The Nanyang Chronicle Vol 16 Issue 02 by Nanyang Chronicle

CHRONICLE

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THE NANYANG

AUGUS T 31 , 20 0 9 | V OL 16 NO 2 | IS SN NO 0 218 -7310 | W W W. N T U. EDU. S G / C HRONIC L E

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In search of the elusive spot

OUT OF SPACE: Some drivers are resorting to illegal parking because of the shortage. PHOTO | IRWIN TAN

Illegal parking is on the rise as drivers say parking spaces are increasingly hard to ﬁnd LEUNG KA YUN KYLE STUDENT and staff drivers are finding it even more difficult to look for available lots on campus this semester. A lthough the number of bu i ld ings has increased to accom modate t he g row i ng student and staff population over the past few years, the same cannot be said for parking lots. Despite a sign if icant increase in parking lots with the construction of N2.1, a threestorey car park near Canteen A, drivers still have to circle around the area to search for a legal spot. “The car parks are almost certain to be packed throughout office hours. The free car parks would be more than full,” said Linus Neo, 23. The third-year student from the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering usually parks near his school, at car park E, where parking is free of charge. University employees such as Desmond Woo, manager of the Global Immersion Program, do not find parking an issue because of his working hours. “There is no problem finding a parking lot as long as I come

before 8.30a.m., although usually after 9a.m. there would be no more lots available,” he said. With the car parks full, the incidence of parking on the side of the road — sometimes illegally — has become more common this semester as drivers come up with various solutions to find a way around their parking woes. Neo, for example, has at times resorted to parking on double-yellow lines when he is unable to fi nd an unoccupied lot.

The car parks are almost certain to be packed throughout oﬃce hours. The free car parks would be more than full. Linus Neo, 23 School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Year 3

“Once, I came back to see the car in front of me wheelclamped, so I was very lucky,” said Neo. “I don’t think the school has enough (clamps) because there are just too many vehicles parking along the double-yellow lines everywhere.” The Chronicle observed that places where drivers are not

charged for parking their cars, near North and South spines, were fully occupied during office hours on a weekday with many vehicles parked illegally along the kerb. “The (parking) situation is definitely worse this semester,” said Cedric Ang, 22. Previously, he could find a parking lot with relative ease at the Innovation Centre car park, next to the School of Humanities and Social Sciences where he studies. Presently, he has to travel to the NTU Childcare Centre, next to International House, to find an unoccupied lot. This is an additional ten minutes walk to his school. Jewl Tan, 23, also found herself in a similar predicament. She drives to school once a month and would drive every day if not for the acute lack of parking lots in and around the newly built School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences (SPMS). “Many times, the nearest available parking lot I can find is at Hall 4,” said the fourthyear SPMS student. Hall 4 is a seven-minute walk away from SPMS, without shelter from the elements. “I wouldn’t mind paying two to three dollars per entry to the car park if it means that I can get to park near my school.” T he Of f ice of Faci lit ies Planning & Management was still looking into the matter at press time.

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Warm welcome for freshmen Students throng the largest ever NTU fun fair, featuring arcade machines for the first time

ORIENTATION activities have come under the spotlight again after pictures of a girl eating a banana held at a man's crotch surfaced. The pictures are believed to be taken at NTU's Sports Bash.

INFORMATIVE SENIORS: Freshmen learnt more about different interest groups on campus. PHOTO | ZOE LIM

players have to fish out floating drink cans from a large pail of water using a fishing rod. Loh Jing Lun, 20, a f irstyear student from the School of Computer Engineering (SCE), had a great time thrashing it out with his schoolmates at Time Crisis II. He said: “Playing this arcade game allowed me to take a break af ter lec t u re, a nd relive my adolescent years when I used to play this game with my friends.” Besides the fun fairs, other events held concurrently include an Extra-Cur r icular Activ ies fair, an IT fair and the John Little

Bazaar. Most students found the ECA fair enriching and lively. “There were many enthusiastic seniors who publicised their own clubs, at the same time enhancing my knowledge on the activities that NTU offers. I discovered the existence of many clubs, such as the In-Line Skating Club,” said Glenda Tang, 20, a f irst-year student from the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information. A freshman from the School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wong Yi Jie, 19 enjoyed the lively atmosphere at the event.

She intends to attend future school fairs, because they make school less boring.” A first-year student from t h e S c h o ol of C om p u t e r Engineering, Moses Tan, 21, found the deals at the IT fair most appealing. He bought a HP laptop at the event at a relatively lower price, accompanied with a couple of freebies. Hav i ng h it a record at te nd a nce of 15,0 0 0 participants this year, Chee hopes that more students would turn up and benefit from the event in the future.

Click to get your opinions heard

SPEAKING UP: Students share their opinions with a click. PHOTO | IRWIN TAN

Mobile devices facilitate immediate responses from students in lectures Kenneth Wee STUDENTS in most faculties at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) can now interact with the lecturer using a wireless credit card-sized device. Simply known as the Clicker, this device allows instructors to

US Senator Edward Kennedy passed away due to brain cancer. He will be laid to rest near his slain brothers at Arlington National Cemetery. More frequent and larger increments in the rank allowance for NSmen is among the recommendations put up by the fifth committee set up to Recognise the Contributions of Operationally Ready National Servicemen to Total Defence or RECORD V (Five).

Wang Simin FRESHMEN were treated to arcade games and performances at the Union Welcome Week 2009 before school got into full swing. The organising committee introduced game boot hs and arcade machines for the very first time, breaking away from the tradition of having only extracurricular activity booths. In addition to the games, there were stalls selling items such as IT gadgets, clothes and ice cream. “There were different themes on each of the four days, covering musical performances, crosscultural performances and games, and idea sharing,” said Chee Mei Ying, 22, vice-president of the event held at the North and South spines from August 17th to 20th. The third-year student from Nanyang Business School added: “Through these fairs, we hope that students can have fun in school.” Popular games included ‘Guide the ping pong ball’, where one or two players have to guide a ball to its destination through the tracks placed on a styrofoam board, as well as ‘Dancing cans’, where

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ask questions and gather students’ responses during a lecture. This gets the students thinking, and encourages class participation, said Mr Kenneth Tan, Senior Assistant Director (Faculty Development) of Centre for Educational Development (CED). The Clicker is equipped with buttons that correspond to the options of questions. Freshmen from all faculties, except the School of Art, Design and Media, were made to sign out these Clickers during matriculation.

The Computer Engineering Club (CEC) was responsible for the distribution, while CED provided the necessary support to train both students and lecturers. The Clickers will be returned upon graduation. Ms Sally Bateman of Keepad Interactive, a regional reseller of Turning Technologies, which manufactures the Clicker system in NTU, observed that lecturers could check the pace of the lesson, while students would not feel alone if they did not comprehend a topic. “Students have a chance to apply the knowledge in class,” she added. C E D pr ov ide s i m me d iate exchange for fau lt y dev ices. However, the cost of replacement is $50 should the device be damaged or misplaced. But this fee may change, as the costs involved might go down as technology advances, said Mr Tan. Compared to some American universities, which require their students to purchase such devices, Mr Tan feels that it is beneficial for students to exercise responsibility, and thus the devices are provided for free. He likened the system to the borrowing of a library book, where the borrower will have to bear the cost of a lost book.

Clicker systems are com mon ly r efe r r e d to a s Classroom Response System or Student Response System. The technology utilises Radio Frequency (RF) or infrared signals and were invented in the late 1980s to increase student participation in class. The receivers are the size of a flash drive and are plugged directly into the USB port of a laptop or desktop computer. Some seniors from selected faculties within the College of Engineering began using the Clicker system early last year. After receiving positive feedback from both professors and students, the university decided to launch the Clicker system campus-wide. The university has installed the RF receiver in all lecture theatres so that lecturers need not set up the system each time. “You can test your own understanding when given the questions,” said Edmund Ong, 21, a first-year Mechanical Engineering student. He has used the Clicker in class about five times so far but he feels that using the device “doesn’t necessar i ly ma ke lectures more interactive.”

The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore received $29.8 billion in tax for the period April 1 2008 to March 31 this year; a 2.4 per cent rise on the previous financial year. In the first half of the year, the Ministry of Manpower gave 575 companies up to S$10,000 each to put in place equipment or processes that give workers more work-life balance. Organisers of this year's Singapore Grand Prix hope to minimise disruptions to traffic and businesses with a shorter period of road closure; seven days instead of the 12 days last year. Despite a global surge in dengue cases, the situation in Singapore has shown a downward trend in 2008 and 2009 - the first time in three decades. I l l e g a l su b l e t t i n g i n private residences is on the rise. The Urban Redevelopment Authority has investigated over 500 of such cases at private residences so far this year, 25 per cent more than the whole of last year. Tropic al Storm Danny churned toward the northeastern US coast with forecasters warning it could reach hurricane strength and urging locals to stay on their guard. South and North Kore a were clos e to agre ement on restarting reunions for families separated for half a centur y, the latest sign of an easing of tensions after more than a year of hostility. I s r a e l i P r im e M i n is t e r Benjamin Netanyahu called for "crippling sanctions" against Iran to stop its disputed nuclear work, on a solemn visit to Berlin marked by Holocaust remembrance. P o p s ta r K y l ie M i n o g u e takes the title of Australia's bestknown personal brand. She had the most powerful branding of any famous Australian, according to a marketing and entertainment industry survey, with her name associated with music, acting, and ventures in perfume and underwear. The Top 24 contestant s of the latest "Singapore Idol" competition have been unveiled. The singing competition airs every Wednesday.

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YouTube Professor bags another award NTU's favourite virtual celebrity has added another feather to his cap Trinetta Chong E l ec t r ic a l a nd E lec t ron ic E n g i n e e r i n g P r of e s s or a n d Dean of Admissions Lalit Goel, better known as NTU’s ‘YouTube Professor’, has become the first honoree from Asia to be awarded the 2009 IEEE Power & Energy Society (IEEE PES) Outstanding Power Engi neer i ng Educator Award on July 28th in Calgary, Canada. I n it iated i n 1989 by I EEE, the Outstanding Power Engineering Educator Award is presented annually to educators with excellent teaching skills, innovations and contributions to power engineering. Prev ious recipients of the award have all hailed from Europe and North America. Professor Goel gained fame three years ago when a video of one of his lectures was uploaded onto popu la r v ide o -hos t i ng website YouTube. T he f i v e -m i nu te s n ipp e t feat u r e s hu morou s teac h i ng feedback comments left by his former students. It qu ick ly beca me one of Si ngapor e’s most prom i ne nt YouTube clips, acquiring nearly a million views to date. Once a reluc ta nt teacher, P r of e s s or G o e l h a s c ome a long way since his graduation

f rom Ca nada’s Un iver sit y of Saskatchewan in 1991. He had to choose between a job offer with a power utility in Vancouver and a teaching position i n N T U. It wa s t he f reezi ng temperatures of Saskatchewan wh ich event ua lly d rove h im across the Pacific Ocean to teach in sunny Singapore.

“I'm just outgoing. I love relating to people and being myself.” Professor Lalit Goel School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Recipient of the IEEE PES Oustanding Power Engineering Educator Award

ENERGETIC AND CHARISMATIC: Prof Lalit Goel's warm smile that wins over the students' hearts. PHOTO | GERALDINE KANG

“My wife gave me the ultimatum. She said: ‘It’s either Ca nada or me! ’ Ne e d le s s to say, I couldn’t lose her, so we compromised on Singapore which seemed to be a good blend of East and West, and it offered good opportunities.” Professor Goel was initially overwhelmed and astonished by the large class sizes of NTU. He quickly overcame his fears and went on to achieve 17 teaching awards from NTU and EEE in the following years.

These included ‘Most Energetic P r of e s s o r ’, ‘ B e s t C h a r i s m a Lecturer’ and three consecutive ‘Best Lecturer of the Year’ titles. Nearly two decades has passed since his first lecture in NTU, but Professor Goel’s devotion to the job remains steadfast. “I stepped into a classroom, enjoyed every minute of it and never thought of going anywhere else,” he said. “I’m still totally dedicated to my job and love it.” W hile he gained fame for

Students fish for internships at fair Maxie Aw Yeong While internships are usually thought to be for students who are about to graduate, Career and Attachment Office (CAO) hopes to change that mindset by organising the first ever Internship Fair. The event on August 12 at Nanyang Auditor ium targets all students, highlighting the importance of local and overseas internships. Director of CAO, Mr Loh Pui Wah, said the fair targets Year Two students and freshmen. “We want to bring internships to our students earlier.” Some 30 organisations from various industries were featured, including Barclays Capital, Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, and Motorola. Mr Loh said, “We hope that we have a blend of all industries as we want to cover a wide coverage for all students”. However, some left the fair disappointed. Shereen Naaz, a 22year-old student from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, noticed that very few internships were suitable for arts students.

drawing guffaws, Professor Goel believes his lectures are ver y ordinary. He claims he has never told a joke in class. “I t h in k it is just t he idea of f inding someone who speaks loudly and clearly, with compa ssion a nd c la r it y; t he idea of someone reaching out to (students) and saying, ‘Hey, if you’re not following, come to me. I’m always there for you.’” “I’m just outgoing. I love relating to people and being

Six ideas boosted by research grants Leonard How

LARGE CROWDS: Students look out for potential stints. PHOTO | COURTESY

In response, Mr Loh explained that they are not trying to provide a direct match for students to organisations. Instead, it is an opportunity for students to interact with companies, which is an “exposure and learning process.” On the other hand, second-year Business student, Lim Wei Ling, 20, felt that the fair was useful as it is able to “allow us to have

personal engagement with the companies instead of having to find out just from the website.” The Internship Fair reached out to approximately 5300 people this year. Said Mr Loh, “we intend to hold this annually and invite different groups of companies from different industries to come and visit us and talk to the students.”

myself. So it’s nothing special, really.” A youthful soul at heart, the 49-year-old enjoys travelling, watching movies, and listening to Beyoncé and Christina Aguilera in his spare time. “Colleagues are always so surprised that my favorite station is 98.7FM. T hey look at me and ask, ‘Are you that young?’ I always laugh and tell them, ‘It’s all in the mind.’”

N T U ’s role i n Si ngapor e’s r e sea r c h a nd de ve lopme nt sector received a boost from the National Research Foundation which recently awarded six out of its 16 research grants to NTU projects. The recipients are Dr Lim Hock Beng, Programme Director at N T U’s Intelligent System Centre, Associate Professors Tseng King Jet, Liu Ai Qun, Sun Xiaowei and Zhang Yue Ping as well as PhD student Eunice Goh Shing Mei. To qualif y, each of their projects had to go through a pr o of- of- c on c e pt ( P O C ) scheme, demonstrating their projects’ technical feasibility and potential for commercial application. Under this scheme, each pr oje c t w i l l r e ce i ve up to $250,0 0 0 to de ve lop. It i s hoped t hat t he se proje c t s , ranging from sensor networks

to radio antenna solutions, can eventually be commercialised. Ms Eunice Goh, being the youngest to be awarded, feels honoured to receive the grant. She is currently pursuing her PhD as a Research Student at the Nanyang Technological University. Her PhD research work is on the optical properties of semiconductor nanocrystals and its application on photonic devices. “This is an opportunity to further develop my project and hopefully, it will be a stepping stone for me to contribute to society,” she said. He r pr oje c t de t a i l s t he development of a low-cost, highper for mance anti-ref lective coating for optical devices such as lenses and solar cells. She plans to use all t he funding towards development and said: “Aside from lab charges, some will also go towards hiring research assistants. There’s no way this project can be a oneman show.”

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Be a Facebook fan of the library

Swapping with ease Website connects students looking to trade subjects Karen Seng

SOCIAL NETWORKING: Facebook has the power to reach out to more people. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION | IRWIN TAN

Mavis Goh THE NTU Library has jumped on the Facebook bandwagon in a bid to reach out to staff and students in a more engaging manner. The idea of using the social networking website was raised by the staff at the Library Promotion Div ision, some of whom a re Facebook users. Head of t he d iv i sion, M s Catherine Tan, gave the green light in July. According to Ms Tan, the social networking website is an ideal medium which “fills a gap they cannot fulfil in other media.” “It solves t he problem of spamming students’ inboxes with updates that may not be read by the recipients,” she added. The library’s page resembles a typical personal profile, except that it has a section promoting events. The page is currently focused on promoting librar y orientation events and will include updates on new library services and resources in the future. Senior Librarian Phoebe Lim described the differences between the Facebook page and the library’s original website. “A website uses push technology, which means that users need to visit your website to receive the information," she said. "For Facebook, there are already regular users, and it’s the updates that draw them to the page." Ms Tan oversaw a team of three, made up of Ms Lim and two NTU students. “Before we set up the page, we looked at examples from the US. We had to research on the features

they use, and decide on what kind of information we are going to publish,” said Ms Lim. The idea was presented to the University Librarian, Mr Choy Fatt Cheong, and senior directors, who were so enthused by the concept that even Mr Choy became a Facebook user, according to Ms Lim.

“It's a fuss-free and easy way to announce and promote events and activities”

Soh Jun Hao School of Art, Design and Media Year 4

Soh Jun Hao, 25, a fourthyear student at the School of Art, Design and Media, applauded the library’s new promotional tool. “ W it h Fac eb o ok ga i n i n g popularity, it will be a good online platform to generate interests and publicity," he said. “It’s a fuss-free and easy way to announce and promote events and activities." Nearly two months after its launch, some 250 people have become a ‘fan’ of the page. “We have only mentioned it to students during the orientation briefings. Whenever you talk to 100 students, you will be likely to get only a few students to respond," said Ms Tan. “Within a couple of months, I would say it’s a good number without us actively promoting the page.”

TWO semesters ago, scouting for someone who wants to drop the subject of your choice seems hard enough, let alone someone who also covets a subject you would willingly discard. Si nce t he last Add /Drop period on January 8th, EasySwap (http://easyswap.ryantan.net/), a website designed by School of Art, Design and Media student Ryan Tan, has made subject bartering easier. The online platform allows registered members to declare which subjects they want to add or drop along with their contact details. EasySwap then matches people who have the right subject swap combination by sending a notif ication email to both parties. Registered members jumped to over a thousand people within a week of the website’s launch. To date, over 1,350 students have signed up. “I made this website because I

wanted the astronomy course and couldn’t get it," said the 23-yearold third-year Digital Animation major. “ I d i d n’ t w a n t t o S M S everybody as the reach is very limited, so I created a public website so everyone could share it.” Sky Cheong, a friend of Tan's, was one of the earliest members registered on EasySwap. “(EasySwap) gives students more options to add/drop subjects with people you might not know. You don’t have to wait for the subject you want,” said the fourthyear Computer Science student. A s t he website cater s to the NT U student population, a webmail account is the only criterion for registration, making the sign-up process hassle-free. Other than simplifying the process of searching for a suitable person, Tan hopes that his website can make a difference to the subject swap process too. “I have been thinking about working with NTU to integrate with STARS and add the function of swapping modules,” said the freelance developer and web designer. Currently, the success of the subject swap is not guaranteed.

The website has no access to the STARS database, so it cannot do a direct subject swap. C h ia K ia n A n , a fou r t hyear student from the School of Computer Engineering (SCE), found somebody to swap modules with on EasySwap. He ar ranged to conduct a swap with the other party over the phone. H o w e v e r, t h e s w a p w a s unsuccessful. “It was unfortunate for her. Both of us dropped and I managed to get the subject, Digital Darkroom Techniques, but she didn’t,” said the 23-year-old. “Hopefully NTU can recognize this system and (in future) we can do the swap successfully.” However, not all have utilised the website yet. Jasper Tan, 20, a first-year st udent f rom SC E e x pressed interest upon knowing about the website. He had a tough time waiting for others to drop the electives he wanted. “I will definitely try it next semester even though the website is not foolproof, as the elective the other party dropped for me can still be snatched by others,” he said. “But that still beats having a futile wait on STARS.”

Hitchhike your way around campus NTU's first travel agency offers a new way to travel around school Elizabeth Law N T U’s f irst travel agency is of fe r i ng a u n ique t r ave l opportunity to students so as to raise its company profile. Formed in March this year, HitchHikers has been offering students rides around campus in vehicles decorated with their logo from August 13th to 21st. A second round of free rides is slated for August 31st to September 11th. The team also placed fliers into goodie bags given out during Nanyang Business School (NBS)'s Welcome Week which detailed the steps to hitching a ride on their publicity vehicles. The seven members set up the company as part of their final project for the Minor in Entrepreneurship, which ends in October. The campaign is part of their publicity efforts. The agency specialises in customised budget holidays for students, with additional services like hotel bookings and purchasing foreign mobile phone SIM cards. Their first customers were a group of students from the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information.

CHAUFFEURS: HitchHikers founders zip around school. PHOTO | ELIZABETH LAW

T h e y we nt to T h a i l a nd in late Ju ly and needed accommodation. HitchHikers hopes to appeal to students looking for a quick break this recess week in September by planning a four day three night action packed adventure trip to Bangkok and Chiang Mai. The trip aims to maximise the time spent in the country, with back-to-back activities including shopping and off road driving in all-terrain-vehicles. T he group’s initial plans to t ur n the company into a travel club are currently on hold. However they are looking towards a collaboration with the NTU Entrepreneurship Society. A check by The Nanyang C h ron ic le r e vea led a not her

similar tertiar y-based travel agency located in the basement of the Singapore Management University. However, that is run by an external vendor and has a physical shop front, whereas H itc h H i ke r s i s ad hoc a nd student-run. However, the tight budget and logistical challenges meant not ever yone was awa re of the company or their publicity attempts. After two weeks of d r iv i ng a rou nd , on ly t h ree students from NBS have ridden in their vehicles. Louisa Eng, 20, a first-year st udent f rom t he School of Humanities and Social Sciences said: “If no one asked me about it, I wouldn’t even have known it existed.”

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Hands up for Dancetitude

VISUAL FEAST: Modern Jazz dancers dazzling the audience in a frenzy of art and motion. PHOTO | FOO CHEE CHANG

Edmund Lee A RARE scene occurred after one dance team came out for its curtain call bow at the Modern Jazz Dance concert Dancetitude 2009—hands were gesticulating high up in the air among the audience instead of the usual applause.

Mr Patrick Loo, the Resident Instructor of Modern Jazz said at the curtain call that “waving of hands” is the more appropriate way to show appreciation for the dance team Redeafinition, made up of members who are hearing impaired. T he 15-member tea m, a l l with varying degrees of hearing

difficulty, seeks to increase deaf awareness, through the “universal language of dance”. Their appearance in Dancetitude 2009: Stories through dance, on August 22nd, came as a surprise for many who were just expecting a conventional hip-hop dance concert. “I found their dance segment

emotional and very touching,” said Chew Zi Yan, a 21-year-old student majoring in Architecture in National University of Singapore (NUS). He added: “I think a lot of effort has been put in by them to make this happen, especially when they cannot hear the music they are dancing to.” Other items in Dancetitude 20 09 d rew pr a i ses f rom t he members of the audience as well. Alongside NTU’s Modern Jazz team, the concert also featured performances by dance teams from SMU and NUS. Accord i ng to 21-yea r old Melissa Ng, t he President of Modern Jazz, this year’s concert is unique because every dance item tells a different story. “T he production this year moves away from the t y pical item approach and instead has stories woven into the concert," said the third-year student from t he Wee K i m Wee School of Communication and Information. “Hence the stor y theme is very strong in all the items and engages the audience from start to end of each story.”

T he s tor ie s r a nge d f r om depic t ion s of fa m i l ia r scene s i n t he M R T, s uc h a s seat snatc h i ng to yout h s bla st i ng music through their MP3 players, to treasure-hunting adventures of pirates and two Bombay princes feuding over a princess. “I thought the Indian dance featuring a love story in Bombay was fascinat ing,” said Wong Zheng Hui, a 24-year-old student studying Computation Biology in NUS. “The conflict presented in the story was intriguing and dance moves were well executed.” Ng said that this year’s turnout was the biggest compared with the four different productions they have had so far. Ticket sales amounted to 1406, exceeding the projected target by around 200. “I am grateful to the point of tears because all the students worked so hard for this,” Mr Loo said. “Every piece is my favourite, and I think tonight they have demonstrated the spirit of NTU —the will to keep practising. I believe by keeping this ethic the dance team will go very far.”

Sharing the passion for film

MENTOR: Mr Tan came, spoke and inspired. PHOTO | ZOE LIM

Lau Liang Tong GUEST speaker Brian Gothong Tan, director with Eric Khoo's Zhao Wei Films, shared some industry points at the school of Art, Design and Media (ADM) on August 13th. T he sha r i ng session was organised in line with Blackberry’s Digital Cinema initiative, which encourages budding filmmakers to create a short film revolving round the theme “The Future of Communication”.

The initiative aims to help them start out in the industry. Participants get free access to stock footage and soundscapes to facilitate their production. The most promising talent under the age of 25 will receive a three-week internship with Mr Tan. Willis Turner Henry, 20, a t hird-year Photography and Digital Imaging student from ADM, said: “It’s rare to be able to get guest speakers who reveal so much of their work to inspire us and propel us forward.”

The works Mr Tan shared included trailers from his first feature film “Invisible Children”, which premiered at the Bangkok International Film Festival last year. The film is available on The Blackberr y Digital Cinema, a digital mobile booth that will accompa ny Ta n to v a r iou s institutions as he shares his experiences, in hopes of raising profile of this initiative. At ADM, the booth managed to entice students with many of them gathering round it after the talk, exploring its interactive elements screen that encapsulates competition details. Izyanti Asa’ari, 21, a thirdyear student from ADM said: “The booth is a novelt y and it’s a different approach. Most competitions are publicised with flyers.” M r Ta n e ncou r a ge d t he students to join the initiative as there are not many limitations for the film, thus allowing students to explore endless possibilities. He said: “It was a blessing to be able to do whatever I wanted.” A side f rom promot i ng the initiative, Tan spent time answering students’ questions about the industry. “It was great having him here. We had insights to how other filmmakers, including Brian, got their funding. Surprisingly, it is actually a simple process,” said Asa’ari. The competition is open from now until October 15th. For more information log on to w w w. blackberrydigitalcinema.com.

Lifestyle Eye candy - Page 9

Child’s play, all grown up Toys are worth a lot more than they get credit for, be it to a collector, an artist or a lover of history. Goh Su Xin, Edwin Loh and Cheryl Wee find out more

Building blocks and dress-up dolls

he beat his wife, Judy, and threw the baby down the stairs were popular beach entertainment in the summer. It was performed in the spirit of outrageous comedy, to shock the audience of those days. Enamel signs from the 1920s form a mosaic backdrop here and each has a story to tell. They represent tin factories—the pioneers of toy making. These tin factories produced sweets packed in boxes shaped as cars, boats or even handbags. These boxes were also toys for children. The bar’s signature drinks are named after Mr Punch and Judy. The cocktail, Mr Punch ($14), boasts a cheeky rum aroma coupled with the slightly syrupy taste of blue Curacao. Dashes of Gr a nd M a r n ie r a nd Dom Benedictine add a manly body to its flavour. The mocktail Judy ($8) embodies womanly curves with sweet lychee, vanilla, grenedine syrup and splashes of soda water. The bubbly drink complements the cocktail yet stands out as being fun, cheery and none too serious about itself. Surrounded by tokens from the past and the modern city skyline, this bar sits curiously between the old and new.

ACCESSORIZE: A pearl necklace completes her outfit.

UNBLINKING: A Blythe doll with lashes girls would kill for.

WITH an out-of-proportion head and over-large eyes shrouded by thick lashes, Blythe dolls were regarded too f r ightening for children in the early 1970s. The hordes of adult consumers queuing to buy them at this year’s Toy, Games and Comic Convention proved otherwise. T he a n nua l convent ion showcases a wide variety of toys from cuddly plush Uglydolls to

PHOTOS | GOH SU XIN

cult-fiction collectibles. One toy enthusiast says she has more than 100 Blythe Dolls, each cost i ng bet ween a few hundred and a few thousand dollars. According to a Blythe doll representative, the dolls’ appeal lies in the free rein owners have in personalising them. Even leading designers including Prada, Gucci, and Vivienne Westwood, have created tiny versions of their

outfits for Blythe to wear at the Annual Blythe Charity Fashion Show in Tokyo. Joining the crowds at the convention was Mr Amos Goh, Chairperson of the NTU Visual Arts Society: AnimeWorks. He is an avid collector of Transformers toys. He started his hobby eight years ago, when he bought a Generation 1 Transformer toy. One toy led to another, and his collection grew to 400. He proudly displays them in cabinets, careful not to expose them to damaging UV rays. Transformer toys appeal to the engineer in him. “It’s really amazing how people could design toys that almost seamlessly changes into various forms and make them playable in either form,” he says. Nowadays, he scours the Internet, specialit y toy stores and f lea markets to expand his collection.

Tea-party

PLATO’S DOLLROOM ALLEGORY: Dolls imprisoned in wire cages.

PHOTO | CHERYL WEE

DOLLS are often put in disconcerting situations. A plump headless doll in frilly clothing shops for a head in The Mall while a doll stuffed into a candy dispenser gorges himself on jellybeans in Sweetnothings: escapade into tinny-mac’s jellybean dispenser. Flying through a painted landscape or beaming at the viewer, Zhou Jixuan journeys through an imagined doll’s world, in her recent solo exhibit Teaparty. “Dolls to me are the forgotten miniature humans. I still believe in the hidden magic in toys,” says Zhou.

PHOTOS | TAN ZI JIE

OBSERV E how Mickey Mouse looked starkly different decades ago at the MINT Museum of Toys. The feeling of travelling back in time ends at the Mr Punch Rooftop Wine Bar. Mr Punch was a popular puppet character in the UK. Shows where

Her interest in dolls began a few years back, when she used them as subjects for still-life works. “I began to feel more and more compelled to merge my emotions and thoughts with them. It is easy to connect with dolls because they seem alive to me,” says Zhou. Z hou play s a r ou nd w it h complex concepts like Plato’s tale of the cave, where prisoners in a cave believe the illusion that there is no reality other than the shadows they see projected on the cave walls. Plato’s Dollroom Allegor y conveys an enigmatic image of imprisonment and liberation; bits of newspaper, fabric and wire are combined with oil painting here.

PUNCH: The violent character sits quiet.

Zhou challenges the viewers to consider the ironic contrast of the dolls painted perpetual smiles to their bleak lifeless conditions. Though not a collector of dolls, Zhou particularly likes antique porcelain ones. She keeps those that have been discarded or given to her. “It is my duty to bring the abandoned into life, and in turn they are obligated to sur vive through the human conditions that are translated in my paintings,” she says. View Zhou Jixuan’s works at http://www.fill-your-walls.com /gallery_personal_full.php?user_id=8

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foodsnoop

A taste of Myanmar

Hauntingly similiar to Thai, Chinese and Indian cuisine, Burmese cuisine draws on many inﬂuences. Lifestyle Editor Cheryl Wee takes a look at what makes it diﬀerent MEET a few of Myanmar’s neighbours: culinary giants India and China as well as Thailand with its fiery brand of spicy tom yum. Burmese cuisine on the other hand is less known. Some tourists even leave Myanmar without having sampled its food, because there are plenty of foreign restaurants in hotels. Burmese food draws from many influences. The Chinese introduced nood les, whi le com mon ingred ients f rom India such as chickpeas and curry leaves form an intrinsic par t of Burmese food. The Burmese also share their love of fermented shrimp with the Thais, often using it to replace salt in their food. And less is more, because Burmese Cuisine packs a punch with its piquancy and bold flavours. “Bu r mese food tastes

stronger than Singapore food. We like things spicy,” says Naw Sandar Win, a 27-year-old Burmese, who is a part-time first-year student of the school at Electrical and Electronic Engineering. Although basic ingredients of Burmese food can be bought easily from any supermarket, certain products can only be found at places like Peninsula Plaza. “We like the yellow beans that can be eaten with roti prata, rice and naan bread. Peninsula Plaza is one of the only places that sells it,” says Naw. Peninsula Plaza is to the Burmese what Lucky Plaza is to Filipinos, with its Burmese eateries as well as mini marts crammed wit h Bur mese products, from instant noodles to facial foam. The following features some of this country's specialities.

PENNYWORT DRINK ($3) Peninsula Plaza B1-07 Inle Myanmar PENNYWORT is a plant native to Myanmar. Juice is extracted from its leaves and stems; and served chilled with ice for a mildly sweet and refreshing drink, tasting strongly of parsley. The drink is also found in Thailand and Vietnam.

ARECA NUT WITH BETEL LEAF ($1 FOR FOUR) CHEWING betel is a habit widely practised in Myanmar as a mild stimulant. Betel chewers spit out a deep red juice, which stains their teeth. T he shopkeeper smear s hydrated lime on a betel leaf, places a few chunks of areca nut on it and wraps it into a neat bundle. The nut and leaf combination smells sweet, bitter and minty at the same time. Chewing produces an intense bitterness with hints of spearmint, along with a burning sensation on the tongue offset by an acrid taste of wood. This practice was brought over from India and is common in all rungs of society. Today, the older generations still offer this leaf and nut combination to guests. The habit is also common with young Burmese men, although it corrodes teeth. This combination of areca nut with betel leaf is widely available in front of Burmese mini-marts at Peninsula Plaza. PHOTOS | CHERYL WEE

SEMOLINA CAKE ($3) Peninsula Plaza B1-07 Inle Myanmar TOPPED with a fine sprinkling of sesame seeds and a few sultanas, this grey pudding is rich in coconut milk and chewy desiccated coconut. This cake is dense and starchy but not overly sweet, and in Myanmar, it is normally eaten on festive occasions or served to guests.

SHRIMP PASTE FRIED RICE (PART OF A SET WITH SIDE DISH, DRINK AND DESSERT) $7.50

GOURD FRITTER ($0.50) Peninsula Plaza #03-37/38/39 Yellow Goldenland Chinese Myanmar

Peninsula Plaza B1-07 Inle Myanmar

FRIED batter surrounds a mushy gourd fi lling, resulting in a savoury snack crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. There is a concentrated taste of bittergourd, while the fi lling is subdued and watery. Although bitter, the fritter is also pleasingly salty.

BASMATI rice is tossed with egg and a few pieces of seafood. The long grains are soft and fragrant, richly flavoured with ground shrimps, though its liberal use makes the dish almost too salty.

MOHINGA AND MYANMAR TEA $6.50 & $2.80 Peninsula Plaza B1-07 Inle Myanmar SLENDER rice noodles, like those used in laksa, but thinner and softer, float in a sour and pleasantly spicy broth which has an aftertaste of fish gravy. The dish is garnished with crunchy onions, hard chickpea fritters, boiled egg slices, supple fishcakes and a chunk of banana stem. A popular breakfast dish sold in street stores around Myanmar, it is also eaten as a snack throughout the day. The dish is somewhat similar to Penang Laksa, but with milder flavours. The sweet-smelling tea that the mohinga was served with had a faint spiciness like that of cardamom or cinnamon, brewed Indian-style with leaves imported from Myanmar and coupled with lots of condensed milk and sugar. Burmese prefer tea to coffee and consider it the national drink.

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

travelogue

faces in transit

Not the places, but the people. Tan Zi Jie ventures into neighbouring regions around Singapore to find that, after a blur of destinations, the charm of its inhabitants shine through GENERALLY I do not strike up conversations with people I meet on the backpacker trail. My high exposure to tourist traps has alternately warmed and cooled my heart towards people. I have met so many aggressive touts, lying tuk-tuk or taxi drivers and flirtatious pedestrians. It is a wonder I can still recall the few interesting characters. Some still bring a smile to my face as I remember strange encounters when I budget-hopped around the region. The aloof yet comical Teochew opera performers, the bemused gentleman who loaned me his laptop, and the excitable shoe salesgirl, to name a few. It is amazing what happens if you take the time to talk to people, and find out a little more about them. My summer travel experiences began in the city of Kuching, with a two-week backpacking adventure through Sarawak and Sabah. There, I stayed in a beautifully decorated guesthouse. One n ig ht , fol low i ng my ears, I discovered a traditional Teochew opera house just behind the guesthouse. In Singapore, I would have passed by—but with time to spare, it made sense to stop and make my f irst connection with the unexpected. The middle-aged performers sung off-key at times and often missed lines. They even forgot they were on stage and scratched an itch openly, much to my amusement. I also did not understand

Te o c h e w a n d c o u l d b a r e l y comprehend the plot. Still, there was something about it that I enjoyed so much and I returned for the next two nights. I got a chance to tour the backstage of the opera house on the last night, and was duly dazzled by the elaborate sequinned costumes. As I left Kuching and ventured deep into Sarawak’s rainforest, my red NTU Inter-School Games 2009 t-shirt became a conversation starter. On a gruelling trail at Bako National Park, I met two hikers who asked for directions. One of them scrutinised my sweat y t-sh i r t. “You’re f rom NTU?” Later, I found out he was a NIE student studying Physical Education and Geography—small world. A nd what i s a n over sea s adventure without meeting a good Samaritan? I met ju st t he r ig ht k i nd soul while stranded in Kuching International Airport because I had missed my flight. Shor ing up my courage, I approached a solitary man using his laptop in Starbucks. Closely-shaved, bespectacled and soft-spoken, he was flying to Johor for holiday but his flight had been delayed. He allowed me to use his laptop to make alternative transport arrangements. Also, he advised me on bus routes and timings. He seemed to find me amusing, chuck ling occasionally as he

NO SMILES BACK STAGE: Beneath the glamourous costumes, they were a grumpy bunch.

LECTURE IN PROGRESS: A retired anthropology professor launches into a spontaneous talk on a sleepy morning in Kota Kinabalu, explaining the movement of Borneo tribes over time. PHOTOS | TAN ZI JIE

observed my frantic exchanges with my companions. I spent the rest of the memorable night squatting at the airport, restlessly waiting for the next flight—but thanks to him, at least I had a way out. The flight finally brought me to Kota Kinabalu in Sabah. There, I didn’t conquer the mountain but sought out a beach and river instead.

“Ironically, in the land of smiles, Thailand's Bangkok, I did not receive many. Not that I am complaining. The only smile I remember was quite brilliant.” W hile white-water rafting on the gentle Kiulu River, our river guide told us about the buffalo-bride exchange rate for his tribe. Nine buffalos for a girl’s hand in marriage, he claimed, assuming the girl’s father liked you. T he ne x t mor n i n g , ov e r breakfast at a home stay, I smiled at a slightly stooped and skinny elderly man over his coffee (he brewed it with a personal powder and sieve). I n r e t u r n , I r e c e i ve d a n impromptu and passionate halfhour lecture on the fascinating mix of languages and ethnic bac k g r ou nd s of t he Bor ne o people. Turns out he was a retired Australian anthropology professor. I nodded and asked the occasional question.

He even used a wall map of Borneo to enthusiastically illustrate the movement of tribes over time. On another trip, this time with my family, we booked a taxi for a half-day tour of Penang. T h r oug hout t he jou r ne y, the driver provided a running commentary on various cultural, political and economical affairs concerning Penang. I marvelled at the way dates and names rolled off the back of his tongue as he languidly handled the wheel and pointed at buildings. He brought us to have durians fresh from the plantation. Then, he took us through the massive Kek Lok Si, the biggest Chinese temple in Southeast Asia. At the end of the drive, he revealed that he used to be a tour guide—no wonder. Ironically, in the land of smiles, Thailand’s Bangkok, I did not receive many. Not that I am complaining. The only smile I remember was quite brilliant. She was a young salesgirl in

Siam Square, one of the many shopping centres in Bangkok’s bustling Pratunam district. We were shopping for shoes, and my friend innocently asked for a discount. In response, the petite teenage sales girl let loose a squeal. With her big eyes lit up, she grabbed my friend’s arm and protested gently, all the while flashing a megawatt smile. I was quite amused at the big reaction to a presumably common question. She continued smiling and laughing. And I found myself joining her, although I did not know why. Friendly as she was, she would not budge on the discount and kept shaking her head while smiling. Ultimately, being on vacation allows me to have the time, freedom and correct state of mind to open my eyes.I learnt to relax by stowing my phone and my tourist badge of honour—the camera—away. To look kindly at total strangers, exchange a few nods and smiles. And at the same time, appreciate and learn more about other people's unique traits.

THE KING OF FRUIT: Durians fresh off a plantation located on the winding hills of Penang, recommended by a friendly taxi driver cum tour guide.

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SWEET

TREATS FOR THE EYE

macaron burger Canelé Pâtisserie Chocolaterie 1 Scotts Road #01-01A Shaw Centre Tel: 6738 9020

H E A R T Y j u n k fo o d t u r ne d elegantly sweet, the faux burger buns of the Macaron Burger ($9.50) are two macaroon shells while a thick slab of nutty chocolate

masquerades as the meat patty. A raspberry brandy-soaked finger sponge does double duty as a thick cut of tomato, and a cut of ‘cheese’—apricot jelly—completes the quirky copy. Dig into all the layers at once—the crisp shells complement t he sweet, par tmousse chocolate nicely, with the apricot jelly injecting a tart tangy contrast. T here was no h i nt of t he raspberr y brandy, though. For ta keaways, t he confection is packed in a pink-black paper box, resting on rounded gold foil.

Forget the run-of-the-mill cake on a plate. A dessert can get splendidly eye-popping. Lifestyle Editor Kezia Toh finds if the sweet treats taste as good as they look THE eye eats first, as an old saying goes. Eateries are following suit, serving up visually stunning desserts. First impressions count, says Crystal Jade spokesperson Stella To. Canele Patisserie Chocolater ie sa les and marketing executive Usha Raman agrees, adding that the

presentation creates a lasting impression. But what lies beneath the fancy layers is still important. “Food is still food. After the customers have demolished the str ucture on the plate and finished eating, it is the f lavour—or lack of it—they will remember,” writes Wayne Gisslen in his book Professional Baking.

signatures test tube juice tung lok signatures Vivo City 1 Harbourfront Walk #01-57 Tel: 6376 9555

MORE commonly found in science laborator ies t han an upsca le Chinese restaurant, the test tube pr esentat ion d r ew i nt r ig ued stares from other diners. The murk y green concoction is a blend of caixin (Chinese flowering cabbage), lemon and pineapple. Doled out in a large test tube and wedged in a big glass of crushed ice, the juice had the tart sweetness of pineapple, contrasting with the sour traces of lemon and tangy pulpy blend bits, settling with a refreshing aftertaste. After a meal, a tube of juice prepares the palate for sweet desserts, says Tung Lok marketing manager Rae Ng. But for a drink gone in just one gulp, the concoction is rather pricey at $3 a pop.

TOFU CHEESECAKE SUN WITH MOON JAPANESE DINING & CAFE

CHILLED MANGO, POMELO, SAGO ICECREAM SERVED IN YOUNG COCONUT TUNG LOK SIGNATURES Vivo City 1 Harbourfront Walk #01-57 Tel: 6376 9555

A S M A L L c o c o n u t h u s k— a departure from the regular serving in a bowl—holds a dollop of ice

"yin-yang" almond & sesame paste crystal jade hong kong cafe 1 Liang Seah Street #01-12 Tel: 63380198

DU BBE D “hei-ba i” ( blac k a nd wh ite i n Ma nda r i n ) for obv ious reasons, t he desser t i s a ha r mon iou s ba la nce of

Wheelock Place #03-15/16/17 Tel: 6733 6636

cream on chilled mango cubes, topped with bits of pomelo pulp. Fragrant coconut and sweet mango cubes go down well with bits of pomelo mixed in morsels of crushed ice. Fancy presentation aside—the husk was coated with tasty bits of succulent coconut flesh, enhancing the taste of the dessert ($8). And the visual feast proves to be a draw. Some diners at the restaurant request for the desser t, af ter seeing it presented at the other tables, reveals Tung Lok marketing manager Rae Ng. half-almond, half-sesame paste, fash ioned i nto t he y in-yang sign. Inter-spliced with the thick consistenc y of sweet sesame paste, the almond cream was a f inely-ground, silkily smooth blend, with its fragrant nuttiness coming through nicely. Served lukewarm in a small bowl, the “Yin-Yang” almond and sesame paste was an affordable $2.80. A lmost too prett y to mix, though doing just that yields

PHOTOS | CHERYL WEE & ZOE LIM

spoonfuls of wispy black swirls of sesame paste, on white tendrils of almond cream. The effect is rather like a Chinese brush painting. It is prepared by pouring one paste after the other. Thereafter, it is adjusted to the yin-yang sign with the help of a spoon, says Cr ystal Jade spokesperson Stella To. Symbolising good balance and a perfect match, it is a draw for customers trying the dessert for the first time, she adds.

A PETITE birdcage has no bird inside it, but rather, a small slab of tofu cheesecake ($5.50). Framed by the simple wooden bars, the quirkily out-of-place piece came garnished with a dash of blueberry purée and a sprig of mint. The velvety smooth cheesecake was delightfully silky and the chunk of biscuit crumble at the bottom lent a slight sweetness, a nice tangent to the sour tang from the cheese. Takeaways dispense with the birdcage set-up, though.

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review

“I don’t

BOOKS Julie & Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously

Julie Powell $17.10, available at Books Kinokuniya Published by Penguin

JULIE & Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously, was the ironic result of Julie Powell's debilitating ennui towards her life. The snazzy title belies the inertia that categorised Powell's thankless desk job and cheerless nest —the result of a static marriage. An attempt to recapture the zest for life that was once a familiar companion saw Powell embark on a year devoted to experimenting with every recipe in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume I. Her experiences were religiously updated on a blog that would eventually serve as the inspiration for this book, with some passages quoted verbatim from the blog. The blog catapulted Powell to instant internet celebrity, and her readers would become a source of fortitude as she penned Julie and Julia. The premise hints at that of Bridget Jones' Diary, but for the most part, Powell is able to carve her own niche. While the book talks about the recipes attempted, it is by no means a technical approach to cooking. Rather, it throws up a myriad of angles that alternately entice and confuse the reader. Powell intersperses tales from her kitchen with anecdotes about her marriage, misadventures from her workplace, and an exploration of Julia Child's mastery of the craft. Flirting and skirting all these issues is part of the beguiling charm of Powell's tale, but one gets the feeling she is juggling more than she can handle and at times, sacrificing depth for superficiality. Within the book, Powell deals with the long standing paradox of having to juggle between good food and good health. Being traditionally French, Child's recipes often call for copious amounts of butter, resulting in Powell's husband being sent on late night butter runs. The self-deprecating humor makes this protagonist raw and relatable. Descriptions of her daily life, while less than stellar and sprinkled with the occasional hangover, breathe life into Powell's honest depiction of a thirty-something frazzled homemaker. At times, her description of her kitchen and its state of disrepair might lead readers to wonder exactly how hygenic her cooking is. An incident which really stands out involves the discovery of a maggot beneath a dishwashing tray. Her diatr ibe may, at times come across whiny, but has no pretensions of grandeur. The language is generally kept straightforward, and with Powell's penchant for calling a spade a spade, Julie and Julia makes for an easy read on a lazy, sunny afternoon.

hear it as a finished product in my head. I kind of feel a direction, and I feel an emotion I want to get to.” Imogen Heap, in an interview with The Daily Telegraph

Imogen Heap (Alternative)

¯¯¯¯¯ Together with Guy Sigsworth, Heap formed the collaborative musical duo Frou Frou.

ELLIPSE demonstrates Imogen Heap's efforts to reinvent her music, with jaunty electronic beats underscoring many tracks. Heap's voice weaves through the album, leading to grandiose vocal flourish in the atmospheric and uplifting First Train Home. Heap darts and dashes between issues like self-esteem, finding oneself, and the universal pain of love and loss. Wait It Out is a poignant piece that debunks the cliche of time healing all wounds. Heap aptly questions, “What of the wretched hallow/The endless in-between?” The track speaks volumes of the seemingly insurmountable future that looms, after a break-up. Her themes will resonate with audiences, even those not accustomed to her eccentric style. Yet the smorgasbord of quirky sounds does not detract from Heap's singing ability that is evident in the quiet tracks like Half Life that will delight every listener tired of mass manufactured pop music. -Clara Lock

Breakthrough Colbie Caillat (Folk-Pop/Acoustic)

¯¯¯¯¯ To prepare for this album, Colbie Caillat held a "writing camp" with her collaborators in Hawaii last year.

AFTER releasing hits such as Bubbly and Lucky (with Jason Mraz), Colbie Caillat is back with her second album Breakthrough. Her smooth vocals are accentuated by harmonic musical arrangements in the guitar-driven tracks. This shows how much she has grown musically since she debuted on MySpace at the age of 19. From the emotional Fearless to the sweet and relatable Fallin’ For You, Caillat sings about the pain that heartbreak brings and also the insecurities one experiences when attempting to start a new relationship. The upbeat Rainbow speaks about the search for “the special one” and how we should never give up on love. Breakthrough also contains the radio hit Lucky and other tracks that are equally catchy with meaningful messages. Yet Caillat’s greatest strength is also her Achilles’ heel. While her signature style of music is what sets her apart, it also casts her in a mould, making the entire album sound like one long song. While her talent cannot be denied, Caillat certainly has much to improve should she want to match the success of one time collaborator, Mraz. -Regina Koh

Arctic Monkeys (Alternative rock)

¯¯¯¯¯

Factbox

Ellipse

Humbug

-Clara Lock

1 2

MUSIC

Arctic Monkeys is heralded as one of the very first bands to come to public attention via the Internet.

Julia Child was actually 6ft 2in (1.88m) tall. To play her in the movie adaptation, Meryl Streep had to wear four-inch heels.

DESPITE critics' attempts to pigeonhole Arctic Monkeys, the band has defied all expectations to come up with an album that is unlike any other. Most of the songs in their latest offering sound more mature and seem to take on a much darker and cinematic vibe as compared to their previous works. The musical progression in Humbug is significant and fans expecting the usual fare from the young English band will be sorely disappointed. However, the use of a variety of instruments, such as castanets and organs, makes for a rather interesting listen and the album certainly grows on you. Humbug is more than just another album for the band; it is also proof of their conscious decision to reinvent themselves as musicians. Most importantly, it displays their growing confidence in experimenting with different genres of music, proving that the band has the musical ability to transcend genres.

As a result of the movie, book sales for Julia Child's Mastering The Art of French Cooking reached an all time high. The book will make its debut at No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list of Aug. 30 in the advice and how-to category. The Julie & Julia movie opens islandwide on 15th October.

Pick up the next issue of The Nanyang Chronicle to find out how you can win a pair of movie tickets to Julie & Julia. PHOTO | COURTESY

-Audrey Lim

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FILMS Year One Comedy (NC-16)

The Proposal Comedy (PG)

NNNNN

Jack Black, Michael Cera 96min

THOUGH it has been trumpeted as this generation’s Life of Brian, Monty Python aficionados would probably be better off sticking with the original. Ye a r O n e f o l l o w s t h e misadventures of Zed (Jack Black) and Oh (Michael Cera), two hapless hunter-gatherers. After Zed eats the Forbidden Fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, the pair is banished from their primordial village into the great unknown. In their quest to discover Zed’s Greater Destiny, the two run into a hodgepodge of Biblical characters, including Cain and Abel, Abraham and the King of Sodom. In a ridiculous turn of events, they end up having to save their village and their love interests from becoming sacrifices. While Monty Python’s Life of Brian was a quirky satire of the life of Jesus, Year One misses out on much of the rich comedic possibilities. In fact, the most

ridiculously amusing part of the film is how Black and Cera return to playing roles they have been stereotyped in and the finesse with which they play it. The humour in this film is, for the most part, obvious and vulgar. Think American jokes transposed

into a pseudo-Biblical time - the effect is just too contrived. As the film was produced by Judd Apatow, fans of his previous films such as Superbad and Forgetting Sarah Marshall might find appeal in this as a lesser cousin. While there are some genuinely funny moments, on the whole these are interspersed between long stretches of random and improbable situations. If slapstick, coarse humour i s n o t u p y o u r a l l e y, y o u might like to give this a miss.

-Cassandra Yeap

NNNNN

Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Malin Akerman 108min

ALTHOUGH absolutely predictable and cont r ived, T he Proposal nonetheless provides the right amount of laughter and makes people wish they were in love, even if their partner is a tyrant in disguise. T he t y rant in quest ion is Margaret (Sandra Bullock), a highflying executive editor-in-chief at Colden Books, with Andrew (Ryan Reynolds) as her nifty assistant. When she realises that she will be stripped of her duty and deported back to Canada due to immigration issues, Andrew becomes her saving grace in the form of a ready-made husband. He agrees with conditions in tow, for fear of being caught for fraud should immigration officer Mr Gilbertson (Denis O’Hare) find out. Redemption of the weak plot comes in the form of chemistry between the two leads and a wacky jack-of-all trades character, who is a waiter, male stripper, store clerk and minister all at once in the film. It is also amusing to see how Bullock and Reynolds are constantly caught up in heavy crossfire, hurling insults at each

other. The funniest scene would have to be the part where they k nock into each other naked and both have looks of disgust plastered on their faces. Although the film falls short of w i n n i ng over one’s hea r t completely, it is still worth the watch thanks to inter mittent laughter and constant sparks between Reynolds and Bullock.

-Trixie Yap

PHOTO | COURTESY

Interview | Keane Press Conference A HOT 40°C summer night in Osaka was all it took for Keane to seriously consider wearing Speedo swimming trunks to perform during their Perfect Symmetry concert in tropical Singapore. “That was our hottest concert ever," said lead vocalist Tom Chaplin, “and we thought it would be the same here." Despite hav ing ar r ived in Singapore only the night before, the band looked well-rested and was excited to share its music. They made headlines in April this year when they were the first musicians to have a live 3D webcast from the legendary Abbey Road Studios, where The Beatles and other music luminaries recorded most of their albums. Said drummer Richard Hughes, “Being in the studio where legends

have played is simply an amazing experience knowing that everything in there is still the same as it was in the 1960s.” While Keane has always been known as a piano driven band, guitars were used for the first time in Perfect Symmetry. Chaplin attributes this to them evolving musically and cited The Beatles as an example, whose records vary widely. Given their phenomenal success, the group is remarkably down-toearth. Pianist Tim Rice-Oxley credited their success to the support of fans around the world. “Without them, we would still be at our mundane nine to five jobs, and not be able to see all these amazing places that we’re seeing now,” he quipped.

-Elizabeth Law

PHOTO | EUNICE CHAN

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

tech ﬂash

tech review

THE GOOGLE CHROME MELISSA LIN LAST September, Google joined the family of web browsers in the form of Chrome, describing itself as a browser that makes web surfi ng “faster, safer and easier”. In August this year, this young browser has become the fourth most widely used. Here’s a look at how Chrome will impress when you log in to Facebook, post a tweet or simply check your NTU webmail. MINIMALIST INTERFACE. The layout of Chrome is simple and well-organised. There is no title bar. In place is a row of tabs running along the top. There is a web address bar (that Google calls an Omnibar) and a bookmarks bar beneath it. All controls are contained within the two icons to the right of the address bar, reducing clutter. The page icon can be used to create application-like shortcuts from your desktop to a website as well as perform the usual functions of cut, copy, paste, etc. The wrench icon can be used for history, downloads, and other browser options. Chrome also has an integrated find-on-page feature, which appears near the top right corner.

DYNAMIC HOMEPAGE. A s you u se C h rome, t he programme remembers the sites which are visited most often. The default homepage displays thumbnail images of nine of these sites, recent bookmarks and a search field for searching your page history. Of course, you can change the homepage and default search engine.

THE INCOGNITO MODE: What happens in this tab stays in this tab. PHOTOS | COURTESY

FLEXIBLE TABS. All tabs in Chrome remain visible and just get smaller as more tabs are opened. When a new tab is opened from within a website, it is grouped together

with the parent tab instead of being pushed to the end. The best feature of them all is tab isolation. Each tab runs independently in the browser. Should a web page crash, it will only affect that tab, and not the whole programme. This also prevents malware from installing itself on your computer, and disallows any tabs from overriding others. Once you close a tab, any process in it is completely terminated. INCOGNITO MODE. Chrome’s innovative incognito mode allows you to browse in private, meaning that you can visit sites and even download files without affecting your history folder. Additionally, cookies and passwords are deleted after you close the incognito window. Also known as “porn mode” (for obvious reasons), Chrome’s incognito window is isolated from the rest of your browsing experience. So, you can open a private window alongside the regular windows simultaneously. Particularly useful if you have two email accounts. For example, with Gmail, you can log into both accounts at the same time using a private window and a regular window.

SIMPLER SEARCHING. One of Chrome’s signature features is the Omnibar, an integrated all-purpose bar at the top of the browser. It functions as an address bar and a search engine, depending on whether you type in a URL or a search term. It can also search within your browsing histor y and bookmarks. The drag and drop option is also available and can be used to pull anything into the Omnibar as a search term. The Omnibar saves you the time of having to go into a site, and use their search engine. For example, if you have visited eBay before, Chrome remembers it. So the next time you want to browse eBay, all you have to do is type “eBay”, press tab, and then the name of the item you are searching for. Chrome will bring you directly to the eBay search results page. Google Chrome is currently unavailable for Mac OS X. However, CrossOver Chromium is an unstable port of Google Chrome to the Mac and Linux, and is available for download from CodeWeavers, free of charge. Unfortunately, it has plenty of bugs.

GAMED FOR CYBER WELLNESS

TRIXIE YAP

DUE to the increasing concern about Internet and gaming addiction, the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Cyber Games Society is ta k ing an init iat ive to raise awareness about Cyber Wellness to fellow NTU gamers. The NTU Cyber Games Society is planning to introduce Peer Monitoring and at least two Cyber Wellness Weeks which will be held in the coming academic year. These initiatives tie in with the club’s aims of “promoting cyber wellness to the whole of NTU, students and staff included,” said Ho Pin Yan, 24, President of NTU Cyber Games Society. Peer Monitoring is the use of peer influence or peer pressure to monitor and control each other’s gaming habits. According to Ho, peer influence is very important and powerful. When one tells his group of friends to break for the day, chances are they will. “I will stop when they stop. I won’t play it when there are no players in the game,” agrees Koh Shi Jin, a second-year student from Nanyang Business School. A lso, the upcoming Cyber Wellness Week aims to educate

FATAL ATTRACTION: Internet and gaming addiction is detrimental to mental health. PHOTO | COURTESY

all gamers in NTU the importance of safe gaming. During that week, talks and exhibitions on internet security and safe gaming will be held by computer experts for students and staff. But the question is whether or not the event will attract NTU students. “I definitely won’t plan on attending as such information can be read over the net,” said Ng Xiao Xuan, a second-year student from WKWSCI. The idea is a good initiative but attendance will depend on students’ interest, she observed.

Students can also consider approaching the club’s members for help on addiction. Although the society has not been approached yet, Ho says that they will do whatever they can in their capacity to help students. They are ironing out details with various help groups should such students require their help. The society, set up two years ago, has been organising events like the NTU Cyberathletic Open and the Inter-School Recreational Games. “Our society’s aim is to promote

a strong gaming culture in NTU. We serve as a place for gamers to get together and game together – face to face,” says Ho. Gaming nights at a Local Area Network (LAN) shop are organised fortnightly for the members to interact. In September, however, the society’s game room on campus will be ready to house these sessions on a frequent basis. The task of promoting safe gaming practices on a large scale may seem daunting for a small society like this, but Ho is confident of achieving the mission he has set for the club. SYMPTOMS OF COMPUTER GAME ADDICTION 1. Spend i ng most of nonschooling hours on computer games. 2. Not keeping up with school work. 3. Lying about time spent on computer. 4. Choosing to play computer games over meeting friends. 5. Dropping out of social groups such as sports to play computer games. 6. Easily irritable when not gaming.

APPLE SHIPS THE MAC OS X Snow Leopard, going on sale at Apple’s retail stores and Apple A u t h o r i z e d R e s e ll e r s . S n o w Leopard will also be available as an upgrade for Mac OS X Leopard users. NOKIA OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCES the Nokia Booklet 3G, the company’s first device running o n t h e up c o min g Mic ro s of t Windows 7 platform and powered by the Intel Atom processor. NOKIA UNLEASHES THE 5230, the latest addition to their touch phone portfolio, designed for those who use their mobile phone as their primary instrument for music, photos and videos, as well as sharing their lives online. THE NEW PASSION EZ-LINK card launched by People’s A s sociation, E Z-Link and QB, is the f irst membership card in Singapore with Contactless e-Purse Applications ( CEPA S) function. CREATIVE INTRODUCES THE InspireTM S2 Speaker system, a high performance speaker system with palm-sized satellite speakers which will complement notebooks, MP3 players or desktops. SONY ANNOUNCES NEW LINE of Walkman Video MP3 players; the S Series with built -in speakers and the E-Series, both sporting similar stylish, compact designs. THE NEW CONTACT CHOOSER feature in Gmail, accessible by click on the “To” link when you compose a message, opens a new window that allows you to look through and search for email addresses within your address book. LOGITECH’S NEW HIGH-END de sk top Per formanc e Mous e MX and the portable Anywhere M o u s e M X , c an b e u s e d o n virtually any surface, including glass, thanks to the company’s new Darkfield Laser Tracking. RAZER REVEALS NAGA MOUSE with 17 buttons, its first MMO gaming mous e, and a hy brid gaming surface that combines all the best features of a hard and soft mouse mat into one. STRONTIUM LAUNCHES HIGH density DDR 3 and DDR2 RAMs for desktops and laptops, with higher capacit y, lower energy consumption and better heat dissipation. GIGABY TE TECHNOLOGY launches their full range of 785G series motherboards, featuring industry leading 2oz copper PCB design and delivering Direct X 10.1 and UVD 2.0 support. GAL A X Y MICROSYSTEMS introduces its latest high-end GeF orce GT X 295 O ver-Clock Edition graphics card.

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

Tou fu kim chi soup

ie m a k tie A n n

Au n

e s w afﬂ

C a nte e n 14's M r C h e n fr ie s our favo u r ite c h ic ke n c h ops

Manna chef cooking a much craved BBQ chicken set

Mrs Chen ﬁnds greatest joy in serving students

Auntie Annie of Canteen 2 has been selling ice cream wafﬂes for 5 years

TRADE SECRETS

OF YOUR BEST-LOVED HALL CANTEENS CANTEEN 2 WAFFLE STALL

CANTEEN 14 LOUSIANA WESTERN FOOD

CANTEEN 13 MANNA KOREAN RESTAURANT

Annie, who works at Canteen 2 Waffle Store, tells us that a lot of "Ang Mohs" (Caucasians) like to eat her waffles.

The counter of Canteen 14 Lousiana Western Food Stall is constantly ringing during lunch hour.

Throngs of students are seen queueing up for Manna Restaurant Korean cuisine at Canteen 13.

Mr and Mrs Chen, the owners of the stall, have been in this business for over five years.

Interestingly, none of the chefs working there is Korean. They learnt the recipes from their Korean boss at the main restaurant, three years prior to the opening of the NTU outlet.

"Sometimes, they can eat up to three waffles a day!" she adds chirpily. Annie claims that no special techniques are needed to whip up fresh crispy waffles. She simply followed her boss' recipe faithfully ever since they were invited to sell waffles at Canteen 2 five years ago. TEXT & PHOTOS ¦ ZOE LIM & EUNICE CHAN BACKGROUND ¦ COURTESY

When asked if they have any winning recipe, Mrs Chen laughed and shook her head. "The most important thing," she explained in Mandarin, "is making the students here happy and full after eating our food."

The chief chef explained that they marinate the meat with their home-made sauce and store it in the freezer overnight to make the it more tender.

show dapper: your essential style guide On him: Green striped shirt, $99, Victoria JoMo; Khaki pants, $129, Know It Nothing

On her: Floral blouse, $129.90; Bangles, $16.90, both from Victoria JoMo

A simpler world Only in clarity can we see the beauty in things.

Styling: Audrey Tsen & Carina Koh Photography: Foo Chee Chang (chang-photography.com) Photography assistants: Ahmad Iskandar, Lim Wei Li Hair and makeup: Lee Ruiqi Models: Sng Cheng Wei, Lim Xiangyun, Owen Lu

Au g us t 31, 20 0 9

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

Stockists

On her: Floral chiffon top, $89, Potpourri On him: White sleeveless top, $38; Grey long overcoat, $89.90, both from Victoria JoMo

Victoria JoMo 9 Haji Lane Know It Nothing 51 Haji Lane Potpourri #B1-03/03A Plaza Singapura

Denim shirt, $119; Khaki pants, $129, both from Know It Nothing; White PAA flat shoes, $99.90, Victoria JoMo Floral dress, $179.90, Victoria JoMo

Black cardigan, $179, Know It Nothing

Yellow checked skirt, $199.90; Black flora bangle, $18.90, both from Victoria JoMo

陈伟联——从舞台重返街头 —— 刊21页

新闻正当中国跻身成为世界强国之一，更多南大生开始对中国改观，选择到那里浸濡。

到中国浸濡或成为新潮流

黄康玮●报道

一

趟山东之旅，让南大文学院经济系二年级生邓舒鲛对具有5000年文化历史的中国改观。邓舒鲛（21岁）说：“通过这个旅程，我觉得其实新加坡与中国在许多方面上十分相似，所以要适应当地的环境并不困难。” 邓舒鲛是在今年参加了由全球教育计划（GIP）首次与中国“国家对外汉语教学领导小组”（简称“汉办”）合作举办的全球教育计划前奏（GIP Prelude）。 30名学生在7月下旬前往中国山东，在当地的费用全由中国汉办赞助。邓舒鲛回忆旅程时说，在山东的最后一晚时，她和一群好友到了当地的夜间娱乐场所，发现里头播放的音乐都是相当流行的英语歌曲。过去认为山东是个较落后地区的她，经过两周的旅程赫然发现，中国地区的发展已超出她所预料的。申请到中国浸濡人数逐年上升本地大学数年前已开始让学生到中国大学浸濡，参与交流或工读计划。南大国际关系处（International Relations Office）

处长林博贤回答询问时说，想在大学时代累积“中国经验” 的学生正在逐年增长。林博贤表示，他们今年共收到超过1600份申请，同去年比较多出了将近四成，而中国是十大最受学生欢迎的国家之一。据了解，每年有超过300名南大生前往中国参与交流计划。除了全球教育计划之外，学生也可通过国际学生交流计划（INSTEP）以及全球暑期学习计划（GSS）申请前往中国浸濡，体验当地的文化。邓舒鲛说，在山东大学上课不仅能与其他学生互动，所有学生也参观了孔子的故乡曲阜

山东的交流计划，除了让邓舒鲛（前第二排右一）对中国有所改观，也让她在短暂的两周内结交不少知己。照片|受访者提供市，以及攀爬泰山。虽然邓舒鲛自认华语程度偏低，但这却没阻止她申请独自到中国进行交流。回顾当时的决定，邓舒鲛并不后悔。她说：“我喜欢冒险，而当时我相信这将是个充满乐趣的旅程。”

“我喜欢冒险，而当时我相信这将是个充满乐趣的旅程。” 邓舒鲛经济系二年级

我国顺中国崛起之势鼓励学生赴神州留学中国迅速崛起的趋势，其重要性也让我国政府无法忽视。公共服务委员会今年便首度颁发中国奖学金，而预计在后年开课的第四所本地大学也将与美国麻省理工学院和一间合适的中国顶尖大学合作。这些计划都加强了我国总理李显龙在今年公共服务委员会奖学金颁发仪式致词时强调

的：“中国在亚洲和全世界都已经成为重要的角色”。体验中国民众富有爱心的一面黄金辉传播与信息学院四年级生李丽敏（22岁）于今年初赴北京参加全球教育计划，在北京人民广播电台外语广播实习，并于清华大学进行为期13周的“当代中国研修课程”。据了解，南大全球教育计划自2005年创办以来，就不断与其他大学和顶尖机构合作。创办初期，南大仅同清华大学和上海交通大学合作，而实习计划的合作伙伴就包括北京、上海、苏州以及天津。往后，学生也可选择到重庆及成都实习。李丽敏说，由于考虑到中国在国际政治和经济上的角色越来越重要，所以想多了解中国，而这或许有助于日后的事业发展。在半年的实习计划中，李丽敏主要负责为电台进行采访、编辑及翻译等工作。有一回，她采访了一场专为一名患有急性白血病的儿童筹款的公益画展。李丽敏发现，画展发起人虽

与病童素昧平生，却仍不遗余力地提供帮助，让李丽敏感受到当地社会富有人性与爱心的一面。这则报道后来在外语广播第二季度评优中获得了二等奖，让她喜出望外。

“其实我并不介意到中国交流，因为自己也想亲眼目睹这国家迅速发展的过程。” 陈紫筠商学系三年级

到不到中国浸濡学生各有考量商学系三年级生陈紫筠（21 岁）于今年初申请参与国际学生交流计划时，打算前往中国交流。然而，她在本地选修的课程与中国大学所提供的，在搭配上选择较少，因此打消了念头，改而赴荷兰阿姆斯特丹交流。她说：“其实我并不介意到中国交流，因为自己也想

亲眼目睹这国家迅速发展的过程。” 虽然陈婉玲（21岁）略有同感，但是商学系三年级的她觉得，由于新加坡和中国都是亚洲国家，所以在某些方面难免有些相似，认为自己应该尝试到一个与本地截然不同的地方交流。因此，陈婉玲在今年初申请参与国际学生交流计划时，并没将中国大学列入选项中，反而前往奥地利首都维也纳交流。然而，有意在下学期参与国际学生交流计划的廖贤音（19 岁），在选择学院项目上清一色都是中国的大学。这名黄金辉传播与信息学院二年级生说，她在初院时期曾赴北京参与交流计划，对中国情有独钟，因此想再度体验那里的生活气息。廖贤音也认为，虽然中国人的普通话与本地华语相似，但两国依然存在各自的语言特色。她认为两地的口音差异不会造成语言隔阂。廖贤音说：“学习当地的语言正是交流计划的宗旨之一。况且，互动也并不只是言语上的沟通，肢体语言及表情，也会让我们进一步感觉到当地人的诚意。”

南大将于年底开放让异族学生到中国浸濡随着刚结束的山东交流计划获得学生热烈的反应，该计划已正在筹备于来临12月前往苏州和北京进行交流。值得一体的是，前往苏州的计划将会以英语作为教学媒介，所以他们希望能获得异族同胞的踊跃参与。据悉，国际学生交流计划在下学期将有13所中国与香港的大学供学生选择，其中包括北京大学、复旦大学、武汉大学以及香港大学。林博贤表示，现在共有54个中国学府的名额供学生申请，而国际关系处有意与更多学府合作，将交流计划扩展至其他城市如重庆、成都与西安。

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《飞乐时空》词曲创作比赛——大决赛

一人独揽4大奖项陈婧●报道

用

心反映真实，用歌曲唱出自己，电台高级宣传主任蓝慧珊（26岁）以3首风格迥异的歌曲狂扫这一届《飞乐时空》的4大奖项，成为比赛当晚的大赢家。蓝慧珊说：“每首歌都有不同的我在里面；一个比较俏皮，一个比较有梦想，一个比较浪漫。” 蓝慧珊在2006年和2007年打入《飞乐时空》大决赛，这次更以洋溢异国情调的《吴哥窟的你》和讲述音乐人心声的《音乐盒里的梦想》荣获“原创歌曲”冠军和“最佳填词” 两项大奖。由她一手包办词曲的《骷髅头在对我笑》讲述一名男生网恋却遇到女鬼，题材新鲜，赢得网友和现场观众的青睐，当选“网络票选人气王”和“最受欢迎歌曲”。

在评审眼中，蓝慧珊的创作风格多样化，颇具大将之风，而她自己则认为，不同风格的歌曲能反映出不同的自己。对她来说，创作最重要的是“用心地反映真实”，将自己的情感以创意的方式表达出来。

“每首歌都有不同的我在里面；一个比较俏皮，一个比较有梦想，一个比较浪漫。” 蓝慧珊《飞跃时空》决赛者

比赛的夺冠热门组合 Josey&MC黑的主唱兼作词人小黑（19岁，国民服役人员）虽然是马来同胞，华语却很流利，不仅会唱中文歌曲，就连

歌词也由他一手包办。与主持人林佩芬以华语进行访问时，小黑对答如流，甚至不时冒出几句成语，让林佩芬直呼他一定是华人，说自己 “上当了”。据了解，小黑的父亲是巫族同胞，母亲则是华族。在当年的‘O’水准华文考试中，小黑更考获A1的好成绩，中文程度比华族搭档们更好。 Josey&MC黑以描绘校园生活的《七点》囊括“最佳演绎奖”和“原创歌曲”亚军。这个活力四射的乐团不仅拥有众多歌迷热情助阵，人气沸腾，实力也深获评审们的一致肯定。评审之一，资深作词人邢增华说，他们“很另类，很有生命力”，具备向商业市场发展的潜力。 9只决赛队伍 3只来自马国为了增加比赛的可看性，本

以3首自创曲拿下《飞跃时空》4大奖项的蓝慧珊（左四），从颁奖嘉宾曾士生议员手中接过讲座。摄影|Narerkrit Sinrachtanant 届《飞乐时空》的筹委会将比赛范围从新加坡扩展到马来西亚，并把决赛地点从南洋大礼堂迁至位于市中心的南洋艺术学院（NAFA）。在一系列大规模的造势活动后，比赛成功吸引了不少国外的音乐爱好者。在决赛当晚的9只队伍里，就有3只来自马国。马来亚大学的许瑗婷（21岁）更是凭一首《My Dear Guitar》夺下“原

创歌曲”的季军。担任表演嘉宾的陈伟联，也带来新专辑里的自创歌曲《分手的情书》和《永远的朋友》，并与现场的音乐爱好者们分享创作心得。由南大中文学会歌咏组所主办的《飞乐时空》词曲创作比赛，至今已迈入第15个年头。其宗旨是鼓励年轻人用中文词曲来抒发自己的感觉，表达对事物的观点及想法。

讲堂标明“禁食” 学生照样进食赵博书●报道

南

大讲堂外明显标示着 “禁止吃喝”（No Eating or Drinking），学生们却视若无睹，在讲堂内明目张胆地进食。对此，受访南大生认为，在讲堂内吃喝并不成问题，校方也无需管制。机械与宇航工程学院四年级生高元辉认为，这个现象已成为一种“校园文化”，所以 “根本就不用管，反正管也未必有用”。就读文学院英文系二年级的陈英庆认为，若要校方加强管制学生，并不实际。“那要耗费太大的人力资源，也太耗时了。” 他补充说：“我有一个教授曾对我们说，我们已经到了一个应该知道什么该做、什么不该做的年龄了。我觉得他说的很对。更何况，若要教授管制同学，对他们来说是不公平的，这不是他们分内的事。” 陈英庆坦言：“不为他人设想已是新加坡人的一向作风，学校真的无能为力。” 食物香气使学生无法专心

插图｜黄施嫣

据观察，学生们会带入讲堂的食物包括快餐、三明治、泡泡茶、汽水等，更夸张的还有泡面和饭盒。

多数受访学生都不介意同学在讲堂内进食，但部分学生指出，食物的味道的确会导致他们分心。高元辉说：“尤其是饿的时候，你会想下课后也要去买，所以就没有专心听课。” 电机与电子工程学院二年级生钱准榆则认为，在讲堂内进食并无大碍，但他无法忍受同学们乱丢包装纸的行为。

“上课时吃一些零食能使人清醒，就不必跟旁边的人讲话，维持清醒了。” 林佩蓉商学院二年级

对于讲堂内的卫生问题，负责清理讲堂的清洁工人严吓秋说，南大生虽在讲堂内吃喝，但都相当有纪律，尽量保持场地干净。她说：“我很少看到讲堂里有吃剩的食物或是包装纸乱丢，这里的学生普遍都很乖。” 学生：上课时进食能抱持清醒数月前，有网民在著名社交网站Facebook上创立了名

为“Eating in Class”的页面，希望能够召集到5万名喜欢在课堂吃喝的同好。创立至今短短3 个月，就已经有近4万5000人成为粉丝。有网民在页面上留言表示，在课堂吃喝是为了挑战规矩，享受其中的快感；也有人为自己从未被老师抓包而洋洋得意。南大生在讲堂内放肆地吃喝，理由众多。有些受访者辩称，课程排得太满，间中根本没有时间用餐，与其饿着肚子，不如一边听课，一边果腹。也有学生认为，上课吃零食除了能填饱肚子，还有别的好处。商学院二年级的林佩蓉就说：“上课时吃一些零食能使人清醒，就不必跟旁边的人讲话，维持清醒了。” 采访侧记针对此事，记者原本分别向设施策划与管理处及教务处询问，双方却表示讲堂不由他们负责。几经折腾，一名教务处人员才同记者证实，讲堂确实由该处管理，但对于禁食标志的事宜，却没有提供具体的答复。

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Chocolate Research Facility 上百种巧克力挑战你的味蕾柯怡

●报道

从

透明的落地窗往店里望去，只见大大的柜子和小小的抽屉，就像一间科学实验室。走进店里，阵阵巧克力香扑鼻而来，而且还有“巧克力酱”从洁白的墙上往下流。莫非，这间实验室专门研究巧克力？的确，位于美年广场的 Chocolate Research Facility不仅研发出各种独具风味的巧克力，还珍藏了上百种口味的巧克力！ Chocolate Research Facility 从去年11月开张至今, 所售卖的口味从原本的10种增加到目前的100多种，让巧克力迷们都不知道应该尝试哪一种。这里的巧克力产品都是本地制造、不含防腐剂的牛奶、白和黑巧克力，可分为季节、鉴赏家、经典、异国情调、综合水果、水果、坚果类、酒精、茶叶和咖啡10大系列。每块巧克力售价介于8元至12元。

Chocolate Research Facility 公关经理Cheryl透露，芒果和香槟口味的巧克力最受顾客们欢迎。芒果巧克力融合牛奶巧克力的顺滑口感，加上新鲜的芒果干，味道恰到好处。香槟酒巧克力则结合了香槟酒的香醇和巧克力的浓郁，让不少人为之疯狂。除了传统口味的巧克力，Chocolate Research Facility 也研发出令人“闻之丧胆”的特色口味——四川巧克力。四川向来以麻辣著称， Chocolate Research Facility在巧克力里加入四川花椒，辣味适中，香味四溢，让人欲罢不能。来临的秋季，Chocolate Research Facility也将推出秋天系列的巧克力，其中就包括麦芽、苹果派和枫浆等口味。此外，顾客也可以依据自己的偏好，选择适合自己的巧克力浓度。据了解，一般客人都偏爱苦度高达75%的巧克力。各个种类的巧克力也有各自

独具特色的包装图案，例如酒精类的包装就以喝醉酒后视线模糊的图案为主。各个包装精美，非常适合送礼。设计荣获国际大奖秉持着“我们就是爱吃巧克力”的概念，Chocolate Research Facility凭着果类巧克力一炮而红。店面设计新颖的 Chocolate Research Facility还荣获多项国际设计大奖，让这个本地品牌扬名海内外。美年广场的Chocolate Research Facility设计完全突显老板对巧克力的喜爱，同时也让不少路人好奇地往店里多瞧一眼。店里售卖的巧克力放在一个个小抽屉里，就像是实验品。伟乐坊的分店则以5000块白色瓷砖砌满整个店面，设计极富现代感。巧克力爱好者不但可以在这里找到各种不同口味的巧克力，也能购买到设计精美的书签、衬衫、杯子、手表等的周边商品。

Chocolate Research Facility的装潢极富现代感，乍看之下就像是一间科学实验室。照片|Chocolate Research Facility提供想要以特惠价格购买 Chocolate Research Facility的巧克力，请即刻上pulse.sg！ Chocolate Research Facility 地址： Millenia Walk （美年广场） 9 Raffles Boulevard #01-30 Wheelock Place （伟乐坊） 501 Orchard Road #02-10 营业时间：早上11时至晚上9时

！外号

你知道哪里找得到巧克力屋吗？哪里又有好吃的巧克力蛋糕、巧克力火锅和巧克力自助餐吗？ pulse.sg每周将为你送上相关报道，让你更认识巧克力！

旅游

必看

相信大家对台湾都不会太陌生，但是，来到台湾，你知道有什么事是你不能错过的吗？记者黄施嫣、黄佳敏带你玩台湾！

必吃

必买

淡水渔人码头的景色非常优美，入暮时分更会吸引很多情侣和摄影爱好者前来欣赏。

看起来很好吃不是吗？这可是台湾的泡面！那里的泡面选择超多，而且还会吃上瘾呢！

羊只都在南投清境农场内自由活动，都市人们不妨来到这无际的翠绿草坪，享受前所未有的宁静。照片｜黄施嫣、黄佳敏提供

在本地通过网路订购包包还得付运输费，在台湾只需要到7-Eleven取货，能省下不少钱！

喜欢乳酪的朋友一定会喜欢乳酪火锅！这里的乳酪是用羊奶做成的，和我们平常吃的牛奶乳酪可不一样喔！

满妹猪脚是花东鼎鼎有名的30年老字号，吴宗宪和孙燕姿都曾慕名而来！

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言论咖啡厅

缩短官民鸿沟国家才算团结吴诗雁

李

显龙总理总爱举1968年的国庆检阅礼为例，以游行队伍在雨中步操来说明国人的团结和韧性。但当年那批忠心爱国的新加坡人贡献了一生后，却在人才辈出的今天率先被刷下来。这是我国以经济作为国家发展的优先考量所造成的现象。政府似乎把国家当成大型跨国公司来经营，一直提倡经济，却忽略了钱未必能够满足国人的需求。日前，根据媒体报道，外国人赞新加坡，国人却反问：好在哪里？有网民认为外国人只看到了新加坡光鲜亮丽的一面，甚至有人提议交换护照，可见国人对本地生活明显感到不满。

即使新加坡在各方面荣获第一，但许多国人却在自己的国土上被边缘化，无法一起享受辛劳的果实。李总理在国庆献词中强调，国人须团结一致以提升国家经济。要面对当前的挑战，政府和人民、雇主和雇员都必须互相配合与支持。这类激励的言论在目前经济不景的情况下是有鼓励作用的，但在百姓面前却难免沦为空泛的声明。政府一直提倡技能培训，其中当然不乏成功例子，但手停口停的劳动阶层怎能拨出这样的时间？网民在民情联系组（REACH）的网站上反映，再培训课程并没有奏效，因为许多人报读课程后，仍然找不到工作。求职者的技能固然需要提升，但解决工作空缺不应求的

根本问题才是当务之急。这不过是政府与人民之间的鸿沟日益扩大的其中一个例子。多年来，政府不断颁发奖学金给社会中的精英分子，保送他们进入大学和各大政府部门。当中，多数人并没做过普通百姓从事的工作，或许因而与普罗大众疏远。人民无法认同政府的出发点，例如为了制造更多工作机会而引进外来人才；政府也不能了解或有效地解决人民的顾虑，如物价高涨。同样地，李总理在国庆群众大会上大谈宗教和谐，却忽略了国人最关心的外来移民课题。百姓也

因多方面的阻挠而无法下情上达，向相关组织反映时不是投诉无门，就是被当作人球踢来踢去。即使当局受理，也只给予公式化的答复，不禁让人怀疑当局是否打算敷衍了事。当然，公务员本身也常因条例的限制而寸步难行，以致再妥贴的援助政策也难以顺利实行，让申请者不胜其烦。

基层领袖则多数成为议员的传话筒、帮手，花费在议员身上的时间多过于服务民众。他们对于重大的政策也未必有说话权，无法真正地为人民解决难题，因此常沦落到夹心层的尴尬位置。政府唯有了解各阶层人民的需求，缩短官民之间的鸿沟，才能让全国上下一齐进步，一同享受国家繁荣的成果。

插图｜Sarah Amnah Zaihan

校园大声讲

没有水的日子洪慧敏

开

学后搬回宿舍的前几天，我仿佛回到水源短缺的60年代新加坡。为了明年的青年奥运会，南大宿舍展开翻新大工程，我们那座的厨房就正处在装修初期，要取水的话还得到其他宿舍的厨房去。当然，我的情况不如先辈们来得糟，还不至于要提着水桶在特定时间到特地地点提取特定量的水。厕所和洗衣房的水源供应正常，只有几间厕所仍在进行装修而不能使用，所以不方便还是存在。当时，我也不知道厨房水源什么时候会恢复正常，不方便之余，只能安慰自己这是为了南大作为青年奥运会选手村而必须短暂承受的不便。没多久，宿舍厨房的水源恢复了，到其他宿舍提取水的日子终于告一段落。算起来，这段不方便的日子也只有两三天而已。但是，在

自己的宿舍厨房取水还是略嫌水味苦涩怪异，而且几天下来依然不变的。一个大工程的背后必有许多呕心沥血的努力和准备，还有一群受众接受工程伴随而来的不方便。青奥会倒数计时一年，媒体报导的是装修后的宿舍的美观，却没人提及宿舍居民在开学后的水源供应曾受到影响。或许，伴随着这个青奥会的应该只有欢腾的气氛而不是为了鸡毛蒜皮小事的怨声载道。明明知道目前所感受到的不便只是暂时的，一旦装修完成，获益的会是现在和未来的宿舍居民。但是，每当遇到不便时，仍不禁埋怨，而不是往好的方面去想，例如自己住的地方可以和第一届的青年奥运会挂钩，怎么说也是个荣誉。更何况，这次的青奥会是经过很多人的努力才成功申请得来的，我们也不该太计较那些小小的不方便了。

插图｜Florence Sjah

相信等到青奥会在2010年正式进行时，更多的保安措施会对往返南大的师生和工作人员造成更多不便，他们的负面情绪也会增多。但是，大家应该都了解这些措施的必要性。青奥会若能成功顺利进行，

对新加坡、对南大都有益处。但人是有感情的动物，往往会被情绪牵着走而减少了理性判断。进入青奥会倒数的这个时期，学校在忙着筹备青奥会时也必须关注学生有何不满的心声。如何照顾到各方的利益和

情绪将是一门很大的学问。 60年代的新加坡人在经历了一段水资源短缺的日子后，迎来的是有水的日子。相信南大的宿舍居民、师生和工作人员虽然目前或许感受到一些不便，但迎来的将会是一个很棒的青年奥运会。

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娱乐

陈伟联从舞台重返街头沉寂了两年，本地首届《绝对Superstar》总冠军陈伟联终于推出新专辑《走唱陈伟联》，不仅首次展露作曲的才能，还在MV 中突破视觉障碍，挑战跑步镜头。记者黄施嫣与陈伟联作了专访，谈谈他的新专辑和近况。（南：《南苑》；伟：陈伟联）南：距离上一张专辑已经有两年的时间了，这段时间你去了哪里，做了什么事？伟：其实我一直在新加坡。平时在家里写写歌、和朋友聚会，后来就开始录歌，到台湾拍MV 和拍照。南：这次的新专辑和以前最大的不同是什么？伟：我觉得最明显的不同是里面收录了7首我自己写的歌曲，也有和一些写词人合作，请他们写一些关于我自己的事情和故事，或是一些朋友身上的故事。此外，我在拍摄MV方面也有更多的参与。这是上两张专辑比较少的。南：首次尝试作曲，灵感从哪里来？伟：有些歌我觉得不用刻意去找灵感，因为灵感就是自然来的嘛，所以从哪里来真的很难说，可能就是冲凉的时候，哼哼唱唱就找到的旋律。有时候在走路、等朋友，就会想到旋律。顺其自然啦，我没有刻意去找灵感。但是有一、两首歌曲是真的有下心思去编排，让它们更加上口。南：专辑中的歌曲《永远的朋友》是讲述一个人爱上自己的朋友，却得知她所爱的人不懂得珍惜她。你是不是在唱出自己的心声呢？伟：（连忙否认）那首歌其实是我一个朋友。哎呀，其实不是我的故事，可是和我有点关系。要用反面思考吧。我有牵连，但我不是那个在爱的人。（看到伟联语无伦次，记者不忍心继续逼供。）南：觉得专辑中哪首歌曲最能代表自己？伟：我会选择《分手的情书》，因为它代表我想跟曾经在我生活中，对我很重要的人说的一些话。从出生到现在，慢慢地学，累积经验。无论是爱情、友情、亲情都累积了经验。有时候要时间过了一些后，才想起以前经历过的事情，心里有些感触，所以我觉得那首歌的歌词，甚至旋律，都适合形容我现在想对大家说的话。

南：在《分手的情书》MV中，看到你有些跑步的动作。有没有需要克服什么障碍或去练跑呢？伟：完全没有。我是一个蛮大胆的人。拿着手杖我就能跑了。只要有人从旁带导引我，我就能跑了。南：之前导演有跟你说过有这样的镜头吗？伟：没有！我是当天才知道的。不过，没有什么好怕的啦，因为旁边都有人围着站岗，避免我跑错或受伤。（据悉，伟联其实在拍摄跑步镜头的时候，撞到了摄影机，结果伤到了左脚却不敢发牢骚。）南：常常唱一些悲伤的抒情歌曲，有没有担心听众就了会闷呢？伟：其实你不觉得快歌听了更闷吗？快歌是比较有动感，但是你试着听一首快歌50遍，再换听一首慢歌50遍，你会发现慢歌比较不会听腻。通常唱得好的抒情歌曲是充满感情的，而人是情感动物，比较会对抒情歌曲产生共鸣。即使到KTV看一看最高点播率的歌曲，你会发现抒情歌曲通常都比较受欢迎。导演也跟我讲过，不需要去做不是自己的东西。我是肯定不能跳舞的。如果有人可以教会我跳舞，我可以把我的所有财产都给他！哈哈！言归正传，我不是一个唱快歌的人，所以我应该去集中在我做得好的方面，而不是让全世界看我能够做什么。南：专辑取名《走唱陈伟联》。你觉得走唱和台上唱歌有什么不同？伟：当然是不一样的。在台上跟观众有距离，因为我看不见，只能听见，所以一旦有距离，就比较难听见周围发生什么事。如果说走唱，大家都围在我的身边，比较靠近，我觉得比较舒服。我也不是一个善于控制大舞台的人，因为我不动，所以视觉上看起来比较单调。我从咖啡厅出道，再到街上弹唱，慢慢到电视上、演唱会，表演场地越来越大，我也长大了。但是，爬得高也得小心，因为如

陈伟联喜欢走唱时，观众围在他身边的感觉。摄影|陈蕴慧果跌倒会很痛，所以我要慢慢再爬下来，回到最初。我很期待回到街上。南：从《绝对Superstar》到现在已经有4年的时间了。你觉得自己最大的改变是什么？伟：我最大的改变是讲话速度变慢了！现在还是快，可是其实我一直都在踩我的刹车，很辛苦！因为我就是个讲话自然很快的人。当然也学会了有耐心，和接受媒体的虚伪。我不是在说你们记者，而是指公关。我还在学着习惯这种官方的处事方式。南：这些年你做了很多尝试，比如拍电视剧、电影等。接下来还会征服什么新挑战吗？伟：我希望咯，看有没有可以帮我找到一个舞蹈老师！有谁能够教会陈伟联跳舞呢？哇哈哈！南：从出道到现在你一直备受关注，但同时你也成了争议性很高的歌手。经过了4年，你是否已经学会了去应付这些争议的声浪？伟：我不是学会应付，而是学会不要管、不要去想那么多。我觉得应付不应付... 有些东西越

要解释却越描越黑，没有意义。每个人都可以有他们的看法，但最重要的是对得起自己的良心就好。不过，有新闻是好事。有新闻就代表着大家还是对你有兴趣。

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

《一切为了爱》校园演唱会

品冠摇身一变化身“爱的见证人” 卢苏沛●报道

男

著名歌手品冠到南大开唱，宣传新歌加精选集《一切为了爱》，获得现场观众的热情回应。

观众在品冠怂恿下向女友深情许下爱的承诺，校园演唱会现场洋溢着幸福！品冠日前在由南大文化活动协会举办的《一切为了爱》校园演唱会上展现他顽皮的一面，作弄起粉丝群中的一对情侣：“你们几时开始在一起的？你对女朋友许下什么承诺？” 他接着把男生拉上台，而这名男生也爽快地在800多名观众的见证下，深情地对女友许下爱的宣言。现场除了这名男生对女友充满爱意，观众中也不乏非常喜爱品冠的歌迷。在三位有幸与品冠近距离接触，并同台合唱情歌《当你想着他》的歌迷中，就有一名中国女生做足准备，从校园演唱会的前一晚就开始练歌了！这名超级粉丝还透露，她曾经在中国的机场巧遇品冠，却因为自己看起来有点邋遢而不敢上前要求合照。与品冠同样来自马来西亚的另一名男歌迷为了和品冠合唱，甚至不介意演唱女生的部分，与品冠深情对唱情歌时，丝毫不羞涩。除了南大生，现场也来了

不少马来西亚、台湾、中国和日本的歌迷，以各种语言大喊 “品冠，我爱你！”，体现音乐无国界的精神。品冠当天一上台就告诉观众：“很高兴来到新加坡最好的大学，这是我梦寐以求想来的大学。你们很幸运来到南大，要好好认真读书，OK？” 演唱会上，品冠也不忘向观众介绍他的全新专辑《一切为了爱》新歌加精选。他说，这回收录的新歌，风格比以往的歌曲稍微摇滚和轻快些，希望能给歌迷一种焕然一新的感觉。

除了和观众分享他13年的演唱生涯以外，品冠也自弹自唱，表演了3首大家耳熟能详的成名曲。在品冠的带动下，现场的观众也热情地跟着一起哼唱。另外，品冠更以华、粤双语独家首唱《爱情在香港转机》，让观众们听出耳油。演唱会结束前，品冠告诉大家，这场校园演唱会是他所有校园演唱会中，最“high” 的一场，而且他也表示，希望很快能来新加坡开大型的售票演唱会，回馈大家多年来对他的支持。

擅长演唱情歌的品冠，深情款款地为现场歌迷带来多首的经典好歌。摄影|Prayudi Utomo

乐评音乐Jukebox 专辑：《若你碰到他》歌手：蔡健雅推荐：《红色高跟鞋》《谁》

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辑《若你碰到他》再次把Tanya刻画成都市女性的最佳代表。都市女性兼具感性与理性；既勇敢却又脆弱，既坚强却又怯懦，向往爱情却又同时对它充满怀疑。专辑同名主打《若你碰到他》歌词描述爱情逝去后的遗憾，没有任何歇斯底里，只留下一抹淡淡的伤感。勇敢女性虽拿得起放得下，但不代表容易忘记过去的恋情，或不期待往后的爱情。音乐中夹带电子鼓，呈现不同以往的国际感；此举虽看似冒险，却符合Tanya一贯的实验性音乐创作理念。《谁》让人联想到一个在都市中穿街走巷，仿佛在寻觅什么似的现代人。歌词充满了成熟、哲学的想法，值得一听。然而，我最喜欢的却是唱出女人般自信的《红色高跟鞋》，听后不禁令人会心一笑。以红色高跟鞋来比喻令女生欣喜若狂的那位特别男生，多么贴切又俏皮：你像我在被子里的舒服/却又像风捉摸不住/像手腕上散发的香水味/像爱不释手的红色高跟鞋。在另一首《男人》中，Tanya犹如女版陈奕迅；通过音乐感染和她一样的女生，通过音乐与让她百思不得其解的男生对话。这完全就是一张献给女人的专辑。（文／黄伟曼）

专辑：《走唱陈伟联》歌手：陈伟联推荐：《分手的情书》

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直认为陈伟联拥有一把能把歌曲唱到你心坎里去的好嗓子，所以期盼了两年终于等到了陈伟联的第三张个人专辑《走唱陈伟联》。这张专辑收录了陈伟联的个人的创作，其中不乏听了会让人起鸡皮疙瘩的情歌，毕竟这就是陈伟联的强项。非常喜欢由陈伟联作曲，林夕填词的首波主打情歌《分手的情书》。歌曲除了有一种让人听了还想再重复播放的魔力，细腻的歌词也把一个自卑的男人如何在爱情里钻牛角尖的情境，刻画得淋漓尽致，就如歌词里写到：感情美得虚无／就当作身外物／不要让他变成包袱。这回，专辑的曲风也非常丰富，如翻唱自泰语的《和你同名的星星》伟联唱得轻快，旋律朗朗上口。伟联也重唱了张雨生的成名曲《大海》，歌曲到了最后一段副歌时激昂澎湃，与之前张雨生和杨培安的版本风格迥异，多了一份真挚和感动。从第一张专辑的口水歌，到这一张让人耳目一新的个人创作，陈伟联逐渐纯熟的唱功，显而易见。专辑中由他作曲的部分也交出了不错的成绩单，是一张值得一听再听的好专辑。 (文／余思远)

专辑：《CoLor 首张全创作专辑》歌手： CoLor 推荐：《无赖正义》《大暴走》

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晋男子团体CoLor 由小刚和可乐组成。这两名25岁的大男生不但青春洋溢，对生活的态度也很正面与无厘头。正式出道前，CoLoR 为台湾火红偶像剧《痞子英雄》演唱了片头曲，主持了《在台湾的故事》，再加上在《超级偶像》中PK其他选手而获得最高分。有了这些日子所累积的人气，加上他们自己的坚持，CoLoR成功在8月21日发行了他们的首张全创作专辑。这张专辑收录了10首歌曲，其中不乏摇滚曲风，而《无赖正义》最为抢眼。前奏使用了电吉他为歌曲铺陈，充满阳刚味，再加上强劲的鼓声，道出歌词里正义与邪恶的对抗。另首较为突出的歌曲就是由FIR的阿沁与CoLoR携手合作的《大暴走》。这首歌鼓励大家以正面的态度面对世界，利用青春克服眼前的困难。 CoLoR这张专辑的概念就是要听者感觉到生命充满希望，而这概念成功地贯彻整张专辑。虽然歌曲大多都显得主流与青涩，但以新人来说，有这样的成绩已经很难得了。（文／曹凯翔）

Opinion

“Are you the chosen one?” Turn to page 24 to find out

frankly, my dear

EDITORIAL

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

Exercise your right to vote The vote is an integral part of a democratic process, and can be one of the most effective weapons in the arsenal of the masses. As such, it is disheartening to see some students trivialise the various school and club elections during Union Day, with many viewing the lessons cancelled on the day as an invitation for them to take a day off school entirely, rather than exercise their duty and participate in what should be an exercise that ensures they are represented and have a say in how their school days will turn out. On the other hand, it may be that the existing culture alienates parts of the student population and makes it hard for them to feel connected to the institution; hence their reluctance or apathy towards participating in what should be an inclusive school event. Rather than make students feel disenfranchised, and to ensure that elected student bodies remain relevant and respected by their peers, a paradigm shift of the status

quo needs to take place. Rather than be armchair critics, more students should run for office in the various bodies within the university, and use the power vested in them to campaign for their peers. Existing student bodies should also look to make it ea sier for a nyone w i l l i ng to serve to join the election process, and voting should be an informed decision with enough time to per use the manifesto of each candidate, as well as enough scope for public debates of issues that matter. This should halt the prevalence of votes being cast simply out of friendship, or other reasons that do not take into account the suitability of the candidate. This will be a tedious process t hat requ i res t he ex ist ing institutions and students to cast aside the mentality that only a select group in a school should have to participate. Rat her t ha n let t h is important responsibility fall by the wayside, it is crucial that students exercise their inalienable human right.

CH R O N ICL E THE NANYANG

chief editor Ng Yong Kiat Fabian MANAGING editor Ahmad Iskandar sub-editors Ng Wei Chuen Caleb Vo Van Hung Chuang Bing Han Hong Shuheng News editors Cai Zhimin Alexis Yusuf Abdol Hamid Lifestyle editors Toh Li Min Kezia Wee Ling Li Cheryl Reviews editor Law Shi Ming Elizabeth TECH editor Wee Zhi Qiang Kenneth dapper editors Koh Fang Ting Carina Tsen Si Jia Audrey Chinese editors Seow Kia Hui Ng Soon Kiat

opinion editors Shahida Bte Hassim Shereen Naaz Charles sports editors Tham Hui Min Tiffany Xue Jianyue layout editors Cha Ee Ling Alexis Josephine K Chow Lee Shuxian photo editors Foo Chee Chang Tan Yi Leong Irwin Lim Joe Ee Zoe graphics editor Sarah Amnah Zaihan ONLINE editor Kuek Jinhua business managers Teo Xin Wen Jean Yong Sze Yean Joyce

A students’ newspaper published by the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information (WKWSCI) Nanyang Technological University 31 Nanyang Link, Singapore 637718 Tel: 6790 6446 Unsigned editorials represent the majority view of the editorial board of The Chronicle and do not necessarily reflect the policies or views of Nanyang Technological University, its employees, the students or the Council of the University. Signed opinion columns, letters and editorial cartoons represent the opinion of the writer or artist and are not necessarily those of The Chronicle. Printed by KHL Printing Co. Pte Ltd, 57 Loyang Drive, Singapore 508968

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The difference between wants and needs

GRAPHIC | JANELL HOONG

Elizabeth Law reviews editor

etween $10,000 and a 5kg weight loss, I choose the former. But before you start accusing me of being money-minded, hear me out. Such a large sum of money does not come by ever y day. Weight loss, on the other hand, is something I have fought a long (albeit losing) battle against, and have come to terms with. On the other hand, I believe that the cash can be put to good use. Besides, I find it more satisfying losing weight through my own efforts, though we know it would probably not happen. It was recently reported in T he St raits Times t hat most Singaporeans would rather take $10,000 than permanently lose 5kg. Many saw t h is as a sign of Singaporeans’ materialistic nature, while others attributed it to the current economic crisis. I do not believe that this choice can be ascribed to the economic situation. Rather, it is because we have learnt to be pragmatic and self-sufficient, especially in financial management. Singaporeans often complain about their weight. However, in reality, Singapore is a very health conscious nation. Visit any neighbourhood park on a weekend and you will see what I mean. Accord i ng to a recent

National Health Sur vey, 65% of Singaporeans fall within the healthy range of the Body Mass Index. This means losing 5kg will leave most of us underweight. For some image-conscious individuals, shedding 5kg means being able to wear more body hugging outfits.

Call me pragmatic but there are things money can buy and weight loss is one of them Still, weight loss does not necessarily equate to a betterlooking body. On the contrary, losing a large amount of weight can result in individuals looking haggard. Having that extra $10,000 though, would mean something else altogether. You can buy two, maybe three exercise machines, and still have enough left to splurge on clothes that make you look better. This way, not only will you shed those kilos healthily, you can look and feel good doing so. Weight loss aside, you could invest the money and get even more money out of it. (Though given the current economic state, I highly recommend putting it under

your pillow) Alternatively, you could spend the money on a whim and buy 25 iPods, making 24 of your friends really happy. At the same time, you could try shedding the kilos while dancing along to the tunes on your new gadget. Call me pragmatic but there are things money can buy and weight loss is one of them. In fact, it can also buy you a new body, which can do wonders for your self-confidence. However, there are individuals who abuse advanced medical procedures, resulting in undesirable outcomes. Look no further than the recently deceased King of Pop. (God bless his soul.) Talented as he was, his obsession with changing his looks cemented his label as a freak. That said, take a moment to stop being self-centered and look at those around us. $10,000 would definitely mean a lot to a struggling family, where weight issues are the least of their concerns. Think about how much the money can help victims of Typhoon Morakot in Taiwan or a family of four in Africa. There is a Uighur saying that goes, “We only desire what we don’t have.” While weight loss and monetary gain both have their benefits, our decision essentially boils down to what we value more. Needless to say, being the financially strapped student that I am, my choice is obvious.

opinion

au g us t 31, 20 0 9

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

The chosen ‘One’ Michelle Cheang

Somedays, I find myself wondering if tomorrow, I may bag the job of my dreams because of my countless “networks”

Of course, ‘picture perving’ on Facebook aside, it is an excellent tool for networking, which is the primary function of Facebook. With ‘Fan of’ pages, ‘Employment Details’ and even status updates on our employment or lack thereof, I no longer just use Facebook for socialising. On some days, I find myself wondering if tomorrow. I may bag the job of my dreams because of my countless ‘networks’. So the next time you decide to ignore the latest revolution in communication technology, think again. participate in sports I like watching sports, sitting at the sidelines and cheering on my favourite teams, but when it comes to actually participating, I simply refuse.

During the recent National Day Rally, PM Lee Hsien Loong reiterated the importance of racial and religious cohesion. We get some students to share their personal thoughts and experiences.

Singaporeans are genuinely appreciative of each other. Despite racial differences, they make an effort to try and understand.

friend of mine, who graduated in 2008 with a first class honours degree found himself unemployed for almost a year after graduation. All this even before we felt the pinch from the economy crisis early this year. Contrary to what employers constantly seek, he is shy, quiet and lacking in communications skills; the goody-two-shoes type of job seeker. Upset but extremely confused, he mulled over his futile job search for a while before starting to work on his weaknesses. Clearly an impressive academic record cannot guarantee a decent job, let alone success. While we may have secured a good degree, it is only part of the big picture. socialise and network Communication is so diverse and varied nowadays. There are so many ways in which I can keep in touch with family, friends and mere acquaintances. With the various different social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and even MySpace, communication is not limited to face to face communication anymore. You can post a question on Twitter from Singapore and have someone in New York respond to your tweet.

canteen talk

”

Carena Seah Ying Ying, SPMS Yr 1, 21

“

Most of my friends are not Indians. My best friend is Chinese, but she’s always keen to find out more about Hindu festivals. Shanthini Sinivasan, HSS Yr 1, 19

GRAPHIC | NICHOLAS LIM

Sure, sports keeps us fit, but it is also a great way to network and build up new friendships. And of course, who can ever doubt the wonders that two hours away from that desk-bound job can do? In fact, those two hours bring with it practical life lessons on coping with both success and failure

impress upon potential employers an image of a self-motivated and goal-oriented individual. Our university education gives us the best opportunity to practise this continuous learning as well as independent learning. If we continue acquiring knowledge after graduation, we are well on the way to creating a good reputation for ourselves.

develop passions People often say that they want to pursue their passions and interests. However, how many of us will give up that five-figure salary to pursue a lesser paying job that we really love? While it is enjoyable and relaxing, we should never underestimate our hobbies as there may eventually be opportunities to develop them as a source of income. A friend of mine decided to resign from his job as an engineer to pursue a career in photography, something that he was passionate about. Over the years, he rose in the ranks to become a highly soughtafter freelance photographer, and ultimately earning more today than he did before.

How many of us will give up that five figure salary to pursue a lesser paying job that we really love?

consistently acquire knowledge We all know that a university degree no longer marks the end of our education. It is merely a stepping stone towards our lifelong growth. Similarly if we continue learning we can secure and

contribute to society While education prepares us for a possibly decent job, it also teaches us to be good citizens by practising respect, understanding and acknowledging each individual’s rights. Likewise, it allows us to contribute back to society. We can organise flea markets and donate proceeds to charity, volunteer at events and even go green to save our environment. When I met my first class graduate friend for lunch one day, we talked about getting a firstclass degree. More importantly, however, was the need to become a first class person. He agreed.

As a foreigner living in Singapore, I honestly think that it is doing a good job in maintaining harmony among the races.

”

David Candra, NBS Yr 3, 21

“

My friends ask me to smoke with them during this fasting month, but I explain to them that I can’t. They’re quite curious to find out why. Mohd Fadzil, HSS Yr 2, 22

”

Every year, my friends and I exchange goodies during Chinese New Year. There is mutual respect between us. Parveen Kaur, HSS Yr 1, 19

TEXT | SHAHIDA BINTE HASSIM; PHOTOS | FOO CHEE CHANG

opinion

au g us t 31, 20 0 9

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

Starts at 40mm / 5mm apart from top from story top story Starts at 40mm / 5mm apart

Anjali Raguraman

hen I stepped into the Nanyang Auditorium for the Freshmen Welcome Ceremony, the last thing I expected to find was a set of robes draped on our seats. For a moment, I thought I had crashed a convocation ceremony. It was all very evocative of scenes from Harry Potter - the grandeur of the auditorium befitted that of the “Great Hall”. Sitting in our robes waiting for the proceedings, I felt like a Hogwarts student on her first day back to school. To top it off, NTU Provost Bertil Andersson, in his academic dress, half-moon glasses and bonnet, uncannily resembled “Professor Dumbledore”. Taking the school pledge with our robes was a stirring moment. I appreciated the symbolism of the light up ceremony and the provost’s welcome address which was lighthearted yet meaningful. It spoke of new beginnings and set an optimistic tone for our future in the school. Three weeks in, like in The Beatles’ song, “I’ve got to admit it’s getting better, a little better all the time”.

First month The first month in NTU is always a mad frenzy. From finding your way around campus, to trying to keep adapt to school life again and keeping your sanity, who better to ask than freshmen who have just been thrown into the deep sea?

Lee Jian Xuan

or the uninitiated, having to suddenly deal with the university academic system, like waiting for the shuttle bus in the morning, was both frustrating and fruitless. From the get-go, I was issued ominous warnings about how the STARS war more often than not yielded casualties in its wake and how it could beat the will to live out of bright-eyed and bushy-tailed NTU students. Yet, the one thing that I could not have been warned about was the thunderbolt epiphany that hit home as the exhilaration of orientation wore off: school had started. This was especially so for a JC student like myself, who gradually began to realize that having been part of the clockwork Singaporean academic assembly line for so long, I had no idea what to do with my newfound freedom. Suddenly, I could plan and choose for myself yet I was at a loss. As I watched others surge ahead with portfolios chock full of dizzyingly glorious achievements, clamor for ferociously competitive modules and debate issues in class with astonishing clarity and depth, I steeled myself. Frank ly, varsit y orientation is not everyone’s cup of tea. For some people, the rinse-and-repeat routine of getting wet and dirty, playing mouth-to-mouth games and sleeping in cramped quarters does not seem particularly appealing. This rang true in the case of this writer, who pulled a Michael Scofield after the first day of his hall camp. This unspeakable deed condemned me to the group of pariahs known as “Those who Did Not Attend” in my hall of residence, the possible equivalent of lepers back in the 19th century. While I seek solace in the fact that school hardly permits any time for any socializing, I do feel that biting sensation of envy and exclusion as I watch others saunter off for hall suppers or hear stories from friends about how well they are assimilating into their halls. As the adage goes, no man is an island and I frequently wonder if I’m missing out as I watch my roommate sail from block to block like a UN diplomat. So for those out there who feel the same ostracism, worry not, for you are not alone.

Jeremy Ong

word to describe my first week in hall: frenzy. There was a flurry of activities I participated in like supper trips with my hall mates and the Joint Hall Bash. It was really hectic but extremely fun. My hall mates and I bonded closely together during this week through these activities. We had HTHTs (heart-to-heart talks) during the supper trips, tested each other alcohol tolerance during hall bash and my hall mates even had a star gazing session while being serenaded by a senior playing the guitar. These days, our group is just like one big family in hall, going to lessons together, eating lunch and dinner together and looking out for each other. To think all this was thanks to one week of FOC and hall life. If this is just the beginning of hall life, I am going to get drowned in an ocean of fun as time goes by. Entering a lecture hall on the first day after a two years hiatus is daunting. I did not know what to expect out of the lecture or the lecturer, no thanks to horror stories from seniors. But after my first lecture and subsequently others from different concentrations, I’ve slowly adapted to the pace of a varsity life. University lectures seem to be a big leap compared to lectures at junior college level. With the variety of subjects I am attending, lectures never did get boring for me. Also, the freedom to use laptops in lectures means never fearing that I forgot my notes as all of them are accessible from on EdveNTUre for our easy use. And of course, who can keep awake in arduous three hour long lectures if not for certain applications that we are all guilty of accessing during the lecture. Trying to pay attention and keep updated with my social circle has been a challenge. Multi–tasking has never been more important. But most importantly, lectures in NTU have piqued my interest. Hopefully, the sleep bugs do not start to bite me once the nitty-gritty stuff of tutorials start to dawn upon me.

GRAPHIC | TAN JING LIANG

Abha Apte

in pen on paper

Bringing you the thrills and spills of NTU life

GRAPHIC | LAU HONG HU

wo months ago, I decided to join NTU. Two weeks ago, I actually arrived at NTU. Two days ago, I realized that the Singaporean sun had darkened my skin to an unrecognizably hideous charcoal shade. Every two minutes, I still find myself hopelessly lost. And even then? I’ve fallen in love with this university - twice over. Being an international student in NTU does not only mean discovering that the nearest canteen’s as far away as your home country. I’ve realized that NTU is as foreignerfriendly as it gets with the orientation camps helping to transform the homesickness of the first week into a whirlwind of fun. Local students have been amazingly helpful to me : assisting me in navigating around school, and even striking up random conversations at the bus stop. There is always someone nearby who is willing to explain the finer intricacies of academic complexes, canteens, and the likes. Perhaps it is the culmination of all the little things that has made me feel truly at home.

sports

Au g us t 31, 20 0 9

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

Starts at 40mm / 5mm apart from top story

bpl talk

Not as rich, but equally good As the month draws to an end the whirlwind circus that is the transfer window will finally die down

That Burnley have achieved these feats with their journeymen and ‘rejects’ from the top clubs makes it more impressive. T he game winners behind the victories over United and Everton, forward Robbie Blake and winger Wade Elliot, count Bashley, Bournemouth, Darlington and Bradford City as their previous clubs.

Chuang Bing Han Brimming with their newfound oil money, Manchester City led the pack in drawing first blood by denying or swiping star players from their direct rivals. Boosting their ranks with no less than six signings, City is second only to Real Madrid in their extravagant makeover. Following in the footsteps of Real and the other kid with the fat wallet, Chelsea, City have learnt that money goes a long way in persuading clubs to release their star players. With three offers rebuffed for Joleon Lescott, manager Mark Hughes continued to up the bid, conf ident that money speaks louder than loyalty. Needless to say, he got his man. Yet their first two games of the new campaign failed to reflect their supremacy in the transfer market. A 2-0 win over Blackburn Rovers, from whom they snitched star forward Roque Santa Cruz, was only made certain in the last

HUSSLE: Burnley proves team solidarity triumphs over money. PHOTO | COURTESY

minute of normal play. And the other, a 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers, was a dodgy affair, with the Wanderers threatening a draw for much of the game. With their laborious wins over a team that was previously ranked 15th and a newly promoted one, City have not shown the prowess that is expected of £120 million of star quality. Standing on the extreme end of the financial spectrum, yet as equals in the Premier League ranking, is newcomer Burnley Football Club.

Consisting mostly of has-been journeymen, Burnley have defied critics with their giant slaying acts of Manchester United and Everton. Yet this is familiar ground to Burnley, having vanquished Fulham, Chelsea and Arsenal in last season’s League Cup to storm into the semi-finals. Coupled with this season’s victories over United and Everton, Burnley have overcome four out of the top five teams of last season’s Barclay’s Premier League, with Liverpool yet to come.

City have not shown the prowess that is expected of £120 million of star quality Ha rd ly t he awe-i nspi r i ng resumes that would be expected of such Goliath-defying warriors. Yet Burnley stand as equals with City in the Premier League table rankings, with six points apiece. Bu r n le y a r e t he P r e m ie r League’s favoured underdogs, shaming City with their modest players and outlay of less than £4 million in the transfer window. Embarrassingly, it is now City who have to prove their mettle. And to prove that they did not spend £120 million just to be Burnley’s equal.

sports talk

THE world’s fastest man is about to cement his legacy, and all we can do is hang on for the ride. With two stunning runs in the recently concluded World Championships in Berlin, Usain Bolt rewrote the record books to stake his claim as the greatest sprinter of all time. By smashing the world record for both the 100m and 200m races by 0.11 seconds each, Bolt (has there been an athlete more aptly named?) has reignited the world’s passion for athletics, especially in the blue-riband sprinting events. Yet instead of celebrating his amazing feats, some allege that Bolt’s victories were built on performance-enhancing drugs. Detractors claim that no human can shatter world records by such wide margins without cheating. Bolt has never tested positive for any illegal substance in his body. Nevertheless, he enjoys an advantage over his peers. His 1.96m frame is unique in a sport that has always favoured short and stocky athletes with low centres of gravity, and it may be that Bolt was simply born with

the genes to go fast. Obscure athletes often face ac c u s at ion s a f te r e me r g i ng victorious. Consider the gender controversy surrounding South African Caster Semenya, who claimed a world record at the World C ha mpion sh ip i n t he women’s 800m race. She was subjected to a gender test due to doubt on her victory. T hough at h let ics has had a chequered past w it h some prominent drug cheats, it is all the more important that Bolt is clean, and will stay clean in his career. He represents the chance for the sport to regain its status as the pinnacle of human competition with the primal act of pushing the body to its limit. Has there been anyone who has come close to match i ng t he f la m boy a nt s pr i nte r i n simultaneously dominating his sport, while remaining the perfect showman, providing a remarkable spectacle to fans with his trademark pose pointing to the heavens. His ability to electrify and to inspire should not go to waste, and Singapore can leverage on Bolt’s current achievements to raise a new generation of athletes who

“You cane me and then want an interview?” Michael Owen’s (below) rebuffed reporters who asked for comments after United’s 5-0 win against Wigan

GRAPHIC | COURTESY

“I’m very happy with the fans because they sing my name and make me happy when I play.” It’s good to hear that Emmanuel Eboué still plays for Arsenal fans having resolved his earlier differences with them

“Cometh the credit crunch, returneth the lout from his bolthole.” Daily Mail’s sports writer Jeff Powell deduces that the collapse of financial systems is related to football hooliganism in response to the violence at Upton Park

Catch him if you can Fabian Ng

they said that?

“I have been in a few adverts but I have not got the body to be posing in my underwear like David Beckham!” English cricketer Stuart Broad thinks he hasn’t got the hots for the shots

GRAPHIC | MUHAMMAD HIDAYAT

have the perfect role model to inspire them. Jamaica’s population of 2.8 million shows that it is possible for a small country to produce worldclass athletes, and Singapore can certainly take a leaf out of the Caribbean nation’s book in moulding star athletes. Indeed, Singapore has its own sprint icons in the past, most prominently U. K. Shyam and C.

Kunalan. They may not have set world records, but they have shown that it is possible for local athletes to achieve success with medal-winning performances in international sports competitions. With a larger talent pool and better resources, it is not entirely out of the question for the next sprint sensation to emerge from the sunny island of Singapore, rather than the Caribbean.

“I watched the game the other night and I thought they could have done with a big lump up front to hold the ball up.” Kilmarnock’s new captain Kevin Kyle wants to get back in the game after recovering from a hernia operation

sports

au g us t 31, 20 0 9

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

Upping the ante for lifesaving CCAs

New cycling group aims to turn official Maryam Mokhtar

AMPHIBIAN: Lifesaving is a skill that requires versatility. PHOTO | JEANETTE LIM

Eunice Chew L i f e g uards i n t e r t i a r y institutions have been increasing efforts to raise awareness of lifesaving as a CCA. This year, NTU Lifesaving Corps has widened its scope and reach of its recruitment drives and the promotion of their annual Swimfest event. “Essentially we want to reach out to a larger audience by going to NIE to publicise our events as it has not been done before,” said the president of NTU Lifesaving Corps, James Ee, a third-year student from the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. Other lifesaving clubs, such as NUS University Lifeguard Cor ps (teamN US), prefer to offer their services for free and conduct showcases. “We volunteer as lifeguards on duty for orientation camps at Sentosa a nd do beac h demonst rat ions to ra ise awareness,” said team N US’s chairperson Liang Yao Wen, 22. Ot her sc hools suc h a s Singapore Polytechnic (SP) spiced up their CCA recruitment drives through live pool demonstrations and video screenings. Even with the increase from 30 to 70 lifesavers from 2008 to 2009, SP Lifesavers President Yeong Wei Xian, 20, still finds that their initiatives could be improved. That has not deterred SP’s new lifesaving member, Cham Dao Seong, 19, who said events held during the CCA fair attracted him to sign up. “They didn’t say how tough

the training would be though,” he said. Lifeguard CCAs stress that lifesaving is not just about s w i m m i ng but a l so about acquiring a skill, in response to the Singapore Lifesaving Societ y’s (SLSS ) statement made last year regarding the promotion of lifesaving as a CCA. On the national level, SLSS has made no major publicity e f for t to d ate to pr omote lifesaving as a CCA. Deputy Manager of the SLSS,

“We volunteer as lifeguards on duty for orientation camps at Sentosa.” Liang Yao Wen, 22 Chairperson of teamNUS

Michael Chua said: “I would prefer student clubs to take the initiative to reach out to their target audience—the youths.” One way is to bring potential members to lifesaving events such as the 32nd Annual National Lifesaving Championships at Siloso Beach on August 16th. The Ironwoman this year, Christel Fung from Sports Eagles, did not know about lifesaving until she was encouraged by her coach try out for it. The 17-year-old swimmer from Raffles Institution (Junior College) is aiming for bigger competitions though. “I hope to take part in the Youth Olympic Games next year,” she said.

A new cycling team in NTU, dubbed “Facebook-on-the-road” by their team manager, is working to get official recognition as a CCA. Since it became a student interest group last May, it has enlisted 32 members. Previous appeals to the Sports and Recreation Centre (SRC) for official approval had failed, as safety issues emerged as the main concern for cyclists riding on the roads at night. Tea m m a na ge r A d a m s on Arivalagan, 22, said: “Even if safety is a primary concern, there are so many other CCAs in NTU that are also potentially unsafe, so we didn’t accept that as a completely valid reason.” SRC is also concerned about the team’s sustainability; numerous groups that asked to be officially recognized each year ended up losing members shortly after its initiation. Students had requested for cycling to be an official CCA in the past, but never got serious about organising it. The current team plans to cha nge t hat by foc u si ng on recruitment, maintaining regular trainings, and taking part in major competitions. Ad a m son , a se cond-yea r student in the Nanyang Business School (NBS), also said Mr Yum Shoen Keng, Senior Assistant of the SRC as being very helpful in helping the team start off as an interest group. The team's pioneer members

WHEEL TO WHEEL: Cyclists made new friends on the road. PHOTO | XUE JIANYUE

began training last September, after knowing each other via intervarsity cycling trips, competitions and online groups. The cycling team has done well at the OCBC Cycle Singapore, a cycling marathon, back in February. NTU cyclists finished among the top ten percent in the individual 40km event, beating over 1,700 competitors including professional cyclists. Whilst being certified as a student interest group is a major step forward for the team, being an unofficial CCA does have its drawbacks. The team does not receive any funding or subsidies from the school and has to source out sponsors on their own, even if it is allowed to enter competitions officially as an NTU team. Another main issue for the team is logistics. About half of

the cyclists do not stay in hall, and without a storage room, cyclists have to personally bring their bicycles to training. Team members also do not receive CCA points for their membership. This however, does not seem to stop them. One of the team’s attractions is its social networking opportunities. “Each time you cycle, you can meet up to 30 to 40 people whom you constantly meet at future gettogethers,” Adamson said. T he team st ressed t hat it caters to all cyclists of different experience levels with two seperate training groups for recreational and competitive cyclists. Team cyclist Edmund Yeo, 22, a second-year School of Civil and Environmental Engineering st udent, said, “T he different groups will have different training speeds to accommodate individual capabilities.”

Televised tennis aces in NTU Sean Seet Tennis fans will have much to cheer about. The NTU Tennis Club (http:// ntutennisclub.blogspot.com) plans to broadcast the US Open a week after its live telecast in NTU and to take students to the inaugural ATP World Tour 250 Malaysia Open held in Kuala Lumpur this September. T he A ssociation of Tennis Professionals (ATP) world tour is an elite tour for tennis professionals. The Malaysia Open will feature former World No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt and Nikolay Davydenko, one of the top seeds in the tennis circuit. N T U Tennis Club hopes to take about 30 to 40 students to KL and the event is open to nonmembers. Besides the ATP world tour, the club is looking for somewhere to screen the US Open. Some possible places include the grassy roof at the School of Art, Design and Media

COURTING MORE FANS: US Open to be broadcast on campus. PHOTO | COURTESY

(ADM) building or the grass patch next to the new Humanities and Social Sciences building. Ang Li Ann, 21, the chairperson of NTU Tennis Club (Recreational) said: “The aim of the club is now more focused to act as a platform for all tennis enthusiasts, regardless of whether they are tennis players or not.” Sar ina Chng, a f irst-year School of Humanities and Social

Sciences student, feels that having such a screening is an attractive way to promote the sport. “It’s a great idea, as there a r e def i n ite ly people who may not be te n n i s playe r s , yet enjoy watching a game of tennis," the 21-year-old said. “By attracting many fans, there would be an exciting atmosphere that would rival that of watching a soccer match.”

Sports

Sandstorms on Siloso beach Page 27

Tchoukball touches down at NTU Marie Lim This is a game that combines the best of basketball, handball and volleyball. The game, called ‘tchoukball’, is set to take the bigger stage in NTU as enthusiasts from the National Institute of Education (NIE) start to promote it on campus this September. Pronounced ‘chuke-ball’, the non-contact sport was invented in the 1970s by Swiss biologist Dr Hermann Brandt, who believed that physical games should avoid the horrific injuries plaguing many sports. Introduced to Singapore in 2006, tchoukball was first taught to one class in the Physical Education and Sports Science (PESS) division at NIE in 2007. I nte r e st took of f a f te r tchoukball was introduced to the PESS orientation program and highlighted in the NIE learning festival in 2008. Subsequently, training began in October that year. The NIE tchoukball te a m e me r ge d t h i r d i n t he A sian Univer sit y Tchou kba ll Championship last June. Most former team members are now part of the Tchoukball Association of Singapore (TBAS), and Mohammad Moiz Bin Malik,

28, is one of them. The development officer of the TBAS says their goal is to have tchoukball played at the varsity level so that each university can take part in the Asian University Tchou kba ll Championsh ip in Singapore next February. This would hopefully translate into “bigger action” when Singapore hosts the Asia-Pacific Tchoukball Championship in July 2010, says Tan Jit Jin, 31, Chairman of the A sian Univer sit y Tchou kba ll Championship 2010 organising committee. PESS will work with TBAS

to spread tchoukball via pickup games (introductory lessons designed to allow beginners to have a feel of the game) in NTU. The division also hopes to work with the Student Affairs Office to publicise training sessions via the NTU portal and CCA fairs, and plans to include tchoukball in the mini Olympics carnival involving the whole 2009/2010 cohort of NIE. Tchoukball prides itself on being inclusive, Mohammad said. “Why I like tchoukball is (because of) the philosophy, it is really a sport for all,” he added.

tchoukball 101 T h e non-contact team spor t has 10 players and three substitutes. The seven-a-side game is played on a 40m x 20m court, which is slightly bigger than a basketball court. Positions include wingers, forward pivots or centre pivots and can score at both ends, earning points by throwing a ball against 90cm by 90cm ‘rebound frames’. Frames are placed within a semi-circle called the ‘D’ or ‘forbidden zone’, at either ends of the court. Players are not allowed in the ‘D’ with the ball, unless they are airborne. A maximum of three passes are allowed before shooting at the frame. To score, the ball has to rebound off the frame and land outside the ‘D’ without being caught by an opposing player. The defending team earns points if the ball misses the frame or goes out of play. Any interference with opposing teams’ passes or movement is not allowed.

NTU women fencers lunge forward

NERVES OF STEEL: The women’s fencers have turned previous foibles into fortes. PHOTO | AHMAD ISKANDAR

AIMING: A player takes a shot at the frame to score. PHOTO | KYLE LEUNG

Wong Oi Shan The Fencing Club took part again in the Asian Varsit y Fencing Championships organised by the Singapore Management University (SM U) this year with women performing better than the men. All of NTU’s women fencers walked away with at least bronze awards for their fencing events on August 17th. The best performance was its gold award for the individual women’s foil event. This was better than 2008’s results where the women had only achieved a bronze in the women’s team event for foil. Their achievements last year were largely overshadowed by a strong men’s showing. Vice President Josephine Yeo, 20, feels that a stronger team was one of the reasons for their achievement. Most of their first-year women fencers displayed more confidence and fighting spirit than previous batches. Overall, the Fencing

C lub membe r s showed mor e committment to the CCA. The second-year student from the Nanyang Business School (NBS) said: “We did remarkably well despite facing some strong national team fencers in the opponent teams for the finals.” Some of NTU’s national fencers had graduated and their absence was keenly felt by the men’s epee team as they were eliminated before they could reach the finals this year. “Last year we sent a team consisting of one ex-national fencer and one national fencer. So of course, naturally they progressed further,” said the Fencing Club President, Luther Kim, 23, a thirdyear NBS student, referring to the men’s team competitions. In total, the club sent in five teams this year to participate in two categories, foil and epee. Never theless, it was cohesiveness that was the highlight of the competition for N T U’s women’s fencer, Yvonne Lee, 20, a second-year NBS student. “We win when it comes to cheering for each other.”