CHRONICLE Behind the hall theatrics PAGE 16-17
the nanyang
march
Weekend getaways
15 , 2010 | V ol 16 no 9 | is sn no 0 218 -7310 | W W w. n t u. edu. s g / c hronic l e
Handball goes professional
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Summer dusk
高空俯瞰狮城
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Alice in Wonderland
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Gantries come down, charges go up
CHARGING DRIVERS: Car park gantries around the NTU campus, built in 2006, will soon be put into operation.
Gantries placed at the entrances of various car parks will start operating this May, years after they were built. Poh Wee Koon Come May, the NTU community will have to pay to park in most car parks around campus. The Student Affairs Office (SAO) and the Office of Facilities Plannng & Management (OFPM) talked to the Students’ Union, the Motoring Club and the Junior Common Room Committee representatives in a consultation on March 2nd.
An official announcement is expected very shortly. Gantries around most of the University’s car parks have been built since 2006, and will become operational in two month’s time. The car parks that are close to school buildings, such as those at the School of Art, Design and Media and the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences will charge $0.015/min, up to $3.60 per entry. The current charging car parks will also see an change in parking fees, to $0.02/min, up to $4.80 per entry. This is an increase of $1.80 from the current cap on car park fees. Other than Hall 7, parking at the other halls, as well as staff accommodation, will remain free.
PHOTO | IRWIN TAN
“In fact, I think we are one of the last few places to have free parking in Singapore.” Syed Munir School of Biological Sciences PhD student
Hall 7 is deemed to be of close proximity to the academic complexes and would attract many non-resident users. This is why charge-free parking would not be available there. Marcus Chow, 22, a Hall 7 resident, said
it is justifiable that they would want to charge for parking in Hall 7, but hopes some concession will be made for the residents who drive. “Perhaps they can come up with a system so that we (Hall 7 residents) can register and pay a lower season parking fee,” said the second-year Mechanical Engineering student. Discussed during the consultation was the issue of season parking, which will be made available. It will be $55/mth at the current charging car parks, and $35/mth at the other car parks that will start charging. The prices for both staff and students will be the same. This price is in between NUS’ tiered system, which ranges from $20 to $45. The NUS system divides the motorists into three tiers – students, family and staff. “It is inevitable that we will star t charging for parking,” said Syed Munir, 26, a PhD student at the School of Biological Sciences. He also believes that having one rate for both students and staff is fair, as “it is still a car, no matter who it is driven by.” Euge ne C he n , 22 , a se cond-yea r Environmental Engineering student feels that a tiered system would be fairer to students. “After all, we have no income. It would be unfair for us to pay as much,” said Chen. Representatives at the consultation also asked if there would be more shuttle buses provided, as higher parking fees would mean more commuters on them. The reply was that the University is constantly looking for ways to improve the current shuttle bus service. Howe ve r, i nc r ea si ng t he nu mbe r of buses may not be feasible due to capacit y constraints the NT U campus faces. OFPM has declined to comment until an official announcement has been made. “In fact, I think we are one of the last few places to have free parking in Singapore,” said Syed.
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Greener seas for Singapore Research programme launched to increase environmentalfriendliness Amelia Tan in response to an increased emphasis on environmental awareness, the Maritime Clean Energy Research Programme (MCERP) was launched in NTU on February 18th. It focuses its research on environmentally friendly energy for Singapore. “We are basically looking into the two domains of green shipping and green ports,” said Professor Chan Siew Hwa, co-director of MCERP. He continued, “We aim to cover quite a wide scope of research, from energy efficiency to the use of renewable energy, and even biofuel.” A joint collaboration between NTU and the Maritime Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), it seeks to create a platform to coordinate industry research, where fellow researchers can thrive by sharing knowledge and facilities. Singapore’s position as a leader in entrepot trade also makes clean energy a viable research area, said Professor Chan. The programme intends to look into cost-efficient
energy solutions. They intend to find more ways to utilise energy such that emissions from fuel will cause less harm to the environment. The research will be conducted through the Centre for Maritime Energy Research (CMER), a new centre under the Energy Research Institute at NTU. However, details of the research have not been finalised yet, since it is reliant on the submission of proposals from the professors. The first call for proposals opened on February 18th, and members from NTU, MPA and the maritime industry will evaluate the quality of the proposals. Professor Chan said that the projects should be “closely-linked with the maritime industry, such that it will be beneficial to the industry.” “It should be research that will have industrial participation, instead of being academic without real-life application,” he added. A Memorandum of Understanding signed by MPA Chief Executive Mr Lam Yi Young and NTU Provost Professor Bertil Andersson secured funding for the research programme. With the research being cofunded by NTU and MPA’s Maritime Innovation and Technology Fund, research grants totalling of $10 million will be contributed over
a five-year period. They aim to secure industry co-funding of up to $5 million. Mr Lam said: “MPA has been actively supporting research and development and testing of maritime technologies by universities, research institutes and companies in Singapore.” The present issue is to first set the scope of the project, then bear in mind the funding, said Professor Chan as he stressed the importance of the quality of the research projects. Although there are no concrete plans to include students yet, recruitment would probably
involve engineering students. Based on what was proposed, the programme will be open to students from most aspects of engineering, as it intends to incorporate elements from both hard and soft engineering. “I think it's a great move as the programme will provide an avenue for further research, and will also serve the interests of students who are introduced to this area of research from what is covered in our course,” said Koh Xiao Woon, 23, a final-year student from the School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering.
Nobel laureate Professor Murray Gell-mann chose an unconventional way to celebrate his 80th birthday. A three-day conference, titled “Quantum Mechanics, Elementary Particles, Quantum Cosmology and Complexity”, was held in his honour. It was organised by NTU’s Institute of Advanced Studies (IAS) and Santa Fe Institute, New Mexico, and took place at the Nanyang Executive Centre from February 24th to 26th. At the conference, Professor Gell-Mann, in a speech titled “Some Lessons from 60 years of Theorising”, gave students some learning points he wished someone had passed on to him previously. He explained that learning has been slowed down by prohibitions and negative comments. Instead, the octogenarian proposed that we keep asking the question: “Why not?” “We ought to challenge prohibitions that we have accepted unquestioningly,” said Professor Gell-Mann. Professor Gell-Mann, an expert in quantum physics, received a Nobel Prize in Physics in 1969 for his work pertaining to the classification of subatomic particles and their interactions. “Murray Gell-Mann continues
COMBINING RESOURCES: Signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between NTU and six industry partners. PHOTO | NTU CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS
to play an important role in the sciences and especially physics,” said NTU President Dr Su Guaning in his opening address. Third-year School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences undergraduate, Chong You Quan, 24, attended the conference as he did not want to miss out on listening to the many worldrenowned physicists there.
“Murray GellMann continues to play an important role towards the contribution of science and especially physics.” Dr Su Guaning President NTU
Chong said: “Reading about their work is like just plainly watching a movie, while listening to them talk is like getting an exclusive view behind-the-scenes. “It unveils some of the thinking processes that had gone through their minds when they created their work.” Chong added that Professor Gell-Mann had emphasised the importance of justification of
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED States, Barack Obama, has requested China to embrace a "market oriented" exchange rate for the yuan to help rebalance the global economy. malaysian prince, tengku Temenggong Mohammad Fakhry, has won the defamation suit against his wife, who accused him of abuse and rape. His wife, 18-year-old Manohara Odelia Pinot , and her mother were ordered to pay US$1.8 million. j a pa nese w ho l es a l ers have protested against the ban on international trade in Atlantic bluefin tuna, as it is expected to hit the country's massive tuna industry hard. Bluefin tuna, which is used in sushi and sashimi, is highly prized in Japan. a 6.9-magnitude tremor rocked Chile minutes before Sebastian Pinera swore in as President of Chile. The tremor was the largest aftershock since the 8.8-magnitude eathquake last month. The National Congress building was evacuated and a tsunami alert was issued.
Nobel physicist celebrates 80th birthday in NTU Khoo Fang Xuan
news flash
JAMES BULGER'S MOTHER, Mrs Denise Fergus, has met Judge Secretary Jack Straw, to discuss the return to prison of one of her son's killers. Jon Venables, who was released in 2001 with a new identity, was recalled to prison last month for an unspecified breach of license. singapore's ministry of Manpower expects that the number of jobs created this year will exceed that of last year. Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong said that up-skilling the workforce to increase productivity is a key priority. He also said that Singapore's labour market stayed resilient last year despite the gloomy outlook. NTU AND CARNEGIE MELLON University have come up with the NTU-CMU Dual PhD Degree Programme in Engineering, where successful PhD ( Engineering) candidates at the two universities will be able to earn two PhD degrees, with one from each university.
BIRTHDAY DELIGHT: Professor Gell-Mann celebrates his birthday with fellow physicists in a series of lectures. PHOTO | LEE WAI MENG
thoughts and following the gut instinct, which are both important ingredients in research. IAS has been organising similar birthday celebrations in honour of scientists. Adjunct Associate Professor Kwek Leong Chuan, who is in the local organising committee for this conference, explained that the idea was to “hold a series of talks and conferences to mark the achievements of distinguished scientists". Currently, Professor Gell-Mann has involved himself in projects outside physics. “I’m working with Russian
linguists, and we are challenging the distant relations of languages. “This is an idea which has been rejected by most mainstream linguists in the West,” said Professor Gell-Mann. Hamzeh Khanpourlehi, 30, an Iranian participant from Semnan University attended the conference. He said: “We hope to participate in his 100th anniversary.” Professor John H Schwarz, one of the speakers at the conference and an old friend of Professor GellMann, said: “You have to agree when people say that he is a man with five brains and each one is smarter than yours."
SINGAPORE DIRECTOR JACK Neo addressed the affair saga along with his wife, Madam Irene Kng. The news conference, held at Scorpio East building, had Neo apologising for his affair with 22-year-old model Wendy Chong. The news conference closed with a distraught Madam Kng being helped out of her chair and collapsing on the floor.
correction “back to the old food” (Vol 16 No 7, page 9) It was mentioned that Wendy's is certified Halal in Singapore. This is not true. Wendy's is not Halalcertified in Singapore. We apologise for the error.
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To update you on YOG happenings... Singapore odyssey 2010: virtual olympic worlds with olympic games and realistic landmarks Kevin Lim
PHOTO | EUNICE CHAN
CAN! Create A d m i r a lt y S e c ond a r y School st udents f rom t he Art Club and Environment Club learn how to design and make their own kites from Mr Wing Lee, the President of the Singapore Kite Association.
Singapore 2010 CAN! (Create Action Now!) aims to bring youths together for the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games. They aimed to create 169 kites, the equivalent of the number of days to the YOG from the event. Local and international youths from various schools in Singapore took part in this event.
Participants were encouraged to fly their kites after making it, as well as pen their well-wishes for the inaugural Singapore YOG 2010. The event was launched by four NTU undergraduates from t he Wee K im Wee School of Communication as part of their Final-Year Project.
Even if you are not adept in sports, you can still win sports medals in the Youth Olympic Games—in the virtual world. Singapore Odyssey 2010 is the first 3D virtual world created based an Olympic event. It was launched on March 6th at Cineleisure Orchard. The Singapore 2010 Odyssey is a platform where users from all over the globe can interact and engage in games related to the Olympic sports. It is a joint initiative between the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) and Singapore Yo u t h O l y m p i c G a m e s Organising Committee. “ T h e S i n g a p o r e 2 010 Odyssey is a unique virtual world platform offering many possibilities for learning, social networking and entertainment, as it reaches out to the youths from all over the world in a fun and interactive way,” said RearAdmiral (NS) Ronnie Tay, Chief Executive Officer of IDA. T h e pr oje c t a l s o a i m s to educate the public about the Olympic values, such as
f r iendship, excellence, and respect through their version of a culture and education programme in the virtual world. Users can play games and ea r n poi nt s i n t he v i r t ua l world. Once a character is created, users will be able to chat, add f r ie nd s a nd i mprove t he i r ranking through a “level-up” system. Cur rently, 10 games are avai lable but more w i ll be released near the start of the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games. The public can try some of the Olympic activities such as hurdles, archery and basketball virtually. The virtual world includes landmarks like the Singapore Sports School, Marina Barrage, The Float @ Marina Bay and the Youth Oly mpic Village, which is modelled after the National Institute of Education compound and neighbouring Halls of Residence. T he sof t wa r e ca n be downloaded free from the website, www.singapore2010odyssey. sg. However, it is restricted to Windows OS.
Danish PM concludes Singapore trip in NTU Mr Rasmussen shares his thoughts on the importance of research on new water technology and education Maxie Aw Yeong news editor Water technology and education are two main areas where Denmark and Singapore can learn from each other and join efforts in, said the Danish Prime Minister, Mr Lars LØkke Rasmussen. Mr Rasmussen visited NTU on March 6th to witness the collaborative effor ts bet ween t he u n ive r sit y a nd DH I , a n i ndependent i nter nat iona l consu lt ing and research organisation from Denmark, and to explore other possible joint research opportunities. T he DH I-N T U Wate r a nd Environment Research Centre and Educational Hub (DHI-NTU Centre), established in October 2007, merges the expertise of DHI Singapore and the Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute to generate new water knowledge.
“It is clear that water scarcity is becoming a global challenge,” said Mr Rasmussen, explaining the importance of the work that the DHI-NTU Centre is doing. NTU President Su Guaning agreed, saying that Singapore, with its high population density and lack of natural resources l i ke wate r, ha s be e n d r ive n to “i nve s t heav i l y i n wate r r esea rc h a nd env i ron menta l engineering”. Mr Rasmussen was in Singapore for a two-day trip, accompanied by senior officials including Ms Vibeke Rovsing Lauritzen, Danish Ambassador to Singapore and Mr Karsten Dybvad, the Danish Permanent Secretary of State. The NTU visit was his final stop here. Other than water technology, M r Rasmussen a lso felt t hat Denmark and Singapore can also learn more about education from each other. He thinks that Danish children get to play more t ha n t hei r Singaporean counterparts. “That is one of the reasons why Danish students turn out to be innovative thinkers and act in a very self-confident way,” the Danish Prime Minister said.
HOPEFUL VIEWS: Danish Prime Minister, Mr Rasmussen, foresees possible future partnerships with Singapore.
On the other hand, Denmark can learn from Singapore in terms of hard skills as the former only rank average in international ranking systems, he said. In particular, Mr Rasmussen praised Singapore's primary school
education system, which “achieves extremely good results in a very cost-effective way”. Mr Rasmussen is hopeful that the DHI-NTU collaboration will lead to more partnerships between the two countries.
PHOTO | NG JUN SEN
“I am confident that this stream, the Research Centre, will lead to a river of partnerships between Denmark and Singapore and between Danish and Singaporean companies and institutions,” he said.
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Fake bus stop prank: students say sorry 29 September 2009
Elizabeth Law A Group of NTU students were forced to publicly apologise to SBS Transit following a prank gone wrong. The seven third-year students from the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, replicated a bus stop sign and put it up at an internal shuttle bus stop outside the School of Biological Sciences. Although that bus stop has a shelter, it is not an authorised public bus stop. However, the students managed to flag down and board bus service 179 there using their bogus sign. The incident, which occurred in June last year, was recorded by the students who later uploaded it onto two social networking sites,
Facebook and Youtube. It eventually found its way to citizen journalism website, STOMP. T he v ideo has since been removed from these sites. Accor d i ng to one of t he students, Wang Han, 24, the sign was made as part of a project for the Engineering Innovation and Design course, MP2079. But by using it to mislead the driver of a public transport service, the team violated clause 119 (8) of the Road Traffic Act. This could result in them being arrested. N T U has repr imanded the students involved. The University has also sent out a general email to prevent repeat incidents. Bus stop signs have been changed island-wide, making them harder to counterfeit, though not as a direct result of this episode.
Dear Chief Operating Officer, LETTER OF APOLOGY We, the undersigned students, apologise unreservedly to the affected SBS bus driver, SBS Transit and our institution, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), for our deceitful and irresponsible actions regarding the bus stop prank that was posted on YouTube and reported in the media recently. The incident took place on 5 June 2009 around 4p.m. at the shuttle bus stop in front of the School of Biological Sciences building in NTU. We flagged down a bus #179 at this stop by misleading the bus driver with a fake SBS bus stop stand made by us. We deeply regret all the criticisms and negative comments directed at us and that directly linked us to the University, affecting the whole NTU community. We understand the severity of our immature and cavalier behaviour, and we take full responsibility for our actions.
New place for project meetings at Lee Wee Nam Dawn Lim Regular visitors to the Lee Wee Nam Library (LWN) may notice a new learning space at level two, beside the printing shop. Since March 8th, a corner in the library has been converted into the LWN Learning Commons. The Learning Commons, which consists of learning pods, multimonitor and touchscreen PC workstations, are specially designed to cater to group learning activities such as projects or assignments. Mr Lim Kong Meng, Head of Engineering Library, explained that the library staff had noticed a lack of facilities on campus to cater to group discussions. “Our library has looked into accommodating the different learning needs of our users. In addition to the need for quiet reflection and study, there is also the need for collaborative learning by users,” he said. Ms Samantha Ang, Head of Science Library added: “The wide projector screens, writing boards, and modular furniture found in the pods facilitate students' group learning activities. “Features like sound domes at the video wall and sound absorbers at the pods can also be found, to minimise possible disturbances. It appears to be well received by students. Neeraj Sethi, 22, a final-year Computer Engineering undergraduate who was having a group project discussion at the Learning Commons, said: “It is a conducive environment for us students to have project meetings.” Her project mate, Chia Jia Liang, 25, a final-year Mechanical
a nd Ae r os pac e E ng i ne e r i ng undergraduate agreed. She said: “It’s a great idea that could have been implemented earlier.”
“Our library has looked into accomodating the different learning needs of our users.” Mr Lim Kong Meng Head Engineering Library
The new Learning Commons also has a touch-screen version of The Straits Times, where copies of the current day’s news as well as archives can be viewed.
John Engdahl, 22, an exchange student from Linköping University, Sweden, concluded that it is a useful place for learning to take place. “I would definitely recommend this place to my friends to have group project discussions,” he said. With the addition of this new feature, staff at the Lee Wee Nam Library hope that good use will be made of the space to facilitate and enhance collaborative learning. “The library is constantly looking at how facilities and resources can be improved to fit the demands of lea r n i ng, wh ic h i nc lude s traditional medium like books, as well as technology that aids the learning process,” said Mr Lim. NTU staff and students are welcome to use the facilities, which is subject to availability. Prior booking to use the facilities is required, and can be done at the LWN information counter and the library’s website.
LEARNING IN PODS: Students deep in discussion at the Learning Commons. PHOTO | EUNICE CHAN
It was never our intention to make a mockery out of the SBS bus driver or to bring disgrace to NTU. We showed poor judgement and insensitivity to overlook the implications of this prank. We are fully aware of the taxing workload of the SBS bus driver and understand that every job is respectable in its own way. It was never our intention to belittle the driver or his occupation. We hope to apologise to the affected driver in person and express our heartfelt apology. We also deeply regret the inconvenience caused to all the passengers on board the bus #179 and those who were waiting for the bus that afternoon. We have learned a very hard lesson, and we hope that all of the affected parties can see it in their hearts to accept our sincere apology. Please be assured that such incidents will not happen again. Yours faithfully, Ong Shui Ying, Leong Yen Siang, Wang Han, Neo Fangqi, Zhang Jia Chuan, Yong Yik Cai, Leong Hon Chong
Broken leg, but still breaking
BREAK DANCE: B-boy Felix Huang manages to show off his moves on the dance floor, even with a fractured leg. PHOTO | NG JUN SEN
Ng Jun Sen With two crutches supporting the bulk of his frame, the leading man of one of Singapore’s top breakdancing crews, Radikal Forze, conducted a free workshop for aspiring breakdancers in NTU. Mr Felix Huang, 29, suffered a hairline leg fracture from a recent breakdancing practice session, but this did not stop him or his crew from passing on their moves to the NTU breakdancing community on February 25th. Held in a student lounge in the new Humanities and Social Science (HSS) building, the workshop saw 15 participants, although more were expected. Organised by Red Bull, the workshop that was held in NTU was the second in a series of three workshops, with one conducted in each of the three major universities in Singapore. The aim is to raise awareness
and interest in breakdancing, also known as B-boying or breaking. “I be l ie ve t hat it i s ver y important to pass on the knowledge that I have learnt to others,” said Mr Huang. He also felt that such workshops help to build up the local B-boy scene. The workshop was held in conjunction with the Radikal Forze Anniversar y Jam 2010. The Jam, held on March 13th, brings together some of the best breakdancers in the region in a B-boy competition at Zouk. Most of the participants in the NTU workshop are from the NTU CAC Breakdance club, such as Muhammed Zukhairi Bin Ramli, 22. “It is a great opportunity to be with the best breakdancing crew in Singapore and witness how they breakdance,” said the first-year Common Engineering student. “It is also a very good chance for us to perfect our basics with them,” he added. The NTU CAC Modern Jazz dance club (MJ), who were also invited to the workshop, did not attend. Cheryl Tanaja, 22, a second-year student from the Nanyang Business School, also the chairperson of MJ, said: “Our club is more focused on hip-hop, and not so much on breakdancing. “A lot of our members don’t think they have what it takes to do breakdancing as it requires a lot of strength and a different set of skills.” Mr Huang, however, feels that breakdancing can be for anyone, and that technique is not everything. “The main essence of B-boying i s not to be t he best but to understand the culture and enjoy what you’re doing,” he said.
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Cultural night out
ROCK ON: Hall 11's Jamband captivates the crowd.
Rock music unites students from different countries and cultures in a night of fun and bonding Lau Liang Tong The sounds of Jet, Kings of Leon and Franz Ferdinand echoed through old Canteen A as jam bands from Halls 8 and 11 put on performances for the Cultural Appreciation and Exchange Night (CAEN) on March 11th. Rock Fest! aimed to bring together the local and foreign students in NTU through rock music, food and beer. This is the first time rock music is the theme for the CAEN. It was chosen as many students can easily relate to rock music. Chew Wei Le, 23, chairperson of the CAEN committee said: “Rock music now takes on different languages, so we hope that using it as a theme will help attract more students so that they can forge new friendships and have a good
PHOTO | ZAKARIA ZAINAL
time.” The second-year student from the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences added: “We hope rock music will be the common topic that will later lead to students learning more about each other’s culture.”
“I really enjoyed the event, it showed us how vibrant campus life is in Singapore.”
Zami Sarker International exchange student from Sweden
To ensure a good mix of students from both communities, the organiser gave international students priority in purchasing the tickets. Representatives from Halls 8 to 11 went around door-to-door selling the tickets. Priced at $5
per piece, all 200 tickets were sold out. Malaysian Ong Kee Chen, 19, a first-year student from the School of Biological Sciences turned up at the event with both her local and Malaysian friends. “I came to know about the event when my cultural secretary came knocking on my door to sell the tickets,” she said. Aditya Srirats, 19, a secondyear Indian student from the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, came to the event with over 10 friends who were all from India. He said: “My friends and I share an interest in rock music. The bands and sound system are very good. “I’ll be looking forward to any future rock music performances,” he added. The organising committee also prepared games and activities like Taboo and Don’t Forget the Lyrics. They were based on rock music and placed emphasis on interaction among local and international students. In some games, they were pitted against one another, and in others they had to rely on cooperation to win. Aditya, who participated in the games, said: “The games really offered an opportunity to bond with the other students.” Rock Fest! also managed to give international students, such as those on exchange, a glimpse of campus life in NTU. Zami Sarker, 23, said: “I really enjoyed the event, it showed us how vibrant campus life is in Singapore. In Sweden, where I’m from, it’s relatively quieter.” The third-year exchange student at the School of Mechanical Engineering added: “The music, free-flow of beer and food made the event a blast.”
For lost love and music Ng Yee Theng Low budget and a tight schedule did not deter NTU’s budding filmmakers from giving their best shot at the Panasonic Digital Film Fiesta (DFF) competition. Held for the third time, the competition gives an integrated platform for filmmaking talent and digital technology. Three NTU students were among the 10 shortlisted under the Emerging Filmmakers programme (EFP). Beginning last November, mentors from the local filmmaking industry guided finalists through the 10-week EFP. They were provided with Panasonic cameras, but the rest of their production were mostly self-funded. At the awards ceremony on March 10th, Wesley Leon Aroozoo, 25, a third-year digital filmmaking major from School of Art, Design and Media (ADM), won Best Editing for his short film Maybe She Loves Everyone.
LOVE LOST AND FOUND: Wesley Leon Aroozoo receives the Best Editing award for a film that draws on his personal insights. PHOTO | DIGITAL FILM FIESTA
Words come to life at the Nightjar series Prominent local writers invited in to share their works Tan Wei Yuan After rolling off to a good start, the Nightjar Reading Series will be inviting more renowned local writers for the second session. Organised by the Division of English from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS), it offers students an opportunity to interact directly with the literature and its creators. Ms Suchen Christine Lim was invited to speak at the inaugural edition. Mr Cyril Wong and Mr Alfian Sa’at have been lined up to speak at the next session. Known for his provocative works, Mr Alfian is a writer-poet
who has won numerous awards over the years. Mr Wong has seven collections of poetry and one collection of prose published under his name. His poems have been featured in various journals like the Atlanta Review, Fulcrum and Poetry International. Mr Wong revealed that he is considering reading from Unmarked Treasures, the book which won him the Singapore Literature Prize in 2006. He explained that he chose the book not because it won a prize, but because he missed hearing the contents. “The poems in that collection are like children I have not visited in a long while. I want to see how much they have grown over the years.” Writers are invited to the Series not just based on their availability,
but also on the nature of their works and how it may interest students.
“Maybe it'll even encourage aspiring local writers to develop and publish their writing.” Zhang Jieqiang School of Humanities and Social Sciences Year 3
“We try to be aware of how the writer’s publications might feed or develop interests that the students in the literature and creative
The film, which depicts lost love using elements such as a grass cutter, was inspired by recent events that happened. “Because my previous films before this were not so personal, it wasn’t easy for me to write it,” he said. Another finalist, Goh Kun Lei, 25, a final-year ADM student, wants to use his subtle film The Sight of Music to get everyone to reflect on how they live their lives. Goh’s short film My Home was also featured in last year’s National Day Parade. Other finalists from NTU include Andy Chung Xu Yong, 26, a final-year student at ADM, as well as Assistant Professor of Film at ADM, Ho Wen-Shing, 38. The highest honour that night went to the film CheckMATE, directed by filmmaker Mohamed Yahssir, 25, from Millenia Motion Pictures. It earned four awards that night, including Most Promising Filmmaker and the Online Audience Favourite Film. Videos of the final competition films can be found at www. panasonic.com.sg/broadcast.
writing courses already have,” said Assistant Professor Jennifer Crawford from HSS, one of the brains behind this event. Ms Lim, whose novel Ricebowl is being used as teaching material for an English Division course now, was invited to open the inaugural Nightjar Reading Series on January 27th with that book. “It’s an event that will bring writers and readers together, and I regard both writing and reading as two faces of the same art,” Miss Lim said. When asked about the audience that night, Miss Lim commented that she was not surprised the audience managed to relate to a book written 25 years ago. She added: “It was an exhilarating session and I love those spontaneous challenging questions from the students.” Winifred Wong Li Min, 21,
a third-year English Literature student, attended the previous session and felt that it was informative. She said: “Having the writer to come here personally and talk about her writing process provides a more engaging experience than just reading interviews or other people’s critiques.” Zhang Jieqiang, 25, a thirdyear English Literature major who plans to attend the upcoming Nightjar Reading Series, hopes that it would inspire more students to be interested in Singapore literature. “Cyril Wong and Alfian Sa’at are remarkable and important local poets. It’d be great exposure and a fruitful time of talking with them,” he said. “Maybe it’ll even encourage aspiring local writers to develop and publish their writing.” The next session of Nightjar Reading Series will be held on March 23rd, 6pm, in the HSS Student Lounge. Admission is open to all.
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FRESH INSIGHTS: Professor Jean-Pierre Jeannet shares his personal experiences from China.
PHOTOS | NG JUN SEN
Trail blazing down the New Silk Road
The annual Chua Thian Poh Public Lecture, held on Thursday, March 11th, received excellent response from students, much to the delight of the organiser, Nanyang Technopreneurship Center (NTC). This year’s public lecture, which was titled The New Silk Road: Global Implications for Marketing and Entrepreneurial Practice, was held at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) auditorium. The lecture, given by distinguished guest speaker Professor Jean-Pierre Jeannet, explored how developments in China have impacted global strategies, global marketing and entrepreneurial behaviour in other countries. The F.W. Olin Distinguished Professor of Global Business, Babson College, covered the issue extensively and cohesively, giving fresh, original insights that he had gathered from his personal experiences in China. An interesting point that he raised was the time China would take to catch up with the United States in terms of economic growth. While many would think it is sometime in the near future, Professor Jeannet said that it would in fact take 12 years for the nations’ Gross National Product (GNP) to catch up, and 45 years for GNP per capita. He also brought up a viable alternative to the Silk Road. Currently an extensive, interconnected trade route across the Asian continent, he christened this alternative route the “String of Pearls”, a new route transversing
countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia and the Philippines. His refreshing and insightful perspective of trade gave rise to the possibility of tapping into markets not previously considered, to increase trade opportunities in this increasingly interconnected world. Despite the large amount of content covered, Professor Jeannet maintained a lively, friendly and engaging demeanour that effectively captured the audience’s attention from the start to the end of the lecture. The positive response towards his lecture was clearly highlighted during the Question and Answer segment. Invited guests and students alike scrambled for a chance to ask the professor their questions, or to convey their enjoyment of the lecture. Jeremy Loi, 22, a student from Nanyang Business School, said he had learnt the importance of the thorough understanding of a market. “He showed us what is not commonly known about China,” said Jeremy, who is also pursuing a minor in Entrepreneurship. Wu Di, 23, a student from School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, also commended that the lecture was creatively delivered and that he was very impressive with the event. “ T h i s i s t h e f ir s t- of- i t s kind public lecture that I have attended. I was able to learn from a Caucasian professor on his experience in China and his sharing was insightful.” It was a common sentiment
shared by the students that had come from a diverse range of faculties. W ith unex p e c te dly hi gh number of students who registered online for the event, the lecture was streamed live in two separate locations—The HSS foyer, and at NTC itself. Though students situated in the HSS foyer did not have the comfort of air-conditioning and cushioned seats, they still deemed the lecture a learning experience wor th going through, and were palpably enthusiastic about potential learning points. The high attendance and participation rate proved that the Chua Thian Poh Public Lecture successfully fulfilled its objective of raising community awareness and interest to the current trends and latest topics in entrepreneurship studies and development. NTU President Dr Su Guaning opened the Public Lecture by thanking Mr Chua Thian Poh for gracing the event as the Guest of Honour, and acknowledging that this event would not have been possible without Mr Chua’s support. The annual Chua Thian Poh Public Lecture is made possible thanks to the generosity of Chairman and CEO of Ho Bee Group, Mr Chua, who donated $5 million to NTU. The fund, together with an additional $5 million matched by the local government, will go towards the fostering of entrepreneurship and innovation education in NTU. The public lecture is one of
WARMEST WELCOME: The VIPs smiled their way to the New Silk Road.
INTEREST IGNITED: The lecture was streamed live to accomodate the students.
the three events held under the Chua Thian Poh Annual Speaker Series. The other two events are the Chua Thian Poh Entrepreneurship Research Symposium, and the Chua Thian Poh University Entrepreneurship Speaker Series, both held on Friday, March 12th.
They address new frontiers issues in entrepreneurship research and opportunity based marketing respectively. Look out for more Entrepreneurship-related events at www.ntu.edu.sg/ntc. by Danielle Han
Lifestyle Explore alternative art places - Page 9
HERE TODAY... OFF TOMORROW
Some exchange students are dropping everything and going on short backpacking trips in a heartbeat. Sarah Morris discovers what makes them go travelling on impulse and if their grades go off course too
WISH YOU WERE HERE: A group of exchange students posing at Mount Kinabalu.
AS THE weekend came around, fourthyear Communications exchange student Tara McCallum planned to catch up with schoolwork as she was falling behind due to continuous weekend travels. However, she heard of her peers completing the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) certification and her interest was piqued. After a few quick Internet searches, McCallum found a place called BJ’s Scuba in Tioman Island, Malaysia. The next morning, McCallum and four of her friends caught a bus to Malaysia and then a ferry to Tioman for their weekend scuba-diving trip. While most local students choose to plan ahead of time if they intend to travel, exchange students’ travelling plans are usually very spontaneous. Some exchange students are thriving off Singapore’s strategic location, which makes it easy to reach major backpacker destinations like Koh Phi Phi in Thailand, Bali and Hong Kong during the weekend. Travelling is mainly done on weekends. Some are planned only days before or are purely on the spur of the moment. At the beginning of this semester, a large group of exchange students organised a fun and relaxing “meet and greet” weekend getaway through Facebook in Bintan, Indonesia. Over 70 exchange students came together and travelled to Bintan and bonded over their passion for travel, adventure, and their experiences in Singapore, said exchange
PHOTOS | SARAH MORRIS & KYLE GOODALL
student, Kyle Goodall,19, a second-year Communications exchange student from the United States. Plans to head to Bintan cropped up in the last minute, said Goodall. “I booked the tickets the night before and showed up with some friends and we only obtained our visa upon arrival.” The recent recess week presented a golden opportunity to explore the region. There were many smaller and also larger groups who organised their own week long adventures. Some groups went to Bali to take advantage of the waves to surf while others went for a more cultural experience in India. Others also went to Japan, Vietnam and the Philippines. “The Philippines is my favourite place so far,” said Erik Arumskog, a fourthyear Engineering exchange student from Sweden. “We were able to go to a town called Sagada in the mountains of the Philippines to see the rice terraces, then down to the beautiful sandy beaches of El Nido, where we took a boat to various islands. “It was a very jam-packed week that included some uncomfortable sleeping in a van on very bumpy roads, but I would go back in a second.” But travelling frequently may take a toll on the academic workload. “Sometimes it is hard to manage the course load and so much traveling,” said McCallum. “But I feel like most exchange students
understand how fortunate they are to have this opportunity and work hard in order to get the work done in the end.” Fresh from her adventurous 10-day trip to the Philippines over recess week, thirdyear Engineering student Allie Bradshaw shares a similar outlook. “It is tiring to juggle travelling and schoolwork, but the fact is this is once in a lifetime and we just find a way to make it all work.” But Goodall pointed out that he had one experience where his travelling did affect his studies. He went to an Ashram, a sacred place for spiritual retreats, in Bangalore, India during the recess break. But he booked the wrong return flight and ended up having to miss a few classes. He also did not manage to complete an assignment because of the lack of time. Besides being unable to complete assignments on time, some exchange students have not always been available for group projects. Shalena Ho, a third-year Business student from Scotland, was one such exchange student who was unsuccessful in juggling her trip to Hong Kong and her having online discussions with her project group. She was unable to get to an Internet café in time and did not contribute much to her group’s output. “I ended up doing very little work because I was enjoying myself. My groupmates were very unsatisfied with my work and did not use any of the work that I did.” But most loca l st udent s seem to
understand their foreign groupmates’ decision to favour a backpacking holiday over group assignments and revision.
“It is tiring to juggle travelling and schoolwork, but the fact is this is once in a lifetime.” One of them is Edwin Loh, 22, a firstyear student from Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information. One of his project mates is an exchange student. Most of the project work required group effort and discussion. “I do not mind him missing some project meetings as he contributes to project discussions with his fresh outlook on certain topics because he comes from a different country,” said Loh. He understands that exchange students want to make the best of their trip in Singapore and the decision to do work and come for project meetings are based on their principles. But Goodall said that most of the exchange students successfully manage to toggle both school and travelling. “It is important to stay present in the moment. This will allow you to transition smoothly from travelling to studies.”
FLOWER GIRLS: Goodall bought roses from the flower girls inside the Ashram each morning to give to his friends.
lifestyle
M A R CH 15, 2010
T h e na n ya ng c h ron ic l e
09
quiet is the new loud
Creative ZEN
Be exposed to more independent artists as Audrey Lim looks out for alternative art spaces that are vastly different from the more popular museums such as the National Museum of Singapore POST-MUSEUM 107-109 Rowell Road Singapore 208033 Tel: 6396 3598 Opening hours: Tues - Fri: 6pm - 10pm Sat - Sun: Noon - 10pm Closed on Mondays www.post-museum.org
BARE NECESSITIES: The stripped-down effect is certainly inviting for art lovers.
AT THE end of Rowell Road in Little India is the Post-Museum, with colourful drawings lining the pillars of the shop house. This quaint ambience in the midst of bustling Little India is refreshing. PostMuseum is a cultural and social space independent of the government. It provides a platform to promote art and a space for art lovers to come together at the same time.
NIGHT AND DAY 139 A/C Selegie Road Singapore 188309 Tel: 6884 5523 Opening Hours: (By appointment only) Mon - Sat: Noon-12mn Closed on Sundays www.nightandday.sg AS YOU enter Night And Day, a bar and gallery situated in Selegie Road, there is a flight of stairs with drawings and random musings scrawled on both sides of the walls. The captivating graffiti extends all the way up to the art gallery on the fourth floor.
The bare brick walls that surround the exhibition space jump out at you upon entering. The unfinished bricks give a raw and rustic creative feel. Next to the exhibition space is Food #03, a contemporary vegetarian café. Bulbs wrapped in brown paper hang down beside the windows. The curtains at the back are made of raffia and the other materials are unconventional, yet visually pleasing. As part of p-10, a curational team that founded Post-Museum, Woon Tien Wei, 35, also an artist, does everything from the cooking to waiting on tables. A popular drink served at Food #03 is the Post-Museum Pour ($2), a concoction of apple juice, mint and spiced tea, which is a refreshing drink in the current sweltering heat. Post-Museum also conducts classes occasionally. These include courses that range from the Malay language to sign language and art history. In celebration of Inter national Women's Day, the next exhibition at Post-Museum is entitled Wonder Women. It features works created by 10 young female artists inspired by their female role models and the exhibition runs from March 11th to 21st. More than just an art gallery, PostMuseum takes it up a notch by offering classes and a place to hang out at. Most importantly, it offers a unique ambience for visitors to enjoy the exhibitions.
The walls are filled to convey a message that you are surrounded by art once you step into the place, said Kelley Cheng, 38, co-founder of Night And Day. When Night and Day first started in 2007, 10 artists were invited to “vandalise the walls" with their graffiti. The owners also left markers around to enable more patrons to add graffiti on the walls. Subsequently, people started bringing in their own. The other co-founder, Randy Chan, 40, was in charge of conservation and renovation of the building, as well as the designing of the bar. He is an architect by day, and is known for heading the restoration of St James Power Station into an entertainment nightspot. Cheng and Chan founded Night And Day to provided a platform for local artists to showcase their talents.
VIEWING GALLERY: Standing in the art gallery, you can appreciate the artwork of emerging artists PHOTOS | NG JUN SEN who use Fill Your Walls as a platform.
FILL YOUR WALLS
Fill Your Walls is an art gallery on the fourth floor of a shop house along Tanjong Pagar Road. A ngeline Chan, co-ow ner a nd fou nde r of Fi l l You r Wa l l s s a id that the gallery is able to provide a platform for artists to showcase their art pieces. This is also an opportunity for their career to take one step forward in the right direction. An exhibition entitled ‘Singapore, Our Heritage’ will last till March 21st and features five local upcoming artists with different backgrounds and artistic styles. One of the art pieces by William Sim is titled Happiness with a Twist ($1020). It features a rabbit surrounded by ‘White
Rabbit’ sweets. The artist describes it as a milky white rabbit trapped within a child and hidden inside a forgotten film of edible contentment. Helping to run the gallery is Benjamin Hampe, 29, an Australian trained in journalism. Having supported local artists in Queensland, he heard about this gallery through mutual friends in Australia, and decided to offer his services to the gallery. “I am interested in cultural diplomacy and exchanges, and I believe art can be used to create dialogues between cultures,” said Hampe. Fill Your Walls offers a platform for the creation, display, commenting and purchasing of art. It is also organising an art competition for Singapore’s artistic community. Titled Breakthrough 2010, it is a chance for promising local artists to win an award of $1000. Beside the gallery is an art studio, My Art Space. The studio provides a space to draw and paint, with instructors on hand. With My Art Space, the art gallery seeks to promote established local acts and encourage people to take up art.
They have exhibitions, shows, as well as experimental music groups like Mugic and C.H.O.P.P.A. Night And Day is housed in a 1950s Art Deco building and also consists of a chill out bar on the second floor. The furniture within the gallery includes chairs with long back supports, and a couch with cushions resembling the human body. These add to the eccentric feel of the environment, even without any exhibits. The bar is intentionally dimly lit, with candles on each table. Front covers of the menus are in fact used book covers, adding to the experimental feel of the place. The next exhibition will be held during the third week of March, by local artist Ben Phua. Night And Day is an intriguing art gallery, be it night, or day.
UNCONVENTIONAL LOOK: The 1970s classroom decor gives the art gallery a perfect backdrop for PHOTO | NIGHT AND DAY the artwork.
21 Tanjong Pagar Road #04-02 Singapore 088444 Tel: 6222 1667 Opening hours: Mon - Sun: 10 am - 10 pm Closed on Wednesdays and public holidays www.fill-your-walls.com
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lifestyle
M AR C H 15, 2010
T h e na n ya ng c h ron ic l e
foodsnoop
Exotic in Singapore
Little known foreign cuisines are given a dash of Singaporean influence in these two eateries. Costa Daniel Chua and Kenneth Goh find some familiarity in food from Russia and Sweden Shashlik Restaurant
fika swedish café and bistro
545 Orchard Road Far East Shopping Centre #06-19
257 Beach Road Opening hours: Mon – Fri: 11am – 11pm Sat – Sun: Noon – 11pm
Opening hours: Mon – Sun: Noon – 3pm (lunch) 6.30pm –10.30pm (dinner)
SITUATED at the heart of Orchard Road, yet away from the bustle surrounding the new shopping malls, is Shashlik Restaurant. The restaurant oozes Old World char m—from its low-hanging antique lamps, to the elderly servers’ uniforms. Even the dishes are served from a creaky wooden trolley pushed to the tables. Harking back to the colonial times, Shashlik Restaurant was conceived in April 1986 by a Shanghai native of Hainanese descent who was a sailor aboard a Russian ship. Howe ver, do not e x pec t authentic Russian cuisine. With dishes feat ur ing the local Ikan Kurau (threadfin fish), Shashlik Restaurant serves up a combination of continental and Russian food, Singapore style. A loyal clientele has sustained the restaurant over the decades, who come back to a long-serving battalion of mostly Hainanese waiters and chefs who give soul to the eatery. The plain brown signboard of this 24-year-old restaurant belies the fact that it has received many politicians and A-list celebrities as customers. T he mea l k icked off w it h Borsch ($7). Originally a bland soup of leftover meat, bones and vegetables for peasants, this dish is anything but bland. The tomato and beetroot soup is infused with the robust stock of beef and vegetables.Swimming in the bowl is a generous dollop of sour cream, which is stirred to thicken the soup, and highlights its rich, creamy texture.
'ROCKET' CHICKEN: Launch your appetite.
The Chicken a la Kiev ($19) consists of a tube-like chicken f illet, which is shaped like a rocket. The lightly breaded fillet is hollowed out to accommodate a cube of butter and deep-fried to a golden brown crisp. Equally fascinating is the deep-fried bread. It is chiselled from a single loaf into a V-shaped mould and props up the chicken ‘rocket’. According to the restaurant manager, Mr Tan Boon Tan, 59, who has worked there for 41 years, a few customers have been splattered with melted butter, bursting from the chicken’s pressurised interior. So, you may want to cut the fillet cautiously. While deep-fried chicken tends to be dry and tough, the fillet is surprisingly tender and has a smooth texture, perhaps due to the butter cubes. The Shashlik-Beef Fillet ($25) is presented in the form of long, slender skewered meat (think up-sized version of the kebab, or satay) on a hotplate, with a side of Russian salad. T he beef tenderloin, done
ORANGE PLATTER: Chewy crepes flamed with brandy butter sauce.
PHOTOS | RONALD LOH & LOONG YONG EN
SHASHLIK: Sizzling skewered beef fillet.
medium rare, is marinated with herbs and spices and left overnight before being char-grilled over heated volcanic rock. The meat is tender and juicy, with each bite laden with aromatic spices. For a thrilling finale, order the Bliny with Brandy Butter Sauce ($16), which is prepared in front of diners. Four neatly folded crepes are sautéed in a concoction of freshly squeezed orange juice, orange liquor, butter and sugar. In a dramatic conclusion, brandy was added to ignite flames above the pan. The crepes are soft and chewy, and bear a strong, sweet taste, laced with orange juice. E ac h bite y ie ld s a t i nge of br a n d y, r obu s t , y e t n ot overpowering. The only drawback is its rather steep price, with prices ranging from $30 to $40 for a set meal, which includes a soup and an entrée. However, the experience of dining at such a nostalgic ambience is worth every cent.
IT STARTED out when Ms Tasneem Noor’s Swedish husband felt homesick and she decided to cook some Swedish dishes. Now, she is giving Swedish tourists a reason to smile with her seven-month old café, Fika. The menu here is a collection of Swedish mains, desserts and open-faced sandwiches. With her husband serving as the “food consultant”, Noor took her love for cooking Swedish dishes into opening this café. Serving Halal food meant that a few of the Swedish dishes lost their authenticity, like Swedish Hash ($17.90), a dish of diced potatoes and meat, comes without ham, which is traditionally included. Despite this, tourists are giving it the thumbs-up. “They like it, just like how Singaporeans feel when they see Mee Goreng in London,” she said. The café has a dominantly whitewashed theme, which Noor sums up as “clean, cottage-like and as fuss-free as Swedish food”. The white rectangular tables, surrounded by white chairs, is reminiscent of a dollhouse. T he c a fé i s hou s e d i n a charming two-storey shophouse in the culturally vibrant streets of Arab Street. Office workers frequent it for lunch during weekdays, while young families are a common sight on weekends. When it comes to Swedish food, the word ‘Ikea’ pops up faster than you can say meatballs. However, Noor is not fazed by the competition. “It is good that Ikea gives people an idea of what Swedish food is,” she says.
She adds that the quality of food and ser vice explains the price difference, when compared to Ikea. Nat u r a l l y, t he p e r e n n i a l Swe d i sh f avou r ite , Swe d i sh Meatballs ($16.90), is a signature dish. The eight beef chunks come irregular-shaped and slathered with luscious cream sauce. The minced beef is tender and decently juicy and leaves a pleasant dash of meatiness in your mouth. Instead of oil, the meat is panfried with butter, which lends a creamy texture to the beef. Butter is also added to the cream sauce. The only grouse is that the chunks looks deceptively solid —they crumbled clumsily to bits under the fork. According to Noor, close to 50kg of minced beef is used daily to roll out these beef chunks. The imported lingonberry jam provides a jolt of tart sourness against the meatballs, which tastes like hamburger patties after a few bites. The plate is flourished with a requsite salad and soft parsleygarnished potatoes which are forgettable. To round off the meal on a sweet note, the Swedish Pancakes ($9.90) gets diners in a little daydream of cream. The buttery crepe is boring on its own, but throw in a globe of vanilla ice-cream and a dollop of raspberry jam, whipped cream and a sprinkle of icing sugar and wait for the taste buds to be enlivened. They add new dimensions to the chewy, paper-thin pancakes, which are slightly brown at the edges. The jam’s sweetness exerts its presence amidst generous loads of fluffy indulgent cream, providing a clever cross of textures. Though pricier than Ikea, the café offers an extensive menu and quaint ambience for diners.
SWEDISH STALWART: Pan-fried meatballs drizzled with cream sauce.
lifestyle
m a r ch 15, 2010
T h e na n ya ng c h ron ic l e
review
BOOKS The Apprenticeship of Big Toe P Rieko Matsuura (Fiction) $45.15, available at Kinokuniya Published by Kodansha International
“The big toe of her right foot was a penis.” With such provocation at the end of the blurb, readers are already assured an unforgettable experience. The Apprenticeship of Big Toe P relates the weird yet fascinating account of Kazumi Mano, one of the faceless masses of modern Japan, who one day finds that her big toe has morphed into a penis. In her simple, passive way, Mano wonders at the startling new development and tries to deal with the disruption to her cookie-cutter life. But when her homophobic fiance turns on her in a fit of emasculated rage, attempting to castrate her, she begins a journey of self-discovery and sexual learning. Through her unflinching eyes, everyday notions of gender, identity and sexuality are upended, leaving the soft underbelly of the perverse starkly open for readers to reconsider. At the forefront of Japan's curiously explicit literary wave, Rieko Matsuura's much-celebrated third novel hit sales of over 300,000. Lauded translator Michael Emmerich resurrects its legend into English 17 years after its original Japanese release. But for all the brouhaha, at the heart of this well-spun story of sexual abnormality, deviance and politics, is a meditation of the nature of love and how each of us learns to accept and express it.
“I believe that music can encourage you to move on from painful events. It helps to make a scar fade.”
Corinne Bailey Rae, in an interview with The Telegraph, on her music
-Goh Zhi Ling
11
MUSIC The Sea Corinne Bailey Rae (Soul/Folk)
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Co-produced by Steve Chrisanthou, The Sea has reportedly impressed the likes of Stevie Wonder and Arctic Monkeys.
AFTER her two-year hiatus following the demise of her husband, trumpeter Jason Rae, Corinne Bailey Rae is making a comeback with her new album, The Sea. Understandably, themes of love and grief characterise the album, and Bailey Rae is surprisingly upfront with her emotions. “I’m really aware that I can’t hide any of my feelings. It’s not contrived. It’s just open,” she says of her latest offering on her website. Perhaps the most blatant and painfully moving song would be the studio-styled album opener, Are You Here, in which her anguish is evident through lyrics like It's hard to recall the taste of summer/When everywhere around, the chill of winter/ It gets so far away. While certain songs were penned before the tragedy, the raw emotions proves to be a mainstay throughout the album. I’d Do It All Again was conceived after an argument with Jason, and reaffirms their love with lyrics like You got my heart and head’s lost/I’ve been burning down these candles for love. The three-time Grammy Awards nominee aptly demonstrates her musical versatility. The Sea is splashed with her signature dark jazz and soul, especially in tracks like I Would Like To Call It Beauty. The soulful tunes then segue into funkier grooves like The Blackest Lily, an upbeat, swinging number with distinct Motown influences. Bailey Rae also displays some edge with the rock-accented Paris Nights/New York Mornings. Despite the tragic premise within which the album was conceived, it remains a quietly triumphant demonstration of Bailey Rae’s strength, and a fitting tribute to love.
-Cornelius Ong
Food Rules Michael Pollan (Non-Fiction)
Smoke and MirrorsCorinne Bailey Rae
$17.66, available at Kinokuniya Published by Penguin Group
Lifehouse (Alternative Rock)
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A note of pr ior war ning: compulsive calorie-counters and pathological weight watchers might be inclined to connect their heads with some nearby flat surface after reading this thin but highly engaging book. In “seven simple words of plain English,” internationally acc la i me d jou r na l i s t a nd bestselling author Michael Pollan boldly slices through the muck and mire that is nutritional advice to bring us three basic principles to guide what goes into our gullet. “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants,” advocates Pollan. And since seven words do not make a book, he goes on to expound on them in 64 easy and commonsensical rules. He adapts his sentence-long gems from tried-and-tested folk wisdom, the kind passed down through the years by grandmothers and other prudent purveyors of society. Pollan makes his early distinction between food and “edible foodlike substances,” under which anything heavily processed, unpronounceable and over-marketed falls, and characterises his pages with a purposeful absence of nutritional jargon. He also grounds his book in reason with his conclusive exhortation to eschew obsession with these very food rules as it might compromise your food happiness. At a mere 140 pages, Food Rules is a welcome voice of reason in this food-obsessed world, abound with dozens of game sayings and brief accompanying explanations in a voice more witty than your grandma's and just as wise.
35 tracks were initially recorded for Smoke and Mirrors before the band settled on the final 12.
-Goh Zhi Ling
BOOKS FROM KINOKUNIYA
PHOTOS | INTERNET
A DECADE after their debut, Lifehouse is back with their fifth album Smoke and Mirrors, the result of the band’s endless finetuning of their sound. Smoke and Mirrors was conceived on a post-tour high when the band came off the road after touring for a year. With this album, they aimed to convey the visceral energy of their high-octane live performances. The album contains a good mix of rock tracks that feature Lifehouse’s essential sound, as well as catchy, sing-along pop numbers. The opening track All In starts out slowly, and builds tempo before climaxing in the chorus. With a balanced blend of acoustics, catchy lyrics and the strong vocals of lead singer Jason Wade, it looks set to be a potential chart topper on the radio. Part of Lifehouse’s appeal lie in their ability to craft lyrics that could easily feature in everyday conversation. This is evident in Halfway Gone where lyrics such as Talk, talk is cheap/give me a word you can keep, call to mind a harsh exchange of words in a relationship gone bad. Smoke and Mirrors also contains notable collaborations with big names in the industry, such as American Idol alumnus Chris Daughtry, who contributes vocals on Had Enough, and co-wrote the number with Richard Marx. The album comes in a deluxe edition with four additional tracks, featuring a studio version of the hit song, Everything. Smoke and Mirrors debuted at sixth place in the billboard charts, the band's highest peak since debut album No Name Face was released ten years ago. With that, Lifehouse demonstrates their staying power in an industry where they clearly belong.
-Regina Koh
12
lifestyle
m ar c h 15, 2010
T h e na n ya ng c h ron ic l e
FILMS Alice In Wonderland
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Fantasy/Animation Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter 108min
WHO better to tumble down the rabbit’s hole with than Tim Burton? The same quirky director who gave us films like Edward Scissorhands lends his dark sense of humour to the show. Alice In Wonderland may have the same characters as the children's book by Lewis Carroll, but the film’s plot veers sharply from the original. 13 years after Alice’s (Mia Wasikowska) first plunge underground, she is led reluctantly back into it by the waistcoat-clad White Rabbit (Michael Sheen), only to find out that the Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter) has wreaked havoc and taken over the land. Underland presents a detailed reinvention of insanity. The Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp) is a sight to behold, with a shock of bright orange hair bursting out from under his hat. Although some aspects of his appearance bring to mind his role as Willy Wonka from Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, Depp’s adeptness at turning on the Hatter’s Scottish burr erase any of those chocolaty memories. Burton’s vision of the Red Queen is refreshing and hilarious. With her bulbous head and disproportionate body, the Red Queen, who sits in her court with a porker under her feet, is the show's resident villain. Meanwhile, Matt Lucas (of Little Britain fame) stars as Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the twins who stumble and fight their way through the movie in a vaudevillian manner. Despite a rather predictable sequence of events, this smorgasbord of visual imagery employed by Burton will wrench viewers away from the humdrum of ordinary life for the 108 minutes this film plays.
PHOTOS | INTERNET
Compared with Carroll’s original literary version, this take on the classic story is indubitably curiouser. -Boey Wei Shan
THEATRE To Kill A Mockingbird Toy Factory Productions
PHOTO | TOY FACTORY PRODUCTIONS
Up In The Air Drama/Romance /Comedy George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick 108 min
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Forgive the pun–Up in the Air's Oscar bid indeed went up in the air, but that is no reason not to catch it. In fact, please do. Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) is a career transition counselor, a highfalutin name for someone who sacks employees on behalf of cowardly employers. Bingham's dream is to rack up ten million frequent flyer miles on his travels across the United States throughout the course of his job. Along the way, he delivers motivational speeches that celebrate his philosophy of living life without the burden of relationships and enlivens his existence with no-stringsattached flings with another frequent flyer, the mesmerising Alex Goran (Vera Farmiga). However, his comfortable routine is upended by the arrival of the young but driven Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick), whose bold new plan to conduct all company layoffs over the internet threatens his peaceful equilibrium. As Bingham is forced to teach her the ropes of laying off people, the reluctant duo inevitably learn more about each other amidst frequent face-offs over Bingham's lifestyle choice. In the cockpit propelling the film is the quirky Jason Reitman, responsible for 2007’s indie hit Juno. Joining him at the helm is the everdebonair George Clooney in what some have declared as his best performance to date. Female leads Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick were both nominated for Best Supporting Actress, making the movie the only Oscar contender this year with three acting nominations. Indeed, the strength of the movie lies in its stellar cast, who pull off the foibles
and idiosyncrasies of the characters in a refreshingly believable manner. Up in the Air would be delightful simply for the snappy and witty script and lovely panoramic views of North America. But Reitman, a phenomenal storyteller with much heart, takes it a step further. He masterly creates a poignant and resonant tale of what truly makes us able to overcome adversity and survive daily life–the relationships that tie us together. -Goh Zhi Ling
Harper Lee’s classic novel To Kill A Mockingbird is given a contemporary update in Toy Factory Production’s latest play, with veteran director Goh Boon Teck’s vision centering on the dichotomy between right and wrong. Atticus Finch (Brendon Fernandez) is a white lawyer in a town firmly divided along racial lines, defending a Negro accused of raping a white woman. During the trial, the audience is clearly made complicit. Characters address the audience as the jury, with Finch powerfully urging the crowd, “In the name of God, do your duty.w” Goh thus incites us to consider the way humans have long castigated one another based on nothing but the colour of their skin. As Finch, Fernandez shines. He competently delivers each aspect of the middle-aged man, from Finch’s stoic gentility, to his unceasing determination to see justice served. Scout (Julie Wee) and Jem Finch (Jae Leung), Finch’s two children aged eight and 10, are forced to face the backlash of their father’s decision, as they learn to keep their fists down and their heads held high. Their friend, Dill Harris (Tan Shou Chen), aged 12, accompanies them on their misadventures. Out of the three children, Tan is the most convincing. He infuses his character with boundless energy, and comes the closest to accurately portraying the physicality and mannerisms of a child. Goh’s vision of right and wrong is simple yet effective, and this simplicity is masterfully realised in every aspect of the production.
The cast, clad in neutral shades, performs in a minimalist setting. They shift high stools into various configurations to depict the changing locations wit hin t he play, such as a courtroom and the road outside the Finch’s residence. Stylised movement sequences intersperse with realistic acting to varied effect. At times, they serve to heighten the dramatic tension of the play. A murder, for instance, is depicted by several characters closing in on their victim while slamming stools on the ground in an unceasing rhythm, until the stage is eventually swathed in a chilling red glow and the anguished howl of justice poorly served. However, some of these sequences border on campy and unnecessary, like the characters flailing in slow motion as a mad dog looms threateningly in the distance. Goh a lso apt ly demonst rates t he meaninglessness of racial hatred by subverting symbols of racism. Church choir members don black headgear with pointed tips, similar to the ones worn by members of the Ku Klux Klan, an American white supremacy group in the 1920s. But in the play, they visit each household in turn, placidly spreading their messages of love and goodwill. At the heart of To Kill A Mockingbird lies a message as relevant now as it was in 1961, when Lee won her Pulitzer Prize for the novel. Evoked admirably by Goh’s directorial hand, it is a relevant visual treat for audiences both young and old. -Clara Lock
lifestyle
M A R CH 15, 2010
T h e na n ya ng c h ron ic l e
13
tech review
The Best in the Business
Ng Jun Sen
Its movie mode records at a lower resolution of 720p, and can only capture at a slower rate of 24 frames per second. Like the Canon, it is made with still photography in mind. Hence, the movie functions in both cameras remain as novelties rather than as professional options for video-capture.
photo editor
In my perfect world, there will be no wars and no crimes. No one falls sick, chocolate will grow on trees, mosquitoes will never bite and everyone will always be happy. In this utopia, the only camera that exists is the perfect one. Today, the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV and the Nikon D3S are closest to such impossible perfection. In the holy realm of photography, these highly-coveted machines are the top-of-the-line tools for professionals who demand the best and tolerate no compromise. These may be two of the best cameras in the trade, but they are also impossible in another way. With each costing more than $7,000, they are out of reach to the average amateur, exclusive to commercial photographers, Bruneian sultans, Middle-Eastern sheiks or anyone with annoyingly deep pockets. But if you do have $7,000 lying around, which of these two behemoths would you buy?
Canon EOS -1D Mark IV Traditionally, Canon cameras have dominated the professional digital single lens reflex (DSLR) market. White as iPods, long Canon lenses are commonly sighted on soccer pitches, along fashion runways and in press conferences. With a beastly 16 megapixel sensor, the 1D Mark I V gives photographers the ability to resolve
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Verdict
PHOTO | EUNICE CHAN
the tiniest details. This means that I can take full-body portraits and still make out each eyelash when I crop heavily. More impressive is the speed of the camera. The 1D Mark IV is capable of capturing 10 frames per second at full resolution, an incredible feat considering that each image contains a huge amount of data. Canon attributes this to its Dual DIGIC IV processor, which churns out photo after photo without breaking a sweat. It sports a high definition mov ie mode at a f ull 1080p, equaling most professional video cameras out there. The expansive set of lenses available for the camera gives users a rich diversity of options for video production. However, deep down inside, the 1D Mark IV is still a camera, and
using it for video is cumbersome and unintuitive. Unfor t unately, t he but ton layout and ergonomics seem to be made for larger Western hands. The camera body feels like an indestructible chunk of metal. Moreover, many important c on t r ol s , s u c h a s t h e L C D illumination button, cannot be easily reached.
Nikon D3S As the direct competitor to the 1D Mark IV, the D3S equals it in almost every way, from the solid construction to the blazing fast autofocus performance. Yet, there are some major differences between the cameras. The biggest difference is in the sensor. At 12 megapixels, the D3S
Photography tips for the beginner
Eunice Chan
photo editor
Si nc e d ig ita l ca mer a s wer e invented, cameras have become sm a l le r, sm a r te r, a nd mor e convenient to use and car r y around. With the advance of technology, one does not need to go through the hassle of buying a digital single lens reflex (DSLR) just for quality photos. Compact and semi-pro cameras can perform surprisingly well nowadays.
1. Make a shot list Practising on your mother’s flowers is not enough. Write down a list of things that you are keen on shooting and find out where they can be photographed.
Aim to shoot a wide range of subjects such as buildings, landscapes, portraits, animals, still life and food. Flickr.com is a good place to source for inspiration on using different angles for creat ive photography.
2. Recce Once you have found out where to go, a trip down will help you find out the best time and location to shoot. Plan what to bring, such as extra food and water, mosquito repellent and a tripod. This helps you to be fully prepared on the actual day of your outing. You can even find out more about the history and background of the place you want to shoot.
3. Experiment with your camera settings Many cameras have different pre-set set t i ngs to help you shoot different scenes, such as macro (denoted by a flower sign), landscape (mountain), fireworks and so on. Experimenting will let you know which mode produces the best results on different lighting and situations.
4. Get into the correct posture Hold the camera close and stick your arms to your body. This increases it's stabilit y which reduces camera shake. An unstable camera will often result in a blurred picture.
has an inferior cropping ability due to the lower resolution. However, it is a full-frame camera, and is more versatile than the 1D Mark IV’s 1.3x crop sensor when it comes to making lens choices. This also gives the camera a n u nbe l ie vable low-l ig ht performance. With a maximum ISO of 102,400, I am able to get properly exposed pict ures in extremely dim situations. The Canon has the same maximum ISO, but it exhibits relatively more noise at higher ISO levels. The D3S is as speedy as the 1D Mark I V, outputting nine frames per second in drive mode. And, like the Canon, it features a ‘Quiet’ mode which reduces the volume of the mirror slap during each shutter release, an extremely useful feature during concerts.
5. The most expensive equipment may not be the best for you Consider buying an entry level DSLR. Such cameras have manuals with tutorials in them to teach you how to take better pictures and explain unfamiliar terms such as “aperture”, “shutter speed” and “ISO”. This will help you to fully understand how exposure works in photography, and help build up your knowledge in handling DSLRs. Other than DSLRs, there is a wide range of cameras to choose from. This is where research needs to be done. What are some of the features of the camera? What do you really need? Some photographers find that features in the newer camera models are not ver y useful to them at all. They choose to pay less for a camera that is able to meet their needs. The money saved on the camera body may also be used to buy better lenses and other accessories like flash guns.
I n t he n i ne yea r s of my photogr aphy pu r su it , I have unwaveringly held this belief that the camera does not matter. One can create art even with the most basic tools. To have these two cameras challenge my preconceptions in photography is a great privilege and experience. The low-light prowess in the Canon and Nikon has changed the way I take photos, granting me the ability to take pictures under dim light without a tripod or flash. In this regard, the D3S has an edge over the 1D Mark IV due to a better ISO performance, but only slightly. These cameras are the best in the business, and both offer advantages in their own way, so in the end, it boils down to personal preference and usage. Of course, in terms of value, there are several other options in the market to consider. In a perfect world, however, where money is no object, the Canon 1D Mark IV and the Nikon D3S are definitely the best DSLRs ever made. Canon 1D MK-IV MSRP $7299 The Nikon D3S MSRP $7488
6. Second hand cameras may not be a bad idea Most beginners are a little resistant to this idea at first, but buying second hand allows you to spend less to get more. If you find that a camera is not suitable for you after playing with it, your lack of personal attachment will allow you to sell it off again. Before payment, make sure t hat t he ca me r a le n s i s not moldy by holding it against the light. Check that the shutter is working, and ask for a money back guarantee within at least three days of purchase. This is to ensure that you can still return it if you find something fault y only af ter br inging it home.
7. Ask around The street-price of cameras varies from shop to shop. If you are keen on buying a new camera, do not be shy to ask around as much as possible to bag a good deal. You ca n f i nd shops w it h deals that will save you from the crushing IT fair crowd.
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M AR CH 15, 2010
T h e na n ya ng c h ron ic l e
photo: spotlight
Tribute
A to cast and crew of Hall productions
4 5
Every year, some hall residents put away their books and put on make-up, don costumes and memorise lines. Photographers Ng Jun Sen and Tan Jingliang tag along with the ride, documenting the toil and the effort they pour into their hall productions.
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Lead actor and actress Derek Sum and Grace Ong rehearse a scene for the Hall 8 musical A Class Act.
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Hall 10’s lead actress Hazel Chen watches her peers in performance during a rehearsal session for Snuffed!
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Tough work in the tech-box for Technical Director Bobby Chan from Hall 3.
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Backstage crew rush to do their final sound checks while the actors wait nervously on the side.
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Stage manager Muzhaffar Yusoff from Hall 8 observes the action on stage from the wings.
6.
Looking the part, Alex from Hall 1’s What Happened On the Island, puts on make-up before the performance.
7.
With her microphone, stage manager Zoe Teo keeps the backstage crew in control and ready for each scene change.
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Curtain call. The cast of A Class Act relish the well-deserved applause.
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m ar c h 15, 2010
T h e na n ya ng c h ron ic l e
dapper: your essential style guide
IN THE SUMMER DUSK
P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y I V A N T A N ; S T Y L I N G B Y A U D R E Y L I M A N D T A N J I N G L I A N G Reconcile with the sweltering weather this summer in playful, floaty one-pieces, thin denims and classic accessories for a touch of nostalgia. As March quietly slips away, skip the scorching beaches and multicoloured bikinis for gentle hues and walks down sunset streets instead. We hope you find magic there. Yellow & blue colour block dress, $85, Depression; Peacock feather fascinator, $42.90, Sewperlative.
Pink summer dress, $25; Leather vintage bag, $50, both from Victoria Jomo; Layered necklace set, $85, Tzarist.
Turquoise vintage jumper, $109.90, Victoria Jomo; Layered necklace set, $85, Tzarist.
Below: Button-down denim vest, $39.90, Hurs; Salmon pink shorts, $49.90; Leather vintage bag, both from Victoria Jomo; Straw fedora, stylist's own.
STOCKISTS Depression Far East Plaza #04-41 Hurs Far East Plaza #04-124a Tzarist http://www.tzarist.com Victoria Jomo 47 Haji Lane Sewperlative http://www.sewperlative.com PHOTOGRAPHYASSISTANT Freddie Goh MODEL Athena Tan MAKEUP Valerie Koh
了解“做人”的困难 —— 刊24页
新闻
洪亮女声摘下两桂冠
陈鑫琪●报道
吸
取挫败经验，再 度挑战，马来族 女子在Impresario选秀 比赛中技压群雄，横扫 独唱与对唱／团体两项 组别冠军。 从未受过任何正式 歌唱训练的艾努（Ainul Suhaidah）凭着嘹亮、 高亢的嗓音唱出高难 度曲目：Beyonce的 《Listen》，赢得评审 的青睐。 这名25岁的活动 筹划员认为，过去积 极参加新加坡偶像 和“Stardust”等比赛 让自己累积了不少经 验。 她说：“每次的表 演让我更能克服自己上 台容易紧张的问题。” 此外，艾努透露， 和自己同岁的好友罗 扎米（Rozaimi Abdul Rahim）在练习时从不 交换眼神，因为他们看
着彼此时就会笑场，所 以当天对唱的情绪是上 台后临场发挥的。 由南大文化活动协会 主办的全国才艺选秀比 赛Impresario 2010已迈 入第18个年头，而比赛 也为许多本地歌手开启 了音乐道路。 第一届绝对Superstar 的女冠军潘嘉丽及首届 新加坡偶像参赛者李芝 瑛都曾是参赛者。 今年比赛也请来何维 健，郑可为及盈盈担任 特别嘉宾。 沙画表演观众赞叹不已 除了以往的四个组 别，今年的比赛也增设 了“公开组别”，让参 赛者表现歌唱、舞蹈以 外的才华。此组冠军陈 环（25岁）就通过沙画 和自创曲《冰心》演绎 了凄美的爱情故事，让 全场观众赞叹不已。 自小热爱画画的她， 在一年前才开始学习沙
画，就已公开表演了两 次。 这名中学科学老师也 表示她喜欢沙画的“瞬间 及逝”，因为现代人总爱 收藏东西，放不下包袱， 而沙画却能让她轻松地抒 发心情。 自创曲应对准市场口味 身为评判之一的大石 音乐创意总监洪俊扬受访 时认为，这次参赛的原创 曲都有不错的水准，但缺 乏了扣人的旋律。 他强调词曲的搭配需 紧密，而歌曲的市场价值 也非常重要。海碟音乐执 行董事吴剑锋在为参赛者 讲评时也强调这见解。 从事音乐创作的洪俊 扬奉劝本地创作者要记得 写歌是写给别人听，所以 要对准市场口味。 他也表示音乐创作人 不但要积极提高本身的中 文程度，也要懂得怎么做 功课，了解市场的需求。
（余思远补充报道）
要
避免在新闻中表达主观想 法，对资深记者郑景祥来 说，是件痛苦的事。 虽然日前在报道碧山年货市 场时私下“帮忙”，但他最终还 是能以客观角度呈现新闻。 他觉得主办者是挺用心的， 而也希望整个市场能搞得起来， 否则人们以后只会到牛车水和春 到河畔逛逛。 他说：“但是我没有办法， 它没有人我就得写没有人。” 新传媒记者郑景祥上月在南 大题为《新闻与文学的爱恨情 仇》的讲座上说，自己了解这样 的报道会形成恶性循环，使更多 人不愿去逛该市场。 所以他的折中方法是：删除 其中一名受访者批评该市场冷清 的言论。 郑景祥向50多名南大师生解 释：“因为有它没它，我的故 事都已经成立了。我不要踹他一 脚，再吐他一口口水。我把那个 口水给收起来。”
“因为有它没它，我 的故事都已经成立 了。我不要踹他一 脚，再吐他一口口 水，我把那个口水给 收起来。” 郑景祥 新传媒新闻记者
除了理性与感性之间的挣 扎，新闻也必须比文学来得浅白 与真实。 39岁的郑景祥就硬新闻
（hard news）而言，新闻和文 学的确是世仇。 毕业于新加坡国立大学中 文系的他其实也是文人。 他的文学作品曾囊括国家 艺术理事会的青年艺术家奖 （文学）以及世界华文报告文 学奖等奖项。 也曾担任12年军官的郑景 祥告诉记者，写作不仅是文 笔，更是境界修养的体现。 与报道新闻时的严肃表情 相比，郑景祥当天表现出他文 人感性的一面。 新书意提醒重拾记忆足迹 他还在由南大图书馆、黄 金辉传播与信息学院，和八方 文化创作室举办的讲座上分享 了自己的新书《忘了下山》。 对于新书的命名，郑景祥 解释，每件经历过的事就是一 座山头，每个人在往前走时， 一些记忆就会在沿途中被遗留 在山上，因此忘了下山。 他说：“有时候当你回去 审视，它可以帮助你发现你自 己。” “不要只是往前走，还是 要找机会去重拾留下的一些记 忆和足迹。” 郑景祥坦言，记者的工作 的确是个饭碗，因为“没有人 会说肚子空空也要谈文学”。 不过，他认为接触形形色 色的人是个很好的过程，让他 对社会事物有更全面的认识。 至于比较喜欢写作还是新 闻报道，郑景祥简单回答： “我喜欢中文。” 他解释：“我之所以做记 者是因为我是一名中文记者。 如果你说我喜欢当记者，叫我 去CNA，去Straits Times，我 会觉得很痛苦。”
平 衡 理 性 感 性 的 双 重 身 份
忘 了 下 山
」
凭着大气的歌声虏获评审，艾努（左）除了夺下独唱冠军，也和好友罗扎米在对 唱项目中脱颖而出。 摄影|陈伟彦
吴诗雁●报道
「
Impresario 2010 总决赛
新 书 发 表 会
报道新闻中表情一贯严肃的郑景祥，在讲座上表现出文人感性的一面。 摄影|黄俊森
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m a r ch 15, 2010
T h e na n ya ng c h ron ic l e
言论 编辑室
苏文琪 中文编辑
近
来的新闻如日本著名汽 车品牌丰田（Toyota） 的严重质量安全问题、美国高 尔夫球名将老虎伍兹（Tiger Woods）风流事件，还有梁智 强外遇事件等，让道歉的话题 不绝于耳。 20世纪英国著名作家却斯 特顿（G. K. Chesterton）曾说 过：“生硬的道歉对受害者来 说是二度伤害。” 可见道歉也必须诚恳对待， 决不能敷衍了事。 道歉更应该是一种表达自己 愿意改变和补偿的行为，就像 是一种宣言，要说到做到。道 歉所要承担的责任，也提醒我 们很多事情需三思而行。 年幼时，大家可能都听过 美国第一任总统华盛顿小时候 砍倒樱桃树的故事。而父母和 老师也借着故事教导我们要诚
正 陈韦元 反 随 心 态 指 引 行 程
轻言道歉 重伤彼此
插图｜钟佳唐
实，勇于认错。但年纪随着岁 月增长，大家认错的勇气似乎 也日益下跌。 或许是因为大家都爱面子， 类似“对不起”的话语就变得
着本地第一间赌场开业，众人茶余 饭后的话题，也很自然地转到赌博 这一课题。 记得农历新年期间有亲戚说，反正拜 年时也会赌钱，为何不干脆去赌场博一 博，至少在赌场能赢比较多钱，过程也比 较刺激。 表面上来看，上述看法是没错。但 笔者认为，去赌场赌钱和同亲戚朋友赌 钱——虽然一样是赌，但两赌之间其实大 不相同。这关键就在于心态。 到赌场赌博的人，都抱着非赢不可的 心态。赢了一盘就渴望下一盘再赢，输了 一盘又不服气地要接着赌。 执着于赢的贪婪心态最终会使人陷入 恶性循环：输了钱，也拖累了身边心爱的 人。 反观与亲友相聚时，赌博只是打闹玩 乐的附属活动罢了。尽管不是每个人都能 成为赢家，大家却能沉浸于笑声和温馨的 气氛中。 在做任何事，或是往目标前进时，最重要的就是处 事的心态。 就以上述说法作为比方：拜年时，大家是怀着能与 许久不见的亲友聚在一起叙旧聊天的心态，而不是一 昧想着赢钱，众人必然能从过程中获益。 心里秉持的态度是会左右行为，进而影响事物的结 果。因此，心态所能激发的力量不容小觑。 著名英国心理学家哈德菲尔德（J.A. Hadfield）曾 针对心态对人的影响进行实验。他请了3人，并让他们 在3种不同的心态状况下，全力握住测力器。 在正常的心态下，他们的平均握力是101磅；当被 警告身体相当虚弱时，平均握力却仅有29磅。而当知 道个人身体是处于最佳状态时，他们的平均握力则达 到142磅。 这就是由正面心态转化成实质的力量。身为学生 的我们，也能从这项实验中学习驾驭这股力量帮助我 们，保持正确的心态应付学业。 在追求佳绩之余，不忘享受当中的乐趣和朋友的陪 伴，而收获除了是理想的成绩，也将会是一段值得回 味的快乐记忆。
难以说出口。 以丰田汽车和老虎伍兹为 例，他们是等到东窗事发后， 才低着头红着脸，说出迟来的 道歉。而据报道，日前梁智强
虽召开记者会，却因妻子情绪 不稳被迫短时间结束，所以未 能正式表示歉意。不管从个人 还是大众的角度，小华盛顿的 行为到现今显得荡然无存。
有人说，重要的并不是道 歉，而是要付诸实际行动，尽 早弥补先前的错误。但以笔者 看来，道歉是一样重要的。有 些人就是因说不出口，结果酿 成一辈子的遗憾。 已过世的外公还没有进入安 老院前，笔者对他的印象是模 糊的，只知道他酗酒，害得外 婆必须独力抚养8个子女，变成 一家人多年来打不开的心结。 直到有一天同妈妈探望外 公时，他突然握着我的手，嘴 里咿咿呀呀的，结果换来我的 一脸困惑。后来妈妈的“我明 白”，他才无奈地流下了泪。 或许当时外公很想亲口道 歉，可惜却有心无力。但在这 之后，妈妈似乎对他过去的不 负责任有些释怀。 是的，道歉未必能扭转所犯 的错，但诚挚的道歉绝对能将 伤害降到最低。毕竟过去是无 法改变的事实，但能先自我反 省认错，不仅体现了自己的诚 意，也放大了彼此的未来。
步步为营 不赌为赢 丘芳
自
圣淘沙名胜世界（Resorts World Sentosa）数周前开 张后，好消息频频传来，如赌场 开业首两天就吸进4000万元的收 入；从马国前来的“赌博旅游 团”豪客总赌额高达900万元。 扬眉吐气外，赌场也离家不 远，国人不必为赌而大老远跑到 邻国，可说是肥水不入外人田。 金钱收入固然可观，但是赌场 为社会带来的问题也得关注。像 是开业首天就有5名国人因未缴入 门费而被捕。他日还出现以盗取 的驾驶执照绕过禁门令，企图欺 骗荷官的德士司机。近来，另一 宗案例则是冒领他人赢钱票据的 助理会计师。 案子虽少，但足见政府制定的 措施并未能达到“一网打尽”的 效果。
从儿时赌桌的旁观 者，到后来慢慢学 习上手，然后变成 赌桌的常客，似乎 是许多赌客的必经 之路。 虽然全国防范嗜赌理事会 （NCPG）所推出的禁门令起着 一定的效用，却无法将问题连根 拔起，因为滥赌成性的人是不会
插图｜陈慧玲
就此罢休。 本地赌博花样多，如万字票、赛 马、足球、光顾赌窟等，都可成为 他们把钱花光的“Ｂ计划”。 赌场也推出限赌制度，让赌客自 设个人下注额限制。只不过推行至 今，还没有人自愿受限。此外，名 胜世界也提供现场辅导服务，然而 辅导员一周只到访一次，似乎无法 有效地识别普通赌客和嗜赌者。 赌瘾往往是从小培养的一种习 性。从儿时赌桌的旁观者，到后来 慢慢学习上手，然后变成赌桌的常 客，似乎是许多赌客的必经之路。 看来父母常挂在嘴边的“小赌怡 情，大赌败家”这句话还是得说得 完整、说得发自内心。 此外，电视剧《游戏人生》和在 大荧幕上映的《福星到》也强调着 嗜赌的后果。意在警戒国人，也希
望提醒观众勿陷入赌博的圈套。 有别于香港有关赌博的电视 剧，本地的电视电影都设法以 轻松有趣的方式将“十赌九输” 的信息传达给观众。虽然用心良 苦，但效应或许会不大。 首先，电视节目观众属女性 居多，但嗜赌者则以男性居多。 另外，若电视节目或电影一 早就打出“拒赌”的大标题宣 传，难免会遭赌徒“拒看”，有 意传达的信息适得其反。 诸多措施虽已施行，但效益 多大还得经过长期观察与调整才 能发挥最大的效用。 赌场开始营业了，浮现的问 题也将逐日增加，未来的路还很 长。只能说，肥水不流外人田之 时，务必不要忘了辛勤劳动，荒 废原有的田地。
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生活
攀登绿园 一览无遗 要摆脱在室内高楼俯瞰，而享受凉风掠过脸颊的快感吗？就让宋佳佳和陈鑫琪攀上多处，在绿意中寻找狮城空中美景。
摄影|陈奕龙和陈渊莊
攀上达士岭50层楼花园的空中天桥，俯瞰武吉知马山、海港和一栋栋跌宕起伏的高楼大厦，观客仿佛将新加坡壮阔的景观尽收入眼帘里。
Pinnacle@Duxton 地点：1G Cantoment Road Singapore 085701 营业时间：上午9时至晚上10时
对
于人口密集、土地有 限的繁华都市新加坡 而言，穿入云霄的摩天大楼 并不罕见，但堪称“组屋之 最”的丹戎巴葛达士岭（The Pinnacle@Duxton）却在竣工后 引起不少骚动。最受瞩目的自 然是其位于50层楼高的空中花 园。 如果常见的小型空中花园 会让人有一种“躲进小楼成一 统”故作姿态的感觉，这个由 12道空中天桥衔接的巨大花园
则蕴藏着一种“开窗放入大江 来”的优越感。 摩登的建筑理念和园中种植 的红花绿草相映成趣，巧妙地 将现代化都市节奏与大自然的 惬意旋律“融为一体”，使观 客虽屹立高处却仍倍感写意。 俯瞰岛国全景，苍穹倚左是 繁忙的圣淘沙和海港、视线极 右是高耸的武吉知马山；延展 至眼前的则是一栋栋跌宕起伏 的高楼大厦。 宜动宜静、山山水水，“地
尽忽惊天水合，万丈高楼腾蛟 龙”的瑰丽景色像极了一幅狮 城风景画，令许多喜好摄影的 观客不惜劳苦，背着相机、支 架、打光灯等器材前来拍摄。 美中不足的是，非达士岭住 户的公众若想登园观景，必需 到G座楼下管理处以易通卡或 其他CEPAS储值卡支付5元入 门费，并只能乘搭G座电梯通 向50层的空中花园。繁琐的手 续颇有“煞风景”之嫌。 此外，建屋发展局也限制每 日参观的非居民人数最多为200 人，所以有意登楼者也需上网 www.pinnacleduxton.com.sg查 看当天剩余名额，可见想要领 略空中美景还真不是件易事。
高空绿园里设计独特的椅子，让前来的观客能有个歇脚处，欣赏 美景之余也能和亲友畅谈。
Central Horizon@TPY 地点： Blk 79A-79E Toa Payoh Central Singapore 311079 营业时间：全天24小时
位
于大巴窑中路的 Central Horizon是 首批拥有中层空中花园的 组屋，而出众的绿色设计 让它成为了今年“空中绿 意奖”的得主之一。 横跨5座组屋的中层花 园，面积相等于14个四房 式单位。花园里设有240
公尺的跑道及各种休闲设 施如展望台、长凳、石桌 等，让居民在绿意盎然中 健身和歇息。 伴着飒飒和风登园， 极目远眺，首先映入眼帘 的是大巴窑组屋中心那地 标式的蓝色玻璃窗建筑， 英挺高耸的大楼凌驾于周
边较矮的建筑群、商场及 巴士转换站，再远一些还 可看到市中心相连的高楼 大厦。明媚的阳光折射出 千道曲线，为眼前错落有 致的都市景观勾勒出璀璨 的轮廓，将观客带入一种 惬意平静的温馨氛围。 虽然12层楼以客观角 度评鉴并不算高，但站到 园内俯看，街道上穿梭的 行人与车辆还是缩小了很 多，也算是体验了一回 “会当凌绝顶，一览众山 小”的快意。
乌节中央城空中花园的宁静，在繁华购物街道的喧嚣形成了强烈的对比。
Orchard Central 地点：181 Orchard Central Singapore 238896 营业时间：全天24小时
享
受在繁华街道游 走，同时又希望 在喧闹都市中寻到可供 憩息净土的人们，或许 会对乌节中央城的露天 花园情有独钟。 位于乌节中央商场 顶层的花园，虽地处热 闹非凡的市中心，但别
具一格的唯美布置与精 心种植的花草，巧妙地 融“都市化”于“自 然”，充分体现我国将 人文与自然合二为一的 都市建筑主旋律。 此外，两层楼花园 里的艺术品也增添不少 艺术气息。11楼的重点
应是日本设计师草间弥生 （Yoyoi Kusama）的艺 术品“Let’ s Go to a Paradise of Glorious Tulips”。 色彩鲜艳的泥土雕像 活灵活现，不仅轻而易举 地吸引小朋友的注意，更 可让参观者沉浸在设计师 巧夺天工的艺术氛围中。 12楼屋厅空间虽小， 但布置设计巧妙。 一位餐厅服务员说， 参观露天花园大多是情 侣，而且放眼遥望夜色比 上午的景色更加好看。
耸立的组屋上的空中绿园，也为居民休闲带来了另一番滋味。
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娱乐
微笑的力量 呈现“飞”一般故事 杨伟强●报道
用
心境成熟的态度来拥抱 自己的梦想——这就是 一种“微笑的力量”，也就是 F.I.R新专辑要表达的主题。 阿沁说：“我们希望这张 专辑可以为大家带来正面的力 量，就像前几张专辑一样。” 暌违了两年，F.I.R飞儿乐 团日前到本地宣传第5张创作专 辑《让我们一起微笑吧》。 刚结束度假旅行的三人心情 相当愉快，在记者会上开心地 分享许多创作理念与制作专辑 时的小故事。
改编后的《棺》以反讽手法，演出现代人面对死板体制而毫 无能力反抗的局面。 照片|滨海艺术中心提供
阿沁和飞首次担当制作专辑 与以往不同，这专辑是由阿 沁和飞联手制作的，而陈建宁 只当监制在旁监督指导。 建宁老师解释，他觉得在这 段时间里，阿沁和飞在音乐上 已有很大的进步，所以是时候 让他们尝试。 由于是首次全权担当专辑 制作和大部分的词曲创作，再 加上这两年来需要兼顾巡回演 唱，所以这专辑的发行也慢了 下来。 不仅如此，阿沁和飞常因一 些音乐理念不同而起争执，建 宁老师得常常充当和事老。其 实，他们俩的概念是相同的， 只是表达方式不明确而弄得 “鸡同鸭讲”。 对于成军以来所出现的矛 盾，他们都觉得这些经历和磨 擦反而让他们更加团结。 尤其是经过这次制作专辑的 洗礼后，他们已更加清楚大家 的音乐想法了。
宋佳佳
一
F.I.R希望通过这专辑为听众带来正面的力量。 虽然首次尝试制作，但建宁 老师对他们的表现相当满意， 也给予95分的高分。 他还谦虚地说:“我现在已 不敢再听我当年的作品了！” 阿沁写歌 和飞冰释前嫌 问及《纪念日》这首歌是否 代表阿沁和飞之间某个特别日 子时，阿沁回答这可算是一首 道歉歌。 他解释，有次彩排中和飞 起了小口角，闹得双方都不愉 快。碍于面子，阿沁不好意思
谈及阿沁和飞之间的争执时，双方也不禁露出一丝笑容。
先道歉，所以索性拿起吉他在 饭店里写了这首歌。 之后，他就以“有一首新 歌的demo要你试唱”为由，成 功通过歌词，感动飞而冰释前 嫌。 这也让在场记者追问，将来 闹翻时是否会再写歌道歉。 飞幽默地回答：“大家听他 的歌就可以知道我们最近发生 了什么事了！” F.I.R也透露，他们将展开 全新系列的世界巡回演唱，估 计最早会在今年7月到本地开 唱。
摄影|颜家骏
场官僚与平民斡旋到底的荒谬丧礼、一 口因体积过大而无法埋入窄小坟洞的四 方棺材、一群遇到困难就你推我闪的无能子 孙。 紧密交织的虚拟情节渲染了人情与体制间 的现实冲突，这或许就是著名戏剧《棺材太 大洞太小》的独到之处。 日前，这部出自已故戏剧泰斗郭宝 之手 的名作，在导演李邪的改编后于滨海艺术中 心上演。 观后的整体感觉是主题鲜明、反讽味浓、 戏剧性强，但改编后的剧情略显夸张，部分 演出甚至有点儿弄巧反拙。 《棺》主要讲述一位长孙为祖父办丧事 时，赫然发觉祖父生前预制的棺材太大，不 能放进政府规定尺寸的坟洞里。 长孙请求殡仪馆负责人和主管扩大坟洞， 但在僵化制度下，后者坚持照章办事。 祖父要入土为安，就难免要兜圈子、闹笑 话。剧作以讽刺幽默形式针砭时政，揭示人 性在僵化制度下遭受的扭曲。 剧场布置逼真 增加戏剧张力
小 洞 窥 制 度 大 谬
为了增强戏剧的张力，剧场也布置得就像丧家在办丧 事。观众座位是丧礼中常见的白色塑料椅子，也摆了圆 桌。桌上有花生、红丝线等吊丧物品。 坐在靠近表演区圆桌子的观众，自然而然地成了舞台一 部分，巧妙的剧场构思令人倍感新鲜。 戏剧由长孙的倒叙独白拉开帷幕，把一个在死板体制下 毫无反抗能力的市井小民形象诠释得惟妙惟肖。剧组在布 景设计上的巧夺天工，令人欣赏。 挂在灵堂上的祖父遗照透过投影技术呈现祖父眼睛不断 转动的戏剧效果，为演出增添了几分诡异；背景灯光随着 演员不同情绪变换颜色；结尾时把先前的祭台移开，后方 居然是一个制作得栩栩如生的道具火化炉，布景与剧情配 合得紧密无间，剧组的用心由此可见一斑。 有别于原著的是，《棺》增加了不少黑色幽默与本地语 言的特色。就有如主管口中的“law by law，case by case， 每人一样，才有harmony”以及贯穿全剧的“小李飞刀” 影射。 可见导演想借由“小李飞刀”暗喻反抗死板制度的决 心，但由于此句出现次数太过频繁，不仅听来厌烦，更使 剧情因过度渲染而颇显笨拙。 不过，这些小瑕疵并不影响戏剧整体上的成功。演员 们诙谐演绎与令人哭笑不得的剧情安排，使这出短剧涉及 的不只是人物内心与表面的矛盾，还有在强大体制中不得 不“就范”的无奈。
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做人难 演《做人》更难
前已将剧本牢记于心，到片场 所面对的，却是完全不同的台 词。 美心就记得有一场戏，剧本 里写着她是没有台词的。不过 在准备拍摄前，梁导竟直接传 简讯给工作人员要他转告美心 将一大串台词马上背好，让她 捏一把冷汗。
我磕了一包酸梅后，味觉才恢 复。” 问及首次转战电影有什么不 同时，田铭耀说：“最大的问 题还是咬字，以前主持就算说 话含糊也可以很快带过。 “不过演戏不同，每一个字 都必须发音得标准。所以我时 常被梁导骂：‘Jeremy!你肚子 饿啊！为什么把字吃掉！’ ”
首次转战电影 田铭耀饱受折磨 电影表达因诱惑而导致的挣扎
拍摄时饱受“折磨”的众多演员，还是以一贯的笑容，为《做人》掀起美好的开始。
●报道
洪芷
读
剧本对参与梁导作品的 演员来说，可算是毫无
用处。 日前，狮城版“沈殿霞” 郑盈盈在本地导演梁智强年度 力作《做人》记者会上就说： “看剧本没有用的！”
片中其他演员：黄慧、田铭 耀、王雷和美心，在旁猛点头 表示同意。 原来，梁导喜欢临时改变 剧本。很多时候，即使演员之
影评 电影播映室 电影：《孔子》 导演：胡玫 主要演员： 周润发、周迅、 陈建斌
,,,,
中
摄影|颜家骏
国古代伟 大思想家 和教育家、儒家 学派的先师—— 孔子，其后半生 浓缩成这部两小 时的史诗电影。 得到中国政 府 支 持 制 作 的 《 孔 子 》 ， 内 容 与 史 实 大 致 相 同 ， 照片|网络下载、国泰机构和新格媒体提供 逼真的场景也让 人仿佛回到春秋时代。作为整部影片的灵魂，周润发演得出神入化，演技不容置 疑。 而南子（周迅饰）的戏份虽不多，影后还是将这容貌倾国倾城，并且是幕后掌 控实权的卫灵公夫人演绎得很到位。此外，戏份少也加倍考验了周迅的演技功夫。 由于遭卷入政治阴谋，孔子被逼离开了鲁国。在弟子的追随下，他到各国漂 流，继续传教、传播思想与智慧。 在晚年白发苍苍地回到祖国时，孔子踉踉跄跄地下车对着城门跪拜哭喊着： “我终于回到鲁国了！”，无疑展现了其一生都化解不开的乡愁。 但与史实不同的是，饰演鲁国三桓之首季孙斯的陈建斌，最后身穿裘皮大衣等 待迎接孔子回归鲁国时死在雪里的情节。史实记载他在孔子返鲁数年前已过世，但 电影为了突出戏剧矛盾而做了稍改，这点还是可以接受的。 孔子著名的“己所不欲，勿施于人”、“世间万物，大象无形，大音希声” 、“欲取之，必先予之”、“欲行文事，武事备之”等名言，从电影中理解这些文 字意义显得事半功倍。印象最深刻应是南子所言：“世人也许很容易了解夫子所体 会的痛苦，但未必能领会夫子在痛苦中体会到的境界 。” 为了理想奋斗不懈的孔子即使大半辈子狼狈困窘，也不曾放弃过礼教世人。他 这一生最贴切的注解莫过于此。（文／蔡可捃）
以歌手身份出道的田铭耀 Jeremy转战电影，首次挑战大 荧幕就出师不利，在拍戏过程 中饱受“折磨”。 他说，印象最深刻的，就 是必须喝下李国煌口水的一场 戏。 情 节 是 说 田 铭 耀 和 姐 姐 （杨雁雁饰）正在谈话，而咳 嗽时无意间把口水吐进恰巧走 过的姐夫（李国煌饰）手上的 那杯水。 虽然他重新倒水给姐夫，但 没想到后者当场就往杯子里吐 一摊口水，要他喝下去。 田铭耀本以为可以借位或是 在喝之前接下一个镜头，但是 当梁导却指示他喝下那杯水。 他顿时愣住，而且同一动作还 重拍了两次。 因此，田铭耀苦诉在拍摄 后，自己已经无法尝到午餐的 味道。 他说：“一直到晚上回家，
时常在电影里以搞笑的方式 表达对社会现象和政治观念的 梁智强说，他不是有意要借由 电影来说教，而是要提醒一些 生活上的道理。 他解释：“我不是神，不 过我希望通过一些大众化的 题材，例如这次的‘做baby’ 和‘做生意’，来提醒观众有 关一些生活上的诱惑。 “很多时候在做生意时金钱 上的诱惑会使我们放弃一些道 德观。那种挣扎的过程是我想 表达的。” 由于梁导要他抛开以往“阿 明”的演法和形象，尝试更多 内心戏以及情绪上的转变，因 此让李国煌开始时对导演的要 求有些吃不消。 与梁导合作多次的李国煌 坦言这次的挑战不小，直喊： “这是我拍过最有压力、最辛 苦的电影！”
乐评 音乐Jukebox 专辑： 《没什么好怕》 歌手：阿杜 推荐： 《听见牛在哭》 《没什么好怕》 , , , , , 段台湾民 谣，为专 辑做了很好的开场。3年的等待，阿杜 以新歌《听见牛在哭》再次虏获歌迷 的心。歌曲由林秋离填词，而其中以 福建话演绎的副歌歌词：一只牛要卖 五千块／五千块要买一只牛，成了整 首歌的精髓。 沧桑的声线是阿杜的标志；也因这 样的嗓音让《听》更显得深情和具穿 透力，完美诠释了歌曲的意境——辗 转生命的旅途中，我们盲目、我们苛 求幸福，最终还是成了生命的俘虏。 民谣和流行曲的无瑕结合，这或许是 继孙燕姿的《天黑黑》后，另一首刻 骨铭心的歌曲。 阿杜这张最新专辑《没什么好怕》 可说是纯K歌大碟。音乐曲风大致上没 有多大变化，还是以他擅长的情歌为 主轴。同名主打《没什么好怕》表达 出分手后的豁达心情，但阿杜的诠释 似乎有些中规中矩，好在听得舒服。 听了专辑中的一首快节奏歌曲《完美 英雄》，发现其实阿杜唱快歌颇能带 动气氛，也期待往后他有多一些类似 的尝试。 这张专辑没有大惊喜，不过胜在 歌曲的“耐听度”和那富有诚意的歌 声。（文／韩伟定）
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专辑： 《天地合》 歌手：萨顶顶 推荐： 《小树和大树》 《快乐节》
, , , , 地听众或许会对萨顶顶感到 陌生，但来自中国的她，却 享有非凡的国际知名度。她在2008 年BBC世界音乐大奖中获颁“最佳 亚太区艺人”奖，更成为首个受邀 在格莱美（Grammy Awards）演出 的华人歌手。 萨顶顶第2张专辑《天地合》， 由曾与美国流行天后麦当娜合作的 金牌制作人Marius De Vries操刀。 不知是否因期望越大，所以失望越 大，专辑并没有如预期中那样动 人。 专辑融入了云南少数民族的音乐 元素，也结合了电子乐。虽然耳目 一新，但好几首歌曲如《天地记》 和《自由行走的花》风格和节奏相 似，听起来大同小异，新鲜感很快 就淡化了。 印象较深刻的曲目则有《快乐 节》。虽然听不懂梵语的歌词，但 还是能感受到歌曲中那热闹欢腾的 氛围。个人偏爱《小树和大树》一 曲，抒情的旋律搭配萨顶顶轻柔的 嗓音，即使歌词不能引起共鸣，听 了还是蛮舒服。 或许是民俗味道太浓了，不是 每个人都懂得欣赏这类的专辑吧。 （文／李丽敏）
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Opinions “Electives—love them or hate them?” Turn to page 27 to find out
frankly, my dear
EDITORIAL
A column by The Chronicle editors on issues close to their hearts
Mastering productivity Dur ing his Budget Statement for t he 2010 financial year, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Minister of Finance, touched on the need for increased national productivit y in order to b u i ld u p ou r n at i on’s economy. To aid Singaporeans in doing so, a special council will be created. The council will aim not only to focus on ways to increase productivity but also to help enforce continuing education to those who are already in the workforce. Mr Shanmugaratnam pointed out that adaptability has always been our forte. This is evident in our t r a n sfor mat ion f r om a fishing village in the 1960s into a cosmopolitan city today. He believes it is time to hone our skills and develop expertise in ever y trade and profession. Such an approach can be adopted by NTU and its
students as we strive to be a multi-cultural research university. We have turned from a technological university i nto one t hat boa st s br oad-ba se d e ducat ion oppor t u n it ies for it s students. However, we must not just house a diverse range of faculties. I n s t e a d , w e s h ou ld strive until we are the best in every field of study. As we highlight outr d i v e r s e c o l l e ge s , a n d academic and non-academic programmes, it is important to ensure that our goal in creating these different colleges is not only to cater to different students. I nstead, it shou ld be because we want to be amongst the best in t he wor ld—not j u s t i n tech nolog y but a lso i n t he s c ie nc e s , a r t s a nd humanities. After all, we do not want to be a jack of all trades and a master of none, do we?
CH R O N ICL E THE NANYANG
chief editor Shereen Naaz Charles MANAGING editor Law Shi Ming Elizabeth sub-editors Kwan Hui Xian Lau Liang Tong Lin Jieming Melissa Neo Wen Tong Vo Van Hung News editors Aw Yeong Jia Jia Maxie Goh Kai Shi Lifestyle editors Goh Shang Zhe Kenneth Jennifer Dhanaraj Reviews editor Lock Mei Jin Clara TECH editor Lim Song En Kevin dapper editors Lim Hui Ching Audrey Tan Jingliang Chinese editors Su Wenqi Wong Kang Wei
opinionS editors Chan Xiu Fen Rosemary Goh Jiamin sports editors Eve Yeo Yu Ping Loh Jiaju Ronald layout editors Hong Shuqi Loh Jun Qi Mak Jinfa Joseph Tang Ying Ying Glenda photo editors Chan Wan Wai Eunice Ng Jun Sen graphics editor Choong Jia Tang Alan ONLINE editorS Han Xinyun Danielle Tan Jun Long Jeremy business managers Lee Hui Ting Gladys Lim Pei Yi Vivian production support Ng Heng Ghee Teacher advisors Andrew Duffy Xu Xiaoge
A students’ newspaper published by the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information (WKWSCI) Nanyang Technological University 31 Nanyang Link, Singapore 637718 Tel: 6790 6446 Unsigned editorials represent the majority view of the editorial board of The Chronicle and do not necessarily reflect the policies or views of Nanyang Technological University, its employees, the students or the Council of the University. Signed opinion columns, letters and editorial cartoons represent the opinion of the writer or artist and are not necessarily those of The Chronicle. Printed by KHL Printing Co. Pte Ltd, 57 Loyang Drive, Singapore 508968
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU News Hotline: 6790 6446 Letters: chronicle@ntu.edu.sg Opinions: chronicle.opinions@ ntu.edu.sg Please include your full name, contact number, faculty and year of study.
Punishing talents?
GRAPHIC | SREYA BANERJEE
Kevin Lim tech editor
M
ale musicians have it hard in Singapore. Mu sic d ie s , f i r s t killed by the gove r n ment t hen buried by society. After Singapore-born British pianist Melvyn Tan was punished for not doing his National Service (NS) in his country of birth, the Singapore government tightened its claws on such matters. See Ian Ike seemed to be next in line to be punished for music. His application to defer his NS for a few years was rejected even though he was accepted into the world renowned Curtis Institute of Music.
Knowing how to play an instrument is commonly seen as a social medal, especially with violin and piano. Military is harshly detrimental to a musical prodigy’s refined and sensitive fingers. T h i s c ou ld c o s t h i m h i s career. It is such a waste that our male home-grown talents do not realise their full potential. When hearing about these talents leaving their home country, a part of me feels disappointed. However, I still support the idea of them leaving for the good of music and passion.
In the name of equality, the government had to stunt our musical talents by making them serve NS. They then resorted to importing foreign talents in their place. Luckily, not as many musicians as athletes are willing to bite on to Singapore’s monetary bait and work on such hostile soil. K now i ng how to play a n instrument is commonly seen as a social medal, especially with violin and piano. Pa rent s en rol li ng t hei r children into music schools should not focus entirely on how playing well is glorifying for them. Having brief ly taught in a violin class, I can tell that many younger children attend because they have to and not because they want to. Music teachers should try to inspire young music learners and impart the passion of playing. Some children who have strict and harsh teachers end up hating music or playing that instrument they were forced on. I believe that music should be about e x pression a nd communication. Learning music should not be driven by the feel-good or the look-cool factors. But in the heavily meritocratic education system in Singapore, grades are king. I have this feeling that music education is about getting certified for the highest grade as early as possible. Although it is economically logical, many end up practising the exam pieces almost exclusively. In the end, they cannot play anything other than the pieces they were drilled in. I have f r iends who, af ter finally passing grade 8 for piano,
stopped playing it completely. It is ver y sad to see music being treated as a just another certificate to obtain. Attaining cer tif ication for music is no doubt a good measure of one’s skills, but very often they swerve into being too technical if they are not careful.
It hurts to see that music and art are fabricated from the decisions made by finance and politics. After hearing musicians who have fancy résumés play, I still prefer the house band in local jazz bars that plays three sets in a night, every week. The state of music in Singapore reflects its short history. A necessary evil is that the government has to suppress or guide art in a certain way for national benefits. It hur ts to see that music and art are fabricated from the decisions made by finance and politics. Singapore is one of the best places to play for commercial gigs. A s long as a wel l k now n musician is cer tif ied by well known conservatories, he or she will have a steady salary. On the contrary, a pure modern jazz musician without a patron must be prepared to suffer. Well, at least they will have a story to tell, something to put into music and song for all to hear.
opinions
M A R CH 15, 2010
T h e na n ya ng c h ron ic l e
he says she says
Electives – bane or boon? Priscilla Poon
G
GRAPHIC | MUHAMMAD HIDAYAT
Andi Yusof
W
ith the Ministry of Education’s latest decision to place greater emphasis on physical education, art and music, students are encouraged to focus on subjects other than mathematics and science. As undergraduates, we too are required to pursue an all-rounded education. This entails fulfilling a set of core modules and electives in order to graduate. Having to deal with at least 18 Academic Units per semester yet only having 24 hours each day makes me wonder if electives are necessary in our education. A holistic education is a philosophy based on the premise that each person finds a passion for learning. Following this train of thought, electives should stay because they serve as platforms for students to explore areas of interest outside their major. It is not a myth that if we were given a choice, many of us would not have taken up any electives, which are not our cup of tea. An Engineering undergraduate being forced to devote time to three Arts electives is the perfect recipe for grouchiness and frequent absence from classes.
Clearly, it defeats the purpose of voluntary learning and the fervent want to gain knowledge. However, there are also electives that are enjoyable and enriching. Electives provide us with opportunities to discover potential and aptitude for a subject that we may otherwise never have considered. For example, an English major may discover her flair in Communication Studies electives after taking it. This becomes an impetus for her to pursue a minor in the course or to continue taking electives from this discipline out of interest. Also, it is undeniable that electives are a form of exposure which broaden one’s perspectives. In general, regardless of our area of study, what we get out of the tutorial rooms or lecture theatres are facts or knowledge meant for keeps. I understand that the Student Automated Registration System (STARS) and divine intervention would have to collide in order for us to choose suitable electives and be allocated to them. Only then can the active passion towards learning of electives take place. But till then, we have to make the best out of what is given and embrace electives as part of our learning journey.
enerally, electives are like risky investments; they may be taken out of interest but can also deal a severe blow to our grades. These are the thoughts of a final-year Computer Engineering student I spoke to. Just like dealing with shares, these “risky investments" do not necessarily yield high returns— good grades. Ultimately, in university, the Grade Point Average (GPA) achieved is still commonly viewed as important. Hence, with this in mind, students tend to opt for electives that are easier to score in. Interest then takes a back seat and the purpose of electives is defeated. Being tested on any given subject often overshadows the enjoyment that comes with learning. Electives should be made optional such that it does not affect a student’s GPA. This, perhaps, could really encourage them to actively seek knowledge beyond their scope of study. Such an option places responsibility on students to be committed even when their results are not at stake. In some instances, it is likely that students may regard electives as a threat to their future and career by hindering their graduation. A direct honours English Literature course in the University of York in England takes three years to complete, while the same course in NTU takes four. This is because an NTU English major is required to fulfil 51 Academic Units (AUs) worth of electives before graduating. Going out into the workforce one year earlier could affect many things such as rising to higher ranks one year earlier. Time is simply too precious to be wasted doing modules that do not prove to be beneficial. A second year student from the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, commented that “core modules are just generally more interesting than electives”. But not everyone can agree with that. Coming from a business course, core modules such as Information Technology and Accounting are tedious enough. This makes electives all the more pointless and time consuming. Electives serve a purpose; they have an objective, but it is an objective that probably just does not run parallel to some of ours. Yes, there may be high returns— good grades or a revelation of an unknown interest one possibly possesses. However, some are just not willing to take the risks in this socalled “investment".
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canteen talk
Jack Neo has received much criticism for his affair with a 22-year-old freelance model. As the scandal continues, we ask students what they think of his act.
I did not expect it because he portrays himself differently. This issue will blow over soon although it is so hyped up now.
”
Joyce Yee, NBS, Yr 3, 22
“
He is hypocritical. His movies are about family and how they should treasure each other, yet his actions show otherwise. Yeap Yi Ren, NBS, Yr 1, 22
I think the women are trying to get attention. It takes two hands to clap and we are given a biased point of view.
”
Clarence Lam, ADM, Yr 2, 23
“
I do not think it is my business. He had no choice but to admit it because he is rich and famous. Phua Tiong Lee, EEE, Yr 4, 25
I am disgusted by his actions but I do not think that his character has to reflect what his films are about.
”
Chua Chiok Woon, NBS, Yr 3, 22 TEXT | ROSEMARY CHAN ; PHOTOS | EUNICE CHAN
30
sports
they said that? “Ruud told me that goals are like a bottle of ketchup.” Real Madrid midfielder Rafael van der Vaart on advice given to him by his former Madrid teammate Ruud van Nistelrooy
“It's not good for the sport and not good for them: it's like two different series.” Felipe Massa, on the new teams of the new F1 season
”Feeding squirrels from my balcony.” Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov (below) on his favourite pasttime
m ar c h 15, 2010
T h e na n ya ng c h ron ic l e
bpl talk
Lonely at the top, no more Timothy Ng NOT too long ago, there was a Big Four monopoly of Champions League berths in the Premier League. Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool now find the likes of Manchester Cit y, Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and Everton all thrown into the mix. Why the sudden loosening of the Big Four, one might ask. It may be true that players' performances have improved as they seek to book a place in their national squads for the World Cup. However, we have to remember that football is a team game. I nd iv idua l br i l l ia nce i s not a cure-a ll, especia lly in matches against top teams in the Premiership. A top team needs to bring their “A-game” week in, week out, beyond having “A-list" players. A classic example was Wigan's 1-0 victory over Liverpool. Reds superstar Fernando Torres failed to live up to expectations, with match winner Hugo Rodallega overshadowing the Spaniard. That sour defeat emphasised that teams have to give nothing short of a wholehearted performance to earn the precious three points.
GRAPHIC | ALAN CHOONG
It goes to show that Premiership teams have grown stronger over the years, not by purchasing the best players, but by honing their teamwork and technical abilities. The epitome of such is David Moye s of Eve r ton . H i s blue Merseysiders is the best example of a team that possess the “A-game” mentality. Ne ver shor t of a spi r ited performance, they are one of the toughest teams to play against.
Moyes has spent eight seasons at the club defining and refining how his players should play, rather than splurging on new recruits. Ever ton players cur rent ly look like paupers next to their derby rivals Liverpool, and are financially challenged amidst the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea. Yet, the Toffees claimed the scalps of Chelsea and Manchester United in back to back weeks.
This further proves how having the best team on paper just will not do anymore. In the past, teams who were up against the Big Four would adopt a “damage control mentality" and put all 11 men behind the ball. Gone were the days when teams used their mere reputation of their superstars to psychologically bully weaker opposition into submission, even before kick-off. Teams are no longer afraid to attack, even when pitted against the League's best. Everton's lack of squad depth, however, revealed their Achilles heel. They succumbed to even lesserlike teams such as Bolton and Hull, as the season went on and players were rotated. Clearly, spirit, communication and teamwork without players of calibre are insufficient as well. Dur ing the early years of Benitez's rotation policy, few understood and most criticised it. Unde r sta ndably now, t he Liverpool manager choose his players who impressed him during the week's training, rather than gamble on a player who was short on match form. This delicate balance of the right players and “game” has made life at the top of the Premiership lonely no more.
sports talk
Race for pole position Alvin Chia GRAPHIC | ALFONSUS WONG
“I understand that people can be disappointed if I'm not champion, but I personally won't be.” Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso is doubtful of his own victory
“With a woman as charming as her, it makes it a lot easier to tell the truth.” Rafael Nadal, on working with Shakira in her latest music video
THE new season for Formula 1 (F1) has flagged off and is arguably the most unpredictable one in years. In the weeks leading up to the start, there had been much uncertainty in the paddock. Right up to two weeks before the race, it was still unclear which teams would line up on the starting grid. USF1, which was slated to make its F1 debut, could not ready themselves in time for the start and pulled out less than two weeks before the first race of the season. These changes come after a tumultuous 2009 season, which was rocked by a mid-season spat between the F1 teams and the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, where teams threatened to form their own championship series. While the matter has been resolved, there is still a big hole to patch when another major constr uctor, Toyota, followed Honda out the door. As a result, in what would be marked as a major shake-up in F1 history, three new teams— Lotus, Hispania Racing and Virgin Racing—and five rookie drivers
have joined one of t he most expensive sports in the industry. Allowing new, unknown and relatively unestablished teams to get onto the premier track might be a hasty decision which the management would regret. Even before everything begins, it is clear that the new members would be disadvantaged. Their cars are much weaker in performance ability, and are nowhere close to matching the technical prowess of the experienced. We might not need to wait long to see a clear divide between the new and the old teams, which account for the gulf in standards. Ferrari’s Felipe Massa has slammed the addition of the new teams, citing their lack of pace on the track as a possible safety hazard. However, it would be wrong to think that the rookies are easy run over targets. A l l of t h e m a r e f or m e r competitors in the feeder series of F1GP2. In particular, Nico Hulkenburg and Vitaly Petrov, 2009 GP2 series champion and runner-up, hope to follow in the footsteps of 2006 GP2 winner Lewis Hamilton. However, the opposite could be said for Hispania Racing team,
GRAPHIC | J. DILASAN
with Karun Chandhok partnering Bruno Senna. Bot h ha rd ly made a ny impression on the GP2 series, and one would be foolish to expect them to do anything extraordinary when they transit into F1. While many would hope for beginners’ luck for these new fellas, the F1 circuit is a harsh ground to step on, where Chandhok and Senna might find themselves disoriented. The pressure is on them to deliver, and they have everything to prove in their maiden season. The return of seven-time F1
drivers’ championship winner M ichael Schumacher is a welcome boost, while rivalr y bet ween teammates is set to ignite heated exchanges both on and off the track. Schumacher, 41, has sounded a warning, saying he is charged up to be racing again. Finally, will the pairing of the previous two champions— Hamilton in 2008 and Jenson Button in 2009—boil over? The season has just begun and most of the answers to these questions will be revealed in the first few races.
sports
m a r ch 15, 2010
T h e na N ya ng c h ron ic l e
31
How to heal the walking wounded Full house at injury prevention talk shows popularity of sports Lee Lay Ming
WHEN SPORTS HURTS: Dr Patrick Goh sheds light on sports injuries and how to prevent them. PHOTO | MALCOLM KOH
IN THE video clip, a badminton player lunged for the shuttlecock. As he did that, his left ankle turned almost 360 degrees. Then, there was a photo of a weightlifter’s arms twisted in an awkward manner, and another of a sprinter in action, but with his calf dangling. These images drew gasps from the audience when Dr Patrick Goh, a consultant sports physician with 22 years of experience, used them to illustrate some points in his talk “Sports injuries: Causes, prevention and treatment" on February 25th at LT5. In view of the greater number of running events in Singapore, Dr Goh discussed four common injuries associated with running including the Patello-femoral Pain Syndrome, more commonly known as Runner’s Knee. He also gave some tips on which muscles to stretch to prevent running injuries. Dr Goh introduced two relatively new forms of sports treatment in Singapore—the Extracorporeal Shock Wave T herapy (ESW T) and Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy. Both therapies can speed up the healing process.
With the aid of scientif ic diagrams, Dr Goh explained that ESWT is useful in treating tendon injuries such as tennis elbow. ESWT increases blood supply to the injured tendon, which in turn increases oxygen and brings more nutrients to the injured area, thus enhancing the healing process.
“It did open my eyes to technological advances in sports medicine.” Loh Yong Cheng Nanyang Business School Year 3
In PRP therapy, a concentration of the patient's own blood platelets is injected to the injury site, where the platelets secrete growth factors and molecules to initiate repair. The therapy promotes ligament a nd te ndon r e pa i r, r e duc e s inflammation and pain, and most importantly, shortens recovery time by almost half. The talk was held as part of the Red Cross Humanitarian Network (RCHN)–NTU Chapter’s annual health awareness week, with support from the Healthy Lifestyle Unit, Student Affairs Office. The RCHN-NTU Chapter has organised talks on topics such
as chronic disease and organ donation, but sports is a new area they are venturing into. First Aid Officer Weslie Khoo, 21, member of the organising committee, said: “We wanted to do something different this year, and see if this genre appeals to the NTU population.” T he app e a l wa s e v ide nt , judging by the full-house crowd of over 200 people, one-fifth of which were Physical Education and Sports Science students. “It’s good that there are such ta l k s so people who a re not doing sports science can learn about it too,” said Low Chuin Li, 30, a first-year student in the Post Graduate Diploma in Education (Physical Education) programme. However, some members of the audience felt the content of the talk was inadequate. “Some of the information was not practical and it cannot be used in real life to help myself or others when an injury happens,” said Dr Shen Zhi Qi, a visiting A ssistant Professor f rom t he School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, who plays tennis at least once a week. Loh Yong Cheng, 24, a thirdyea r s t ude nt f r om Na nya ng Bu si ne s s Sc hool , sa id: “ T he information was quite general. Although it got a little technical towards the end, it did open my eyes to technological advances in sports medicine.”
sports recap Three cheers for the champions
PHOTO | WALLACE WOON
Playing hardball in handball IT was a show of talent and class at the NTU/NIE handball carnival 2010. Professional teams were invited to participate in the competition, held on February 28th. After a full day of tactical battles and high quality goals, Team SMU and Affliates emerged champion for the Men's category. Team Braddell Heights CC claimed the top spot in the Women's category.
The Hall Olympaid Closing Ceremony (HOCC), held on February 24th, saw Hall 1's Team UNIFIC (left) record a treble of titles. This is the third consecutive year that they have won the dance competition. The event, held at the Nanyang Auditorium, was a full-house event. Over 1,700 supporters from the respective halls of residence turned up to catch the dance contest, and to witness the awards presentation ceremony of the Inter Hall Games (IHG). Hall 3 swept aside competition from the other Halls of Residence in the IHG and were the winners of the sports category, as well as overall champions. In the recreational games category, Hall 9 took home the trophy. Associate Professor Lok Tat Seng, Dean of Students, was the guest-of-honour for the event. Viva La Minerva was chosen to be the theme for this year's ceremony, which was organised by Hall 13.
PHOTO | NG JUN SEN
Sports
A big bang to an end on Page 31
Translating sweat into dollar bills “If we managed to have more publicity, perhaps we could have drawn a bigger crowd,” said Sim. James Chaw, 23, a participant of the Charity Run, felt that the society’s publicity system could have sent mass emails to NTU students and staff, or placed more banners around the school. “I feel that the Facebook event and t he regist rat ion counter at Canteen B was not enough. Perhaps they could have reached out to a bigger audience, with more publicity,” said the second-year student from Nanyang Business School. Despite the low turnout, NTUBS managed to raise $2,200 from donations and fees collected from the Charity Run, for its beneficiary home—Bo Tien Welfare Services Society. Sim was pleased with the amount, given that it was NTUBS’ first attempt at organising such an event. On the other hand, Dunk! For Fund had 46 participating teams.
A BARREN RUN: Publicity was a letdown for NTUBS’ Charity Run.
Sports does its bit for charity, but it does not prove to be enough Ronald Loh sports editor
THERE is no prescribed recipe for success when it comes to charity drives. Solely tapping on a popular sport to draw public participation does not guarantee a successful event, as seen from two charity drives which took place on February 28th. Dunk! For Fund 2010, a three-aside basketball tournament held at VivoCity, is the first event organised under the collaboration of the NTU Students’ Union (SU), Sports Club and Cultural Activities Club (CAC). Meanwhile, the NTU Buddhist Society (NTUBS) organised its first-ever Charity Run on campus grounds. A notable similarity of the two charity events was how both sets of organisers reached out to the public for participation, rather than just donations. Likewise, participants of both events felt that their involvement added an extra significance. Lee Peijing, 19, and Chua Yinghui, 20, both of Temasek
Polytechnic, decided to contest in Dunk! For Fund 2010 as they felt that it was more meaningful to be involved than just simply donating money to a society. Leung Ho Fai, 22, a participant of NTUBS Charity Run, shared the same sentiments. “It is meaningful to get up and run for charity, even on a Sunday morning,” said the second-year student from the School of Physical and Mathematical Science (SPMS). Both organisers had hoped that incorporating a sporting element would make each event more vibrant and attractive. Larissa Thia, of the Dunk! For Fund 2010 organising committee and the Vice Chairperson of the SU Students’ Fund, said: “Our basketball tournament actually drew this many contestants as they were attracted to our rules, which were similar to basketball tournament standards.” Sim Yin Sin, 22, chairperson of NTUBS Charity Run 2010, said: “We understand that sports has an appeal for students. Thus we were hoping to tap on something they like.” However, a number of Dunk! For Fund contestants were unaware of which charity and what cause they were supporting. Such was the case of Team Precision, made up of students from Regent Secondary School.
Thia, credited the response of the event to their strong publicity campaign, with Converse as the event’s sponsor. She declined to comment on how much Dunk! For Fund had raised. Dunk! For Fund 2010 was advertised in Converse stores, apart from the event’s website and Facebook group. Team Precision found out about the event through an advertisement in a Converse store. The organisers also placed Zocards bearing the event’s slogan in locations around Singapore, mainly in town. Both organising committees agreed that the location of such events mattered. Ong Wei Guang, 23, liason officer for NTUBS Charity Run, said: “I feel that it was hard to attract people to come down to NTU. Plus it is a Sunday morning.” Thia added: “VivoCity has a high human traffic. We were lucky to be have been able to secure such an accessible place.”
PHOTO | WALLACE WOON
T he y d id not k now t h at Dunk! For Fund 2010 sought to raise money for the NTU SU Students’ Fund, which aims to help st udents who may need financial assistance to continue their tertiary education.
“It is meaningful to get up and run for charity, even on a Sunday morning.” Leung Ho Fai School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences Year 3
A s mea n i ng f u l a s publ ic involvement seems to be, it does not come easily. NTUBS had 30 odd participants, out of an expected hundred, turning up for their Charity Run. Sim felt that a better publicity campaign could have improved the turn-out. “Our proposal was approved late, and that affected the amount of publicity that we had,” said the third-year student from the School of Biological Sciences.
CHARITABLE PLAY: Basketball provides an assist for Dunk! For Fund’s drive. PHOTO | GOH CHAY TENG