that batik is making a comeback,” he quiped.

SCULPTURING SUCCESS: Madam Norahan Moktar, 42, puts the finishing touches to her ceramic masterpiece.

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CHRONICLE 07

#NOFILTER: Shi Zekun, 21, examines his first developed film roll fresh out of the darkroom. Shi is well experienced with digital photography but this is his first time using a film camera.

BEAUTIFUL BATIK: Batik instructor Mr Kamal Dollah, 45, demonstrates the use of a tjanting to make batik patterns. Batik is the art of using wax and dye to form elaborate patterns on cloth.

A close-up of images taken as part of his Photo Imaging I Module.

#NOFILTER: Film negatives developed by Shi Zekun, 21, as part of the DP2000 Photo Imaging I coursework.

Heritage and cultural skills are fast disappearing on our shores.

What does it take to preserve them? Photo Editors Clifford Lee and Tan Xiu Qi learn more about traditional crafts — right in the heart of school

PUTTING A FINGER ON THE PULSE: Ng Weiling (left) , 23, takes her coursemate’s pulse under the supervision of Dr Zhao Yan, a senior lecturer at the School of Biological Sciences. Pulse-taking is a diagnostic technique which is used in use in ancient Chinese, Mongolian and Tibetan communities.

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严爵新加坡演唱会 —— 刊27页

新闻 南大部长论坛

学生关注就业与薪金问题

李显龙总理于1月28日在南洋大礼堂出席“部长论坛”，与学生进行交谈。

许永森●报道 中文编审

近

两千名大专学府师生 以“新加坡：共同进 步”为宗旨，与李显龙总理一 同探讨相关课题。 与会中，外籍员工在本地的

就业政策和薪金差异问题成了 论坛会的热门话题。 李总理回应有关缩紧外籍 员工政策提问时表示，在给予 持有工作准证的外来人才一定 专业地位的同时，也期待他们 为我国的经济作出贡献。他重 申，受惠于本地教育体系的大 学毕业生应该留在这里工作，

为本地的经济发展作出贡献。 针对人力部近期宣布将修 改我国雇佣法令，来自印尼的 二年级土木与环境学院学生 Andy（20岁）并不担心找不到 工作。 将来想从事建筑业的他透 露，所修读的科系在往年的就 业率一向平稳，因此应该不会

摄影：潘维祥 对自己造成太大影响。 他还说，尽管有些外地人得 知缩紧条例的消息后会重新考 虑到本地求职的可能性，但不 少在籍学生对就业前景仍保持 乐观态度。 李总理是于1月28日在南洋 大礼堂出席由南大学生会每年 举办的“部长论坛”与学生进

行交谈。论坛会上座无虚席、 反应热烈，主办方还开放陈振 传讲堂，给抢不到入门票的学 生收看现场转播。 李总理也回应了有关收入差 距的问题。他说：“贫富悬殊 差距在过去15、20年的扩大已 经是个全球化的现象，而设定 最低工资的标准不会解决我们 所面临的问题。” 李总理指出，就业入息 补助计划（Workfare Income Supplement Scheme）规模不 小，也帮助不少国人，因此采 用这项计划无疑是更好的解决 方法。 公共政策与全球事务系一年 级生曹嘉欣（19岁）认为贫富 收入差距相当大，不易拉近。 她也表示，新加坡尽管存有 收入差距的问题，但与一些国 家相比并非严重，因此不应该 是新加坡首要关注的课题。 国立教育学院一年级生高源 宏（23岁）则认为政府已经竭 尽所能，推出政策减轻国人生 活上的负担。他说: “随着国家 持续的发展，贫富者之间的收 入差距也会跟着扩大。” 他预测今年的财政预算案或 许会出现与往年不同的方案。 他更希望国人在网络媒体发表 言论时，能平衡自己的观点， 才能促进新加坡共同进步。 他说：“如果国人能够以平 静的态度观看眼前的事物, 会对 他们更有益。” 他也希望国人对新加坡有更 多归属感，并与政府和机构联 手回馈社会。

台湾文化光点计划

从电影看台湾的传统文化 李婉怡●报道

为

了进一步推广台湾文 化，南洋理工大学与台 湾文化部合作的“台湾文化光 点计划”举办了名为“传统与 现代冲突下的台湾文化”的电 影座谈活动。 除了播放电影《父后七日》 与《龙飞凤舞》外，活动还邀 请导演王育麟和《龙飞凤舞》 的女主角郭春美，于1月27日到

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南大进行座谈会。 座谈会主题为“从电影谈台 湾歌仔戏及当地民俗文化”， 由南大中文系副教授衣若芬担 任主持。 衣若芬说：“新加坡是个多 元开放的社会，南大中文系也 强调学习与研究的多元开放， 电影里的方言直接呈现了台湾 的情况。” 她也表示校方希望借此主 题，思考全球化环境下本土文 化的生存与发展。

王导演在会上指出，电影主 题中的闽南丧葬习俗化和歌仔 戏都是台湾传统民俗文化不可 或缺的部分，而电影刻画出地 方都会化对民间习俗的影响。 他坦言台湾人对文化与自我 身份认同日趋模糊，而他拍摄 《龙飞凤舞》就是想藉由电影 把歌仔戏保留下来，为台湾文 化出力。 王育麟导演也说：“总希望 藉由文化的各种面貌、各种多 元化的形态，去把人的生命丰

富起来。” 台湾于2009年将歌仔戏颁定 为台湾文化资产之重要传统艺 术类。郭春美说自此之后，台

“总希望藉由文化的 各种面貌、各种多元 化的形态，去把人的 生命丰富起来。” 王育麟 台湾导演

湾许多县市都推行歌仔剧的演 出，歌仔剧演员的表演也机会

增加不少，但是剧团的竞争也 因而变多了。 郭春美也透露自己将来一 定会把剧团传承给下一代。她 说：“孩子既然也演歌仔戏， 我就得演得更好，那小孩也会 耳濡目染。” 相对于新加坡社会而言，来 自南大中文系一年级的刘存全 认为新加坡的戏曲文化是很难 保留的。 他还说：“我之所以来听 这场座谈会是因为我觉得每一 个传统文化都经过时间的过滤 与沉淀，它代表一个民族的历 史，也让人感受得到它化背后 深沉的力量。”

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CHRONICLE 07 生活之新加坡双年展

倘若世界改变

本地全岛大型艺术展览“新加坡双年展”将 于二月中闭幕。记者董梅蓉在参观精彩的展 览后，为读者推荐不容错过的艺术作品。

第

第三站：国家博物馆

四届“新加坡双年展”放眼世 界，主题定为“倘若世界改变” （If the World Changed）。80多位本区 域杰出艺术家受邀参展，利用影像和大 型装置等不同媒介打造艺术作品，反映 东南亚的社会、经济和政治等方面的变 迁，与参观者反思现有的世界，展望未 来。

从美术馆步行约五分钟就能抵达国 家博物馆。博物馆地下一层的“新加坡 双年展2013”展厅展出三件利用光和影 相结合的大型装置艺术。 其中，日本夫妇Ken和Julia Yonetani 的“水晶宫”(Crystal Palace: The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nuclear Nations）颇为抢眼。“水 晶宫”的每一盏吊灯大小不一，悬挂于 距 天花板，发出幽幽绿光。每盏灯代表一 离5 个拥有核能的国家及其拥核数量。此作 毫 品的灵感来自2011年福岛核泄漏事件， 米 点出科技发展和人类野心所带来的后 果，发人深省。

票价详情

图为越南艺术家 Vu Hong Ninh的“小 皂人”（Little Soap Boy） 照片：新加坡双年展主办方提供

第一站：新加坡美术馆 新加坡美术馆作为本届主办方，展出 双年展绝大部分的作品。公众可在柜台 免费索取一份参观指南，以方便查询作 品资料与位置。 美术馆院子展出了越南艺术家Vu Hong Ninh的“小皂人”（Little Soap Boy）。它有着东方释迦摩尼佛和西方 爱神丘比特的基本轮廓，却脸带不屑的 比着中指，挑战权威。这样的反差是为 了挑起参观者的兴趣，赋予作品反叛的 精神。 为了增加互动，这件作品允许公众伸 手触摸主要由肥皂制成的“小皂人”， 好似庙宇内的宗教仪式。作品旁也有洗 手盆供公众在接触肥皂后清洗。 博物馆一楼特别展厅则展出双年展宣 传册推荐的“巴雅塔斯”（Payatas）。 菲律宾艺术家Oscar Villamiel为了聚焦废 弃物的阴暗面，从首都马尼拉的巴雅塔 斯垃圾填区收集成千个人偶娃娃来组成 这个展厅。由垃圾转为艺术品的过程展 现了艺术家富有创意的环保理念。 这些人偶被摆放在展馆各处，制造 处于废墟中的氛围，让人体验身为“垃 圾”被丢弃的害怕与孤寂。

人偶娃娃被摆放在展厅的各个角落。

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“水晶宫”(Crystal Palace: The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nuclear Nations)位于国家博物馆地下一层，每盏灯发出幽幽绿光。 摄影：M Meroshini

新加坡公民／永久居民、公立学校教职 员：入场免费 外籍学生：S$5 (展馆一次性收费) 成人票：S$10 入场券可在各个展馆柜台购取。购买优 惠票价者必须出示相关证明。 所有展览将在来临的2月16日关闭。

第二站：SAM@8Q （8Q新加坡当代艺术馆） 与新加坡美术馆相邻一条街的8Q当 代艺术馆为其副馆，展出的多是年轻艺 术家的作品。 展馆二楼活动空间里的小暗室 展出的是本土艺术家陈赛华冠（Sai Hua Kuan）的 “赤道周游记” （The Rise and Fall of 1°17′N 103°50′E,1°5′0″S75°55′0″W - A Circular Journey2013）。 1 ° 1 7 ′ N 1 0 3 ° 5 0 ′ E 和 1°5′0″S75°55′0″W分别是新加 坡和厄瓜多尔的地理坐标，想传达的是 这两个国家处于赤道两端的对立位置。 这代表当太阳在新加坡升起时，便 在厄瓜多尔落下。陈赛华冠于是将这种 强烈对比以投影方式呈现出来，供观众 亲眼目睹不同的自然风景。 许多参观者没有发现影像是投影在 一层薄薄的干冰“墙”上，让他们可以 穿“墙”而过，将自己置身于画作的场 景里。若站在太阳发出强光一处，便可 感受到模拟阳光的真实感。

照片：新加坡双年展主办方提供

插图：陈俐杏

29/1/14 10:43 PM

VOL. NO.

20

27

THE NANYANG

07 CHRONICLE

娱乐

乐评 音乐Jukebox

严爵“钢铁情人”新加坡演唱会

严爵演唱会上大派红包

单曲：《克卜勒》 歌手：孙燕姿

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孙

严爵走下台亲自分发红包给歌迷，引起一阵骚动。

陈祎婷●报道 中文编辑

严

爵于上周六化身“钢铁情人”， 在新加坡室内体育馆继续寻找他 的21克灵魂。演唱会以短片开场，讲述 严爵到了未来世界，必须通过音乐找回 自己的灵魂。 他开场时戴着墨镜，身穿白色的未 来式服装，以唱跳方式演绎《贰零零零 年》以及《李唐娜》，颠覆以往“情歌 王子”的温柔情人形象，为“钢铁情 人”演唱会掀开序幕。 首次举办世界巡回演唱会的严爵为 新加坡歌迷带来了苦练许久的舞蹈。他 在之前受访时透露为新加坡歌迷特别编 排“肉骨茶舞”，不过观众似乎没看出 哪段才是“肉骨茶舞”的舞步。

为新加坡歌迷准备惊喜 严爵亲自担纲创意总监，为舞台设 计下了不少功夫。几乎每首歌曲的背景 银幕都有不同主题，例如演唱《好的情 人》时以两个机器人角色来演绎一段爱 情故事；演唱《我喜欢（不，我爱）》 则以游乐场为主题，影片中许多严爵 的分身身穿印有他英文名字开头字母的 【Y】超人装，为严爵伴舞。 严爵也展现了全方面的音乐才华，以 A Capella曲风演唱周华健的《花心》。 此外，他也改编了经典台语歌曲《一支 小雨伞》，加入饶舌以及不同的音乐编 排，让旧歌别有风味。 演唱《世界还不错》时，严爵带领 舞蹈员走到台下向歌迷发红包，引起全 场欢呼。兴奋的歌迷立即离开座位，冲 向偶像伸手想要获取红包。严爵在过程 中不忘与歌迷握手，也祝贺歌迷新年快 乐，亲和力十足。

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严爵的演唱历程 演唱爵士曲风《i给的不够》后，严 爵穿插呈现了一段《Sir Duke》，并坦 承小时候非常喜爱歌手Stevie Wonder。 他说：“我叫严爵其实是因为11岁的 时候就爱上爵士音乐，一直在成长的过 程中，认为自己会是爵士乐手。” 从小在美国生长的严爵，唱起英文 歌相对轻松自在得多。他选择演唱Jason Mraz的《You and I Both》，说是因为 受Jason Mraz的影响而决定出道成为歌 手。严爵透露自己私底下也喜欢嘻哈曲 风，让现场观众感到意外。 《追寻》对于严爵而言意义深远。他 说：“这首歌也（收录）在我第一次交 给相信音乐的demo里。” 这首歌陪伴严爵多年，从2008年的样 本唱片到2010年发行第一张专辑《谢谢 你的美好》的第一首歌，这首歌可以说 是他追寻梦想过程中的主题曲。

照片：

/Marcus Lin

真的一语成谶，钢琴演奏一开始就弹错 键。严爵自嘲都是后空翻的后遗症，要 求歌迷再给他一次重来的机会。

献唱天后孙燕姿的《遇见》 演唱会结束前，严爵为了答谢新加坡 的“爵士”歌迷，演绎了本地天后孙燕 姿的《遇见》，表示与歌迷相会是一生 中最美的遇见。 闭幕曲《吾在场证明》结束后，严爵 向所有的歌迷深深九十度鞠躬三次，由 衷感谢歌迷与赞助商的热烈捧场以及一 路来的支持。

燕姿沉寂三年后, 发行了 第一 首单曲《克卜勒》，而这也 是她在2012年怀胎四月时开始亲自 操刀的心血结晶。 同名的克卜勒超新星在1604年的 夜空里最闪烁，其光芒超越了其他 星星和除了金星以外的星球；而孙 燕姿出道时也犹如超新星一样震撼 华语乐坛，锋芒毕露。 初次听《克卜勒》时觉得歌曲前 段节奏较慢，听众可能以为歌曲一 如孙燕姿以往的抒情曲风，所以没 留下深刻的印象。但细听之下却发 现副歌节奏随着沉淀的情感变得越 来越澎湃，歌词也越嚼越有味。 “浩瀚的世界里，更迭的人海 里，和你互相辉映”细腻表达人之 间的相遇是一种得来不易的缘份， 而这就是孙燕姿想告诉歌迷的。 歌迷们是孙燕姿夜空里的闪亮星 星，照亮她的演艺事业，而她是大 家的克卜勒，继续为大家用心诠释 歌曲。 （文／吴琦琦）

单曲：《OK蹦》 歌手：张韶涵

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“爵式”幽默让歌迷笑开怀 才华洋溢的严爵不忘在演唱会上大 显身手，先后演奏了不少乐器，例如长 号（trombone）、钢琴、电子琴以及吉 他，让歌迷听出耳油。 在与歌迷的互动中，严爵也展现了自 己幽默风趣的一面。 演唱完《You and I Both》之后，严 爵便叫编舞老师A May现场表演B Boy舞 蹈。其他的舞蹈员也逃不过他的揶揄， 都各自展现了舞技。 随后严爵表示这段舞蹈并无彩排，他 说：“因为钢琴这么久还没搬上来，所 以没有办法演唱下一首歌，只好叫他们 来跳舞，”逗得歌迷哈哈大笑。 严爵也在舞蹈员的协助下做了个后 空翻，显得相当吃力。翻完后他开玩笑 说完全不记得下一首要唱什么歌。结果

照片｜网络下载

百

演唱《隔壁大楼》时，严爵展现音乐才 华，轻松地演奏长号。

变天后张韶涵在三月即将发 行的《Angela》同名专辑里挑 战电音舞曲，有别于她所擅长的抒 情歌曲。 电音舞曲整齐强劲的节奏往往能 让人听上瘾，但《OK蹦》却没有达 到其效果，而整首歌经过了自动调 谐的处理后也似乎埋没了张韶涵原 有的好嗓音。 张韶涵之前的歌曲常传递正面能 量，此曲却少了激励人心的感觉。 张韶涵力求突破的精神值得嘉许， 但这个改变或许会让人较难接受。 （文／张思嘉）

29/1/14 10:44 PM

Opinions EDITORIAL PASSIVE REGRESSIVE THIS is the story that we grew up with.

Si ngapor e, t he f i sh i ng v i l l a ge —f o u n d e d b y S i r Stamford Raff les, suffered three years and eight months under the Japanese Occupation.

As a nation we were forced into independence—and within 50 years, we developed from a third-world country to fi rst.

We are now a harmonious, multi-racial, tolerant society.

At least, the one that we have been taught to be true.

PM Lee’s theme for this year’s forum is “Progressing Together”.

However, before questioning how we can progress in unity, perhaps we should fi rst reflect on the authenticit y of the harmony that we think we live in today.

Throughout our formal education, we are ingrained with the ideology of getting along.

We are told that if we fail to respect one another, disputes will occur and threaten the stability of our society.

But tolerance isn’t quite the same as empathy.

The peace and harmony we celebrate is an illusion built on repressed sentiments and the many real issues that we have conveniently swept under the rug.

Recent events like the cyber lynching of Anton Casey and the proliferation of racist remarks in the wake of the

Little India riot have exposed holes in the fabric of our society.

It is time to confront the ugly truth that our society is not as harmonious as we think it is.

As long as we cannot let go of the us-against-them mentality that has become endemic to our psyche, discussions on how we can reduce our differences and increase our similarities cannot properly begin.

More importantly, the question is: what kind of a narrative do we want to paint for the future?

Instead of healthy and constructive discussions, we have slipped into a vicious cycle of vitriol and ill will, hiding behind the anonymity of the Internet.

We are wrong to persist in this collective chaos of mediated social malaise, comfortable in the belief that these events are not of our concern.

These events will form the narrative of the future. And instead of being armchair critics, the sensible thing is—for the lack of a better phrase—be the change we want to be.

In his address to NTU students, PM Lee emphasised that Singaporeans need to be united to secure the prosperity of our nation.

And we can start by changing our regressive online habits.

THE NANYANG

CHRONICLE CHIEF EDITOR Alfred Chua

OPINIONS EDITOR Huang Caiwei

MANAGING EDITOR Liu Ting Ting

CHINESE EDITORS Camelia Ting Teo Sijia

SUB-EDITORS Kerri Heng Celine Chen Tiffany Goh Eunice Toh Audrey Tan Ng Jian Yang Sandy Lai Koh Yong Sheng Oh Lee Shan DIGITAL EDITOR Jay Yeo COMMUNITY EDITOR Jonathan Lee NEWS EDITORS Aqil Haziq Louisa Tang LIFESTYLE EDITORS Justin Kor Serena Yeh REVIEWS EDITOR Zachary Tang DAPPER EDITOR Leslie Wong

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PHOTO EDITORS Collin Wang Tan Xiu Qi SPORTS EDITORS Lisa Oon Saeful Hakim GRAPHICS EDITOR Pamela Ng VIDEO PRODUCERS MIchael Chen Kelly Phua Wu Bingyu BUSINESS MANAGERS Ho Xiu Xian Lionel Lim Melanie Heng Sheena Wong PRODUCTION SUPPORT Ng Heng Ghee TEACHER ADVISORS Debbie Goh Lau Joon-Nie Zakaria Zainal

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.

Printed by KHL Printing Co. Pte Ltd, 57 Loyang Drive, Singapore 508968

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU

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

Hello Stranger KERRI HENG S U B -E D I T O R

O

nce , du r i ng t he sc hool term, stress hormones were r unning high and I was wondering if anything could make the day better.

Like a magical beacon of hope, my mum came into my room with a postcard from the Netherlands addressed to me. The card, sent by a woman who lived 10,500 kilometres away, bore an uplifting image of a large, heart-shaped cookie dotted with pink candy.

On another occasion, I mailed a postcard and some Singapore stamps to an elderly gentleman in Ger many and he returned the gesture by sending me two postcards and a small, delightful packet of German stamps.

There is something fascinating about receiving postcards from strangers abroad.

Does this sound familiar? As some of you may have guessed, I am a member of Postcrossing — the ingenious online community that allows people to send and receive postcards from strangers all over the world.

Postcrossing works in a fairly easy way — you just have to sign up for free on their website. Sending one postcard overseas means receiving one from a random person. Who you send to and receive from are automatically assigned.You almost never receive a postcard from the person you have sent to, unless you indicate an interest in “direct swaps”.

Postcrossing is not an obscure community. It boasts more than 4 63,0 0 0 me mbe r s f r om 214 countries. Almost a thousand postcards are sent out ever y hour. To date, postcards sent via Postcrossing have made 2,772,680 laps around the world.

My postcard passion started in Primary Five, when my friend managed to grab free postcards from a tourist attraction and I was unable to. That spur of jealousy sparked off three bulky albums of postcards — painstakingly

GRAPHIC: KALAIMATHI MAHENDRAN

collected from overseas school trips and traveling relatives.

There is something fascinating about receiving postcards from strangers abroad. I could wax ly r ical about t he benef its of reviving the postcard tradition.

I could proclaim that writing postca rds saves us f rom t he clutches of the Internet. Or I could say that Postcrossing has opened windows to places I never knew existed. Toyota City in Japan, anyone?

Cliches aside, to me, ever y postcard is a rich combination of history, culture and a little piece of the person who sent it. Reading a handwritten card, addressed to me from someone far away, lends a human touch that can never be replicated with email and WhatsApp message.

I select and send out postcards with care. Postcrossing users have profi les listing their preferences — foodstuff and historical buildings, for instance — and I try to send them postcards accordingly. I share nuggets of information about Singapore on a card, attach decorative stickers and finally, affi x a pretty stamp. The trip to my neighbourhood post office to mail the cards takes 10 minutes — which feels like a billion years longer than posting a comment on

Instagram.

At the heart of Postcrossing is the irony of using technology to bring back something from the good ol’ days. With email and social media threatening to rule the world, it comes as no surprise that handwritten letters and postcards are star ting to disappear.

But if not for the Internet, Postcrossing would not have been possible. Sure, people could organise a similar community using newspapers and magazines, but that would proceed at a slower pace and on a much smaller scale.

Apart from Postcrossing, there are other online communities that attempt to bring back a slice of the old. For instance, there are snail mail pen-pal websites (although a great number of them are dedicated to email pen-pals).

Be it to seek respite from the daily bombardment of emails and text messages or to search for a soulmate, networks like Postcrossing allow us to connect with people from all corners of the earth and all walks of life.

They let us rediscover the joy of finding a treasure in the mail.

Like how vintage styles pepper our shops today, I hope that postcards and letters can start to become fashionable again.

30/1/14 1:55 AM

VOL. NO.

20

THE NANYANG

07 CHRONICLE

5mm apart from story

OPINIONS 29 canteen talk

No More

Are you proud to be a Singaporean, and why?

Grades For Freshies?

I’m uncertain. I like the country but, on the spot, I can’t think of anything to be particularly proud of.

Victor Leong, 24, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Year 4

Obbana N Rajah

D

oes a grade-free system truly take the pressure off students and give them more time to assimilate?

The National Universit y of Singapore (NUS) believes so.

According to the Straits Times (ST), medical students at NUS are evaluated based on a pass, fail or distinction for the first two years of study.

This means that while there will still be tests and exams, students would not be given a letter grade.

The university will be extending this system to the rest of the first-year students over the next few years.

In the same article, NUS president Tan Chorh Chuan commented that “it is important to reduce some of the over-focus on grades as the most important thing to go for, as opposed to actual learning”.

Even Google, the company known for upending conventional wisdom, asks for transcripts, GPAs and test scores of “brandnew college grad”.

Whether NTU should embark on a similar initiative depends on the goal that the university seeks to achieve.

Arguably, the NUS model can be effective in making first-year students less focused on grades.

“If grades are not given, (students) would concentrate just on passing, and this attitude will most likely remain throughout the course,” said Irfana Begum, a first-year student from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences.

However, this solution is only effective in the short term.

The first year curriculum is comparatively easier than succeed-

20.07 pg 29.indd 1

ing years and many students use their first year grades to pull up their Grade Point Average (GPA).

The introductory level courses offered in the first semester should already serve as a buffer to the upcoming stressful curriculum.

Without the first year experience, students jump into their second year, suddenly needing to maintain a GPA. Such an experience might be even more overwhelming.

Thus, if the goal is to “reduce some of the over-focus on grades”, such a plan may backfire because students become even more obsessive over their grades when they start their second year.

Furthermore, the root cause of students’ grade craze is its correlation with job prospects.

Even Google, the company known for upending conventional wisdom, asks for transcripts, GPAs and test scores of “brand-new college grad” applicants, according to Laszlo Bock, Google’s Senior Vice President of People Operations.

L e c t u r e r St e v e n A d a m s , f r o m N T U ’s L a n g u a g e a n d Communication Centre, shares the sentiment.

“While the (grade-free system) gives students the freedom to explore and learn, this move may not necessarily decrease competition among students, since there will be job vacancies that will always be limited,” he explained.

Unless this correlation is busted, all moves to reduce grades addiction proves moot.

On the other hand, if NTU aims to ease students’ transition into university life, it may want to consider the system used by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

MIT’s official webpage states: “Freshman grading is designed to ease the transition from high school by giving students time to adjust to factors like increased workloads and variations in academic preparation.”

MIT’s system allows a more gradual transition.

For instance, freshmen are graded on a Pass or No Record basis in their first semester and on an A,B,C or No Record basis in their second semester. The full

A-F system only takes effect in the second year.

Such a gradual progression allows students time to adjust to the university workload — they can handle the pressure of maintaining their grades when they are more settled in school.

Without the first year experience, students jump into their second year, suddenly needing to maintain a GPA. Such an experience might be even more overwhelming.

It is unclear if NTU will introduce a grade-free system too, but I will not support it if it happens.

Though the new system will make the life of first-years much easier, exams bring forth a certain drive within students.

Sure, there are still exams in the grade-free system.

However, if grade A to C are reflected equivocally as “Pass”, it makes logical sense to work only as hard as a grade C needs.

The lack of letter grades to signify tears and bloodsweat may mean less motivation among students.

Also, in a grade-free educational environment, it is not hard to imagine skipped classes, slipshod assignments and disinterest in the academic material.

Of course, grades are not the only reasons why students work hard in school. Knowledge and curiosity count for a lot too.

However, there is nothing more satisfying than reaping the fruits of your labour in the tangible form of grades.

Yes, because of our facilities. We are living in a first world country and we are fortunate to be here.

Jacob Ng, 23, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Year 2

Yes. Lee Kuan Yew made Singapore a very safe country.

Our economy and our future will be good.

Apple Tan , 23, Computer Engineering, Year 1

Yes. It’s vibrant and multicultural. You get to experience different cultures and different types of food.

Asraf Kamaruddin, 21, Material Science & Engineering, Year 1

Yes, because I’m born here. As with your own kids, you will still be proud of them no matter what they do.

Naqiyah Redzwan, 24, Computer Science Engineering, Year 4

TEXT: HUANG CAIWEI PHOTOS: CHINMAYI NADIGER

30/1/14 1:54 AM

30 SPORTS

THE NANYANG

20

VOL. NO.

CHRONICLE 07

Back on track

CAPTION CAPTION

PHOTO: CREDIT CREDIT

BLAZING GLORY: The NTU Track and Field team had a clean sweep at this year’s Institute-Varsity-Polytechnic Games in the Men’s, Women’s and Overall categories.

Saeful Hakim Sports Editor

I

t has been a season to remember for NTU’s track and field team in this year’s Institute–Varsity– Polytechnic (IVP) Games.

The team amassed a haul of nine gold, eight silver and six bronze medals en route to a clean sweep of the Men’s, Women’s, and Overall champion trophies.

The team went into this year’s IVP confident and determined, especially after narrowly missing out on this achievement in the 2012 games.

Women’s team captain Chew Hanyu, 21, said: “We had a strong team and knew we had a good chance to claim all three titles this year.”

The third-year student from the Nanyang Business School added: “We were actually very close to accomplishing this feat two years ago, so I guess this win was long awaited.”

New games record

The nine gold medals attained include an IVP record-breaking attempt by Nurul Jannah in the women’s triple jump event.

T he 22-year-old third-year student from the Sports Science and Management program me jumped her way into the record

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books with an attempt of 11.75 metres, beating the previous record of 11.50m set by herself last year’s games.

Despite the significance of her personal performance, Jannah remained humble about her new record, calling it a “bonus”.

She added: “I’m very happy and proud to be part of the team to bring back all three trophies.”

However, the journey towards the team’s stellar performances this year has not been without difficulty.

Elaborat ing on t he team’s struggles over past seasons, Chew said: “Every IVP, (the team) faces the same challenge of assembling the best pool of athletes in their fittest condition.”

She attributed this year’s success to a smoother, more consistent build-up to the competition.

with a haul of five golds, three silvers and three bronzes.

The NTU team is not about to take a backseat however, and are already hungry to replicate their success in next year’s IVP.

Looking ahead

Captain of the male team Samuel Ee, 24, a final year student in the Sports Science and Management pr og r a m me , s a id : “ We w i l l continue striving to show that this breakthrough did not happen by chance, and work to defend our championship next year.”

“We were actually very close to accomplishing this feat two years ago, so I guess this win was long awaited.”

Chew Hanyu Captain (Women’s team) NTU Track and Field

IVP ROUND UP NTU bettered its showing in this year’s InstituteVarsity-Polytechnic Games, clinching a total of eight championship wins.

A side f rom br inging back the first Track and Field men’s and women’s championship trophy in 14 years, NTU has also emerged champions in the following sports: 1. Women’s Swimming 2. Women’s Floorball 3. Men’s Table Tennis 4. Women’s Table Tennis 5. Women’s Basketball 6. Women’s Volleyball The Women’s Volleyball team clinched a 3-0 win against Temasek Polytechnic in the finals on 29 Jan. This performance means that NTU has attained her best I V P record to date, goi ng one up f rom t he previous record of seven championship wins last year.

Close fight for the men

The women’s team fielded a “strong line-up which (closest rivals) NUS were unable to match,”, said Chew, racking up a whooping 21-point lead after only the first day of competition.

The plot was less straightforward in the men’s competition however, with NUS constantly breathing down their necks in the race for the men’s overall title.

Ultimately, the male athletes triumphed over their archrivals

PHOTO: LEOW TIN LENG

DETERMINED: NTU’s Amelia Lee keeping a close watch on her opponent. NTU edged Temasek Polytechnic in the women’s basketball finals with a scoreline of 65-60.

PHOTO: CHUA SIHUI

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VOL. NO.

20

SPORTS 31

THE NANYANG

07 CHRONICLE

sports talk

Running out of steam Lisa Oon Sports Editor

N

OVELTY runs have seen a surge in local interest as of late, with the hugely popular Color Run, Electric Run, and zombie-themed Race The Dead among the more well-known examples.

About 16,000 people took part in the Color Run held on 17 and 18 Aug last year for the first time in Singapore. It was reported that 12,000 spots were snapped up within three hours of the tickets being released.

These runs, dubbed “fun runs”, have found their appeal in eschewing the traditionally competitive image of races to embrace the idea of a stress-free activity for family and friends.

The Color Run, for one, carries the tagline: “happiest 5k on the planet”. It was founded in January 2012 in the United States. During the run, coloured cornstarch is thrown at participants at every kilometre. There are no winners or prizes.

Despite this, the run still draws a huge crowd, with many participants signing up just for novelty’s sake.

In fact, some of them may not even

run during the race.

Jaslin Low, 21, a National Institute of Education (NIE) undergraduate who participated in the Color Run, said: “At the beginning of the run, I really ran.

However, once they started to throw the cornstarch, there was a human jam (as many slowed down to get the most of the cornstarch).”

However, the congestion did not deter some runners from enjoying themselves. Martin Tan, 22, a second-year from the Nanyang Business School, said: “Everyone, friends and strangers alike, had fun together while playing (with the cornstarch).”

“Different events appeal to different groups of people to entice them to start exercising.”

Professor Micheal Chia Dean, Faculty Affairs Nanyang Institute of Education

Another popular run that took place last year was the Illumi Run, labelled as Singapore’s first night party run. Some 10,000 runners signed up to be splashed with non-

PHOTOS: INTERNET

A COLOURFUL SPECTACLE: Runners are willing to pay more to have coloured cornstarch thrown at them.

PHOTO:INTERNET

toxic neon illumi glow water. It was so popular that the organisers are planning another edition later this year.

Professor Michael Chia, the Dean for Faculty Affairs at NIE, said: “Different events appeal to different groups of people to entice them to start exercising.”

But one has to question whether such races are a good way to motivate people to exercise or are merely a marketing gimmick.

The early bird registration fee for Home Team Real Run, a no-frills marathon, costs $40, while The

Color Run costs $50. Participants pay $10 more for running the same distance and of course, for the novelty of it all.

In fact, novelty runs are only attractive to participants when they offer a new concept. Once the novelty wears off, they fade into obscurity. It seems improbable that such runs are a sustainable way to motivate people to adopt a healthier lifestyle. But only time will tell if a runner is willing to go the distance in forking out $50 to take part in such novelty runs.

bpl talk

Enough ammunition in their Arsenal?

“He’s my hitting partner, fixes the drinks, fixes the rackets. You do a lot of jobs. Thanks a lot. You are a nice guy. You were lucky to find me.”

Li Na, showing her appreciation to her husband after her Australian Open finals win against Slovakia’s Dominika Cibulkova

Vulnerable backline

Joshua Tang A shadow was cast on Arsenal’s campaign even before it began.

The club only managed to sign former player Mathieu Flamini and a few untested teenagers on free transfers.

Meanwhile, archr ivals Tottenham went on a spending spree on several players from around Europe, and many backed Spurs to take Arsenal’s place in the top four.

Many criticised Arsene Wenger for sticking to the game plan that yielded the team a grand total of zero trophies in the last eight years.

Exceeding expectations

To add to the club’s misery, fans and critics called for Wenger’s sacking after the first game of the 2013/14 season, when the Gunners lost 3-1 at home to Aston Villa.

However, t hey have si nce responded w it h a n i ne-ga me unbeaten run that included only one draw, beating fierce rivals Spurs and Liverpool along the way.

At press time, the Gunners lead the Barclays Premier League (BPL) by two points, with Manchester City and Chelsea hot on their heels, a mere two and three points behind respectively.

they said that?

ALL GUNS BLAZING: Arsenal find themselves in a commanding position mid-season, but do the Gunners have enough depth to sustain their title challenge?

PHOTO: INTERNET

This is a startling turnaround from the past two seasons, when the club found themselves 22 and 18 points behind the leaders at this stage of the season, finishing fourth two seasons ago and third last season.

All round strength

Arsenal’s strong defence is one of the main reasons for their recent resurgence.

T he 19 goals conceded by

the club this season — the best defensive record in the league — has affirmed the rock solid centreback pairing of Mertesacker and Koscielny, and the impressive form of goalkeeper Szczesny.

On the attacking front, the signing of playmaker Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid for a club record £42.5 million (S$90 million) has added a much needed creative spark in the club’s midfield.

Arsenal’s transfer targets for the January transfer window have been centered around attacking players, such as Juventus striker Mirko Vucinic as well as Real Madrid’s Alvaro Morata.

However, it seems that if the Gunners are going to remain at the top, adding a centreback to the team may be more crucial than another striker.

It would relieve the pressure on Mertesacker, Koscielny and Vermaelen, as injuries are bound to happen in the hectic second half of the season.

Goals are not the issue. This is especially when one takes into account the number of goals the club’s midfielders have been able to contribute, with Aaron Ramsey being the prime example, having scored 13 goals – the same number as main striker Olivier Giroud.

With a tough set of fixtures ahead of them, including matches against Manchester United and Liverpool in the league as well as Bayern Munich in the Champions League in February, it remains to be seen if the Gunners will be overtaken by their rivals come May. That said, barring injuries to their key players, the Gunners look strong enough to fend off the challenges of their closest rivals.

“I mean New York is a beautiful place, don’t get me wrong, but it is colder than s--- out here.

You know, palm trees and beaches obviously are a little more appealing.”

NBA all-star Kobe Bryant, when asked if fellow Allstar and New York Knick Carmelo Anthony would join his team.

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