The Nanyang Chronicle Vol 15 Issue 04

CHRONICLE

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THE NANYANG

O C T OBER 6 , 20 0 8 | V OL 15 NO 4 | IS SN NO 0 218 -7310 | W W W. N T U. EDU. S G / C HRONIC L E

KITTY CAT FEEDING Feed them the right way at cat cafes

HOMEMADE

GOODNESS Taste ice-cream made with a local twist

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HITTING THE

幽默机智相声 逗笑全场观众

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SPOT

21 页

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PLUS: 15 PAIRS OF TROPIC THUNDER MOVIE PREVIEW TICKETS TO BE WON INSIDE PAGE 34

NTU experts forecast tough times

act

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IN A FLURRY: The US financial crisis will be felt in Singapore in late 2008 and early 2009. PHOTO | INTERNET

NTU economists predict slow GDP growth and oil prices to stabilise at US$80-100 a barrel JESSICA YEO BE PREPARED to tighten your pursestrings, as Singapore’s economic growth is expected to slow in the wake of the Wall Street meltdown and US housing crisis, according to the latest forecast from NTU’s Economic Growth Centre.

The university’s economists expect the 2008 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth to come in at the lower end of the government’s 4-5% growth forecast.

However, the expected GDP growth could drop “subject to further (negative) risks

such as a US recession,” said Dr Choy Keen Meng, and added that this would affect Singapore’s export-centered economy.

“The model I used for the Singapore economy forecasts has got multiple equations that take into account… relationships between key… variables of the economy such as GDP growth, inflation, foreign demand, the exchange rate, etc,” said Dr Choy, who has been forecasting Singapore’s economy since his days as an economist at the Monetary Authority of Singapore in 1988.

With a falling GDP, the man on the street is likely to suffer reduced wages and stiff competition in the job sector.

University economist Dr Randolph Tan who specialises in econometrics, a study >> CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Ace your presentation in style

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Researchers discover key to malaria cure in cancer drug A chemical compound in a cancer drug may lead to a vaccine for one of the world's most dangerous diseases

HOUSE CONVERTS JUMPED aboard the $700 billion financial bailout on Thursday as lawmakers responded to an awakening among voters to the pain ahead if stability is not restored to the economy.

29,000 SINGAPOREANS WILL BE banned from stepping into the casinos in Singapore once integrated resorts are up and running, thanks to efforts by the National Council for Problem Gambling.

CHINA SAYS ITS MILK IS CLEAN from melamine according to its latest chemical test results on Thursday, to repair confidence in its dairy products as the milk scandal spreads worldwide.

PLAYING CAT AND MOUSE: Professor Zbynek Bozdech said the malaria parasite evolves constantly, so developing a drug to treat it is a matter of finding a "trick" to catch it. PHOTO | GERALDINE KANG

mouse,” said Professor Bozdech.

“But we hope we can learn more so that we can find some trick somewhere.”

He stressed the urgent need to constantly develop new and i mproved ways to f ig ht one of the world’s most dangerous d i s e a s e s , a lon g s i d e h u m a n immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and tuberculosis.

While lab research and studies have proved encouraging, the professor knows that he has to remain objective about his research and be aware of the implications of his research for people at a high risk of suffering from malaria in poorer parts of the world.

“In Afr ica, one child dies of malaria ever y two or three minutes,” he said. “It is definitely

a very important disease in the poorer regions.”

Adding that it takes approximately $ 80m to manufacture a vaccine, and a lot of time, Professor Bozdech is hopeful that “good-spirited” people will come forward to help.

“But at this point of time, my goal is definitely to come up with a drug for the rest of the world. ”

Economic slump expected “Why should oil prices increase when all economies are growing at a slower rate?”

SUICIDE BOMBERS KILL 20 IN Baghdad as Muslims celebrated the close of the fasting month of Ramadan on Thursday. The attacks were the second in the week.

PLAYBOY MAGAZINE IS LOOKING for models to pose for its upcoming feature, "Women of Wall Street", which was inspired by the onset of the global financial crisis. The shoot is planned for the February 2009 edition of the magazine.

ACTOR EDISON CHEN WILL NOT testify at the trial of a man accused of distributing photos of his sex acts with female starlets, the South China Morning Post reported on Wednesday.

SINGAPORE PRIVATE HOME PRICES fell 1.8 per cent between July and September, sending property stocks to near three-year lows.

Assistant Professor Choy Keen Meng NTU economist

Due to slowing economic growth and subsiding price pressures for oil and commodity, “households don’t need to worry about further rises in prices,” he said.

Volatile oil prices are expected to stabilise between US$80-100 a barrel, good news for those who drive. Many people were speculating that oil prices would go up so they bought more oil

AUSTRALIAN PM KEVIN RUDD calls the three Bali Bombers awaiting execution in Indonesia "cowards" on Thursday, in response to them telling reporters they had no remorse over the 2002 attacks.

SM GOH CHOK TONG RECALLED his encounters with late opposition politician J B Jeyaretnam on Wednesday and said he respected Mr Jeyaretnam's fighting spirit even though their political ideals differed.

>> Continued FROM page 1

combining economic theory and statistical methods, said: “Our forecasts for the jobs market (are) a negative one in line with our economic forecasts.

“The main thing I feel will determine the overall economic environment and the extent of jobs losses in Singapore is the speed with which the final resolution of this US financial crisis can result in a recovery of sentiment,” said Dr Tan, who believes the US$700 billion bailout plan will do the trick.

The slump here in Singapore will only be felt in late 2008 and early 2009, said Dr Choy, as the crisis is occurring on a global scale.

On the other hand, there is a bright spark among the bad news, said Dr Choy. People can look forward to falling prices and higher real wages next year, as the inflation rate is expected to plummet sharply to 3 per cent.

GOV PALIN AND SENATOR BIDEN spar in a polite vice-presidential debate on Thursday night over the economy, Iraq and social issues.

PRESIDENT MEDVEDEV BLAMED financial "egoism" for the financial crisis and said it should be taken as a sign that America's global economic leadership was drawing to a close.

Shereen Naaz Charles Syariff THE efficiency of drugs that treat malaria might be greatly increased in the future, because of research done by a team from the School of Biological Sciences.

Led by Assistant Professor Zbynek Bozdech, the researchers may have found the solution to one of the world’s greatest health problems.

Malaria is an infectious disease caused by parasites carried in the body of the female Anopheles mosquito. It is a tricky disease to treat because the parasites constantly evolve, and over the year s, pat ients have stopped responding well to the usual treatments.

Dr Bozdech’s team recently discovered a chemical compound from a cancer drug that may lead to a possible drug to treat malaria.

Laboratory tests have shown that this chemical interferes with the life cycle of the malaria parasite.

For a disease that has no known vaccines to protect people from it, Professor Bozdech said developing such a drug is considered “the holy grail” of his research.

“The problem is the parasite can change its coat constantly so it’s basically a game of cat-and-

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in the past, driving up its price explained Dr. Choy. However, in his view, the current economic crisis has left everyone pessimistic and eliminated the speculative element.

“Why should oil prices increase when all economies are growing at

a slower rate and might even go into recession,” he said.

However, OCBC mobile banker Amber Tan, 22, is doubtful as con su me r s sta nd to lose “i f their rate of pay increment falls substantially lower than the actual rate of inflation.”

“Rock star welcome for dr kalam” (Vol 15 No 3, page 2) In a sidebar about NTU's other honorary degree recipients, we said Professor Yang Chen Ning won a Nobel Prize in Physics for his YangMills Theory. We should have said he shared the prize with Professor Lee Tsung-Dao. We apologise for the error.

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SAO gets tough on hall swoppers student scheme to gain admission into halls and then swopped their international roommates with each other in order to stay with their local friends.

Said Ms Shang: “Students are aware that they should not take advantage of the system, deprive other students intentionally, and deliberately acquire the three extra points to gain an advantage.”

The Student Affairs Office evicted eight students for exploiting the international-local students scheme Becky Lo SPOT checks for people found abusing the international-local student scheme will continue and those caught will be dealt with seriously, said the Student Affairs Office (SAO).

Following recent checks, eight hall residents have been evicted for hav ing illegally swopped roommates. They had received hall rooms under the internationallocal student scheme, which was implemented for admission to hall last year.

In the original scheme, local students who are willing to stay with an international student would be given three points in the hall admission scheme.

T he latest rev ision to t he scheme required applicants to state the name and matriculation number of the foreign student they will live with, and will give them one point, instead of three.

Around 21 percent of hall applicants fell under this scheme.

Since the cut-off point for hall

“I believe SAO has to take this step because many are unhappy about people abusing the system. If I knew the penalty is so harsh, I wouldn’t have done it.”

WAS IT WORTH IT?: Eight hall residents were caught abusing the international-local students scheme to stay with their friends, and subsequently evicted. PHOTO | FILE

admission was brought up to 15 this year, many students have complained about the difficulty in getting a room.

According to Deputy Director

of St ude nt Ac c om mo d at ion Angela Shang, the checks were conducted when the office received complaints about residents who took up the international-local

Priscilla Hoo, 21 Evicted hall resident

Most students the Chronicle spoke to ac k nowle dge t he importance of the spot checks and support them.

“The action taken by SAO is good because it has to be fair to everyone else who is applying for a room,” second-year English Literature student, Nadifa Shekh Nahji, 20, said.

He did not have enough points for ha ll accommodat ion, but decided not to take the risk of cheating the system.

“I have to think of the longterm effects,”he said.

Ryan Sai, 24, who was initially put on the waiting list but recently got a room under the campus life involvement scheme, approves of the school’s measures as well.

“I was disappointed to hear that people are abusing the hall admission system. But when I knew about the checks conducted by the hall officers, I thought the school is at least doing something,” said the third-year School of Biological Science student.

Evicted residents also expressed their regrets about swopping their rooms in the first place.

“I believe SAO has to take this step because many are unhappy about people abusing the system,” said Priscilla Hoo, 21, who was caught by the hall officers for swopping rooms and subsequently evicted.

“If I knew the penalty is so harsh, I wouldn’t have done it.”

Staying in touch

Kallang beach gets a makeover

Jamuna Sundaraj

Tan Thiam Peng

THE newly-appointed chair of t he Wee K im Wee School of Communication and Information may be receiving more duties, but he is keen to continue teaching.

Associate Professor Benjamin Detenber, better known as “Dr D” to his students, stepped into office on September 8th for a three-yearappointment as head of the school.

He took over from his predecessor, Professor Ang Peng Hwa. An off icial announcement about the appointment will be made to inform alumni members and other stakeholders in the school. The date has yet to be confirmed, but Professor Detenber will speak to the school this week for the first time in his capacity as the chair.

Although school chairs do not take on courses because of their many duties, he wants to continue to teach at least one course a year, as he cannot part with the educator in him.

“I’m a hands-on person and I want to maintain regular contact with my colleagues and students at school,” he said. “Basically, I want to be visible.”

Professor Detenber also wants to put renewed focus on t he school’s research productivity, increasing overseas experience for undergraduates and expanding the doctorate programmes offered.

ONE early Saturday morning in September, eco-lovers worldwide thronged to the beaches on a m i s s ion —to c le a n t h e i r coastlines.

Ear thlink N T U, an environmental club, went to the Kallang Basin to be part of the International Coastal Cleanup Singapore exercise, which happened on September 20th.

One day a year cannot keep our beaches clean, but that is not the only reason for the event. The main objective is to collect data to contribute to “inf luencing legislation and public policies”, according to Mr Edwin Shi, 22, the Earthlink’s events executive.

Forty NTU students turned up, a considerable increase from last year’s 20-odd participants.

They collected about 93kg of debris. They made up a total of 170 people who came from organisations like Compassvale Secondar y School, Ger man European School Singapore and the Ministry of Environment & Water Resources.

“We have ver y different participants every year. That helps to spread the message and helps us reach more people about understanding pollution in the Singapore context,” Shi said.

HANDS-ON: Professor Detenber is appointed the new SCI dean. PHOTO | NARERKRIT SINRACHTANANT

“We are a very good school now, but we can be better,” said Professor Detenber. “It’s the job for every new chair to get the school into a better shape than it has been, and I’m grateful to the founding deans and previous chairs for bringing the school to where it stands today.”

T he for mer cha i r a lso welcomed Professor Detenber’s new appointment. Professor Ang spoke to the Chronicle via a telephone interview as he is currently on sabbatical in Ahmedabad, India.

“Dr D’s heart is in the right place. Often, that solves 90 per cent of the problems,” said Professor Ang.

The coastal cleanup exercise is a n a n nua l env i ron menta l conser vat ion program me organised by National University of Singapore’s (NUS) Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research. It is part of a global effort conducted in more than 70 countries and coordinated

by United States-based The Ocean Con se r v a nc y. N T U s t ude nt s handled the muddiest section at the Kallang Riverside Park.

Ea r t h l i n k V ice -P r e side nt Jeevaneswaran, 22, said, “We even went into the water, because we felt bad that we were only finding small items of trash.”

Each group of four to five

students got a report card to track the debris collected, from the kind of trash to the quantity.

From t he i n it ia l resu lt s published, plastic bags made up 36.5 per cent of the debris collected. Add to that food wrappers, containers and straws, and it is almost two-thirds of the total.

23-year-old Ja linee Sriramanakumar of Earthlink, a first-time participant from Sri Lanka, said: “I didn’t expect that much trash. If a clean country like Singapore already has so much trash, I can’t imagine how much other countries might have.”

SAVING THE EARTH: Students collect data at the beach. PHOTO | HANNAH LEONG

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Winning on faith and film

THE WINNING EDGE: One of the Cineodeon participants, Yan Zixin, 21, gets a nod of appreciation from the archive's chairman, Mr Kenneth Paul Tan. PHOTO | MAY CHEN

May Chen N T U st udents took home the accolade of Best Cineodeon Team in a competition organised by the Asian Film Archive last month.

The winning team of five thirdyear students from the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, beat eight teams in the tertiary category for the prize.

They were awarded at the symposium on Singapore Cinema held at the Singapore Management University on September 20th.

Cineodeon is a youth-initiated cinema chain project that helps students learn how to programme and manage a film screening under the guidance of industry professionals. Competing teams organise a screening in their school in August.

Yan Zixin, 21, team leader of the winning group, said that her team did not expect to be at the finals—much less win.

“We did not expect to win because the other teams were very strong, and we even felt like giving up halfway,” Yan said.

Another member, Lisa Teh Xi’en, 22, added that they also did not garner as many attendees for their film screening as other teams did.

Her teammate, Cheng Wan Yan, 23, said: “It wasn’t taxing in the beginning because we were still having holidays when the

competition first started. But, once school started, we had to learn to manage our time and find a common timeslot to meet up for the competition.”

Their Cineodeon submission, titled ‘Nothing Special—Just a Cup of Passion’, screened a film

by Grace Phan. The film, Where The Sun Rises, looks at East Timor and the nation’s journey from war and sacrifice to forgiveness and reconciliation.

Local filmmaker Mr Victric Thng was one of the judges for the tertiary category of Cineodeon 2008. He said that teams were judged ba sed on or ig i na l it y and their preparation for their respective screenings.

“A l l t he teams were ver y competitive and good, but the judges were looking for how much they believed in the films they have watched. In terms of that, the winning team had an edge over the rest of the teams,” he said.

A nother f inalist f rom the university was from the School of Art, Design and Media. The sixmember team screened three short films and a feature film.

Mr Tan Bee Thiam, founder and executive director of Asian Film Archive, said: “We hope to bring together different segments of the film community and especially to engage the students and young audiences. ” “As an archive, we don’t just preserve. We also want people to remember,” said Mr Tan.

Orchestra's surprise ending Liyana Low THE NTU String Orchestra gave its audience a memorable ending at its annual concert held at the Lee Foundation Theatre.

Murmurs of surprise from the audience were heard as the players and their conductor, Xu Zhong Hao, walked off the stage one by one during their final piece, Farewell Symphony, leaving behind two violin players to close the show.

“The ending was really special.

It made this year’s concert more memorable than last year’s,” said audience member Yang Shanshan, 20, a second-year Computer Science student.

What was also different about this year’s concert was that the orchestra decided to play more audience friendly songs like the Four Seasons, as well as unusual ones like the Farewell Symphony, said Peh Xiang Hong, 21, a Year 3 Communications student and the Publicity Officer for the concert.

A nd while the reper toire engaged the audience, it was the four soloists who captured the audience’s hearts.

Chen Kaina, 20, a secondyear Biological Sciences student, and Sun Ke, 23, a final-year Mechanical Engineering student impressed the audience with their stage presence and their skills with the violin.

“Kaina’s relaxed posture when she was playing was inspiring,” said Zhang Chunyan, 21, a t h i rd-yea r C hem ica l and Biomedical Engineering student, who was at the concert to support her junior.

The two guest performers, Mr Gerard Chia, who has a Masters Degree in Violin Performance, and Dr Yeo Jan Wea, who earned his doctorate from the Michigan State Universit y School of Music.

They inspired the string orchestra to play their best, according to Peh. With the orchestra supporting their performance, Mr Chia and Dr Yeo, who play the violin and the viola respectively, almost stole the show as the audience demanded an encore after their performance.

Preparations for the concert started last October, culminating in nightly practices during the recess week.

But the hard work was worth it, according to Xu Shouheng, 23, an Electronic and Electrical Engineering doctorate student.

“It was as if everyone were playing on auto-pilot during the concert,” he said.

Spirits were high even after the concert, and not even poor initial ticket sales could dampen the mood of the players.

“We were initially worried about the possibly poor ticket sales even up till the last few days prior to the concert because of the F1 training sessions tonight. But in the end, we are happy as we still managed to sell about 80 per cent of our tickets,” said Peh.

A MEMORABLE NIGHT: The concert was a great success. PHOTO | COURTESY

Obstacles too tough for robots Cheryl Wee A ROBO T ICS compe t it ion was so tough that none of the participating teams were able to complete the complicated obstacle course to clinch top prize.

The TechX Challenge finals he ld on Se pte mbe r 21s t at Republic Polytechnic, saw six teams playing for the elusive prize money. Teams Evolution, AZROBOWAR and Fantastic Four represented NTU. Many teams grappled with the first task of entering a building and none were able to meet the

challenge’s requirements to net a $1million cash award.

Team Evolution’s robot, UniSeeker, was tentatively close to completing Round 1, but stalled in the lobby. The robot had mistaken a potted plant for an elevator it was supposed to enter.

None of the teams in the finals eventually won the top prize as they could not meet the tasks set by the challenge’s organiser, the Defense Science and Technology Agency.

But the teams were each given a trophy and $10,000 as a token for their time and effort.

TECHX CHALLENGE: None of the teams managed to clinch the top prize.

PHOTO | LIANG HUI YAN

A defense ministr y representative was quoted by A mer ica n maga zi ne Popular Mech anics a s say i ng t hat a winner was not expected in the competition, because the agency realised the technology required was far more advanced than what could be achieved in the given time frame.

Leong Chee Weng, 27, member of Team Fantast ic Fou r, was disappointed with how his team’s robot did at the challenge. The robot got stuck in a barricade some distance away from the building it was supposed to enter.

“I am not sure what went wrong,” he said.

“We had problems starting the robot although we had tested it hu nd reds of t i mes before.

Everything went wrong. We are taking a break now, some of us will still continue work on the robot and find out what is wrong.”

His teammate, Dong Jun Feng, decided to take the loss in his stride, saying: “It was disappointing, but research is like this. Nothing can be perfect.”

Zhu Sen Qiang, a member of Team Fantastic Four, will now focus on his doctorate research.

He said: “Although the end result was not satisfactory to me, the process was really most satisfying and fruitful.”

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Taking defence to the next level Lien Xiu Wen A NEW, bond-free research award was launched recently focusing on defence and security research for local postgraduate students by DSO National Laboratories.

The DSO PhD Research Awards see the nation’s foremost applied R&D institution partnering with the university and the National University of Singapore (NUS) to encourage more Singaporeans to pursue postgraduate studies and contribute to research and de ve lopment i n t he f ie ld of defence.

“Beyond research results, we hope that this endeavour will create a standing pool of young and vibrant top talent who will inject new ideas and new thinking, particularly for defence R&D,” said Mr Tan Soo Kee, Deputy Director of People Division, DSO. The scheme is open to all local students who have either a first or second upper class of honours Bachelor’s degree in the areas of Science or Engineering.

Students will be co-supervised

by DSO’s researchers and a faculty member from the university. DSO said that the number of Research Awards will depend on the quality of the candidates who apply.

“I think the remuneration is definitely very attractive, and continuing my studies may not be a bad idea.”

Hazel Han Third-year School of Mechanical and Engineering student

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed on September 9th by Chairman of DSO’s Board of Directors and Permanent Secretar y (Defense Development), Ministry of Defense, Dr Tan Kim Siew and NTU President Su Guaning.

“NTU is proud to partner the

NEW RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES: The Memorandum of Understanding was.signed on September 9th by Mr Tan Kim Siew (left) and NTU President Su Guaning. PHOTO | DSO

defence community in contributing to our national defence,” said Dr Su on the partnership. He added that the university looked forward in seeing scientific and technological breakthroughs from the scheme that “could result in contributing to our economy.”

The award scheme will offer successful candidates a monthly allowance of between $3,100-

$3,300 per month, and it will also cover the full tuition costs and other compulsory costs during the course of study. The sponsorship lasts for four years and students will be conferred a PhD degree

by NTU or NUS upon successful completion.

Hazel Han, a third-year student from the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering said that

the scheme would definitely be a very good push factor for her to continue her studies.

“I think the remuneration is def initely ver y at tractive, and given the current economic situation, continuing my studies may not be a bad idea after all.”

Assoc Prof Ng Geok Ing from N T U’s School of Electr ical & Electronic Engineering, one of the three mentors identified for the scheme, also felt that the new initiative was encouraging in expanding the pool of local PhD students.

“Prev iously I had to ‘beg’ students to join the PhD program; but the scheme is definitely a good opportunity to motivate interested students to go for their further studies,” he said.

Although the applications have opened since September 29th, a spokesperson from the university’s Graduate Studies Office said that they have yet to receive any formal applications.

However, Prof Ng has met up a few interested students—and his advice to them?

“They must have the aptitude and attitude for research, and be willing students.”

Capturing a slice Couch potato no more of life in NTU Idayu Suparto T H I R D-yea r mecha n ica l engineering student Eric Leong has been paid to photograph weddings, band photo shoots, album covers, events and seminars.

But it was h is st int as a volunteer photographer for his hall’s orientation camp that clinched him the winning shot and prize money of $2,000.

T he 23-year-old was the f irst pr ize winner of the ConnectNANYANG Photography Competition that ran from May to September.

The prize-giving event was held in conjunction with this year’s NTU Alumni Day and took place on Saturday, October 4th.

The competition’s theme was “Connect Nanyang”. Competitors had to submit photographs that captured day-to-day life in NTU— such as lecture sessions and hostel activities.

Leong’s winning shot was c hose n out of 835 r e ce i ve d entries.

Mr Julian Chong, assistant ma nage r of A lu m n i A f fa i r s Of f ice, sa id: “T he pict u re is visually colourful and reflects the ConnectNANYANG team spirit.”

Na med “ Tea m Work”, t he winning photograph was taken during Hall 15’s orientation camp and shows a team of determined students paddling their dragon boat

at the Kallang Water Sports Centre against a backdrop of skyscrapers and corporate buildings.

It was the first time Leong had entered a photography competition, and he was not sure of winning because the competition was open to alumni, students, staff and faculty members.

“There were a lot of people who entered so it’s easy to have somebody with a better photo,” he said.

He c hose t he photog r aph because the camaraderie shared by the students illustrated the competition’s theme of connection in NTU. He sa id: “It showe d how choreographed everyone was. If you’ve done dragon boating, you’ll know that it’s a team sport and it’s not easy.”

“The picture is visually colourful and reflects the ConnectNANYANG team spirit.”

Mr Julian Chong Assistant Manager Alumni Affairs Office

FILM INTERACTION: With GPS technology, you must be where a film was made to watch it. PHOTO | COURTESY

Wang Simin IF YOU are still watching movies the conventional way—sitting stationar y in front of the T V screen, and allowing the plot to unfold – the time may have come for you to be more involved with the movies you watch.

Two weeks ago, the university’s st udent s a nd fac u lt y have premiered Singapore, as well as the world’s first GPS Film and Software, a revolutionary way of watching movies.

T h i s i n novat ion r equ i r e s dow n load i ng a GPS ( Globa l Positioning System) movie into a GPS-enabled device, such as a phone or PDA. To discover what exactly happens before the final

scene, viewers have to travel to the actual location of the scene, and then the GPS device allows them to watch the other scenes.

This idea was conceptualised

by Assistant Professor Scott Hessels from School of Art, Design and Media (ADM), two years ago, and was actualised together with 50 students. The team included third-year ADM student Kenny Tan, 26, the director and scriptwriter of “Nine Lives”, the first GPS film, and two fourth-year students, Neha Chachra, 21, and Aswath Krishnan, 21, from the School of Computer Engineering.

A/P Scott Hessels said: “The idea that cinema is something

v iewed wh i le seated a nd stationar y was not a formal proper t y of mov ies; it was a limitation of the existing technologies. Suddenly, through GPS, c i ne ma be i ng h ig h ly interactive and responsive —we had the ability to move and watch, and bask in the true form of storytelling.”

T he 85-m inute-long prototype film for the GPS system developed by film students of ADM is entitled “Nine Lives”.

For example, when watching “Nine Lives” on the mobile phone or PDA, you first watch the final scene, where the protagonist Joe, runs down a street in Chinatown.

In order to unravel the events, you have to travel to Chinatown, and other parts of the CBD, such as Havelock Road and Pearl’s Hill and there your device will let you watch the rest of the film.

According to Tan, who has watched movies on the system a number of times: “Watching movies has become interactive and fun, with the invention of GPS Film.”

However, the project was not all fun and games. Tan and his crew met with problems, such as the backing out of a male actor, and the miscommunication bet ween gover n menta l organisations during the filming at Parliament House.

T he new concept has attracted the attention of several organisations, such as Nokia and T Vmobile who together with the team are trying to seek new possibilities to use the GPS system.

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Cat cafes flourish here Farah Elias

BON APPETIT!: A campus cat tucks into food served by a feeder at a "cat cafe" in hall.

PHOTO | AHMAD ISKANDAR

Soft words over spiked story Joanna Hor BLOGS have been buzzing about NTU for two weeks, after an article was removed from the most recent issue of the Nanyang Chronicle just before it was printed.

The article concerned opposition politician Dr Chee Soon Juan’s visit to campus last month.

Some students were dismayed by what they saw as an issue of press freedom. One former student, Clarence Chua, 24, set up a FaceBook group to discuss the issue.

He said the group ‘Stand up for media freedom on campus’ was to provide a platform for others to rally around. “I hope to use it to organise a legal protest against the whole issue,” he said.

Second-year Communication Studies student Dawn Lum is a member of the group, and she felt that the university was being too restrictive.

“You feel indignant, because you are not given the chance to voice yourself and you’re not doing anything wrong. You’re merely reporting something that’s happening.”

At the same time, the Online Citizen, which aims to reflect the views of the average Singaporean, ran an article about the issue.

In a statement, President Su Guaning said that he noted the “disquiet on the part of some students concerning the university decision on the contents of the last issue of Nanyang Chronicle.

“Generally, in consideration of the educational objectives the university would not interfere in editor ial mat ter s. In t his case, there is the potential of an unsolicited visit being given publicit y in furtherance of a political objective.

"The risk that the university is seen as being used for the political agenda of the uninvited visitor had to be mitigated by exercising the university’s ownership rights.

“As publisher of the Chronicle, the university is responsible for its contents,” he added.

However, this has failed to appease some individuals who have expressed their disapproval with the university’s decision, citing that it was restricting freedom of information.

Dr Su said that there are existing channels for student dialogue and discussion, and that students should tap on these through faculty.

“The Chair of the Wee Kim Wee School and I have been engaged in ongoing discussions since the event, and consulting with faculty,” he said.

Dr Benjamin H. Detenber, Chair of the Wee Kim Wee School, said, “this has a challenging episode for many faculty and students, but we are trying to learn from it.

"We intend to carry on in much the same we have in terms of our educational mission and promoting professional training through student media.”

Depending on whom you ask, the cats that live on campus can be considered pets or pests.

But a communit y of loyal cat advocates have come a long way since their inception in 2006 to help bridge the differences bet ween these cats and their human counterparts who live and study in NTU. The Cat Management Network was awarded the Animal Protectors Grant in August at Singapore’s first ever Animal Welfare Symposium to conduct a research project to study the management of cats in the community.

T he new scheme prov ides grants to groups who have an idea for a project that will have a positive impact on animal welfare in Singapore. Only six grants were awarded this year.

In addition, the net work’s revamped website will include a public adoption page that fulfils the network’s aim to get cats in NTU adopted.

It currently has a team of 100 volunteers who feed cats on rotating shifts at each of the seven “cat cafes” in campus. These cafes are situated at areas in halls of residences that have been approved

by hall officers.

“The number of cat-related complaints that were received

by OFPM (the Office of Facilities Planning and Management) before we started was up to 30 per month.

This was reduced to less than 10 in the first year of the cafes being set up,” said Ms Chua Sok Hoon, president of the network.

Ms Chua added that the cat population in campus has halved since the network’s start, a sign that the sterilisation campaign was successful.

The OFPM aids the network by subsidising food for the 50-odd cats around campus and managing stray ones, which have not been sterilised, by sending them to the Agri-Food and Veterinar y Authority, said higher technical officer Tan Teck Hoon.

Effor ts by t he net work in managing the cat population in a humane way have also caught the attention of freshmen who find the idea of such cafes interesting.

The concept originated in the Mediterranean and is very popular in the United States.

First-year Linguistics and Multilingual Studies student, Siti Halimah, 20, said the network “made their presence felt right at the start of the semester during the

CCA fair”. She has since signed up as a cat feeder.

De s pite it s pr og r e s s , t he network still faces challenges such as lack of manpower during school holidays since most of its catfeeders are international students staying in halls who return to their home country during semester break, said Ms Chua.

Indiscr iminate feeding by residents is a lso a cause for concern as not only is it against hall regulations, cats become over reliant on residents who will not be able to take care of them when they leave the hall.

T he ne t wor k e nc ou r a ge s students to join them as volunteers and feed the cats responsibly at cat cafes so that the cats will learn where they can get proper, regular meals.

As a cat-lover, second-year English Literature student Shyra Shazwani Kamarudin, 20, prefers the network’s approach in the management and care of stray cats in NTU to the Cat Welfare Society, which mainly advocates sterilisation, and is considering joining as a volunteer.

“Joining the net work will hopefully benefit both the student and cat population. Plus, I get to do something I enjoy,” she said.

Close ties sealed the deal Syafiqah Omar NTU has inked an agreement with a top Swedish university that could see students here visit top research institutes run by companies such as Nokia, Ericsson and Saab.

Linköping Universit y President Mille Milnert signed a Memorandum of Understanding with NTU Provost Bertil Andersson on September 10th, in what the provost has called a “win-win” situation for both institutions.

Professor Martin G. Helander, from the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE), said the two universities will look into in dual doctorate programme for research and education.

Professor Helander led the team that went to the city of Linköping in Sweden before the agrement was signed, visiting research institutes such as the Saab Aerospace Center and the Mjärdevi Science Park.

Saab Aerospace Center and L i n köpi ng Un iver sit y have extensive research experience in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, or unpiloted aircrafts. Professor Helander said the memorandum will help NTU tap into this expertise.

Also, the Mjärdevi Science Park is home to 230 knowledge and development-based companies, such as Er icsson a nd Nok ia, which have established research institutes there. Its success will offer an insight into setting up

similar support activities in Singapore.

Both Professor Andersson and Professor Helander were previously from Linköping University, and their close affiliations contributed in a big way to the agreement’s realisation.

Professor Andersson was Linköping University’s president t i l l 20 03, wh i le Professor Helander was Head of Division of Industrial Ergonomics in the Department of Mechanical Engineering till he joined NTU in 1999.

“In this case there is a strong and friendly connection between the current administrations of

both universities that makes it much more personal,” said Professor Helander.

Engineering students are hopeful that such collaborations will enhance their university experience.

Third-year MAE student, Zack Wu Di, 22, who w i l l also go on exchange there said: “Studying in (Linköping Un i v e r s it y ) w i l l i nc r e a s e my chances of working for a Swedish company such as Volvo, which is my dream job after graduating.

“Also, I believe that the e x per ience w i l l ref i ne my engineering mind as well as hone my creativity.”

FRIENDLY RELATIONS: The new Memorandum of Understanding was made, in part thanks to NTU's links with the Swedish university, pictured here. PHOTO | INTERNET

Lifestyle

With music this good, give local music a chance Page 8

Life’s one big yo-yo It is not often an engineer would give up a his chosen profession to sell yo-yos. Shereen Naaz Charles Syariff talks to Colin Wan about the challenges of being his own boss

LIVIN’ IT UP: Colin proves that taking the leap into unfamiliar waters can pays. PHOTO | COURTESY

WHEN Colin Wan first started selling yo-yo parapher na lia, everyone thought he was crazy.

They said he was throwing away his four years of study at NTU’s School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE).

He felt alone and discouraged when he was scoffed at for choosing to be his own boss.

Today, the 28 year-old cofounder of Spinwork x laughs about it and remembers the first piece of business advice he ever received.

“Someone told me to dump all my friends. Finally, there was someone who understood how I was feeling. I finally felt like I wasn’t alone in this,” said Colin.

He took the advice, filtering out all the negative and worked on proving everyone wrong. From then on, Colin learnt to live his life “the way [he] wants it to be”. This has been his mantra on his path to success.

At the age of 17, Colin picked up his first yo-yo. His friends, who were more skilful, laughed at him for not knowing how to perform any tricks. However, a few months later, Colin had the last laugh

when he emerged champion at the Singapore Duncan Yo-yo Nationals in 1997.

Besides juggling Spinworkx, he manages MacEnrich—a company he set up to help Mac users get the most out of their Macintosh computers.

But expanding his business is not the only thing that interests him. He also started a personal community project, “Coldheart Missions Secret Pink Project”.

It is the brainchild of Colin and his friend, Hans Wong Jensen that aims to send resources to the less fortunate in poorer countries.

“I really wanted to do something that people say is impossible. In Singapore we take life for granted.

In other countries, especially with all the red tape, how much aid actually reaches them in the end?” he said.

With so many projects on his hands, he says that the good thing about being his own boss in this industry, is the flexibility of time.

“I have all the time to play with. I have the power to decide what I want,” says Colin.

He is glad about the free rein

that he has in making decisions about his own business. Had he not followed his instincts, he would be caught up in the competitive rat race.

H i s de c i sion wa s la r ge ly influenced by his final module – Human Resource Management.

The prescribed textbook for the class, ‘Blue Ocean Strategy’, was the extra push that he needed to take a different path.

T he book is based on t he metaphor of red and blue oceans, describing the market universe.

In the red oceans, the industry boundar ies are accepted and defined whereas the blue ocean refers to the unknown market space – one that remains untainted by competition and where there is deeper potential that has yet to be explored.

“It made me think a lot about whether or not I wanted to stay with the rest in the red ocean,” he said.

His professional attachment in his third year made him realize that he was not interested in climbing the corporate ladder. Colin realised that he needed more than just his individual capabilities to survive

there.

“Since it’s not all about your capabilities, I’d rather create my own world. Most of my peers complain today that they are not happy with their jobs. I look forward to coming to work every single day”.

But Colin has found out that setting out on his own, especially in a business that deals with a seasonal sport, is never easy.

“Let’s just say this, I’m definitely not shortchanged.”

Colin Wan, 28 Owner of Spinworkx

He admits that his yo-yo business does not always yield the results that he wants. Spinworkx sells approximately 50-80 yo-yos a month, a far cry from Colin’s ideal target of 200 yoyos.

He is not dishear tened by the occasional low sales, and

instead pushes himself to attain his target.

However, he adds that the bulk of his income also comes from the Spinworkx Yoyo Academy which organises training programs, competitions and performances.

Aside from that, the rising entrepreneur also knows he has his company, MacEnrich to fall back on if all else fails.

His yo-yos come mainly from the United States and United Kingdom. He also buys limited edition lines of yo-yos from Japan.

Most of his clientele are tertiary students who prefer models from the United States.

Because of the clientele he works with, Colin makes sure he brings in a wide range of yoyos, ranging from the $12 Duncan Pulse to the most expensive, $699 Freehand MG. While sceptics may question his decision to step away from a high-paying engineering job, Colin remains f irm about his chosen path and he knows he made the right choice.

“I’m comfortable and ver y happy. Let’s just say this, I’m definitely not shortchanged.”

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FLYBAR FORMED in 2006,indie band Flybar is becoming a force to reckon with in the local band circuit. Consisting of lead vocalist Ian Toh, guitarists Benjamin Tay and Jon Ong, bassist Yado and drummer Deon Toh, Flybar plays rock with a twist, adding harmonica, viola and saxophone into its sound.

Frontman Ian Toh, 23, an NUS arts undergraduate, said that he grew up playing in a concert band, and was exposed to these instruments. Thus, he was able to weave these unusual elements into their mainstreamsounding songs.

Their sound, influenced by bands such as U2, The Beatles and Pink Floyd proved to be a hit. Flybar ’s fi rst album “Scream without raising your voice”, released in July 2008, has sold over 800 copies, making them comparable to local bands like The Great Spy Experiment and Westgrand Boulevard.

Comprising 10 self-written tracks, the album was produced at Snakeweed Acoustic Labs, by Leonard Soosay, the man behind the successes of fellow chart toppers Electrico and Ronin. American music guru Stephen Marcusson who worked with U2 and the Rolling Stones also had a hand in the process.

“We are big fans of U2’s polished sound, so when it came to mastering, it would have to be Stephen Marcusson.” said Ian. “We gave him a call and fortunately he agreed to charge us only a fraction of the price,” said Ian, adding that Marcusson understood their budget constraints.

Some accolades Flybar has earned include winning the Singapore Battle of the Bands Championship 2006 and opening concerts for Jet and RiverMaya.

But it has not all been smooth sailing. As a stranger to the music scene in 2006, they hired a manager to make progress, said Ian. However, differences led to an unhappy breakup between manager and band.

Besides this incident, Ian also admitted that engaging in commercial music was a double-edged sword.

“While it motivates you to perform well, when I write songs, I worry about their commercial appeal. You just have to overcome this and remember the passion you first came into music for.”

Flybar hopes that home-grown bands would get more airplay on

PEEPSHOW

REVVING UP THE MUSIC

STARTED in 2005, Peepshow has grown from a garage band to a popular face in the local music scene.

With Zaki on vocals, SK and Mik on guitars, Fadil on bass, Yuk on keyboards and Edmund on drums, the pop-rock group that started out playing covers have since moved on to songs they have written themselves.

Influenced by Incubus, Queen and Nirvana, Peepshow’s signature sound tends towards a heavier pop-rock.

Peepshow caught the eye of the music industry when they won the YouthAlive! Band Competition 2005, beating 22 others.

According to guitarist Mik, that was Peepshow’s proudest moment to date.

"We went into the competition, guns blazing, we really wanted to win," he said, adding that "it was an unbelievable moment when we did."

Peepshow went through a series of ups and downs, starting with vocalist Zaki, who left the band back in 2006 due to personal frustration.

The four boys then went on to recruit a female singer, Joanne, who played with them at high profile venues like M.O.S and Gas Haus.

But she too, left soon after as she could not commit.

However, Zak i reunited with the band on its first anniversary.

Peepshow’s cur rent line-up has since jammed at BAYBEATS 2008, Singapore's very own indie music festival.

Besides work, Mik also added that the fast-paced life in Singapore “leaves very little time for doing the things we love".

While the short break after army allowed Peepshow time to develop their music, band members still found it hard to commit.

Despite all these, Peepshow plans to record its first album soon, after encouraging response to its self-titled EP released in May this year.

The local music scene is seeing better times these days. Fresh outfits like Flybar and Peepshow are also catching on. Cheong Kah Shin and Yeshma Balgobin speak to them about their ambitions and success

The fast-paced life in Singapore leaves very little time for doing the things we love..

Mik Peepshow Guitarist

When I write songs, I worry about their commercial appeal.

The EP has sold around 250 copies to date, said Mik. Fans can expect the band to venture into Malay music in the future, as they attempt to take on the Malaysian market with help from Kuala Lumpur-based musical outfit, the Beat Society.

Ian Toh Flybar frontman and vocalist

Singapore radio, and Ian pointed out that Australian music gets the majority of airplay on Aussie radio now.

“Hopef ully Singaporeans can support homegrown talent in the same way too,” he said.

Flybar last played at Singfest in August 2008. The band is taking a short hiatus as three of its band members are currently studying overseas.

OW H S EEP P G IN VENT E@NUS M O G C E

UP UP AND COMING: Young new bands such as Flybar (top) and Peepshow (above) are bringing a twist to local music, attracting more listeners than before. Watch out, Electrico. PHOTOS | COURTESY & ERIC LEONG

OUN pm VE L2008; 8 I L E LZ ER IO PU TOB RAD 22 OC

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T H E NA N YA NG C H RON IC L E

IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE The traditional movie and dinner date may not sound appealing anymore as romance takes on new meaning at unique venues. Huang Huifen checks out these places and shares her experiences

HALLOWEEN HORRORS NIGHT SAFARI 80 Mandai Lake Road Oct 10 to Nov 1 (most activities are on Fridays and Saturdays).

Admission at $22 for adults; $50 for Hallowe'en Cocktail Express which includes a themed tram ride with food and drinks served

A LONG winding path, illuminated by the soft glow of lamps directed our path to the Night Safari main entrance. The wooden tropical resor t-li ke shelter s made my boy f r iend and I felt li ke we had just walked into the set of “Survivor”.

“So romantic,” he whispered, but baby, this was about survival.

Starting October 10, the Night Safari will be transformed into a large-scale House of Horrors.

Jack-o’-lanterns, Count Dracula, mummies and ghosts will guide visitors as they venture into the safari.

However, we were just here for a recee of Night Safari before the ghosts descend. Nevertheless, the tourist attraction was already gearing up for the event.

HALLOWEEN HORROR: Be afraid of what hides behind those trees at the Night Safarai. PHOTO | COURTESY

“Bye! Hope you come back alive!” the Night Safari ranger called as we pulled away from the tram station, hung with a dozen skeletons, and into the darkness. I took another look at the pale bones,

NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM

PERANAKAN MUSEUM 39 Armenian Street Opens 1 to 7pm (Monday); 9.30am to 7pm (Tuesday to Sunday); 9.30am to 9pm (Friday). Free admission on Fridays (7 to 9pm), during non-special exhibition periods; full-time students enjoy a concession of $3 on other days

WHEN I read about the Peranakan Museum’s f ree ad m ission on Friday nights, I made it one of the top must-visit places with my boyfriend.

The novelty of visiting a museum at night appealed to

me, and also, I enjoy Peranakan culture. However, my knowledge of the culture so far has been limited to its culinary delights such as Buah Keluak and Otak-Otak...

The lights at the musuem cast a majestic glow upon the building.

The former Old Tao Nan School, which was converted two years ago for the museum. The pastelcoloured floral signboard of the museum was an inviting backdrop to the information counter, the first thing visitors see when they enter. It was like walking into a Peranakan home.

White staircases in the building spiralled above me, giving the illusion of infinity height. The church-like atmosphere made my

and shivered.

Come October 10th, the tram ride that I was on will not be the same. The seats will be decorated with animal-print upholstery, with jack-o’-lanterns hanging from the

boyfriend and me both feel at ease.

We walked through the maze of galleries depicting Peranakan history, lives and culture. From admiring the interesting artefacts to gasping at the tremendous amount of work put into a 12day wedding, it was a chance for us to appreciate culture together. And for me to nudge my boyfriend when I saw the extravagant jewellery presented to the bride.

We allowed ourselves to drift into a time capsule, where we imagined ourselves to be Peranakans living in the past.

The visual and sound effects successfully transport one to the Peranakan world.

We were greeted by the sound of chopping as we walked into the kitchen exhibit at the Food and Feasting gallery, and the voice of a matriarch, “You must cook it this way,” followed by more clanging at the wok.

At the funeral exhibit in the Religion gallery, the wails of the deceased’s family members resounded through the whole area, making our hair stand.

We le a r ne d s o m uc h more about this oft-forgotten community and could not help but appreciate the cultural diversity of the Peranakans. Not only did we both learn something, it also gave us a chance to try something new, unlike the routine dates we are accustomed to.

tram roof.

If you opt for the Halloween Cocktail Express, you will be ser ved morbid cocktails such as those with “eyeballs”, while dessert will include “spiders” and

FOR THE LOVE OF COOKING 25 DEGREE CELSIUS 01-01, 25 Keong Saik Road Tel: 6327 8389 Opens 11am to 10pm (Monday to Saturday); closed on Sundays and public holidays

“HMM…” is all I can say while enjoying the warm Valrhona oozing chocolate cake at 25 Degree Celsius. The French chocolate oozed out from the cake the moment my fork sliced into it.

What better way to enjoy this decadence than under the warm glow of the spotlights of this cookbook-store-cum-cafe.

With soothing Latin music in the background, I gazed into my date’s eyes.

A f ter desser t, I browsed through the cookbooks which range f rom loca l to French cuisine, to deserts, cocktails and recipes specially for Vegans.

There are memoirs of celebrity chefs like Jamie Oliver and Cheryl and Bill Jamison on their cooking journeys.

M y d ate a nd I br ow se d through the cookbooks together and salivated over the hungeri nduc i ng photog r aph s of cupcakes, chocolates and foie gras. It was a couple bonding

“blood”.

The tram guide will be Count Drac u la, sha r i ng h is a n i ma l conservation speech in his raspy voice.

This promises to be a hairraising experience. The darkness of the rainforest, the proximity to the animals, and the sound of the crickets were all enough to send a chill down my spine.

“Don’t worry dear, I will protect you,” my boyfriend said as we huddled together on the tram. My heart almost out of my mouth when “ghosts” pounced on unsuspecting visitors.

For the brave-hearted, get off the tram and walk through trails like the Bridge of Hell . Venture into the haunted rainforest, which is an unused section of the Night Safari. Be on your toes for what lurks behind in the dark My boyfriend and I got off the tram and walked the Leopard trail. There were times we got lost and I wondered if a vampire would appear. That was just my imagination running wild but during Hallowe’en Horrors, that may be a reality.

So gentlemen, it is time to show off your macho side, while ladies, it always feels good to be in the arms of your loved one, especially when it goes…BOO! time and we made plans to cook it sometime.

However, the most romantic pa r t about t he ca fe i s it s ambience.

Away from the hustle and bustle, the place ignites a sense of nostalgia. With white, vintage, f loral window grilles at the entrance, it is a rare sight in this modern city. It is this sense of yesteryear that makes me feel relaxed and, as clichéd it may sound, in the mood for love.

The best time for couples to chill out is after lunch hour, said Miss Sally Tsai, a co-owner of the restaurant. When I arrived after lunch, there were only a handful of people enjoying their sandwiches and coffee. With plenty of room for privacy, this is the perfect place for couples who wish to whisper sweet nothings to each other.

My favourite spot in the cafe is the table at the end, right next to a window overlooking the backyard garden blooming with flowers. As sunlight poured through the window, it warmed the place, and both our hearts.

All in all, 25 Degrees Celsius is a romantic treat for couples who love their desserts and cooking.

lifestyle

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no women allowed While girls bond over gossip and good shopping trips, guys get bored faster than you can say ‘Great Singapore Sale’. Most feature articles tell of how a girl paints the town red. This time, let Cassandra Eng show you what entails a typical day of fun on a boys’ day out

For CATCHING UP “The main concern is to catch up and update everyone on what’s be e n happe n i ng”, C he w Z h i Hao, a 22-year-old Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering student said. Since studies take up so much of his time, his activities are planned to be conducive for conversations.

“Most guys talk about the army, how horrible it is and how much they hate it,” said Joel Leong, a 21-year-old Communication Studies student. “But my friends and I usually hang out at a pub or coffee place and talk about sports, music, events and the occasional girls.”

He added: “We’re the new gossip girls.”

Both suggest places that offer ambience, music and good food for such gatherings. Places like Timbre, sushi buffets and Bayden Bar rank among their favourites as groups can hang out there for hours.

Lifestyle Recommends Timbre @ The Substation The laidback feel of this bar cum restaurant sets the stage for a night of relaxing.

Loca l mu sicia n s l i ke T he Goodfellas and Michaela Therese,

For BONDING

Zhi Hao also points out that online gaming brings the guys together. Geoffrey,24, prefers console games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band, which he says are a big hit at parties.

Joel, who also likes console ga mes l i ke Gu ita r Hero a nd Winning Eleven, attributes the success of the to games giving them “control over a situation and an excuse to compete within friendly boundaries”.

Jasper Loke,a 23-year-old Business Student, also enjoys thrills. “We drive around and go to Geylang for supper and ‘sightseeing’, he said, adding that “it’s the time you spent there and the company you have that makes the place special”.

Despite their busy lives, Zhi Hao said that it is important to have such gatherings to escape the pressure. “At the end of the day, we just want to get away from our busy lives, have fun, catch up and take a breather while enjoying

play nightly after 9 p.m.

The menu is mainly Western, and has been rated highly. It is a hit with the guys for its cheap beers during happy hours. There are special promotions like a twofor-one special on Erdinger and

Kilkenny pints from 6 to 9 p.m.

Expect to spend about $20 - $25 a night per person.

Grab a couple of your buddies, head down to Timbre, knock back a few and rock a night out on the town.

For sweating it out together

one another’s company,” Zhi Hao said.

Lifestyle Recommends Paintball Take up guns and fight like men. Gather round for a friendly combat, which in this case, is “hide-and-seek” meets “tag”.

Paintba lls are f i lled w it h biodegradable, water-soluble dye which are shot out by paintguns.

W hen a shot is ta ken successf ully, the opponent is eliminated. Thus, a good strategy is needed.

Also, team work and leadership is important in this game. Not only will it help a group of friends to bond, it also helps to relieve stress in the process.

Combine sports and gaming in this activity.

Located at Orchid Countr y Club, be prepared to pay up to $250 for 1000 paintballs that you can share among your group.

“ T he r e i s a c o m m o n obsession to keep fit, so my friends and I meet up to play sports together”, Geoffrey who studies at UniSIM. He said that guys who just left the army are obsessed with keeping their fitness and find that the best way to do so is by exercising with their friends.

“It’s man on man,” agreed Joel. “When training with your guy friends, you know that they wouldn’t give you any chances, so it’s practical in that sense”.

Geoffrey said that the time is also used for bonding. He invites his friends over to his condominium where they play

tennis, squash and swim.

Zhi Hao goes for regular night cycling trips with his friends.

It works out both ways for him because his busy schedule only allows for activities to be planned at night and “it’s exhilarating cycling from one end of the island to another at night. I think we got hooked after a hall event”.

T hey c ycle f rom N T U to East Coast and stop at famous supper food places like Geylang’s Beancurd or Punggol’s Nasi Lemak .

Lifestyle recommends:

safra membership A l l F u l l -T i m e Na t i on a l Ser vicemen or those who have completed NS can apply for membership to Safra. With clubhouses from Tampines to Yishun, full sports facilities such as tennis courts and swimming pools are within reach.

T he g y m s a re wel le q u i pp e d w i t h e xe r c i s e machines. A sauna and steam room are also available in some locations.

For more bonding sessions, the chalets at Downtown East are also available to members for a discounted rate.

PHOTOS | COURTESY & INTERNET

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T H E NA N YA NG C H RON IC L E

food snoop

MADE IN

SINGAPORE Ditch your Ben and Jerry s and Haagen Dazs and support your local ice cream parlours.

Stacey Chia digs deep to get the scoop on unconventional local ice cream you never thought could exist PHOTOS | SIM LI FEN

BLAST FROM THE PAST ICE CREAM CHEFS 520 East Coast Road #01-06 Ocean Park Building Opens 1pm to 10pm (Mon to Thurs); 1pm til late (Fri to Sun & Eve of Public holiday)

Over at Ice Cream Chefs, hit flavours of the past get a remake in the present.

“I grew up in the era where we had the old school coffee shops ser ving Horlicks, Milo, Kopi, half-boiled eggs, and bread with Kaya.

Such flavours like Kaya Lotee bring back childhood memories for myself and many customers,” said Jeremy Wee one of two owners of Ice Cream Chefs.

The Kaya Lotee ice cream (left) tasted like home-made Kaya straight out of a bottle. Kaya makes up 20 per cent of the ice cream, with the rest, a mix of milk, cream and natural sweeteners to give it all that milky goodness. It also has bits of white bread that is kept fluffy through a special recipe.

FEELING MOO-DY?

Both Horlicks and Milo claim to provide nourishment, but if you can’t decide between either one, you can have them both by asking for them to be mixed together.

The chefs will transform two flavours into one on a cold rock.

The taste of Horlicks is not as strong as the taste of Milo, but there is still a tinge of malt as it melts in your mouth.

According to Wee, each scoop of ice cream is made up of as much Milo and Horlicks powder that you would put into your cup.

For added delight, choose from a selection of toppings such as almonds, granolas, Kinder Bueno and chocolate brownies for an additional $0.70 each.

These flavours are usually sold out within a few days, so you may want to call before heading down, if you have a particular flavour in mind. Prices from $3.10.

IN THE TROPICS

Don’t feel short-changed as this ice-cream version of chendol contains all the ingredients you would normally find in the regular one such as, red beans.

However, there are some who still prefer the traditional desert to the ice-cream version. “It just tasted like frozen chendol, I would rather just have the original desert, since there’s nothing much about it that’s better or different,” said Ang Kai Wen, 20, NS man.

FOR THE PATRIOT COMING off the recent Formula 1 Night Race, Singaporeans are swelling with pride at an event that shone on the international stage. Keep the pride alive with Tiger Sorbet (below) - 50 per

FEW things are as irresistible as cool, sticky ice-cream in our hot, humid weather.

It’s summer all year round in Singapore and the numerous ice cream parlours that have popped up over the years provide some yummy relief from the heat.

From Ben and Jerry’s to Haagen Daaz and Swensens, international ice-cream brands have been setting up parlours here to cater to sweettooths island wide.

These have their fans, who might prefer the creamy dessert over more traditional ones like ice-kachang and chendol.

However, local ice cream parlours are are giving these famed brands a run for their money, as they serve exotic flavours by mixing local delights.

These local ice cream parlors are the answer to not only cheaper ice cream but they create new flavours that go beyond the traditional Chocolate and Vanilla.

Also, the ice-cream is made on site, cont r ibut i ng to t he freshness and taste.

It will be hard not to fi nd a flavour that will tickle your taste buds. Now if only they would have pushcarts along Orchard Road. cent of the ice cream is made of Tiger Beer.

Sorbet is a frozen fruit dessert usually made with sweeteners and fruit puree. This colourful blend is palatable to both lovers and non-lovers of beer as the bitterness is sweetened with strawberries and they also give the sorbet its light pink colour.

Best eaten as a chill-out dessert, as you lie under the sun.

ISLAND CREAMERY 10 Jalan Serene #01-05 Serene Centre Opens 12pm to 9pm (Mon to Fri); 12.pm to 10pm (Sat); 2pm to 7pm (Sun) Tel: 6468 8859

AT fi rst bite, Island Creamery’s Chendol ice-cream (above) would have you thinking that it is the real deal.

Howe ver, rea l c hendol aficionados will be able to tell that this ice-cream is less creamy.

All ice-cream made at this parlour contain no preservatives, eggs, gelatine, artificial colouring or flavouring.

scoop of fresh coconut gelato on top of hot glutinous rice; it is similar to the Bubur Hitam dessert. According 557 Bukit Timah Road to the owner of Swirl, Hsu E.J. gets #01-04/05 Crown Centre an average of 20 orders a day for Opens 10am to 10pm (Mon to Fri); Black Cow. 8.am to 12am (Sat & Sun) “We have a lot of positive Tel: 6464 6180 fe e dbac k for u nconve nt iona l f lavours such as Black Cow and others like almond lychee and black HEAD on down to Swirl and buy sesame from both our local and nonyourself a Black Cow. local customers,” said Hsu. This dessert is served with a The dessert is a marriage of two

SWIRL

opposites given the contrast in texture, temperature and colour and the result is a ‘warm’ feeling with every bite.

As gelato is made without cream or eggs, it is very light so you won’t feel overwhelmed having both ice-cream and glutinous rice. Even after this dessert, you’ll still have room for another scoop.

Prices start at $6.50

lifestyle

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know your prof

ROCKIN’ RESEARCHER He’s not your typical researcher holed up in a laboratory. Jamuna Sundaraj talks to Asst. Professor Zbynek Bozdech from the School of Biological Sciences about his interests

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upcoming events Asian youth energy summit 2008 (AYES2008) Energy Carta is organising a summit to create awareness among young Singaporeans regarding opportunities in the field of Clean Technology and Alternate Energy.

Interact and hear from various industry experts on this topic and take part in up to 10 panel sessions. There will also be a job fair and an exhibition.

There will be a booth set up in NTU for students to register.

Date: 30th to 31st Oct Venue: International Conference Centre, 9 Heng Mui Keng Terrace (Beside the National University of Singapore) Time: 9am to 5.30pm Ticket Prices: Students: $10 (1-day), $15 (2-day) *Includes Postgraduates and MBA s Non- Student: $100 (1-day), $150 (2-day) For

more information, log on to www.

energycarta . org or www . ayes 2008. com

Singapore Biennale 2008: Wonder After its successful inaugural run in 2006, Singapore Biennale 2008 promises to ignite the senses.

Indoor and outdoor exhibitions at various well-known landmarks in Singapore are being held.

FIGHTING MALARIA: Assistant Professor Zbynek Bozdech heads a team of researchers that studies possible drugs for infectious diseases.

PHOTO | NARERKRIT SINRACHTANANT

Where are you from?

I am originally from the Czech Republic. But I haven’t lived there for over close to 20 years now. I spent a lot of time in Canada and the US. I studied in the US and did my postgraduate research in University of California San Francisco.

You have been in NTU for four years. How has your experience here been so far?

It has been good and quite i mpr e s s i v e . T he S c hool of Biological Sciences has been modelled after the Americans’, which is known to be the best system in the world because of its level of freedom and trust.

Singapore is also generous in funding research, But there are diff iculties especially since everything is new and young here. The infrastructure is still developing.

What got you into teaching?

Truthfully? It came with the job scope. But when you’re in the academic career, you’d know that one day or another you’d be teaching. I have never taught before this.

I never did think I’d enjoy it.

But I do. It is a lot of work and difficult, especially when you’re standing in front of hundreds of students and having to answer their questions.

What is the highlight of your career?

It wa s du r i ng my postdoctorate time in California where we were developing the technology for mapping genomes, s t u d y i n g on t h e m a l a r i a l parasites. We were the first ones to study and publish a paper.

But back then, in 2003, our papers were one of the first few to be published. Things were starting up and developing and we had recognition. So it was good times then.

What do you not like about doing research?

T he pol it ic s . It ca n ge t personal and even petty at times.

But I try my best to avoid it and play it down. Politics in science is typically bad when the funding is not coming in well. There would be a shortage of money for research and people would then play with politics and fight. But in Singapore, there is reasonable funding and is now the best place to be doing medical science.

Why so?

The funding suits the pace of the research and we can go on with minimal obstacles. It also has a world class infrastructure for science, which is a field that requires a lot of infrastructure and support. Also, Singapore is in the most unique situation because, it does not only have the

facilities but it is directly nextdoor to diseases like malaria.

And right now, we are trying to take advantage of this unique situation.

What are your other interests, besides Science?

I love playing music. I am into rock bands and music. I used to play for bands as the bassist since I was 16 and have recorded eight CDs. We mainly played folk rock and created our own original music. I nearly went professional but in the end, I didn’t make it.

Do you still play here in Singapore?

I do. But mostly with friends only and it is just for fun. I do go for jamming sessions to keep in shape and I do know several local musicians. I’ll be down at the Crazy Elephant along Boat Quay on Sundays to jam.

But I do not have a band.

Yet, I do get my fun here and there. I do listen and appreciate all sorts of music but I like rock the best.

What about your other hobbies?

I love travelling. South East Asia is a beautiful place to explore. I’d go down for scuba diving at Indonesia and I head out to Bali as much as I can. I didn’t do much travelling before

I came here and I do not have a specific favourite destination; I just like exploring the region.

Sometimes I would just hop into my car and drive up to Mersing and head out to Tioman for the weekend. I also went down to Banda Aceh, four month after the tsunami.

My wife was working with an NGO at that time and I was a visitor.

Could you describe your experience then?

I was there as a visitor but I got a lot of information from my wife who was employed by the Red Cross. Every person she knew there had lost at least a family member, a loved one.

The whole place was eerily quiet and depressed.

Houses were gone; swamps everywhere and the people were devastated. I recently went back to Aceh, about half a year ago. And i have seen the transformation it has undergone. It is now a happy city. At the same time, it is still a poor region and in need of development. But it is in a better shape than it has been few years back.

“Key to Malaria cure”

>> Read more about Prof Bozdech’s research on page 2

Allow your own perspectives to take a back seat as you enter a realm of wonder.

Date: 11 Sept to 16 Nov 2008 Ticket Price: $10 (present your student pass and get 50% off) Visit

www.singaporebiennale.org for a

full list of venues and tour timings .

animation nation 2008 After its successful event last year, Animation Nation is back once again.

This year’s festival showcases animation feature films, shorts, seminars and workshops.

Date: Oct 24th to Nov 2nd 2008 Visit http :// sfs .org .sg / animation /

for

more information

To have your event listed, e-mail chronicle@ntu.edu.sg. Include event date, location, contact and any pictures.

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travelogue From the airplane window, a tall, thin, brown structure stood out from the blanket of clouds. It was vague and indistinct, but I knew immediately that it was the Eiffel Tower.

Everything I knew about Paris came from pop culture, movies and books. One can only imagine my anticipation at seeing these places for real.

Many people think of Paris as the sort of destination apt for a honeymoon, being the city of romance. I was no exception. I had always imagined it to be a scene out of a fairytale.

My boyfriend and I arrived in Paris amidst the thick of weekday action.

Though tired, I joined a tour of Montmartre that evening. I was not ready to let an idle moment slip by and leave a precious vacation unfulfilled.

Montmartre became a personal favourite.

Ambling through the gently sloping streets took me on an idyllic journey through history that still seemed to dwell in every corner.

Famous artists such as Vincent Van Gogh and Pablo Picasso worked and lived there.Quaint cafes and art houses that dot the street now preserve the charm of the place.

With history, shopping, food and art, Paris is more than the city of love. But romance was what drew Amanda Tan there, and it lived up to all her dreams

French kisses

I might have been wearing gloves to keep out the chill, but the ethereal sight filled me with an inner warmth At the top of Montmar tre stands the Basilica Sacré-Cœur. It is the highest point in the city and offers an unobstructed view of the Parisian skyline.

As the evening sun draped its rays around the domes and spires, it was like a divine aura had settled on the place.

I might have been wearing gloves to keep out the chill, but the ethereal sight filled me with an inner warmth.

Keen to see what a French church service was like, I set out early one morning to attend mass at the Notre Dame de Paris, only to meet a crowd of tourists with the same plan.

Sta nd i ng i n f ront of t he imposing structure was enough to leave me in awe.

The intr icate Gothic architectural design made striking backdrops for photos.

Inside, large religious exhibits lined the edge of the cathedral as candles and sunlight reflected through stained glass created a dim yet reverent atmosphere.

For a city girl like me, the bright, kaleidoscopic lights of Place Pigalle were also enthralling.

Although it is the city’s redlight district, the place was not seedy or sordid.

Though lurid banners and posters drew me to some shops out of curiosity, the thing I was most eager to see was the Moulin Rouge.

The red, dome-shaped windmill structure caught my eye, but only barely, since it was sandwiched between two taller buildings.

I admit that was an initial disappointment, considering the hy pe and glamour commonly associated with it.

However, the night breathed life to the famed cabaret, when its façade glowed in orange hues and swanky patrons mingled by the entrance.

The Eiffel Tower enraptured me in the same way.

Spotting the conical outline from blocks away, I snapped a picture every five steps as I got closer.

Such was my happiness that I shouted, “I’m here!” when I finally got to the top, rewarded with a view of the Pantheon and the Arc de Triomphe.

The long days of early spring

PICTURE PERFECT: The Eiffel Tower (main), Moulin Rouge (above) and the Notre Dame (right) along the River Seine looks like a scene out of a movie. PHOTOS | COURTESY

meant that the sun only set at 9pm, so I only managed to catch the first few minutes of the breathtaking sunset from the top before we had to descend.

As night fell, we sipped wine and lay on the grass beneath the tower, watching as beams and shadows danced across the sky. Enveloped with blinking lights, the Eiffel Tower seemed like it was adorned with millions of diamonds.

Around us, people played their guitars and sang, clearly enjoying the moment.

I had my moments, too. From running through the maze-like gardens at Versailles, to strolling along the banks of the River Seine, time seemed to stand still, and made it easy for me to cast all cares into the wind.

Ironically though, I did not have enough time at the Louvre Museum, and I only managed fleeting glances at many of its artworks as my guide shuffled us from gallery to gallery, stopping only for major draws such as the haunting Mona Lisa and the massive Winged Victory. I missed at least half the museum, which at least gives me the ideal excuse to visit again.

In the same way, ChampsÉlysées left me wanting more.

Wit h some of t he biggest boutiques such as Louis Vuitton and Zara along the street, it is the perfect shopper’s haven.

The trees lining the avenue and breezy weather made shopping ideal—effortless and comfortable.

I was pleased to f ind that high-end products were at their cheapest here, which explained why most people had a fashionable paper bag (perhaps with a newly acquired tote or pair of pumps) in their hands.

Because of luggage restrictions, I could take with me no more than the customary souvenirs.

If I had it my way though, I would take a little more of Paris— some macarons, Louis Vuitton, and perhaps, the Eiffel Tower, too.

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through the looking glass

There is a significant Indonesian community in NTU with around 600 Indonesian students.

T his year, t he Indonesian Community in NTU (PINTU) held their annual Indonesian cultural night on October 3rd.

The performance involving about 100 students was entitled Merah Putih. It included traditional Indonesian drama, dance, musical and choral performances.

T he st udents had been preparing hard for two mothns. At the rehearsals in Nanyang House, enthusiastic students dressed in traditional costumes moved fluidly and gracefully with the rhythmic beats of the enchanting music.

Indonesian heart & soul Photos by Prayudi Utomo

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lifestyle review

BOOKS

Why is God Laughing?

Deepak Chopra

$29.95, available at Borders Published by Harmony Books

BEST-SELLING spiritual writer Deepak Chopra delves yet again into the ambiguous realm of spirituality in Why is God Laughing?, with the fictitious tale of Mickey Fellows, a stand-up comedian whose life takes a turn after the death of his father.

Dealing with grief, the sudden appearance of a mysterious man named Francisco stirs up dormant emotions and unanswered questions as he guides Fellows on a spiritual journey (through a series of riddles) to finding his true self by living freely.

A cross between Tuesdays with Morrie and The Five People You Meet in Heaven, Chopra hits the right notes on the spiritual aspects in this subtly enlightening and insightful book.

Steering away from didacticism, Chopra successfully communicates his ideas through the wise character of Francisco and offers diverse parables in a simple and effective manner.

He espouses life lessons on how to deal with feelings and aspects of humanity such as anger, ego and fear in a fresh perspective.

Fear in man is seen an obstruction to creativity and “the secret is to abandon old habits and trust in spontaneity.”

The narrative falls short in its lack of emotional depth which impedes the reader from fully engaging with the story. The typical chapter by chapter segregation makes it too compartmentalised and occasionally breaks the flow.

However, the narrative helps in being the glue that holds together motley ideas by anchoring it to Fellows’ journey, which is experienced hand-in-hand with his humour.

“Existence is pure gold, nothing else is needed.” With optimism found in every corner, it is hard not to be elevated and drawn into the idea of simply being.–Farah Elias

The Front Patricia Cornwell $29.95, available at Borders Published by Little, Brown

BEING the only author to have won five awards (including the prestigious Edgar Award) for a single book in 1991, one has high expectations of Patricia Cornwell’s new offering, The Front.

But those awards are no more than a front for this follow-up novel about her hero, Massachusetts State investigator,

Win Gerano.

In The Front, the dark and sexy Gerano is tasked to reopen the case of a British woman assumed to be murdered by the Boston Strangler, some four decades ago. It also does not help that his supervisor, shrewd district attorney Monique Lamont, has her eyes fixated only on her own career.

Gerano enlists help from Stump, a prosthetically-limbed detective with the local police. Add to this motley crew a student reporter, Cal Tradd, and you get a murder mystery that will be either really good crime writing or really good at faking its way through the story.

Admittedly the forensic details are noteworthy but nothing breathtaking, considering that Cornwell was the former Director of Applied Forensic Science at the National Forensic Academy.

Cornwell seems to have developed a penchant for namedropping throughout the book, mentioning brand names as though they are sufficient adjectives for the characters.

However, the characters are not well developed, which leaves readers grasping for something more substantial to relate to.

The Front is easy reading with its large fonts and thicker-than-necessary paperback. But the convoluted plot goes on a roundabout for most parts, and the mandatory moment of truth at the end seems too hastily concluded, leaving the reader wanting more "oomph" to the end.

Overall, Cornwell seems to present a strong front, but really, there is not much substance behind that façade.

–Kelvin Pang

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“I'll ask the sun to shine away from you today, so you can cry.

If that's what you want alright, and I'll ask the clouds to bring the rain for you today, so you can cry."

“So You Can Cry” by Ne-Yo

MUSIC

Death Magnetic

Metallica (Heavy Metal)

¯¯¯¯¯ The band has won seven Grammy Awards, and has had five albums peak at number one on the Billboard 200.

THE biggest heavy metal band in history is back with a new death-themed album, which features tracks that Metallica fans have been waiting patiently for since the 90s.

Sinuous guitar solos, aggressive guitar riffs and brutal drum smashings are aplenty for the listener.

“The End of the Line” is a fast piece with a memorable guitar riff and lyrics about a condemned star on drugs and a heart-stopping guitar duel between Kirk Hammett and Hetfield ensues.

Tracks, like “That Was Just Your Life”, are more than seven minutes long but song structures are wild and serpentine to give fans an overload of Metallica.

As with Metallica’s tradition, every album comes with an instrumental piece. "Suicide and Redemption” is one of the heaviest played by Metallica and its style is different from previous albums like “The Black Album”(1991) and “Reload”(1997). Thanks to producer Rick Rubin, Metallica is back! –Joanne Yan

Year of the Gentleman Ne-Yo (Pop/R&B/Dance Pop)

¯¯¯¯¯ Since his debut, Ne-Yo has amassed seven top 10 songs on the Billboard Hot 100, including "Because of You".

FOR his third album, Grammy-winning Ne-Yo has put together one slick package that consists of R&B, neo-soul and pop. This concept amalgamates club-pleasers and 70s pop, and even manages a little Jackson style.

A gifted songwriting machine, Ne-Yo has proven himself a true gent by giving credit to bold women on tracks such as “Miss Independent” .

“Closer”, his best known single, pulls off a zippy beat accompanied by mid-tempo lyrics which accentuate his sultry approach, and bring back true lyrical groove to the table. Ballads like “Mad” and “So You Can Cry” weave sonic artistry with heartfelt lyrics that stray from the cliché.

Despite the inclusion of various instruments such as the harpsichord and clarinet, Ne-Yo’s beat is on its way to becoming stale. What this Gentleman needs is fresh perspective and direction, lest he should bow out of the R&B scene when the year is up.–Faith Tan

Brass Knuckles

Nelly (Midwest Rap/Pop Rap)

¯¯¯¯¯ Nelly has sold over 20 million records in the United States. He also won Grammy Awards in 2003 and 2004.

RELEASED barely a fortnight ago , Nelly’s fifth album started out rocky after several delays. But Nelly fans can now rejoice in his latest, and potentially most diverse album.

The most distinct thing about his fifth album is the exhaustive guest list. Filled with 17 tracks out of which 16 starred guest artistes, it is not surprising Nelly is overshadowed at times.

For instance, in “Hold Up”, Nelly fails to stand out and legendary lyricists such as L.L. Cool J and T.I. steal the spotlight.

With the majority of Nelly’s songs such as “LA” (featuring Snoop Dogg and Nate Dogg), as well as “Party People” with Fergie bordering the pop-rap formula, Nelly seems to have lost that hardcore appeal he had when he first burst into the music scene eight years ago.

Instead, with this album, he begins to cross over to the softer, more sing-song tunes of urban pop and Nelly and his fans might be in for quite a few really “Long Night(s)”.

–Shereen Naaz Charles Syariff

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review

FILMS

Vicky Cristina Barcelona Romantic Comedy (M18) Javier Bardem, Penélope Cruz, Rebecca Hall, Scarlett Johannson 96min

Just as London was the backdrop for Match Point, Barcelona provides the picturesque canvas in Vicky Cristina Barcelona, continuing Woody Allen’s fascination with Europe and all its delights.

T he f i lm is a light weight musing on the lives of two best friends from America with polar ideas of love: Vicky (Rebecca Hall), the pragmatic and sensible half and Cristina (Scarlett Johansson), the romantic and spontaneous other. In Spain, the duo is swept into the arms of a dashing, silvertongued ar tist, Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem), along with the baggage of fiery ex-wife, Maria Elena (Penélope Cruz).

In a star-studded cast, it is lesser-known English actress Hall who provides a refreshing twist

NNNNN to an other wise conventional character unsat isf ied w it h a mediocre life, and yearns to break free.

Cruz is brilliant—and stunning— as the manic and volatile former love, rendering much comic relief especially in her copious Spanish banter with Bardem. Her vibrant character is a welcome delight as the fourth constituent in this amorous affair.

The presence of an omniscient narrator inhibits the fluidity of the plot, almost dictating at times.

In addition, it lends a sense of transience that hangs over the characters, distancing the viewer f rom f ully empat hising wit h them.

The result may have been an artistic decision on Allen’s part as it makes the viewer think about the

larger implications: the constant search for fulfilment, life as an eternal contradiction and the belief that “only unfulfilled love can be romantic”.

At times when the plot trudges along, the beautiful countryside of

Orvieto and Gaudi architecture—as the fifth and most prominent element—provides a delectable travelogue, with enough beauty to divert our attention away and move the story along.

Under t he great ta lent of

Smilers

Mammia Mia! The Movie Romantic Comedy (PG)

Comedy/Sports (PG)

Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth 108min

Mirai Moriyama, Rosa Kato, Yoshiko Tanaka, Kei Tani, Kenji Sakaguchi 125min

Abba has been one of the most enduring bands, selling over 400 million albums worldwide. So it is not surprising that Hollywood would try to capitalise on their success.

Based on the long running Broadway show of the same name, Mamma Mia! The Movie is a musical comedy that is uneven, k it sc hy a nd melod r a mat ic.

De s pite t he s e f au lt s , it i s charming and cheerful, largely due to the energetic performance of Meryl Streep and a competent ensemble cast.

Sophie Sheridan (Amanda Seyfried) is a bubbly 20-yearold who has lived her entire life on a picturesque Greek island with her mother Donna (Meryl Streep).

Howe ver, her upcom i ng wedding with Sky (Dominic Cooper) causes her to yearn for the father she has never known.

After reading about one wild summer in her mother’s diary, she shortlists three men and invites them to her wedding.

Enter Pierce Brosnan, Colin

Allen, the film finds the right balance with enough restraint. The engaging chemistry amongst the unfulfilled characters against the earthy tones of sunny Barcelona lends credence in this understated gem.–Farah Elias

NNNNN Firth and Stellan Skarsgård.

W hat e n s ue s i n t he c r a z y and conf using pre-wedding celebrations and preparations is what Mamma Mia! is all about.

With a great deal of chart topping songs, Abba fans will have a ball of a time. “Mamma M ia”, “Gi m me Gi m me” and “Slipping Through My Fingers” are the ones that stand out among the unlimited supply of musical numbers in the movie.

Thankfully, the spirit of those songs are preserved while being infused with the fresh voices of Meryl Streep and the rest of the cast.

Mamm a Mi a ! i s c lea rly Streep’s show all the way. Bouncy and lively, she brings warmth and authenticity to Donna and as her daughter, Seyfried is impressive in her role and demonstrates to great effect her vocal talents.

Special mention goes to Julie Walters and Christine Baranski who br ing dow n t he house playing Donna’s fun-loving best friends. As one of the three men, Colin Firth is also charismatic in his limited screen time. The only sour note here (pun intended) is Pierce Brosnan. Demonstrating the vocal range of a 5-yearold, the ex-superspy clearly seems uncomfortable in his new musical avatar.

Those looking for a sound script and more than just a good time will do better skipping this altogether but fans of musicals and Abba please proceed to the nearest theatre! –K arthik

Shankar

Let loose a little, and Smilers will tickle.

T h i s Japa nese f i l m read s like a collection of clichés. An unknown and lousy sports team goes on a fairytale run, against the backdrop of multiple personal stories which are all heartbreaking and melodramatic.

But if you sit back and relax without expectations, you would find the film brilliant as it is in the the mould of The Mighty Ducks (1992) and Waterboys (2001).

Tap dancer Shuhei Sano (Mirai Moriyama) is forced into retirement after a serious knee injury, and returns to Hokkaido to marry his girlfriend Shizuka (Kato Rosa).

But the only way her father would allow it is if he coaches the local ice hockey juniors to victory at the regional championships.

Besides having no knowledge of ice hockey, the team Smilers has never won a single match. This leaves the audience wondering— w i l l t he u nor t hodox Shu hei succeed, especially with the evil Thunderbirds in his way?

NNNNN

The other key plot is that of Smilers’ star player Masaya (Kenji Sakaguchi), a quiet orphan who never smiles and is attracted to iceskater Rena (Anri Okamoto), who is idolised by everyone at the rink.

However, tragedy strikes when she falls ill with a terminal disease.

Wit h t he mov i ng ac t i ng, fantastic score and electric wit, Smile r s a l so ha s a n e nd i ng which captures the heart of the commonfolk and in Moriyama’s character, they have potentially created a cult hero-coach.

Even as a comedy, the Japanese can still create a tearjerker out of it and you will be surprised at how good they are able to do that.

The only sore point in the film is the blatant and shameless advertising of a mega fast-food chain.

You would recognise the goodtriumphs-over-evil ending simply because it is predictable, but that does not matter at all because it is still highly enter taining and guaranteed to bring out the laughter and tears in you. –Tan

Thiam Peng

18

show dapper: your essential style guide

LOFT AMBI

Layer on confiden your ve

Ruffled to $56, both heels, $59 Keith; car and stock own

PRESENT

MODE Dress to impress at your next presentation in statement-making looks with a dramatic twist

PHOTOGRAPHY Chen Wei Li (www.bythewei.com) TEXT & STYLING Gerald Tan MAKE-UP & HAIR Joanna Koh using Benefit Cosmetics (www.joannakoh.com)

A RISKY AFFAIR

Show your authority in sleek lines of black and white.

ON HER: Blazer, $179.90, from Victoria JoMo; blouse, $49 and pants, $69, both from bYSI; patent pumps, $79.90 and bag, $63.90, both from Charles & Keith; shades, model’s own; scarf, belt and gloves, stylist’s own ON HIM: Black suit set, $599, white shirt, $119, from library by TANGS and Goldlion belt, $55, all from TANGS; shoes, $123 and bag, $129, both from Pedro; shades, stylist’s own

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TY BITIONS

n your style ntly and exude rsatility.

BOYS TO MEN

NERD ALERT

Shirt, $119 and pants, $119, both from library by TANGS; pull-over, $139, from FCUK at TANGS; shades, stylist’s own

Grey pin-striped suit set, $599, and tuxedo shirt, $189, from library by TANGS; loafers, $103, from Pedro; spectacle frames, $29.90, from Victoria JoMo; watch, model’s own; bow-tie, stylist’s own

Guys, it is time to mean business.

op, $46 and pants, h from bYSI; satin 9, from Charles & rdigan, belt, gloves kings, all stylist’s

Join the geek movement in an ensemble that lives up to any equation.

PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT Foo Chee Chang STYLING ASSISTANT Rachael Boon MODELS Maggie Landy Yeo Eng Kuang SPECIAL THANKS Monica Goh Charlotte Lam Joy Lee Pirapong See Meredith Yong

STOCKIST bYSI 01-38 Parco Bugis Junction

POWER DRESS-ING The right dress can provide a strong alternative to suits.

Dress, $66, from bYSI; patent heels with straps, $79.90 and clutch bag, $27.90, both from Charles & Keith; stocking, stylist’s own

Charles & Keith B1-30/32 City Link Mall

BILLOWING CHIC A slim silhouette may look sharp but a relaxed one speaks volumes.

Cape, $89.90 from Victoria JoMo; blouse, $49 and skirt, $39, both from bYSI; gloves, stylist’s own

PEDRO B1-29/31 City Link Mall TANGS Orchard 310 & 320 Orchard Road Victoria JoMo 9 Haji Lane

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T H E NA N YA NG C H RON IC L E

tech review

Nintendo Unveils

THE DSi

ADOBE, THE WORLD'S LARGEST third party software developer, has released its Creative Suite 4 product family, its biggest software release to date. Software such as Photoshop CS4 will feature GPU acceleration,harnessing GPU power to improve image and video editing performance.

T-MOBILE HAS ANNOUNCED THE G1, the world's first mobile device powered by Google's open source Android operating system. The device, manufactured by HTC, combines full touch screen functionality with a QWERTY keyboard, WiFi, and Push Mail support for Gmail.

The reigning king of the portable gaming market is refusing to stand still, announcing last Thursday the next iteration of its wildly popular Nintendo DS, the DSi. Tech editor Lim Yan Liang takes a sneak peek THINNER, lighter, and with bigger dual LCDs and improved speakers to boot, the successor to the DS Lite was greeted with much anticipation when it was announced last week at the Media Summit in Tokyo.

Revealed by none other than Nintendo President Satoru Iwata, the new and improved DSi was easily the highlight of the evening.

The “killer app” of the DSi is undoubtedly the two cameras it now spor ts: a VGA one on the inside, and a 3 megapixel one on the exterior that is sure to compete with mobile phones for that impromptu, spur-of-themoment casual snap. Rumours are already swirling that on top of the already implemented PictoChat, video chat may well be arriving on the DSi. The DSi will also be able to playback music and other audio fi les. More than that, the newest in the DS line can also alter the pitch and playback speed of any sound fi le being played, which should further augment the popularity of the DS for those that use it with language-learning programs. On top of these upgrades, the DSi also comes packed with its own native web browser.

There is also a signif icant memory upgrade: the tricked out portable now has an SD card slot on top of the proprietary DS slot, allowing users to not only store their snaps but also game and application downloads on the DSi. What is unclear is whether the DSi will support SDHC cards, which at current technology packs up to a whopping 32GB, compared to 4GB for non-SDHC compliant cards.

Unfortunately, something had to give to make the DSi lighter and yet more feature-packed. Gone is the Gameboy Advance (GBA) slot on the DS Lite that provided backward-compatibility with GBA cartridges. This also snuffs out any chance of further innovation with game manufacturers and 3rdparty peripherals that can exploit the slot, such as Vicarious Vision’s Guitar Hero: On Tour and the fretbutton accessory.

With the bigger 3.25” LCDs, battery drain is also worse than with DS Lite, lasting between 3 and 14 hours compared to 5 and 19 hours with its predecessor. The upside? Charging time is now down to 2 hours and 30 minutes, 30 minutes faster than the DS Lite.

tech flash

MOTOROL A HAS CONFIRMED that it is currently developing a series of mobile phones based on Google's Android platform in partnership with the Open Handset Alliance, boosting its Android department from 50 to 350 developers.

APPLE HAS ISSUED A RECALL programme for a range of power adaptors supplied with the iPhone and available as an additional accessory on iPods. The mains-to-USB adaptors sold in the US, Japan, Canada, Mexico and some South American countries have a flaw which can cause an electrocution. The program will begin on October 10.

A NIKON COOLPIX SOLD FOR just £17 on eBay was found by its new owner to contain top secret and sensitive data, including information about al Qaeda suspects and pictures of rocket launchers and missiles. The camera belonged to an MI6 agent of the British intelligence services.

HP HAS ANNOUNCED A LAPTOP capable of running for 24 hours on a single battery charge. The EliteBook 6930p sports an energy efficient LED backlighting and a solid-state drive together with a high capacity lithium-polymer battery to reach the unprecedented runtime.

iN WITH THE NEW: The Nintendo DSi trades a legacy GBA slot for a new SD card slot. The old DS Lite is also pictured (bottom left). PHOTO | INTERNET

The new DSi online shop will also be launched simultaneously with the console, bringing digital distribution to the DS line. The DSi shop will operate on a points system, and players will be able to download ‘DSiWare’ through this. DSiWare is to come in four price bands - free, 200 points, 500 points or 800 points. Customers will get 1000 points, worth about US$10, free when they buy a DSi. Just like how the DSi will not be compatible with GBA carts, ‘DSiWare’ will likewise not work with the DS Lite.

Slated to be relea sed on Nove mbe r 1 i n Japa n ( a nd internationally in early 2009), the DSi will sport either white or frosted black shells, and will be available at a recommended retail of 18, 900 yen (S$260).

While the DSi has a couple of compelling features, owners of the current DS Lite will probably not find the upgrades strong enough to warrant a switch.

But with the DS Lite breaking all-time sales records with more than half a million units sold last month, the pedigree of the DSi is undisputable.

HOW THEY MEASURE UP

AC T I V I S I O N H A S S I G N ED A comprehensive deal with advertising firm IGA Worldwide to provide ingame advertisements for Activision's games on the PS3 platform. The first of the advertisements will appear on Guitar Hero: World Tour.

EIDOS HAS ANNOUNCED THAT IT will be making a sequel to Vietnam scare-fest Shellshock. Shellshock 2: Blood Trails will once again be set in the Vietnam war and is slated for a Christmas release on the PC, Xbox360, and Playstation 3.

MICROSOFT HAS EDGED AHEAD OF the PS3 in the console sweepstakes, with the Xbox360 outselling the PS3 on margins of two-to-one. Since the price cut was implemented, Xbox 360 sales have have increased by 214%.

A MD H A S A NNOUNCED T HE Radeon HD 4550 and HD 4350 at the bottom of its Radeon HD 4000 line. Priced at US$59 and US$39 respectively, the cards are targeted at users who want smooth HD media playback and eight-channel HDMI audio.

IN A DEAL SIMILAR TO THE 2005 one between Steven Spielberg and Electronic Arts, 300 and Watchmen director Zack Snyder has announced a deal with EA which will see the director and the publishing house team up to work on three new video game projects.

GRAPHIC | INTERNET

lifestyle

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tech review

UNPRECEDENTED FREEDOM Lien Xiu Wen

“Fr ee” seems to be the next buzzword for marketing in the entertainment industry, and fans are definitely lapping it up in the new online marketplace.

W hen Radiohead launched I n Ra inbows ea rly t h is year, audiophiles were told that it was “totally up to you (the consumer)” to decide how much they would pay for the new album.

The radical move by the band was viewed as a pioneering one in the music industr y, as they were one of the few established acts that embraced the digital marketplace. As one of the most critically-acclaimed bands in the industry now, Radiohead clearly showed they possessed greater understanding of the power of the Internet compared to the major music labels.

The band’s move has clearly rubbed off on Michael Moore, the controversial film maker who will mark his 20th anniversary in the film industry with the free release of his latest feature film, Slacker Uprising from September 23rd through Blip.tv as a mark of gratitude towards his fans.

Both Radiohead and Moore have bypassed the conventional

mediums of distributions to reach out directly to their audiences, and more are set to follow them to reach out to their fans via new digital platforms.

While the move may be deemed a financial risk, free content by artistes would also mean that their creativity will no longer be stifled by studios and labels who are more concerned about market performances rather than creative expressions.

A more crucial factor is that the likes and dislikes of the consumer is more evident online, and that artistes can get more direct feedback from their fans within a shorter period of time just by monitoring the number of clicks.

But a shrewder strategy lies beneath these online marketing strategies — fans have now left tracks for labels to better formulate their sales and promotion strategies.

Hence, record labels have realised the impact of video games on their music-buying audiences.

Come end September, musicians are set to leave deeper marks on rhythmic games like Guitar Hero: World Tour and Rock Band 2, by offering their classics and new tracks exclusively on either platforms, enabling gamers and audiophiles alike to jam to their

PARADIGM SHIFT: Whether it is the award-winning director Michael Moore (left) or the billion-dollar video game behemoth that is Guitar Hero (right), these innovators are making us rethink how entertainment is distributed and acquired. PHOTO | INTERNET

favourite tracks.

While Metallica is simultaneously releasing their newest album “Death Magnetic” as downloadable content for Guitar Hero: World Tour gamers even as it hits brick-and-mortar record outlets, Guns n’ Roses has promised that Rock Band 2 will be one of the first platforms for their long-awaited new material from upcoming album “Chinese Democracy”. The significance of such a seminal band releasing a

new song via a video game after more than a decade of development cannot be overly emphasized.

It is virtually impossible to list all the bands that are signing up by the day to provide content to Guitar Hero or Rock Band. From Red Hot Chilli Peppers to MegaDeth, tracks are appearing on the games either as downloadable content or standalone purchasables.

Evidently, the entertainment industry has moved beyond just

supplying songs to the iTunes store. It is now encou raging participation and feedback from the consumers to decide what content goes on what platforms to enable maximum penetration of creative content in the market.

Perhaps the idea of “free” may not be commercially viable right now, but the “freedom” that consumers now have will definitely mould the entertainment industry in the near future.

The PU zZ lE fR E NZ Y continues Developer Infinite Interactive has been getting busy lately, prepping not one but two successors to the 2007 cross-platform smash hit, Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords. Tech editor Lim Yan Liang takes a look at the upcoming titles

TWO CAN PLAY AT THIS GAME: While Kingdoms (left) plays like a more complex Puzzle Quest, Galactrix (right) brings space combat and hexagonic fun into the mix. PHOTO | INTERNET

First released in 2007, the refreshing game system, which combined elements of Bejeweled with more traditional roleplaying elements, proved to be a sleeper success. Gamers defeated monsters and strengthened their characters by solving puzzles, all the while progressing through a giant map (think Heroes of Might and Magic) in search of greater challenges.

The recent announcement of two follow-ups, the space-

themed Puzzle Quest: Galactrix and Puzzle Kingdoms (to be released in October and December respectively), should whet the appetites of Puzzle Quest fans.

Like the original, both titles will be simultaneously released on the Xbox 360, PC and DS, and may be ported to the PSP in the future.

The original Puzzle Quest is still very much alive too, with a port heading to the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch through the iTunes Apps Store.

While Puzzle Quest’s primary gameplay mechanic was based around the swapping of two horizontally or vertically placed tiles to make a row or column of at least three like tiles, Galactrix’s gameplay will more resemble the classic Hexic, where the tiles are now hexagonal, allowing them to be shifted in six directions.

Gravity will also feature: Fights in space will require a different strategy than fights that take place on planets.

Puzzle Kingdoms, on the other hand, is more like the 30 0 -p ou nd s te pbr ot he r of the original. Where the latter allowed gamers to control one adventurer, Kingdoms introduces a whole band of heroes that t he ga me r h a s to m a n a ge concurrently. Each hero will also control three troops, making for a dizzying number of possible combinations. Like the other two games, Kingdoms will also revolve around a puzzle element,

but not tile-swapping: Instead, gamers will shift entire rows and columns around.

Gamers craving more puzzle action in the meantime can turn to the Xbox LIVE Arcade expansion pack Revenge of the Plague Lord. With hours of additional gameplay, an extended storyline, four new hero classes and dozens of new quests, spells, and items to collect, the expansion should satisfy the Puzzle Quest faithful for now.

卢广仲：唱海豚音很伤喉咙 —— 刊27页

新闻

广东南大透过教育加强合作关系 黄敏玮●报道

广

东省委书记汪洋认 为，广东应通过南大 教授给予当地高层官员的培 训课程，以及参与全球教 育计划（Global Immersion Programme）来加强双方的合 作关系。 汪书记上个月15日率领24 人的广东党政商代表团到访南 大，与南大校长徐冠林、著名 经济学家兼温斯敏经济学讲座 教授林崇椰、新加坡前高级公 务员兼南大人文与社会科学学 院兼职教授严崇涛、南大亚洲 研究所所长陈光炎，以及南大 文学院副院长吴伟会面。 双方就产业升级与转型、公 共管理与城市管理、新加坡发 展高等教育的经验、区域经济 合作等课题，进行长达1小时30 分种的交流活动。 随团到访的中国高级官员包 括广东省委副书记、深圳市委 书记刘玉浦、广东省副省长万 庆良，以及东莞市委书记刘志 庚等。

“这里（南大）如 果将来出了一个部 长，很快我们广东 的贸易估计就会加 强。” 汪洋 广东省委书记

汪书记表示，这次的交流 让他获益良多，但由于时间有 限，双方未能更深入地探讨某 些课题。于是，他邀请南大教 授前往广东，在以上广东省厅 局官员每月的一次的学习论坛 上授课。 此外，汪书记也鼓励广东学 府与企业成为南大全球教育计 划的合作伙伴，以奠定两地日 后的贸易合作基础。 他说：“这里（南大）如果 将来出了一个部长，很快我们 广东的贸易估计就会加强。” 在南大现有的全球教育计划 下，前往中国的学生可在北京 大学、清华大学、上海交通大 学、复旦大学，以及苏州大学

广东省委书记汪洋上个月率领广东党政商代表团到访南大，与南大校长徐冠林进行会谈，商讨如何通 过教育加强合作关系。 摄影|梁慧妍 等学府修读文化、历史或语言 课程，并在上海张江高科技园 区、北京经济技术开发区、北

相声专场晚会

表演幽默机智逗笑观众

在南大首场相声专场晚会上，表演者的机智幽默博得满堂彩。 摄影|陈盈伽

京中关村科技园和中国—新加 坡苏州工业园区的公司实习。 徐冠林校长表示，校方目

前正与广州的中山大学和华南 理工大学洽谈推行这项教育计 划。

杨淑慧●报道

相当满意，将来有机会也会出 席类似的表演。其中令电机与 电子工程系的王姣印象深刻的 是历届学长常万里的演出。她 说：“他一个人表演三项相声 非常厉害，演出也很自然。” 就读于数学和经济系的张玮 如则喜欢短剧演出和相声《挑 战主持人》。她说：“这两个 表演比较贴近生活，因为我对 三国历史不熟悉，所以有关三 国演义的表演我不太了解。” 相声晚会是由南大中国留学 生会和中文学会联合举办，这 也是南大相声社与新加坡国立 大学相声社的首度同台演出。 晚会负责人李柔刚希望借由 晚会召集更多相声爱好者，并 且把中国文化推广至各国籍的 学生。 他说：“我想让大家更好地 感受到中国文化不只是流行音 乐和提灯笼而已，它可以是语 言类的，如快板、相声等。晚 会也可以顺便实映新加坡的讲 华语运动。”

从

相声到小品、从快板到 太平歌词，南洋理工大 学的第一场相声专场晚会日前 于李光前讲堂展开，表演者的 幽默谈吐与机智反应将相声艺 术演绎得淋漓尽致。 快板《玲珑塔》为晚会掀开 序幕。田佳伟持着打击器自行 伴奏说唱，节奏极强的颂说方 式让观众鼓掌叫好。 在短剧《I Do》续集里，演 员各自探索感情上的暧昧与抉 择，剧情深入民心。 除此之外，小品《大话三国 之赤壁之战》也以新一代的搞 笑形式探讨曹操密谋事件，12 位表演者的努力赢得观众最大 的笑声。 一连串妙语如珠的表演后， 常万里和马依苇逗趣的相声作 品《谁让你是优秀》为晚会划 上完美的句点。 晚会结束后，受访者对演出

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卢茜●报道

疲

惫于每天忙碌奔波的紧 张生活里，你可曾期待 过一片原创、单纯、简约、不 羁的地方——无需华丽奢侈 的装潢，没有热闹喧哗的人 群。走在午后安静的Maxwell Road，不远处醒目的红色建 筑： Market of Artists And Designers (MAAD)，一片隔离 于城市喧嚣的地方。 创办者王慧萍带就是要给大 家一个不一样的“market”， 所以创办了MAAD。 慧萍就读南大中文系大四。 她在2006年大一暑假应公司的 邀请便开始尝试筹备这个推动 本地艺术原创的天堂。 这两年里，慧萍和她的伙 伴们不断尝试不断创新同时不 断学习，“失败也是很好的老 师，因为我们在失败中依然学

MAAD 地址： 28, Maxwell Road , red dot Traffic, #02-15A Singapore 069120 营业时间： 每个月初的周六和周日，上午 11点至傍晚7点 网站： http://www.maad.sg

会很多！” 走进MAAD的主厅，黑色 的墙壁，灯光点点装饰出低调 的华丽。这里有乐队的激情演 奏，乐手的指尖在电吉他上潇 洒游走，沉醉于自己的音乐世 界。 店里有精致可爱的小商品， 还有咖啡袋回收做成的钱夹， 笔记本外层，便利袋，但这些

本地原创艺术天堂 提供创新交流平台 精妙的技术都出自于聋哑人之 手。MAAD独特的创作气息让 追求艺术的人们感受到强烈的 归属。 MAAD是一个艺术和原创 的交流平台，并不是以销售盈 利为目的而存在的。它比较像 是一个推动创作找到共鸣的场

所。 摊主和顾客之间更注重的是 交流的空间。顾客提出的意见 对于摊主也是一种艺术灵感的 启发。 他们希望前来欣赏这些创意 的顾客能够了解每个艺术品背 后的涵义。也许一句肯定的话

omy“青春”专栏 MAAD是一个艺术和原创的交流平台。 摊主和顾客之间更注重 的是交流的空间，也是一种艺术灵感的启发。 摄影|关洁薇

邀请你当青春Spy

云南园庆中秋 鞠欣航●报道

由

南大中文学会举办的中 秋园游会再次在诗情画 意的云南园，在数不胜数的灯 笼下圆满落幕。 在微弱月光的照耀下，整个 云南园呈现出古老，神秘而又 喧嚣的气氛。人头攒动的云南 园内，中秋之意十分浓厚。 漫步云南园中，被温柔灯火 缭绕着，犹如置身于久远的古 代，令人遐想无尽。 五彩缤纷的园游会在南大舞 狮团沸沸扬扬的迎宾仪式中开 幕。历时3个半小时的园游会， 吸引了大概5000名参观者。大 多数参观者都是南大在校生。 今年的园游会内容丰富多 彩。舞台表演包括舞蹈，短 剧，舞铃，太极拳和变脸等多 种艺术节目。 园游会的参观者还可以参加 如“水从天降”，“圈中瓶” 等十余种趣味游戏。 中文学会的成员从2008年 一月就开始为中秋园游会做准

备。一切的策划和节目安排都 是由中文学会的会员负责。 此次园游会的筹长，南大工 程系三年级的方佩军在接受采 访时说：“举办园游会需要很 多的资金，所以我们要到处筹 款。有很多机构一听说我们是 来要钱的，都很快的拒绝。但 是从筹款的过程中，我们也学 会了如何应对他人的质问，与 他们加强交流来达到我们的目 的。” 中文学会会员，南大工程系 三年级的刘思锦，也是园游会 舞铃的表演者之一。 他说：“在园游会的两三个 星期前我们就开始准备舞铃演 出，每天大概要练习3个小时左 右。就是为了园游会当天给参 观者展现一个高水平的舞铃演 出。” 来自南大电子电机工程系二 年级的柳芳莹，在参观了园游 会后表示：“去年这个时候， 我也参加了中秋园游会，但今 年的园游会似乎比去年的更有 组织性。同时，我还参与了不 同的游戏，都很有趣。”

omy“青春”专栏革新后增添更多互动元素，希望吸引更多年 轻人参与。 照片|omy提供

韩伟定●报道 中文总编辑

对

于校园内经常发生的 一些趣事，你是否只 和同学们交头接耳“八卦” 一下？ 现在，本地网络媒体多 了一个管道——学生也能 当“校园间谍”，通报校园 趣闻与网友分享。 新加坡报业控股华文报 集团的资讯娱乐网omy的

“青春”专栏（Y-zone）于 9月19日正式革新，增添互动 元素，希望更多年轻人参与其 中。 年轻人的新闻

由年轻人报道

类似“公民记者”形 式，Y-zone新增添的“青春 Spy”园地，让年轻人发挥创 意、提高新闻触觉，把和年轻 人息息相关的活动消息、校园 新闻等精彩内容上载到以下4个 不同的栏目。

语也是一种满足。 对于未来，慧萍希望建立一 个国际性的市场。 艺术的交流没有国界，“如 果可以请到国外的设计师来我 们这里宣传或者我们可以出国 学习，这些将是很多很好的机 会！”

新人类 Y-Life Features （关于年轻人的生活） 校园 Campus News （校园新闻） 文艺 Literature （任何文字创作） 摄影录像 Photos/ Videos （照片或录像作品） Y-zone网络编辑黄亿敏 表示，网页在设计上给人焕 然一新的感觉，开放让网友 来报道新闻、进行分享，内 容更贴近年轻人，也更多元 化。 随着科技的迅速发展， 只要一“机”在手就能 当“记者”。要参与“青 春Spy”，只需登记一个 omy户口，就能以文字、照 片、视频（vodcast）或音频 （podcast），把内容上载 至Y-zone。 好作品有稿费 为了鼓励参与者踊跃投 稿，omy编辑室有新招。优 秀的内容可获“虚拟”的 omy钱币。收集了5个omy 钱币后，就有稿费收。 亿敏说：“这么一 来，‘青春Spy’就会变得 好玩又刺激；作品被肯定， 一定很有满足感。” 想了解更多关于“青 春Spy”的详情，可上网 http://yzone.omy.sg。

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言论 编辑室

视角定格

咖啡厅

双语能力是发展基础 言论自由＝高谈阔论？ 杨淑慧

新

插图｜洪雪婷

韩伟定 中文总编辑

之

前在报章上看到一篇报道，一名 29岁的青年年少时因叛逆而被送 入感化院，今日却成了新加坡唯一一名 国际红十字委员会的战区代表。 他的第一项任务就是被派遣到约旦 河西岸（West Bank）参与人道工作。 他是如何被录取的呢？因为他能够 掌握超过10种语言。 从只懂英文到通晓10种语言，这名 青年必定在国际平台上占有一席之位。 随着整个政治、经济环境趋向全球 化，能够熟知并妥善运用双语，甚至更 多种语言，对于迈向国际市场将会有一 定的优势。 如果只能掌握单语的话，经济前景 相对之下将较为暗淡。 曾有报道指出，超过一半的中国小 学生已在学校接受英语教育；在中国、 印度等地学、懂英语的人数也有增加的 趋势。 越来越多人开始以英语作为沟通语 言，英语因此渐渐成为“国际语言”， 甚至“普通语”。只能掌握双语，谈何 占优势？ 李显龙总理在《联合早报》85周年 晚宴上致词时就强调，我国不应该演化 成一个纯英语的环境。 随着中国经济市场的崛起，仅能掌 握英语的人将占下风，若最终与母语文 化脱节，也会少了归属感。 我国的教育体系一向来都注重双语 教育。但随着西方文化的“入侵”，国 人直接受到影响，导致更多人逐渐倾 向“英语化”。在以英语作为“行政语

言”的新加坡，精通双语的人才难 求。 不少人在不知不觉中更忽略了自 己的母语，久而久之，也失去了运 用母语的能力。 数据也显示，现在有超过一半的 学生在家中的沟通语言是英语，与 20年前的比例相差了近30%。 在这样的环境中，我们又该如何 提升学生们的母语水平？ 学校老师能够教的相当有限。纯 粹的填鸭式教学法与“背多分”考 试法，可能让学生觉得学习华语是 一种累赘，更难以激起他们对母语 的兴趣。 语文是需要在一定的环境中，透 过接触与影响，才会有所进步、提 升的。 曾与周遭的朋友讨论我国的双语 问题，有名朋友理直气壮地说我们 大家都是“多语人才”。 起初，我还一头雾水，最后才 有所领悟。所谓的“多语”，是我 们在日常生活对谈中掺杂的各种语 言——华语、英语、马来语、方 言、 法语、日语等。 这种状态也不知不觉成了我国的 一种“本土文化”。 但是从一个宏观长远的角度来 看，这样的“掺杂式多语”文化对 我国的国际形象是不利，也没有任 何意义的。 最终，我们还是要了解到掌握 双语的重要性。现阶段，并不强求 一定要认识多种语言，但至少对于 母语要有一定的掌握能力，这在某 种程度上也会对事业有所帮助，更 奠定了个人对母语文化的尊重和自 豪。

加坡人常说自己缺乏言论自由， 觉得政府管理得过于拘谨。如今 政府在9月1日开始放宽限制允许国人在 芳林公园举行示威，但是反应却平平。 难道国人一直向往的言论自由多只属于 高谈阔论？ 究竟是一向养尊处优的新加坡人懒 得表达意见，还是认为说了也等于白说 便干脆选择沉默？其实国人并非不懂得 批评或给予意见，只是大家长期以来可 能已经习惯使用“正式”的管道，如通 过报章或议员见面会来发表看法。 我们从小就被灌输种族与宗教和谐 的重要性，政府也以严刑对待任何意图 煽动种族或宗教纠纷的人士。但是除了 这类课题以外，政府在其他如政治或社 会议题上并没有加以设限。 既然如此，自认“爱投诉”的国人 应有一箩筐的话题等着他们去探索。但 是到演说者角落的公众，不论旁听或演 讲，都比预期的反应来得少很多。毕 竟，新加坡不可能在一夜之间成为“真 正”的民主社会，因此演说者角落如此 冷清也不无道理。 有人反映政府只允许民众在芳林公 园举行示威，似乎只是敷衍了事，欠缺 诚意。但也有人冷眼旁观，认为有关政

治以及社会的话题留到饭后闲聊就好， 没必要大费周章。 在社会稳定及经济繁荣的大环境 里，人们开始追求非物质的生活形态， 包括言论自由。倘若国人想让言论自由 在本地保有发展空间，就须以实际行动 证明，而不是无病呻吟。 演说角落在2000年开幕，然而，除 了起初的媒体关注，国人已逐渐忘了它 的存在。同样地，如果我们不尽快提起 迈向“真正”言论自由的精神来，恐怕 再多的改造也无法把人潮引至“示威广 场”。到时候，我们又将错过一个抒发 意见的管道。

插图｜Christiyani Kabul

娱乐大嘴巴

艺人秘密结婚是因外界压力？ 黄佳敏

艺

人结婚，难免引起媒体的兴趣。 而且艺人越红越大牌，报导的篇 幅就越大——这仿佛是个不变的定律。 但婚礼是否大张旗鼓就因人而异了。有 的办得盛大，引来媒体争相报导，有的 则认为结婚是私事所以办得低调，甚至 选择“秘密结婚”。 近期内受大家关注的婚礼莫过于梁 朝伟和刘嘉玲的不丹婚礼了。两人先是 被爆秘密结婚，后又被媒体拍到在不丹 完婚，事后两人才终于承认已共结连 理。其实这也在所难免——两人爱情长 跑多年，期间分分合合，又各自与他人 绯闻不断，不时引起外界的关注。选择 先斩后奏，秘密结婚可避免许多不必要 的压力。正如梁朝伟所说，两人在一起 开心就好，结婚只是做给别人看的。的 确。既然这样，又何必大肆铺张呢？ 当然，并不是所有人都认为结婚是 两个人的事。相比之下，台湾艺人小S 的婚礼可算是规模盛大，被报导得人 尽皆知。但小S先前就被爆未婚先孕， 让外界不断讨论她什么时候要结婚。因 此，大肆铺张得婚礼可算是给大家的一 个交代。

梁朝伟与刘嘉玲今年7月在戒备森严的不 丹举行了“世纪婚礼”。 照片|网络下载 读者是八卦的，不管是怎样的报导 都照单全收。这样难免对艺人造成压 力，更不会想让自己的私生活曝光。其 实，不管秘密结婚与否，两个人能有情 人终成眷属何尝不是件好事？身为旁观 者的我们何不给艺人多点空间，为他们 减少一点舆论压力？这样一来，也许就 不会有那么多的“秘密婚礼”了。

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旅游

！ 析 剖

韩国文化 大

“韩风”吹袭我国也有一段日子了。 但是，你对于韩国文化的认识就只限 于韩剧里吗？记者林思彤就在高中毕 业后与好友报读了韩国首尔一间有名 的女子大学语言学堂，有机会深入了 解这个保守却富有独特文化的国家。 爱唱歌！ 文化小知识 1：我

歌!我在韩国最 国人最爱的就是唱 韩 ， 道 知 不 人 多 很 raebang(卡拉ok)。 歌，连华文歌， 常去的地方就是no 他们不但会唱韩文 ， 人 国 韩 看 小 要 不 样样精通。 国人！ 英文歌和日语歌都 找到“音痴”的韩 难 很 国 韩 在 得 不 怪

集邮箱 酒

的最爱—烧

2：韩国人 文化小知识

的 最常出现 韩剧里面 街 在 们 就是主角 些 一个画面 这 。 友喝烧酒 营 边摊和朋 始 开 常从傍晚 。 街边摊通 点 五 凌晨四 业，一直到 里的主角 比 起 韩 剧 其实是当 能喝的 们，真正 ！年轻 和阿姨们 地的大叔 。 果烧酒 人则喜欢水 味 把 烧 酒 的 甜 水果的 烧酒” 掉，给“ 盖 遮 涩 苦 其中我 的面貌。 新 全 种 一 烧酒和 就有苹果 的 欢 喜 最 ！ 水蜜桃烧酒

文化小知识３

：追星俱乐部

如果你是能忍 耐零下十度寒 夜，欢迎参加 冷的冬 韩国追星俱乐 部。粉丝 们在寒冷的冬 夜通宵排队， 只为见偶像 一面。年纪稍 微较大的粉丝 则穿着迷你 裙，忍耐寒冷 ，在电台外面 等偶像出 来。韩国粉丝 们也会砸下大 笔的钱，买 名牌商品送给 偶像，把偶像 都宠坏了。 这次到韩国， 我有幸与偶像 Junior有近距 S u p er 离接触的机会 ，参与了他 们的外景拍摄 活动，也和他 们一起乘 搭火车到了江 原 道 。 在 那 5个 小时的车 程，我看到了 被白雪覆盖的 山景，让我 叹为观止。幸 运的我还有机 会和我最喜 欢的成员拥抱 ，让我对这次 韩国之旅有 了很美好的回 忆。

照片｜林思彤提供

娱乐 马依苇●报道

经

丽的星园 全天播放本地音乐 本地首个全天24小时播放本地音乐的电台丽的星园终于“出声”，希望能为未被发掘的本地音乐人 才提供展示自我的机会。 摄影|陈蕴慧

过一年多的准备，电 台丽的星园终于“出 声”，全天播放本地音乐，成 为新加坡有史以来第一个，也 是唯一一个全天24小时只播放 本地音乐的电台。 电台负责人黄荣善表示： “我们应该给新加坡本地音乐 更多的机会。很多人并不看好 本地音乐，但你没有听过，又 怎么能够评价呢？” 他说：“我们的电台就是为 了给更多本地未被发掘的歌手 和乐队展示自我的机会，让大 家知道，新加坡本地音乐一样 很好。” 丽的星园将主要从校园寻 找音乐新秀。新秀们成功通过 样带试听后，必须进行面试。 工作人员筛选出的新秀将有机 会在电台亮声。电台工作人员 也努力在网上搜寻本地音乐人

才。黄荣善说，新加坡有很多 优秀的音乐人才，只是缺少被 发现的机会 。 当被问及电台的市场前景 时，黄荣善表示他们对此并不 担忧。他们深信新加坡本地音

“新加坡有很多优 秀的音乐人才，只 是缺少被发现的机 会。” 黄荣善 丽的星园电台负责人

乐迟早会得到大众认可。他 说：“新加坡人一直有一颗包 容的心，就像我们会支持中国 的乒乓球员一样。我们为什么 不支持自己的本土音乐呢？” 作为一个刚起步的新电台， 丽的星园希望能与更多公司合 作，全力推动本地音乐发展。

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卢广仲：

娱乐休闲厅 红毛派专访

红毛派要当本地领军乐团 唱海豚音很伤喉咙

红毛派团员黄星魁（右一）说如果多和中文好的人在一起，说不定会变成“中文派”。 摄影|符志强

黄敏玮●报道

本

地不乏孙燕姿、蔡健雅 等当红歌手，就是少了 具代表性的团体。“红毛派” （AMP）乐团却有信心填补空 缺，成为本地的领军乐团。 由本地知名音乐人黄韵仁 2004年领军创立的红毛派日前 接受专访时表示，他们比其他 本地乐团强，因为他们有两 名“大叔”撑腰！ 原来，在乐坛打滚多年的黄 韵仁和团员林倛玉，将自己的 年龄和创作能力视为优势。 不过，即使一举成名，红毛 派也不希望别人拿他们和“五 月天”和“Beyond”作比较。 黄韵仁认为：“论音乐，我 们谁也不像谁。更何况，要在 我国成为有代表性的乐团，我

们就得建立自己的风格。” 除了黄韵仁和前“梦飞船” 成员林倛玉外，红毛派的团员 还包括了黄星魁、邱礼杰和杨 熙。 靠林倛玉成为“中文派”

团名“红毛派”反映了团员 半桶水的中文水平，而最名副 其实的“红毛人”是有娘惹血 统的邱李杰；最名不副实的则 是林倛玉。 黄星魁替“红毛”团员们辩 护时说：“没办法，我们通常 是以英语沟通。不过，如果多 跟中文好的人在一起，说不定 我们会变‘中文派’。” 当中唯一的“中文派”林倛 玉便自嘲：“难怪他们喜欢跟 我在一起，原来他们除了把我 当吐嘈对象，还要我充当华文

老师！” 不求《12莲花》 能突破《881》的成绩 红毛派今年参与了《12 莲花》原声带的制作，乐评 人却认为作品无法突破之前 的《881》原声带。 对此，黄韵仁不以为 然：“我们根本没有寻求突 破。这次的原声带依然走福 建风格，但表现手法更纯 熟。我们希望能借此开创福 建音乐风潮。” 接下来，他们计划在明 年录制中文专辑，但英文专 辑仍遥遥无期。黄韵仁笑 说：“英文专辑？除非我 有‘一百万’！”，言语中 为乐团打歌，更道出音乐人 向低靡市场低头的悲哀。

独立音乐人叶敦鸿 为音乐疯狂 洪慧敏●报道

社

工叶敦鸿花了三年的时间筹备，自资五 万元终于推出了他的首张个人专辑《那 个疯狂的人》。今年正步入三十而立人生阶段 的他表示，自己做过最疯狂的事就是在27岁时 步入婚姻，觉得那是一种责任和考验。 叶敦鸿坦言，所谓的疯狂，指的就是那些 对理想有一份执着，不轻言放弃的人。所以对 于他疯狂的梦想，太太这一路上的支持，甚至 担任了他的MV女主角，让他十分感激。 他认为很多有理想的人，都是在等机会。 叶敦鸿在大学的主修是社工和中文，当歌手是 他的兴趣和梦想，但是在新加坡很难当全职歌 手，除非先有资金。 他觉得，与其继续等待不如自己去找机 会。追求理想应该是持有一种“可以，没有问 题”的态度。而他也疯狂梦想“拉很多同伴， 给他们一个平台展现才华，不让他们的才华被 淹没”。所以，《那个疯狂的人》的MV制作 人，年仅20岁的董成伟和陈松光就是最好的例 子。 叶敦鸿12岁时就开始创作。秉着当歌手的 梦想，被几家唱片公司拒绝后，他觉得再等下 去不是办法，于是就自己着手制作专辑。这次 发行1000张。他希望能用自己的声音去表达一

叶敦鸿为实现当歌手的梦想不惜重金，制作首 张个人专辑《那个疯狂的人》。 摄影|陈文信 种精神所在的态度。 叶敦鸿也表示，希望长期可以多做关于音 乐的工作，当然，他也不会忘了自己的本职。 他认为年轻人若想成为音乐人，最重要的就是 必须坚信自己可以实现理想。这样才不会在受 到别人批评和质疑时就失去信心。 对于未来，叶敦鸿笑说：“继续作工赚 钱，这样才可以继续实现理想。”

音乐鬼才卢广仲说，常飙海豚音对喉咙很不好。 摄影|符敦凱

洪美霞●报道

被

喻为台湾Vitas的卢广仲 奉劝爱唱歌的人不要随 便尝试唱海豚音，因为很伤喉 咙。 日前，学生创作歌手卢广仲 来新为首张个人专辑《100种生 活》宣传，并于Bugis Junction 的Toast Box举行《我爱土司咖 啡》记者听证会。 当主持人问及被封为台湾的 Vitas有何感想时，22岁的卢广 仲表示：“起初只是抱着好玩 的心态模仿俄罗斯男高音Vitas 的海豚音，没想到真的唱了上 去。” 对此回答，主持人开玩笑 地说：“海豚音难道是被公车 辗过练就的吗？”由于唱海豚 音很伤喉咙，卢广仲奉劝大家 不要随便模仿海豚音。他说： “录完歌曲后就失声了。” 但这次他仍应主持人的要求， 现场演唱一段展现“海豚功 力”。 卢广仲说他并没用什么特别 的歌唱技巧，就只是“想象自 己到一个很高的地方，仿佛到 达蓝天白云。” 被公车碾过的音乐鬼才 专辑制作人钟成虎称新人卢 广仲为“被公车碾过的音乐鬼 才”。原来卢广仲大学一年级

骑机车时发生意外，当时他不 幸滑进行驶中的公车底下，被 轮子碾碎了右小腿。所谓大难 不死必有后福，卢广仲在养伤 期间为了解闷开始自学吉他和 创作歌曲。 车祸意外让他开始接触音 乐、对音乐产生兴趣，也给予 他灵感创作出《别杀我》。 “马桶盖”发型 轻松自在 记者会上的卢广仲一身轻便 打扮：一副黑框大眼镜，脚穿 长袜和白色帆布鞋，身著白T恤配上深蓝短裤，手拿一把小 吉他。 针对媒体指自己的发型酷似 马桶盖，卢广仲觉得这称号相 当有趣。 小时候卢妈妈是卢广仲的发 型师，帮他剪了蘑菇头，自此 之后他的发型从未改变。 卢广仲说喜欢听西洋音乐的 妈妈为他设计发型时，“灵感 来自偶像披头四的发型吧”。 卢广仲未曾有改变造型的念 头，因为他觉得这样的打扮轻 松自在。 对于现在台湾掀起了卢广 仲造型的跟风热潮，他给予正 面回应：“在公车遇到跟自己 一样装扮的乘客会跟他对一下 眼，然后投以肯定的眼神。” 卢广仲将在明年2月7日于新 加坡艺术节期间，在滨海艺术 中心举行两场音乐会。门票将 于11月20日开始出售。

27

O C TO B E R 6 , 20 0 8

T H E NA N YA NG C H RON IC L E

影评 电影播映室

乐评 音乐Jukebox

人与妖的爱恨情愁

专辑：《我的电台》FM S.H.E 歌手： S.H.E 推荐：《沿海公路的出口》 《店小二》

继

电影：《画皮》 导演：陈嘉上 主要演员：甄子丹、赵薇、陈 坤、戚玉武、周讯

电

影《画皮》改编自蒲松 龄的《聊斋志异》，但 它绝对不只是一般的古装片。 这部魔幻爱情恐怖片通过“ 爱”一字连接六个主要角色， 讲述一场复杂的“六角恋”。 《画皮》主要探讨的是人间 真爱的存在与定义。对赵薇饰 演的佩蓉来说，真爱就是为所

爱的人不顾一切地牺牲自我， 包括放手和成全。 《画皮》的感动更多于恐 怖。整部影片的气氛紧张，感 染力度强，除了狐妖吃人心和 剥皮的恐怖画面以外，并没有 太多的恐怖元素。 这部电影最有看头的是最后 一场人与妖之间的决斗。 除了精彩的武打场面，各角 色心里的冲突更表露的淋漓尽 致，令人动容。 原来修行千年的妖魔也能 被人间真挚的感情所感化。 （文/卢苏沛）

真人真事体现兄弟情

—

—

电影：《岁月》 导演：邝子君 主要演员：陈嘉健、林殿文、 杨雁雁、刘谦益

一

部由真实故事改编而成 的本土电影，将90年代 末校园帮派的故事搬上大荧 幕。 邝子君指导的首部电影作品 《岁月》，叙述的正是导演自 己当年年少轻狂的经历。 为了保护弟弟BABY（林殿 文饰），并让他学会独立，重 情义的郑子龙（陈嘉健饰）决 定将BABY带入自己的帮派， 却不知觉地把两人进入一个无 法逃脱的世界。

电影采用了漫画式的动画设 计，更加突出人物的帅气与性 格，其中配乐也相当出色。 为了加强本土特色，电影的 对白和旁白都用了一些方言， 但或许演员本身不太会说方 言，影片中的对白显得有点生 硬。 《岁月》的故事情节并不新 鲜，有些情节甚至很老套，却 因为是真人真事，更突显主题 的贴切。 观众在简单中也能体会到浓 厚的兄弟之情。 可惜的是，这部电影只限于 16岁以上的人观看, 如果分级 能降低成PG-13，相信影响力 会更大。（文/陈颖涵）

《Play》之后，亚洲 女子天团S.H.E带来了 她们的的全新专辑《我的电 台》。 首波主打《宇宙小姐》以电音曲风高唱普通就是美丽、普 通就是唯一。《沿海公路的出口》旋律温和，歌词讲述暗恋者 表白心切，却又不愿破坏友谊而陷于两难的心声。配合S.H.E 的动人和声，不难引起单恋、失恋人士的共鸣。 由周杰伦和Selina联手创作的《安静了》是《安静》的升格 版，柔性唱出女生的恋爱观及对爱情的憧憬。 抒情的《612星球》以远距离比喻人们往往对伴侣过高的 要求。蔡旻佑谱曲的《店小二》则让S.H.E唱出面对失恋时， 应果断地为思念画上句号。《我爱烦恼》属于抒情摇滚曲 风，重节奏的《天亮了》近似饶舌的酷，Hebe更是喊出从未 在S.H.E的歌曲中听过的嘶吼，算是新鲜尝试。 陪伴你成长，相伴你左右。《我的电台》FM S.H.E，你听 过了吗？（文/徐健源）

专辑：《那个疯狂的人》 歌手：叶敦鸿 推荐：《那个疯狂的人》 《拥抱你的爱》

简

单，是这张专辑的风 格。没有华丽的包装 或复杂的诠释，本地独立音 乐创作人叶敦鸿的首张个人 专辑呈现了他最真诚的一 面。 专辑取名《那个疯狂的 人》，可惜多首歌曲曲风相 近，并没有给人留下深刻的 印象，让人难以为之疯狂。 主打《那个疯狂的人》 表达了积极追求爱情的人，不顾一切的执着。这样的执着在别 人眼中看似疯狂，却也是一种让人佩服和感动的态度。歌曲含 着淡淡的感伤，让人不禁同情曲中的主角。 《拥抱你的爱》是专辑中唯一的男女对唱歌曲。女声程晓 静和叶敦鸿的声线结合感觉很舒服。而且，有别于其他的曲 目，这首歌曲轻快的曲风也让人耳目一新，显露了叶敦鸿活泼 的一面。 虽然专辑风格偏向于保守，缺乏惊喜，但简单而真诚的诠 释就是叶敦鸿有别于其他歌手的特色。如果你厌倦了市场上过 于商业化的专辑，不妨听听叶敦鸿非主流的创作。（文/黄施 嫣）

娱乐动脉 蓝心湄被拍媒体拍到让 已婚的那维勋在家过 夜，但两人都矢口否认 交往。今年42岁的蓝心 湄最近被传与小她7岁 的B咖演员那维勋闹姊 弟恋。碍于男方已婚身 分，去年重新装修的蓝 家亿万豪宅，成了他们 约会的“秘密基地”。 吴镇宇的太太王丽萍 （前“才华横溢出新 秀”优胜者），前天诞 下一名重近8磅（3.6公 斤）的可爱男宝宝。47 岁的吴镇宇与本地前女 艺人王丽萍（36岁）于 2002年结婚，原本预产 期是下月初，岂料小宝 贝提早于前天来临，令 身在大陆工作的吴镇 宇，获知喜讯后即时返 港。 Selina松口泄恋情，与 律师男友张承中的恋情 终浮上台面。S.H.E.日 前带着爱犬上《康 熙来了》宣传新专 辑，Selina被主持人蔡 康永巧妙套话，二次 “ 中招”，认了男友，地 下情也因此转到地上。 周杰伦新专辑《魔杰 座》原定10月9日全球 首发，但日前已有完整 曲目在网上流传。某音 乐网站提供了专辑10首 歌曲的试听。有报道指 这是唱片公司的炒作伎 俩，但公司否认，并坚 称认为泄密是炒作的人 完全是外行的。 韩国女星崔真实于上周 四（10月2日）在位于 首尔束草的家中上吊自 杀身亡。据悉，曾与安 在旭一起主演《星梦奇 缘》的崔真实曾借安 在焕300万新元的高利 贷，而这笔高利贷正是 促使安在焕自杀的主要 原因。根据推测，她很 可能是感觉自己名誉尽 失，因此走上了不归之 路。 阿Ben日前惊传与热恋 两年的张本渝分手，外 界直指偶像杀手麻衣是 第三者。据报道，阿 Ben向媒体承认分手的 消息，但否认因为劈腿 导致分手。麻衣人在日 本，透过经纪人表示与 Ben确实是好友，但绝 对不是第三者。

Opinion

“However, it is hard for many to find true pleasure in the art of hitting the books.”

Page 30

frankly, my dear

EDITORIAL

A column by The Chronicle editors on issues close to their hearts

Ode to the Tiger Af ter Mr Joshua Benjamin Jeyaretnam’s death last week, it is all the more difficult to characterise the man and his political legacy.

Most of us remember him a s a f i r ebr a nd opposit ion politician, breaking the People’s Action Party’s dominance of the parliament in 1981 by winning a by-election in the now-defunct Anson constituency.

His fiery debates with then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and his subsequent defamation lawsuits received wide media coverage and only cemented his image of a street fighter in parliament.

Now, M r Je y a r e t na m’s passing has brought for t h gr udging tr ibute f rom t he PAP. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the former Workers’ Par t y chief “sought by all means to demolish the PAP and our system of government”, but “one had to respect Mr JB Jeyaretnam’s dogged tenacity to be active in politics at his age.”

Likewise Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong said he did not agree with Jeyaretnam’s politics, but “respected his fighting spirit to advance it and his willingness to pay for it”.

Both leaders were quoted in the Straits Times.

From The New Paper, the human face of the veteran opposition politician emerged.

H i s son s , Ph i l ip a nd Kenneth, both praised him as a doting father who never sought to bring his politics into the family.

Patriotism comes in all shapes and sizes.

Mr Jeyaretnam chose to express his by stay ing in Singapore to fight for what he believed was true democracy for the island state—all these in spite of being disbarred from both the Law Society and parliament, imprisoned, fined and made bankrupt through a string of defamation suits brought forth by members of the government.

He cont i nued f ig ht i ng despite an age of 82.

He eventually cleared his bankruptcy after paying more than $200,000 of debt to his creditors, for med the new Reform Party earlier this year, all in hope to stand for elections and to get into parliament once again.

Not everyone takes the same path to serve Singapore. That, perhaps, is Mr Jeyaretnam’s greatest legacy.

CH R O N ICL E THE NANYANG

chief editor Lin Junjie Managing editor Lin Xinyi sub-editors Amelia Chia Philip Lim Valerie Toh Ser Yi Zeinab Yusuf News editors Cheryl Ong Teo Wan Gek Lifestyle editors Amanda Tan Natasha Ann Zachariah Reviews editor Rachael Boon tech editor Lim Yan Liang Chinese editors Han Weiding Song Huichun opinion editors Huynh Kim Phong Vo Van Hung

sports editors Fabian Ng Tan Jinhe layout editors Gerald Tan Imran Jalal Sharon Hiu photo editors Chen Wei Li Kuan Jie Wei Tan Zi Jie graphics editor Janell Hoong WEB editor Alan Tan Yu Shyang business managers Lee Yi Ling Eileen Teo Xin Wen Jean Toh Zong Rong production support Ng Heng Ghee Teacher advisors Andrew Duffy Javed Nazir Xu Xiaoge

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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WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU News Hotline: 6790 6446 Letters: chronicle@ntu.edu.sg Opinions: chronicle.opinions@ ntu.edu.sg Please include your full name, contact number, faculty and year of study.

Singaporean the xenophobe Tan Zi Jie photo editor

A

d m i t t e d l y, I g e t xenophobic sometimes.

I am not proud of it, but I am working to reduce and gradually eliminate it.

We live amidst foreigners but recent events such as Singapore’s si lve r me d a l v ic tor y at t he Olympics by a team of Chinaborn women and the Serangoon Ga rden s debacle ha s clea rly brought forth the xenophobe in many Singaporeans.

Of course, xenophobia is hardly unique to Singapore. Every country has its fair share of issues with foreign and migrant populations.

Si ngapor e , howe ve r, wa s literally built by immigrants in short decades, so it is ironic that some sons and daughters of these ex-coolies seem quick to judge other foreigners now.

Our rapid economic success in just t wo generations may have somewhat displaced the inherited memories of the young, and left them quite unable to empathise with the countr y’s newest arrivals.

I know for a fact that my paternal grandfather was born i n C h i na , a nd my mate r na l grandparents were from Malaysia.

Still, I know nothing of their difficulties and how they raised their families here.

Without such vital knowledge, I feel that I am similarly unable to completely understand the plight of today’s foreigners.

It is just like how the kampong spirit sounds more like a beautiful myth to me, a kid brought up in a HDB estate.

The root of the problem lies in cultural differences. Locals may not like or understand the way foreigners look, behave, speak and live and vice versa.

Perhaps one fails to v iew foreigners as individuals due to limited interaction. There is also a tendency to objectify them, as “the Bangladeshi workers” or “the PRC students”.

However, if there were only one or two foreigners among a majority of locals, chances are one would cease to view them as unknown or threatening. The single foreigner in a group of locals becomes integrated and soon no one perceives a difference. This is because they have engaged with each member of the group

GRAPHICS | SARAH AMNAH

as an individual, with unique personalities and interests.

I have a Kenyan-bor n Indonesian friend who has lived in Singapore for over six years.

After attending secondary school and junior college here, she has just become a Singapore Permanent Resident. Recent acquaintances are completely unaware that she is not Singapore-born. When asked about her race, she once quipped jokingly, “Am I Indonesian? I’m not sure anymore, because everybody thinks I’m Chinese!”

The micro-level solution may be to view them as fellow human beings who also need to live, eat, sleep and have fun. They too have worries and insecurities.

Yet xenophobia in Singapore is not a blanket phenomenon.

Irrational dislike of foreigners seems to lean towards certain types of foreigners.

For e ig ne r s of de ve lopi ng countries such as China, India and Bangladesh are traditionally viewed as the labouring classes, while foreigners from developed countries, for example the United States and Japan are typically seen as the affluent upper-class. Our

treatment towards them sometimes differs according to their perceived class status.

H ig h-f ly i ng wh ite col la r executives (called expatriates or foreign talent) are welcomed with open arms. There are various housing and education schemes and even expat websites to entice them to Singapore. By contrast, the lowly-paid blue-collar workers from developing countries (called foreign workers) are considered public nuisances and may even pose safety problems.

Such class-ism may also be partly due to Singapore’s colonial hangover, the inferiority complex to Westerners and the irrational belief that they are better. However, foreigners now are refusing to be boxed into their class stereotypes.

For example, some Westerners (think Botak Jones) are taking up blue-collar jobs and living in HDB estates.

While xenophobia is nearly impossible to eradicate, it helps to start admitting that one can be xenophobic. Then, one can start questioning one’s knee-jerk dislike for a total stranger, and start readjusting perceptions.

opinion

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T h e na n ya ng c h ron ic l e

29

Cause you gotta have faith True belief should withstand any test, however harsh. Greater interfaith dialogue is thus an indication of stronger, not weaker faith Shahida Bte Hassim

W

hen you hea r t he te r m s ‘r ac e’ a nd ‘religion’, what is the first word that comes to mind? Is it ‘harmony’, ‘unity’ or ‘balance’?

Or does your mind, like a growing number of Singaporeans’, churn out words of a different tune altogether – words such as ‘sensitive’, ‘delicate’ and ‘taboo’?

T hese are words t hat both reveal and represent the increasingly alarming attitudes that Singaporeans have towards issues of race and religion within the country.

A recent article published by the Straits Times on September 3rd, 2008 reported that nearly 50 per cent of the Christian clergymen polled “feared (that) interfaith dialogue would compromise their religious convictions”.

This key finding, presented by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) on its survey on religious diversity in Singapore, has sparked a nationwide debate on whether enough is being done to encourage interfaith dialogues.

Dr Mathew Matthews, one of the researchers, revealed how the conservative nature of Christianity in Singapore has resulted in the “embracing (of ) an exclusivist stance” when it comes to viewing other religions.

A re such feelings of apprehension, however, exclusive to Christians?

Or does one’s innate fear and suspicion of all things foreign and unfamiliar somehow cause the same feelings of anxiety in the hearts of all believers, regardless of faith?

If this finding is not worrying enough, then what Dr Phyllis Chew, sociolinguist, uncovered through her survey should be.

Out of more than 2,700 students between the ages of 13 and 18 polled, four in five professed to believing in a god or some form of religion.

However, when asked what they understood by the term “(religious) tolerance”, most interpreted it as “not talking about religion”. Now, since when is refusal to talk about religion and religious relations considered a form of “tolerance”?

Tole r a n c e , w h i c h i s t h e acceptance of, if not respect for, d if ferent ideologies and beliefs, should be built on the understanding of the subject matter.

Even if one is unable to fully grasp another’s set of beliefs, then the very least one can do is to maintain a fair, objective and

GRAPHIC | JANELL HOONG

non-judgemental attitude.

Ye t i n t r y i ng to ac h ie ve objectivity, many have chosen to take the ‘safe’ route that translates into a refusal to say anything that has the potential of being misconstrued.

However, should that be the case in a nation like Singapore, which prides itself on being a melting pot of different cultures, races and religions?

Since when is refusal to talk about religion and religious relations considered a form of tolerance The people of Singapore have pledged to build a democratic nation “regardless of race, language and religion”. This being the case, we should aspire to increase efforts to hold interfaith dialogues and collaborations, rather than curb inter-religious interactions based on the sole reason that such issues

are “sensitive” in nature.

Contrar y to popular belief, labe l l i ng a n i s s ue a s be i ng “sensitive” does not immediately give us the right to completely ignore it.

If Singaporeans choose to take a different stand, however, then the underlying message that we are sending to our young is that it is acceptable to completely avoid issues of religion, especially if it threatens religious harmony.

Likewise if this is also the attitude that Singaporeans are adopting, then it appears that we are treading on dangerous grounds.

Religious harmony, I reiterate, should be built on trust and respect, not a constant fear and suspicion of the other.

Yet, no matter how much we choose to deny it, it seems that many even at the university level are still hesitant about discussing such issues (of race and religion) more liberally, not even at the university level.

I s t h e l a c k of r e l i g iou s collaborations in institutes of higher learning a result of apathy, or is it merely a fear of crossing the ‘out-of-bounds’ markers society has put in place, with regards to these “sensitive” issues?

These markers, as mentioned

by NUS student Ms Isabel Chew on the Straits Times online forum, will only per petuate existing stereotypes that Singaporeans may already have of their counterparts of a different religion. Worse still, they may eventually result in a pervasive culture of fear when it comes to engaging in interfaith dialogues. And this is exactly the current case in Singapore.

While the lack of interfaith dialogues and interactions seem to be the trend here, it is comforting to know that such is not the case in other parts of the world. For example, in America, having interfaith dialogues is something t h at i s we lcome d by m a ny, particularly students in institutes of higher learning.

Most of these institutions hold frequent dialogue sessions to provide a platform for students of different religions to come together. More importantly, these sessions also give students the chance to learn more about the various rationales behind other religious practices. This is not to say that we should directly follow in America’s footsteps but maybe just take a leaf out of the book.

Instead of fearing a religious

dilution, we should openly welcome dialogue. For afterall, discussion truely enables growth.

I also feel that as true believers, we should take it upon ourselves to test our own belief by sharing it with others.

As true believers, we should take it upon ourselves to test our belief by sharing it with others T his shou ld be done wit h hopes of having a better common understanding, not only of religion, but of humanity as a whole. And if in the process we find ourselves having the need to seek answers to newfound questions pertaining to our own beliefs and ideological subscriptions, then so be it. Such a decision, while undoubtedly difficult is make, is arguably better for our spiritual growth.

After all, what is true faith, if it is something that goes untested?

30

opinion

o c to b e r 6 , 20 0 8

T h e na n ya ng c h ron ic l e

canteen talk

We find out what NTU students think about Singapore’s first Grand Prix, which was held on Sept 28.

This Formula One (F1) race makes a lot of difference to Singapore’s branding effort, especially in the long run.

Awfully Uninspiring

”

Kenneth Wee Zhi Qiang, CS, Year 1, 21

“

This event causes lots of inconvenience such as road closure.

Moreover, it only makes Singapore more vibrant for a few days.

Lye Kit Ying, HSS, Year 4, 22

Although F1 is not that popular in Singapore, the race is good as it shows how much Singapore has grown over the years.

”

Aliyah Liyana, MAE, Year 2, 21

“

I actually went for the race and was quite impressed with the infrastructures. I think Singapore will benefit from this event.

Shahida Bte Hassim, HSS, Year 2, 21

”

Did the organizer consider the feelings of Singaporeans, who do not seem to be very interested in F1?

Hemesh Ram Nandwani, MAE, Year 2, 23

TEXT | VO VAN HUNG; PHOTOS | IRWIN TAN

GRAPHICS | SU TONG

Faith Tan

H

onestly, it is really hard to tell whether I fall in love with you, my oftelusive AU. One thing is for sure, though: I need you, but not in the way I ought to.

You come w it h ba g ga ge , tagging along with subjects I want. You often come in pairs or quadruples, though sometimes you prefer having three as a crowd. The only problem is that I sometimes detest the modules you come along with, but it is nothing personal. It is all about how much I need you, and how much others do too.

After all, there is only so much of you to go around. Missing out on you would probably mean I am missing out on valuable time spent to get to know you, my AU. Pardon the preamble, but we should not deny this process that occurs before course registration begins. With NTU’s efforts to provide an all-encompassing, holistic education for its students, we are often left with the unnerving task of finding a suitable General Elective Requirement or Prescribed Elective (GER-PE).

Ever since the introduction of the Grade-Point Average system in 2005, each selection of a GERPE has become an epoch-making moment , becau se t he w rong choice could very well lead to scholastic mishap. NTU’s efforts at bringing the arts to the sciences, and vice-versa, were part of a national initiative to make tertiary students more culturally aware and conscious of educational facets apart from their majors.

Introduced in March 2003, the New Undergraduate Experience aims to offer a “broad education in diverse disciplines” and hence a holistic cur r iculum wit h a rich array of major and minor

programmes. Many would agree that this move has expanded students’ latitude for awareness and appreciation, but at what cost?

I, for one, must admit that although I am thankful for such a system, I often wish the selection was not so limited.

As a social science student, being able to pursue my other interests like biology, economics, as well as literature, comes as a bonus.

T hat sa id , my pa ssion i n pursuing such modules is often dampened by the usual instance of demand exceeding supply.

Let us try to make ourselves a little less antagonistic and embrace, albeit grudgingly, the opportunity of upsizing our learning orbit I say this not only in terms of the number of vacancies available, but also in relation to my true interest in certain disciplines, and the modules offered from that course.

W he n t h i s h a pp e n s , t he need to find a GER-PE becomes, instead, a mad scramble to clock the substantial amount of AUs. Gone is the passion and initial enthusiasm when we are presented with extremely select modules offered by each school.

We lose ou r se lves i n t he process, often compromising what we love just to make the best of what we have. This often translates into picking something we hope to score in. But that is the reality

of Singapore society, no? The deja vu repeats itself at every stage in life, tertiary education included.

Indeed, a holistic approach to our education here at NTU has broken down barriers and removed the ho-hum of major (no pun intended) boredom.

But we should all be thankful.

Our fellow compatriots in a certain Clementi campus not only need to make a tasteful selection of modules, they also have to bid for them with a little sweat and tears.

Theirs is a decision much more weighted than ours, where the points used to bid for a general module could affect their major curriculum. No system is perfect; with every new initiative comes certain limitations, but the modus operandi can always be refined.

Perhaps, the school should start working on popularity statistics to determine the number of vacancies made available for each module.

Undoubtedly, it is already taking into consideration certain modules that are highly sought-after. Still, the list of GER-PEs available to the masses ought to be increased to cater to a more diverse audience.

Nevertheless, to measure the success of our expanding horizons, we need to start analysing our personal motives. I believe most of us here would like to earn AUs in a satisfying manner. However, it is hard for many to find true pleasure in the art of hitting the books.

For this reason, let us tr y to make ourselves a little less antagonistic and embrace, albeit grudgingly, the opportunity of upsizing our learning orbit.

As M. Kathleen Casey, former councillor of a Canadian state, once said, “Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional.” Work this in with the “short-term pain; long-term gain” rationale, and our motivation for fulfilling the much-needed AUs will soon come into place.

Undergraduate Investment Forum

ww

ISSUE 12 | NTU INVESTMENT INTERACTIVE CLUB | WWW.NTU-IIC.ORG

Arising opportunities

in troubled waters

By Chuh Chee Ming EVEN after the announcement of the rescue package by the US Federal Government, many still remain bearish about the market.

The future of global economy seems bleak.

Thousands of banking professionals have been projected to lose their jobs, consumer confidence is at an all time low and many analysts are expecting a long and protracted recession.

Faced by so many challenges, many young business-minded graduates can consider starting their first business venture instead of having to compete for a piece of the ever shrinking pie.

According to a World Bank report, Singapore has been topping the annual global ranking of business-friendly economies for consecutive years.

Coupling push with pull factors, the country becomes a perfect setting for entrepreneurs to take centre stage and fulfil their ambitions.

However, 3 years ago when the job market was still doing very well, Chronos Chan, one of the partners for Tom’s Palette, had already decided to give up his highly paid engineering job to start his own icecream business.

Many people thought it was a big risk, but Chronos figured otherwise. He commented, “You must understand what you are doing and if it is an investment that you fully understand, then there should be no risk at all.”

In the first year, Chronos and his partners were making losses every month, receiving zero income from their business venture.

Sales were as bad as $30 per day and the amount was not even enough to cover the monthly rent.

To say that Chronos had a huge pay cut as compared to his previous $4000 a month salary was an understatement. Chronos and his wife, Eunice Soon did not have any prior business experience and received a lot of negative feedback from his friends when he and his wife consulted them for advice.

Similar to stock markets, the business world is made of people with different risk-tolerance levels and emotions. When faced with the same problem, investors tend to react differently though they possess similar technical knowledge.

Some investors may just follow the market sentiments blindly, while others actively search for the best solutions to deal with the situation they are in.

PROUD OWNERS: Eunice and Chronos with their fruit of labour

In the end, Chronos did not question his decision but continued to improve his products to suit the tastes of his customers.

Chronos and his team persisted with their strong beliefs in providing the best icecream products for their customers.

3 years of hard work finally paid off when Chrono’s first ice-cream shop, Tom’s Palette, became one of the most popular home-made ice cream brands in Singapore. Since then, their sales have been escalating every day. They are now considering offering franchise rights and even expanding overseas once businesses in the local outlets are stabilised.

With a background in engineering, Chronos has always believed in expressing his creativity. There are already countless new innovations of ice-cream flavours under his belt, including the Chocolate

Stout ice-cream, which is prepared by adding ABC stout to chocolate ice-cream.

To them, there are no secrets to why customers like their ice-cream so much.

Quality customer service and relentless efforts in creating new flavours are the main ingredients in their recipe to success.

As billionaire investor Warren Buffett once said, “Your premium brand had better be delivering something special, or it’s not going to get the business.” This is echoed in Chronos’s continung efforts to improve his brand.

Chronos ended the interview session with some valuable advice, “For all those young

entrepreneurs waiting to make their pot of gold, do not fear to make the first uncertain move, be prepared for the worst and stay focussed on your objectives.”

Most of the time, people tend to believe that success depends on whether you have made the right decision from the start. George Soros, a world-renowned trader, has an interesting view on that, “Once we realize that imperfect understanding is the human condition there is no shame in being wrong, only in failing to correct our mistakes.”

If one makes a decision, only he himself can decide whether to make it a good decision or letting the efforts go down the drain.

WIN! QUICK QUIZ 12 10 sets of Kinokuniya/Popular vouchers to be won!

Answer the questions below and e-mail to: uif.quiz@ntu-iic.org 1) What is the name of Chronos Chan’s first ice-cream shop?

2) From Warren Buffett’s point of view, what factors will bring business to the company?

Deadline: 8 October 2008.

Please set the subject of mail as “Quick Quiz 12” and leave a mobile number.

NTU IIC reserves the right to change the prize of the quiz without prior notice.

Winners of “QUICK QUIZ 11” Congratulations to the following for winning a Subway voucher each!

1) Wong Leng Keat 2) Goh Shin Giek 3) Zhang Bin Jie 4) Lim Meng Han 5) Chua Shun Jie

6) Goh Tong Hai 7) Sun Wen Xin 8) Kumar Hitesh 9) Chang Wan Jun 10) Chow Pei Yin

You will be notified via email soon.

TOM’S PALETTE: Emerging victorious from troubled waters

Undergraduate Investment Forum Brought to you by:

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www.iocbc.com

32

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bpl talk

Can video save the football stars?

Zakaria Zainal “AN ABSOLUTE howler” was what Bolton Wanderers manager Gary Megson thought of Rob Styles’ horrendous decision to award Manchester United a penalty after Jlloyd Samuel had executed an inch-perfect tackle on Cristiano Ronaldo.

This is just one of the spate of refereeing errors to occur in the space of one month. Another remarkable decision—bordering on the absurd—was the phantom goal awarded to Reading against Watford during a match in the Championship, the division one rung below the Barclays Premier League.

After a goalmouth tussle in the six-yard box, assistant referee Nigel Bannister flagged for a goal when the ball crossed the goal line.

The problem was that the ball had actually been two yards wide of the post. The most damning fact was how, during the tussle, no Reading player had appealed for a goal.

"It's like a UFO landing, a mistake like that,” said Watford manager Adrian Boothroyd. He was livid over the decision, and on hindsight he could hardly be blamed.

These errors have captured the attention of important stakeholders in football—officials, managers and especially the fans.

However, opinions over video assistance for referees remain divided even in the face of such poor refereeing decisions. This is most evident in the latest row between Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and UEFA President Michel Platini.

Video evidence should only be an aid to referees, who remain the final arbiter of the match itself Wenger has always been a strong advocate of bringing in video technology to help referees make more informed decisions, but when asked if video replays will one day be available to referees, Platini said, "I'm looking forward to Arsene Wenger never seeing that happen.”

One argument that persists in football’s reluctance to use video

CUT THE CHEATS OUT: Video can help prove the maxim that cheaters never prosper. GRAPHICS | JANELL HOONG

evidence is how it will disrupt the flow and purity of the game. As much as the referee is prone to making errors during the game, it is this very idea—contentious decisions and drama—that propels football as the global game.

But this argument is easily refuted by examining cricket and rugby, sports that have adopted the video technology much earlier.

Video evidence is only used in the crucial parts of the game like the

awarding of contentious wickets and tries.

Likewise, video evidence should be used to check the legitimacy of goals in football. This should only be an aid to referees, who remain the final arbiter of the match itself.

Referees would thus be able to make the right decision in other wise difficult situations, giving them greater credibility.

For clubs to succeed in the BPL,

there is no margin for error. To meet the extremely high standards demanded in the richest league in the world, the referees need all the help they can get.

This will be the future of the modern game. A nd Keith Hackett, general manager of the Professional Game Match Officials Board, will have his hands full in ensuring refereeing standards keep pace with changes in the modern game.

sports talk

Singapore shows the Formula for success: night races Boey Wei Shan explains why the decision to hold the inaugural Singapore Grand Prix at night a masterstroke that will be a blueprint to follow THE Singapore Grand Prix that is now done and dusted had all the fireworks a street race can possibly offer.

The first Formula One street race to be held at night was one of the most exciting the world has seen this year—from Alonso’s only ecstatic win of the season so far to Ferarri’s depressing foul ups.

Regardless, history was made, as the Singapore Grand Prix, dubbed the Monaco of the East was indeed a sight to behold even as the complexities of the sport may put some of us non-connoisseurs, off.

T h roug hout t he bu i ld-up much talk was on the 3,180,000 watts that were required to power t he state-of-t he-a r t light i ng system designed by Italian firm, Valerio Maioli, but a job welldone diminished concerns of the massive consumption of energy over one weekend.

No doubt, the motor spor t

faithful and the more attuned of us would have realised that the astounding figure flies in the face of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile’s plans to go green.

So why have a night race when the ones in the day seem to work just fine and are environmentally friendlier?

The reason that we were all given was that the race time would “fit in” with the viewing schedule of European audiences which is seven hours behind local time.

Sounds a tad imperialistic if you ask me.

But that aside, the effects of a night race were breathtaking.

Some 1,600 floodlights lit up the entire circuit like a burning trail of kerosene, creating one of the most impressive aerial views of all time.

That lighting system created artificial daylight, four times brighter than flood projectors at football fields.

Judging by the favourable outcome, plans for other night races will definitely be taken more seriously after last week’s spectacle.

Contrar y to traditionalists, night races are the way forward, and the success of the Singapore Grand Prix will definitely propel

the sport to the fore in other parts of Asia, where plans are already in the works.

Furthermore, motor racing ne ed s va r iet y; a n ig ht r ace u nden iably add s a d if ferent dimension to those in Monza and Silverstone, where built circuits are the norm, hence making it more enjoyable.

One would imagine driving along the streets at 300km per hour at night, which would most certainly be more exhilarating than in the day.

It is like having the nocturnal races of Gran Turismo come alive.

Your senses become heightened, the monocoques shining beautifully under the intense floodlights as you zip through the very heart of the city’s financial centre. And there is just something about that time of day, with the moon in its flight, when people just let loose.

I just cannot imagine that on other circuits.

So you see, despite shouts for unfriendly treatment of Gaia, night races do have their perks.

And when man enjoy their perks, sacrifices are inevitably made.

But just two words of caution: retina damage. Whatever you do, avoid staring right into one of those 3,000 lux lamps.

GO, SPEED RACER: All eyes were on Singapore during the inaugural Grand Prix which heralded the start of an exciting new era in Formula One. PHOTOS | INTERNET

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T H E NA N YA NG C H RON IC L E

they said that?

Championship defended LIYANA LOW

GOLD MEDALS!: The NTU canoe polo girls and their spoils of victory. PHOTO | COURTESY

endurance fitness and improving our skills as canoe polo players,” said captain Tan Ting Yi.

After winning our first canoe polo title, it motivated all of us to train harder.

Li Peishan NTU Canoe Polo team member

Wong’s regime helped produce the results in this competition.

During trainings, she made the players row 50 laps across the pool non-stop in preparation for the matches ahead, said Rudith Yang.

But despite t he tough trainings, Li Peishan, a third-year Accountancy student, said that members still came down regularly to train.

“It was a big difference from the previous year when the attendance during trainings was bad,” said Li. “But after winning our fi rst

canoe polo title, it motivated all of us to train harder.”

However, success d id not come easy as there were internal obstacles that the team had to overcome. Some members missed up to a semester’s worth of training when they went overseas for exchange.

“I was lagging behind boats when I came back from Korea after two months, but luckily, I managed to get my fitness back in time for the competition,” said Chan Chi Teng, a third-year Mathematical Science student, who was the team’s main goal keeper.

For Li, who went on exchange to Canada last semester, it was getting back that feeling of togetherness in a team that was the hardest upon her return.

“I couldn’t give up, so I psyched myself up to train and play canoe polo with the team again,” she said.

When asked about the title defence next year, Tan said they have experienced juniors who are capable of taking over the graduating members.

“Ou r ju n ior s took pa r t in the competition under the Open category during this year’s Pesta Sukan,” she added. “Their experience will definitely help us next year in defending the titles again as quite a few of our team members will be graduating after this year.”

Yes I did receive a two-match ban for calling a ref Coco the Clown but I m down to one after today.

Temporary Newcastle manager Joe Kinnear explains why he has to serve a fouryear old touchline ban.

I have to put it on my sandwich list. If you see five cheeses next to it then he could be in, four tunas means four matches and chicken is three matches, lettuce is two. Lettuce begin...

European captain Nick Faldo attempts comedy at the Ryder Cup

GRAPHICS | JANELL HOONG

THE NTU Canoe Polo girls did it again.

They emerged as defending champions in the 10th Pesta Su k a n Nat iona l Ca noe Polo Championships, beating strong teams from the Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) and the National University of Singapore (NUS) along the way.

While players knew that they were against a strong team in NUS, it was SIM that proved to be a challenge to the title defence as they made it difficult for the NTU team, especially during the finals.

“SIM was a new team in the competition, but they consisted of experienced players who previously played for t hei r poly tech n ic teams,” said NTU team coach, Marilyn Wong, 28, who only started coaching the team last year after they won their first title.

This year, the players were more confident and more sure of how to react to different situations during a match, which contributed to their success.

Besides their confidence, another important factor contributing to winning the championship was the introduction of Wong, a national canoe polo player, as their coach.

“I think having a coach helped us a lot, especially in terms of

33

Disappointingly low turnout at fitness event FABIAN NG SPORTS EDITOR

NO CASH vouchers, no go, it seemed as this year’s Fitness Assessment drew a smaller crowd than previous years.

La st yea r, ca sh vouc he r s were introduced in an attempt to attract more participants. It was relatively successful, with over 100 participants taking part.

The annual event is organised by the Sports Club to “promote a healthy lifestyle”, as Amanda Lim, the chairperson of this year’s

Fitness Assessment, explained.

Lim, a f irst-year Nanyang Business School student, said the event offered staff and foreign students a chance to experience the National Physical Fitness Award (NAPFA) test.

“L oca l s t ude nt s a r e a l so encouraged to take part as most of them do not really exercise regularly,” added the 19-year-old.

As it was, the event, held on September 30th, attracted just 51 participants, less than half of those who had signed up, and those who turned up were mainly fitness enthusiasts keen on gauging their

ABS OF STEEL: Participants at the sit-up station. PHOTO | NARERKRIT SINRACHTANANT

current physical condition.

The main pull factor was that the event allowed the contestants to have an opportunity to test their fitness levels with independent assessors.

“I heard about the event from a classmate, and I thought it was a good opportunity to see how fit I am,” said Yeo Keng Soon, a fi rstyear Nanyang Business School student.

The 21-year-old said that he had not exercised since finishing his National Service term earlier in the year.

He added that the Fitness Assessment, which comprised 6 stations including sit-ups and chinups, could serve as a barometer for National Servicemen who have to fulfi l their Individual Physical Proficiency Test obligations.

One participant who had no experience with the NAPFA test, on which the Fitness Assessment is based on, was Janne Mikanen, an exchange student from Finland.

Mikanen expressed his surprise at t he fact t hat Singaporean s t ude nt s f r om pr i ma r y a nd secondary schools are required to undergo the mandatory NAPFA test, but supported the idea of exercising regularly.

“It’s f un to do spor ts and compete, but I just came back from a holiday in Bali and don’t think I’m going to set any records,” said

the 27-year-old with a laugh.

A lthough there were no vouchers this time round, individuals who set the highest score in each of the respective stations did receive prizes.

Wilson Benedict Lim, a firstyear undergraduate from the School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, came in tops at the sit-up station with an impressive 72 repetitions in one minute.

“I went to maintain my fitness level as I am a part-time model. I also expected to win at this station as I have done so during my NS days as well.”

He added he would probably give the foosball table he won to his sibling.

Chairperson Amanda Lim said that overall, the turnout was rather disappointing despite the Sports Club’s efforts to raise awareness of the event.

Wilson Lim suggested that one possible explanation could be the fact that the Fitness Assessment was held one day before a public holiday, which might have caused possible participants to skip the event in favour of having a long break.

The Sports Club hinted that in next year’s edition, the 2.4 kilometres run may be ditched as well, in order to appeal to people who just want to give the static stations a try.

I studied Italian 5 hours a day for months to communicate with you journalists and you think I lacked respect. Who is Ranieri to speak?

After 5 years in England he had trouble saying good morning.

Inter’s Jose Mourinho (above) replies to Juventus’ Claudio Ranieri who criticised him for missing a press conference.

I m sure the boss will have found something to moan about by Monday, while we ll be there rolling our eyes.

Hull City captain Ian Ashbee expects boss Phil Brown to not rest on his laurels after their famous victory away to Arsenal.

34

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sports profile

Take a bow Not only did Adriel Chua pick up a sport completely new to him, the second-year MAE student subsequently made it to the national team. Rikesh Primalani finds out how LOCK AND LOAD: The sky is the limit for Adriel, who does not intend to set aside his bow anytime soon. PHOTO | AHMAD ISKANDAR

When did you pick up archery as a sport?

I picked it up five years ago, when I was in JC 2.

How was it introduced to you?

Well, I signed up for NYAA (National Youth Achievement Award) in JC 2 and I had to sign

up for a sport. Archery was the closest to air rifle that I could find, so I signed up for it.

army soon after and when that was over, I went for the national trials and I was in.

How did you end up representing Singapore in the sport then?

I took part in a competition and after that, I got invited to train in the national team. I enlisted in the

I understand that you took part in a competition in April and won the Silver medal. What competition was it?

It was the Pesta Sukan. Pesta

Sukan is a national event organized by the Zhenghua Archery Club. I finished second in knockout and third in ranking.

On average, how many competitions do you take part in a year?

There are about four to five local competitions a year so I try to take part in those. This year, I’ve taken part in two overseas competitions. One in Thailand and one in Taipei. The one in Taipei was the World University Archery Championship.

"I think more interest was created when the movie Lord of The Rings came out. " Adriel Chua, 22 when asked if archery gained popularity after the Bejing Games

How did you fare at the World University Championships held this year?

I finished 13th in knockout and seventh in ranking.

Does that mean you are the seventh best amongst all the university students in the world?

(Laughs) Yes.

So, any competitions coming up soon?

Well, I was supposed to head to the Philippines at the end of October but I gave up my spot in the competition as it is too close to the examinations. I do not want to miss lessons leading up to the examinations, as that is when examination tips are given out. So my next competition would be the Asean University Games, which is to be held in Kuala Lumpur in December.

Do you have plans to make a career out of archery?

I plan to continue for a long time, but not as a career. I do not think it is a viable career choice here.

Do you think that more media coverage should be given to archery in Singapore?

Yes. More is definitely needed.

However, I think the reason for the low media coverage is because the national team is not doing that well.

In your opinion, did Usain Bolt's archery celebration in the recent Olympics create more interest in archery?

I don’t think so. I think more interest was created when the movie Lord of The Rings came out.

I saw more people at the archery clubs after that.

15 pairs of tropic thunder preview tickets up for grabs!!!

STORY SYNOPSIS Ben Stiller, Jack Black and Robert Downey Jr. lead an ensemble cast in “Tropic Thunder,” an action comedy about a group of self-absorbed actors who set out to make the biggest war film ever. After ballooning costs (and the out of control egos of the pampered cast) threaten to shut down the movie, the frustrated director refuses to stop shooting, leading his cast deep into the jungles of Southeast Asia for “increased realism,” where they inadvertently encounter real bad guys.

Q:

TROPIC THUNDER stars Jack Black and Robert Downey Jr, both of whom took on iconic roles in this year’s summer blockbusters, Kung Fu Panda and Iron Man, respectively. Name their characters from those movies, as well as the names of the actors they play in TROPIC THUNDER.

Send in the correct ans, with your name, matric number and HP no. to chronicle.contest@ntu.edu.sg by 9 October.

Winners will be notified by 10 October and tickets are to be collected on-site from the UIP redemption counter outside Lido 2 from 8.45pm onwards.

Screen

in

g deta 13 Oc ils: tober, 8.45p Lido C m ineple x, Hall (Level 2 5, Sha w Hou se)

Hint: Log onto the movie’s official website www.tropicthunder.com for answers

Opens October 23

Prizes courtesy of

M18 COARSE LANGUAGE & SOME VIOLENCE

sports

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T h e na n ya ng c h ron ic l e

35

LoveBites fail to leave a mark always brings about attention from many people, hence giving us more public awareness for the committee as well as our beneficiary,” said Gene Ng, 24, the chairperson of LoveBites.

“I feel that the committee has tried their best in making this dream a reality.”

Gene Ng, 24, Chairperson LoveBites 2008

SKATING FOR LOVE: The Skate N’ Run event at LoveBites 2008 attempts to raise funds for charity. PHOTO | HANNAH LEONG

Lee Yen Nee HARD work did not pay for the committee members of the first outdoor charity event by NTU Hall 10 held on September 28th. They had expected to raise $15,000 but fell short of the target last Sunday.

The annual event, LoveBites, is a special project initiated in 1997.

Committee members of the project organise events to raise funds for a chosen beneficiary, create public awareness to the unfortunate in society, as well as to foster greater hall spirits.

Last year’s event saw t he

com m it tee r a ise t he h ig hest amount of funds in the history of LoveBites. Aiming to rewrite the record, committee members of this year’s project decided to take their event one step further by organising an outdoor event, a first in 11 years of LoveBites history.

“Doing something different

In addition to the usual carnival style event with performances and stalls, this year’s main event also included a Skate N’ Run challenge aimed at the young, active and sporting population. The challenge was seen by many as an interesting addition to the charity event.

Hall 10 resident Tan Siyan who took part in the Skate N’ Run Challenge said: “It gives me a chance to take a break from projects, spend the day by the beach with friends and do charity all at the same time.”

Prior to the main event, the committee organised two preevents at Canteen B in January and February this year. Stalls were

set up selling flowers, snacks and accessories to raise funds for their chosen beneficiary.

The beneficiary for LoveBites 2008 is the Association for Persons with Special Needs (A PSN), a voluntary welfare organisation that caters to the needs of young people with mild mental retardation.

APSN was chosen as its works are in line with the event’s objective of educating the young about helping the unfortunate.

Despite all their efforts, the amount raised this year fell short of their initial target of $15,000.

Ng, though disappointed, believed that the committee members will gain something valuable out of the experience of organising LoveBites 2008.

“Considering this is the first time that we have ever pulled off something like this with many limitations such as inexperience, manpower shortages and other resources, I feel that the committee has tried their best in making this dream become a reality,” said the final-year student from the School of Electrical & Electronics Engineering.

T he commit tee is look ing forward to come back bigger and better in the future. They hope that LoveBites will make a more significant impact on society every year and build up a reputation in order to bring greater benefits to their future beneficiaries.

Interest in snooker dwindles at uni tournament Tan Thiam Peng THIS year’s NTU Snooker Open saw 38 participants, a slight drop from last year’s attendance.

The organising committee is seeing a continual decline of interest in the annual tournament.

Publicity this time round was done through the Campus Buzz service, and garnering interest and participation through booths at Canteens A and B. But, even with their effort, the members of the NTU Snooker & Pool Club (SPC) still see an obstacle-ridden path in front of them.

“This game is going down,” said Jerry Quek, 22, vice-president of the club and organiser of the tournament. “The sport of pool is more high profile than snooker.”

Quarter-finalist Foo Fang Hao, 21, agreed.

“I call snooker a more mature game than pool. Look at the dress code and commentary,” he said.

“Pool is more popular. The general feeling is that snooker is a harder game.”

The recreation section within the SPC, whose objective is to get more people to play the game as a hobby, is small, and Quek revealed that the focus is on the Inter-Varsity-Polytechinic (IVP) players.

Some people have brought up the image of snooker and low female participation rate as reasons for the lack of interest.y “Maybe it’s the way the game originated. It was played in pubs and mainly by guys,” said Philip Menshikov, 21. “The girls who play usually play for fun.”

“This game is going down. The sport of pool is more high profile than snooker.”

Jerry Quek, 22, Vice-President NTU Snooker & Pool Club

Half of the club’s management committee is made up of s girls, but there was only one female participant in this competition.

Lee Kit Ying, 24, a member of the SPC who has been playing snooker leisurely for eight years, chose to focus on the idea of the sport.

“Nowadays there are people who can play, but they’re not

willing to compete,” she said.

T he c utbac k on t r a i n i ng equ ipment a lso posed a s a n obstable for the club, in which the the four snooker tables at the Nanyang House were reduced to two.

Even with such constraints, the SPC is still trying to maintain a certain standard to the sport and the tournament.

“There was little waiting time and we ran it as professionally and realistically as possible—with dress code—like a real competition,” said Quek. “There was one player who had to concede a frame, according to regulations, after turning up late.”

The student competitors got to mingle with three staff members who took part in the tournament, including a research fellow and a teaching professor.

“The general impression is that they’re holed up in the office and only come out to teach,” said Foo. “They seem distant, so coming down to play with us was very friendly of them.”

The three-day tournament held at the Nanyang House from ended with favourite Jeffrey Ng defeating Quek 3-1 in a best-of-five series, but Quek swept the highest breaks tally. Prize winners took home snooker cues provided by the main sponsors.

SNOOKED: Players give their best despite the low turnout. PHOTO | TAN ZI JIE

Sports

Wrap your chin around the Fitness Assessment on Page 33

Intense rivalry at University Games Tan Jinhe

Sport

sports editor

THE Singapore University Games (SUniG) held over the past month saw an exciting display of sporting action from the four universities involved.

Out of the 12 spor ts N T U took part in, the men’s basketball and the women’s football teams s ucc e s sf u l ly de fe nde d t he i r championship titles against a strong showing by the National

Basketball

10 Pin Bowling

Universit y of Singapore (N US)

and the Singapore Institute of Management (SIM).

The touch rugby team also replicated their victory in last season’s Inter-Varsity-Polytechnic (IVP) tournament by coming out tops.

The N T U men’s basketball team began their SUniG campaign with a smooth start, securing a spectacular 89-45 victory over SIM. They then took advantage of a morale boost from the success to extend their winning streak in a match against the Singapore Management University (SMU) that ended 60-40.

With two wins in the bag, NTU entered the decisive match against NUS, in which they narrowly won the tournament with a score of 66-59.

Leading the tough fight in NTU’s title defence, captain Chew Jinfeng felt that NUS, a close competitor in recent years, was the most difficult opponent to overcome.

“They have a bunch of good player s a nd a never-say-d ie

Football

(M) (W) Singles (M)

First NTU NUS SIM

Second NUS NTU SMU

Third SIM SIM SIM

Singles (W) Doubles (M) Doubles (W)

SIM NUS SIM

NUS NTU NTU

NTU NTU SIM

Team (M) Team (W) (M) (W) (M) (M)

SIM SIM SIM NTU NTU NUS Team A NUS

NTU NUS NTU NUS NUS NUS Team B NTU

NUS NTU SMU SMU SMU NTU Team C SMU

(W) (M) (W) Indiv (M) Indiv (W)

NUS NUS NUS NUS NTU

NTU NTU NTU NTU NUS

SMU SMU SMU NUS NUS

Touch Rugby Sepak Takraw Tennis

Squash

GRAPHIC | ZHANG LEYU

attitude,” said the third-year Business student. “We always encou nte r ed proble m s when dealing with them.”

The men’s basketball team were not the only ones looking to retain their first place status in the SUniG. On the football front, the NTU women’s team not only collected all nine points in the tournament to win the championship but also handed an inexperienced SMU

team a crushing 18-0 defeat.

Capta i n Nu r Sabr i na Bte Wahid, 24, said her team had little knowledge of how well SMU played and went into the match without any expectations. But the newcomers in football were easy to figure out. “ T h e i r pl a y e r s we r e not exposed to competition and were not playing football at their best,” she added.

However, the women’s good fortune was not shared by the men’s team, whose two draws early in the competition put them out of the running for first place.

Recovering from a surprise 0-0 draw with SIM, who previously lost to NTU 6-1 in a friendly, NTU had to again split the three points with SMU (1-1).

Despite having only second place to play for in their last match

OVERCOMING THE OLD ENEMY: NTU athletes trying their utmost to beat their arch-rivals from the National University of Singapore. PHOTOS | IRWIN TAN & TAN YI WEN

against N US, the men’s team slogged it out on the pitch to finally obtain their only victory (1-0) in the tournament.

O vera l l ran k ings aside, traditional rivalry between the two universities was a major factor that spurred on Kester Koo, goal scorer in both the matches against SMU and NUS. “N T U and N US are like a derby match, so it was still a very important match to us,” said the third-year student from the School of Electronics & Electrical Engineering.

Such competitive spirit was evident in touch rugby, too, as spectators were equally vocal in their support as those at the men’s football match against NUS. A n N T U-N US f i na l wa s common in touch rugby’s IVP histor y and N US had always emerged first, until they lost to NTU last season.

Not intending to let NUS get the upperhand again, the NTU touch rugby team faced their opponents head-on in this year’s SUniG and captain Rowena Khoo, 24, felt that her team really came together at the crucial time. “ T here wa s ver y posit ive support within the team, be it physically or psychologically,” she said. “We had an awesome competition on the whole.”

But not all sports had a campaign as good as the touch rugby team’s.

The NTU women’s tennis team were looking for inspiration to defend their championship title this year, but hardly any of the current players could fill the shoes of their previous members.

T hey breezed through the competition against SIM 5-0, but struggled against a formidable NUS team with four losses.

The match-up against NUS was the most stressful one because if the team had won they would have gotten first, said captain Angeline Goh. The defeat did little to dwindle the teams’ morale, though, as they managed to secure another victory in hard fought matches against SMU with a 3-2 final score.

“Four key players had left us and I didn’t expect us to win,” added the fourth-year student from the School of Computer Engineering. “But in the end we still pulled through and got second.”