Epoch Times Singapore

september 5 – 18 , 2014 • MCI(p) 081/03/2014 • SINGAPORE EDITION • theepochtimes.com

WEEKEND EDITION

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SCIENCE

More than Music with Pianist Abigail Sin

By Li Yen Epoch Times Staff “Music is a prism through which we can view our world and a portal to dream of other ones,” says Abigail Sin, one of Singapore’s most noteworthy young pianists.

At 14, she was enrolled in the Bachelor of Music programme at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory, National University of Singapore.

Once named “the piano prodigy” by the media, Abigail, now 22, has become an elegant and refined lady.

See Pianist on Page 4

courtesy of Abigail Sin

Music is a prism through which we can view our world and a portal to dream of other ones.

Abigail Sin

PERSPECTIVES

A Country Where ‘You Know What’s Going On’

By Frank Lee

Nurture vs Nature Why Nurture Is Just as Important as Nature for Understanding Genetics

shutterstock

By Claire Haworth University of Warwick

W

e live in the age of the genome. Hardly a week goes by without a story about how genes influence our health or behaviour.

There has been recent excitement

around new advances in the genetics of schizophrenia, and genetic overlap between reading and mathematics. In the UK, the government is also pushing forward plans to map 100,000 genomes that will be matched to clinical data to drive “genomic medicine as part of routine care” in the National Health Service (NHS).

local

But genetic variation is only half the story. Environmental influences are important too, and we now know that our environments can interact with our genetic makeup, in ways that can be good and bad for our health.

See Nurture on Page 16

WORLD

The Chinese Communist Party’s top anti-corruption official, Wang Qishan, was recently asked whether there were plans to fell bigger “tigers” after Zhou Yongkang. Wang, who was at the 7th Meeting of the 12th Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, smiled but refrained from answering. When pressed further, he smiled and said, “You’ll understand by and by.”

Zhou Yongkang was the Party’s former security chief, a position he gained through the influence of Jiang Zemin, paramount leader of the Party through the 1990s and into the 2000s. Zhou

is currently under investigation for corruption by the Party’s disciplinary organs.

See Country on Page 10

The presence of such public discourse is also symptomatic of a lack of open and transparent government in the country. environment

NEWS & PERSPECTIVES

NEWS & PERSPECTIVES

TECHNOLOGY & SCIENCE

Festivals

Terror Alert

Oldest Trees

When the Night Comes Alive 3

Britain Raises Terror Alert to Severe 6

World’s Oldest Trees: 3,000 to 9,500 Years Old 20

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News & Perspectives Business & Property Technology & Science Health & Beauty Home & Decor Food & Travel Values & Virtues

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176,204,981 people have renounced the Chinese Communist Party.

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A model poses while donning a space suit at the Luminox Space Roadshow in Singapore on August 29, 2014, which features special time pieces designed for pilots and passengers of the XCOR Lynx Mark II space shuttle.

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Jiang Zemin at Bay in Shanghai

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e believe that the media has a social responsibility to inform and facilitate social harmony and progress. In 2000, our media was started by overseas Chinese in the United States to provide truthful news coverage of events in China, where previously only propaganda and censorship existed.

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OUR STORY the fabrics of a harmonious society. While technological and economic developments propel a country forward, good values in people makes a home out of a country.

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photos courtesy of Alan Lee

When the Night Comes Alive

Singapore Night Festival & Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival

By Ang Xue Er Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival Lanterns, carnivals, stage shows and a bazaar – for a whole month till Sept 28! What more can you ask for?

From lantern painting to lantern making and even stage shows, you will be enthralled by the Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival. Get

your whole family to join the Mass Lantern Walk on Sept 6 at 7 pm and allow your kids to show off their creative (handmade) lanterns – or even dress as lanterns themselves!

From 11 am daily, shop at the festival carnival, and join one of the Heritage Walking Trails on Sept 6-7 at 2 pm and 5 pm. From 8 pm nightly, be entertained by live shows and gaze at the full moon and the alluring displays around Chinatown.

Fred Fan/epoch times

Visit www.chinatownfestivals.sg for more information.

Singapore Night Festival Were you at Bras Basah when it was buzzing with life over the past two weekends?

This year’s Singapore Night Festival glowed to the theme of ‘Bold and Beautiful’ and dazzled spectators with impactful night lights, reminding us to appreciate the simple things

in life that are often neglected.

“Earth Harp” was one of the more intriguing performance-installations at the festival.

Inspired by the phrase “architecture is frozen music”, musician Willam Close decided to invent larger than life instruments to explore the connections.

This year’s Night Festival also enabled our local talents to showcase their work.

Missed it? You have got to be there next year!

Fred Fan/epoch times

Fred Fan/epoch times

Festive Street Bazaar along Pagoda Street, Trengganu Street, Sago Street and Smith Street.

Lantern Painting Competition at the Chinatown Mid Autumn Festival 2014.

Drum performance by ZinCo at the Singapore Arts Museum. courtesy of Alan Lee

courtesy of Alan Lee

The streets along Chinatown are decorated with 3,100 handcrafted flower lanterns to celebrate the Mid-Autumn festival in Sngapore.

courtesy of Alan Lee

Singapore Art Museum lights up at the Singapore Night Festival with an entertaining drum performance by ZinCo.

William Close strings up his Earth Harp on Aug 22-23 at the National Museum during the Singapore Night Festival.

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Epoch Times

All photos courtesy of Abigail Sin

this is singapore

More than Music with Pianist Abigail Sin Pianist continued from Page 1 From rehearsing a concerto with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and participating in various music competitions, to watching Shakespeare and improvising with actors, her years of education at Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London had been an eye-opening and fulfilling experience which has nurtured her to be a more polished pianist.

Having won numerous significant accolades at international piano competitions in Europe, the United States and Asia, and chosen by Steinway and Sons as South-East Asia’s first Young Steinway Artist, the well-travelled pianist has performed in concerts halls in the USA, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Lithuania, Ukraine, Romania, Hong Kong and South-East Asia.

Now, the accomplished young pianist wants to bring classical music to the general audience in a more enjoyable way.

She and violinist Loh Jun Hong started ‘More Than Music’, intending to change the mindset that classical music is boring.

Audiences can expect to listen to their candid and personal stories in the concerts.

“More Than Music concerts feel more like a big house party, rather than a traditional recital,” she adds.

A recipient of the Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship, Abigail will be pursuing her doctoral studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London this month.

Before leaving for London, Abigail will be playing at More Than Music’s upcoming concert entitled Play! at the Esplanade Recital Studio on September 9.

“I will also be curating and performing a series of concerts and lecture recitals over the next few years to complement my doctoral research,” conveys the pianist, who is extremely moved by Olivier Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time.

This heart-rending yet radiant piece was composed by Messiaen when he was detained in a Nazi prison camp during the Second World War. “Out of those devastating conditions, Messiae n spoke powerfully of ancient prophecies, eternal paradise and a world that would have nothing to do with oppression or suffering,” Abigail shares.

When did your love for music start? When did you realise that you want to be a pianist?

Music was just one of many things I was interested in as a kid.

I used to tell people that I would be a ballerina! I love to read and I won academic prizes at school every year.

I started studying with Prof Thomas Hecht when I was 11, which was a significant turning point for me. At 14, I entered the Bachelor of Music programme at Yong Siew Toh Conservatory, National University of Singapore, and I haven’t looked back since.

On the other hand, I don’t think I’ve ever decided to be just “a pianist”. I’ve worked as a humanities and music history teaching assistant throughout my studies at NUS. I am also passionate about working with young students and I’m planning educational programmes to present at schools, as a soloist and also with More Than Music and the Asian Contemporary Ensemble. Pursuing a career as a musician can be so much more than being only “a pianist”, though that’s certainly fulfilling enough on its own.

What is the importance of music in your life? What does music mean to you?

Music is a prism through which we can view our world and a portal to dream of other ones. We use music, and other forms of art, as a means to explore what it means to be human.

Playing the piano is a gift, a blessing and a constant source of frustration and fascination, but it does not define who I am.

It’s just one part of my life.

Singaporean Pianist Abigail Sin

I hope to keep growing as an artist and find new and fulfilling ways to develop my musical career.

Abigail Sin

Tell us a memory or an experience where a simple tune touched you and showed you something about life.

Well it’s certainly not a simple tune, [but performing] Olivier Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time was an exhilarating and humbling experience. This 50-minute long work is mentally and physically demanding, but what makes it extraordinary is its context.

The title of the Quartet is a quote from the Book of Revelations in the Bible, where an Angel announces the end of the world.

Messiaen composed and premiered this piece when he was incarcerated in a Nazi prisoner of war camp during the Second World War. Out of those devastating conditions, Messiaen spoke powerfully of ancient prophecies, eternal paradise and a world that would have nothing to do with oppression or suffering.

This music is radiant with divine beauty, unvanquishable strength and a fierce joy that transcends our human condition. Learning and performing this monumental work was a lifechanging experience for me.

How does it feel like to be called the piano prodigy?

I am very grateful to have received so much support and opportunities from a young age. I hope to keep growing as an artist and find new and fulfilling ways to develop my musical career. There is still a long road ahead.

You pursued a master’s degree from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.

Tell us more about your school life in London. How has the teaching influenced you?

I had a wonderful time at Guildhall and I felt well-supported by my professors and the school. I had amazing opportunities, such as performing at Wigmore Hall, performing for the City of London Festival in 2012 and even rehearsing a concerto with the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

I loved how much there was to see and do in London. I threw myself into a wide variety of activities: competitions, chamber music, improvising with actors and co-leading the Christian Union at Guildhall. I also went to France often for performances and masterclasses.

In my free time, I would get dis-

Epoch Times

counted tickets to watch Shakespeare, stand in front of the huge Turner and Canaletto canvases at the National Gallery or just go on long walks. Ray Bradbury once talked about “throwing stones down a well” and that every time you hear an echo from your subconscious, you know yourself a little better. That’s what living in London was like for me.

You recently obtained a Graduate Diploma from the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music under the guidance of Professor Thomas Hecht.

How has the teaching of Prof Thomas Hecht influenced you?

I’ve worked with Prof Hecht since I was 11. He gave me a systematic, rigourous way of organising resonance at the piano and analysing a score, which was, paradoxically, immensely liberating and transformative.

The goal of every good teacher is for their students to be self-reliant, and Dr Hecht has certainly given me the tools for that. Our working relationship has evolved over the last ten years, but his teaching continues to inspire and challenge me.

NEWS & PERSPECTIVES What are some of the preferred music pieces you like to play, and why?

I enjoy playing a wide variety of music, like an actress taking on different roles and accents. Right now, for example, I’m learning Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Ravel, Charles Griffes and Leon Kirchner. Each one inhabits a completely different sound world.

I’m also involved with the Asian Contemporary Ensemble, which commissions new works from composers from around the region.

Are there any musicians, especially pianists, whom you admire and why?

I admire Daniel Barenboim, for the intelligence and integrity of his music-making and his multifaceted career, and Martha Argerich who is a true force of nature.

Murray Perahia and Mitsuko Uchida are definitely up there on my list too.

Speaking of non-pianists, I’ll always cherish chamber music coachings with the violinist and conductor Gabor Takacs-Nagy whom I first met when I was just 15. He was kind, generous and so inspiring, and those encounters

september 5 – 18, 2014

made a huge impression on me.

If you could collaborate with any artists – living or dead – whom would you choose and why?

I’d love to have been at one of Dinu Lipatti’s recitals and I’d love to meet Julius Katchen, even just to have a chat! I wouldn’t dare dream of collaborating with them, but taking lessons from them would be amazing.

Abigail Sin performing at the Salle Cortot in Paris

You have toured Eastern Europe when you were only 14.

Does travelling change your perspective on music and life?

I suppose travelling can help a young person to be more selfaware and more curious about the world. There’s so much to learn from meeting new people, experiencing a different culture or speaking a different language.

I can get around in French, but I’ve also had to rehearse chamber music entirely in Mandarin.

I’ve definitely had some memorable adventures, from hitchhiking in Verbier to navigating through Yerevan with three Lithuanian boys and a lot of chocolate!

performance and why?

I was performing the Chopin Preludes at a small venue in London and I spoke about how the music captured the various facets of our human experience, from joy and tenderness to grief and defiance.

A man came up afterwards to thank me, telling me it was his deceased daughter’s birthday and that my playing and words had given him some comfort that day.

That encounter reminded me to treat every concert as an important event, no matter where I’m playing and how many people I’m playing for.

Which is your most memorable

Pianist continued on page 10

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AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert

Britain will take a comprehensive approach to combat what Cameron called the “poisonous narrative” of Islamic extremism.

British Prime Minister David Cameron addresses members of the media at the end of an EU summit in Brussels on March 21, 2014.

Britain Raises Terror Alert to Severe reuters

By Al Pessin VOA News Britain has raised its terrorism alert level in response to the rise of Islamic extremist groups in Iraq and Syria, and the belief that British citizens fighting with such groups could bring terror home.

The new British terror threat level is called “severe”, which means an attack is “highly likely”, but there is no information about a specific terrorist plan.

This is the first time in three years that the level has been so high, just one notch below the top of the scale [‘critical’].

Prime Minister David Cameron said the decision was made by an independent government commission because the rise of the group in Iraq and Syria once called ISIL or ISIS, which now calls itself the Islamic State, poses a threat to Britain.

“What we’re facing in Iraq now with ISIL is a greater and deeper threat to our security than we have known before,” said Cameron.

Cameron said about 500 British citizens have gone to join the group in Syria and Iraq. Those men can easily reenter Britain.

The masked terrorist who murdered American journalist James Foley last month spoke with a British accent.

Armed police officers on duty in Downing Street, central London, on Aug 29, 2014.

The Prime Minister is expected to ask Parliament this week to give the government more authority to go after such men, and to prevent them from leaving or re-entering the country.

Cameron characterised the fight against terrorism as a battle of ideologies.

He said Britain will take a comprehensive approach to combat what he called the “poisonous narrative” of Islamic extremism.

“We cannot appease this ideology. We have to confront it at home and abroad.

To do this, we need a tough, intelligent, patient and comprehensive approach to defeat the terrorist threat at its source,” he said.

Cameron said that will include measures to promote moderation here in Britain, and stability and democracy in the Middle East.

He said Britain will also continue

humanitarian aid drops in Iraq and intelligence sharing with allies. But he indicated the United States will remain in the lead on military action against Islamic State fighters.

Terrorism expert Raffaello Pantucci of the Royal United Services Institute says the Islamic State is mainly interested in increasing its power in and around the area it controls. But he says it has sometimes taken action farther afield, and the group’s leaders, or individual members, could decide to do so again.

“We’ve certainly seen a number of plots that have taken place in Europe, where it’s been clear that the individuals have fought alongside ISIS. It’s not clear that these individuals received tasking orders from the group to launch the attacks. It’s a large organisation with a lot of people who are joining it. And some of them might decide that they should do something which they will see as an advance of the group’s aims, but isn’t necessarily directed by them,” said Pantucci.

A terrorist who had fought for the Islamic State carried out the shooting at the Jewish Museum in Brussels in May that left four people dead.

Pantucci says most people will not notice the impact of Britain’s higher terrorism alert level, which he says will mainly affect the work of government agencies and security services.

Epoch Times

NEWS & PERSPECTIVES

Europe Might Help Italy With Illegal Immigrants

By Marco Tistarelli Epoch Times Staff ROME—Illegal immigration and tragedies at sea will no longer be an Italian matter only. At least this is the intention of Brussels, supporting the efforts of the Italian ‘Mare Nostrum’ with the European programme ‘Frontex Plus’.

This is a humanitarian operation facing the current wave of illegal immigration towards Italian coasts, which is unusually huge.

Meetings are supposed to take place between Italian institutions and various European community agencies, especially with the European Agency for the Management of External Borders (Frontex). The problem to be solved is to reach a common action at the Mediterranean Sea, according to Michele Cercone, spokesperson of the EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmström.

“Summit meetings will cover the possibility of launching an operation ‘Frontex Plus’ for assisting Italy in its efforts to cope with the increasing migratory pressure and asylum seekers at the Mediterranean,” said the spokesperson, stating, however, that no binding decision has been taken yet.

The numbers involved are demanding.

According to the Italian Ministry for Home Affairs, since October 18 2013 – when the ‘Mare Nostrum’ was launched – about 120,000 people have been rescued, 4,000 just two weekends ago.

They landed on Italian territory, leading to the arrest of over 500 smugglers. The mere economic costs are not light. Aduc, one of the biggest Italian consumer’s association, estimated about €300,000 (S$490,000) a day, which means around €95 million (S$156,000) so far.

“Either Europe will deal with the

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AP Photo/Italian Navy

This dramatic situation at Europe’s sea borders demands urgent and concerted European action, including strengthened search-andrescue operations at the Mediterranean, ensuring that rescue measures are safe and incur minimal risks for those being rescued.

Melissa Fleming, UNHCR’s senior spokesperson immigration issue or Italy will have to take their own decisions,” Minister for Home Affairs Angelino Alfano tweeted.

He also claimed that illegal immigration as a result of escapes from war and persecution is not an Italian problem only.

However, unconfirmed reports submitted by an anonymous source in Brussels suggest that replacing the ‘Mare Nostrum’ programme with the European Frontex approach “is not an option, because there are neither funds nor the means”, reported the newspaper La Repubblica.

Illegal immigration from African countries at the Mediterrean Sea is also

Migrants wait to be boarded on the San Giusto Navy ship, along the Mediterranean sea, off the Sicilian island of Lampedusa, on Aug 23, 2014. Picture released by the Italian Navy on Aug 25, 2014.

a reality in Spain (14,800 people) and in Greece (1,100 people). But the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) recognises that the highest numbers are scored towards Italian coasts.

“This dramatic situation at Europe’s sea borders demands urgent and concerted European action, including strengthened

search-and-rescue operations at the Mediterranean, ensuring that rescue measures are safe and incur minimal risks for those being rescued,” UNHCR’s senior spokesperson Melissa Fleming told journalists in Geneva, adding that “this year, around 1,900 people lost their lives in an attempt to reach [European] soil”.

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Epoch Times

Jiang Zemin at Bay in Shanghai Xi Jinping preparing to take down former leader Feng Li/Getty Images

By Stephen Gregory Epoch Times Staff Jiang Zemin’s days are numbered. The man who dominated Chinese politics for more than two decades is now being investigated in his own backyard, the city of Shanghai.

That Communist Party leader Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption investigation team has set up shop in Shanghai has been widely reported. A brief notice on Aug 11 on the official website of the Shanghai Procuratorate, the department responsible for investigating and prosecuting crime, reveals that the investigation is proceeding in earnest.

Wang Zongnan, the chairman of Bright Food Group, was arrested for bribery and embezzlement. Those are the crimes that Wang, who is a very successful businessman, will be tried for, but his real offence is his close connection to former Chinese Communist Party head Jiang Zemin and Jiang’s son, Jiang Mianheng.

Shanghai was the launching pad for Jiang Zemin’s national political ambitions and has formed the base of his power.

Jiang served as the Party head of Shanghai from 1985 to 1989. Faced with a stubborn democracy movement in 1989, Deng was impressed with the heavy-handed way Jiang had dealt with the dissidents in Shanghai, while many other CCP leaders had stayed on the sidelines.

After removing General Secretary Zhao Ziyang from office because of his sympathy for the students, Deng brought Jiang Zemin to Beijing. Once in power, Jiang ruthlessly tracked down and punished dissidents who had escaped the tanks on the night of June 4.

After assuming control in Beijing, Jiang elevated formerly obscure cadres from Shanghai to positions of influence throughout the Party. They formed the core of a vast web of connections Jiang would use to dominate Chinese politics for more than 20 years.

Targeting Jiang Over the past 19 months, Chinese Communist Party head Xi Jinping, while carrying out a broad-based anticorruption campaign, has taken down Jiang’s top allies.

The climax of this campaign appeared to be the announcement on July 29 of a formal investigation of the former security czar Zhou Yongkang. The thought that Zhou’s fall would mark the end of Xi’s purge of the Party was quickly dispelled.

Immediately after the announcement

Over the past 19 months, Chinese Communist Party head Xi Jinping, while carrying out a broad-based anticorruption campaign, has taken down Jiang’s top allies.

Former Chinese Communist Party head Jiang Zemin attends the opening session of the 18th National Congress at the Great Hall of the People on Nov 8, 2012 in Beijing, China. At that Congress, Xi Jinping, who has pursued members of Jiang’s faction with corruption charges for 19 months, was installed.

about Zhou, CCP-mouthpiece People’s Daily published a commentary titled “Removing the Big Tiger Zhou Yongkang Is Not the End of the Anti-Corruption Movement”. The article pointed out that Zhou had to be appointed by higher ups. It is well known that Jiang Zemin promoted Zhou.

Although the article was quickly deleted, it stayed up just long enough for it to be copied and spread widely throughout the Chinese Internet.

In early August, Epoch Times reported that Jiang Zemin’s top advisor Zeng Qinghong was under arrest. If the anti-corruption campaign were to be something other than a mop-up operation, the next logical target was Jiang Zemin himself. The other big tigers had all been taken down.

The arrest of Wang Zongnan in midAugust makes Jiang look very vulnerable.

If Jiang cannot protect the Shanghaibased Wang from arrest, then he has been stripped of power in his innermost citadel. Xi has an open field before him to pursue Jiang Zemin.

If past is prologue, then just as the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection has done in thousands of

previous cases in other locales in China, it is now sweeping across Shanghai, building a case by working from the outside in. The Commission attacks those who are weakest, on the periphery, lets those targets expose the connections they have closer to the centre, and then proceeds step by step until the final objective is encircled and helpless.

‘Stalemate’ According to the state-run Xinhua news agency, 85,000 officials have been investigated in the past six months.

Yet, in spite of the vast scope of this campaign, at a June 26 meeting of the Politburo, Xi Jinping complained that the forces of corruption and anti-corruption were at a “stalemate”.

Four days later came an announcement that four high-ranking officials had been purged on the same day: the former top military leader Xu Caihou; former top oil executives Jiang Jiemen and Wang Yongchun; and Li Dongsheng, the deputy head of Public Security and head of the office charged with persecuting Falun Gong.

In spite of this dramatic move, Jiang’s faction appears to be continuing to resist.

Wu Fan, editor-in-chief of the USbased, Chinese-language magazine China Affairs, recently told NTDTV that the military continues to follow the now-retired Guo Boxiong, one of the individuals whom Jiang Zemin had appointed to run China’s armed forces.

“Some military regions, including the Guangzhou Military Region and Beijing Military Region, completely ignore Xi Jinping. They follow orders from Guo Boxiong and his team,” Wu Fan said.

The resistance by Guo fits a long pattern of the Jiang faction defying Party central.

For the ten years that Hu Jintao was the titular head of the CCP, there was a saying common in China: “An order never goes further than the gates of Zhongnanhai.”

Zhongnanhai is the CCP’s headquarters and leadership compound in Beijing.

In order for Xi to be known to be fully in charge, he needs to completely uproot the Jiang faction, which means taking down Jiang himself.

‘Life and death’ But Xi has an even stronger reason to pursue his campaign through to its conclusion: survival.

In his June 26 speech to the Politburo, Xi is reported to have said, “When it comes to struggling against corruption, life and death and reputation mean nothing to me.”

Xi learned before he was formally installed in the highest office in the Party that there were threats against his life. According to Party insiders, the discovery of a planned coup against Xi set in motion the campaign against Jiang Zemin and his faction.

After Chongqing’s police chief Wang Lijun sought asylum in the US Consulate in Chengdu in February 2012, he was turned over to Beijing. Party central then learned that Zhou Yongkang and Bo Xilai, the charismatic former head of Chongqing whom Jiang had once wanted

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NEWS & PERSPECTIVES

SEPTEMBER 5 – 18, 2014

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Feng Li/Getty Images

General Xu Caihou (R), then-Vice Chairman of the Communist Party of China’s Central Military Commission, talks with China’s Chongqing Municipality Communist Party Secretary Bo Xilai (L) during the opening ceremony of the National People’s Congress at the Great Hall of the People on March 5, 2012 in Beijing, China. Xu and Bo conspired to establish forced organ harvesting in Liaoning Province.

to make general secretary, intended to remove Xi soon after he took office.

The threats to Xi did not end with busting up that coup attempt. Epoch Times has reported that around the time of the Party leadership’s summer gathering at Beidaihe in 2013, Zhou Yongkang once attempted to assassinate Xi with a time bomb at a conference and on another occasion with a poisoned needle when Xi went to a hospital for a check-up.

On Aug 6, the US-based Chineselanguage World Journal reported widespread rumours in China’s military that Guo Boxiong was planning a coup.

Motive While Western media have begun to take more seriously the life and death character of the struggle between Xi and Jiang, standard accounts obscure the motive involved. They simply assume that CCP politics are at all times deadly.

It is clear that if Xi were to show weakness toward his enemies, he would be lost. But why did Jiang Zemin need to take Xi as his mortal enemy?

The answer to this question lies in the media’s blind spot in reporting on China: the persecution of Falun Gong.

Jiang Zemin conspired with Zhou Yongkang, Xu Caihou, Bo Xilai, Li Dongsheng, and other top-ranking CCP leaders to commit monstrous crimes against the Chinese people.

According to the press office for Falun Gong, the Falun Dafa Information Centre, at any one time, hundreds of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been detained since Jiang launched his campaign against them in July 1999.

That campaign has sought to uproot a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline

that was practised by 100 million Chinese in 1999, according to press reports at the time. It has thus set the regime at war against the conscience of one in 13 Chinese, treating as criminal their attempt to live according to the discipline’s principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance.

The practitioners detained by the regime have typically suffered torture and brainwashing. According to the Falun Gong website Minghui.org, 3,776 deaths from torture and abuse have been confirmed. Because of the difficulty of getting information out of China, the true number of such deaths is assumed to be several times higher.

In addition, practitioners have been targeted for forced organ harvesting.

In 2011, researchers David Kilgour and David Matas, the authors of the book “Bloody Harvest” investigating forced organ harvesting, and investigative journalist Ethan Gutmann, the author of “The Slaughter: Mass Killings, Organ Harvesting, and China’s Secret Solution to Its Dissident Problem”, estimated that in the years 2000-2008, 62,000 practitioners had been killed for their organs. That number is now likely to be tens of thousands higher.

Jiang Zemin and his faction fear Xi Jinping because he is not implicated in these crimes against humanity. There is the possibility that Xi could end the persecution. If he did so, the calls in China for holding those responsible would be overwhelming.

In order to avoid being held accountable, Jiang’s faction has sought by any means possible to regain power, which has meant trying to remove Xi. System of Corruption Xi was not the first CCP leader to use charges of corruption to strike at

his enemies, but in the case of the Jiang faction, this charge of corruption is more than a pretext. It targets a system of ruling.

Jiang Zemin is considered in China to be a buffoon, yet he managed to make himself the most powerful man in China for over 20 years. By enabling corruption at every level of the Party, Jiang bought the loyalty he could not inspire.

Commentators on Xi’s campaign often write about this corruption as though it were simply the way things are in the CCP. In doing so, they miss the gargantuan scale of Jiang’s corruption, which goes far beyond anything seen before.

The commentators also often write rather bloodlessly, missing the urgency this issue has for the Chinese people.

When the Chinese people think about corruption, they do not think first of all about gleaming Audis whizzing through the streets, pampered mistresses, or extravagant meals.

They think about living inside cancer villages. They think about tainted food, poisonous water, and unbreathable air.

They remember how the labour camp system was almost phased out before Jiang, and how under him it swelled to unprecedented size.

They see the “stability maintenance system”—developed by Zhou Yongkang

for use against Falun Gong practitioners— turned on those who protest having their farms and homes stolen from them.

The Chinese people also see a society without ethical moorings. They pass one horror story after another around on the Internet and ask themselves, how low can the moral life of their nation sink?

In these and an infinite number of other ways, Xi’s assault on corruption promises the Chinese people relief from their sorest grievances.

Taking Down Jiang The greatest symbol of vanquishing this rule by corruption will be taking down Jiang Zemin himself.

When the Party’s cadres see that Jiang Zemin is under Xi’s control, the web of influence Jiang spun around China will begin to dissolve.

Xi may hope the Chinese people will then rally to a purified CCP, but the moment has passed that the Chinese people’s belief in the Party could be revived.

Xi’s campaign will end an era, but a path to the future remains unclear.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Epoch Times.

NEWS & PERSPECTIVES

10 september 5 – 18, 2014

Epoch Times

crossing the culture gulf

A Country Where ‘You Know What’s Going On’ Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Images

Country continued from Page 1 A response of a similarly ambivalent tone was given earlier this year by the Political Consultative Conference’s media spokesperson, Lu Xinhua. When questioned by reporters about Zhou, Lu ended his brief reply with the words, “This is all I can say. You know what’s going on.”

“You know what’s going on”, or “ni dongde”, is now a popular phrase among Chinese netizens.

It is an informal expression of common tacit knowledge between parties. However, the use of such informal and equivocal language by the government’s official voices is lamentable.

The presence of such public discourse is also symptomatic of a lack of open and transparent government in the country.

First of all, such an ambiguous response – “You know what’s going on” – is an adroit evasion of responsibility. Even though it confirms our tacit understandings, officials can avoid all accountability for their statements as they have ultimately confirmed nothing; the final message is completely subject to our own interpretations and conjectures.

More troubling is the regime’s cavalier attitude towards its citizens’ requests for information.

Governments often withhold sensitive information for legitimate reasons, but such a casual and ambivalent response on

In China, rumours, hearsay and other unofficial sources of information are often the primary sources of information for the people.

an official occasion demonstrates an undermining and disregard for the citizen’s basic right to information.

Last but not least, “You know what’s going on” is also an implicit acknowledgement and confirmation of information attained from rumours and other informal sources. In a regime notorious for its lack of transparency, rumours, hearsay and other unofficial sources of information are often the primary sources of information for the people. Where information is a privilege, not an entitlement, Chinese citizens are often forced to gather information from their own unofficial channels and sources, and then discern and analyse them before they can be adequately informed of the contemporary state of affairs. To

an external observer, the word “rumour” may carry all the connotations of unreliability and frivolity, but in China, rumours often carry greater currency than official news. Not only are they readily available, but they are also sometimes more accurate.

There was an incident a few years ago that vividly showed me the potency of rumours in a country devoid of transparency and trust in the regime. It was the aftermath of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan.

There was a rumour going around the northern regions in mainland China that the leaked nuclear radiation would pollute the surrounding seawater and the edible salt made from it. I could see people sending parcels of salt to their hometowns while I was still groggy from sleep that morning.

In a country where there is a scarcity of reliable information, rumour gains currency, and it is often safer to believe than to ignore. This has been a painful lesson taught to the Chinese people time and again in recent history.

When I finally caught wind of the rumour, the supermarkets had been emptied of all salt, and street vendors were selling salt at 20 times its usual price.

In stark contrast, the social order in Japan remained impeccable despite it being the epicentre of the incident. A friend of mine reasoned that the contrast stemmed from the bad habits innate in our race and culture. But I think that the true reason is not that the Chinese people love to spread rumours.

In a country where there is a scarcity of reliable information, rumour gains currency, and it is often safer to believe than to ignore. This has been a painful lesson taught to the Chinese people time and again in recent history.

When the authorities said that there would not be an earthquake, countless lives perished in the

2008 earthquake in Szechuan.

When the authorities said that food was safe, dozens of children died drinking toxic milk powder.

A running joke in China is that the only reliable information provided by state media CCTV’s News Simulcast is the date. Under such circumstances, Chinese citizens have little choice but to act upon rumours, be they true or false.

Most would rather suffer a little monetary loss and inconvenience than to place their own lives in danger.

In a society bereft of reliable news and information, effective and honest communication between the government and people is what China needs to restore public confidence and trust. According to an ancient Chinese saying, “Rumours do not spread beyond people of intellect.”

But as a more modern version of the saying goes, “Rumours do not spread beyond people who know the truth.”

Frank Lee is a Chinese immigrant.

During his stay in Singapore, Frank experiences a great contrast between the social and cultural conditions of Singapore and those of China. He finds this contrast fascinating and illuminating, and has graciously volunteered to share his reflections with The Epoch Times.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Epoch Times.

More than Music with Pianist Abigail Sin Pianist continued from Page 5 How do you get your mind prepared right before a performance?

I’m a Christian, so I pray and remind myself that it’s really not about me and my abilities nor what I’ve worked for. Musically, I need to have a solid plan for each piece and certain key ideas to focus on. It can be a catchphrase or a rhythmic hook or harmonic goal points. I do pre-performance performances for my colleagues, so I get used to feeling nervous and understand what I tend to do when under stress.

What are the differences be-

tween the music scene in Europe as compared to the music scene in Singapore? In your opinion, how can we cultivate an appreciation for classical music among Singaporeans?

The music scene in Singapore has a lot of potential because of the availability of government funding for the arts and also because of the sheer number of school children who are exposed to classical music through individual lessons, school CCAs and concerts. I think it comes down to education and presenting classical music in an engaging and relatable manner.

We need to convince people that classical music can be a relevant and vibrant force in society and is

something that should be valued.

Why did you form the group More than Music?

More Than Music aims to present world-class classical music performances to audiences in a more accessible and enjoyable way. We wanted to challenge the stereotype of the boring and stuffy classical music concert, break down the formal barriers separating performers and audiences and introduce new audiences to the music that we are so passionate about.

In More Than Music concerts, the performers share candid, personal stories and even crack jokes about the lives of the composers, the music we have chosen and

what it means to us. More Than Music concerts feel more like a big house party, rather than a traditional recital.

How is working with violinist Loh Jun Hong like?

Jun Hong and I have been friends since our early teens. I’m proud to be working with him and I think we have a lot of respect for each other musically and personally.

What advice would you give to young pianists and young musicians about pursuing a career in music?

I think it’s important for young musicians to love what they do and to know why they’re doing it.

You will begin doctoral studies at the Royal Academy of Music in September 2014. Are you excited?

Yes, I am excited to start doctoral studies in September and I am honoured to have received the prestigious Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship for my studies. I was actually accepted to both Cambridge University and the Royal Academy of Music, so I had a very difficult decision to make!

My doctoral project is on the piano music of the American composer Charles Griffes. I’m fascinated by how Griffes constructed his artistic identity, harnessing an eclectic range of influences from Scottish poetry to Japanese the-

NEWS & PERSPECTIVES

Epoch Times

atre, and how he negotiated shifting political and social trends as a young composer in New York at the turn of the 20th century.

Tell us about your future projects or plans in your music career.

More Than Music has a few more concerts planned for 2014/15. Our next concert is called Play! and it will be held on 9 September 2014

at the Esplanade Recital Studio.

I will be returning to Singapore for other performances such as ChildAid this December and the Asian Contemporary Ensemble’s gala concert in March 2015.

I will also be curating and performing a series of concerts and lecture recitals over the next few years to complement my doctoral research. I hope to build a portfolio career that embraces my

various interests including solo performance, chamber music, contemporary music, research and education.

Other than piano, do you have other hobbies?

I love reading fiction and biographies. And I’ve been swimming a lot this summer!

More Than Music is staging its

third concert PLAY! at the Esplanade Recital Studio. Share and connect with pianist Abigail Sin and violinists Loh Jun Hong and Gabriel Ng on September 9 at 7.30pm. To book a ticket for this memorable evening, visit http://www.sistic.com.sg/events/ play0914 For more information about Abigail Sin, visit http://www.abigailsin.com/

september 5 – 18, 2014 11

THIS IS SINGAPORE This Is Singapore is a forthnightly feature that delves into the life of an inspiring and talented individual in Singapore. See all our insightfuls interviews of inspiring individuals here: http://bit.do/thisissingapore

NINE COMMENTARIES It was famously said that Communist regimes turned mass crime into a full blown system of government. Each of them has received its just verdict in history – all but the Communist Party of China which has persisted to this day.

The “Nine Commentaries” is an award winning editorial series that offers a vivid and perceptive account of the CCP from its inception to the present. By unmasking its perversion, Nine Commentaries seek to recall the Chinese people and the world from the slumber of ignorance and inaction.

Thus far, the series first published in November 2004 has led more than 170 million Chinese to renounce the CCP and its affiliations, trailblazing a massive yet peaceful movement for China’s transformation and change.

Lenin said, “The easiest way to take a fortress is from within.” The CCP’s political campaign against religion was an exemplification of this infiltration technique.

The CCP infiltrate religions directly by installing its members to positions of religious authority. It may seem strange to have members of the CCP, a militant atheist organisation, participating in and directing religious affairs, but this is a calculated move to destroy religions thoroughly by subverting their very doctrines and teachings.

Religious discipline is core to Buddhism.

In 1952, CCP members masquerading as Buddhists proposed to abolish these religious disciplines and that “adherents should be free to wed, drink alcohol and consume meat in the spirit of freedom”.

Reverent Xuyun who resisted the proposal

A 8th century stone carving of Prince Siddhartha shaving his hair and becoming an ascetic in Borobudur Temple, Indonesia. Prince Siddhartha abandoned a lavish life of princehood and found enlightenment under a pipal tree. His teachings later formed the essence of Buddhist Ethics and Buddhism.

was labelled as a “Counter Revolutionary”. He was imprisoned and viciously beaten.

In another instance, Wu Yaozong, the founder of the Three-Self Church, a protestant church in China was also a member of the Political Consultation standing committee. A good friend of his was imprisoned and tortured for two decades for refusing to join the Three-Self. When he asked Wu Yaozong, “How do you regard the miracles Jesus performed?” Wu answered, “I have abandoned all of them.”

Commentary 6: On How the Communist Party Destroyed Traditional Culture

http://goo.gl/yQ2Jox

Quitting the Chinese Communist Party

176,204,981

people have renounced the CCP as of September 3, 2014.

Read more of this groundbreaking editorial series at:

www.NineCommentaries.com

Thousands of Chinese people are quitting on public walls and poles, or writing on the Chinese Communist Party and its af- banknotes. filiate organisations every day through a Read the full “Nine Commentaries” book, special website established by The Epoch as well as recent statements from ChiTimes. Others are quitting by calling an nese people who have quit the Party, at international hotline, posting statements www.theepochtimes.com

12 SEPTEMBER 5 – 18, 2014

Epoch Times

BUSINESS & PROPERTY

www.TheEpochTimes.com

The Lost Art of Loyalty

By Song Woo Career Corner Early on in my career, I was in a management trainee programme for a sales organisation I worked for at the time and one of the managers truly took an interest in helping me develop.

He was the first real mentor I had. I learned a lot about leadership and management from him. He used a lot of quotes to hammer in his points to me and one of the quotes I’ll never forget is something renowned film producer Samuel Goldwyn once said, “I’ll take fifty percent efficiency to get one hundred percent loyalty.”

My mentor always stressed that loyalty is a lost trait and that if I demonstrate loyalty to whoever I report to or work for, I’ll always have a leg up. To me, I didn’t see that as an issue because I’ve always been a loyal person, even to a fault. I owe a lot of my success

to all the managers and mentors that have helped me along the way. The main reason they kept helping me was because I was loyal to them.

Being in a position of leadership now, that quote resonates even more to me than ever before.

Loyalty is a two-way street.

Look at it this way: why should your boss devote time and resources to you if you haven’t demonstrated that you are a loyal employee? You might be saying to yourself, “Well, I show up to work every day, isn’t that demonstrating my loyalty?”

No, that’s not enough. You are not the only one showing up to work and getting paid. If you truly want to get ahead and advance your career, you need to do more. Every executive I’ve ever spoken to has loyalty at or near the top of the list when it comes to why they would ever want someone in their inner circle and promote them.

My advice to anyone at a crossroad in their current situation

GETTY IMAGES

Every working relationship in business will get tested at some point in time.

would be to have an open and honest discussion with their manager. Don’t whine and moan to your peers, this never helps the situation.

Have these conversations with your manager no matter how difficult it may be; believe it or not it will strengthen your relationship.

Complaining to your peers will

have the opposite effect. Don’t be naïve and assume your peers care more about your career than your boss. They don’t, they’re just easier to talk to because of the dynamics of your relationship.

Loyalty isn’t easy. In fact, it’s very hard.

Every working relationship in business will get tested at some point in time. Those are the

times when your loyalty will be tested. It’s easy to be loyal when everything is hunky-dory. However, we are talking about the real world. Nothing stays the same.

You are going to hit rough patches and it’s easy to jump ship when things get tough. There are going to be times when the grass may seem greener on the other side. It’s human nature. Before you decide on a path of no return (and I’m not talking about just quitting), you should really think things through because your actions or behaviour will indicate if you are loyal or not.

Don’t let your career stall by inadvertently signalling the wrong sign to your boss. To get ahead, your boss needs to be able to trust you and your loyalty.

Even if you are performing at a high level, if your boss doesn’t trust you, you can only go so far.

Demonstrate hundred percent efficiency with a hundred percent loyalty and you’ll conquer the world. I think even Samuel Goldwyn would agree with that.

Biotech Sector Rebounds: Earnings Forecasts Are Rosy, but Valuations Have Plateaued Spencer Platt/Getty Images

have high growth potential that is similar to a smaller technology company, as well as experienced management and infrastructure befitting a large blue-chip firm.

By Antonio Perez Epoch Times Staff The biotechnology sector is booming. Biotech stocks have experienced a strong rebound this summer following a collapse earlier in the year.

The Nasdaq Biotechnology index reached a high of 2,854 points on Feb. 25. Over the next seven weeks, the index tumbled about 21 percent, reaching a low in mid-April. The collapse mirrored a similar decline in the wider technology and Internet sector during the same time period.

In August, the index has rallied 10 percent. And since mid-April, at its 2014 nadir, the index has rebounded almost 29 percent.

The index hit a record high early last week, but has since declined slightly.

Gains Driven by Larger Players Investors have snapped up shares of biotech firms over the

World headquarters of Pfizer Inc. in Manhattan

summer, especially its more bluechip representatives.

The recent surge is mainly driven by Amgen (Nasdaq: AMGN), which has gone up 20 percent in the last three months, Gilead Sciences Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD) which is up 31 percent over the last three months, and Celgene Corp. (Nasdaq: CELG) which increased 24 percent in the same period.

Gilead is the largest component of the index, and in July announced exceedingly positive quarterly earnings and revenues, mainly on the backs of its hepatitis C drug Sovaldi.

Traditionally, investors are drawn to biotech for a few reasons. It is the fastest growing field in pharmaceutical sciences, and many of the larger players

High Valuation?

This spring’s decline for the sector followed last year’s rally that left many biotech firms overvalued.

But while future earnings forecasts are rosy, we have approached that plateau again in terms of valuation. The Nasdaq Biotechnology Index is currently trading at 8.6 times sales and 42 times future earnings, many times higher than the S&P 500 average. This makes the sector expensive.

However, analysts are generally unconcerned due to expected demand for new drugs and expected Initial Public Oferrings (IPO) and consolidation in the sector.

Two closely watched biotech IPOs will happen later this year: Dermira and Rhythm Pharmaceuticals.

Dermira targets skin diseases and is known for the drug Cimzia for treating psoriasis. The company closed US$51 million in Series C financing on Aug. 19, from a consortium of investors including Bay City Capital and Canaan Partners. Dermira seeks to raise US$75 million in an IPO later this year.

Boston-based Rhythm Pharmaceuticals is seeking US$86 million in a public offering. The company is engaged in developing remedies for obesity, diabetes, and other gastrointestinal disorders. Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. currently owns 10 percent of the company from US$8 million invested in 2012.

In addition to the aforementioned companies, investors can gain broader biotech exposure from the following exchangetraded funds (ETFs): iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF (Nasdaq: IBB), Market Vectors Biotech ETF (NYSE: BBH), and Dynamic Biotech & Genome ETF (NYSE: PBE).

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SEPTEMBER 5 – 18, 2014 13

14 SEPTEMBER 5 – 18, 2014

BUSINESS & PROPERTY

Epoch Times

Singapore Property Demand Q2 2014 DTZ Research

Transactional overview This report provides an update on the profiles of the buyers of private residential properties in Singapore in both the primary and secondary markets in Q2 2014. The demand analysis is based on caveats lodged for both primary and secondary sales. Secondary sales refer to both resales and sub-sales.

Transactions of private homes, proxied by caveats lodged, increased by 55% q-o-q in Q2 to 3,836 units from 2,471 units in Q1. The caveats comprised 1,527 units sold in the secondary market and 87% (2,309 units) of the 2,665 units sold by developers (Figure 2). The total of 6,307 units that were transacted in H1 was 54% lower year-on-year (y-o-y), reflecting the impact of the Total Debt Servicing Ratio (TDSR) framework.

In Q2, the 2,309 units sold in the primary market represented a q-o-q increase of 65%. These made up 60% of sales for the quarter, compared to Q1 where this proportion was lower at 57%. This increase was largely due to a spike in launches in May, which correspondingly resulted in more transactions in the primary market in that particular month.

Similarly, the number of resale and sub-sale transactions rose by 46% and 20% q-o-q respectively to 1,374 and 153 units in Q2. While activity in the secondary market in Q2 could have been somewhat buoyed by the increase in transactions in the primary market, buying momentum remained fairly consistent for the quarter. Approximately 500 units were transacted each month between April and June.

Purchaser Address Higher proportion of buyers with public housing (HDB) addresses Within the non-landed residential market, the proportion of buyers with HDB addresses increased by 3.0 percentagepoints q-o-q to 52% (1,842 units) in Q2. Buyers with private addresses accounted for

48% (1,702) of these units. This was the first quarter since Q1 2012, after the Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty (ABSD) was first introduced, that buyers with HDB addresses accounted for a higher share of non-landed private home purchases (Figure 3).

The share of non-landed private home purchases by buyers with HDB addresses has increased consistently over the past three quarters. This was in spite of falling HDB resale prices, which would have impacted upgrader demand amongst HDB addressees.

However, some buyers with HDB addresses could have been tempted to enter the private residential market with the fall in prices. This could be the case for some HDB addressees looking for value buys for investment, thereby supporting the increase in transactions by HDB addressees.

Buyers with HDB addresses dominate new home sales Buyers with HDB addresses are typically more active in the primary market. This trend

is likely due to the locality of new launches each period. The bulk of launches over the past few years have been concentrated in the suburban areas, also known as the areas ‘outside the central region’ (OCR), which are in close proximity to public housing estates. A significant portion of the demand for these new launches in the OCR is usually from residents in nearby public housing estates looking to upgrade to a private property. In 2012 and 2013, 70% and 57% respectively of all units launched were in the OCR, while in H1 2014 alone, this proportion was 65%.

However, the proportion of private home purchases directly from developers by HDB addressees has steadily decreased from 76% in H1 2013 to 72% in H1 2014 (Table 1).

Nonetheless, buyers with HDB addresses continued to contribute to the bulk of the sales at new launches within the OCR in Q2. New sales at Coco Palms saw the largest proportion of buyers with HDB addresses, where 336 out of the 488 units (69%) transacted in

Q2 were bought by HDB addressees. Similarly, 67% (126 units), 60% (141 units) and 59% (38 units) respectively of the units transacted at Lakeville, Commonwealth Towers and Waterfront @ Faber in Q2 were bought by buyers with HDB addresses (Figure 4). At the freehold development The Sorrento, the proportion of purchases by buyers with HDB addresses was only marginally higher at 52%.

Buyer’s Profile Fall in share of nonSingaporean purchases After falling for three consecutive quarters, the share of private home purchases by Singa-

poreans increased to 74% in Q2.

This represents a turnaround from Q1 2014 when their share of private home purchases fell to 70%, the lowest ratio since Q4 2011 (Figure 5). As the share of private home purchases by Singaporeans increased in Q2, the share of private home purchases by Singaporean Permanent Residents (PRs) and foreigners decreased correspondingly.

Among the non-Singaporeans, Malaysian and mainland Chinese buyers were equally active in Q2, each constituting 30% of private home sales. Indonesian and Indian buyers each took up 106 units, for an equal share of 11% and were tied as the third largest group of non-Singapo-

Epoch Times

rean buyers in Q2. For the Indian buyers, this was the largest number of transactions seen since the implementation of the TSDR in June 2013 (Figure 6).

Share of Indonesian purchases reach a historical low While Indonesian private home purchases increased 25% q-o-q in Q2, the 11% share was the lowest proportion accounted for by Indonesian buyers since data was first collected in 1995. Their share of private home purchases has fallen consistently from 20% since the beginning of 2013 when the ABSD rates were raised across the board for Singaporeans, PRs and foreigners.

Historically, unlike the other three nationalities, the bulk of purchases by Indonesians have been by those with foreign residential status. These buyers would have been affected by the hike in the ABSD rates in January 2013, which was raised from 10% to 15% for all foreigners. Another possible reason for the loss in the share of Indonesian buyers could be due to the recent uptick in the Indonesian property market. Over the past year, the Jakarta residential market has performed much better than Singapore, with average prices rising by more than 20%.

Furthermore, the quality of developments in the country has also improved, with many high-end residences available in the capital city. Following the recent presidential election, Indonesia is expected to become more business-friendly and that has also improved confidence in the country.

On the other hand, the majority of buyers from mainland China, Malaysia and India are those that hold PR status in Singapore. In the first half of 2014, 92% of the purchases by Indian buyers were by those that held a PR status. For mainland Chinese and Malaysians, the respective proportions of buyers with PR status were 58% and 82% in H1 (Figure 7).

Price Analysis Bulk of units transacted in H1 less than $1.0m In Q2, 1,450 private residential homes were transacted at prices below $1.0m, bringing the total number of purchases below $1.0m in H1 to 2,479 units. This represented 39%

BUSINESS & PROPERTY of all transactions in H1 2014, higher than the 33% share for the whole of 2013 (Figure 8).

About 80% (1,981) of these units were transacted in the primary market.

Stronger price sensitivity among non-Singaporeans Across the different nationalities, the trend towards purchases with a lower quantum was more pronounced for the nonSingaporean buyer groups. In H1, 38% (1,757 units) of Singaporean private home purchases were below $1.0m, while this proportion was much higher at 46% (636 units) for the top four groups of non-Singaporean buyers.

Between H2 2013 and H1 2014, the proportion of private home purchases below $1.0m by the top four groups of nonSingaporean buyers rose by a stronger 12.0 percentagepoints, compared to the 8.0 percentage-point increase for Singaporean buyers (Figure 9).

In addition, the proportion of private home purchases above $2.0m by the top four groups of non-Singaporean buyers decreased 8.0 percentage-points to 13% in H1 2014. In contrast, the share for this price bracket remained constant for Singaporean purchases. This suggests that the impact of the ABSD and TDSR framework is stronger for the non-Singaporean buyer groups, clipping their purchasing power, as a larger proportion of their purchases have shifted towards units with a smaller price quantum.

Most non-Singaporean buyers grow conservative but Indian buyers stay resilient Across the top four groups of non-Singaporean buyers, the trend towards units at a lower quantum was evident across most nationalities, but was strongest for Malaysian and Indonesian buyers.

For Malaysian buyers, the proportion of transactions that were below $1.0m increased by 17.0 percentage-points between H2 2013 and H1 2014, while correspondingly the share of units transacted above $1.0m decreased significantly. Similarly, the share of private home purchases below $1.0m by Indonesian buyers increased 14.0 percentage-points on a half yearly basis to 31% in H1 2014, while the share of private home purchases above $2.0m fell

SEPTEMBER 5 – 18, 2014 15

from 37% in H2 2013 to 20% in H1 2014 (Figure 10).

Nonetheless, the proportion of private home purchases above $2.0m in H1 was still the highest amongst Indonesian buyers, compared to the other top groups of non-Singaporean buyers.

As observed last quarter, buying patterns of Indonesians have changed as demand has shifted away from their historically favoured districts of 9, 10 and 11. Consequently, in Q2, Indonesian buyers bought only 28 units in the traditional prime districts of 9, 10 and 11.

Separately, Indian buyers have resisted the overall trend towards units with a smaller quantum, with a similar proportion of units below $1.0m purchased across H2 2013 and H1 2014. At the same time, 17% of their private home purchases remained above $2.0m in H1 2014, unchanged from H2 2013. In Q2, the postal districts which saw the greatest activity by Indian buyers were districts 18 and 15, with 18 and 21 units transacted respectively.

Outlook For the rest of the year, given the weak sentiment and expectation of further price declines, transaction activity is likely to remain tepid.

As Minister Khaw Boon Wan reiterated in Parliament on August 4, it remains “premature to relax property cooling measures� at this stage. Potential buyers are likely to continue to wait on the sidelines while foreign demand may fall further as investors look to other sectors or countries with a rosier outlook. Furthermore, seasonal factors and cultural festivals such as the Hungry Ghost Festival in Q3 will also keep buying interest at bay.

Nevertheless, compared to the secondary market, demand in the primary market is expected to hold up better as developers have more options to promote projects strategically and creatively to entice buyers.

As the past quarter has shown, projects that are well located and priced affordably should continue to see moderately healthy interest going forward.

However, as the pool of potential buyers narrows and with financing capabilities still of concern, impressive sales rates such as those seen in the pre-TDSR periods are unlikely. In addi-

tion, as the number of unsold units in launched projects continues to increase, developers are likely to proceed with caution, and some may cut prices to improve their sales rate.

Going forward, developers are expected to launch projects selectively, or in phases, to test market reaction. Launches for the full year of 2014 are thus expected to come in below 10,000 units.

In the secondary market, while some sellers have set more realistic price expectations, others that are not under pressure to sell may hold off until market conditions are more sanguine.

In the same vein, given the cautious attitude of buyers and amidst the prospect of further price declines, transaction activity will continue to remain weak in H2. The total transaction volume for 2014 is likely to fall far short of the annual average recorded in the past 5 years, which was buoyed by the global flows of easy liquidity upon recovery from the Global Financial Crisis (GFC). Instead, transaction volume is likely to be comparable to the levels seen in the pre-GFC period, which could be viewed as a healthy correction for the residential market, assuming economic conditions do not change.

16 SEPTEMBER 5 – 18, 2014

Epoch Times

TECHNOLOGY & SCIENCE

www.TheEpochTimes.com

Why Nurture Is Just as Important as Nature for Understanding Genetics Nurture Continued from Page 1 One of the most striking findings from genetics research is that the influence of genes is not fixed. Even though our DNA sequence remains the same, the impact our genes have on us can alter with age and with the different environments we experience. Epigenetics, where the environment can change the expression of a gene without changing DNA, is only a small part of a whole field of science looking at changes in heritability due to interactions between genes and environment.

For example, we know that the importance of genetic influences for body weight increases as we get older.

Genetic variation accounts for 48% of the differences between people in early childhood, but by adolescence, this rises to 78%. These estimated figures, from a study of thousands of twins in the Twins Early Development Study, have now been confirmed using analyses of DNA. In fact, we see increasing heritability with age for many other human characteristics, such as IQ, where the importance of genes increases from 41% in early childhood to nearly 66% by young adulthood.

Drawing Out Genetic Potential One of the main mechanisms behind the increasing role of genetics as we get older is choice: we have more control over what we are exposed to.

We can choose whether to have a doughnut for lunch, whether to visit the library, or whether to cycle to work.

These environments do not just happen to us. To some extent, we control, select and create our experiences and exposures.

And because our genes can influence these choices too, we find ourselves in places and situations that in a sense draw out our genetic potential.

Nature and nurture are both important.

We must be just as ambitious about understanding nurture as we are about understanding nature, because only by joining the two will we see the full picture.

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Our recent work tells us that the importance of genes and environments on childhood behaviour varies depending on where we grow up, shown in a series of UK maps of genetic and environmental influences for 45 childhood traits. For example, environmental influences were more important for disruptive classroom behaviour in London, compared to the rest of the UK. The challenge now is to try and understand what in the environment can create these geographically distributed effects, because for this analysis at least, we know that genetic differences cannot explain these differing patterns.

The interplay between nature and nurture means that identifying which genes and which environments are having an effect is difficult, turning an already complex system that links DNA with human behaviour into a network of genetic and environmental pathways and intersections.

But if we are to understand the mechanisms behind these effects, and to develop ways of preventing disease or promoting better outcomes or

Same but different

behaviours, we will have to get to grips with it.

One of the simpler examples is phenylketonuria, a disease where a defective variant of a gene means patients are not able to break down the protein phenylalanine, which builds up to toxic levels that affect brain development. Only by understanding the interaction between the gene and the presence of this protein in our diets were researchers able to identify an effective treatment for a genetic disease: removing this protein from what affected children eat.

The diet is difficult to stick to, but it shows that it is sometimes possible to overcome genetic disease by changing the environment.

More complex disorders that are influenced by many genes and many environments will of course need more complex interventions, and will probably have complicated mechanisms for us to unravel. But focusing on genetics alone means we will not fully understand these systems or processes.

The influence of genes is not fixed.

Even though our DNA sequence remains the same, the impact our genes have on us can alter with age and with the different environments we experience.

Wikimedia Commons

Identifying which genes influence disease is important, but it is just the first step. As we invest more in genetic research, we need to keep context in mind too. We should invest just as heavily in new methods for tracking and analysing behaviour, environments and health outcomes to the same degree of detail as we are now studying DNA. And that includes remaining openminded about initiatives such as the NHS’s care.data, which would allow researchers access to more detailed information about our health outcomes.

The past 15 years have seen unprecedented and unexpected

advances in genetic science.

We should not underestimate the parallel advances we will make by understanding environmental influences and the way they interact with our genetic makeup. Nature and nurture are both important.

We must be just as ambitious about understanding nurture as we are about understanding nature, because only by joining the two will we see the full picture.

Claire Haworth has received funding from the UK MRC, ESRC and the British Academy.

This article was originally published on The Conversation.

Epoch Times

TECHNOLOGY & SCIENCE

SEPTEMBER 5 – 18, 2014 17

Will Hydrogen Cars Finally Hit the Road?

John Lloyd/Flickr

By Kat Kerlin UC Davis A number of factors are converging to make hydrogen fuel cell vehicles more attractive to investors and consumers, according to a new report.

“We seem to be tantalisingly close to the beginning of a hydrogen transition,” says Joan Ogden, professor of environmental science at the University of California, Davis, and lead author of the study. “The next three to four years will be critical for determining whether hydrogen vehicles are just a few years behind electric vehicles, rather than decades.”

Odgen and colleagues say that new strategies for developing fuel station infrastructure, falling costs for fuel cell vehicle and hydrogen station components, a new array of sporty hydrogen cars about to come to market from major car makers, and ample low-cost natural gas for making hydrogen are creating more favourable conditions.

Automakers have spent more than US$9 billion (S$11.2 billion) on fuel cell development. Toyota, whose fuel cell vehicles are set to hit the market next year, is investing in hydrogen fuelling infrastructure in California.

Fuelling Stations Having sufficient hydrogen fuelling locations has been a major challenge. It’s a “chicken or egg” dilemma where automakers are reluctant to market cars without infrastructure, and station providers are reluctant to build stations without cars.

Recently, however, regional public-private partnerships are emerging to develop smart, comprehensive build-out strategies in different locations around the globe.

The researchers calculated that a targeted regional investment of US$100-US$200 million (S$124.9-S$249.8 million) in support of 100 stations for about 50,000 FCVs would be enough to make hydrogen cost-competitive with gasoline on a cost-per-mile basis. This level of investment is poised to happen in at least three places: California, Germany, and Japan.

California and Toyota In California, the state recently

awarded US$46 million (S$57.4 million) to build 28 hydrogen fuel stations. Hyundai is leasing its Tucson FCVs to select consumers, while several other car makers—Honda, Toyota, BMW, Nissan, and Daimler—expect to have production vehicles on the road in the next few years.

Toyota, whose fuel cell vehicles are set to hit the market next year, is also investing in hydrogen fuelling infrastructure in the state.

“In many respects, hydrogen fuel cell cars offer consumer value similar or superior to today’s gasoline cars,” Ogden says. “The technology readily enables large vehicle size, a driving range of 300 to 400 miles (483 to 633 kilometres), and a fast refuelling time of three to five minutes.

“Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles could help us achieve a low carbon future—without compromising consumer expectations. Along with plug-in electric and efficient internal combustion en gine vehicles, hydrogen is an important part of a portfolio approach to sustainable transportation.”

For California, having hydro-

gen as part of the fuel mix could be integral to the state reaching its twin goals of 1.5 million zeroemission vehicles on the road by 2025 and an 80 percent reduction below 1990 levels of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Hydrogen FCVs are increasingly seen as a critical technology for reaching long-term climate goals, with the potential for capturing a major fraction of the world’s “light duty” passenger car fleet by 2050.

However, the hydrogen transition is anything but certain.

“Hydrogen faces a range of challenges, from economic to societal, before it can be implemented as a large scale transportation fuel,” Ogden says.

“The question isn’t whether fuel cell vehicles are technically ready: they are. But how do you build confidence in hydrogen’s future for investors, fuel suppliers, automakers, and, of course, for consumers?”

Source: UC Davis. Republished from Futurity.org under Creative Commons Licence 3.0.

18 SEPTEMBER 5 – 18, 2014

TECHNOLOGY & SCIENCE

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BEYOND SCIENCE

Out-of-Body Experiences: 3 Scientific Studies, Next Steps Thinkstock

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A concept image of an out-of-body experience

A file image of a brain, captured via MRI

By Tara MacIsaac Epoch Times Staff The universe is full of mysteries that challenge our current knowledge. In “Beyond Science”, Epoch Times collects stories about these strange phenomena to stimulate the imagination and open up previously undreamed of possibilities. Are they true?

You decide.

New research is underway at Nottingham Trent University in the UK to further understand out-of-body experiences (OBEs).

The research especially aims at getting a better idea of the varied forms of OBEs and the meanings they hold for the diverse people who have them.

An OBE is generally defined as an experience in which a person has the temporary sensation of being separated from his or her physical body. But the circumstances surrounding the experiences and the accompanying sensations vary.

Dr David Wilde, a lecturer at Nottingham Trent University’s school of social sciences in the UK, said in a University news release: “The features that characterise the out-of-body experience are also quite rich and varied, but have been typically ignored in modern research in favour of a slimmed down set of ‘core’ characteristics.”

Dr Wilde’s surveys are more detailed than those used in many previous studies and his study includes a process of weeding out “other similar hallucinatory experiences that could be mistaken for an out-of-body experience”. The online questionnaire closed on August 14, though there will be more rounds of data collection coming up.

Here’s a look at two other interesting studies that have been conducted on OBEs: Scanning the Brain At the University of Ottawa in Canada, researchers conducted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on the brain of a woman during what is described in the

published study as an “extracorporeal experience”. They avoided the term “out-of-body experience” because they felt this term includes an emotional agitation and some other characteristics not included in her experience.

This woman, a 24-year-old psychology graduate student, said she had been able to leave her body and interact with the outside world in an extra-corporeal form since childhood.

Able to enter such a state at will, she did so while undergoing the MRI. The researchers, Andra M. Smith and Claude Messier, measured her brain activity during the experience.

They saw an activation of parts of the left side of the brain that overlap with the temporal parietal junction, a part of the brain that relates to self-awareness and that is often associated with OBEs. They also saw parts of the brain activated that are activated when someone imagines moving around. The imagined sensation of movement is known as kinaesthetic imagery.

Smith and Messier wrote: “The ECE [extra-corporeal experience] in the present study activated the left side of several areas associated with kinaesthetic imagery and was associated with a strong deactivation of the

visual cortex. This suggests that her experience really was a novel one, with a strong kinaesthetic component. This was a healthy young woman with no brain abnormalities, thus providing a window into the brain during non-pathological, self-elicited ECE.” They noted that this was the first study of a person who could have such an experience on demand and without any brain abnormalities.

The woman’s brain activity during the ECE did show some key differences when compared to her brain activity during imagined movement. For example, she was asked to imagine herself doing jumping jacks. The researchers compared her brain activity during this imagined movement with the activity displayed as she moved around during her ECE. The activations were less extensive when she imagined the action than when she was in her ECE. During the ECE, it was also mainly the left side of the brain that was activated, whereas with imagined movement, the activations were in both sides.

More studies must be done to increase the statistical data related to these experiences, the authors noted, as this study focused on a single case. Interest-

ingly, they also noted in their closing remarks that, “the ability might be present in infancy but … lost without regular practice”.

Their study was published in the journal Frontiers in February.

Woman Leaves Her Body, Looks at Number on a Shelf, Reports Correctly Dr Charles Tart, professor emeritus of psychology at the University of California–Davis, performed one of the most famous studies on OBEs. He tested a woman, whom he referred to in the study as Miss Z, by placing a number on a shelf above the bed on which she slept. He watched her as she slept to insure she did not physically get up and look at the number.

The 5-digit number was randomly selected after she had gone to sleep, and it was brought into the room in an opaque envelope. Miss Z reported having left her body while lying on the bed and having floated up to look at the number. She correctly stated the number as it was written on the paper.

Dr Tart and his collaborators tried to think of ways she may have done this without parapsychological means. The most plausible explanation wasn’t very plausible.

They thought the number may

have been reflected on a clock face, the only reflective surface in the room. Dr Tart and Dr Arthur Hastings, whose help Dr Tart had solicited, both tried lying on the bed under similarly dim lighting conditions. Neither could see any trace of the number on the clock face. Only when directly illuminating the clock face with a flashlight, increasing the brightness by an estimated factor between several hundred and several thousand times, could they “just make out what the number was”.

Miss Z was chosen for the experiment because she reported waking up multiple times nightly and finding herself floating near the ceiling, looking down at her body.

Dr Tart described Miss Z thus: “My informal observations of her over a period of several months (undoubtedly distorted by the fact that one can never describe one’s friends objectively) resulted in a picture of a person who in some ways was quite mature and insightful, and in other ways so extremely disturbed psychologically that at times, when she lost control, she could possibly be diagnosed as schizophrenic.”

His study was published in the Journal of the American Society for Psychical Research in 1968.

Epoch Times

TECHNOLOGY & SCIENCE

SEPTEMBER 5 – 18, 2014 19

Did a Giant Cosmic Lightning Bolt Hit Mars? Could One Hit Earth?

By Paul Darin Epoch Times Staff Unexpected Origins of Lightning We See on Earth As we study natural phenomenon with deeper scrutiny, using new techniques and technology, we discover that many of our old theories and notions suddenly no longer fit our observations and experiments.

This was the case for scientists who, when searching for the origin of terrestrial lightning, discovered that storm clouds don’t produce the energy levels needed to generate a bolt of lightning.

“A thunderstorm has got the energy of an atomic bomb,” said Dr Martin Uman, director of the International Centre for Lightning Testing and Research at Camp Blanding in Florida, in a NOVA Science Now interview by PBS. “The problem is, after decades and decades of measurements up in thunderstorms, nobody has ever managed to find an electric field anywhere that big,” said Joseph Dwyer, PhD, a professor of

physics and space sciences the Florida Institute of Technology (FIT).

Dr Dwyer postulated in 2005 that the energy required for such a reaction to occur came not from within our atmosphere, but from cosmic rays sent from dying stars far out in the depths of outer space.

His team at FIT, armed with Dwyer’s research, successfully detected the x-ray signature in storm clouds needed to strengthen his theory. They used advanced technical instruments and balloons sent out during storms, to gather the data he needed.

Data gathered by NASA’s Voyager 1 space probe after it passed the threshold of our solar system shook many conventional ideas. It became apparent that the electromagnetic forces at large emanating from the galaxy have a stronger impact on our sun and solar system than originally thought.

Was Mars Once Struck by a Gigantic Cosmic Lightning Bolt?

It’s hard to imagine a bolt of

lightning on the cosmic scale, but several scientists with backgrounds in studying electricity believe that the planet Mars may have been struck by a cosmic bolt of lightning, which deeply scared the surface of the red planet.

Valles Marineris on Mars is one of the solar system’s largest canyons. By comparison, the Grand Canyon in Arizona is approximately 500 miles (or 800 kilometres) in length and about 1 mile (1.6 kilometres) deep. Valles Marineris is 2,500 miles (4,000 kilometres) long and about 4 miles (7 kilometres) deep, according to NASA. The origin Valles Marineris remains unknown. The current leading hypothesis holds it to be a gigantic crack in the Martian crust that occurred as the planet cooled billions of years ago. Additionally, many of the canyon’s channels are believed to be eroded by water.

Scientists at the Thunderbolts Project propose, however, that a lightning bolt on a gigantic or cosmic scale may have caused the gigantic canyon. A main point of their supposition includes the fact that Valles Marineris’

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Scientists have discovered that storm clouds do not produce the energy levels needed to generate a bolt of lightning.

trenches are unlike Earthly canyons which wind and curve as a result of the water erosion cutting its way through time.

The Thunderbolts Project compares the Valles Marineris to laboratory electrocutions of various materials which shows the same patterns in the scars they leave.

Namely, the scar is a singular rift or primary discharge channel with numerous secondary discharge streamers, which are believed to be the tributaries of the Marian canyon, according to the Thunderbolts Project documentary “Symbols of an Alien Sky (Episode 2): The Lightning Scarred Planet”.

When an electric arc cuts a

channel into solid matter, it leaves a specific pattern. This channel and streamer pattern can be seen repeating itself in nature. It is emulated by the scars on the bodies of people struck by lighting.

Additionally, the project cites the abundance of rock and boulder material observed littered across the Martian landscape in the images sent from rovers as evidence in support of their hypothesis of a cosmic lightning strike. The magnitude of a strike needed to cut the Valles Marineris would have ejected countless cubic yards of rocky debris into space, much of which would have come back down to litter the landscape.

TECHNOLOGY & SCIENCE

20 SEPTEMBER 5 – 18, 2014

Epoch Times

World’s Oldest Trees: 3,000 to 9,500 Years Old Stemonitis VIA Wikimedia Commons

John Moore/Getty Images

By Tara MacIsaac Epoch Times Staff For thousands of years, many a tree has quietly and peacefully stood watching the changes of the Earth.

Some of them are giants, declaring clearly their great age. Some are dwarfed, gnarly, and twisted, like hobbled old men. Some don’t appear remarkable in any way, like legendary immortals magically maintaining their youth and blending in with their modern brethren.

Here’s a look at some of the oldest living things on Earth.

Karl Brodowsky VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

The Llangernyw yew tree in Llangernyw, Conwy, Wales. It is between 4,000 and 5,000 years old.

3. Llangernyw Yew, Wales

The Llangernyw Yew in Wales, UK, is estimated to be between 4,000 and 5,000 years old, according to the Urban Horticulture Institute at Cornell University. A couple of other yew trees in Europe are more than 2,000 years old.

Some old chapels were housed in the hollowed out trunks of ancient yews and the oldest yews are often found in churchyards. In the Middle Ages, Europe’s yew population was heavily harvested as a favourite material for bowmaking.

The secrets of the yew’s longevity include its ability to survive a split better than many other tree species; and its toxicity, which saves it from foraging animals.

The 4,000-year-old Sarv-e Abar cypress tree in Abarqu, central Iran Wikimedia Commons

4. Sarv-e Abar, Cypress, Iran

The Sarv-e Abar cypress tree in Abarqu, Iran is an estimated 4,000 years old. It is about 80 feet (25 metres) tall with a circumference of 60 feet (18 metres).

Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty Images

Norway Spruce

1. Norway Spruce, Sweden

A Norway spruce in Sweden has a root system about 9,500 years old. It clones itself, meaning it grows a trunk that can live about 600 years, and when that one dies, it grows another. It’s longevity is similar to that of the phoenix of lore, reborn again and again yet essentially the same.

2. Methuselah, Bristlecone Pine, California

The mystique of the famous Methuselah tree is perpetuated not only by its almost 4,800 years of life, but also by the secrecy surrounding its location. The US Forest Service keeps its location under wraps to protect it from vandalism and photos of the tree have also not been released. It is a bristlecone pine and it lives somewhere in California’s White Mountains along with many other ancient bristlecone pines.

It is named Methuselah for the oldest person in the Bible. To put its great age into perspective, the tree was about 1,350 years old when Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses II was born (around 1300 B.C.).

Bristlecone pines are able to survive so long, in part because of their dense and resinous wood, which is difficult for pests and fungi to penetrate.

Another bristlecone was discovered to be the oldest of its kind in 2012, at 5,062 years old (currently 5,064). The Forest Service has also kept the location of this tree a secret.

The ancient bristlecone pine trees in the White Mountains of the Inyo National Forest near Bishop, California.

5. The General Sherman Tree, Sequoia, California

The General Sherman is the largest tree, by volume, in the world. It is a sequoia tree in California’s Sequoia National Park. The volume of the tree’s trunk is just over 52,500 cubic feet. Dr Andrew Douglass at the University of Arizona took a core sample of the tree and estimated it to be more than 3,500 years old.

The General Sherman tree

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Jonclift via Wikimedia Commons

SEPTEMBER 5 – 18, 2014 21

Wikimedia Commons

8. Jomon Sugi, Japan

The Jomon Sugi tree is one of many sugi trees on Japan’s Yakushima Island to have stood for thousands of years.

Estimates for Jomon Sugi’s age range from 2,000 to 7,200 years. Its irregular shape is said to have saved it from harvesting. A nearby stump shows a tree some 3,000 years old was not so lucky. According to locals, it was cut down to build a temple in the 16th century.

Jomon Sugi stands about 80 feet (25 metres) high, and has a circumference of about 50 feet (16 metres). Yakushima Island is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Wikimedia Commons

Jomon Sugi in Yakushima, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan.

9. Pando, Quaking Aspens, Utah

Considered to be a single living organism, Pando is a colony of quaking aspen sharing a massive root system. It may have first taken root anywhere from 10,000 to 1 million years ago.

“The Senator” in Big Tree Park, Longwood, Fla. The photo was taken 36 hours before the ancient tree was destroyed by fire.

J Zapell/USDA

6. The Senator, Bald Cypress, Florida

A drug user in Florida burnt down the Senator, a tree estimated to be about 3,500 years old at the time. In 2012, Sara Barnes, lit the tree on fire and took photos with her cell phone. She later explained to authorities that she needed light to see the drugs she was using. Her defence attorney Michael Nappi told the Orlando Sentinel in January this year that Barnes has completed drugtreatment programmes, continues to attend Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings, lives with her parents, and has essentially cleaned up her life.

7. Te Matua Ngahere, Kauri, New Zealand

A kauri tree in New Zealand is estimated to be more than 2,000 years old. It is known as Te Matua Ngahere, which means “Father of the Forest”. It is the second largest kauri tree in New Zealand. Imagine the awe and surprise Nicholas Yakas would have felt upon discovering this ancient tree in 1928 when he was working to build a highway in the area.

Kauri tree Te Matua Ngahere (Father of the Forest) in Waipoua Forest, New Zealand.

The Pando clone stands above scenic byway U-25, Fish Lake National Forest, Utah.