The UrbanWire

Here’s new way to deal with your inner Hulk. MOHSEN OLIVER MICHAEL puts on his gloves and finds out the truth

PHOTOS BY: Alexis Lee & Airell Ang

Anger.

We all have our own ways to deal with it. Some meditate, some take deep breaths and count slowly to 10, while a few others will resort to squeezing stress balls. But will you follow the path of some and join the Society of Martial Arts Research and Science (SMARS) – a club similar to the one found in the 1999 Hollywood movie Fight Club? (Read more)

The average gambler is not a middle-aged person with a PSLE cert. He is younger, bets bigger, and loses more. SHIRINDERJIT KAUR reports.

*Names have been changed to protect the identity of the interviewee

The first thing that Aloysius does when he gets out of bed is to head straight to his computer and log on to his favourite on-line betting site. The 23-year-old can easily spend up to 90 minutes analysing the stakes on the international sports scene.

“I’ll sit in front of the computer without even brushing my teeth. And I’ll start to go through all the games being played for the day, right from ice hockey to basketball and my favourite, football,” he says. But the betting hasn’t started.

How it works

After noting down the important games being played in the day, Aloysius will have a phone conference with his betting buddies. Everyone provides his feedback on his specialised area.

He says, “I’ve always been passionate about football. So it’s never difficult for me to guess which team will win or which player might score for a particular match. ”

Aloysius can place just a dollar stake on 10 games and get a return of $1,000, that is, if the team wins. “I tend to get carried away once I win,” he says.

“I might start betting on more matches with a larger sum of money and sometimes I even bet on matches that I barely know about,” he says.

How it begins

According to reports in The Straits Times in May, an average gambler starts gambling even before the age of 18. And Aloysius is a model example. Since a child, he has been accompanying his father to Singapore Pools and when he was 18, he started playing 4-D “I don’t remember my father explaining to me that what I was doing was wrong. He actually helped me to place my first bet,” he recalls.

Indeed, sociologists note that betting is actually taking on the form of a recreational habit. According to sociologist Paulin Straughan, who was interviewed by The Straits Times, buying 4-D and Toto is routine here. “It is increasingly seen as normal behaviour and people don’t see any harm in such activities. So they’re less likely to tell their loved ones not to engage in such activities,” she says.

By the time he turned 21, he turned to online betting, which he calls a “cheap” thrills.

Why bet online?

Many more people are betting online, thanks to numerous online betting websites. In addition are the online communities where newbies learn the “skills’” that go into placing the right stakes.

According to AsiaOne Business website ), online gamblers have the tendency to bet in larger sums thinking that they’ll use the extra money that they’ve won to place another bet.

So, imagine Holland matching up against Wales: For Holland to win, the standard amount to start bidding is $1.33. If a gambler bets $100 on Holland, he wins $133 and makes a profit of $33. And if Holland loses, he loses $100. The $33 can be used for another bet.

Many are tempted to play bigger sums. If the gambler uses a credit card, the damage tends to be worse. “And there is a risk that one has to get loans to pay up,” says Aloysius.

Right now, according to Professor David Chan of the National Council on Problem Gambling , though there is no increase in gambling addiction over the past three years, he told The Straits Times, the council intends to reach out to more schools with trained counselors to tell students about the dangers of youth gambling.
Even Aloysius is feeling the heat.

He says, “I feel a little guilty after seeing how addicted my young cousin has became to online betting. It is eating into his savings. I am trying to correct his idea that betting is investing. But I just hope I can do it before he uses all his savings.”

In recent times, the numbers of young drivers getting involved in serious road accidents are on the rise. AARON CHONG and HE RUI MING delve into the psyche of a youth speedster

*names have been changed to protect the identity of the interviewee

Speedy* who has been driving his family car since he was 18 years old, received his first car as a present for his 22nd birthday from his parents last year.

Since then, he has been zooming down local highways at average speeds of 160 km/h. The avid motor-racing fan has also tried his hand at “racing with anyone” whom he thinks is going fast.

Although Speedy claims that he is a good driver and knows the dangers of speeding, he says, “I only speed when the situation allows it – when the roads are clear, and most importantly, when no traffic police is patrolling.”

Hui Ting, 19, one of Speedy’s passengers, recounts her “hair-raising experience”, in his car. A motorcycle nearly toppled over from behind when Speedy drove too quickly in the same direction.

She complains that drivers like him “don’t warn others of his intentions and irresponsibly place other motorists in danger”.

Speedy is one of an increasing number of young speedsters on the roads of Singapore. Fortunately for the 23-year-old, he hasn’t been involved in any accidents so far. He claims, “I get a sense of adrenaline rush and love the feeling of going fast.”

Not so lucky warehouse supervisor, Regan Lee Da Wen, was charged three years ago with causing the death of Angelia He Xueli due to reckless driving. Regan was driving a Mazda MX-5 convertible that flipped over along Upper Paya Lebar Road and slammed into a van.

Not all young drivers are able to cheat death.

A May 4 article in The Straits Times this year reveals that Singapore has one of the worst road-fatality records among developed countries. In 2005, there were 2.3 deaths for every 10,000 vehicles as compared with 0.8 in Japan, 1.2 in Australia And 1.8 in the United States. In 2006, Singapore’s road-fatality rose to 2.4 deaths for every 10,000 vehicles.

In one AsiaOne Motoring article , statistics from the Traffic Police showed that 250 of the 1,283 drivers injured in accidents in 2006 - or nearly one in five - were below the age of 30. Regarding fatal cccidents, nearly one in three was under 30 years.

Says Mr Joshua Tan, 29, counsellor and family life executive at Care Community Services , “There might be a growth spurt of hormones in their bodies that cause them to push their limits. Young adults are also in the stage of their lives where they want to find their identity and their place in the world.”

Mr Tan advises, “Young adults should not assume that they can do anything.” He says that they need is to “learn to take a step back, [and] weigh the pros and the cons.”. More importantly, young adults should “think of how their actions will affect others“.

Ultimately, promoting better road safety through campaigns, having tighter traffic controls and stiffer punishments will only achieve so much. The onus is still on the individual to be accountable to himself and the well being of those around him.

DOUBLE TROUBLE
The statistics tell a grim story – for the last five years, over 40 percent of road fatalities were motorcyclists. In 2007 alone, 103 out of 214 road-users killed were motorcyclists and their pillion riders.
As the traffic police set up the Motorcycle Task Force (MTF) in a bid to continue their quest to make the roads safer for Singapore’s most vulnerable motorists, many gung-ho youths are still hopping onto motorcycles.

The Singapore Safety Driving Centre (SSDC) notes that the majority of motorcycle learners are youths. On average, 159 students turn up at the doors of SSDC to sign up each month. SSDC claims that the number has been decreasing slightly, but it is still too early to tell.

The dangers of riding a motorcycle are obvious - a rider is totally unprotected in the event of an accident. As a result, they are easily injured when compared to their car-driving brethren. When it comes to head-on collisions, they are almost guaranteed a gruesome demise.

This is made worse when taking a motorcycle’s small size into account. Many accidents happen because many larger vehicles fail to notice the motorcycles due to their blind spots.

Concerned parents are quickly seeing the vehicle as a fast track to death.

Maxine Tan, 19, ceased her motorcycle lessons this year after her father decided that the life of a rider was too hazardous for his daughter.

“I was disappointed but I stopped so that he could stop worrying about me,” she laments.

Parents aren’t the only ones thinking twice about letting youths get on the two-wheeled, supposed machines of death.
“No seat belt, no windscreen…one hit and it’s over,” says Patrick Tan, a 20-year-old National Serviceman (NS man) who has been driving a car for a year. Safety is the reason behind his choice of transport.

However, not everyone shares his sentiments. Keith Tan, a 21-year-old NS man currently getting a bike licence, says, ”For someone like me who isn’t working full time yet, a motorcycle is more affordable.”

A brand-new Nissan March would cost around S$57,000, probably way out of league for any regular student. Yet, for a relatively low sum of S$5,000, one is granted access to a wide catalogue of motorcycles. A second-hand can cost as low as $1,600.

Convenience is also a major factor. Scott Ng, 25, who has been riding a bike for seven years, will tell you that whether or not traffic jams exist, a bike can cut through them like a knife through butter.

In addition, a motorcycle provides you with an experience that is hard to replicate. With the wind in your hair and the sound of the engine roaring, you will find it hard to have a dull moment on a bike.

Though riding a motorcycle does have its perks, it is undeniable that riders are exposed to countless dangers. This is especially true for the young and inexperienced. More than half of motorcycle accidents often involve riders with less than five months’ experience.

What makes this worse is the tendency of young riders to fall under an illusion of invulnerability. This, coupled with the fragile bodies of motorcycles, makes the possibility of death among these budding motorists all too real on Singapore’s roads.

Still, this fails to dishearten some motorcyclists. Since the start of this year, 731 new motorcycles have hit the road.

Perhaps Keith speaks for them when he says, “Anyone can die anywhere. As long as I take the necessary precautions and do my part in being a responsible road-user, I have nothing to fear.”

With more elderly folk dominating ‘the clean scene’, SHEEREEN TEO believes that it’s time to start reminding one another to “clean up” after ourselves.

Let’s face it: We’ve all been on the receiving end of the tirade of dissatisfaction heaped upon us from our elders especially when it comes to cleaning up.

The phrase “You young people these days ah!” would probably sound familiar to most of us. And they probably would have every right to make such a comment. Why? Because our current generation have turned into brats who need to be reminded about the basics of helping to keep the environment clean and to clean up after themselves.

For instance, 17-year-old Marianne Chee, a first year student studying in Singapore Institute of Management University (UNISIM) , has this to say: “They (cleaners) are paid to do it, so why not just let them do it?”

Young Singaporean live in a society where there will always be cleaning “aunties” and “uncles” picking up after us and for certain households. Many also have a domestic helper who does every single house chore you can possibly think of. A sense of complacency and the “I-Can’t-Be-Bothered” attitude that is increasingly prevalent among our youths. A former discipline mistress of Hwa Chong Junior College , Ms Kok Wan Yee, 48, says, “Every generation of teenagers will be spoilt. They’re just spoilt in different ways. For this generation, their “It’s-all-about-me” attitude is what’s a major problem.”

A quick check with all the local polytechnics reveals that four out of the six schools employ janitors and cleaners, a large majority who are above the age of 55 years old. The practice of returning one’s cutlery and playing a part in keeping the school clean has more or less been abandoned because of the steady supply of cleaners who keep our school’s surroundings clean.

A representative of one of the cleaning companies employed by a vast majority of tertiary institutions that requested for both her identity and the company’s to be withheld, explains that most people view cleaner jobs as “lowly” professions for the old or uneducated. A school janitor, 56, who only wished to be identified as Mr Tan, says, in Mandarin, that while he had no bad experiences so far, he admits that he found youths “lazy” and “inconsiderate” at times. He adds, “Cleaning up (school areas) in the morning is the most tiring. You will see all the rubbish littered everywhere.”

It is a harsh and upsetting fact that these sefless “unsung heroes” are paid peanuts for the amount of work that they do. According to statistics from The Straits Times ,part-time cleaners only earn $500 a month while full-time cleaners earn $1000 a month. Another cleaner who only wanted to be known as Mdm Kalarani, 67, says, “I take this job because I don’t have any other skills and I only have primary six education.”

According to Mdm Kalarani, she has “cleaned everything from vomit to used sanitary pads to bloodstains to rotting leftover food”. Sadly, she has never seen an increase in her pay. In fact, she adds that with the recent inflation, she has had to scrimp and save even more.

Nur Liyana Ya’acob, 19, a final year student from Singapore Polytechnic confesses that she feels “sinful and guilty” when she sees elderly cleaners, “especially those who can barely walk straight” struggling to perform their cleaning duties. However, she believes that some of them choose to take up such jobs out of their own free will. Some youths, like Esther Teo, 20, a first year National University of Singapore student, echoes Nur Liyana’s sentiments and readily admits that today’s youths “have it much easier than our elders”.

Much depends on the role models young people here, it seems.

What do parents have to say about this issue? Mrs Gladys Chong, 53, private tutor and mother of two teenage daughters, believes that her girls “learnt it the hard way” after she and her husband have discontinued the employment of domestic helpers five years ago. “In the beginning, I had to constantly keep nagging and reminding them. Now, I don’t even have to tell them twice because they are much more responsible and sensible when it comes to cleaning up.”

Mdm Hapifah Bte Arshad, 54, a cashier at a local convenience store, believes that parents should set good examples so that their children will learn the right things. “Manners matter. If your children see you saying ‘thank you’ after a cleaner has cleaned your table, they will naturally follow. It’s important to remember that children mimic parents’ behaviour”.

Mrs Pamela Tay, 58, a nurse, hopes that youths will be more appreciative and thankful towards our cleaners. “Singapore owes its ‘Clean and Green City’ title to them.

Plot

Following the success of the blockbuster Mummy movie franchise, Brendan Fraser reprises his role as adventurer Rick O’Connell in The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. Pitted against the revived Han Emperor (Jet Li) of ancient China, Rick O’Connell must stop his plan of world domination. This results in an action-packed film that takes place from ancient Chinese crypts to the frozen peaks of the Himalayas to the deserts of Asia Minor.

Teaming up with Rick in this all-new adventure is grownup son Alex (Luke Ford), wife Evelyn (Maria Bello) and her brother, Jonathan (John Hannah). (Read more)

Let’s face it - Germany and Spain haven’t had smooth-sailing journeys to the last lap of the Euro 2008 competition. But kudos to both teams for doing well so far and coming within a hair’s breadth away of lifting that coveted trophy on Sunday evening (Switzerland/Austria time).

The Germans have proven that they’re a well-oiled tournament-trained team during last gasp 3-2 win against Turkey in the semifinal. Deutschland has the mental and physical strength to come through victorious when the odds are turned against their favour.

Similarly, Spain has demonstrated that they aren’t consistent underachievers at major tournaments and definitely not a 2-man team consisting of only Fernando Torres and David Villa. Unfortunately, due to a muscle strain, Villa will have to be content with watching the action from the stands. (Read more)

His last escapade in The Last Crusade 19 years ago may have screened before many of us were born, but Indiana Jones , who made archeology sexy the way James Bond did spying, is still hot property. Even if the actor Harrison Ford is a grandfatherly 65.

Returning from riding into the sunset, college professor cum adventurer Indiana Henry Jones Jr, is given a resounding homecoming by his creators George Lucas and Steven Spielberg in Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of The Crystal Skull.

Plot
Set in 1957, during the climax of the Cold War, Indy (Indiana Jones’ nickname), narrowly escapes the clutches of Russian solders after they brazenly invade the compounds of an American military base, which houses a warehouse which stores the country’s military secrets. (Read more)

We have ordinary humans mutate into Heroes on the small screen and comic book do-gooders flying across the big screen. Do we really need another superhero? The people at Marvel, who gave us X-men, Fantastic Four, Hulk and Daredevil think so. They’ve decided to pull out all the stops in this latest action flick by casting A-list Hollywood actors such as Robert Downey Jr. , Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges in and Iron Man, and wowing audiences with the latest technology in CGI (computer generated imagery).

Synopsis

Iron Man launches into action when Tony Stark played by Robert Downey Jr., head of Stark Industries, presents his company’s new weapon in an Afghan desert, and is ambushed by terrorists on his way home.

The captured Stark is forced to build, from scratch, his latest weapon - The Jericho.

Downey’s character later “changes” his mind and with the help of another captive scientist, builds himself an artificial heart to replace his original one that has been damaged during the earlier skirmish. Stark then builds an armoured suit to escape his predicament.

Tony Stark soon perfects his armoured prototype and goes on a one-man crusade to rid the world of those who misuse his company’s products while keeping the peace.

Direction

Director Jon Favreau, who brought to us the less commercially successful Elf and Zathura is wandering into unfamiliar action territory. With that said, the box office takings have still made the top 10 opening weekend ever, according to figures from Box Office Mojo. Given the course of the plot, there’s a huge possibility of a sequel.

In an interview by Rotten Tomatoes, Favereau wanted to make the effects in the movie “as photoreal as possible”. A huge part of the movie is dedicated to beautiful special effects and wonderfully drawn CGI. The awesome graphics of a flying Iron Man and the decimation of an entire mountain range are testaments to the talents of the production team.

Acting

Leading actor and Hollywood bad-boy, Robert Downey Jr., who is usually seen playing serious and thoughtful roles as shown in his more recent movies such as Good Luck And Good Night and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang treads on unfamiliar territory in his role as enigmatic billionaire tech mogul, Tony Stark, who becomes Iron Man- the superhero with an ultra sleek battle armour after it gets retrofitted onto his body. Surprisingly, he manages to pull the role off with aplomb as he transits smoothly from a charismatic, sauve, gentlemen to a brooding, solemn superhero. Donwney’s on-screen personification of a billionaire playboy somehow reminded UrbanWire of Batman’s alter ego, Bruce Wayne.

Adding more Hollywood glamour into the show is Gwyneth Paltrow. Playing Pepper Potts might be too safe a role for Paltrow. If she desires to ascend the ranks of performers like Jennifer Garner and Jessica Alba , who have both starred in Marvel films, she needs more than a dry, simple character. Steaming the screens up as Stark’s sexy assistant with an evening gown that shows off her svelte figure and witty speech, this Oscar-winning actress contributes a delectable performance to the testosterone-filled movie of explosions, military weapons and a very sleek superhero.

Their sparkly, sexed up conversations such as,

Pepper Potts: “What’s going on here?”
Tony Stark: “Let’s face it, this is not the worst thing you’ve ever caught me doing.

and unreciprocated love set the stage for entertaining banter, with Downey’s spirited acting adding immeasurable value to the scenes.

Jeff Bridges, as Stark’s mentor turned adversary, Obadiah Stane, cuts a new look with a bald cranium and a twirly mustache. He plays the character with charm and poise, without going overboard with it.

Terrence Howard as Jim Rhodes is a forgettable gap-filler compared to his on-screen buddy, Downey.

Verdict

UrbanWire is glad to say that Iron Man is one of the better Marvel movies in recent times, although 2 hours of running time may just be a little to long. The stellar performance of Robert Downey Jr. has already personified himself as Tony Stark, much like the way certain actors have become the face of certain popular characters, such as Harrison Ford to Indiana Jones.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Movie Details

Opens: 1 May 2008

Movie Rating: PG 13

Running Time: 126 mins

Language: English

Director: Jon Favreau

Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges, Terrence Howard

You might have planned to queue for your free scoop of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream tomorrow, Apr 29, as UrbanWire had tipped you off. Well, the offer is being extending to comics, as Singapore is one of the countries including America, United Kingdom, and South Africa, which will be participating in Free Comic Book Day.

Some Background

The brainchild of Joe Field , owner of Flying Colours Comics in Concord, California, Free Comic Book Day was set up to help sustain and improve the comic book industry by
1) growing readers by introducing people to comic books as a form of literature,
2) changing peoples’ perception that comics are for kids.
3) showing some appreciation to comic book buyers for their support

Into its seventh year in the United States and here in Singapore, Free Comic Book Day involves several comic book retail stores across the world banding together and handing out free comics to every person who enters their shops.

Free Comic Book Day 2008

Usually, Free Comic Book Day is timed to coincide with the movie premier of a superhero movie - this year, the event happens on May 3 to coincide with the release of the movie Iron Man.

However, not all comic shops are involved in this event. Only those that have ordered a certain quantity of comic books and met a certain quota of shipments are given the license to take part.

Bernard Ang, manager of G&B Comics, the only sole participant in Singapore the last two years told UrbanWire that Free Comic Book Day is increasing in popularity each year He expects to give out 10,000 comics this year.

If you’re dismissing this whole event as a marketing ploy with strings attached, think again. The sponsors have declared that each customer will receive at least 1 copy of a specially published comic absolutely free!

These are the titles which will be given out worldwide, including Singapore(while stocks last):
1)    Archie’s Pal Jughead
2)    Bongo Comics Free-For –All
3)    Hellboy
4)    All Star Superman
5)    Project Superpowers
6)    Transformers Animated
7)    Broken Trinity Preview
8)    X-men
9)    The Stranded
10)  Shonen Jump Magazine Sampler

So come May 3, hop down to the following participating comic store to grab your free comic!

G & B COMIC ONLINE SUPERMART

Address:
Blk 231, Bain Street
Bras Basah Complex #03-47
Opening Hours: 12-8pm
Contact:
68372280