The RIDGE - August 2012 by The Ridge

THE RIDGE MAGA ZINE

THE RIDGE MAGAZINE A NUSSU PUBLICATION AUGUST 2012 Find THE RIDGE on Facebook facebook.com/NussuTHERIDGE

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CONTENTS NEWS

OPINION

ENTERTAINMENT

05 NUS GRADUATE COMES UP TOPS..

16 CONJUNCT CONSULTING..

30 BOOK REVIEWS + WHAT’S IN MY IPOD

06 MODEL ASIA-EUROPE MEETING..

18 DEVELOPING THE STUDY OF DEVELOPMENT

32 INTERVIEW WITH BRENDAN KEEFE-AU

08 NUS COMMENCEMENT TWENTY. TWELVE

34 PLAY ON! 20 THE CHILDISH TANTRUMS OF RADICAL FEMINISM

10 YALE-NUS GROUNDBREAKING.. 22 REFLECTIONS FROM A BAR.. 12 GREEN CARPETS AWARDS 2012.. 24 THE DEATH PENALTY.. 14 TEMBUSU HAS GOT GAME 26 OLD AND USELESS 15 FOOD EMPIRE MEDICAL MISSION TO MANILA 2012

28 GIVE ME WHAT’S MINE..

LIFESTYLE

WIRED

SPORTS

37 THINGS ABOUT SINGAPORE..

48 ONLINE ‘STUDY-BUDDIES’

56 EURO 2012 FINALS

38 NUS ORIENTATION CAMPS..

50 ESSENTIAL APPS FOR SCHOOL

60 ELEGANCE ENDURES

39 WARNING: TOXIC TEAMMATES!

52 GRAB I.T.!

40 I’M COMING BACK IN STYLE!

54 BYTE-SIZED

41 SPECTACULAR SEPTEMBER 42 SINGAPORE ON A SHOESTRING 43 INTERNSHIPS: THE GOOD, BAD.. 46 A LOVE AFFAIR WITH CUPCAKES

EDITOR’S NOTE

EDITOR’S NOTE “I

n my walks, every man I meet is my superior in some way, and in that I learn from him,” wrote the great 19th century scholar, Ralph Waldo Emerson. I have found through my conversations with my peers that the student life in NUS is immeasurably vibrant. In many ways, as tertiary students, we are privileged to have the opportunity to live out Emerson’s philosophy and to learn from each other’s experiences. The challenge is that many achievements, activities and experiences go unnoticed and unheard because of a lack of publicity. In this new academic year, the RIDGE aims to be that onestop platform of news about all the things that students are interested in from event coverage to entertainment reviews. Our website (studentry.

sg) is fully functional with an events calendar and regular weekly updates. I believe there is never a boring day in NUS.

lack of community involvement programmes and trips to help those in our community and beyond who are in need.

We want to be the platform where NUS students congregate to read and learn from one another’s experiences, to rejoice in one another’s achievements and to discuss important issues of the day.

Let it also be said that NUS students are not apathetic. They care about the society and they care about politics as well. Just ask writer Debra Chua who wrote about the death penalty, an issue that is still very much contentious among Singaporeans.

To start our journey, read about the experiences of three medical students on a trip to Manila to provide muchneeded healthcare to the under-privileged (p.15) and the YEP trip, “Builder’s Connect” aimed at helping students understand developmental problems in less-developed countries (p. 18). If there is one word to describe NUS students, it is ‘compassionate’. There is no

I was quite psyched when Corrinne May agreed to an email interview but we could not get it done on time (watch our website for updates). Not to worry, we have our very own Brendan Keefe-Au who shares with us his life as a tenor soloist (p. 32). The collected gifts and talents of NUS students all across campus continue to amaze me year on year and I am glad to

be able to share many of these stories (and more) with you. So if you have something you want to share with the rest of NUS, an amazing holiday, a pro-tip to photocopy RBR books quickly, an awesome cupcake recipe (p. 46) then do drop us a friendly email and I will be sure to include it in the next issue! From all of us here at the RIDGE, have a happy academic year ahead!

Augustin Chiam, Chief Editor theridge.chiefeditor@nussu.org.sg

EDITORIAL TEAM

EDITORIAL BOARD

CONTRIBUTORS

Chief Editor Augustin Chiam theridge.chiefeditor@nussu.org.sg

News Desk

Deputy Chief/Entertainment Desk Editor Nicole Kang theridge.depchiefeditor@nussu.org.sg Creative Director Nguyen Son Tra theridge.creative@nussu.org.sg News Desk Editors Gerrard Lai theridge.news@nussu.org.sg

Luke Vijay

lukevijay@nus.edu.sg

Melissa Zhu

melissa.zhu@nus.edu.sg

Shonda Ng

manilamission2012@gmail.com

Opinion Desk Debra Chua

cyr.debra@nus.edu.sg

Ng Jian Gang

nguijiangang@nus.edu.sg

Yveena Mariel

a0083312@nus.edu.sg

Entertainment Desk Anupama Hegde

a0078256@nus.edu.sg

Nathanael PS

u0900511@nus.edu.sg

Retna Devi

a0071116@nus.edu.sg

Lifestyle Desk

Opinion Desk Editor Elliot Tan theridge.opinion@nussu.org.sg Lifestyle Desk Editor Rachel Ong theridge.lifestyle@nussu.org.sg Sports Desk Editor Prateek Sinha theridge.sports@nussu.org.sg

Teresa Widodo

teresa.widodo @nus.edu.sg

Chan Yiwen

chanyiwen@nus.edu.sg

Wilson Lim

a0072651@nus.edu.sg

Grace Yeoh

a0087531@nus.edu.sg

Sharifah Nursyafiqah

a0083099@nus.edu.sg

Vera Li

a0082905@nus.edu.sg

Candice Chua

a0077257@nus.edu.sg

Wired Desk Neethu Krishna M

a0089241@nus.edu.sg

Sports Desk

Wired Desk Editor Lester Hio theridge.wired@nussu.org.sg

Naveen Prakash

naveen.prakash@nus.edu.sg

Rishian Balaskanda

a0070089@nus.edu.sg

Designers

Copy Editor Ngui Jian Gang theridge.copyeditor@nussu.org.sg

NUS STUDENTSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; UNION NUSSU Publications Secretary Tan Heng Wee pubsec@nussu.org.sg

Patricia Natalia Jonatan

patriciajonatan@nus.edu.sg

Tong Wei Ping

a0074510@nus.edu.sg

Ye Zichen

a0105632@nus.edu.sg

Liu Jiahui

a0091723@nus.edu.sg

Min Er

a0099181@nus.edu.sg

NEWS

NUS GRADUATE COMES UP TOPS

IN INTERNATIONAL POLICY MAKING COMPETITION Augustin Chiam

he Global Debate and Public Policy Challenge is an international competition that involves almost 400 students from across the globe pitting their skills and knowledge against each other. According to their website, the Challenge “enables participants, regardless of their field of study, to develop their capacity to critically engage issues of public policy that affect them and the communities they live in.” The competition required them to write position papers with policy recommendations as well as present oral arguments to defend their recommendations. The theme for 2012 was “Securing Liberty: Balancing Security and Freedom”. After 3 rigorous rounds, NUS graduate Rebecca Tan was selected as one of the 23 finalists who would participate in the Global Debate and Public Policy forum in which they were made to

present their recommendations in front of a panel of 6 judges. The hypothetical scenario which the finalists had to formulate policies for involve the very relevant question of how to balance security and liberty at the airport.

needed for an appropriate policy recommendation for the hypothetical context that the organisers had set for us: costeffective, effective in countering the terrorist threat and minimally invasive for travellers.”

The issue of airport security is not new and has been the subject of many debate since the 9/11 incident in the United States of America. Many airports have implemented body scanners which have tested the boundaries with regards to people’s right to privacy.

So much for the stereotypical risk-adverse Singaporean. What does it take to do well in this competition?

Taking even herself by surprise, the recent FASS graduate chose to advocate a novel solution - sniffer honeybees. “I wasn’t sure how the judges would take such a radically different idea,” Tan admits. “But I decided to take the gamble since it fulfilled the criteria

“The competition called for very strong writing and speaking skills, especially an ability to communicate clearly and succinctly. It also required an intellectual curiosity and ability to think on one’s feet.” Public speaking is certainly daunting for many of us but Tan is a debater who many years of experience participating in intervarsity tournaments. Was this competition challenging for her? “It certainly was a challenge to be

able to present a complex problem and propose often multi-faceted recommendations in a short written policy brief as well as a five minute presentation.” “Quite different from what I have experienced as an undergraduate or even a debater,” she adds. The second prize worth $10,000 is quite a significant amount for a young graduate. Tan plans to use the money to cover her tuition fees at the School of Oriental and African Studies where she will be pursuing a Masters of Arts in Globalisation, Law and Development. The term starts in September this year.

NEWS

MODEL ASIA-EUROPE M AN EAST MEETS W Augustin Chiam

he Model Asia-Europe Meeting Summit (ASEM) 2012 was held from 2-7 July in NUS, Singapore on the theme of “Friends for Peace, Partners for Prosperity”. In this summit, students from all over the world including countries such as France, Vietnam and Thailand were present in the conference, discussing transnational issues that affect both the region of Asia and Europe. ASEM is split into three pillars: political, economic and cultural. Each pillar has a specific topic assigned to them for which they must discuss policy solutions that will take into account the interests of all the different stakeholders. The delegates represent countries that might be very different from where they are from. Solange Harpham, 19, from Science Po in France, represented Myanmar in the cultural pillar. “It’s very interesting because

Myanmar is in a period of change right now,” explained Harpham, “it has started to reform and it is exciting to be representing a country like that.” In the political pillar, there was a vigorous debate about migration and refugees. Some of the concerns raised include the recent crisis in the Euro zone which some delegates feared might escalate immigration out of the debtridden countries such as Greece. “The problem of migration will not only hit Greece but also Spain, Italy and France so there must be greater cooperation between members of the European Union,” said the delegate of Greece in the political pillar. The delegate of Pakistan in the political pillar also raised concerns about the alleged stigma attached to Muslim immigrants in Europe. This highlights the strength of ASEM, a cross-cultural platform that forces both the East and West to contend with each other’s culture in a non-threatening

platform that encourages dialogue over conflict. It is heartening to see so many delegates from both regions, from vastly different kind of cultures discussing meaningful ways to advance society. “I don’t think different cultures will impede cooperation [between Europe and Asia] … I am optimistic,” says Jacqueline Ouyong, a student from Singapore. She added, “the biggest challenge [towards cooperation] is less that of culture and more of economics especially with the Euro crisis.”

a good thing. In Pakistan, we have 18 regional languages, we have different dress codes, we have different food, Pakistan is a multicultural country… just like India,” said Amjad Zafar Ali, 26, student from Pakistan. Still, there were many problems that hinder social cohesion. One of the most important issues is that of education and language. The delegate of Hong Kong raised the example of ethnic minorities in Hong Kong who cannot understand basic Chinese and consequently, cannot integrate into mainstream society.

In the cultural pillar, the topic of the day was social cohesion and inclusive growth. It was surprising that many delegates did not believe there was a clash in “Asian” and European cultural values and most were optimistic about the possibility of multicultural cooperation.

All delegates in the cultural pillar acknowledged that there is a need to “constantly evaluate policies” and introduce both “shortterm and long term measures”. In particular, there was the recognition that the children and youth growing up in Asia and Europe must be the focus “because they are going to be the adults [leaders] someday.”

“I think multiculturalism is

Measures that the pillar propose

“THIS HIGHLIGHTS THE STRENGTH OF ASEM, A CROSS-CULTURAL PLATFORM THAT FORCES BOTH THE EAST AND WEST TO CONTEND WITH EACH OTHER’S CULTURE IN A NON-THREATENING PLATFORM THAT ENCOURAGES DIALOGUE OVER CONFLICT.”

NEWS

E MEETING SUMMIT 2012: TS WEST DIALOGUE

include more cultural exchange programs to better understand other cultures in a globalized society, the encouragement of civic society and more funding in education, especially tertiary education by tapping on the ubiquity of the internet. The economic pillar was especially relevant given the financial melt-down that many European countries seem to be facing in recent times. Was austerity the way forward? Indeed, that weighed heavily on the delegates minds. In the discussions about encouraging trade between both regions, there seemed to be a lingering of question of responsibility. Who was going to provide the cash injection to encourage investments and to whom? “The EU should do more for Asian countries to do business,” asserted

the Delegate of China in the economic Pillar. A “non-profit bank” that sought to provide additional emergency loans to encourage businesses to develop was mooted by Germany with some delegates expressing doubts and cynicism given the recent financial climate. “If we have money, why would we give it to this non-profit bank that you propose? Why shouldn’t we give it to our own businessmen?” asked the delegate of Belgium in the economic pillar. The question highlights the prominence of national self-hindrance as a major obstacle preventing regional and international cooperation. Believers in the realist school of thought would not be surprised. Another important point of contention was the harmonization of standards across Asia and Europe. The “europeanisation” in the European Union has suffered

many hurdles but if continued economic cooperation were to take place between Asia and Europe, there needs to be greater homogeneity in the practices and laws between the two. It is also no secret that there is much disagreement between Asia and Europe because of the substantial amount of agricultural subsidies given in Europe which creates an allegedly “unfair playing field” when trading with Asian countries. It is quite a tall order to discuss some of these very complex issues but that did not deter the many participants from engaging in constructive discussion and offering up workable solutions. The hope is that some of these student-participants would go on to become leaders in Asia and Europe and look back on their time in ASEM 2012 as an important foundational experience.

For many of the delegates, this was the first time that they stepped into Singapore. “Singapore is very clean,” exclaimed Van Anh, 22, a student from Vietnam. “I love the atmosphere, the layout at least in this university (NUS),” said Dong Tu, 26, China. She added with a grin, “quite different from China as you can imagine.” But regardless of the differences, the model ASEM has shown that it does not matter what culture one comes from. What matters is the common goals and visions for humanity that one can strive towards with the help of fellow dwellers on this planet we call home.

NEWS

NUS COMMENCEMENT Augustin Chiam

raduation is a daunting and bitter sweet event. For many, it is the culmination of 3-6 years of hard work, blurry eyes and more than one occasion of late night indulgence at Al-Ameen or Fong Seng. Often, the momentary euphoria of submitting that last assignment gives way to the reality of finding a job, of stepping out into the unknown. Yet, the 260 new graduates, with their friends and family, who filled the hall at the University Cultural Center for Commencement Twenty.Twelve on the 5th of July seemed not to show that inevitable anxiety of the future. The first ceremony on the 5th of July marks the commencement for students graduating from the Department of Industrial Design and Real Estate from the School of Design and Environment as well as the Department of Social Work from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. In the presence of friends and family, graduates received their degrees from NUS Chancellor, His Excellency Dr. Tony Tan Keng Yam. Over the course of 9 days, a total of 9,913 graduates will receive

their degrees. Out of which, 6,321 students will receive bachelor degrees while 3,592 students will receive higher degrees. There is an exuberant expression on many of the graduands as they receive their degrees. Friends and

“GRADUATION IS A DAUNTING AND BITTER SWEET EVENT.” family celebrate with much phototaking. In a video, quoting Henry David Thoreau, Professor Brenda Yeoh, Dean of NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences exhorted the graduates to “go confidently in the direction of your dreams”. Valedictorian, Mr. Clement Zheng, from the NUS School of Design and Environment, graduated with First Class Honours. In his valedictorian speech, he said, “This university is not merely a hub of knowledge and learning. It is a meeting place, where students and teachers of different cultures and backgrounds interact,”

By Augustin Chiam

vibrant student life that they had. Whether it was an internship, an overseas exchange program or organizing events, these graduates revealed a strong social fabric that exists in the university. The bonds and interactions between students, the activities on campus seems to have left an indelible mark in the memories of the graduates. “It [the university] is not merely a dialogue of great minds, it is also a conversation of great personalities,” Zheng added. The road ahead after graduation

Asked what they missed about NUS, graduates often mention the

is usually long and uncertain but for Zheng, the near future brings

a stint as a teaching assistant back in the School of Design and Environment. It is heartening to see him describe his passion for teaching and that desire to give back to his alma mater. The first commencement ceremony was also special because former president S. R. Nathan was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Letters from NUS for his contributions to Singapore and NUS during his term as President and NUS Chancellor. Professor Yeoh, in her citation for Mr S. R. Nathan, described him as an “outstanding student”.

NEWS

MENT TWENTY.TWELVE “For Mr. Nathan, the opportunity of a university education is to be seized upon and made full use of in order to prepare for life.”

from Mr. Nathan’s insight. Knowledge starts from first understanding how much we do not actually know.

In his acceptance speech, Mr. Nathan remained humble, saying, “My journey with this University began with recognizing my own ignorance, acknowledging how little I knew.” All of the graduates can certainly learn something

Having gone through that journey, the graduates are loaded with wisdom and experience. Some of them had these words of advice for the incoming freshmen: “It is very important to be

independent and find your true voice,” said Mr. Felix Austin, 25. “It takes a lot of determination and commitment, really holding on to your passions because the long nights will take their toll,” said Ms. Cia Zhi Yun, 23. The happiness that filled the University Cultural Center was infectious and the graduands

deserve all the applause and congratulations that were showered upon them by their loved ones. There will come a day when the graduates will worry about handling the additional responsibilities that will be thrust upon them, mostly without warning, but this is not that day.

By Augustin Chiam

NEWS

YALE-NUS GROUNDBREA

MELDING OF EAST AN Augustin Chiam

he up and coming YaleNUS College has gone through much birthing pains. Controversy has followed it since the collaboration was first made public. Notably, Jim Sleeper, faculty member at Yale has been a consistent critic of the venture. Yet, the government of Singapore has been steadfast in lending its support to the set-up of the YaleNUS college, contributing S$114 million to the construction of a campus space that is modelled after the “nested communities” already found in Yale. Residential colleges have been the mainstay of universities such as Oxford, Cambridge and many of the Ivy League universities in the U.S. That model has recently been imported and put to the test in NUS. More than the residential halls already found across the campus, the residential college aims to be a place where faculty interacts with students in both academic and non-academic settings. The residential college model has found success with the vibrant student life in existing colleges, Cinnamon and Tembusu, found within the premises of University Town (UTown). Yale-NUS College will build on that culture in UTown and radically transform

the way that faculty members employ the spaces for pedagogical purposes. Two architects, Forum Architects and Pelli Clarke Pelli have been commissioned to turn the whole concept of “nested communities” into a reality. This includes the construction of student lounges, dining commons and open-air “Sky Gardens” that will facilitate close interaction between students and faculty members and hopefully, spark lively discussion. The Yale-NUS campus is scheduled to be fully completed by August 2015.

“A GROUP OF FRIENDS AND CLASSMATES WHO LEARN TOGETHER AND WHO TEACH ONE ANOTHER.” In his speech, Yale-NUS College President Pericles Lewis described the campus as a “melding of East and West”. Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, he expressed his hope for “the cultures of Asia, the West, and the entire world [to] blow freely through the buildings of Yale-NUS College and into the minds of many generations of students.” Elaborating on the need for a residential college, he explained that the residential college experience is characterised

Yale-NUS College Office

by “a group of friends and classmates who learn together and who teach one another.” “We will continue to expand the tertiary [education] sector. Not by doing more of the same, but by diversifying the tertiary landscape so as to meet students’ wider interests and society’s changing needs,” he said. The groundbreaking ceremony was graced by Guest of Honour,

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. He affirmed the government’s commitment towards education at all levels and promised that the government will “continue to improve our education system.” PM Lee was also quick to assure the audience that the Yale-NUS College “will not be a replica of Yale” but will be one that “adds NUS’ distinctive global and Asian strengths”.

NEWS

BREAKING CEREMONY

OF EAST AND WEST

The liberal arts programme pioneered in Yale-NUS college will give Singaporean students another option in an increasingly diverse educational landscape that already includes such niche institutions like School of the Arts (SOTA) and Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD). School is actually out till August of 2013 for the first intake of students for the Yale-NUS College. This means that the females who are accepted in this intake will have to take a year’s sabbatical or to take up an internship. Unsurprisingly, the gender ratio is severely skewed towards the males with males forming the bulk of the first intake. Ms. Ijechi Nazirah Nwaozuzu, 19, is one of those who decided to take the plunge in accepting the offer from the college despite the possibility of falling behind by a year compared to her peers who accepted admission offers to matriculate in the coming academic semester. “It [the one year gap] was a consideration but I looked at it from a long-term perspective and decided that the quality of education I was going to received in the Yale-NUS College was more important to me,” she explained.

Nwaozuzu will be taking up an internship with Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) before a short stint working at the Yale-NUS College administration office. As part of the liberal arts program, students get to choose from fourteen majors from anthropology to urban studies. The flexibility to tailor one’s education is the hallmark of a liberal arts education. There is also an option to take up joint and concurrent degrees including a double degree program in collaboration with the NUS Faculty of Law. Mr. Walter Yeo, 20, is among the select few who will be pursuing the five year double-degree program in law. “I knew I wanted to do law when I was applying for various universities,” he said, “and YaleNUS gives me the opportunity to do both a liberal arts programme as well as law.” The one-time opportunity to make an impact, create the culture and set the tone for subsequent batches is not lost on the first batch of Yale-NUS College students. “Education is about leaving one’s legacy and this is a chance to leave

Yale-NUS College Office

one. I am really excited to start school after seeing some of the curriculum on offer,” Yeo said. The first intake has already gotten a glimpse of the curriculum through events organised by the Yale-NUS college to ensure that they are eased into the program. Students will also go through an orientation in Yale University to experience first-hand the culture of the “nested communities” before starting the academic semester in NUS. In addition to official events, the students have been organising meet-ups among themselves, building that camaraderie even before school has started, ensuring that the residential college experience of living and studying together will certainly start off on

the right note. The groundbreaking ceremony was largely symbolic, held in the fully air-conditioned Ngee Kong Si Auditorium at the Education Resource Centre in UTown – without shovel in hand and dirt on the ground – but it will not matter. Yale-NUS is already groundbreaking for many reasons but largely because it is leading the charge to establish a different kind of academic culture here in Singapore, one that will certainly challenge the traditional methods of pedagogy that years of NUS students have grown accustomed to.

NEWS

GREEN CARPETS AWARDS 2012:

RECOGNISING ‘YOU Melissa Zhu

embers of the younger generation have the power to inspire adults to appreciate the environment more. This was the message put across by Dr. Francis Downey, Vice President of National Geographic Explorer. The Washington-based publisher was speaking to students, parents, educators and journalists as part of the Green Carpet Awards 2012, which took place on the 30th June at the National University of Singapore Shaw Alumni

House. Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, was the Guest-of Honour. The GCA 2012 is an environmental program initiated by National Geographic Explorer, a range of classroom magazines targeted at children from Kindergarten to Secondary School. As part of the program, young students from primary and secondary schools in Singapore, equipped with Nikon DSLR cameras,

embarked on adventure trails at Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden (situated near the NUS Faculty of Law) and Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. They submitted their best photographs from the expeditions, along with short essays and captions elaborating on their pictures. The photo-essay competition drew over 4,000 entries. 20 finalists were shortlisted to attend the awards ceremony.

Dr. Downey who was impressed with the quality of the students’ submissions, said, “I think the students here in Singapore – all of them – are superb writers and visionaries.” “It is through their vision, both through photography and through writing that we are inspired to see something bigger than what we are: to see that we are part of the natural world,” he added. Twelve-year-old Kim Navetey

Green Carpet Awards 2012

NEWS

12:

YOUNG VISIONARIES’ clinched the Best Overall Award with her artistic photograph of leaves, riddled with holes left by worms eating through the leaves, set against the sky. The East Coast Primary School student explained that the image illustrates the interdependence between animals and plants. On her win, Navetey said: “I love nature and hope to influence my friends from East Coast Primary School to take good care of the environment”. It is through their vision, both through photography and through writing that we are inspired to see something bigger than what we are: to see that we are part of the natural world. Like Dr. Downey, Dr. Balakrishnan emphasised the importance of the younger generation in conserving the natural environment. “The Post-war Baby Boomers have secured enormous wealth from exploiting nature on an unprecedented scale… the younger generation are far more passionate about protecting the environment and our natural heritage than our generation ever has been,” he said.

“Instinctively, without all fancy lectures and academic lessons, they know that this is something precious… Therefore I believe that it is the younger generation who will help us come to our senses and realise that the environment and nature existed way before human beings came about and will continue to exist way after human beings leave the stage.”

“THEY ARE OUR STRENGTH, OUR INSPIRATION, OUR HOPES AND DREAMS,” Mr. Jim Huang, Vice President of World Marketing Group, the event organiser for the awards, said that the program sought to honour young adults who recognise the importance of environmental awareness. “They are our strength, our inspiration, our hopes and dreams,” he declared, “they champion for a cause that relates directly to their own future.” Indeed, despite the presence of important adults at the event, it was the children who were the stars of the day. Befitting the competition theme of Environmental Awareness and Nature Preservation, the award finalists arrived at the awards

ceremony in trishaws, decked out in immaculate suits and dresses. A 20 metre-long green carpet was laid out on the entrance to replicate the “red carpet experience”. Arriving finalists and guests posed on the green carpet for a swarm of photographers and journalists.

And in what Dr. Balakrishnan deemed “the statement of the evening”, Zachary Chong Zhe Kai, 11, winner of the Best Journalistic Award for the 11 to 15 age category, solemnly pronounced in his acceptance speech: “If we do not save the environment, we will become extinct one day.”

Interestingly, many of the media entourage were primary and secondary school children from the same institutions as the finalists. As part of the GCA 2012, selected students were trained in reporting skills for the event. These budding reporters undertook their roles with utmost enthusiasm, directing incisive questions at finalists and guests alike.

This drew chuckles and applause from the audience who would do well to consider his ominous prediction.

The award nominees, too, responded to questions about their views on the environment with a maturity that belied their tender years. “We need to protect the environment, and make it a better place for future generations,” said Muhammad Raiyan Md Yasin, 12, from Elias Park Primary School. Janessa Kong, 14, who won the Best Photographic Award for the 11 to 15 age category, said she felt that “Man and nature need to coexist peacefully”.

Indeed, despite the presence of important adults at the event, it was the children who were the stars of the day. Dr. Balakrishnan summed up the importance of promoting environmental awareness among the younger generation. “The question is not really saving nature. The question is all about human beings,” he said. “What kind of life will our children and our descendants have? The key is to find the right balance…. I think as long as the next generation understands that, and corrects the mistakes of the older generation, we’ll be alright.”

NEWS

TEMBUSU HAS GOT GAME

Backgrounds work in progress

Luke Vijay

ome August, freshmen at Tembusu College will be surprised to find their campus replicated in the virtual world. The college will be featured as the setting for a retro-style point-andclick adventure game made by renowned design team, Stick and Balloon. The team, comprised of Yanyun Chen and Sara Chong, are independent illustrators and animators. They were invited to Tembusu as consultants as part of a project to set up the student-formed photography and video group tStudios at Tembusu College. Stick and Balloon, who were responsible for Jimmyfish (2011), a game that was recently awarded “Jury Selection Work” at 15th Japan Media Arts Festival,

decided to pitch to the school an idea of an retro-style point and click adventure game, featuring Tembusu staff and faculty. “Think of it as an introduction for fresh students to get to know their professors, as well as our interpretation of the wacky and humorous environment that is Tembusu,” said Chen. The pair pulled together a team of six experienced game makers – from programmers and animators to a music designer, Jachin Pousson, to device the game. Hee En Hua, a fourth-year economics student and one of the pioneering batch of Tembusu residents said, “As a member of the Tembusu family, I am glad that a game is being made about the Tembusu experience. It shows

how creativity is more than just a marketing buzzword for the college.” Jenson Chen, a third-year literature student was more sceptical though. “I think it’s cool but I wonder if it’s just going to be a fancy gimmick to boast about, or something people will actually like to play,” he said. When asked what players can expect from the game, Chen was careful not to give too much away. “It started out as an experiment to integrate reality with a fictional game setting. The game will feature the faculty as in-game characters with quirks related to their research interests,” she said. For instance, Professor John van Whye who is the director of The

Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online, Bye-Fellow Christ’s College, Cambridge will appear in the game as a “Darwin Detective”. While the game features the faculty, staff and even Tembusu’s ubiquitous millipede population, it lacks the presence of students. Although Tembusu students were allowed to suggest names for the game’s protagonist, none of them were involved in the design or planning phases of the project even. Chen explained that these students were busy with their own work, thus “Sara and I spent at least 60 hours a week working on the game”.

NEWS

FOOD EMPIRE

MEDICAL MISSION TO MANILA 2012 Ng Shonda, Ng Jet Yue Alexander, and Aera Kee

ver 2 weeks from 20th June to 4th July 2012, we visited 7 different communities and helped them through free medical clinics, vaccinations, health education, free food programmes, provision of school supplies for 500 children as well as donation of cleaning materials and basic necessities. In return, we were all touched in many more ways ever imaginable. Our team comprises of 3 medical students from Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and 3 doctors from Anglican Crisis Relief Outreach and Support (ACROSS) and St John’s St Margaret’s Church. This medical mission supports an on-going partnership between Dr Lee Oh, a Singaporean general practitioner from Mission Medical Pte Ltd and Dr Don Cua, head pastor of the Philadelphia Christ-Centered Church in Manila, who is our main liaison

in Manila. We are very thankful to have our sponsor Food Empire Holdings supporting us for this trip – they responded generously to our requests for both monetary and non-monetary donations and made all our work in Philippines possible.

Mangyan and Aetas Tribes Over 5 days, we travelled to the Mangyan tribes at Mamburao, Mindoro Island and the Aetas at Zambales, Central Luzon. They are indigenous tribes who live mostly in mountainous areas and have little access to health care and proper nutrition. We saw many patients who travelled hours on foot or are brought to us via a sponsored truck from villages mountains away, treating them with much needed medications and mulitvitamins. It was

heartbreaking to see many sick children, malnourished and helpless as they were too far from any medical help. We also vaccinated the elderly with pneumococcal vaccinations, kindly sponsored by Food Empire. Our doctor also performed 6 vasectomies on a few villagers for birth control. In addition, ACROSS kindly donated 2 water purifiers for each tribe and we taught the villagers the importance of water hygiene; the demonstration of the production of clean water was greeted with cries of wonder and gratitude. We conducted health education along with a free food programme and donated money for the renovation of their toilet at Aetas and provision of water pails to further encourage water hygiene.

We also donated money for the provision of chickens per family as a form of livelihood. Before we left, we gave out school supplies for almost 150 children to encourage them to continue their education. The smiles that lit up their faces as they got their new backpacks and stationery were priceless; we left with a joy in our hearts knowing that we are the ones who put those smiles on their faces. Winding down after our 2 medical missions, we saw more than 550 villagers at Mindoro and more than 150 villagers in the Aetas tribe - much more than we expected and prepared for, but we are nonetheless thankful for all we could do.

Mangyan and Aetas Tribes

OPINION

CONJUNCT CONSULTING: TRANSFORMING THE SOCIAL SECTOR Augustin Chiam

ho says young Singaporeans these days are apathetic? Even with the wave after wave of financial mayhem that have highlighted the desperate greed of corporate types, there are still people who are not just “in it for the money”. Cue the arrival of Conjunct Consulting, a young set-up that does pro bono consulting for non-profit organisations as well as social enterprises. I spoke to Jared (Yr 3, FASS - Philosophy), Josy (Yr 2, FASS Communications & New Media) and Hwei Fen (Vice-President External Affairs, Conjunct Consulting) to find out more about the company and what motivates them to do what they do. Great visions often start out with humble beginning and Conjunct is no different.

“Conjunct Consulting was birthed over a a skype session, then solidified over a cup of coffee. Our two founders, Jia Chuan and Jeremy dreamt of making an impact in the social sector, first in Singapore, then in Asia,” explained Hwei Fen. Conjunct’s model is heavily influenced by their experience in school. Jia Chuan headed the London School of Economics (LSE) chapter of AIESEC while Jeremy headed The Berkeley Group that also did consulting for non-profits. Perhaps because of their time in the respective universities, Conjunct taps on the youthful dynamism and creative perspectives of tertiary students. Working professionals also provide the extra element of experience and professionalism to complement the tertiary students.

I asked Jared and Josy why students should spare their precious free time to work at Conjunct Consulting. Their answers were surprising but very sincere. “For business students, they are going to get very real consulting experience but we also see many students from other faculties who are just passionate about making an impact in the social sector,” Josy said. “I personally ran a social enterprise that did not work out. Now, in Conjunct, I get to use my experience and put it to practical use to see tangible results,” Jared explained. “The work we do is very demanding so people who want it on their CV do not usually last very long,” he added.

For Conjunct, the focus is on making the kind of strategic change that will enable the social sector in Singapore and Asia to flourish. The problem is that not many people have figured out what “social” means and how to measure impact. As with most consulting firms, there must be some way to measure the effectiveness of a particular business model usually through the setting of key performance indicators (KPIs). Hwei Fen explained that Conjunct is in the process of partnering with other pro bono groups and non-profit organisations to developing a matrix to measure “social impact”, one that can be tailored for each social sector organization they are engaged with. She further explained that “social

OPINION

impact is difficult to measure but we are mainly looking at the longterm impact on society.” “We vet through all our clients missions and goals to ensure that all the money goes back to helping society” For Conjunct, the future for the social sector begins now. With better organisational plans and processes, perhaps Singapore’s social sector will begin to awaken from its long slumber. A record of S$896 million was donated to charities last year (http://www. straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/ Singapore/Story/STIStory_813791. html) so the sector is not short of money but the management of this money to produce results is perhaps still lacking. This is where Conjunct hopes to step in and fill the gap.

passion as well as pragmatism,” she explained. She added, “I believe that working in the social sector is losing its stigma.” Already there are plans to expand operations by setting up an Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) chapter. Conjunct currently has 3 chapters represented by students from the 3 biggest local universities, NUS, SMU and NTU. Josy assured me that there were not much conflict between the 3 student chapters but they are looking to “standardize the style of approach”.

Hwei Fen is optimistic about the future. She hopes to see more tertiary students participate in the venture and help to make strategic change.

“The chapters are like departments but we work in harmony ... there will be some differences in approaches given our different school curriculum but there is a lot of information sharing as well as professional input to give us guidance,” Jared added.

“If we were not optimistic about it, we would not be in this [the social sector]. We are both guided by

The biggest challenge for Consulting, besides the need for funding and donations, is getting

the word out there. “We are not very well known in NUS and we are constantly on the lookout for students interested in our line of work,” Jared said. “The main criteria we are looking out for is a willingness to work and some problem-solving ability,” he added.

different areas, one cannot only take into account how much profit is being made. Hence, the multiple perspectives provided by students from many different faculties make Conjunct’s approach more holistic.

Conjunct does not just recruit Business students but students from many different faculties because they bring different perspectives.

Conjunct’s bottomline is change. Change not just for the social enterprise and non-profits with whom they work with but change to the attitudes and stigma attached to working in the social sector as well as change in the way people see the contributions of tertiary students.

“Different students bring about a different way of looking at the same problem. Science students tend to be more analytical while arts students focus on the social impact,” Josy explained.

As Jared puts it to me, “At Conjunct Consulting, we are given that platform [for change] and at the same time to make positive social impact to the world around us”

In a way, the social sector demands a different approach from conventional consulting because running a social enterprise demands more than one “bottomline”. Often, the buzzword in the sector is the triple bottomline; revenue, social and environmental. Because the social enterprise impacts so many

For more information about Conjunct Consulting, visit their Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/ conjunctconsulting For more information about how you can join them and be a social changemaker: http://conjunctconsulting.org/ consultants/#apply

From conjunctconsulting.org

OPINION

DEVELOPING THE STUDY OF DEVELOPMENT Elliot Tan

or the student eager to give back to society, NUS has little shortage of community involvement projects to choose from. Indeed, from NUSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s flagship rotaract club to the various community serviceoriented interest groups that have sprouted up over the years, students are spoilt for choice with the myriad of opportunities available. Those that receive the most attention, however, are arguably the Overseas Community Involvement Projects (OCIP). Often touted as platforms for participants to acquaint themselves with the culture of a foreign nation as well as engage that community through acts of service, the OCIPs cast a wide net that appeals to a significant proportion of students. The Youth

Expedition Project (YEP) is one such example. The YEP is currently administered by the National Youth Council (NYC), and was launched with the aim of encouraging volunteerism among youth to embark on community servicelearning projects around ASEAN. Contingent with this aim is the NYCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s broader goal of developing a greater sense of social responsibility and community involvement both overseas and locally. The ethos of service learning centres around experiential learning, where the volunteer, through his or her acts of service, learns from the community he serves. The greatest value of the YEP is largely twofold: Firstly, it acts as a form

of exposure, where participants are introduced to the expanse of possibilities available for community work in developing countries. Secondly, the personal development aspect of the programme would ostensibly result in more individuals feeling drawn to the idea of serving in society. While generally successful on these fronts, one is led to consider how the vast majority of OCIPs, including the YEP, do not sufficiently provide for the individual keen on studying the topic of development at a deeper level. Given the number of OCIPs that conduct their projects in foreign developing nations, it is not difficult to see why creating opportunities for studying development might be a valuable pursuit.

A group of NUS students noticed this void, and in 2010 pioneered the Builders Connect (BC) Learning Programme with the University Scholars Programme based on the philosophy that meaningful development or community service requires an understanding of the complexities inherent in the interdisciplinary field of the developing world. The BC Learning Programme comprises three stages: a pre-trip component which includes talks on the history and culture of the Philippines, talks by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), as well as introductory lectures on social research and topics relating to developmental studies. The Philippines trip component sees participants travelling to the Philippines

OPINION

to interact with the various stakeholders in the development process, which ranges from surveys at the villages to interviews at the offices of the NGOs. Finally, the posttrip component requires individuals to submit a report detailing critical observations and learning points, along with a presentation to share these experiences with the greater community. In interacting with participants of the programme, the one recurring thought that comes to mind is just how complex the field of development is. Issues of sustainability have long plagued organizations that have adopted the format of working with shortterm teams. The impact of what multiple batches of small groups can do is usually limited. To further complicate matters, the cultural climate in each country is profoundly different, and hence the relationships between the various stakeholders complicated to monitor and manage. Only on pausing to reflect on the complexity of the situation does one begin to appreciate how development is not a simple equation of injecting money with proportionate societal gain. Take for example, the instance of

an NGO intervening and providing their target village with food staples over the course of a year. While this may seem to aid in alleviating poverty in the area, such a move may end up unbalancing the societal equilibrium—through inhibiting the local economy for produce, for instance—to the ultimate detriment of the village. A delicate balance therefore exists between administering aid and leaving the community to manage its own affairs, and it is crucial that each group intending to serve these communities should first strive to understand the socio-economical mechanisms at work. Evidently, aid provided in ignorance might very well end up doing more harm than good. The BC learning programme’s intention of placing students at the heart of the NGOs’ operations allows them the chance for close interaction with the organizations’ staff, in ways that engenders appreciation of the staggering complexity that surrounds developmental work. If anything, it appears that growing in subject knowledge has the curious paradoxical effect of revealing just how little we really know about the field of development. This is however,

not cause for disappointment, but rather, a wakeup call to realize the importance of furthering opportunities for developmental study. The cultivation of interest in national and international development should certainly not be neglected, and for this reason the numerous OCIPs available now have not, in any appreciable sense of the word, failed. However, if we were to stop there and ignore—instead of supporting and encouraging—the growth of programmes such as the BC Learning Programme, then we as a university would truly have failed; for what is a university if not a place for promoting inquiry and the pursuit of greater knowledge? Since its inception two years ago, the BC learning programme has seen its past participants move into internships at other NGO’s to further their inquiry into developmental studies, while the number of applicants each year continues to climb. Clearly, there exists a hunger amongst students to explore the field of development, and, as a university, there is still much that can be done in terms of providing the opportunities to do so.

OPINION

THE CHILDISH TANTRUMS O Augustin Chiam

support women’s rights. What I do not support is the streak of radical feminism that has spread like wildfire across the world from the Western hemisphere. Western society, especially, knows only too well that hell hath no fury like a feminist scorned. In particular, one movement comes to mind: “SlutWalk”. The origins of “SlutWalk” can be traced back to Toronto in 2011 with a police officer’s ill-considered advice to a group of university students that “women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimised”. Outrage over the statement created a diverse movement in which many women condemned the implication that women have to share the blame for sexual crimes. Let’s be clear about what I am for and what I am against. I agree that we should not play the blame game and place responsibility on women, many of whom have gone through traumatic assaults through no fault of their own. I agree that men should never assume consent and that, sadly, victims of sexual crime are disproportionately female.

However, I do not know of any rational person that would support the proposition that women can wear anything they want in public. Simply put, society cannot handle women walking around in their underwear. We must draw a line somewhere. To me, the freedom to choose what one wears is not an absolute one. To think otherwise would be plainly naive. Just as it is probably a good idea not to flaunt expensive jewellery in a public setting, it is also probably a good idea not to walk home alone at night wearing skimpy clothing. For those drawing parallels to the LGBT movement, there is nothing to compare here. Women have a choice over what they wear but there is a general consensus that sexual orientation is less of a choice. Radical feminism has led to outrageous variants of the SlutWalk like the one held recently in Brazil where, “at least 700 women, many wearing lingerie, mini-skirts and blouses with revealing necklines” marched in protest. What in the world they hope to

achieve is beyond me. Radicalism only harms the cause. The message sent out seems to be: “I want to dress like a promiscuous woman, what are you going to do about it?” This kind of vengeful response serves to reinforce the stereotype that some women do not think rationally. It is the kind of response you will find in “playground politics”; “You don’t want to friend me? Ok, I also don’t friend you.” In this regard, I admire the SlutWalk held in Singapore last year for holding firm to solid principles without falling into the temptation of radicalisation.

Their website explicitly states that “One does not need to identify as a ‘slut’ to be part of SlutWalk - our ultimate goal is not to reclaim the word,” differentiating the Singapore version from the more radical variant. However, it still begs the question, why continue calling it a SlutWalk if the objective is not to reclaim the word? Some women actually do accept the fact that choosing to dress more modestly is not necessarily succumbing to structural gender discrimination but a prudent and wise thing to do. Some will argue that we need

OPINION

MS OF RADICAL FEMINISM drastic measures to fundamentally change a society that objectifies women. Well, it is a valid point but one that has become slightly less convincing in the past year. The numerous photos of gleeful girls posing next to topless Abercrombie & Fitch models that appeared on my Facebook newsfeed in September 2011 tell a different story. “Slut” is not the only word to take the spotlight. Rep. Lisa Brown in the state of Michigan was recently censored for using the word “vagina” in the legislative debates. In response, Rep. Brown staged a performance of “The Vagina Monologues”, a play about women’s sexuality where close to 2,500 people chanted “Va-gina, Va-gina, Va-gina!” repeatedly. Again, this scenario is similar. I do not agree with the censorship of Rep. Lisa Brown and abhor the removal of her right to speak in the legislative debate. Yet, I am not convinced that the right response is to retaliate. In a piece published by The Guardian, activist Naomi Wolf writes about the incident, “ [f]emale liberals understand that when you enrage the opposition,

you don’t back down; you go further.” I disagree that offense must be met with offense. I disagree that the only way to deal with gender discrimination is to stare them down and shout in their face. It is this kind of tit-fortat, eye-for-an-eye rhetoric that polarizes and pits people against one another without any kind of reconciliatory and constructive solution. I have always been an advocate of moderation. The question that is constantly in my mind with every new controversy is whether this new movement is constructive? Does it change anything? Is chanting the word “slut” or “vagina” repeatedly in the faces of chauvinists really going to change their mind? I hardly think so. Some might further argue that gender discrimination, especially in the United States, is so entrenched in the social structure that radical measures are needed, that talk and discussion is superficial. Aside from the rather pessimistic attitude, there is also a case to be made for choosing the right battles. Is reclaiming the word “slut” and “vagina” really

that important a battle to fight? There is an old nursery rhyme that goes, “sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt.” Why spend precious resources quibbling over the usage of those words when issues such as marital rape and sexual harassment in the workplace are still so common place. I sincerely hope that the radicalisation of gender politics does not reach Singapore. I hope we continue to engage in civil discourse. I hope that gender politics would not be about shouting names and blaming each other. I hope that feminists will advance the discourse on how both genders should treat each other as human beings, equal in the eyes of the law and society. God forbid the day when Singaporean women take to the streets to burn their bras and call for gender-neutral pronouns.

OPINION

REFLECTIONS FR

Typecasting the University G

Elliot Tan

“S

o, why did you decide to work at a bar?” is one question that has repeatedly come up in my conversations over summer, often followed closely behind by piqued curiosity about the possibility of free alcohol. As I very quickly found out, such visions of happy hours spent in high spirits were, rather unfortunately, not to be. In the many moments of sombre sobriety that were spent waiting on tables, my thoughts wandered between two not so disparate thoughts: “why did I choose this job, really?”, and, “why does one get this sense of a peculiar mix of intrigue and subtle distaste—at times bordering on thinly veiled disdain—in those asking the question?”

an undergraduate’s course of study should be spent on serious business—work attachments and internships, research proposals and thesis-crafting, not such frivolous activity as waiting tables at a hip watering hole. After all, I rationalized, if I wanted to try for a novel experience, the best time to attempt it would be early on in university, since it’s hardly as if you’d want to be wiping tables and clearing dishes when you are in your thirties. But here my thoughts hit a snag, for I it dawned upon me that they had begun to reflect the very societal stereotype that I had initially set out to unpack and critique—the oft unspoken sentiment that certain industries are inherently ‘dirty’ and undesirable to work in.

The first of these thoughts, being more personal and therefore particular, is perhaps more easily addressed. The rationale logic train goes something like this: a part-time night job would allow the flexibility to plan my work schedule in advance, while still keeping time free for school matters and for retaining some semblance of a social life. Furthermore, everyone knows that the latter years of

One industry that has become victim to such sentiment is the food and beverage industry. I am reminded of a STOMP article in April earlier this year that surrounds the marriage of a fresh graduate to a chicken rice seller; a move that the author terms as “marrying down”. On cursory reading, the article appears to proffer that socio-economic stratification is growing less pronounced in Singapore. Its

affirming tone towards citizens’ positive reactions to the marriage, observed in how the author quotes “STOMPer Sephora” in calling the union “admirable”, suggests that Singaporeans are becoming increasingly openminded towards the notion of relationships between individuals of different educational qualifications. However, seemingly innocuous statements such as “despite her background” and “marrying down” leave one feeling curious as to whether such cross-educational unions have really become normalized in Singapore. Embedded within these two phrases is the implication of an aberration in conventional societal norms. That the author should not only choose to highlight the uncommon nature of the marriage, but also connote that such an action was something almost altruistic (the graduate married the chicken rice seller “despite her background”) is indicative of what is perceived to be the ‘natural’ outcome of a university education. Indeed, during my time at work I had often encountered questions from fellow colleagues about what an undergraduate was doing working in the food and beverage industry.

While seemingly affirmative of the notion that some occupations are inherently worthy of less esteem, I would contend that to believe so would be to misunderstand the situation completely. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if the issue at hand is not so much one concerned about societal perceptions regarding the respectability of an occupation. Who is to say that one vocation is more honourable or respectable than another? I do not think that a carpenter’s skill with his hands is in any arguable way objectively subordinate to that of, say, a lecturer’s talent for teaching. It would appear then, that the ‘dirty occupation’ approach towards analyzing reactions towards instances such as the graduate’s marriage to the hawker is not wholly satisfactory. Allow me to offer two interrelated thoughts arising from this observation: first, as we have already established, there exists the perception—and it is but a perception, no doubt—that certain industries are in some way socially inferior in nature and therefore unsuited for those who have “had an education”. Secondly, and perhaps more

OPINION

NS FROM A BAR

g the University Graduate

pertinently, there is a presumption that obtaining a degree not only provides qualification (through a piece of paper that passes as proof of capability), but that the degree necessarily destines one for cushy, air-conditioned destinations as an academic, scientist or white collar worker. Notably, these sentiments seem to be shared across the spectrum, such that

very clear expectations of what a university student should and should not do have developed in the collective consciousness. It is a worrying thought that this should be so, almost as if universities were merely vocational institutes for intelligentsia, and nothing else. That certain fields should be considered unworthy of the education one has received reflects

an unnecessarily inflated view of what a university education actually offers, as well as what this education entails. I do not suppose that societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s adverse reaction towards graduates taking on blue collar jobs will dissipate in the foreseeable future, for it is not in the nature of stigmas to be prone

to rapid change. Nevertheless, it is my hope that we grow to realize how knowledge may similarly be found beyond conventional post-university paths, and that it is our duty to respect its pursuit, wherever that may take someone.

OPINION

THE DEATH PENALTY PRAGMATIC Debra Chua

uring parliamentary sittings in early July, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Law announced changes in the legislation which would moderate the application of the mandatory death penalty for the capital offenses of drug trafficking and homicide. Under the proposed amendments, two classes of criminals may have the opportunity to avoid meeting their end at the gallows- criminals who lacked the intention to kill, and convicted drug traffickers who only served as drug mules and gave “substantive cooperation” with the police which lead to “concrete outcomes”, or are mentally disabled. Notably, the mandatory death penalty still remains for homicide and drug trafficking cases which fail to meet the aforementioned criteria, as well as the unlawful possession of firearms. The proposed amendments have nevertheless been well-received by the legal fraternity and both international and local civil rights groups. Most of these civil society groups however, have criticised these legislative changes of being too timid, and advocate the complete abolition of the death penalty. On the other side of the spectrum, some like Chua Mui

Hoong, Opinion Editor of the Straits Times, have questioned whether these changes give the impression that Singapore is “getting soft on crime”. It is difficult to judge the sentiments of the layperson from the relatively sparse coverage on this topic in the mainstream media, perhaps due to the nature of the subject (after all, debates on legislation hardly makes for riveting news). The lack of a nationwide census or at least a survey with a representative sample size on the support for capital punishment does not help matters either. In light of the recent legislative reforms, it seems pertinent to examine the debate on the death penalty. Generally, proponents of capital punishment justify its use through two main arguments: the deterrence argument and the retributive argument. The deterrence argument is the position that the threat of the death penalty deters wouldbe criminals from committing capital offences, and thus is vital in maintaining the safety and security of the country. This is the primary justification favoured by the Singapore government in explaining its continued use of capital punishment, and officials have cited the admirably low homicide and drug trafficking

crime rates as evidence that capital punishment has indeed served as an effective crime deterrent. Abolitionists have in turn, pointed out that the correlation between capital punishment and low crime rates does not necessarily signify a causal relationship, as measures like the increased allocation of resources to law enforcement may have had a significant, and perhaps more important role in decreasing crime rates. As of yet, there has been no empirical study, in Singapore or elsewhere, which conclusively demonstrates the causal link between the use of

capital punishment and falling crime rates. However, I feel that the lack of statistical evidence does not necessarily count against the argument for deterrence, as one cannot observe the lack of conclusive statistical evidence supporting capital punishment and simplistically infer that capital punishment therefore does not deter crime. The dearth of statistical evidence may be a result of the fallible methodology of collecting crime statistics, especially since deterrence would naturally involve people who might have become criminals were it not for capital punishment,

OPINION

ATIC & MORAL CONSIDERATIONS

and as such would not be reflected in studies of the incarcerated. A case can be made for capital punishment through a more common sense approach, armed with a rudimentary understanding of human psychology. The threat of death is probably the most fear-provoking one of all, because of its finality and irrevocability. Lifetime imprisonment may take away one’s right to freedom, but death takes away one’s very existence, and along with it the ability to even chafe at one’s lack of freedom. It is therefore almost intuitive to believe that a potential criminal, upon conducting an analysis of the risks and benefits of committing a crime, would in most cases be more likely to commit a crime with a less severe punishment as opposed to one with harsher punishment. Rational cost-benefit analysis of this sort would not deter crimes committed in the heat of the moment, nor would it affect recklessly optimistic prospective criminals who believe that they can elude the arms of the law, but it is doubtful that these groups constitute a substantial proportion of the population of would-be criminals. Reserving the imposition of the death penalty to the most heinous of crimes would

attach a strong moral stigma to them, and ingrain into the collective social consciousness the strong moral taboo of such acts that it would warrant the taking of another human life in return. The second argument in support of capital punishment is the retributive argument, which essentially holds that criminals ought to be punished for their crimes, and that the severity of their punishment should be adjusted in proportion to the cruelty of the crime. This stance is prima facie, acceptable to most, until one tries to put it into practice, particularly when placed within the context of Singapore. Should the evils caused by engaging in drug trafficking be punished with the same severity of the evils caused by carrying out a premeditated murder? And given that there is already a death penalty for murder, is there a need for the mandatory death penalty for the possession of firearms, since the most evil outcome of possessing the firearm would be murder? Abolitionists could justifiably argue that capital punishment violates the sanctity of life, and that the right to live is a fundamental human right which the state has no moral authority

over. Amnesty International has described the death penalty as the “ultimate denial of human rights… [and] cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment”, for which there will never be any justification. Certainly, this is the position taken by most liberal and progressive societies, and an estimated two-thirds of the countries in the world have abolished the death penalty. This stance does however raise questions about the moral principles governing our society. If the act of killing a person is intrinsically immoral, can the state be morally justified in taking away a convicted criminal’s life? What justification does Singapore, and other countries with capital punishment, have for holding different ethical standards from the countries which have abolished it? Should there be a universal moral code with regards to capital punishment? In spite of the legislative reforms, the government has categorically stated that capital punishment will remain an integral part of the Singapore criminal justice system. Despite the moral quandaries involved in justifying the death penalty, I am inclined to agree, broadly at least, on the continued use of the death penalty in Singapore

on the basis of more pragmatic considerations, albeit with more changes made to current legislation. The mandatory death penalty should be eliminated entirely, as adopting a onesize-fits-all approach to capital offences, to the neglect of the existence of any mitigating factors in the individual cases would be an extreme and unnecessary oversight, which comes at a very dear and non-refundable cost. In the same vein as the proposed reforms, the mandatory death penalty should be replaced by a death penalty which allows for more discretionary punishment to be meted out by the judiciary, who can serve as an additional calibrator of the severity of the punishment on top of the power of discretion exercised by the prosecutors. This temperance of justice with mercy would hardly hamper the deterrent effect of the death penalty, as the severity of the punishment can be adjusted in accordance to the culpability of the criminal. If however, it can be proven that capital punishment does not deter crime, or an alternative, less irreversible and more merciful punishment is found to have similar deterrent effects, my support for capital punishment would wane considerably.

OPINION

OLD AND US Ng Jian Gang

efore I begin, here is a fair warning: be prepared to use every ounce of imagination you have in your mind. Ready? Good. Now, imagine being just born into this world – evacuated from the liquid comfort of your mother’s womb into the bright and chaotic world outside. Imagine taking in all those sights and sounds for the first time in your life. Your life has just begun. Fast-forward a few years. Now your parents will be gushing at how quickly and how beautifully you can walk or talk. Imagine them showering all the love, concern and attention that they can give on you.

living in a borrowed shell. Your confident stride turns sluggish, you cannot grip a cup properly and you cannot lift your arm the way you want to. Your mind is no longer as sharp as it used to be. You forget things. What used to be as natural as breathing becomes a tedious process. Memories become as fleeting as a butterfly fluttering past your head. Once again, you are in the care of others. Imagine suddenly being unable to see, unable to hear, unable to feel. You are blacking out. There is a

things in muffled voices that you can barely hear. You see a kaleidoscope of bright lights and shadowy figures. It is an eerie re-enactment of your birth. You black out again. Awake, you find yourself in an unfamiliar bed, tucked under an unfamiliar blanket, staring at an unfamiliar ceiling. Your loved ones are around you but everyone carries a grave look. You want to say something, but all that comes out are guttural sounds. You want to move, but all you can manage are a few slight shakes of your head.

20 years on, your body has boundless energy and you are its undisputed master. The gears in your head are well-oiled and sometimes you think so quickly that you surprise yourself. There is nothing that you cannot do and the world is your oyster. 60 years later, you are nearing the end of your life on earth. You are no longer in full control of your own body, and it feels as though you are merely

soft dull thud. The next moment, there is a flurry of activity around you. Masked and unfamiliar people are fussing over you, saying

That is my grim imagining of life, from beginning to end. Unfortunately, most elderly more or less go through that. These uncomfortable images that

nobody likes to think about are triggered every time we see the elderly. Their fragile bodies are a constant reminder to them that death is merely one final breath away. Perhaps that is why we do our utmost to hide our mortality and delay the inevitable. In our manic bid to preserve and extend our youth beyond its natural span, we have shunned the elderly. We associate old age with boredom, inflexibility and weakness. Think about the last time you said that someone was “getting old” and what you meant by it. We almost never say such things as compliments. This is the way we have come to see the elderly and we are no longer able to empathise or identify with them. If society is still able to see things from our elders’ point of view, then there is hope for us yet. If we are to call ourselves civilised and moral, we must be prepared to live up to it. We must be able to at least understand the elderly and recognize that they have a role to play in society as well. Having lived through so many generations, they are the past,

OPINION

D USELESS present and future all rolled into one. Everything they say is shaped by and reflects what they have experienced thus far. What they can offer to us is important precisely because we no longer pay attention to what they have to say. Our failure to listen means that we are ignoring the voices of a significant population in our society.

What is important here is that we try to break free from the entrenched perspectives of our youth-worshipping culture which renders our elders invisible and voiceless. From there, we will be able to give them the help and support they need, as well as the respect and dignity deserving of these individuals who have given their whole lives to us, the next

generation. The rich experience that the elderly bring is something that no amount of technology or modernity can substitute.

OPINION

GIVE ME WHAT’S

ARE WE BECOMING A GENERATION OB Yveena Mariel

So often, we complain about how our ‘needs’ are not being met. Expensive housing, high inflation, not enough young people giving up their seats to the elderly—the list goes on. On an overseas summer trip, I was just about to launch into a spiel about the tiny amount of space in Singapore’s HDB flats, when my companion started praising our housing system. “In Singapore, everyone has a house to live in”, he observed. His simple statement caused me to consider why we feel so self-entitled to the privileges that we have, always complaining and assuming that we should have it all; a comfortably spacious house, a cushy job, comfortable efficient public transport. The overseas experience I had in a province filled with underprivileged but gracious people, humbled me. Watching them feel so contented with the little that they had set me thinking about some of the lies that we have been making ourselves believe:

1 You have a right to live a comfortable life with no pain or as little pain as possible.

n Singapore, we are blessed with so many conveniences that we find a slightest blip in our routine which costs us more time an intolerable pain. We try our hardest to find the shortest line so we do not have to stand for longer than we feel we should. Inconveniences like this year’s MRT breakdowns leave us complaining for months on end about the terrible inefficiency of our public transportation system. Complaints stem from the assumption that we deserve something and that our expectations were not met.

rudely for something without taking into consideration the other party. Perhaps we need to adjust our mentality of self entitlement so that as a society, we can help each other advance and improve. We should not seek improvements for the sake of our own ‘need’ or ‘entitlement’ of a comfortable life. Even if in the short run we are able to garner a more comfortable life for ourselves, in the long run, society’s development will be lopsided as we impose burdens upon each other without thought of the social consequences of our actions.

Perhaps what we could have done instead was to offer feedback; feedback that comes from a ‘let’s improve’ perspective rather than the perspective of clamoring

When we encounter pain, our first response is to distance ourselves from it. As a result of this, we find ourselves running from a difficult module (or, heaven forbid,

a boring lecturer), from job to job, from relationship to relationship. There exists an underlying belief that everything in our lives must either make us comfortable or happy; something must be terribly wrong if there is pain. But sometimes, we have to allow ourselves to go through the whole life cycle of experience-connecting with different (and sometimes, difficult) people. It may be so much easier to shop around for whatever makes us comfortable for the moment, but this will only cause us to remain stagnant in our comfort zones. We may lose the chance to discover truths that may initially be difficult to grasp, but which could potentially be life-changing.

OPINION

E WHAT’S MINE:

ON OBSESSED WITH SELF-ENTITLEMENT?

2 You have a right to be entertained.

3 You deserve to be accepted and loved for who you are.

oard any train or bus and you will be able to find at least three quarters of the people staring intently into their little gadgets, headphones plugged in. We live in a society that abhors simply doing nothing. We have come to believe that entertainment is one of the key ways to unwind after a stressful or long day. The problem comes when we begin to view it as a right and start filling up our lives with only activities that promise to entertain. How often have we had free time and immediately thought about how best to fill it up for ourselves?

Take a look at the pie chart showing how an average student spends their day. I am not advocating that we cut off all entertainment and spend all our free time doing social work. What I am highlighting is how we have fallen into this cycle where we must have something entertaining us in our free time, and how we must not waste time reflecting and daydreaming. While we do have the choice to decide what to do in our free time, we need to realize that our choices affect the people around us. We can choose to entertain ourselves or consider

how we affect other people. It can be as simple as choosing to watch the television with your parents instead of retreating to your room to watch the show that you want.

‘I’m born messy. You should love me for who I am’

entitlement and the true state of our self centeredness. Let us become more aware of how we are living our life and see the world with fresh eyes. Let us not be so quick to reject the painful, tedious, boring and inconvenient things in our lives.

his is perhaps the most prevalent message that the media is touting to us now, with popular shows like Glee telling us that no matter who we are, we deserve to be loved. No doubt, this is an extremely attractive message. However, the danger comes when we decide to take it as our given right, validating our actions by demanding deference to the notion that everyone should be free to act as they pleased. We use it as a free pass to well be whoever we want to be. ‘Well I’m just blunt and loud. You should accept me for who I am.’ ‘I can’t help being bossy. You should accept me for who I am’

We begin to demand acceptance and love without thought about loving others. When we do this, we devalue the gift of acceptance and love from our family and friends. Acceptance and love become no longer about a relationship between two people but about only satisfying our own need for them. We have become lovers of self, unconsciously carrying an unwarranted sense of self entitlement. It is my hope that we grow to critically examine our daily choices to become aware of our underlying attitude of self

ENTERTAINMENT

BOOK REVIEWS Quiet: The Power of

The Gods of Gotham

Introverts in a World

by Lyndsay Faye

That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain

Nicole Kang

Retna Devi

ritten from an American perspective, Cain dives into the world of extroversion in her new 2012 book. However, unlike any self-help book like How to Win Friends and Influence People, this book assures introverts that they are not alone in their struggle to feel accepted in a world of extroverts. Taking on different psychological challenges introverts face, Cain gives rather interesting insights to why introverts respond to them. Although this book can be easily mistaken as a “It’s you, not me” book, Cain’s explanations for an introvert’s behaviour in social situations has great plausibility and is a refreshing reprieve from self-help books and other dominant voices which tell you that you need to be more “outgoing and friendly”. An introvert herself, Cain assures introverts that their introversion does not need to determine their success in school, business and society. Instead, she perhaps teaches us that introverts possess a “power” that extroverts are unable to project. Venturing to different sites, the Harvard Business School’s ideal student is one who has a full social calendar and constantly raises ideas in classes. How can an introvert navigate his/her way through this Darwinian jungle? This book is perfect for any introvert who has always struggled to find their way in parties or perhaps just has trouble fitting in. And to all you extroverts out there, you too can take a leaf out of this book.

ooking for a book that you won’t be able to put down? The Gods of Gotham is exactly what you need. Set against the backdrop of poverty, disease and frustration due to the influx of Irish immigrants, New York has finally established its first Police Department in 1845. The pioneering batch of officers is not the policemen that we recognize today; they did not receive any formal training nor did they wear uniforms. The only thing that differentiates them from civilians is a copper star which policemen wear while on duty. Despite being new at his job as a policeman, Timothy is soon knee-deep in a murder case when he discovers a little girl, Bird, covered in blood. As he tries to piece the puzzle together, Timothy embarks on a journey to unearth answers and explanations to the questions and secrets that also concern his life. Faye has masterfully woven a tale that has the right amount of history, crime and suspense. However, the characters that she has created are equally accessible, despite living in a period and place unfamiliar to the reader. As the novel progresses, the reader is bound to be as engrossed in the mystery as Timothy Wilde. For history buffs, tidbits of information are hidden in the compelling plot, such as the use of flash a way of speaking that was common among the lower classes back then. The Gods of Gotham is a highly captivating historical novel that will continue to linger in your mind after you have read it

ENTERTAINMENT

WHAT’S IN

MY IPOD Nicole Kang

Honour by Elif Shafak

Spectrum (Say My Name)

by Florence and the Machines

Brokenhearted

Anupama Hegde

by Karmin

f you want to escape to an exotic, mystical land this semester because you simply did not have the time to do so during the summer, armchair travelling is your best bet. And Honour by Turkish author Elif Shafak is the perfect mix of gripping plotlines, devastating murder and mysterious Middle-Eastern locales. Elif Shafak is an award-winning author, whose Turkish roots have truly seeped into every page of this engrossing saga. From descriptions of traditional Kurdish villages to dialogue peppered with Turkish words, Honour is a novel that really represents Shafak’s rich heritage. The story begins with Naze, a Kurdish woman who desperately longs for a male heir. Instead, she gives birth to twin daughters, in addition to six other girls. Spanning two countries and four decades, Honour follows Jamila and Pembe – the two unwanted female offspring in question – as the former remains tied to her homeland and the latter starts a new life in London. But Pembe’s life is wrought with heartbreak and betrayal - and this misery finally culminates in a tragic honour killing – one that tears this close-knit Turkish family apart forever. I know this is all starting to sound a little too dramatic for a light read, but Honour is so interesting that each page practically turns itself! The timeline of the book is non-linear, and it might get a little confusing when Shafak goes back in time from Pembe in 1978 to Jamila in 1961, and then back again. But every good read comes with a little complexity, after all. So if you can only read one book this semester, Honour should be it!

Don’t Wake Me Up by Chris Brown

Stooshe

Pound the Alarm

by Black Heart

by Nicki Minaj

Payphone

Whistle

by Maroon 5

by Flo Rida

Princess of China

Let The Sunshine

by Coldplay & Rihanna

by Labrinth

Wide Awake by Katy Perry

ENTERTAINMENT

INTERVIEW WITH

BRENDAN KEEFE-AU This July, I had the pleasure of interviewing Brendan Keefe-Au – an accomplished and talented tenor soloist - who also happens to be a Communications and New Media major at NUS (Yes, you might have unknowingly spotted this music maestro in one of the many corridors of FASS!). Despite being a university student – from concerts to examinations, CNM essays to charity caroling choirs – Brendan Keede-Au manages it all with great ease. Read on to find out more! Anupama Hegde

he Ridge: Hi Brendan! So tell me, how long have you been a tenor soloist? Brendan Keefe-Au: Hi Anupama! I have been a tenor soloist since I was 17. So, altogether about 6 years now. Before that, I sang in my secondary school and junior college choirs (ACS Barker and ACJC respectively). TR: When and how did you realize that singing was your passion? BKA: Well, I’ve always loved singing, but never thought that I had any kind of talent until I was 15. I was still in the ACS (Barker) Choir then and my conductor told me that I had a good voice. With her encouragement, I realized I could go higher and do more things with my voice than others could. From then on, I became interested in becoming a better singer. Soon enough, I started taking singing lessons and discovered a whole lot more to becoming a singer – needing to know languages, musical style, piano, music history, using the entire voice and body to

communicate and the business of performing. I used to think that singing was just going on stage and singing, and that idea kind of put me off a little, because I’m the type of person who likes to be highly engaged in my work. But now that I recognize the wide skill sets needed and endless possibilities for development, there has been little turning back. TR: You have had masterclasses with great musicians like Krisztina Laki and Ian Partridge. How has that experience been? BKA: Very enlightening. I worked with Krisztina Laki when she came to Singapore a few years ago and she was very lovely and encouraging. I worked with Ian Partridge privately in his home in London, and he opened my eyes to many technical problems that I had then. Both of them had very big and successful careers in Europe and naturally, I felt a little scared to be literally standing in the shadows of giants. Krisztina Laki was very successful as a lyric-coloratura

soprano and had a very successful career in Europe. Ian Partridge also had a great career, especially as a singer of art song and German Lieder. But I am glad for all the experiences that I have had. I don’t mean just those with Krisztina Laki and Ian Partridge, but also with the many other teachers and people whom I have met in the past 6 years. Sometimes I am sitting in a café doing nothing and the things which teachers and other musicians taught me years ago come back to me. These memories give me fresh ideas and perspectives about how I am living, singing and performing today. So you see, in a very interesting way, the learning continues way after the lesson has ended. And I count myself lucky to have had such experiences. TR: You have performed locally and abroad in various concerts. Which experience has been your favourite and why? BKA: Every experience has had its own set of challenges and enjoyable moments. But competing in the solo category in Llangollen

in Wales a few years ago was one of the most inspiring experiences I have had. During the Eisteddfod festival, the town of Llangollen in Northern Wales is transformed into a lively and exciting festival ground – where one is often surprised on the streets by dancers and singers from all over the world performing when you would least expect it. The high standards of performances from all over the world was also eye-opening. It’s amazing what kind of talent exists in the wider world beyond Singapore. And one really feels an urgent desire to become better by being surrounded by such excellence. That said, the best part was that it didn’t feel tense or cut-throat at all. I also made friends with people from all over the world. TR: NUS students are known to always have a lot on their plate, and you are no exception! How do you manage your studies and your role as tenor soloist? BKA: I’ve learnt the hard way that juggling many things will fail

ENTERTAINMENT

Brendan Keefe-Au

unless one is at one’s optimum all the time. I find the most important thing is to know how to say no. If you know you don’t have the time for it, then one has to say no to taking on extra responsibilities or going on that movie outing with friends. The second thing I’ve learnt is to know how to prioritise and make the best use of every minute I have. Lots of friends complain that I walk too fast. But it’s amazing how much extra I can achieve in a week if I arrive at the library 10 minutes earlier each time than if I had taken my time walking slowly and chit-chatting. Carpe Diem! The last thing is to relax, focus, and enjoy whatever I am doing in the moment. One produces better work when one feels good about him/herself! TR: You have also carried out many performances on your home-turf NUS; ‘L’heure exquise’ being a critically acclaimed concert in 2010. How do you feel about the music scene in NUS? BKA: I think we have a great arts

scene in NUS! As a freshman, I was very surprised at the wide variety and frequency of performances on campus- a performance is always happening. The best part about this is that a lot of times, students take their own initiative to put up their own performances.

theatre-going and concert-going.

I think this is because NUS, particularly the CFA, has been very supportive of young artistes on campus and I hope that this continues. It is not at all easy to raise funds and organize a performance. Additionally, I like the fact that performances continue to be highly accessible to students with low ticket prices or free entry.

BKA: It was a combination of factors, I think. The first factor was that my former voice teacher studied the German art song in Austria, or lieder, as it is known. She gave me a lot of lieder to study. Soon enough, I fell in love with them. They look simple on the page, but are very difficult technically to do well and involve a lot of intelligence to pull off well. But I find the language beautiful and the character of the music close to my own personality.

I also love the fact that a voice faculty has finally opened in the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory (in 2010 I think) after many years of waiting from the musical community. I have enjoyed many performances that they have put up. I hope that many students will appreciate what we have in NUS and attend these performances! There is much to be gained from

TR: You have developed an interest in and performed many German songs (of greats such as Gustav Mahler and Hugo Wolf). Did a trip to Germany inspire you, or was it the beauty of the songs themselves?

Every culture’s art song has a distinctive character. Italian songs tend to be passionate and outgoing. French songs are lyrical and very romantic. But German Lieder speaks the best to me. Some lieder can be very silly, others can be very brooding – but for me, they are always sensibly written, poised and never too much.

TR: Finally, you have recently started a wonderful blog documenting your singing experiences, rehearsals etc. How has the experience in the blogosphere been? Has detailing your performances for the world to read changed them in any way? BKA: If you see the blog, you’ll find only one post! I’ve had an exciting summer of performances so far but haven’t found the time yet to blog about it. Rehearsals are intensifying right now for my last and biggest project for the summer- my solo recital on August 17th entitled “Stories from the Garden”. Before that, I sang in a concert at the Esplanade of new compositions by Dr. Robert Casteels. One week after, I did a casual evening of crossover music with some German guitarist friends. I have a lot of nice photos and stories in my computer from these projects. So I should hope to get down blogging about all that soon! In the meantime, people could always access it at www. brendankeefeau.com. I’d be happy to have more followers!

ENTERTAINMENT

PLAY O

A new semester always douses us with the cold reality that fun has to be a are forced to enter the forefront of our minds (Unless you are going away just begun!). However, don’t let that r In the months ahead, NUS’s very own Centre For the Art

Nicole Kang

EXXONMOBIL CAMPUS CONCERTS OPENING SHOW: FACE THE MUSIC

et ready to Face The Music as your favourite ExxonMobil Campus Concerts kicks off 2012/2013 with sonic boom in three fantastic spaces, all in one venue. Musicians like Inch Chua, KR Steppers and Siti Zahidah will be gathered in one space for one night only. To add to the excitement, there will be free beer and several chances to win a staycation at Marina Bay Sands and other cool gadgets! This event will totally change the way you experience, make, consume and talk music! Experience Music! with pocket rock-it singer, Inch Chua, folk rock chanteuse Maricelle Wong and Siti Zahidah who came to fame with her appearance at the inaugural Youth Olympics.

grooves mixed à la minute by DJ KoFlow and DJ RAH and then shake your groove thing with Caracal and Black Forest. Make Music! by getting all strung out with the ukulele! For those who have long struggled to learn to play the guitar, perhaps the ukulele may be easier on your hands as it is smaller. Learn to play and then watch Ukulele Movement work their sweet magic. Catch our very own NUS Alum Cheryl Wee with the KR Steppers and more of the freshest new talents on the Singapore music scene such as YouTube sensations Shimona Kee and Tzire Burn the floor with the hottest

If you’re up for a bigger challenge, learn the secrets behind beatboxing from singer-songwriter Charles “Stitch” Wong. Find out how to produce drum beats, rhythm, and musical sounds using just your mouth, lips, tongue, and voice.

17 August 2012, 6.30pm onwards University Cultural Centre, NUS Free admission

Talk Music! with established musicians as they share their experiences in up-close and personal talk sessions. Find out what inspires their new albums and perhaps you’ll be inspired too. Consume Music! The Fest that offers Retail Therapy! FTM goers can grab specially designed limited edition fest merchandise in the foyer.

ENTERTAINMENT

AY ON!

at fun has to be at a minimum now and projects, assignments and exams are going away on exchange this semester, well then the festivities have er, don’t let that rain on your parade! Centre For the Arts would like to bring the parade to you.

EXXONMOBIL CAMPUS CONCERTS

f booze-drinking are not your thing, the other ExxonMobil Campus Concerts promise to be a blast as well, albeit adding a sophisticated edge to your semester. As you will not be able to get your tickets in advance (tickets are available at the door, first-comefirst-served basis!), they will need to be collected an hour before show time. The audience capacity at University Cultural Centre Theatre is 400. Tickets are limited to two per patron.

Bon Voyage by Bravissimo! If you are still pining for that Latin vacation you were saving up over the holidays but never got to go for, this performance may appeal to your tastes. Treat yourself to a Latin-flavoured showdance spectacle where charming dance couples will take audience on a journey from the sensuality of Argentina’s tango bars, to the elegance of the grand ballroom, and the glitz and glamour of cabarets.

Everyone Must Listen by NUS Electronic Music Lab (EML) Electronic music is everywhere nowadays and more popular than ever. Experience the true diversity of this genre with this concert of all original works by EML members. Having fun with the concept of a vinyl EP (extended play album), the first half of the show is titled A-side, filled with songs by artists unfettered by creative restraints. B-side exhibits a range of works based on variation of a single musical theme.

Happily Ever After by Rani Singam with Tan Weixiang, Christy Smith & Soh Wen Ming If electronic music leaves your ears buzzing, perhaps a jazz performance may tantalise your music buds. Happily Ever After takes you on a journey following the successful launch of Rani Singam’s album Contentment. Rani will perform with a stellar line-up of musicians – Tan Weixiang (piano), Christy Smith (bass) & Soh Wen Ming (drums) – to present original songs from Contentment and well-loved jazz standards and works.

Wednesday, 22 August, 8pm

Saturday, 25 August, 5pm

Wednesday, 29 August, 8pm

UCC Theatre

library@esplanade

UCC Theatre

Free admission

Limited seating

Free admission

LIFESTYLE

THINGS ABOUT SINGAPORE WE HATE TO LOVE We celebrate our nation’s birthday this month and even though we have so much to be proud of, like Singapore’s consistent rankings on top in economic development and various innovations, clearly this is not enough for the “little red dot”. There are people who still think we are part of China and even worse, a certain “Mrs Bieber” thinks Singapore is in Europe. Why is that so? Perhaps as a nation with a mix of cultures, we lack a uniquely Singapore flavour. Or maybe they have yet to be acquainted with the following things that scream “SO SINGAPORE!” Wilson Lim

Reserved Seats

Implemented in 2009, there are special seats in our public transportation slapped with the magical words, “Reserved Seat”. Like stepping on a snail and feeling guilty after, the magic of these seats lies in the ability to induce intense guilt in anyone sitting on them—that is, if they are not one of the four stipulated individuals: the injured, the pregnant, those carrying infants and the elderly. Previously labelled “Priority Seating”, the change to “Reserved Seat” has been quite unwelcome. Singaporeans should be able to sit anywhere without guilt. At the same time, our society should be gracious enough to not necessitate labels dictating our behaviour. However, the occasional tussle for the hallowed ‘Reserved Seat”, like the recent “Most Polite Ah-Lian” YouTube video, which sparked off several amusing memes, has provided significant and entertaining fodder for the more light-hearted. We all fear the golden seat but we sure enjoy others suffering its wrath.

Electronic Road Pricing

Driving your own vehicle in Singapore can be an uphill task, from the exorbitant cost of car ownership to skilfully navigating the roads without passing through an ERP gantry. Going to Orchard Road on a weekday evening will typically set you back by at least S$4. Nobody wants to pay extra tariffs, period, and some have even criticised the efficiency of ERPs’ in regulating traffic. Car-owners aside, even taxi commuters incur charges and ERP is an unavoidable option due to its strategic locations that lead to fast-moving roads. Even though we suffer the cost of ERP, foreign countries which are plagued with traffic congestions applaud the system. We too, should appreciate it because if we are late for the 9AM lecture, grabbing a cab at 8AM is still possible - we know we are not going to be stuck at the expressway for two long hours.

Singlish

English and have ridiculed us for destroying the beautiful language. Perhaps these people might have forgotten the English language had Latin origins. Languages evolve over time and Singlish is our take on the evolution, but it does not mean we are incapable of and uncomfortable with using the Queen’s English. Also Singlish is the common denominator for a city-state that is multi-racial and multicultural. Heck, we even have a national hero that glorifies the use of Singlish – Mr Phua Chu Kang. Before Singlish was on lockdown on national television, Singaporeans enjoyed Phua Chu Kang because he entertained us with a tongue that is so close to our heart. We may approach Singlish with disdain like the outsiders, but so recognisable it is that wherever you may be in the world, you know the person sitting next to you is a fellow Singaporean when he or she lets loose the first lah.

Kiasu-ism Singlish, our very own brand of colloquialism, is made up of tinges of Chinese and Malay phrases blended into the English Language. The signature “lah” and ”leh” that usually decorate the end of our sentences have often been laughed at by nonSingaporeans. Some of them have gone as far as to brand it as broken

Living in such a fast paced society, Singaporeans tend to be wary of losing out, or in the Hokkien vernacular, Kiasu. We go all out for the best – tissue paper is the tool to reserving seats in a crowded food court during lunch time. Paying an idle teenager to stand in queue to grab the best seats for Lady Gaga’s concert is your winning tactic. Bring on the

judgmental glances but guess who does not need to carry a trayful of food and loiter through the entire food court in search of seats? Singaporeans downplay our reputation for being Kiasu because they do not see the fine line distinguishing “being astute” and “inconveniencing others”. Rushing into the train before other passengers alight is plain ungracious. But scoring the chance to shake Mother Monster’s (Lady Gaga’s moniker) hand during the concert, with the first-class tickets that you rushed to buy, is a whole different ball game. Perhaps it is the case of sour grapes as people scoff at our shrewdness but guess which little red dot is one of the leading nations in the world?

Reserved Seats, ERP, Singlish and Kiasu-ism These are some of the things, including our “love” for durians that make us truly Singaporean. Hopefully, these light-hearted snippets can help us laugh a little at ourselves and appreciate each other more. The day that Singlish is officially declared our national language will most probably never come but we should not be afraid to share this love with our fellow citizens. Who else can better understand why you had to have seven tuition classes for each of your “O” Level subject, hor? Photos: cnngo.com, ncsustudyabroad. files.wordpress.com, xin.msn.com

LIFESTYLE

NUS ORIENTATION CAMPS:

ON PRIVATE AND OPEN CONVERSATIONS

From zorger.com Vera Li

The artfully planned activities involved in university orientation camps can be nauseating. I should know - I had to string a raw squid through my shirt. And then there was the pseudo-optional “heartto-heart talk”. If you have read “The Birthday Party” by Harold Pinter, the “H-T-H-T” session really felt a lot like the interrogation scene in Act 2. The only difference is that I was interrogated gently, and the interrogators were not in suits. First point of annoyance: saying “H-T-H-T” instead of “heart-toheart talk” makes it a lot easier for incessant chanting. Second point of annoyance: sometimes you have these insensitive people around. They have absolutely no qualms

disrupting the rhythm of the banter to inject their uninspiring opinions. Talk about selfawareness. I think heart-to-heart talks are great. Yet to have people interrogate one another about their relationship status and history in the name of it seems really silly. Such a scenario should belong in the theatre of the absurd and not reality, even though sometimes it is difficult to make a clear distinction between art and life. A “H-T-H-T” session trivializes the human experience by attempting to speak of love in shallow dialogues. At the same time, it undermines the value of a genuine, deep conversation by insisting that the experience is on par with the former in terms of its

quality. Such settings are also spaces set up for misinterpretation. It is especially so for people who have trouble discerning between a love story and a story about love. What is love, anyway? How does one even find analogues to human relationships? It’s not all bad though, only not good enough. After all, you get to find out whether that cute guy

A “H-T-H-T” SESSION TRIVIALIZES THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE BY ATTEMPTING TO SPEAK OF LOVE IN SHALLOW DIALOGUES.

or girl you have been eyeing is attached. (Also, ‘attached’ sounds really silly. It makes people sound like barnacles.)

It seems to have become a university orientation camp tradition. Surely we can do better. How about a mass love-poetry writing session instead? We can always attribute blame to the distortive medium should there be misinterpretation. It’s really convenient. Sharing is good, really. The issue is that it has become over-sharing somehow, and some people have made a fetish out of it. Such talks also seem more like a way to forge group identity rather than encourage genuine empathy. They are unnecessary. Then again, if you are fine with friendships bound only by shared experiences, then I am too, I guess.

LIFESTYLE

WARNING: TOXIC TEAMMATES! Teresa Widodo

elcome back to a jungle full of assignments and tests. As shown in one of the Provost’s blog posts, NUS modules are mostly packed with assignments and group projects. Group projects are a mixed blessing. They push you to ask that shy guy in your tutorial class if he would like to join your group. Most of the time, the guy turns out to be cooperative: he is enthusiastic and energetic in finishing the work, and so are your other group mates. However, there are times when you are faced with toxic teammates.

A toxic group member might be the annoying girl whose hobby is complaining or the notorious good-for-nothing. Then there are times when you meet those who think there are never enough hours in a day (Come on, we all think so! But if we can set aside two valuable hours for a group meeting, why can’t you?). Uh oh! Before you venture into the crowd of unknown people and choosing the right ones to be your allies in group projects, The Ridge will provide you with some strategies on dealing with the difficult ones.

Psttt… Listen. Misunderstanding is the root of most conflict. Communicating your ideas to someone you would rather not be around is obviously hard, but be sure to control your emotions while listening to him/her, however painstaking this may be. Remember that poor listening abilities will only end up in misunderstanding which means spending more time with him/her trying to rectify it. If you have to question his/her ideas, do it carefully (don’t stray too far!) and do your best to remain objective.

Draw the lines! First, conduct a friendly discussion and remind everyone of the importance of compromise. Try to write down each member’s responsibilities on paper in detail. After that, seal the deal to confirm that everyone in your group agrees to their duties. You don’t have to do favours for everyone who asks. Whenever someone starts raving about heavy workload and asks you to assist him/her, explain that you really need to work on your unfinished task first before helping them out.

Know your goal. Your objective is not to fix Mr. or Ms. Notorious Group Member. Your goal is to manage the nuisance, finish the project and pass the module with flying colours!

To trust or not to trust? Try to assess your group members before deciding how to deal with them. The first quality you have to look for in the members is responsibility. If you are dealing with someone who lacks enthusiasm and commitment to complete the task given, you have to be extra persistent in reminding him/her about the task. If Mr. or Ms. conveniently steps out at the eleventh hour, it’s best to consult your tutor or lecturer on what to do.

Lessons learned. In the end, there will always be a rainbow after the storm. Regardless of how difficult a scenario appears to be, there is always a hidden lesson. By meeting difficult people, you will be trained to face challenges in the real world.

LIFESTYLE

I’M COMING BACK IN STYLE! Mark the advent of a new school year by cruising back in style! Even though we’re almost two-thirds through the year, spring season is not dead. Here are some highly coveted and very school-friendly spring/summer trends you might want to get hold of as we start the semester! Candice Chua

Prints, glorious prints

Sportswear without

Brighten up

From the hardcore Rottweiler and panthers at Givenchy to cartooned racecars at Prada, it’s clear that the bolder and more unconventional the print, the better. In a season where one is no longer labeled as a fashion victim for mixing prints, wearing prints becomes all the more fun and interesting. You can mix prints of the same genre (e.g. stripes on stripes, florals on florals), or you could push the boundaries and wear contrasting prints in the same outfit! Think stripes with Aztec prints, polka dots and florals, baroque and checks…anything that pleases you really! If you’re just starting to appreciate prints (like myself), mix heavily printed pieces with minimalist ones so you’re still within your comfort zone while rocking the trend. Final tip on prints – look for the quirky and unusual ones. If having numerous meerkats on a shirt floats your boat, go for it!

breaking a sweat

It may be past the mid-year mark but it doesn’t mean we have to kiss spring colours goodbye! This spring, the colour palette has ranged from anything between subtle pastels to blinding neon. There’s the usual colour blocking, but this season’s haute favourite involves one-colour outfits – that is, being clothed almost entirely in the same colour. This style may be a tiny bit bold for school but I say if you have it, flaunt it! If you’re more of a minimalist when it comes to colour, adopt what stylist Brad Goreski calls a ‘pop of colour’! It could be a neon satchel, coloured high-ankle socks, contrast sole oxfords, coloured jewelry or a brightly coloured garment being incorporated into a monochromatic outfit. Who knows, that little pop of colour in your outfit could brighten (or amuse) a fellow schoolmate who’s having a bad day!

LET US KNOW YOUR FAVOURITE STUDENT GETUP AND WIN A SET OF DOMINATE HAIR WAX. SEND YOUR STORIES TO theridge.chiefeditor@nussu.org.sg

Sportswear-inspired styling was big during spring/summer fashion week. The key to looking fashionable (and not like you’re headed for the gym) is mixing sportswear-inspired pieces into regular everyday clothes. For example, a varsity jacket with a simple t-shirt and slim fit trousers (and James Dean back swept hair) is comfortable enough for school and chic enough for town. For the ladies, you could pair a welltailored shirt with drawstring jersey curve-cut shorts, accessorized with chunky jewelry and good old Chuck Taylors. Varsity jackets can even be incorporated into more polished styles--which can be worn for more relaxed presentations, like pairing a faux leather varsity jacket with a pencil skirt and pointed stilettos.

LIFESTYLE

SPECTACULAR SEPTEMBER Sharifah Nursyafiqah

FOOTWORK BY DA:NS FEST 2012

a:ns Festival is an annual dance festival organized by the Esplanade: Theaters On the Bay. Since its conception in 2006, the Festival has sought to showcase captivating and awe-inspiring dance works by rookies and professionals alike, across a vast array of genres. 2012 will be the 10th anniversary of da:ns Festival, and while performances itself are held in October, a large part of the Festival is the workshops they offer to willing and eager students of the art. Footwork is a series of introductory dance classes of many styles, allows people of all ages to engage in the sheer joy of dance classes of your choice, from Burlesque to Parkour – all taught by professional instructors at ridiculously affordable prices.

SENTOSA BUSKERS FESTIVAL

he Sentosa Buskers Festival is one of several Signature Events held in Sentosa for audiences of locals and foreigners alike. Not unlike the street performers we chance upon in train stations and various spots in the city, this festival features international circus and theatrical acts sure to make the trip offshore worth your while. The Festival of 2011 saw performances by jugglers, acrobats, mimes and more performers of assorted amazing talents, set against the stunning backdrop of Sentosa’s lush attractions. Settle in for a plethora of colourful and eclectic street acts that seek to fascinate and entertain, immersing in what is sure to be a lively atmosphere for all.

SEPTFEST AT SUBSTATION

he Substation – Singapore’s first independent contemporary arts centre--turns 22 this September, and is heralding the milestone with a month-long celebration of the arts in its various auditory and visual forms. SeptFest promises magical and compelling events (both free and otherwise) – from the 5th Singapore Indie Doc Fest, The Substation Fairytales (book launches of modern-day fairytales), and the finest Open Call sound and visual projects being performed – all within the span of a month. Through Remembering Kuo Pao Kun, the birthday celebrations also include commemorative performances in honour of the founder and first Artistic Director of this remarkably significant place in Singapore’s burgeoning arts and cultural scene.

For more information on classes offered, visit http:// www.dansfestival.com/2012. Venue: Esplanade Rehearsal Studio. Date: 17th August to 7th October 2012

Admission is free (excluding island admission / transportation charges). Venue: Sentosa Date: 1st to 9th September 2012

For more information on SeptFest events, visit http:// www.substation.org/whatson/septfest-2012/. Venue: The Substation Date: 1st to 31st September 2012

LIFESTYLE

SINGAPORE ON A SHOESTRING On a recent trip to Hong Kong, a fellow backpacker from Germany described Singapore as a “nice city, but expensive”. The natural reaction was to agree. After all, there are few fun things one can do in our sunny island that won’t burn a hole in the pocket. However, as in all good deals, one simply needs to open one’s eyes to find magic in the mundane. Here are some interesting (and mostly free) things to do over the weekend that will be sure to please the Budget Barbie in all of us. Grace Yeoh

To Do

To Read

Makansutra Gluttons Bay)

42 Bussorah Street, Tel: 6298 2713

Where: Henderson Waves

Where: Cats Socrates, #03-39B Bras Basah complex, 231 Bain Street

Price: Approximately $5 per person for a full meal including drinks.

What: Tucked away in hipster central, stumbling upon this gem is like unlocking a treasure trove of old school cool. Featuring knick-knacks from our parents’ era like wind-up robots, five stones, and even bottled soft drinks, time flies when you’re browsing this quaint hideaway. Don’t be surprised if you end up spending half your day here!

What: Start off your weekend mornings with an energizing run along the 274m long pedestrian bridge that connects Mount Faber Park to Telok Blangah Hill Park. The highest pedestrian bridge in Singapore and new hotspot for a relaxing weekend with your family, this architectural beauty provides a scenic view of the city skyline. How’s that for making exercise sound slightly more enticing? Price: Free

What: A kitschy store that houses an eclectic mix of local music records (both English and Mandarin), local literature like the Ceriph magazine, and even handmade notebooks, it is easy to see why customers have fallen in love with the store. With a cozy corner set up for book lovers and dreamers to sit and relax, Cats Socrates is an ideal avenue for reality and daydreams to meet. Price: Free to browse, but items start from slightly more than $1 (for a hand drawn paperbag)

To Eat What: Hawker food Where: Zion Road Food Centre, 86 Zion Road Why: A meet-up with good pals over local chow can be a highly satisfying alternative to gyrating with hot, sweaty bodies in a club at night. Musttrys include tom yam fried rice, milo-flavoured tau huay, and the highly recommended kway chap. Keep your hunger pangs at bay with much cheaper fare than that of restaurants and other overpriced hawker delights (read:

Price: $2 per entry

To Enjoy Where: Along the Singapore River What: The skyline of our Central Business District might be too overhyped for some, but there is certain tranquility in our nation’s cityscape. It feels oddly therapeutic unwinding to the view, especially after a long week. Plus if you’re lucky, you might even catch local bands playing at the Esplanade’s open theatre. Great view and even better music? We’re sold. Price: Free

To See Where: Children’s Little Museum,

LIFESTYLE

INTERNSHIPS: THE GOOD, BAD AND IN BETWEEN Chan Yi Wen

From armchairtravelingwithnikki.blogspot.sg

xford dictionary provides two definitions for the word, intern: 1. /ˈɪntəːn/, a student or trainee who works, sometimes without pay, in order to gain work experience or satisfy requirements for a qualification. 2. /ɪnˈtəːn/, to confine someone as a prisoner, especially for political or military reasons. There are instances where the two overlap. Research shows that about 50% of college graduates have held internships in the past. This means that each year, hundreds of thousands of college students across the world partake in semester-long or summer internships to, according to wiki, exchange their cheap or free labour to gain experience in a

particular field. They can also use an internship to determine if they have an interest in a particular career, create a network of contacts, or gain school credit. But over the summer, I have heard more horror stories than pleasant reminisces from friends and acquaintances about their internship experiences. Over coffee, one friend gave his unpaid internship at a big corporation two thumbs-down and described it as ‘grunt-work’ and ‘exploitation at its worst’. He grumbled that the description posted on the career portal site was an extreme misrepresentation of his actual experience. After two and a half months, his boss still fails to remember his name and refers to him as “Intern!!!” and that the only benefit of being pigeon-holed at his job is a slight resumeenhancement and an endless supply of bad coffee.

And while cramming burger and fries into her mouth at a round-the-clock fast-food chain because she had to rush back to her investment banking internship at one in the morning, another friend lamented that her long working hours and lousy working conditions were directly conflicting with the labour department guidelines. But since interns aren’t considered fullfledged employees, essentially what we have here is slavery being legalised in a first-world country in the Y2K. Which brings me to the question: Do internships really provide the bang-for-the-buck? So many people are so willing to do internships. But are we doing it because everyone else is doing it? Or is there no other way around it? Are we committing to slave labour under the false pretence that we’re going to end up with

LIFESTYLE

something bigger? In a television interview with Ross Perlin, former intern and author of ‘Intern Nation’, show host, Dylan Ratigan, puts it forth better, “it is easy to see how interns are valuable for Corporate America (or Singapore in this context), but how valuable is the experience for young people?” Perlin sees the concept of internships as the disaster of the modern economy. Thirty or forty years ago where interning was

or television, internships are a main stay. You have to go down that internship route unless you’re really, really, really lucky and you know someone who knows someone who knows someone who might know someone in the area that you want to work in. But in other industries, you have to ensure that the internship you take up has a good structure that will allow maximum learning. I know of an Ivy League graduate who interned at the same company for two years, runningthe-mill with minimal allowance,

interns. As a consequence, tons of employers feign ignorance about the minimum wage law which results in nearly 50% of internships in the United States being unpaid. But from another perspective, MSNBC Contributor, Jimmy Williams, recounts his years as an unpaid intern at a senator’s office. He did everything he was instructed to do; making coffee, running errands for his supervisor and other unglamorous duties; but he also learned a set of rules for

From hagueinternsassociation.files.wordpress.com

the exception rather than the norm, and people interned with a guarantee of a job. Today it has become a virtual pre-requisite and a barrier of entry for jobs in whitecollar industries which comprises most of the high-paying and wellrespected jobs in the economy. It seems like in certain industries, internships are the only option to get a foot in the exclusive and otherwise inaccessible door – a little like how the Greeks finally entered the city of Troy with the Trojan Horse after a brutal 10-year siege. In certain industries like fashion

without any promotion indication from the people above. That’s pretty depressing. Of late, the Occupy Wall Street movement has declared war against certain internships by calling upon for-profit organizations to pull down their advertisements for unpaid internships. The reason: it’s a capitalist concept that benefits people already possessing financial means and can afford to work for free, thus propagating social inequality. Perlin continues that companies save 2 billion dollars a year by not paying

the industry he was so passionate about. He learned how to make memos to senators and got a valuable introduction into the inside workings of the industry. Now as an employer himself, he gets a glimpse into the other side of the world. “Three quarters of the interns I get suck and the other quarter are decent… I agree that surely there’s (a certain level of intern) abuse and all that… But I think, at the end of the day, if you want to be an intern, it’s up to you what you want to make out of your internship… And if you want your internship to turn out to be something more permanent, then

LIFESTYLE

that’s up to you to do that.” It’s probably irrelevant and unnecessary to compare our lives to the King’s children or the Joneses or the intoxicated cowboy who won the grand prize at the world’s largest jackpot. According to internship.com, Oprah Winfrey was born “a negro” in 1954 to a single, little educated teenage mother and throughout her

show, won an Academy Award, and becoming a household name across America. She may not have achieved this level of success if she hadn’t undertaken her internship with WLAC-TV at age 17. Also at age 17, Steven Spielberg landed an internship at Universal Studios. Yet due to the informality of his internship, he was not given access to the studio’s lot.

told me he spent several months in his twenties stuck in a cubicle at Merrill-Lynch cold-calling for hours at a go. You can’t expect to gain respect immediately after you enter the working world. But don’t take it as disrespect. Embrace every experience. The good brings you towards the right direction. And the bad undergoing of things alerts you to the fact that you probably don’t want a repeat

From unseenedits.wordpress.com

childhood, bounced back and forth different homes. But the catalyst for her success today was an internship with WLACTV, a CBS affiliate in Nashville, Tennessee. After a successful intern period, Oprah was brought on full-time with the program as an anchor/reporter. Not only was she the youngest, she was also the first ever African-American female news anchor. She later went on to landing her own talk

But Spielberg knew he wanted to be a film director and to pursue his passion, he snuck into the premises repeatedly and networked with everyone there despite being kicked out time and again. He filmed a short called Amblin and showed it to the Universal executives who were so impressed by it that they offered him a seven-year contract. My formal boss at Travelmob

of that in the future. Every life experience teaches you something and you don’t have to be afraid of experiencing because there is a life ahead waiting for you to live it.

LIFESTYLE

A LOVE AFFAIR WITH

CUPCAKES Rachel Ong

From swirls.com.sg

LIFESTYLE

upcakes are one of the few foods with a universal appeal. They might be popularly thought of as feminine, but alas, they taste too good to be forsaken by the male species. In fact, so resistible are they that they were banned in New York schools to reduce obesity rates! Cupcakes were first made in the 19th century, and their form was a result of function rather than fashion—people started making cakes in teacups so that they would cook faster in hearth ovens. Their name came about because the ingredients were conveniently measured in cups rather than weighed, making them a revolutionary timesaving confection. Perhaps it was the case that somewhere along the way, people started realizing how cute these little cakes were, paving the way for the modern world’s obsession with them. These petite treats add an element

of cuteness, novelty, or class to every occasion, depending on how the baker dresses them up. In any case, they are quite simply a sugar-fuelled party designed to keep your mouth happy.

course, everyone is allowed a little creative license when it comes to creating new flavor combinations, but here are some cupcakes produced by bakers who took things a little too far!

With the escalating number of business dedicated to cupcakes popping up everywhere, you can now have your cupcake, and eat it too. That’s not bad at all, considering how it is close to impossible to look at a little cake encased in a coloured paper liner, iced with a few swirls of fluffy frosting and sprinkles, and not be compelled to eat it. It doesn’t help that they are so versatile, which accounts for their ubiquitous presence in our lives these days.

Okra cupcakes: we love them fried with chili and served with rice, but okra on a cupcake? We’re not sure why anyone thought these would be a good idea!

And then there’s the seemingly endless number of flavours that cupcakes come in. If vanilla, chocolate or red velvet seem too predictable, there’s always salted caramel! Green tea and lemon! Earl grey and lavender! Of

Chocolate curry cupcakes: The folks at Bloomingfoods Market and Deli in the States put together this recipe on their website for curious viewers to try. Now that’s one we might never want to make! Mango chili cupcakes: The last time anyone got a shock from seeing chili in their dessert was when chili-flavoured chocolate was invented. Now that we’re finally accustomed to the strangeness of that, there’s something else we’ve got to try to get used to all over again…

Garlic cupcakes: We don’t recommend making these, unless you have some vampires to scare away. If all this talk about cupcakes has got you craving some, the good news is that they don’t require much skill to whip up! To guarantee maximum fluffiness in your final products, be careful not to over-mix your batter and make sure your ingredients are at room temperature when you use them. If you’re in need of a cupcake recipe, try this one for chocolate peanut butter cupcakes. Fudgy, crumbly and soft cupcakes iced with a creamy and decadent peanut butter frosting—this one is definitely a crowd pleaser that you can take to all your classmates (and maybe even your tutors) the next day!

Chocolate peanut butter cupcakes Recipe courtesy of Barefoot Contessa, via Foodnetwork.com Makes 16 cupcakes

From domesticcharm.blogspot.sg

For the cupcakes: 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature 2/3 cup granulated sugar 2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed 2 eggs, at room temperature 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 1 cup buttermilk, shaken, at room temperature 1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature 2 tablespoons brewed coffee 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup cocoa powder 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt Chopped salted peanuts, to decorate, optional Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and 2 sugars on high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes. Lower the speed to medium, add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and mix well.

minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

For the icing: 1 cup confectioners’ sugar 1 cup creamy peanut butter 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room In a separate bowl, whisk together the temperature buttermilk, sour cream, and coffee. 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract In another bowl, sift together the flour, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt cocoa, baking soda, and salt. On low speed, 1/3 cup heavy cream add the buttermilk mixture and the flour Place the confectioners’ sugar, peanut mixture alternately to the mixer bowl, butter, butter, vanilla, and salt in the bowl beginning with the buttermilk mixture and of an electric mixer. Mix on medium-low ending with the flour mixture. Mix only speed until creamy. Add the cream and until blended. beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth. Divide the batter among the cupcake pans. Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25

WIRED

ONLINE STUDY Neethu Krishna M

ducation these days is no longer confined to the four walls of the classroom, but can be very well said to be confined within the hundreds of pixels of your laptop or smartphone instead. With the emergence of many online teaching platforms enabled by the ubiquitous presence of computers, high-speed internet connection, and latest technologies, the floodgates of free education have finally seemed to be open. Thanks to digital innovation, students now have many more options of seeking help with their studies outside the classroom and the library. Access to places and materials are thus becoming less of an obstacle to meet this end. As developers themselves admit, one of the major inspirations for the recent emergence of online educational initiatives by many of the top-notch universities was the not-for-profit Khan Academy (www.khanacademy. org) founded by Salman Khan, a MIT and Harvard graduate. What started as a tutoring session for Khan’s cousin over Yahoo’s doodle notepad has now become a

revolutionary phenomenon in the academia which has been lionized by luminaries including Bill Gates! The level of the courses offered by the Khan Academy ranges from elementary school to college and the topics include: K-12 math, science (biology, chemistry, physics), finance, history and test prep (GMAT,

THANKS TO DIGITAL INNOVATION, STUDENTS NOW HAVE MANY MORE OPTIONS OF SEEKING HELP WITH THEIR STUDIES OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM AND THE LIBRARY. CAHSEE, SAT math, etc.), amongst others. The site keeps track of your performance and gives you feedback from time to time. Thus, teachers and coaches can access all of their students’ data and can get a summary of the class performance as a whole, or dive into a particular student’s profile to figure out exactly which topics are problematic. The students also receive incentives in the form of badges that they can earn for

different learning levels. Khan Academy’s latest development is their App, which enables you to view Khan Academy’s complete library of over 2700 videos that are much appreciated for their lucidity and conciseness. Given below is a list of similar educational sites that you can check out and make use of for your coursework:

WIRED

TUDY-BUDDIES

Lynda.com Free platform to learn software, design, and business skills to achieve personal and professional goals.

TeacherTube Provides an online community for sharing instructional videos. Members can not only upload educationally relevant videos, but also to make constructive comments and use the rating system to show appreciation for videos of value to one as an educator or learner.

Watchknowlearn.org

Learnerstv.com

Indexes over 33,000+ educational videos, placing them into a directory of over 3,000 categories and available without any registration or fees to users worldwide.

Provides free video and audio lectures on a wide range of subjects conducted by faculties from reputed universities around the world.

Thefutureschannel.com This site has a unique teaching style using music to evoke in the viewer a sense of wonderment in learning. Instead of using conventional narration, the professionals interviewed described the jobs they do and conveyed the importance of math and science in their daily function, while relaying the excitement and passion they have for their professions.

However, not everyone greets this migration towards the online education system with equal enthusiasm. Critics speculate that this trend could be threatening the traditional neighborhood scholastic tutor. It is also likely that students can be exposed to much more erroneous information, unless strict quality control of the content is maintained in these sites. Thus, while the developers strive to compete with one another to provide more and more materials online, they should also bear in mind the huge responsibility that is on their shoulders.

WIRED

ESSENTIAL APPS FO Lester Hio

The modern university student isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t going to get by with just pen and paper if he or she can help it, especially when technology makes university life that much easier. From note-taking to scheduling appointments to learning tools, apps for the iPhone, iPad, Android devices and Windows phones are wonderful tools for breezing through university life so you can focus on the more important aspects of higher learning, such as partying too hard and socializing. Wired presents some essential apps that will make university easier.

Scheduling Never miss a class (accidentally, that is) or forget about a deadline again. Evernote, which runs on basically every platform, syncs your notes from one device to another with Evernote on. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be able to make a note on your phone, and open it again on your computer, thus saving you the hassle of manually syncing one device to another. For Apple users, iStudiez (US$0.99) is a planner for all your academic needs, from homework to classes to assignment dates. It syncs between a Mac and any iOS device. Simply key in your timetable at the start of semester, along with updates for assignments, and iStudiez allows for a quick overview of your calender and timetable.

iStudiez from apps.blognawa.com

WIRED

PS FOR SCHOOL Cloud Storage

Note taking

Assignments can be nasty things, especially when you’re frantically emailing “EN1101E Essay 1 (Edit 4)” for the fourth time to yourself today because you need to print it out for submission, only to find out you need to do yet another edit. Store your documents on the cloud so you can have easy access for editing and reference, not only on your computer but on your mobile devices and tablets as well. Dropbox remains the king of cloud storage, with apps for both iOS and Android, and you can verify your student email for extra space when you refer others.

Smart Notes (Mac and iOS) allows you to jot down notes on your, and has easy categorisation options and an intuitive interface that lets you fire the app and get down to typing down lecture notes almost immediately. It also comes with full iCloud integration, so you are free to review your notes on your Mac after class. Noteshelf (iPad) takes note-taking one step further by virtue of having a plethora of options that are not limited to text. You can draw, highlight, underline and basically replace a paper notebook with a digital version.

For Android users, Google Drive is basically Dropbox for Android devices. The successor to crowd favourite Google Docs, Drive is an upgraded version of Docs which allows you to edit, view, and share documents, pictures, and files, which is essential for any sort of group project work.

Dropbox from zdnet.com

NoteShelf from fluidtouch.biz

WIRED

GRAB

So you’re here in Singapore and ready for a fresh new year at NUS.. exce player, or camera of yours seems a little too stretched on its course of lif you, we’ve got just the line-up of pl Arnab Ghosh

UPCOMING EVENTS By far the biggest IT shows in Singapore, COMEX and SITEX are the most sought-after annual I.T. exhibitions on the island. With over 830 exhibitors at either event, these events display a dynamic and comprehensive line-up of the latest and hottest consumer technology gadgets to a plethora of accessories all under one roof. Whether you’re looking for a laptop for your daily needs, a killer media player, USB drives with funky designs, or even an LCD TV for your room at your accommodation, you’ll find it here with a deal that’ll be hard to pass up.

COMEX 2012 30th Aug - 2nd Sep http://www.comexshow.com.sg/

SITEX 2012 22nd - 25th Nov http://www.sitex.com.sg/

WIRED

RAB I.T.!

ear at NUS.. except something doesn’t feel quite right. That laptop, audio on its course of life and it’s time to look around for new harvest. Lucky for the line-up of places to check out.

ONLINE DISCOUNTS

Tips to remember

If you’d rather not rough up yourself in the crowd, do check out the online deals over at Dell and Apple. Being a student has its perks and it’s time you made use of them. Dell offers student discounts at its online store for its various electronic products. From performance laptops to everyday workhouses; buy PC & get Xbox deals; they’ve got it all. Check them out at http://dell.to/ PNHiqc. Also, who doesn’t love an Apple product- more so if it’s at a discount! The great folks there also have their own deal set up at http://bit.ly/ NaD2fX. Get the latest and greatest in Retina display with the MacBook Pro or the MacBook Air and style up with the dream laptop all over campus. When paired with an iPad or iPhone, this will surely strike a sweet note with your style and wallet.

01 Aim for long battery life. Nothing sucks more than having an awesome laptop that dies in an hour into the movie you’re watching or that great tune you’re grooving to. Lugging a charger around isn’t fun either. No matter what machine you get, make sure you get about 4 hours of juice from the battery on a single charge. 02 Bigger isn’t always better. Unless you’ve got Hulk-like strength all day, it isn’t easy to carry a big, heavy laptop around. Work towards a 13-inch screen, the informal standard for most screens that hist the sweet spot between screen real estate and its accompanying mass. 03 Guarantee/Warranty period. “Tonight… We are young.” Indie darlings fun. may have gotten it right, and because we are young, we’re not always careful with our tech. It’s a safe bet to get at least one year (better yet, get two years) of warranty for your laptop or media player (which includes tablets). As the saying goes - better safe than sorry.

WIRED

BYTE-SIZED Lester Hio

GOOGLE NEXUS 7 Google’s official tablet, the Nexus 7, has given the most popular tablet of them all, the Apple iPad, a run for its money when it was released last month. The svelte 7-inch tablet, which comes with the latest version of Android, 4.1 Jelly Bean, boasts a Tegra quad core chip and comes in 8GB or 16GB. Within days of release, Google announced that the 16GB versions have been sold out. The price factor of US$199 only makes the Nexus 7 an economically friendly product.

ANDROID 4.1 JELLY BEAN Android users will be delighted with its latest incarnation, 4.1 Jelly Bean, which was announced in late June. The update should hit local handphones over the next couple of weeks. The upgrade will see Android devices being faster and smoother, with features such as expandable notifications and a smarter keyboard that ‘learns’ your typing habits. Also included is Google Now, a new app that provides you with relevant information as you go about your day.

RELEASE OF OSX MOUNTAIN LION Apple’s latest operating system, OSX Mountain Lion, is now available on the Mac App Store at US$19.99. Apple is set to integrate its product line together, with iMessage now integrated on Mountain Lion and iPhones and iPod Touch. Furthermore, it will feature an updated Launchpad for searching through apps, and a new security feature called Gatekeeper that allows you to personalise your security settings on your Mac.

Happy New Academic Year 2012.2013

THE RIDGE wishes you a joyful learning journey!

Be part of the largest publication in NUS Email Position Recruitment - Your Name with a portfolio of your work to: theridge.chiefeditor@nussu.org.sg Writer theridge.headdesigner@nussu.org.sg Designer

SPORTS

EURO 2012 THE FINALS

Golden Boot winner, Torres scores the third goal, from sim.in.com

Naveen Prakash

he stunning scoreline of the Euro 2012 Finals was conjured by one of the most magical football squads in history. Spain made a bold statement in a thrilling 90-minute advertisement of how the ‘beautiful’ game should be played - with skill, movement, bursts of unstoppable pace all combined effectively with pinpoint passing. It was simple and beautiful, golden football which lead to silverware

Spain made history when they lifted the Henri Delaunay Cup again. Not only is this the first successful defence of a UEFA European Championship, it is the first three-in-a-row combination of World and Continental titles. Not the West German or Brazilian sides of the 1970s, nor the France of Zinedine Zidane – in fact, no group of players has endured like that which started winning under Luis Aragones four years ago and

has now cemented its status in the history books as one of the all-time greatest squads. Spain has also equalled Germany as the only three-time winner of the continent’s greatest prize. Put simply, Spain found solutions to questions in its players who rose to the occasion. Robbed of David Villa, the most prolific striker in Spain’s history, Vicente del Bosque, Cesc Fabregas and

Fernando Torres just got on with it. Torres burst into life against the Republic of Ireland, and Fabregas was pivotal against Croatia. A rare Xabi Alonso double dealt with France but Fabregas popped up with the winning penalty in the semi-final against Portugal as well. Surely the Sergio RamosIker Casillas double act was the high point of the game against Portugal. One-nil down after Alonso’s spot kick was saved, the

SPORTS

man known as San Iker (Saint Iker) in his homeland saved one before Ramos chipped over Rui Patrício in the most outrageous style imaginable! But Vicente del Bosque’s side saved their best for the last at the UEFA EURO 2012 Finals as they overwhelmed an Italian outfit that simply ran out of steam, recording a 4-0 victory in Kyiv. The nightmare was worse than what the Italian players could have imagined prior to the game. Casillas was all authority and made some vital interceptions. Jordi Alba was all shimmering class at left-back, defending and raiding in equal measure. Xabi Alonso, in the middle, kept the moves ticking over, kept sweeping passes over short range and long. Cesc Fabregas delivered one of his most influential displays, his movement mesmerising the Italian defence. The ‘false No 9’ with No 10 on his back helped to break the deadlock with Spain’s first goal feeding David Silva, 14 minutes into the game for a header in. Spain’s second was a little too easy, though. Standing on the touch line near halfway, Fabregas headed Iker Casillas’s clearance to Alba who turned the ball into Xavi before dashing forward. The Azzurri back line did not seem to notice but the erudite Xavi did, advancing forward before slotting his new FC Barcelona club-mate in. The composed left-footed finish meant that Alba had struck a sumptuous second. It seemed nothing could deny Spain its first competitive victory over the Azzurri in 92 years– but Italy was not done yet. Antonio Di Natale, scorer in the 1-1 draw

The victorious Spanish squad, from sportsphotosgallery.com

between these sides three weeks ago, came on for Antonio Cassano and within six minutes he could have scored twice. His first chance was a header, when Riccardo Montolivo’s pass found him in space. He snatched at the chance, but the advancing Casillas blocked the shot. With six minutes remaining in the game, Fernando Torres and Juan Mata arrived like matadors to finish off the wounded foe. Xavi resumed his conducting, slowing things down before he set up Torres for a goal to add to his UEFA EURO 2008 showpiece effort – a feat no one has managed before. He also combined with Torres to release Mata, just onside,

to seal an emphatic win. History was made and the sizeable Spanish contingent in the 63,170 crowd erupted in the light of victory! Many had written off Spain stating that it lacked penetration and that there was too much of passing involved among the ageing veteran players. But Jordi Alba, a novice on arrival, was superb and crowned off a wonderful tournament with a stunning goal in the final. What is more, there were very limited opportunities for reigning European Under-21 champions Juan Mata and Javi Martínez, who were knocking at the door of the senior squad

but none of the elder statesmen seemed particularly disposed to move on. And with the slow return to form of Fernando Torres, the future looks bright and only foretells Spanish dominance in the near future. My final words shall repeatDel Bosque’s summary of the achievement of his players, “I think it’s very difficult to be champions once, twice is a lot more difficult, and three times is brilliant. I think that these guys have made an extraordinary effort and they have to be congratulated.”

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ELEGANCE ENDURES WIMBLEDON 2012

Reunited, from 4.bp.blogspot.com

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Rishian Balaskanda

t the start of 2012, he was ranked 3rd in the world and some had already determined that he was past his prime. Obituaries were written lamenting the demise of his career. No Grand Slam titles in more than two years. A younger generation of players had emerged onto the scene and they slowly but surely developed the skill and maturity to handle the pressure of playing big games. Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic were setting the pace for the chasing pack and the Swiss Maestro looked like he would slowly fade away as age took its toll. After all he already was a senior member on the ATP tour. Though still a crowd favourite, tournament favourite? The punters favoured the above mentioned duo and possibly the lone British hope, Andy Murray. But Roger Federer isn’t just any other tennis player. He clearly had not been reading the news. His wealth of experience and successes on the tour meant that he kept his head down and

concentrated on doing what he does best, playing tennis. Slowly but steadily, he compiled an impressive record over the last six months and went into Wimbledon, quietly believing in his chances. Federer made his way through the draw, with a few hiccups but took his rightful place in the semis at Wimbledon for the first time in three years. Djokovic failed to bring his A-game to the semi-finals and Federer took his chances to reach yet another Wimbledon finals. Andy Murray too took his opportunities and made full use of Nadal’s early loss to become the first Brit to reach the finals in 74 years. Though Murray played well and made Britain proud with his valiant attempt, there could be no denying Federer who clinched the trophy in four sets. His triumph at Wimbledon was his record 17th Grand Slam victory and 7th on the grass of the All England Club equalling the legendary American, Pete Sampras. In doing so he reclaimed

the number one ranking and broke the record held by Pete Sampras who spent a total of 286 weeks atop the list. Federer fans rejoice and hail the coming of possibly another long reign at the top. So should we join in and expect the return of Federer of yore? Not necessarily. At the age of 30, Roger Federer does not really have that much time left to play at the highest level. In an era of sliding on the court surface and brutal sprints, the wear and tear from this physical modern version of the game has already affected many players much younger than Federer. Federer has been quite lucky thus far to avoid major injuries. Although the Olympic Games in London will allow him to mount a challenge for the individual gold medal to add to the doubles medal he won in Beijing 4 years ago on one of his favoured surfaces, the field will prove competitive and the timing of the Olympic games so close after the Wimbledon final may

leave many a player exhausted. Am I joining in the very rants that I earlier condemned? No. All I’m saying is that a Swiss renaissance may prove too much to ask of the man but on his day, he reminds us that a game of tennis is not all about brute force and speed, but having the grace and mastery to play the most exquisite of shots. He’ll still win many trophies but value his elegance and exquisite shotmaking which are the delicate strokes creating the magnificent paintings that his matches resemble. Just enjoy the work of this genius and let him decide when he wants to hang up his rackets. Cherish this incredible multi-faceted champion who has helped take the sport to the next level and charms the world with his radiant smile and classy sweaters.

Federer in action at Wimbledon 2012, from highlandstoday.com

4 START-UPS TO TES NUS Enterprise

acebook. Founded by Mark Zuckerberg, initially as an exclusive network for Harvard students, was a huge hit. Using his school as a test-bedding ground, he was able to scale quickly across 30 more colleges in the Boston area. The original idea for Facebook was a physical paper book until Zuckerberg brought it to the Internet... As with every start-up, ideas are never a one-hit-wonder; it always starts with something small. In fact, many successful products undergo countless iterations and customer feedback before nailing it on the head. At NUS Enterprise, we recognize and want to embrace that. Aiming to achieve this, we are collaborating with NUS Student Union and have launched our inaugural NUS Test-Bedding initiative at the end of last semester, to engage the NUS community in supporting innovation and entrepreneurship by giving start-ups a chance to test their innovative ideas in NUS. Just like what Facebook went through, this one chance could be their runway to take off! Through a pre-screening of proposals, a total of 10 finalists emerged. These entrepreneurs were given that one chance to wow the judges with their business ideas and to illustrate how their ideas could potentially benefit the NUS population. An intensive deliberation by the judges followed and 4 teams were

selected to be test-bedded within the NUS community in this coming semester. Through this test-bedding initiative, we give start-ups an opportunity to reach out to 45,000 students and staff; together with potential implementation in various parts of the school to obtain valuable feedback and insights. The NUS community, on the other hand, will be exposed to innovative solutions stemming from its very own ecosystem – a step towards NUS’ vision of becoming a bold and dynamic community, with a “no walls” culture and a spirit of enterprise!

Here, we do a shout out to the whole NUS community. Let us embrace entrepreneurship and innovation by showing our support for start-ups that grow under our wings. To

all individuals – if you’re an entrepreneur at heart, or an entrepreneur in the making, join us in our NUS Enterprise ecosystem and let us help you further your dream!

The tested products may not be perfect. But the school’s participation would definitely shape these products to achieve a product-market-fit. That’s when we pop champagne and “cheers” on having nurtured and molded a successful entrepreneur. As quoted from Provost’s blog, “Entrepreneurship can be a daunting endeavour. It begins with curiosity, ideas and dreams, of a product, technology or service that could bring value to society. However, it does not stop there. The next step entails venturing into the unknown – attempting to translate this idea into fruition.” With NUS’ support for entrepreneurship, “its 45,000 students and staff, provides a ready ‘customer’ base to seed and spawn these ideas.”

Judging Panel: Professor Tan Eng Chye (Deputy President of Academic Affairs and Provost of NUS), Professor Wong Poh Kam (Director of NUS Entrepreneurship Centre), Dr. Virginia Cha (Executive Advisor at NUS Enterprise), Koh Jit Siong (Founder of Optimatic), Goh Seng Wee (Board Director of NUSSU Enterprise Pte Ltd), Wilson Lau (VP of NUSSU), Li Xiu Qi (Honarary Financial Secretary of NUSSU). NUS Enterprise provides a holistic support system to help entrepreneurs further their ambition. For more enquiries, email neiquery@nus.edu.sg and quote ‘Test-Bed’.

O TEST IDEAS IN NUS “Referoll.com is an online respondent recruitment and management platform for research projects. Our software allows anyone who needs respondents to publish a recruitment page for interested participants to register themselves for the projects. Sourcing, screening, scheduling and paying participants incentives can all be done through the software. Our team comprises of 2 NUS alumni, Ariff Munshi and Tran Quoc Tuan and an undergraduate, FASS final year student Alvin Tang. We identified the problem common among many researchers - that it was difficult to find respondents for their projects, especially when requiring non-student profiles. With our solution, they no longer need to do IVLE postings or stick papers on notice boards to attract respondents.

“Entrepreneurship starts with a simple problem statement and an innovative solution to a problem. That’s what we at Intraix simply love doing - solving Energy-related problems. We came across plenty of end-users who told us “Our Utility Bills are really high, can you tell us what’s wrong?” and that was when our team saw a need for a low-cost energy management solution for the mass market. Instead of your traditional utility bills that simply tell you how much you have to pay, we are building a system which tells you how much energy is being used in different components of your homes, highlighting potential problems and providing energy saving advice as the system detects, using a single energy meter. What’s better for you is that the system is to come with a loyalty system that rewards you for every single dollar of electricity saved! Come find out more about us at www.intraix.com today! “

The current version of Referoll.com as you see it is being revamped and improved to enable users to create and manage their own projects. Dubbed Referoll v.2, the platform will be launched in late August. So do keep an eye out for it!”

Darrell Zhang (Co-Founder) NUS B.Eng Intraix Pte Ltd

Ariff Munshi (Founder) NUS B.Eng Munshi Labs Pte Ltd

“YourKaki – Singapore’s very own Sports Portal, was officially launched in March 2012. It is a one-stop sports community, directory, and news platform for Everything Sports!

“The 3 of us have long dreamed of being entrepreneurs but the tipping point was when we returned from our 1 year spent working and studying in Silicon Valley through the NUS Overseas College program. Yearning to solve a problem that mattered to us with the use of technology, we started Carousell to eliminate the inefficiencies in peer-to-peer marketplaces. Just too many valuable and functional things are chucked aside and wasted; wouldn’t it be amazing if we could make it fun and inspiring for people to buy and sell these things? That’s exactly what we have spent the entire summer doing and we are super excited to be giving our fellow NUS mates first dibs. So if you have stuff to sell but been waiting for a simple and beautiful way to sell them, you’ve got to download the Carousell iPhone app from the App Store right now. Come visit us at thecarousell.com.” Lucas Ngoo (Co-Founder) NUS B.Eng Carousell Jointly brought to you by:

I officially founded YourKaki during my first-year in the Graduate LL.B. Programme at the Faculty of Law, NUS. But it was really during my time working as an Executive in the Public Service Division, Prime Minister’s Office, after my graduation from the University of Sydney in 2008, that I felt compelled to develop YourKaki. When I came back to Singapore, I realised that there was something lacking from the local sporting scene that was so conceptually simple yet essential – the ability to find and interact with fellow sporting people in a hassle-free and intuitive manner in one centralised place. Coupled with the pain of having to constantly look for more players for my weekend soccer team, I decided it was time to change things. This ultimately propelled the concept and vision for YourKaki, and after a year-long development stint, it was born. So if you’re looking to “Be a Kaki” or to find others for your sporting activities and events, get yourself signed up at www.yourkaki.com today!” Mervyn Lau (Founder) NUS Graduate LL.B. Program The Kaki People Pte Ltd

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