CHRONICLE - Nanyang Technological University

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CHRONICLE
05
SCI-FI
REALISED
New Media Village opens in NTU
with 3D immersive experiences and
cutting edge simulation.
NEWS | 6
NEWS | 3
ALUMNI SHINE AT ANNUAL AWARDS
| 27

02 NEWS
News Bites
CHRONICLE
18
05
NTU
NTU SOLAR CAR BEATS ESTAB-
LISHED TEAMS IN RACE
An NTU-developed solar car beat
more established teams like that
from MIT and Cambridge when it
travelled more than 2,000 km over
six days in a solar racing competition,
which started on October 16th
and was held in Australia. The
Nanyang Venture 5, developed by
an 11-strong team, came in 14th at
the Veolia World Solar Challenge.
NTU INNOVATION CLINCHES
“BEST OF SHOW” AT TECHVEN-
TURE INNOVATION AWARDS
Led by Dr Tan Ee Leng and Assoc
Prof Gan Woon-Seng from the
School of Electrical & Electronic
Engineering, their innovation, Immersive
Soundscape took the “Best
of Show” (Blue Ribbon Award)
at the TechVenture Innovation
Awards 2011. The innovation demonstrated
the ability to reproduce
3D sound effects from conventional
sound inputs with applications in
the media and gaming industry.
NTU, A*STAR RESEARCHERS DE-
VELOP HIGHLY EFFICIENT AND
CHEAP SILICON SOLAR CELLS
The new thin-film silicon solar
cells are made from cheaper, lowgrade
silicon and yet are able
to generate electricity currents
comparable to costly, high-quality
silicon solar cells.
Developed by NTU and A*STAR
Institute of Microelectronics (IME),
the new cells were created using nanostructure
technology. With this
development, the researchers hope
to halve the costs of solar energy.
NTU, INDUSTRY AND RESEARCH
PARTNERS COOPERATE IN
OCEAN ENERGY RESEARCH
NTU is collaborating with industry
players and world-renowned
research partners on a multidisciplinary
venture, the Joint Industry
Programme in Offshore Renewables.
This collaboration aims
to develop efficient and effective
wind and marine power generation
systems. The programme will have
over twenty-five projects over the
next three years, such as offshore
wind turbines and other sea-based
power generation research.
NBS’ MBA PROGRAMME
RANKED SINGAPORE’S TOP
FOR 8TH YEAR
NTU’s Nanyang Business School
has maintained its 69th position in
The Economist magazine’s global
rankings of MBA programmes,
and is ranked third in Asia. Strong
ratings for education experience
and increasing new career opportunities
have helped NBS maintain
its position. NBS admits about 80
full-time MBA students and about
40 part-time students annually.
SINGAPORE
CALLS TO REVISE MEDISAVE
At a debate in Parliament, Dr Lam
Pin Min, head of the Government
Parliamentary Committee
for Health, said that Medisave
spending should be expanded to
cover more outpatient treatments,
especially for chronic illnesses.
Health industry experts and MPs
suggested that the usage of funds
be revised yearly to match rising
costs in Singapore.
Upcoming Events
CHILDCARE CENTRES INTRO-
DUCE SUPPORT STAFF AP-
POINTMENTS
The Ministry of Community Development,
Youth and Sports
(MCYS) announced that childcare
centres can now hire “para-educators”
and “para-educarers” to aid
childcare teachers in the development
of children. This change will
take effect from January 1st next
year. In a statement released by
MCYS, these new appointments
will help teachers to “provide
greater instructional attention for
children who require additional
support”.
SLOWING EMPLOYMENT
GROWTH
The Monetary Authority of Singapore
(MAS) announced that employment
growth is expected to
slow down later this year, as the
economy cools. MAS stated that
job cuts have already been noted
in the financial and trade-related
sector. This is related to the weakening
global growth. Unemployment
rate in Singapore rose from
1.9 per cent in the previous quarter,
to 2.1 per cent in three months
ending June 2011.
5TH BODY FOUND AT BEDOK
RESERVOIR
The series of ghastly deaths at
Bedok Reservoir have been a
cause for concern for many Singaporeans
on whether they could be
due in part to the influx of immigrants
and the detrimental effects
of the two casinos. The recent
deaths have also sparked discussions
over the possible effects on
property prices in the vicinity and
future developments in the area.
TRANSFORMERS THEME PARK
RIDE TO OPEN AT USS
The world’s first theme park ride
based on the sci-fi franchise
Transformers will open its doors
to the public at Universal Studios
Singapore, on December 3rd 2011.
The ride will feature 12 scenes, 3D
digital media, blending sets and
special effects. Michael Bay—director
of the movies—will celebrate
the ride’s world premiere at an exclusive
party on December 2nd.
WORLD
NEW CURBS ON ENTERTAIN-
MENT IN CHINA
China has been known for political
censorship, but for years the
Communist Party has tolerated a
creeping liberalisation in popular
culture. Chinese leaders proposed
new limits on media and Internet
freedoms that include some
of the most restrictive measures
in years. Major television stations
were ordered to broadcast
two hours of state approved news
every evening and to disregard
audience ratings in programming
decisions. These measures will go
into effect on Jan 1st 2012.
2 WEEK OLD BABY RESCUED
FROM TURKEY’S QUAKE
A two-week old baby was pulled
out from the wreckage of a building
47 hours after a 7.2 magnitude
earthquake struck eastern Turkey.
The baby’s mother and grandmother
are reportedly still trapped
inside the crumbled building, but
are believed to be still alive. The
official death toll has been put at
366, with about 1,301 injured in
the quake.
MIXED REACTIONS OVER DIS-
PLAY OF GADDAFI’S BODY
As the public display of Gaddafi’s
body ended, and more details of
his last moments alive were revealed
through the gruesome video
recorded by one of the rebels
who captured him, there were
mixed reactions about what the
brutal treatment of the deposed
dictator might mean for Libya’s
future. Rights groups called Gaddafi’s
death a potential war crime.
Arab journalists and bloggers noted
that GaDuffy’s end was similar
to the fate suffered by Benito Mussolini
and Nicolae Ceausescu, two
notorious European dictators.
CROCODILES BREAK FREE IN
THAI FLOOD
Floodwaters in Bangkok have
resulted in crocodiles that have
broken loose, menacing the local
population. Authorities have
warned that crocodiles are swimming
through rising floodwaters
around the outskirts of Bangkok.
Reports state at least 100 broke
free last week in Ayutthaya province,
north of the capital. Authorities
have offered case rewards of
1,000 baht (S$40) for each crocodile
caught alive.
COMPUTERS IN JAPAN’S PAR-
LIAMENT INFECTED WITH VIRUS
In the latest series of mysterious
cyber attacks that have raised
concerns about leakage of sensitive
information. Media reports
said that one of three lawmakers
accidentally released the virus.
This comes a month after Japanese
defence contractors revealed
that they had also been targets of
cyber attacks, which may have
been aimed at classified military
data. No known classified information
has been stolen.
NTU CAC
IMPRESARIO
NTU CAC Impresario 2012:
Nationwide Talent Search
Competition
Categories: Vocal Solo, Duet/
Group, Original Composition,
Dance
Register online now at www.
cacimpresario.com!
Registration Closes on December
4th 2011.
If you have any
exciting events to
publicise, please contact us at
chronicle@ntu.edu.sg
Vocal Auditions in Dec 2011.
Dance Audition in Jan 2012.
For further enquiry, email
enquiry@cacimpresario.com,
call Dorothy at 9668 2935 or
Dawn at 9199 0143

News
Interview
with the Vice President – Page 5
Outstanding alumni awarded
HAPPY HOMECOMING: WP Secretary General Low Thia Khiang (centre) was inspired by his NTU education to go into politics.
PHOTO | WAN ZHONG HAO
SINGER Stefanie Sun, and Members
of Parliament (MP) Teo Ser
Luck and Low Thia Khiang shared
the stage with other industry leaders,
all NTU alumni, at the Nanyang
Auditorium to receive the
Nanyang Alumni Awards on October
15th.
Everest Mountaineer: redefine the impossible
WHEN NTU Alumna Lee Peh Gee
and her five women friends declared
their goal of climbing Mount
Everest, they were laughed at.
But, that only made them more
determined.
“People laugh in disbelief when
they cannot comprehend something
so impossible,” said Singapore
Armed Forces Major (MAJ)
Lee Peh Gee, who was part of the
Singapore Women’s Everest Team.
She eventually stood on the
8,850m summit on May 22, 2009.
“When you finally go and do
it, you have redefined what they
previously thought was possible
or impossible,” the 35-year-old
told a packed audience of students
at the Nanyang Auditorium on
October 12th.
The seminar was the highlight
of eFEST 2011 with the theme of
‘Learning is Everywhere’. The annual
event, running in its fourth
year, aims to promote the use of
e-Learning tools and resources
among NTU students.
MAJ Lee said that learning does
A total of 34 alumni, the biggest
number since the award started in
2005, were awarded for either excelling
in their fields, or for their
contributions to the university or
society.
The Awards has four categories:
the Nanyang Distinguished Alumni
Award, Nanyang Alumni Achievement
Award, Nanyang Outstanding
Young Alumni Award and Nanyang
Alumni Service Award.
Education Minister Heng Swee
Keat, the guest-of-honor, attributed
the success of NTU to the strong
examples set by earlier alumni
members, so that future graduates
will follow in their footsteps.
“In a world of constantly
evolving changes, our graduates
not only come from books, but also
from various life experiences.
“I want to let others know that
it is possible to pursue a dream,”
she said.
One important step to take is
to step out of comfort zones, even
when the outside world seems scary
and dangerous, said MAJ Lee.
During the expedition, she
would wake up in her tent to hear
it flapping violently at times.
After all, Mount Everest is
known for its notorious wind speeds
of up to 100 kilometers per hour and
the temperature could dip as low as
negative 40 degree celsius.
“The storm always seemed
worse from inside the tents,” said
MAJ Lee. “But the storm outside
may be nothing more than the
regular winds we normally encounter.”
“The moment you get out, you
are just one step closer to your
goal,” she said.
The climb to Mt Everest’s peak
from their base camp took the
team about four days, and preparation
for their climb took five
years, where the team did staircase
training at 30-storey HDB
flats.
MAJ Lee revealed that in t he
road up to their expedition, all of
them had to double up as marketers,
fundraisers, public relation
managers and public speakers so
as to raise funds for their cause.
She said that her education in
NTU helped her in that aspect.
“It was similar to the time
when I was a hospitality and tourism
management undergraduate
balancing my eight months practicum
and studies," she said.
"I managed to do a hotel project
and my own final year project then."
MAJ Lee’s speech inspired Joel
Gan, a third-year Mechanical and
Aerospace Engineering (MAE) student,
in pursuing his dreams of
achieving a “big feat” like that
someday.
Also, he felt that MAJ Lee’s
experiences could be applied to
his goal of setting up a business.
“There will be multiple problems
along the way, so the best thing is
to never give up and always keep
trying,” he said.
Daniella Ng, a former national
must be nimble and adaptable,” he
said.
They must not only have the
confidence and ability to succeed,
but must also be deeply rooted to
Singapore, so that they can take
Singapore forward.”
Ms Sun, Mr Low and Mr
Teo, who were all awarded the
Nanyang Alumni Achievement
Award with four others, expressed
attachment to their alma
mater.
“I feel very honored (to receive
the award) and also hope to
work together (with the university)
in the future to promote NTU,”
said Ms Sun, who graduated in
2000 from the Nanyang Business
School.
Ms Sun was awarded for her
achievements in the entertainment
industry, both locally and internationally.
About 100 fans at the ceremony
cheered and chanted her name
as she took to the stage to receive
her award. Some even managed to
get her autograph during the reception.
“I feel that education helps you
to mature in your thinking and
helps you to see things in a different
light,” Ms Sun said.
Mr Low, Secretary General of
the Workers Party, agreed with Ms
Sun.
Mr Low, who graduated in
1980 with an Arts degree, was
awarded for his role of providing
an alternative voice for the
PURSUE YOUR DREAMS: MAJ Lee Peh Gee, speaking at a seminar for eFEST 2011, urged students
to conquer their own Mount Everest. PHOTO | MALCOLM KOH
people in Singapore’s political
scene.
According to him, his education
sparked off his political
thinking, which shaped his ideals
of democracy.
“I was particularly inspired
by a lecturer who had a deep
knowledge of political systems
and I listened intently to his lectures.
He taught me how to look
at politics in a different light,”
he added.
Mr Teo, Minister of State of
Trade and Industry, said that his
education at Nanyang Business
School helped in his current line
of work as it developed his understanding
of business and economics.
“What it teaches you is to understand
how to see an issue and
come up with the solution. Issue
changes everyday and what NTU
teaches you is how to solve those
problems,” he said.
“That is the biggest advantage.”
It was the second time Mr
Teo was present at the Nanyang
Alumni Awards, having received
the Nanyang Outstanding Young
Alumni Award last year.
At the ceremony, NTU president
Professor Bertil Andersson
also revealed that eight in 10 students
from the class of 2011 made
a graduation gift to NTU, which
he said is a sign of the growing
sense of identification among
younger alumni with NTU.
sailor also found the determination
of the team particularly inspiring.
“It motivates me to set out
some goals for myself to attain
during my four years here,” said
the first-year student from Sports
Science and Management.
For Ashekan Hosseinloo, the
most memorable part of the seminar
was when MAJ Lee challenged
the audience to overcome their
own Mount Everest.
“It was a physical thing for
them, but could be other things
for us as well,” said the graduate
student currently pursuing a masters
in MAE.
Everyone has an Everest.”

04 NEWS
Students react to
climate change
GREEN CONSCIENCE: Jeremy Lim (back row, right), his team members and mentor after
presenting their project at the National Climate Change Competition.
PHOTO | COURTESY OF TONG SIAN CHOO
A SAIL boat trip and a water
bucket three years ago taught
undergraduate Jeremy Lim the
value of water conservation.
Lim survived for 14 days
with only half a bucket of water
a day to bathe with.
The experience taught the
22-year-old that it is possible to
live on much less resources than
he was used to.
“I realised that when I had
the options presented by the
comfort of modern life, I did not
choose to save. Since then I have
become uneasy about wasting
resources,” said the third-year
student from Wee Kim Wee
School of Communication and
Information.
During the last semester
break, Lim collaborated with
three other NTU undergraduates
to create the ‘Green Seed Initiative’
to encourage Singaporeans
to conserve energy and water
consumption.
The project won first prize
in the National Climate Change
Competition
Lim is one of many NTU students
who have become more involved
in green initiatives.
“When I had the
options presented
by the comfort
of modern life, I
did not choose to
save."
Jeremy Lim
Third-year student
Wee Kim Wee School of
Communication and Information
The environmental club also
reported collecting a record
amount of recyclables at the end
of the last academic year during
its annual recycling drive.
It collected 2,670kg of paper
from 16 recycling bins across
campus as opposed to 800kg the
year before and just 420kg in
2009.
According to them, the spike
in collection shows that more
students now know that their
belongings can be recycled, instead
of simply being thrown
away.
While some chose to do their
part via Earthlink NTU, others
chose to take up initiatives more
in their areas of expertise.
Another student who joined
an eco competition is Nelson Tan
Yan Cong, 20.
The first-year student from
the School of Art, Design and
Media was among the 12 finalists
in the National Environment
Agency Eco Music Challenge
2011.
For him, raising awareness on
being environmentally friendly
is a form of eco-friendliness in
itself.
“Caring for the environment
is everyone’s responsibility and
we can all use different means to
do our part. For those who are
musically inclined, why not do
their part by doing what they do
best with music,” he said.
He composed a Chinese song
titled “Green Environment” to
raise awareness about climate
change and the importance of
the environment.
In another initiative, a team
of eight NTU students showed
their care for the environment
by designing and building a fuel-efficient
car named Nanyang
Venture IV.
It not only won the top prize
in the diesel fuel category at
this year’s Shell Eco Marathon
Asia but also won the Off-Track
Award for Safety.
Team member Kuganeshan
Ganesamoorthy, a third-year
student from the School of Mechanical
and Aerospace Engineering,
said: “Until people completely
accept alternative energy
sources, fossil fuel will be used
extensively.”
“Caring for the
environment
is everyone’s
responsiblity."
Nelson Tan Yan Cong
First-year student
School of Art, Design & Media
He added that it is important
to ensure fuel efficiency in cars
so that we can reduce our carbon
footprint.
Vice-president of Earthlink
NTU, Nandita Beri, 19, said the
increase in student participation
is simply a result of increasingly
visible consequences of climate
change such as change in weather
patterns, shortage of water
and food in many countries.
The third-year student from
the School of Chemical and
Biomedical Sciences said: “Not
only is climate change and the
environment a pressing global
issue, it’s become an individual
concern.”
Earthlink NTU has reported
an increased participation in its
initiatives this academic year. Its
membership increased by 30 per TEST DRIVE: NTU students won the top prize at this year’s Shell Eco-Marathon Asia
cent this year alone.
with their fuel-efficient car. PHOTO | COURTESY OF NTU VENTURE IV TEAM
CHRONICLE
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A meeting of minds
FREE IDEAS: Entrepreneur Wong Meng Weng intriguing students with an iPhone
application demonstration.
PHOTO | NG JUN SEN
STEVE Jobs may have passed
on, but the legacy of his foresight
and creativity lived on
through some 400 participants
at a seminar organized by NTU
graduates on October 15th.
Named TEDxNTU, the seminar
held at the Marina Bay
Sands Expo and Convention
Centre was the largest one so far.
TED, a non-profit organisation
that hosts idea-sharing
conferences, stands for ‘Technology,
Entertainment, Design’.
But it has since broadened its
scope to include talks by accomplished
thinkers such as
local entrepreneurs, academics
and researchers.
It boasts people like James
Randi and Steve Jobs as its
honorary alumni.
Vivek Manoharan, 23, assembled
his team of graduates
to host the seminar after being
inspired by watching the riveting
TED videos on YouTube.
Despite bearing the name
of the seminar, official TED
organisers played no role in
organising the event. Instead,
it was Manoharan and his
team who brought the seminar
to fruition, with the help of
funding from NTU’s Student
Affairs Office.
“TED is all about people
coming together, sharing
ideas,” said Manoharan, who
is currently pursuing a PhD in
biomechanics.
The speakers were selected
based on their remarkable
achievements and their ability
to inspire others.
One of them was entrepreneur
Wong Meng Weng, who
demonstrated an iPhone application,
which could teach users
how to order the different permutations
of “kopitiam-styled”
coffee.
Wong is the founder of
several technological companies,
such as pobox.com,
and organised the TEDxSentosa
event in 2009.
Other speakers spoke on pursuing
ideas, and shared insider
tips on how to reach career or
personal goals.
“This session was about how
to dream and succeed. It is for
people with ideas, and how if
they have the right method, they
can make it work,” said Manoharan.
Although many in the audience
felt inspired after attending
the event, some saw room
for improvement.
Elvin Zhang, a second-year
student from Nanyang Business
School, said that the session had
given him a lot of good ideas.
But the 22-year-old felt that
the speakers could have been
more energetic, as the seven
hour long seminar could wear
some listeners out.
Others, like School of Computer
Engineering undergraduate
Arun Puraiswamy, 22, felt
that while the event was not
on the same level as global TED
events, there was still value to
such seminars as they are important
to the places where the TED
conferences do not officially
visit.
“The talk could be made specific
to the younger generation,
such as NTU students,” he said.
On hearing such feedback,
Manoharan admitted that
TEDxNTU is still at its starting
stage.
“We’re still growing, and the
main TED event also started off
like this.”
He intends to make it a biannual
event, and promised “an enhanced
experience” in the future,
which he said would depend on
future selected speakers.
But the essential message
of TEDxNTU will still be unchanged.
“Have an idea. Life is all
about ideas, good ideas, bad
ideas, doesn’t matter. Just follow
it,” he said.

18
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CHRONICLE
NEWS 05
GOING GLOBAL: Professor Er Meng Hwa ensures students are prepared for the international stage through partnerships with external institutions. PHOTO | COURTESY OF CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE
Royce’s University Technology borders in your opinion?
Centre.
A: Geographical borders are
Through these joint collaborations,
our industrial partners are world for countries to protect
still relevant in the modern
Go international, able to tap on NTU’s expertise in their sovereignty. However, the
the form of our talented faculty changing global environment
and students and our world-class in the fields of communication
facilities.
and information, trade and finance,
politics and security,
At the same time, our students
and faculty benefit from the opportunity
to work with leading has created new opportunities
and science and technology
stay competitive
private sector researchers on and challenges.
complex and challenging reallife
systems.
top talents whose skills, expe-
In the globalised economy,
By working together on projects,
they are also able to access borders will be highly sought
rience and expertise transcend
the latest state-of-the art technology
and better understand countries.
after by employers in many
emerging trends.
Q: What does your position as
Vice President in charge of International
Affairs entail?
A: As Vice President for International
Affairs, I work closely
with the senior management
team to shape and carry out
NTU’s international agenda of
ensuring that our students are
well prepared for life and careers
that will increasingly have
an international dimension, and
to enable the university to effectively
compete on the world
stage for the best students and
faculty.
As ideas and knowledge in
every field become international,
being at the cutting edge of
higher education and research
requires a strong dialogue with
our peer institutions in other
countries.
This means that NTU needs
to enhance our reputation as a
choice partner with top international
universities and organisations.
This is another important
part of my job. Our partnerships
range from strategic education
and research collaborations, to
joint undergraduate and graduate
degrees, and international
undergraduate and graduate
student exchanges.
Q: How can NTU students prepare
themselves to be global
talents?
A: The world is increasingly becoming
more connected and interdependent.
To succeed in the working
world in the future, NTU students
need to have a cosmopolitan
mindset and they must be
prepared to meet the challenges
of working with people of different
nationalities and expertise.
This requires our students
to cultivate their cultural intelligence
and gain the right skills
and global exposure, so that
they can effectively engage and
work with teams anywhere in
the world.
Currently, one in two students,
or 50 per cent of the
graduating cohort, participate
in various programmes to grow
their global exposure and competence.
NTU’s new Office of Global
Education and Mobility aims to
raise this participation rate to 70
per cent, so that more students
can gain from a global educational
experience even though
they are studying in Singapore.
Q: Apart from an affiliation
with China by setting up a
campus there, how else is NTU
being internationalised?
A: We are developing more opportunities
for our students to
study and immerse themselves
in various overseas environments.
We are continuing to attract
top international students.
Every year, we bring in more
than 1,000 international students
from our partner universities
to spend a semester on our
campus.
This cultural exchange is an
important part of internationalisation.
NTU is also stepping up our
efforts to seek and enhance collaborative
agreements with the
best universities around the
world.
We have established joint
graduate and PhD programmes
with renowned universities, like
Imperial College London and the
Technical University of Munich.
NTU is also an active player
in GlobalTech, the network
of the world’s top technological
universities chaired by NTU
President Prof Bertil Andersson.
We are also expanding our
involvement in China and India,
as well as other regional networks
and alliances.
Our overseas alumni are a
valuable resource in these efforts,
and I look forward to cultivating
deeper ties with them.
NTU has established more
than 30 international alumni
chapters to network with our
alumni and potential partners.
“We are developing
more opportunities
for our students to
study and immerse
themselves in
various overseas
environments."
We have also been offering
international executive programmes
to professionals and
senior officials from the region
to be trained on NTU’s campus.
Q: How are international industrial
partners encouraged
to set up research facilities in
NTU? And how will this benefit
students?
A: NTU has established a number
of joint labs with our strategic
international industrial partners
on campus such as BOSCH
and THALES. NTU is also Rolls-
Q: Which international figure
do you look up to and why?
A: Our former Prime Minister Lee
Kuan Yew. Under his visionary
leadership, he has transformed
Singapore from a third world
country to first world status in
just one generation.
Singapore’s development and
transformation as a nation is a
miracle to many people around
the world and has drawn admiration
from many state leaders.
I come from a humble background
and my late father was a
hawker. I owe my success largely
to Singapore’s system.
Q: Which aspects of international
affairs would you like to
highlight during your tenure as
Vice President in charge of International
Affairs?
A: I intend to work with our
colleagues in the colleges and
schools to provide more global
educational programmes and opportunities
for our students.
I also aim to achieve the new
target of 70 per cent participation
rate during my tenure.
At the same time, I will be
working closely with President,
Provost and other senior colleagues
to help raise NTU’s international
profile and reputation
through various alliances and
networks.
This would also help raise
NTU’s visibility and improve
NTU’s global rankings.
Q: How relevant is geographical
“I come from
a humble
background and
my late father
was a hawker. I
owe my success
to a large part
to Singapore's
system."
Q: Which is your favourite
canteen in NTU?
A: I like to take Subway and
Japanese food for lunch when
I am on campus.
Q: What do you do in your
free time?
A: I like to read, especially
books on leadership and management,
I Ching, and Human
Brain Research.
I am also a keen golfer and
a Chinese classical song crooner.
I practice my golf swing at
the driving range 3 to 5 times a
week as a form of exercise and
relaxation.
I have developed a technique
called “PID” which
stands for “Posture, Inertia and
Dynamics” for my golf swing
which has proven good enough
to win the 3rd position in NTU’s
President Golf Challenge 2009.
I sing occasionally. I won the
championship in NTU’s Talentime
in 1989.

06 NEWS
CHRONICLE
Try clothes on your virtual "self"
DOWN THE RUNWAY: Models like these may become obsolete with the interactive digital
technologies.
PHOTO | WAN ZHONG HAO
THE next time you shop for clothes
online, you may no longer have to
worry whether your purchase fits
you. Instead, you will be able to see
how the clothes fit on your virtual
“body” from your computer screen,
before making a decision.
This is possible with a new invention,
due to be launched in four
to six months' for online shops.
Called the Virtual Fashion &
GLOBETROTTER: Francis Lau has travelled to far off countries such as Denmark on business trips.
PHOTO | TAN WEI ZHENG
Clothes Simulation technology, it
was one of many interactive digital
media inventions showcased
in NTU’s New Media Village at
the Institute of Media Innovation
(IMI) on October 12th and 13th.
These inventions were the result
of a collaboration among the
different disciplines in NTU such as
computer engineering, mechanical
engineering and psychology.
The Virtual Fashion & Clothes
Simulation technology was developed
by Professor Nadia Thalmann,
the director of IMI. All you
have to do is key in your body
size into any website which has
the technology embedded, and
you will see a virtual “you” strutting
around, clad in the apparel of
your choice.
Professor Thalmann said that
this technology will help customers
avoid the disappointment of
purchasing ill-fitting clothes from
online retailers in the future.
“While the application is still
in its prototype phase, its real
value lies in bringing such a 3-D
virtual environment directly into
the design industry’s production
process, helping to shorten design
cycle times and cut physical sample
costs,” she added.
Designers would also benefit
from the technology, as they will
be able to try their designs on the
virtual models.
“This will revolutionise the fashion
industry as it would help designers
save on materials and money,
reduce time spent on marketing,
and cut the industry’s carbon footprint,
making for a more sustainable
planet,” said Professor Thalmann.
Other highlights unveiled at
IMI included the 3-D Immersive
18
05
Room, MAVEN (Mobile Avatar for
Virtual Engagement by NTU) and
the Crowd Simulator.
MAVEN is a remote-controlled
device on wheels, with Internet
and mobile video conferencing
capabilities.
It is different from normal
video conferencing devices as it
provides a 180-degree view of the
surroundings of the person you
are speaking to through its three
overhead cameras.
Visitors can also fully immerse
themselves in a virtual world with
the Immersive Room. Measuring
10m by 10m, the room features a
curved projection screen wall that
stretches almost 360 degrees all
around.
The Immersive Room is
equipped with infrared emitters,
high-end projectors, stereoscopic
lightweight 3-D glasses, position
trackers and computer graphics.
It has been used in applications
such as the Pink Dolphin
Simulation, a joint effort between
IMI researchers and the Underwater
World Singapore.
The simulation aims to help
autistic children improve their
communication and learning
skills through interaction with
virtual dolphins, as research has
shown that they respond and interact
well with dolphins.
Using Kinect technology, the
same used in Xbox consoles, the
dolphins in the simulation move according
to a user’s hand movements.
Dr Noel Chia, Assistant Professor
with the Early Childhood
& Special Needs Education Academic
Group, explained that this
simulation could potentially be
a cost-effective tool to improve
interaction skills in autistic children,
given the high costs of conducting
Dolphin Assisted Therapy
with live dolphins.
On display was also the Crowd
Simulator, which helps to predict
human behavior during emergency
evacuations by allowing the
user to control a virtual avatar using
hand gestures and guide other
virtual characters in the direction
he wants them to follow.
Professor Thalmann believes
that the multi-disciplinary collaborations
have played a significant
role in contributing to IMI’s
research discoveries.
She said: “This is a multi-disciplinary
initiation with professors
and students from different schools,
linking arts and hard science. This
is a new image for NTU now.”
Expand your horizons with a Maritime career
CANDICE NEO

18
NEWS 07
05 CHRONICLE
Take your tastebuds global
EL-HASSAN~TASTE OF MOROCCO
(CANTEEN 11)
WATCHING Mr Nasir Bin Ali chatter
with his customers, you can
hardly tell he only took over the
business four months ago.
His passion for his stall is
expressed through his regular
prompts for feedback from his
customers to ensure that their expectations
are met.
“First and foremost, I [enjoy]
meeting people. I don’t really regard
[students] as my customers, I
regard them as my friends,” said
Mr Nasir.
Though born in Singapore, Mr
Nasir remains confident about the
authenticity and taste of his food.
He picked up the trade from
his Moroccan uncle who taught
him how to make the stall’s signature
kebab.
This stall is hard to miss with
Qu’ran prayers playing in the
background and the aroma of kebab
wafting from it during busy
hours.
While many may know it as
the western stall, it is not the typical
stall selling your usual chicken
chop and spaghetti.
A closer look will find a menu
peppered with varied Middle Eastern
or Moroccan influences.
The stall is in fact, an extension
of his family business, El-
Hassan ~Taste of Morocco, a F&B
business partly owned by his Moroccan
uncle.
Mr Nasir believes that the
skills his uncle imparted to him
have allowed him to prepare
high quality Moroccan food
which could rival that of a native
cook.
He revealed that Arab students
regularly buy his Kebab,
which he says is a sign of its authentic
taste.
The 38-year-old stallholder
picked up his passion for cooking
from helping his mother in the
kitchen when he was young.
“I don't really
regard students as
my customers, I
regard them as my
friends."
Mr Nasir Bin Ali
Stallholder
El-Hassan ~ Taste of Morocco
“Initially, I was not interested
at all but I ended up in the kitchen
with my mother and had to
help her. In the process, I learnt
a bit about cooking, and [my interest]
grew and developed,” he
said.
His current job is a completely
different scope of work from his
previous job as a safety engineer
at Exxon Mobil.
Asked if he likes the job
switch, he said, “I’m passionate
about cooking, I love food and I
think the hall 10 and 11 students
are very lucky people. They have
a lot of good food here.”
MANNA KOREAN CUISINE
(CANTEEN 13)
AFTER a six-year work attachment
as a branch manager for
Hyundai in Singapore, Mr David
Sin decided to make a permanent
shift here in 1999 and dived into
the food business for his family’s
sake.
“My family wanted to stay…
because if we return to Korea then
maybe the education system will
be different. I wanted to allow my
children to continue studying in
Singapore so I resigned,” said the
56-year-old.
He opened his stall in the revamped
Canteen 13 in July 2006,
at the suggesiton of the canteen
owner who had heard of Mr Sin's
restuarant business, to attract Korean
food-lovers.
The food stall was hailed as a
must-try by Felicia Chin and Dasmond
Koh, hosts of Channel U
food programme, Campus Yummy
Hunt.
The native Korean is also the
owner of Manna Korean Restaurant
and his Korean food can also
be found at Telok Ayer Street and
Takashimaya Food Village.
Many of Mr Sin’s ingredients
such as his special sauce are imported
from Korea to preserve authenticity.
Some of the food is also
prepared at the restaurant by their
Korean chef before being sent to
NTU.
Despite the cost, Mr Sin continues
to keep his food affordable
at the canteen outlet; prices are
half or a quarter of their usual
rates. $3.80 can get you a piping
hot bowl of their popular bibimbap
and soup.
He said. “Our workers give big
portions [and] the price is low but
quality is not compromised. So
pretty much everyone can enjoy
Korean food.”
SPECIAL XI'AN NOODLES
(CANTEEN 9)
MRS XU Shuang Zhi, 49, has seen
cohorts of graduates come and go
in her 15 years selling Chinese
fare.
“Call it fate,” she said when
asked why she opened the stall. “I
first found this stall when I saw
an advertisement while flipping
through the newspapers”
She had been looking for a
job, having married a local and
migrated to Singapore.
“Call it fate... I
first found this
stall when I saw
an advertisement
while flipping the
newspaper."
Mrs Xu Shuang Zhi
Stallholder
Xi'an Specialities
SAY KIMCHI: Mr David Sin outside Manna Korean Restaurant, one of the chain of stalls he
owns selling authentic Korean food. PHOTOS | GOH CHAY TENG
her family of six, and the stall is
kept open for business everyday
except for the three days of Chinese
New Year.
Her husband often comes by
to help her at the stall.
“It’s not an easy job. Usually
we wake up at 5, 6am or sometimes,
even 3 or 4am just to prepare
food.”
The time depends on the
quantity of food that Mrs Xu has
to prepare for the next day.
All her noodles and dumplings
have to be traditionally
handmade with pure flour everyday.
“When you talk about Xi’an
food, you are really talking about
our noodles," she said
"Xi’an noodles are very special
in that they are made of pure
flour and they can be very thick
in texture."
“It’s not like your normal
mee pok or mee kia. Our noodles
have to be consumed fresh within
the day or it will become fermented,
which is why we need
so much time to prepare the food
everyday.”
She also sells traditional cold
side dishes like cold tossed seasoned
shredded potatos, cold
tossed seaweed, and marinated
cucumber to accompany the noodles.
Speaking of hometown food,
she shared that “the famous director,
Zhang Yimou—he’s also
a Xi’an person. It is known that
every five to six days, he must go
back home to have a meal.”
AUTHENTIC TASTE: Mr Nasir's Middle Eastern dishes have a devoted following among
Arab students.
Though an accountant back
in China, Mrs Xu decided to open
a food business due to her poor
command of English.
For her, Xi’an Noodles is her
bread and butter for supporting
TWIST OF FATE: Mrs Xu was an accountant in China but decided to run a food stall at
Canteen 9 after marrying a Singaporean.

Lifestyle
Discover
Vietnam’s rural charm – Page 14
CHILLING OUT
DJ STYLE
QUIET MARINA: Boy Thunder likes Marina Barrage for the gentle
breeze that helps even first timers fly their kites high.
BOY THUNDER AND ADAM PIPERDY
WHERE’S YOUR FAVOURITE CHILL-
OUT SPOT?
BOY THUNDER: The first place that
comes to mind is Marina Barrage. My
girlfriend brought me there on a date
about a year ago, and I thoroughly enjoyed
my time chilling out on a picnic
mat with a kite in hand.
You’ll be amazed at how good you are
even if you’re a first time flyer, thanks
to the breeze.
Since then, I’ve been hanging out there
once a month without fail.
ADAM PIPERDY: I usually go to Changi
Beach—Bistro@Changi. I’ve been going
there for three years.
My ex-girlfriend’s uncle owns the pub
there, so we used to hang out there
quite a bit.
I usually grab a few beers, then take a
walk down the beach and admire the
lights from the boats.
WHAT IS IT ABOUT THIS PLACE
THAT HELPS YOU TO RELAX AND
DE-STRESS?
BOY THUNDER: The gentle breeze and
the escape from the usual Orchard
Road crowd. This place has a vast
field. Families gather here for picnics
and the sky is a picturesque view of
kites all over.
ADAM PIPERDY: It’s a little hard to
get here by public transport and that
means that not many people get here.
It is much quieter and more peaceful
than East Coast Park, so you get a sense
of tranquillity just by watching the
sunset or people riding bikes.
You can also hear the waves coming
in, and the rhythmic crashing of waves
onto the sand calms me down and
gives me a sense of peace.
Since we host shows for crowds, sometimes
we really need to get away from
everything, sit down, and listen to the
waves coming in.
Call me old school but that’s how I like
to spend my free time. (Laughs)
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME OF THE
DAY TO HANG OUT THERE?
BOY THUNDER: From 4.30pm till before
it gets too dark.
ADAM PIPERDY: I guess watching the
sunset is great. And if you happen to
ton (stay up for) the night, you can
watch the sunrise too.
MR YOUNG
WHERE’S YOUR FAVOURITE CHILL-
OUT SPOT?
Does Facebook count? Just kidding.
There’s pretty much two places I’m
at most of the time these days—either
at home, savoring my alone
CHANGI CALM: Changi beach is much quieter and more peaceful than East Coast Park, as it’s a little hard to get there by
public transport, says Adam.
PHOTOS | GOH CHAY TENG, WAN ZHONG HAO, COURTESY OF 91.3FM
time, or at Evolve Mixed Martial
Arts, a mixed martial arts gym in
Far East Square. I’m there Monday
to Friday in the afternoon till early
evening, and most of Saturday.
I take Muay Thai classes, boxing
classes, chat with the people there,
and read up on whatever’s interesting
that I can use on my radio show
in between classes.
WHAT IS IT ABOUT THIS PLACE
THAT HELPS YOU TO RELAX AND
DE-STRESS?
It’s the nice, friendly vibe there—an
atmosphere of learning and respect.
No matter how good you are, there’s
always someone better that you can
learn something from. It’s a refreshing
change from the oft-pretentious
world I’m in.
Plus, exercise is an amazing tool
for de-stressing. When I’m there, job
stress, worries, frustrations, everything
that brings me down doesn’t
exist. I sweat, punch, kick, elbow,
knee it all out. The fact that it’s getting
my fat butt in shape is a bonus, too.
It’s funny because some may see
the combat sports as wild and violent,
but it’s really helped me focus and
calm my mind.
SWEATING IT OUT: Taking Muay Thai and boxing classes at Evolve Mixed Martial
Arts helps Mr Young keep cool.

12
LIFESTYLE
CHRONICLE
18
05
LEARNING FROM OTHERS
HOOT.ME
Hoot.Me is a collaborative study tool that makes your social network also your knowledge network. Using
the application, you can join a study session and discuss questions and problems with friends on Facebook,
using group video conferencing and smart chat, which supports math symbols for equations and YouTube
video embedding. Study sessions are stored, so you can view conversations that you missed or that were
held a while back to find possible answers.
OPEN STUDY
Open Study is a real time, give-help-and-get-help study site open to
students worldwide. There is a wide range of study groups based on
topic. Students directly answer questions posted, resulting in Q&A
format instead of drawn out discussions. If no one in your circle of
friends can help, try tapping on the brains of more than 50,000 students
registered on the site.
MANAGING TIME AND TASKS
SIX-DAY EVENT SCHEDULE
Start maximising your 24 hours a day, six days a week in a snap with
this basic Microsoft Office Excel sheet. Straightforward and printerready,
it has columns for Mondays to Saturdays with hourly rows from
7am to 11pm. Make the template uniquely yours and add a column for
Sunday for more study time, or adjust the hours to suit your body clock.
YOUR STUDY
BU D DY:
THE INTERNET
FACEBOOK FOR STUDYING: Hoot.Me allows you to hold study sessions with group video conferencing and smart chat,
which supports math symbols for equations and YouTube video embedding. PHOTOS | INTERNET
ACCESSING YOURSELF
STUDY BLUE
Create flash cards that support text (including special characters for
mathematics and languages), audio recordings and images with Study
Blue. Check on your progress by converting your flash card deck into a
multiple-choice or true/false quiz. You can compare and combine flash
card decks with friends. For studying on the go, access your material
via the Study Blue mobile phone app.
QUIZLET
Like Study Blue, you can create flash cards with Quizlet and access a
database of flash cards created by other students. To add to that, Quizlet
also has study games like Scatter (matching game) and Space Race
(speed game), and a text-to-speak feature that allows you to listen to
terms and definitions instead of reading them, if you prefer.
OTHER USEFUL TOOLS
SPREEDER
Spreeder will help you get through your avalanche of readings before
you know it. It trains you to speed read by making you read a passage
you upload first at your base rate (the rate you can read with full
comprehension), then at double that rate, and a third time back at
your base rate. Repeat this cycle and you will find your base rate has
increased. Upload your readings as practice passages, and your pile of
readings will decrease as your base rate increases.
Collate all your study material for a particular topic with Just Paste
It—import notes from word processors including Microsoft Word,
Microsoft Works and Open Office (text formatting will be preserved),
insert images, and even embed videos. Your work will be automatically
saved to the server every three minutes, so you need not worry about
LEARN TO SPEED READ: Spreeder trains you to speed read by increasing your base rate (the rate you can read with full a browser crash interfering. When you are done, save your work as a
comprehension) through free online practice. PHOTOS | INTERNET PDF file, or publish it to generate a URL that you can share with friends.

18
05
SARNIES
TO ENJOY: Instead of having a sandwich to go,
savour Sarnies’ flavourful dishes amongst its
cosy interiors.
LOCATED amidst the bustling financial
district, Sarnies is a modestly-sized café
specialising in freshly prepared gourmet
sandwiches. Its name comes from the word
“sarnie”, which refers to the British slang for
sandwich.
The café has an understated charm, with
the wooden furniture and dim lighting of
the interior giving off a rustic and cosy feel.
The breakfast menu is available from
7.30am to 11am, while lunch is sold after
11am till 3pm. The food usually gets sold out
by then 3pm, but the café remains open till
5pm selling drinks only.
ARTISAN WICHES
SIMPLY
BREAD
CHRONICLE
WITH a name like Simply Bread, it is no
surprise that bread takes centre stage here.
The fragrant smell of freshly-baked bread
wafting through the air, hits you when you
step into the store—which has a wide array of
bread, pastries, and loaves on display.
Located in a quiet corner on the second
level of Cluny Court, the café’s interiors are
minimalist—with a clean design and white
furniture. The floor-to-ceiling windows offer
a scenic view of the greenery outside and also
The lunch menu has several savoury
sandwich choices, such as Aussie Grass
Fed Steak, Smoked Salmon and Chicken
Schnitzel, all priced from $11.90 to $14.90.
At the owner’s recommendation, I ordered
the Roast Chicken Sarnie ($12.90), the café’s
signature and bestseller.
It had generous portions of roasted
chicken, house cured bacon, and homemade
guacamole tightly packed between two
crusty slices of bread. This is one of their less
sinful options as the chicken is roasted and
the bacon is free from preservatives.
The chicken tasted of flavourful herbs
and spices, which contrasted elegantly with
the crunch of bacon. The vine tomatoes and
lettuce gave a zingy bite to complement the
taste of the meat.
To top it all off, guacamole complemented
the strong and earthy flavour of the other
ingredients. All in all, this fancy sandwich
tasted marvellous, and was worth every
penny.
The other item I tried was the Basil Pesto
Sarnie ($11.90). It came with a layer of grilled
mushrooms, oven roasted tomatoes, and fresh
greens tossed in olive oil.
The aromatic basil pesto sauce was spread
thickly across the toasted bread. The portion
was just right, with quality ingredients
packed generously, leaving me satisfied
without feeling too stuffed or bloated.
CLEAN AND CRISP: As bread was their main attraction, Simply Bread kept their interiors minimal yet
stylish. PHOTOS | WAN ZHONG HAO
allows sunlight to stream in, brightening
the place. It has a laid back feel and offers
a comfortable spot where you can sit back
and relax.
Their lunch menu serves up a good
variety of sandwiches and each order comes
with a side of coleslaw. Aside from the classic
Grilled Cheese Sandwich ($6.45), they also
have standard options like Ham & Cheese
($9) and Chunky Egg ($7.10). Like Subway,
you can pick out your preferred bread from
Much of the sandwich’s flavour came from
the sauce, but it was not too overpowering
and blended nicely with the juicy mushrooms
and refreshing greens. To ensure freshness,
the sauces are made daily and produced from
scratch.
As well as sandwiches, the café serves
soups and salads, priced from $9.90 to $12.90.
And alongside the usual coffees, they sell
brews from Singapore-based gourmet tea
company Tea Connection which only sells
to cafes.
I washed down my sandwich with a
the display counter. There is a wide selection
of loaves ranging from White Sourdough to
Ciabatta and Rustic White, each with their
own distinct taste.
The first sandwich I ordered was the
Turkey Sandwich ($8.50). It came in
two halves of palm-sized portions, with
thinly sliced turkey, lettuce, and sweet
ploughman’s pickle tucked between two slices
of Rustic Wholemeal bread. However, it was
disappointing as it tasted like something that
can be easily replicated in your own kitchen.
The only thing that stood out was the
sweet ploughman’s pickle. It added a punch
to the overall taste, giving the sandwich
a savoury bite. However, it got a little
overpowering at times, masking the taste of
the turkey as a result.
The BLT Sandwich ($9.50) fared slightly
better. I had this with Sourdough Rye, a rustic
loaf with a thick crust and soft interior. The
sandwich had generous amounts of bacon,
lettuce, and tomatoes, and every mouthful
was crunchy and flavourful, with the
refreshing taste of the greens contrasting
against salty bacon. The crispy lettuce and
juicy tomatoes attested to the quality of
ingredients used. My only qualm was that I
could only taste faint traces of the thin layer
of mayonnaise that was spread across the
bread. As a result, it became a little too dry
halfway through the sandwich.
Service, however, scored high on my
cards. The variety of breads available left
me spoilt for choices but the staff were
forthcoming in their recommendations. This
friendly gesture will no doubt help diners
pick out a type of bread that best suits their
preference.
Sandwiches aside, you must give their
LIFESTYLE
13
Lemon and Ginger Tea ($5) which had an
invigorating lemon zestiness and a cooling
ginger aftertaste.
To complete your meal, the café also
offers sweet treats. The menu for the baked
goods changes daily and it includes muffins,
cookies, scones and brownies. Do check out
their Facebook page for their daily specials.
Being a small café, it is relatively quiet
and is a decent location to lunch and lounge
around for a bit, but do take note that it can
get crowded from 12-2pm when the nearby
office crowd starts filling in.
BURSTING WITH FLAVOURS: The Basil Pesto Sarnie was worth every dollar as they were generous
with the ingredients, which went marvellously with the fragrant pesto sauce.
PHOTOS | GOH CHAY TENG
Sticky Bun ($1.85) a shot. The bun is a crowd
favourite, and it will usually be sold out
in the late afternoon. The bun was chewy,
dense, and generously glazed, with hints of
cinnamon. It was sweet, but not cloyingly
so, making a perfect afternoon snack. This
sweet treat paired well with the Orange Pekoe
Tea ($2.80), a drink that had a subtle citrus
aroma and taste to it which also left a pleasant
lingering sweetness.
Simply Bread is a comfortable and
peaceful place which provides a tranquil
ambience for an afternoon snack. However,
there is nothing exceptional about their main
courses. With prices and tastes comparable
to other sandwich cafes around, it might not
be worth the trouble to go out of your way
for a bite of their sandwich.
MEDIOCRE: Unless you live in around the
neighbourhood, Simply Bread’s sandwiches
are not worth travelling for.

14
LIFESTYLE
CHRONICLE
OFF THE BEATEN TREK
18
05
RUSTIC LANDSCAPE: Paddy rice and maize corn fields make up the mountainous region of Sapa, home to a rich diversity of ethnic minority groups with breathtaking views of sunsets.
ith just a return ticket
from Singapore to
Ho Chi Minh and
W no accommodation,
tours, or transport booked for the
entire trip, I set out on a nineday
backpacking trip, in hope
of unexpected adventures. Some
have called me crazy for doing
that, especially in a country
where I have never been and
whose language I do not speak.
But I have always wanted to
experience what it was really like,
off the tourist route.
As we had to navigate the
country on our own, we encountered
taxi drivers who insisted on
longer routes, or even “helpful”
locals who wanted a quick buck.
We realised the hard way that
hotels close for the night when
we arrived at one too early in
the morning and had to wait two
hours at its door before it opened
for the day.
After walking through the
hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh
and Hanoi for the first three
days, I was yearning for some
open spaces and rustic scenery.
A staff at a local tour agency in
Hanoi told us that Sapa was a
rural little village situated in the
mountainous region of Vietnam,
and is home to a rich diversity of
ethnic minority groups. Eager to
get away from the city, we immediately
took up the tour package
to Sapa.
Hanoi bid us goodbye in its
typical chaotic manner at the
Hanoi Railway Train Station.
Each time a train pulled up,
hoards jostled to get off and on
it, while the train attendants blew
their whistles incessantly. We
were trying to squeeze past the
crowds to locate our platform,
when a Vietnamese man in
uniform stopped us in our tracks.
He took a glance at our tickets,
smiled, and waved us over to
follow him. At that point, I was
relieved, thankful for the valueadded
service that the station
provided. When we arrived at our
train, the man stopped us again.
This time, he gestured to us for
money. From then on, I learnt that
there is no such thing as a free
lunch in Vietnam.
After travelling for more
than eight hours on a sleeper
train from Hanoi, we finally
made it to Lao Cai Province in
northwest Vietnam. It is located
near the border of China, where
the Red River separates the two
communist countries. Unlike
Hanoi, which was hot and humid,
this province has a fairly cool
temperature, ranging from 15°C
to 29°C. It was such a relief to feel
the cool breeze once I made my
way down from the train and on
to another bus which would take
us to Sapa town.
We were packed into the
small bus with 20 tourists, but
I was lucky enough to get a
window seat. I was rewarded
with a magnificent view of the
mountains as the bus pulled its
way up the steep and winding
roads, which bears a staggering
altitude of 1,600m. I was faintly
reminded of the ride up Genting
Highlands, but with more majestic
and breathtaking views this time.
The precipitous slopes are
carved into beautiful green
terraces of paddy rice and maize
corns fields. At six in the morning,
we saw the blazing red sun slowly
appearing behind the mountains,
and the sky was tinged with
shades of orange and blue.
As soon as we arrived, we
heard the line, “Excuse me,
can you buy this from me?”
being repeated relentlessly. A
group of women dressed in their
traditional ethnic costumes stood
by the bus, hands stretched into
the bus’s open windows, shoving
handicraft items at us. This
definitely made for a bizarre
introduction to the minority
ethnic people.
A while later, I learnt from
my local guide, Viet, that these
aboriginal ladies would walk
miles from their villages to the
town centre of Sapa and spend the
rest of the day selling handicrafts
to tourists. With limited English,
they would attempt to strike up
small talk by asking, “Where are
you from?”, but they all end with
the imminent question, “can you
buy this from me?”. A group of
three tailed us during our trek,
from Sapa’s town centre to Cat Cat
Village. Due to their persistence,
I finally gave in and bought a
keychain.
At Cat Cat Village, shrieks
of village kids came within
earshot as we entered the village.
They were playing outside their
homes which are lined along the
undulating slopes in the valley.
Instead of battery-operated toys,
they played with sticks, stones,
and whatever they found in their
environment. Due to the high
influx of tourists in the village,
they did not look surprised to see
us, preferring to return to their
own fun and games instead.
Our guide Viet kindly took us
into one of the villagers’ homes.
I was astonished to see how
sparse and primitive the place
was. I noticed that simplicity
and functionality are priorities
in their lifestyle. There were
only a few pieces of furniture,
and no hint of technology, save
for a television set. It made me
reflect on how most things in our
urban environment are not that
necessary.
We continued our way down
the valley, where a stunning
waterfall awaited at the bottom.
With the sun beating against the
cascading waters, it was like a
shower of diamonds. With such
alluring views of nature, the
trek was anything but tiresome.
We also saw farmers plowing the
paddy rice fields, while chickens
and pigs roamed freely on the
PHOTOS | COURTESY OF JEREMY TAN
SCISSORS, PAPER, STONE: The kids of Cat Cat Village make do with what they
have and fashion toys out of their immediate surroundings.
farm grounds.
When evening came, we
enjoyed a cup of hot Vietnamese
coffee on the rooftop of one of
the many cafes in Sapa, and took
in the breathtaking sight of dusk
approaching. We watched the sun
retreat behind the mountains,
and listened to the crows of the
rooster as it announced the end
of another day. This is Sapa, a
rural countryside that allows
you to leave behind the bustle of
cities, and admire the slow-paced
beauty of village life.

18
16 CHRONICLE LIFESTYLE
05
She’s
Got The
Love
18
LIFESTYLE CHRONICLE 15
THE BEST compliment anyone
can pay to Florence
and the Machine is that she
sounds like nothing you’ve
ever heard in your life.
There have been many
labels attached to the redhaired
songstress—baroque
pop and art rock among
them, but Florence Welch
defies them all.
Her music runs across
the entire musical spectrum,
from breathy ethereal
ballads to rebellious punk
anthems, all delivered with
a knowing wink and a pout
of the lips.
At just 25, the singer
has already become a global
star. Her debut studio album
Lungs was certified gold in
the USA, selling over 730,
000 copies – a rarity for a
British musician since the
glory days of the Beatles.
Frequently turning up
for interviews dressed in an
eclectic mix of clothing and
digressing into tangents to
discuss Nabokov’s Lolita and
the British cult film Withnail
and I, everything about
Florence Welch screams
unconventional. Even her
stage name (often stylised
as Florence + The Machine)
came from a private joke in
which she referred to her
friend Isabella Summers as
Isabella Machine, and herself
as Florence Robot.
“I was an hour away from
my first gig when I realised
the name Florence Robot/
Isabella Machine was so long
it would drive me mad,” she
said in an interview with the
Sunday Times.
The ‘Machine’ today refers
to the rotating group
of musicians who provide
backup vocals and instrumentals
for Welch, while
Summers remains as her
main keyboardist.
“I knew I loved
singing and
music...it was
always just
something that
I loved but I was
never thinking
of it as a career.
It was more just
like, ‘OH, I CAN
SING! WOO!”
Florence Welch
Interview with Clash Music
The 31-year-old is no
slouch in the creative department
herself, having
earned six producer and five
co-writer credits on Lungs,
a 2010 BRIT Masterclass
Award winner.
It would come as no surprise
to learn that Welch’s
path to fame was fittingly
unique as well.
Starting out at the bottom
rung of the London
club scene in the mid-2000s,
she caught her big break in
December 2006 while performing
in London, Soho for
the Queens of Noize, a band
of influential music promoters
and producers.
Thoroughly inebriated,
Welch cornered band member
Mairead Nash, in the
bathroom and started singing
the 1962 hit Something’s
Got a Hold on Me by Etta
James.
“I invited her back for
another night, and I remember
thinking ‘Oh…my…God,
I’ve literally never heard
anyone with such a powerful
voice ever,” recalls Nash in
an interview with the Daily
Telegraph. “I had to manage
her.”
Florence and the Machine
eventually released Lungs in
2009 to widespread critical
acclaim.
Peaking at number one
on the UK charts and second
in Ireland, it would eventually
reach the top of the
American charts as well.
Chart success isn’t the
only indicator of the singer’s
influence though.
Tracks from Lungs have
been used in official movie
soundtracks such as Eat,
Pray, Love, and featured in
episodes of television series
like 90210, Skins, and Glee.
“Do I want
to be stuck
in teenage
land, where
everything’s
free and easy?
Is it time to
grow up?”
Florence Welch, reflecting on
her new-found maturity.
Interview with The Observer
The music videos created
for Lungs all display her love
of colour and crazy clothes.
In Dog Days Are Over she
prances around in a kimono
and rags through a cloud of
cloured smoke.
Another common element
of her videos is her eccentric
refusal to wear pants.
Irreverent, playful and
whimsical—it perfectly encapsulates
both Florence and
her Machine both as a person
and a music band.
The October 31st release
date of their upcoming album
Ceremonials cannot
come soon enough.
Lungs (2009)
BRIT Award winner and certified platinum in a dozen countries
across Europe, what is it that makes Lungs so special? The sheer
variety of the songs on the album, for a start.
Kiss With a Fist, for example, is a cheerfully manic song with
lyrics like: You smashed a plate over my head / So I set fire to our
bed. It sounds absolutely nothing like the majestic Cosmic Love,
with its epic swelling overtures.
According to Florence herself, the entire album is a journey. It was
designed as a cohesive whole from start to finish, with its very randomness
an integral part of linking the different songs together.
“It’s like a scrapbook,” she said in an interview with Artist Direct.
“You have to listen to everything to understand the whole body
of work.”
There are albums that you only play when you feel sad, or happy.
The beauty of Lungs is that it has any song to fit any occasion. It
is full of wonder and nonsense with equal measure. How else can
you explain lyrics like: Washes away down the kitchen sink, taken
from the album’s crowning jewel, Dog Days Are Over?
In her own words, “I really love the idea of making the totally
mundane magical.”Adding a dash of colour to an otherwise grey
day, Lungs is one of those albums you’d pick if you had to choose
one to take with you to a desert island.
PHOTOS | INTERNET

16 LIFESTYLE
MUSIC
CHRONICLE
18
05
MYLO XYLOTO
(Alternative Rock)
Coldplay
According to Coldplay, the
album’s lyrics were inspired
by ‘old school American
graffiti’ and the ‘White Rose
Movement’.
IT COULD have been just
another pretentious name
for a Hollywood celebrity’s
baby. Instead Mylo Xyloto
is Coldplay’s latest offering
following their 2008 hit
record, Viva La Vida or Death
and All His Friends.
When asked by the New
York Times about the meaning
of the album title, lead singer
Chris Martin was reluctant to
tell the truth.
“Music comes from a
place we don’t know. It sort
of comes through the fingers
and toes,” he said vaguely.
Martin later revealed that
the title came out of the
‘randomness of the universe’
on American political satire
program The Colbert Report.
Billed as a concept album,
Mylo Xyloto delves into a
narrative of two young
lovers, Mylo and Xyloto in an
oppressive, dystopian urban
environment.
The term ‘concept album’
RACHAEL Yamagata is, by
her own admission, not one
to write happy songs.
So it is a pleasant surprise
to find that Chesapeake,
which was three years in the
making, is a more uplifting
release than her previous effort
Elephants...Teeth Sinking
Into Heart.
The 34-year-old’s signature
sultry tones are a mainstay
on the album, and lend
themselves well to the variety
of genres she samples.
Opening track Even If
I Don’t is a twee, upbeat
number reminiscent of a pop
song, with a sprightly tempo
punctuated by drumbeats.
This jaunty, refreshing
track is likely to find the
songstress some new fans—it
is an accessible entry point
into an album in which
Yamagata discovers her more
optimistic side.
Stick Around, with its
smoky jazz flavour, is a hopeis
debatable though, as the
narrative is not properly
explored, nor does it seem
to go beyond the surface
storyline of boy meets girl.
But that is easily forgiven,
as the individual tracks in
the record are enthusiastic,
upbeat and generally more
uplifting than any of
Coldplay’s previous albums.
With the help of coproducer
Brian Eno, the
album achieves a very
luxurious, surging sound that
is a mix of swelling synths,
exhilarating guitar riffs and
Martin’s gorgeous falsetto.
The melodies, guided
along by catchy piano tunes,
simply bring everything
together in a right balance,
especially in tracks like Hurts
Like Heaven.
Balance is the key word
for this album. The band’s
previous work produced very
heavy anthems like Viva La
Vida.
While that formula still
features prominently in
Mylo Xyloto, it is smoothed
out by light, playful beats
paired with delicately
beautiful instrumentation.
Their song Paradise elegantly
exemplifies this balance.
Martin sings a thirdperson
narrative about a girl
whose life has not measured
up to her expectations: When
she was just a girl she expected
the world / But it flew away
from her reach so she ran
away in her sleep.
With a strong hook, and
the always-loved stretched
vocals of Martin, one can
easily imagine a ginormous
sea of swaying arms at a
stadium, well-equipped with
light sticks or mobile phones.
While Eno, who also
produced U2’s 1991 record
Achtung Baby, also worked
on Coldplay’s last album, his
touch is more evident in Mylo
Xyloto.
Eno’s signature use of
synths and keyboards is more
apparent, especially in one of
the album’s standout tracks
Princess of China which
features R&B artist Rihanna.
The band’s trademark
piano and light guitar riffs
take a backseat to make
way for robust synths and
compellingly heavy guitar
riffs in this song.
Rihanna unexpectedly
lends a sense of depth to the
song and elevates Martin’s
comparatively weak vocals
to a level that might not have
been possible without her.
While Mylo Xyloto still
carries the world music
elements that Coldplay had
infused in their music three
years ago, it is also packed
with well-placed urban traces
that will cement their status
as the biggest-selling band in
the world.
-JENNIFER DHANARAJ
U.F.O: Mylo Xyloto’s title is so bizzare, inspiration for Coldplay’s fifth album might have come from outer space.
STICK AROUND: Fans of honest, mellow and soulful music will certainly not go wrong giving Rachael Yamagata’s (left) Cheaspeake a listen.
PHOTOS | INTERNET
CHESAPEAKE (Indie)
Rachael Yamagata
Rachael Yamagata’s songs
have featured on popular TV
shows like ‘Grey’s Anatomy’
and ‘How I Met Your Mother’.
ful take on second chances in
love. She sings: I’ve been in
trouble before with my rushing
in / but I’m willing to take the
chance again.
Older fans may be pleased
to note that Yamagata has not
completely abandoned her
contemplative, somber roots.
Full On is a delicate,
wistful piano ballad, with
Yamagata’s vocals reined in to
convey the disappointment of
a lover ‘faking it for so long’.
For this album, Yamagata
reunited with music producer
John Alagia, with whom
she also collaborated on her
debut album Happenstance,
released in 2004.
However it is evident that
this soulful songbird has
evolved since she emerged
onto the music scene.
From song to song,
Yamagata writes with a maturity
and intimacy that is not
often found among contemporary
pop artists.
Chesapeake enters previously
uncharted territory in
Yamagata’s repertoire by being
slightly eclectic, resulting
in a collection of songs that
lacks a clear direction for her
as an artiste.
However this exploration
of Yamagata’s happier persona
is, above all, a commendable
exercise in self-discovery.
-CLARA LOCK

18
CHRONICLE
05
MUSICAL
DICK LEE: THE ADVENTURES OF THE
MAD CHINAMAN
Fresh from his stint as creative director for 2010’s
National Day Parade, Dick Lee returns to theatre
production with a bang.
BASED on his biography of
the same title, The Adventures
of the Mad Chinaman is Dick
Lee’s intimate and often
hilarious recount of his life
journey towards musical
stardom.
Featuring many wellloved
local hits such as
Rasa Sayang and Fried Rice
Paradise, the solo recital hits
home as both a lively depiction
of the life of a local musician
and a record of Singapore’s
music history.
One of the most successful
local musicians, the 55-yearold
is well-known for his
numerous music compositions
and plays, including the
renowned play Forbidden
City: Portrait of an Empress,
LOOKING SPLENDID: Dick Lee captivates the audience with his honesty.
“If I could go
back in time, I
would tell my
20-year-old self,
“Don’t worry,
just do it.” But,
looking back,
I think I did it
anyway.”
Dick lee, in an interview with
August Man.
first staged in 2002.
With his characteristic
down-to-earth narration,
Lee manages to bring both
laughter and tears to the
audience.
From sharing personal
stories such as the death of his
beloved sister to poking fun at
local politics, he comes across
as honest and straightforward.
Set in a living room with a
mix of designer furniture and
artefacts from the past, he also
infuses a nostalgic flavour
into this solo recital.
Lee looked sharp in a
pink suit as he alternated
between lively performances
at his white grand piano and
unpretentious recounts of his
life’s many trials, setbacks
and triumphs while seated on
his sofa.
He delivers a great
performance beyond a
simple music recital, belting
out renditions of famous
songs like Heart of Gold,
prancing around to the beat
of old Chinese pop songs, and
sharing humorous stories.
The audience is given a
peek into Singapore’s past as
Lee recounts the transition
in Singapore’s music culture
over the decades, such as the
move from use of Laser Discs
(LDs) to Compact Discs (CDs)
and the phasing-out of video
cassettes.
Among his numerous
heart-warming tales, one
highlight is an escapade
during his years in Saint
Joseph’s Institution.
He recalls an early
mischievous attempt at
business when he sold books
containing objectionable
material to his classmates.
Despite his admission of
guilt at that incident, the
comical manifestation of Lee’s
entrepreneurial spirit at such
a young age was greeted with
both laughter and awe from
the audience.
In a more significant
episode, Dick Lee describes
his initial difficulty in
establishing himself as a
musician.
His admiration for
successful Western musicians
had led him to strive hard to
imitate them.
However, he realised that
in the process he had lost sight
of something more important
than fame and glory—his
Singaporean identity.
This would prove to be
critical to his success later on.
Spurred on by this
LIFESTYLE 17
HE’LL BE BACK: A sequel, The Return of the Mad Chinaman, is in the works.
PHOTOS | INTERNET
awareness, he created a
form of national identity
through his composition of
the National Day song Home
in 1998, which was performed
by local singer Kit Chan.
Similarly, The Adventures
of the Mad Chinaman does
more than just entertain.
Beyond the laughter, tears,
and a lesson on Singapore’s
history, the audience is led
to contemplate their life’s
achievements and goals.
A sequel, The Return of the
Mad Chinaman, is currently
in the works.
It will continue the story
from where Lee left off, and
with luck it will be just as
good as the first.
-ALOYSIUS LAI
BOOKS
DAMNED
Chuck Palahniuk (Fiction)
$24.95 at Kinokuniya
Published by Jonathan Cape
Ltd
Damned is Chuck Palahniuk’s
new novel that unfortunately
reads like a diary of a typical
adolescent, reminiscent of the
unfortunate Adrian Mole.
The writer of the provocative
novel Fight Club, capable
of searing social commentary,
decides here to parody a
child’s relationship with God.
Although the premise is
interesting, the climax and
the ending of the book leaves
much to be desired.
This version of Hell is
introduced to the reader by
Madison, a 13-year-old adolescent
dead from a freak
accident supplemented by
marijuana.
She meets her Breakfast
Club posse of friends along
and together they conquer
hell as their territory.
Although precocious for
her age, Madison still struggles
with the adolescent issues
of self-identity, image and
acceptance.
Her narrative oscillates
between biting sarcasm and
hopeful naivety, and offers
few insights in between her
cutting observations.
Although the character
development was lacking,
Palahniuk’s description of
Hell’s inner workings is enjoyable
in every way.
The conundrum of telemarketers’
accuracy in striking
just before dinner is
served is solved in Damned.
Apparently in Hell, making
calls during the customers’
meal, bath and relaxation
times is a respected job of its
hellish occupants.
Palahniuk’s Hell is essentially
a consequence of
humanity’s own existence.
For example the physical
landscape is made out
of various kinds of human
waste—a different take from
the burning realm we’re
more familiar with.
Ironically, beneath the
overly pessimistic portrayal
of mankind some hope is
revealed.
It is Madison’s unabashed
hopefulness that
keeps her apart from the
wailing masses of the despondent
and damned.
Eventually, under her
command, Hell takes on a
more cheery form.
Unfortunately, the lack
of a compelling storyline
in Damned is accompanied
by character relationships
that are unconvincing and
lack focus. Madison does
not lose, but she never truly
wins either.
Palahniuk continually
reminds us that the expectation
for both Earth and Hell
to be like Heaven is a fundamental
flaw of humanity.
That indeed seems to be
the point for the book—do
not read Damned with the
expectation that it will be
extremely good, or you
might very well just be
damned in your own hopes.
-LIM XIANGYUN
LOBSTERS SCREAM
WHEN YOU BOIL THEM
Bruce Weinstein and Mark
Scarbrough (Non-Fiction)
$23.11 at Kinokuniya
Published by Gallery
EVER heard a high-pitched
sound when a lobster is
dropped into a pot of boiling
water?
No, it is not the crustacean
screaming in agony, although
the resemblance is uncanny.
The sound was apparently
so convincing Adolf Hitler’s
Nazi government banned
the Germans from cooking
lobsters in this way.
The sound is actually produced
when steam whistles
out from the joints of its shell.
Simple science, yet even
today many people still believe
that lobsters have the
ability to scream even though
they do not have vocal cords.
American authors
Bruce Weinstein and Mark
Scarbrough debunk this and
a hundred other food and
cooking myths in their latest
book Lobsters Scream When
You Boil Them.
The two writers contribute
regularly to various food
publications, including recipe
website Eating Well and The
Washington Post .
While the duo’s past 19
books have primarily been
cookbooks, their 20th piece
of work is more of a scientific
investigation into the
many kitchen myths and
misconceptions that have
been passed down from one
generation to the next.
From simple errors like
storing coffee beans in the
refrigerator to the technicalities
of differentiating
grilled steaks, Weinstein and
Scarbrough substantiate their
points with scientific evidence
and real-life examples.
The writers are careful
not to use too much jargon
so that the book is more
‘kitchen-friendly’. They use
a humorous and to-the-point
writing style that makes the
book read more like a lighthearted
conversation.
Lobsters Scream When
You Boil Them therefore
reads like a collection of
short stories, a pleasant
surprise from the usual
textbook-style culinary
texts.
Each fact starts with the
myth as the headline and
the authors’ short answer,
often hilarious, as the subheader.
One example is Myth
number 50, “Putting an
avocado pit in the guacamole
will keep it from turning
brown.”
The authors have a short
and simple reply to such a
piece of ‘wisdom’, “In your
dreams.”
The organisation of information
is a bit madcap,
as is the mix of food history,
science and culinary
expertise.
But this haphazardness
is what makes this book
of myths and their corresponding
truths so much
fun to read.
The only drawback is
the lack of pictures which
would have appealed to
Masterchef wannabes with
a phobia for text-heavy
books.
-BENJAMIN LIM
BOOKS FROM KINOKUNIYA

18
FILMS
LIFESTYLE
MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
ROMANTIC COMEDY
Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams
94min
PARIS, YOU ARE MY LOVE: Adriana (Marion Cotillard) and Gil (Owen Wilson) take a romantic walk in Paris.
PHOTOS | INTERNET
WOODY Allen’s newest film is a charming
ride, weaving his nostalgia for Paris’ timeless
beauty in an uncharacteristically buoyant
romantic comedy.
Gil Penders (Owen Wilson, Marley and
Me) is a restless Hollywood scriptwriter
working on his first draft of a novel that he
refuses to let anyone read.
He longs for Paris of the 1920s, a time
and place of great artistic vibrancy and
congregation of creative talents.
On vacation with his fiancée, Inez (Rachel
McAdams, The Time Traveler’s Wife), and
his future parents-in-law, the writer soon
discovers that his dream holiday in Paris
does not go according to plan.
Gil pokes fun at his fiancée, whom he likens
to a typical spoiled American housewife,
as well as her equally intolerable parents.
His fiancée however does not pay too
much attention—as she does to all things—
towards what she hopes is a passing fancy
in Gil’s novel writing.
Their future is already set in her mind: a
married life in Malibu of attending parties
and raising their children on Gil’s scriptwriting
pay checks.
Not only does Gil have to deal with her
disapproving parents, he also has to contend
with Paul (Michael Sheen), Inez’s former
crush who is an insufferable know-it-all.
After one too many taunts from Inez’s
family, Gil ends up walking the streets
of Paris alone after their dinner together,
slightly drunk and lost.
When the clock strikes midnight, a vintage
convertible arrives and beckons to him
to join the passengers in their revelry, which
turns out to be in the 1920s. He is transported
back in time.
In one night he meets American novelist
couple F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald (Tom
Hiddleston and Alison Pill) and writer Ernest
Hemingway (Corey Stoll).
Despite feeling utterly disoriented, Gil
goes along with the flow and engages his
literary heroes in conversation.
The following nights bring him into the
CHRONICLE
18
05
company of more of his idols, including
Getrude Stein (Kathy Bates), T.S Eliot and
the legendary Picasso.
The numerous cameos are delightful
and Adrien Brody (The Pianist) is especially
wicked in his role as Spanish Catalan surrealist
painter Salvador Dalí, of which he
evidently enjoyed playing.
Not only does Gil get to have his novel
draft read by Stein, he strikes up a romantic
alliance with the lovely Adriana (Marion
Cotillard, Inception), Picasso’s lover and
muse.
Ironically just like Gil, she is discontented
with her own era, yearning for the Belle
Époque of the 1890s, which she believes was
the golden age of Paris.
This is when Gil realises that his own
nostalgia is timeless and insatiable.
Allen speaks to us through his many dialogues
executed perfectly in singular shots
that are as tight as they are minutely detailed.
Visually, Midnight in Paris is a feast for
the eyes, suffused with warm colours and
backlight that frame the city and its characters
gorgeously. It is hard to not want to
wander the streets of Paris upon watching
this film.
Perhaps this really is the magic of Paris.
The romance is sweet without being overwhelming.
As fantastic as midnight time travelling
may seem, Midnight in Paris is still sufficiently
anchored in reality.
Having the characters stick by their respective
decisions somehow makes the present
more believable, and in turn, alluring.
-LIM XIANGYUN
GO TO SLEEP LITTLE ONE: Don’t open your eyes.
PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3
HORROR
Chloe Csengery, Jessica Tyler Brown
85min
WHEN bodies are thrown out of bed and
dragged forcefully across the floor, a child’s
‘imaginary’ friend may be more than just a
mere fantasy.
Set in the Eighties, Paranormal Activity 3
is the third installment of the franchise and a
prequel that sets the premise for the hauntings
in the first two movies.
Acclaimed for their work in 2010’s Catfish,
the new directorial duo of Henry Joost and
Ariel Schulman offers a plot that revolves
around the childhood of sisters Katie (Chloe
Csengery) and Kristi Rey (Jessica Tyler Brown).
Sticking to the franchise’s signature style,
Paranormal Activity 3 is once again shot in
the ‘found-footage’ format, making it seem
as if the events of the movie were actually
real life recordings. This style was also successfully
used in other horror movies such
as Cloverfield and The Blair Witch Project.
The mysterious ‘Toby’ is the confidante
of Kristi, the youngest in the family. Her
mother (Lauren Bittner) plays down this
strange behavior, insisting Toby is imaginary,
much to the suspicion of her boyfriend
Dennis (Christopher Nicholas Smith).
As the father figure, Dennis believes he
must take action to deal with the hauntings,
and installs several security cameras to hunt
for the supernatural entity.
He soon discovers a cult symbol drawn
in the room that Kristi points out as belonging
to Toby. At this point, the pace of the
story quickens.
The horror climaxes when Kristi’s refusal
to comply with Toby’s demands leads to
increasingly traumatic and violent hauntings.
The downward spiral of the family that
ensues petrifies and throws both the characters
and the audience into a gripping panic.
Shock factor aside, the turbulence of
relationships, strong storyline and a clever
twist at the end merge together, resulting in
a surprisingly well-developed horror film.
The relatively unknown cast is competent
in delivering their roles in a believable
fashion, adding authenticity to the ‘foundfootage’
angle.
Despite several loose ends in the overall
plot, like how the spirits are connected
to the cult symbols, the story’s delivery is
nonetheless brilliant.
By confining the set to three spaces in
the house, Joost and Schulman let audiences
familiarise themselves with the scenes and
invite them to play an intense game of spotthe-difference
within each setting.
Subtle hauntings become more menacing
as the movie progresses, ramping up the
terror, which keeps audiences on the edge
of their seats.
Joost and Schulman let us scare ourselves
with our anticipation and impatience,
and this is the genius that makes Paranormal
Activity 3 an exceptional horror film.
-SARAH THIAM
EN GARDE: Aramis (Luke Evans, centre) and the Musketeers do battle with Cardinal Richelieu’s soldiers.
THE THREE MUSKETEERS
ACTION
Logan Lerman, Matthew Macfadyen
110min
AWAY from the T-virus pandemic of
Resident Evil and gruesome extra-terrestrial
beings in Alien Versus Predator, Paul W.S.
Anderson ventures into the classic novel by
Alexandre Dumas, The Three Musketeers.
Tous pour un, un pour tous—all for one,
one for all—is the spirit that unites the three
musketeers of 17th century France, Athos
(Matthew Macfadyen), Aramis (Luke Evans)
and Porthos (Ray Stevenson).
They are soon joined by young
D’Artagnan (Logan Lerman). Trying to
achieve his dream of being a musketeer
like his father, D’Artagnan travels to Paris
and ends up picking fights with the Three
Musketeers, but eventually forges a strong
friendship with them instead.
The evil Cardinal Richelieu (Christoph
Waltz) attempts to sabotage the heroes
by influencing their friend Milady (Milla
Jovovich) to double-cross them.
He sets into motion another plot to frame
Queen Anne of France of having an affair
with the Duke of Buckingham, with the ultimate
goal of dethroning King Louis XIII. It
is up to the Musketeers to untangle the web
of deception and save the day.
Anderson made minimal changes to the
original novel’s plot, a brave choice as audiences
would naturally expect something more
from an adaptation.
Bearing this in mind, Anderson included
extensive swordplay scenes and dazzling
special effects, reminiscent of action adventure
movies like Pirates of the Caribbean.
Some parts of the movie seemed a little
rushed and unrealistic, especially the scene
where D’Artagnan met and fought with all
the Musketeers in a single day.
But if you are looking for a fun action
flick, The Three Musketeers is well worth
the time.
-CHOO WEN RUI

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CHRONICLE
LIFESTYLE 19
it’s a basic remix
Credits.
Photography: Bryan Ho
Stylist: Farhana Ja’afar
Makeup & Hair: Geraleine Yap
Models: Rachel Lim, Sam Duckett
Stockist.
Fanny Fashion, 6 Eu Tong Sen Street, #02-41 The Central
DeSoul, 14 Scotts Road #03-25A Far East Plaza
Zhoppetizer, 14 Scotts Road #03-134B Far East Plaza
Spellbound, 14 Scotts Road #03-24 Far East Plaza
The Corner Shop, 14 Scotts Road #03-16 Far East Plaza

20 SHOW
CHRONICLE
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On Sam (from left to right):
white top, blue jeans, stylist's own.
white top, green & white shorts $69.90,
DeSoul. white top, straw hat, blue
shorts, stylist’s own, blue coat $149.90,
The Corner Shop.
white top, dark blue shawl,
grey trousers, stylist's own.
white top, black layered jacket $169.00,
and grey harem pants $119.00, DeSoul.
On Rachel (from left to right):
white top, blue jeans, stylist’s own.
white top with floral leggings $10.00,
Fanny Fashion,
floral jacket, stylist’s own.
white top with blue bodycon skirt
$45.00, yellow mustard skirt $39.90,
Spellbound.
white top with black suspender, stylist’s
own, grey criss-cross grey skirt $35.00,
Spellbound.
white top with black trench coat
$109.90, The Corner Shop, black skirt
with gold pattern $45.00, Spellbound.

22 SHOW
CHRONICLE
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SHOW 23
The finalists from Nail That Unique STYLE
have come together for the grand challenge.
Clearly, they have their own personal
style, but do they have what it takes
to transform a simple white tee shirt into
something uniquely stylish and edgy?
This style challenge had the five finalists
creating two different looks — something
edgy to wear on campus in the day, and
something fabulous for a night out in
town.
Their outfits have been posted on Facebook
(www.facebook.com/Ntusg) for voting.
The total votes will contribute to 50
per cent of the results, while the other half
will be in the hands of a panel of judges.
The winner will walk away with $500
worth of vouchers for Sweddish apparel
store H&M.
ALICE NG. School of Art, Design and
Media
ONG SOON KUEY. School of Mechanical
and Aerospace Engineering
WILFRED LIM. School of Art, Design and
Media
GINGER CHIA. Wee Kim Wee School of
Communication and Information
LEONG CHONG YEN. School of Mechanical
and Aerospace Engineering
Come for a “hey-ppening” event on campus
on November 1st, 12.15pm at Canopy
K at LT 1A where the contestants debut
their creations live.
On top of that, NTU President Prof Bertil
Andersson will launch HEY!, a new NTU
magazine targeted at prospective and
current students while NTU students show
off their unique fashion sense in the final
round of Nail That Unique Style.
Walk away hey-py with exclusive goodies,
MacDonald’s vouchers, and perhaps even
a cool gadget. (Hint, it starts with an I!)

22 SHOW
CHRONICLE
18
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18
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CHRONICLE
SHOW 23
The finalists from Nail That Unique STYLE
have come together for the grand challenge.
Clearly, they have their own personal
style, but do they have what it takes
to transform a simple white tee shirt into
something uniquely stylish and edgy?
This style challenge had the five finalists
creating two different looks — something
edgy to wear on campus in the day, and
something fabulous for a night out in
town.
Their outfits have been posted on Facebook
(www.facebook.com/Ntusg) for voting.
The total votes will contribute to 50
per cent of the results, while the other half
will be in the hands of a panel of judges.
The winner will walk away with $500
worth of vouchers for Sweddish apparel
store H&M.
ALICE NG. School of Art, Design and
Media
ONG SOON KUEY. School of Mechanical
and Aerospace Engineering
WILFRED LIM. School of Art, Design and
Media
GINGER CHIA. Wee Kim Wee School of
Communication and Information
LEONG CHONG YEN. School of Mechanical
and Aerospace Engineering
Come for a “hey-ppening” event on campus
on November 1st, 12.15pm at Canopy
K at LT 1A where the contestants debut
their creations live.
On top of that, NTU President Prof Bertil
Andersson will launch HEY!, a new NTU
magazine targeted at prospective and
current students while NTU students show
off their unique fashion sense in the final
round of Nail That Unique Style.
Walk away hey-py with exclusive goodies,
MacDonald’s vouchers, and perhaps even
a cool gadget. (Hint, it starts with an I!)

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CHRONICLE
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31
•
•
•
•

Opinions
WEIGHING OUR WORDS
The Occupy Wall Street
movement has captured the
imagination of people across
the world in the last month.
Protests over economic inequality—the
dominance of the
minority over the economy—
have finally given a voice to
the majority.
The protest drew attention
to fundamental structures
that our society is built on,
and the possible dangers and
harms should we continue
along these lines.
It has shown anger at the
fact that it is not the greater
numbers who are always
heard, but those with the resources
to make sure they are.
Many times, the topics
that are trumpeted, are not
the issues of actual concern
to people.
So do we, as ordinary
people, have weight behind
our words? Actually, being
someone who can contribute
a voice to important issues
is not too far a stretch of
imagination.
Graduates from NTU have
gone on to become important
movers in society. Low
Thia Khiang has provided,
and continues to be, an important
counterbalance in
Singapore’s political scene.
CHIEF EDITOR
SUB-EDITORS
NEWS EDITORS
LIFESTYLE EDITORS
REVIEWS EDITOR
DAPPER EDITORS
CHINESE EDITORS
OPINIONS EDITORS
CHRONICLE
SPORTS EDITORS
LAYOUT EDITORS
PHOTO EDITORS
GRAPHICS EDITOR
ONLINE EDITORS
BUSINESS MANAGERS
PRODUCTION SUPPORT
TEACHER ADVISORS
And Stefanie Sun is a powerful
influence as a top singer.
If we can learn anything
from the Occupy Wall Street
protests, it is that ordinary
people can make an important
difference.
This can be seen even
among our university population.
Graduate students from
NTU organised the TEDxNTU
seminar recently, to give innovative
people a platform to
inspire. Its theme was to show
people how to translate their
dreams into reality.
More students from NTU
have also been taking part in
green initiatives to highlight
the importance of environmental
well-being.
So it is not whether we
have a voice—it is about how
we use it.
As a newspaper, we have
the responsibility to make sure
that the things that we write
about, matter. And as citizens
of the world, that the issues we
lend a voice to are significant
enough to deserve it.
At this time of market turmoil,
with unemployment and CHIEF EDITOR
CASSANDRA YEAP
costs of living fast getting beyond
the common man, there
may be no time as important to
through the
consider what causes we lend
reports on Steve Jobs’
weight to. death, I came across
Reading
Facebook: The Nanyang
Chronicle
Website: www3.ntu.edu.
sg/chronicle
General Enquiries:
chronicle@ntu.edu.sg
Human factor affects
articles that recorded
the last piece of advice
he gave Tim Cook, his successor.
“Just do what is right,” he said,
“not do what Steve Jobs would.”
This reminded me of what
someone else who filled similarly
large shoes had said. Sister
Nirmala who took over Mother
Teresa as the head of the global
Missionaries of Charity Order,
said she was clear that she was to
be herself, not the Nobel Prizeawarded
nun.
Jobs and Mother Teresa were
visionaries who left lasting changes
in terms of products, programmes
and culture, they mentored
the people they worked with.
Their successors were to be
unique individuals, not slavish
followers of a cult of personality,
nor of the characteristics that had
worked for their mentors.
Products and results—these
things are important. But for
me, the deepest meanings are
created at the intersection of one
life with another. For Jobs and
Mother Teresa, the effect they had
through personal relationships
left legacies that outlived them
through their successors.
Great figures like Mother
Teresa, Jobs and Princess Diana
understood true achievement as
their impact on fellow human
beings and this was evident in
their lives.
Mother Teresa worked with the
poorest of the poor and the abandoned
in the slums of Calcutta for
50 years, while Diana has been
immortalised in images of her
holding hands with HIV patients
and lepers.
Even Jobs, whose attention to
detail meant at times a tyrannical
working style, was driven by the
needs of the consumers first—the
human experience.
Throughout my life, what
stayed with me and impacted
who I was as a person and where
I was going, were the people and
relationships.
When I became president of
the debate club, I set myself a
long to-do list of new initiatives
to complete or existing projects
to improve. Through a year’s
flurry of activity, I eventually got
through the list.
Looking back over that year, I
should have felt a sense of accomplishment
over all that had been
achieved. Instead, the satisfaction
of advising and coaching my juniors
was what lingered on and still
continues to be an important part
of my life through the relationships
formed.
Likewise, as a news editor at
The Nanyang Chronicle, I was
glad to see news articles on timely
issues produced by the paper. But
the most memorable aspect was
GRAPHIC | GOH WEI CHOON
working with writers who were
not too confident in their abilities,
and through a bit of guidance on
my part and a lot of passion and
drive on theirs, seeing them turn
in incredible work.
That is also where the primary
fascination with journalism lies
for me—the chance to interact
with diverse types of people, hear
their stories and share in aspects
of their lives.
It is no surprise then that as
the Chronicle closes for the semester,
what I will take away will
be the crazy overnighters during
production of the paper, the
laughter and frustration shared—
the sense that despite the fatigue,
you were with people who wanted
the same goal as badly as you.
With technology increasingly
replacing human functions, it has
become even easier to downplay
the difference made when on life
meets another.
Recently, the movie ‘Up in the
Air’ drove home for me how easy
it is to lose sight of what matters
due to the seductiveness of efficiency.
In the drama, a system to
fire people by videoconferencing
is introduced by an ambitious
fresh graduate.
She is later devastated when
her boyfriend breaks up with her
over text message.
Her hypocrisy highlights a
greater truth about life—on the
surface we may appear to be all
business, but it is the relationships
that keep us going.

34
OPINIONS
CHRONICLE
Driving beyond the COE
ALOYSIUS LAI
easier than weaving around car
parks for at least 15 minutes. This
an you imagine having time can be better spent blissfully
to ferry younger siblings sipping a cappuccino at Starbucks.
from one extra-curricular
activity to another? from the edge of Singapore to the
In fact, taking public transport
COr being the designated central areas can be quicker than
driver when your friends go clubbing?
I would much rather be stuck such example—the newly-opened
driving during peak hours. One
in a crowded train.
Circle Line, has greatly increased
It is easy to understand why accessibility across the country.
many would desire a vehicle of Regardless of traffic conditions,
their own. A car offers better mobility,
greater travelling comfort, place in Bishan now last 45 min-
my trips from NTU to my aunt’s
and shorter waiting time. However, utes, down from an hour previously.
buying a car in Singapore is no
simple undertaking and I am certainly
glad I am not driving one. port seems like the better option, I
However, even if public trans-
Not only do we have to consider
the price of the vehicle, but with the cost of public transporta-
still face a dilemma as a commuter
also the cost of the Certificate of tion going up as well.
Entitlement (COE), Electronic Road A price hike in transport costs
Pricing (ERP), road taxes, customs of one per cent has recently been
duty and fuel prices.
approved in August this year.
To make matters worse for This came at a time when congestion,
service disruptions, and
prospective car owners—especially
undergraduates like us—owning a erratic arrival times were matters
car is almost guaranteed to become of much debate among citizens.
costlier in the future.
Before the purchase of a new
GRAPHIC | GOH WEI CHOON
vehicle, a potential buyer has to bid Taking public
for a COE according to the vehicle’s
CLARA CHAN
town in your own car might take $1,100. Factoring in miscellaneous
category. The COE allows the buyer transport from
a while.
expenses such as fuel and parking
to use the vehicle for 10 years, after the edge of
When the latest rates were announced,
my friends and I were left tain a car hovers around $2,000
charges, the total amount to main-
which it has to be scrapped or have
t’s 6pm and you just escaped
its COE renewed. This is a major Singapore to the
from an agonising meeting feeling frustrated.
a month.
cost component of a Singaporeregistered
car. For instance, the
You drag your exhausted not help but question—how can I sum, most of us would be enjoy-
with a demanding client. All things considered, one can-
While it is a rather extravagant
central areas can
COE of a 1600cc Honda Civic is at be quicker than Iself to the train station, afford a car? And we’re not even ing bonuses and a healthy raise
least $50,000—almost the price of
only to squeeze your way into an talking about the vehicle itself, after working for two years, which
the car itself.
driving during
already packed train.
but a Certificate of Entitlement—a would ease the burden.
Besides cost of purchase, vehicle
maintenance is also an is-
of starting your car’s engine and anywhere else in the world, just made only after being certain of
peak hours.
Contrast this with the feeling piece of paper that is unheard of Furthermore, if the purchase is
sue. ERP was introduced in 1998
being greeted by your favourite to own a car.
having the ability to cope with the
to control traffic in the Central
song on the radio. Obvious choice, Let’s take a step back and be monthly payments, this rather significant
expenditure is definitely
Business District, along expressways
and busy roads.
This choice became even more pected? Definitely not. COE prices
isn’t it?
honest: was the rise in cost unex-
Frequent ERP rate increases There has been some concern apparent during my 10-week have never remained low for long.
and expansion of ERP area coverage
have been a thorn in the delays and disruptions are becom-
summer. I was more than willtedly
exorbitant levels, this does carefully planned
side for many local drivers. As of ing more frequent this year, deing
to work overtime on several not mean that cars are a luxury
that Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) internship at Tanjong Pagar this Despite the rates reaching admit-
I believe that with
August 2011, ERP rates have been spite the increase in fares. On the
occasions, just so I could avoid reserved only for the wealthy. and prioritised
increased at two gantries and other hand, there has been marked
the peak hour crowd and have a To me, the ability to afford a
decreased at a third after a quarterly
traffic review by the Land public transport infrastructure.
progress in the expansion of the
spending, coupled
comfortable trip home.
car is based on our ability to manage
our finances. Tough as it may with regular
I relished the rare occasions
Transport Authority (LTA). With the introduction of the Circle
when I was allowed to use the be, I believe that with carefully
Despite layman complaints, Line, there is hope for better travelling
experiences for commuters.
family car instead of the dreaded planned and prioritised spending, healthy savings,
there is good reason for constraining
vehicle population in Singapore. If you compare monthly ex-
being a car owner
public commute. Despite the coupled with regular healthy savings,
being a car owner is possible,
heavy parking charges and massive
jams, the comfort more than regardless of the price hike. is possible.
When roads can no longer penditure on transportation between
a car owner and a com-
handle the increasing vehicle load,
made up for it.
the only option left is to expand muter, I anticipate that they would
Let’s do the math: according
Having your own wheels
road networks. LTA is already cost me at least $1,000 and at
to a survey conducted by the
widening the Central Expressway most $200, respectively. With
spells freedom, convenience and Ministry of Manpower, a fresh
and has approved construction of Singapore’s good public transportation
infrastructure, it is more ment you desire. Craving prata af-
Arts (Hons) degree earns an aver-
After all, inflation is something
independence at almost any mo-
graduate armed with a Bachelor of within reach.
the North-South Expressway.
Property prices in the vicinity cost-effective to be a commuter. ter watching a late-night movie? age of $2,360 a month, after the that we constantly deal with, seeing
how much prices have risen for
of these road works will probably After all, should the need No problem. No need to forgo mandatory 20% Central Provident
decline, and residents will have arise, cab services are within easy supper and rush for the last bus to Fund (CPF) deduction.
food, utilities and accommodation.
to be relocated to make way for reach at the dial of a telephone. avoid paying the ridiculous 50% Based on my current spending, Owning our very own car is
these new roads. To minimise these It does not take much imagination
to figure out what my savings Yearning for a day trip away ary, after deducting portions for when we rush to get our driver’s
midnight taxi surcharge. and factoring in the higher sal-
something that we all dream of
problems, it is important to control
vehicle growth.
of a whopping $800 per month from the stresses of piling school our parents ($500), food ($400), license at the magical age of 18. I
Beyond all cost issues, car can do. I can easily save up to work? Easy! Drive across the transport ($300) and entertainment
($410), I can expect to save While it has been three years
certainly did.
ownership may be worth the $10,000 within a year and fly to causeway and feast on barbequed
money if it brings about sufficient Greece for a vacation.
seafood after shopping to your at least $750. This amounts to since I earned my legal right to be
convenience. However car owners
do encounter problems that a luxury than a necessity in a And my favourite reason for With this $18,000 serving rowing my parents’ car, it doesn’t
Car ownership is clearly more heart’s content.
$18,000 after two years.
behind the wheel, I am still bor-
commuters usually do not, such small and highly-urbanised country.
Personal transportation in 8.30am instead of 7.30am and still the cost of a car under 1500cc longer than I had initially hoped
owning a car? I can wake up at as down payment, this reduces bother me. It may now take even
as parking and traffic conditions.
For example, finding parking Singapore is not a viable option be early for my 9.30am lecture. to $81,500, inclusive of COE. for, but that isn’t going to stop
space within busy shopping areas for many, especially with recent However with COE prices going
at a whopping $50,000 mini-
year bank loan, monthly installing
one, and it shouldn’t stop
Factoring in interest for a seven me from working towards buy-
can be difficult on weekends. additions to the public transport
Taking a train to City Hall is a lot network.
mum, being able to zoom around ments would cost slightly under you either.
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CHRONICLE
Smoking us out?
BENJAMIN LEE
I
have been a smoker for as
long as I remember. Over
the years, I have become
completely immune to
judgemental stares, disdainful
sniffs and the usual frantic
fanning of the air because of
my nicotine-laden breath.
With fewer places to light up
legally as the years go by, smokers
like myself have no choice
but to congregate at whatever
space that is left—creating an
even more undesirable environment
for non-smokers. A true
paradox indeed.
Of the many reasons I can
come up with, the most convenient
would be to blame the extension
of the smoking ban.
Since 2009, smoking has
been prohibited in many places,
including playgrounds and exercise
areas, shopping centres, and
within five metres of entrances
and exits.
There are precious few smoker-friendly
locations as it is.
Smokers can choose between
being packed like sardines in the
tiny, designated smoking rooms in
bars, standing around awkwardly
puffing around a dustbin along
with hundreds of their peers, or
simply enduring the baleful glares
of passers-by as they attempt to
quickly finish a stick.
Vera Lim, 23, a graduate
student from the School of Humanities
and Social Sciences
said: “With so many restrictions,
people break them because they
have little or no other choice.”
“While some smokers need
to be more considerate, the rules
and regulations that force smokers
to stand in corners, or sneak
a cigarette, creates more problems
than it solves.”
I do understand where all the
unhappiness directed towards
smokers is coming from.
Even as a smoker, I would
sometimes choke from the noxious
amounts of smoke produced
where smokers congregate.
Its health detriments and
problems are well-documented,
and anti-smoking evangelists
are more than effective at convincing
non-smokers that they
are the ones who are truly suffering.
Despite the Ministry of Environment
and Water Resources’
plan to extend the smoking ban,
to further restrict the areas where
smokers can congregate, so to
reduce the impact that secondhand
smoke is having on nonsmokers,
the current restrictions
are already being openly flouted.
Why go to such
lengths to corner
us smokers into
being tempted to
break the law, or
look for loopholes
to exploit?
GRAPHIC | SWARNALI MITRA
Just take a look at areas in
town such as Orchard. At any given
building, the number of smokers
smoking illegally in places
such as stairwells, carpark corners
and lift lobbies is incredible.
Thomas Lam, 28, an NTU
alumni, sums it up perfectly: “With
all the bans in place, it is a toss-up
between walking a huge distance
to take a smoke, or getting ready
to run like the wind when the
National Environmental Agency
guys try to approach you.”
A very basic carrot-and-stick
argument is at stake here. Further
governmental regulation
could attempt to cordon off the
smokers, or they could take the
‘soft’ method by appealing to
their public spirit to spare nonsmokers
the agony of having to
breathe the toxic smoke.
A little consideration goes a
very long way, instead of having
the long, and often brutal, arm
of the law intervene.
For example, before an interview
with a prospective employer,
or a date with someone new,
we try not to go in there reeking
of cigarettes so as to not give a
poor impression.
Neither do we intentionally
inflict on non-smokers the gruesome
ills and diseases that are so
freely displayed on our cigarette
packs.
Even as the crusade towards
banning tobacco altogether in
Singapore picks up steam, regulations
that squeeze smokers into
small corners continue to create
a paradox.
Maintaining levels of public
health is necessary, but why
go to such lengths to corner us
smokers into a position where
we would be tempted to break
the law, or look for loopholes to
exploit?
Sean Lee, 23, a first-year
student from the National Institute
of Education concurs:
“Smokers just have to be a little
more considerate. No one likes
having cigarette smoke blown
in their faces. New parents, especially
if they are non-smokers
themselves, would be extra
careful with regards to their
children”.
Get out of that tiny stairwell
and take a walk to somewhere
open to get your nicotine fix, or
just resist the temptation for a
little while.
With all the negative aspects
of smoking, exercising restraint
would do us a world of good,
and have the added benefit of reducing
a problem before the authorities
see fit to intervene and
make yet another hurdle that we
would have to jump over.
I know I will be taking my
own advice from now on.
OPINIONS 35
I prefer to use my
phone manually. It
is very weird to be
talking to my phone
in public. There is no
privacy.
Sia Wan Rong, SBS, Yr 3, 22
“
While the iPhone
technology is
cutting-edge, I’m
skeptical that
Siri will recognise
Singaporean
accents.
Nurazleena
“
Ramli, HSS, Yr 2, 20
The iPhone 4S is
counter-productive.
If the phone can’t
catch what I’m
saying, it may carry
out the wrong
function for me.
Shawn Tan, EEE, Yr 2, 21
”
After watching
numerous videos of
the Siri application
being tested, I
feel that it’s more
entertaining than
practical.
Elton Lim, SBS,
”
Yr 3, 23
I feel that a phone
that can serve my
basic needs is good
enough. I don’t see
the need to buy
a phone like the
iPhone 4S.
”
T. Deepa, NIE, Yr 4, 22
TEXT | JAYASHRI LOKARAJAN ; PHOTOS | WAN ZHONG HAO

36 OPINIONS
CHRONICLE
18
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GOH WEI CHOON
GRAPHICS EDITOR

18
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bpl talk
Solidarity through adversity
CLEMENT ONG
ALTHOUGH the recently concluded
Manchester derby dominated the
headlines, with Manchester City
crushing their United rivals 6-1,
one should not forget that City
constitute only one of the two currently
unbeaten clubs in the league.
The other club holding this unblemished
record is, surprisingly,
Newcastle United.
At the moment, Newcastle are
sitting pretty at fourth, behind
Manchester City, Manchester
United and Chelsea.
This comes as a surprise to
many, since the club was embroiled
in turmoil at the start of the season.
Firstly, midfielder Joey Barton
controversially demanded to be
transferred out due to what he
claimed was a lack of ambition
within the club’s leadership.
Moreover, the club lost two
influential players, namely excaptain
Kevin Nolan and defender
José Enrique, to West Ham United
and Liverpool respectively.
They also searched in vain for a
successor to the prolific Andy Carroll,
who moved to Liverpool last season
for £35 million (S$70 million).
All this meant that Newcastle
entered the season in a seemingly
GOAL DELIGHT: Cheik Tioté (far left) celebrates his late match goal against Arsenal. PHOTO | INTERNET
shambolic state.
But they have so far confronted
any doubts over their ability with
an impressive run of results which
saw them climb up the table.
Of particular note is the team’s
defensive solidity this season,
which saw them conceding just six
goals in nine matches so far.
This stands in stark contrast
to last season, when they leaked
goals throughout the campaign,
including heavy defeats to Bolton
Wanderers and Stoke City.
Newcastle have also been playing
more like a unit this season.
This could be credited to the dynamic
central midfield pairing of
Yohan Cabaye and Cheik Tioté.
Cabaye, a French midfielder
signed from French champions Lille,
was a seamless fit into the team, and
struck up an understanding with
the more defensively minded Tioté.
The results that have followed
show a team that allies a solid
backline with a healthy dose of
finesse in attack.
But as impressive as Newcastle’s
form has been thus far, the strongest
team they have faced is arguably,
Arsenal.
It remains to be seen if
Newcastle have the pedigree to
challenge the likes of Manchester
United, City and Chelsea, whom
they will face in three consecutive
weeks at the end of this year.
But if Newcastle remain galvanised,
and continue to maintain
a high level of performance in the
league, the Toon Army could rise
from obscurity, to possibly challenging
the Europa League, or even
a Champions League spot.
SPORTS 37
Tennis player Serena WIlliams
on the 2009 US Open
semifinal incident where
she threatened to choke a
lineswoman with a tennis ball.
F1 driver Lewis Hamilton after
finishing second in Korea.
Medals to rule them all
XAVIER KOO
sports talk
IT COMES as no surprise that
in a results-driven society like
Singapore, the viability of a sport
is determined almost entirely on its
medal-winning potential.
This was shown when Singapore
Table Tennis Association (STTA)
Chief Lee Bee Wah was questioned
for fielding two inexperienced
youths—Isabelle Li and Zena Sim—
for the 2011 SEA Games in November.
Lee nominated the two in hope
of developing the youngsters who
were just entering their professional
phase.
The Singapore National Olympic
Council (SNOC) subsequently rejected
the nomination on grounds that
the selection of world-class female
players like Feng Tianwei, Wang
Yuegu and Li Jiawei, world ranked
fourth, ninth and 18th respectively,
should take precedence.
In the quest to use our best
athletes for international competitions,
we have overlooked the painful
reality that this over-emphasis
on sporting excellence has spread
to multiple levels in Singapore.
In our relentless pursuit of
glory, we have neglected the larger
benefits of sports for young people.
Sporting competitions develop
character, and through these ex-
periences, participants learn intangible
qualities like fair play and
humility in the face of defeat.
Unfortunately, these benefits
are now only conferred only upon
the privileged, medal-worthy few.
At the amateur level, the pursuit
of results is unrelenting.
Schools pride themselves on
their niche sports and actively
recruit players through the Direct
School Admission (DSA) scheme to
enhance their teams.
Schools like Anglo-Chinese
School (Independent), Raffles
Institution and Saint Andrew’s,
for example, are constantly placed
among the top three for rugby
GRAPHIC | WEE JIA HUI
at the national level and attract
hordes of DSA candidates.
Through DSA, secondary
schools can admit anywhere from
five per cent of their annual intake,
to a staggering 100 per cent.
Unsurprisingly, the environment
of results-motivated competition
leaves out equally passionate, but
relatively undeveloped, athletes.
And like their professional
counterparts, they are usually
relegated to mere bench-warmers.
Findings by the Straits Times in
2006 showed that, on average, only
15 per cent of students make the team.
The result? Some defect to other
sports or even worse, quit entirely.
This problem is aggravated in schools
with limited spots reserved for those
who are deemed “good enough”.
Similarly, budding athletes in
the international arena need their
fair share of competition experience.
This will aid their overall development
as professional athletes,
helping them deal with the reality
of competitive sports—the stress,
the stakes, even the defeats—that
they will inevitably face.
The pursuit of sporting excellence
inadvertently favours established
rather than budding athletes.
Ms Sum Chee Wah, director of
Education Programmes Division at
the Ministry of Education, told the
Straits Times in 2008: “Students
with potential will represent their
school in competitions and be
groomed by the National Sports
Association (NSA).
“Many of our national athletes
were first exposed to sports via cocurricular
activities and inter-school
games competition.”
Does this mean that the less
talented will never get competition
experience?
It may seem obvious enough but
we must realise that there is more
to competition than just winning.
Until the day we stop our obsession
with results and start thinking
about athletes, the chase for sporting
excellence has gone too far.
GRAPHIC | WEE JIA HUI
Norwich City winger Anthony
Pilkington on his pre-BPL
football experiences.
Wigan Athletic chairman
Dave Whelan on Liverpool’s
idea of negotiating their own
overseas television rights.

38
SPORTS
Handball newbie now a champ
Handball in
Singapore
NTU HANDBALL
AVRIL HONG
SHE mistook handball for an
entirely different sport just two
years ago.
But this did not stop Rose
Tan from eventually excelling
in the sport and leading the
NTU women’s handball team
to victory at the Singapore
University Games (SUniG) this
year, where they triumphed over
powerhouse NUS.
The 22-year-old picked up
handball inadvertently two
years ago at a clinic organised
by students from the School of
Physical Education and Sport
Science (PESS).
She had confused the
rules of handball with that of
Tchoukball—another sport she
was playing around the same
time back then.
“The coach and my seniors
kept laughing at me because
I kept forgetting I should not
bounce the ball before scoring
(as per Tchoukball rules) in my
first handball match,” said the
third-year Sport Science and
Management student.
“Sometimes key
players can get a
little arrogant and
snobbish, but Rose
is very down-toearth”
NTU’s handball coach
Wong Shin Yee
Tan, who also played
basketball competitively during
her secondary school days, felt
the variety of sports she played
made it difficult for her to pick
up a new game.
She said: “It’s more difficult
to learn a new sport when you’re
older because your muscles have
developed in a certain way for
your current sport.
“What’s more, handball was a
sport I had never heard of while
I was in primary and secondary
school.”
Despite being new to
handball at the time, Tan went
on to represent NTU in 2009.
She also tried to make up for
lost time by embracing training
opportunities.
As captain of the women’s
handball team, Tan trained with
the players that represented
Singapore at the Youth Olympic
Games (YOG) and received
scoring tips from the team’s
coaches.
But the highlight of her
experiences was at a training
expedition to the National
Taiwan University in Taipei,
where she discovered a new side
to handball.
She said: “It was in Taiwan
CHRONICLE
18
05
POISED TO SCORE: In just two years, Rose Tan has risen to become a crucial part of the NTU handball team. PHOTO | WONG JING YING
where I realised that handball is
such a beautiful game.”
“Their players defend so fast
and attack so gracefully that it
was an inspiration to train with
them.”
Perhaps the reason for her
success as team captain is her
belief in the overall well-being
of players.
Tan’s coach Wong Shin Yee,
25, who has coached at NTU for
three years, said: “Rose builds
the team in aspects that I cannot.
She has a deep understanding
of team dynamics and their
challenges.”
She added: “Sometimes key
players can get a little arrogant
and snobbish but Rose is very
down-to-earth.
“That’s how she gained the
team’s respect.”
Tan is so dedicated to her
handball team that school work
takes a back seat at times.
“I practically push my
projects aside during competition
season,” Tan admitted.
“So far, I’ve been lucky
to have group members who
understand that I will focus on
projects after my games.”
While Tan is considered
a recent convert to handball,
it was the thrill of learning
something new that motivated
her to excel in the sport.
And this desire to learn still
motivates Tan, who also added
that she is still learning the
ropes.
She explained: “I am still
trying to understand some grey
areas in handball rules that are
very complicated.
“Sometimes when we shoot,
defenders might block us in a
way that would usually result
in a foul but referees might see
it as a good defence.”
But in spite of a seemingly
slow start, Wong feels Tan will
make a valuable player in the
local handball scene with time.
Wong said: “She really has a
lot of potential and is only just
beginning to blossom.
“I expect to see great things
from her in the future.”

18
05 CHRONICLE
SPORTS 39
RUSSIAN TWIST
DEFENSIVE POSITION
1
2
Twist your upper body to the right
placing the ball on the floor.
1
Raise your arm
to block your
opponent’s
shooting arm
while keeping
your weight on
the back foot.
Lie on the floor
while holding a ball
over your torso with
both hands.
3
Repeat on the other side.
Transfer your
weight to the
front foot and
nudge your nonblocking
arm
against your
opponent’s hip
to block her.
2
Rain fails to dampen street spirit
Wounded hand no obstacle for champ
PHOTO | WONG JING YING
THE NTU Street Challenge 2011 organised
by the NTU Sports Club took place at a first-year student at Nanyang Busi-
Kwong, 21, the event’s chairperson and
the Sports and Recreation Centre (S&RC) ness School.
on October 22nd. It boasted a total of six For some, the competition was an opportunity
for cross-cultural friendships.
sports: soccer, handball, frisbee, captain’s
ball, floorball and handball.
“It was an exciting experience because
Despite delays caused by poor weather,
the organisers had contingency plans Norway,” said Nur Hidayat, 21, a third-
we got to play against footballers from
in place.
year student from the School of Physical
“We were not caught off guard (by and Mathematical Sciences and a finalist
the weather). Since most of the events in the football event.
only took five to 10 minutes to set up, “The event had many participants
the captain ball teams were agreeable
to move indoors,” said Ling Siew new friends
from different countries and I made some
today.”
AN INJURED hand was not
enough to stop Robert Gorczakowski.
The first-year American
exchange student at
Nanyang Business School
(NBS), 20, stormed to victory
at the men’s singles
finals of the NTU Tennis
Open Championships.
He beat Romain Delon,
22, a first-year exchange
student at NBS, 6-1, 7-6 to
clinch the title.
“I had to tape up my
finger halfway through the
finals match, but I did not
let it affect me at all,” said
Gorczakowski.
“In the end, I just stuck
to my game and held out to
the end. Barely.”
Held from October 10th
to 24th, this year’s NTU
Tennis Open Championships
featured the biggest
run of the annual event
ever.
The event garnered a
record total of 108 participants
competing in four
categories—the Men’s Singles
and Doubles, as well
as the Women’s Singles
and Doubles.
PHOTO | WAN ZHONG HAO

Sports
Show
of strength at tennis open – Page 39
NTU overall 2nd in SUniG
Overall Champion
VICTORY HUG: The NTU men's football team faced an uphill battle in their title defence. PHOTO | COURTESY OF JOSIAS TEO
LAI JUNJIE
SPORTS EDITOR
IT WAS almost an all NTU
and NUS (National University
of Singapore) affair at the
Singapore University Games
(SUniG) this year, with the longtime
rivals clashing in as many
finals.
But despite the good showing
this year, NTU dropped to
second place among the four
universities at the games, which
lasted from August 27th to
October 8th, losing out to NUS
by a single championship gold
medal.
NUS won the overall title
with 13 championship gold
medals, edging out NTU's 12.
NTU were SUniG champions
last year after trailing behind
NUS for four years.
Ms Sheryl Low, Deputy
Director of the Sports and
Recreation Centre, was pleased
with the efforts of NTU’s athletes.
She said: “There are always
ups and downs and we cannot
be champions in every sport we
take part in.
“SUniG was created to give
opportunities for students
from all the universities to get
involved and come together, so
winning fewer golds does not
mean we are worse off.”
Despite coming in second, Ms
Low and NTU’s SUniG athletes
pointed out commendable
performances by several teams
in the games.
The NTU men’s football team
was one such example that put
in a noteworthy performance
during the games.
The team suffered a poor
start in their first match, falling
THIS IS NTU!: The men's volleyball team were a dominating presence, winning all their
matches. PHOTO | LAM ZHAO YAO
to Singapore Management
University (SMU) 4-1.
As the competition was
played in a round robin format,
this meant that NTU had to win
their final match against NUS by
a minimum four goal difference
to retain the title.
Salvation for the team arrived
in the form of a goal during
injury time in the match against
NUS, when a strike from forward
Hasbullah Johari allowed them
to win the match 4-0.
This enabled NTU to snatch
the gold from SMU and retain
the men’s football title.
“We wanted to defend our title
so badly that we psyched ourselves
up and gave everything we had
in that match (against NUS),” said
captain Aidil Osman, 23.
The second-year student
from the Nanyang Business
School added: “I was utterly
speechless when that final goal
came in at the last minute.
“I couldn’t say anything
while the whole team went crazy
celebrating. It was unreal.”
Others like the touch football
women’s team contributed to
the share of gold medals as
well.
The gold was especially
sweet for the team who had
played second fiddle to NUS
and Singapore Institute of
Management (SIM) for the past
three years at SUniG.
“Our philosophy at every
competition is to go in with no
fear and just do it,” said touch
football captain, Jolene Tan,
23, a final-year student from
National Institute of Education.
9 Ball Pool
Aquathlon
Badminton
Basketball
Bowling
Cricket
Cross Country
Handball
Netball
Rugby 7s
Soccer
Squash
Swimming
Table Tennis
Tennis
Touch Football
Ultimate Frisbee
Volleyball
Waterpolo
Sports
Overall ranking
1st: NUS
2nd: NTU
3rd: SMU
4th: SIM
Mixed
Men
Women
Mixed
Men
Women
Men
Women
Men
Men
Women
Men
Women
Women
Men
Women
Men
Women
Men
Women
Men
Women
Men
Women
Men
Women
Women
Mixed
Men
Women
Men
NUS
NTU
SIM
NTU
NTU
NTU
SIM
SMU
NUS
NTU
NUS
NUS
NTU
NUS
NUS
SIM
NTU
NTU
NTU
NUS
SMU
NUS
NUS
NTU
NUS
NUS
NTU
SMU
NTU
NUS
NUS
13
12
3
3
ALL THE WAY UP: Their championship gold was a long anticipated victory for the touch
football women's team. PHOTO | COURTESY OF ASHLEY MAK