The UrbanWire

Brian Lim, who visited Beijing in April on a study trip, discovers that China’s capital has been transformed from a backward place to a sprawling metropolis with the advent of the Beijing Olympics 2008.

It was my first time stepping into China and I expected Beijing to be a place of rich cultural and historical significance as it served as China’s capital since the Ming and Qing dynasties. The April chill greeted us, four lecturers and 40 students from the Ngee Ann Polytechnic School of Film & Media Studies, as we embarked on a study trip to produce a coffee-table book, a Chinese Opera website and several documentaries.

But as the plane touched down on the tarmac, I was struck by the new Terminal 3 of the Beijing Capital International Airport. It is a structure of astounding proportions, a sleek creation of glass, steel and aluminium, with skylights riding along the spine; all details that are vaguely reminiscent of a Chinese dragon.

The grandeur of Terminal 3 mirrors that of the famous Forbidden City, as its design and decoration features many traditional Chinese elements. Even the giant copper vats we saw in the Forbidden City used to store water for fire fighting made an appearance in the terminal.

Sir Norman Foster, a renowned British architect, specially designed it to handle the expected traffic for the upcoming Beijing Olympic Games in August. It is China’s gargantuan gateway to the rest of the world, and it marks the start of a new era for China.

That was our entrance into Beijing as we stepped through customs (where we’re now pointed to the “Foreigners” queue, not “Aliens”). On the way to the hotel, we had our first look at Beijing. If we were expecting rickety rickshaws and dull buildings, we were sorely disappointed.

The capital is dotted with signs of a mega plan to give the city a new look. Old buildings are taken apart to make way for newer ones. In Wangfujing, a popular place for shoppers where we spent a few hundred (some even a few thousand) yuan, construction sites are promising signs of even more merchandise.

Their transport systems have also been upgraded. Since 2004, another Ring Road (their sixth so far) was added, together with a batch of major expressways to facilitate traffic movement during the Olympics. Three more subway lines are set to open by August, making it a total number of eight subway lines.

And while the Great Wall of China is a famous attraction (we visited the Badaling section, within the municipality of Beijing) winding 4.8km over rolling mountains, the subways were an equally impressive construction as 142km of tracks snake beneath the city.

Much to my amusement, I found that even people who have lived in Beijing for over two years have to consult maps. Their transport system is simply too big to navigate from memory! Our routes had to be planned before we stepped out of the hotel or we ran the risk of being lost (which is not a funny thing when you’re in Beijing).

There are other changes tourists will surely appreciate – the toilets are generally cleaner, smoking has been banned in most public places and the signs in English are less “humourous” (“No Speaking Handphones on the Great Wall” made many of us chuckle).

Perhaps the most enthralling thing about Beijing is the blend of old and new. Whether you’re looking for the cultural or the contemporary, there’s something to appreciate. Even with the economic burst and rapid expansion Beijing retains much of its old charm, and it’s evident in almost every facet of the city. Hou Hai, primarily a nightlife district, is an attraction for many local youths. There are so many pubs and bars to choose from that we were spoilt for choice. But within the same district, traditional hutong are open for public tours.

And the many cinemas that bring in blockbuster hits are a sharp contrast to the more traditional places of entertainment – Beijing has a number of theatres dedicated to Chinese Opera, and a few of us had a taste of the various opera types (together with acrobats and magic) in Lao She Cha Guan, a famous teahouse where performances are held.

I came home with a new impression of Beijing as a place of intrigue. The Olympics has spurred China to put its best foot forward, and come the grand opening of the Games in August, the world will see its remarkable metamorphosis into a cosmopolitan metropolis.

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.

More youths relish the chance to travel by themselves. Peter Keith Rajendran learns about their experiences.

Prashant Ashoka

Age: 19

Institution: Ngee Ann Polytechnic

Visited: London, Paris, Rome, Venice, Vienna, Prague, Berlin and Amsterdam

Spent nights in strangers’ homes

With more and more young people bent on scouring the globe, backpackers have found out a unique avenue to experience different cultures and reducing the cost of accommodation. Take Prashant Ashoka, 19, for example, currently a third year Mass Communication student at Ngee Ann Polytechnic, he made his voyage to Europe by himself during the school break in second year. With just $7500, he backpacked in Europe for 42 days visiting places like London, Rome, Venice, Vienna, Berlin and Amsterdam and only stayed in a hostel for three times! The rest of the time, he stayed with people of various nationalities and did not pay for lodging.

INTERNET HELP
According to the website, CouchSurfing International Inc (ww.couchsurfing.com/ ) is a non-profit organisation that “is not just about finding free accommodation around the world” but also about cultural exchange between like-minded travellers. He found this website through his mother who is also an avid traveller, having visited places like Portugal, Monaco, Switzerland and Spain while living as a guest of members of couchsurfing.com. “It’s really a new experience to live in someone else’s house without even knowing the person at all,” says Prashant.

COSY COTTAGE > HOTEL
Prashant remembers vividly his experience living with a 65-year-old Viennese woman, Helga. They talked about their lives and shared stories over steaming hot plates of kaiserschmarnn, a traditional dish, which she made for Prashant. And in that cold weather, living in a cosy cottage would beat a hotel anytime.

INDEPENDENCE
Prashant carried  a Swiss army knife throughout his journey, as he felt the need to be protected especially when moving in and out of countries. “You never know what might happen. I feel safer if I had some form of protection,” says Prashant. However, he was not always able to secure accomodation. In Venice for example, he had to spend the night at a train station because there were no offers of housing. “I can safely say that this journey has made so much more independent and I’ve learnt so much about myself.”
Deepti Pathak

Age:21

Institution:National University of Singapore

Visited: Canada, The United States. Korea. Australia

Survived racist outburst

“You better not get married here or we’ll send you back to your country!” screamed a security staff  who interrogated Deepti Pathak over her Indian passport at Vancouver International Airport. She was clearly shaken, as this was her welcome in Canada where she was to meet her sister. Now 21, and studying Communication and New Media at NUS, Deepti describes that experience as “scary for a 15-year-old”. That ordeal, however, hasn’t deterred Deepti from travelling and  has since been to many places around the world, such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. She enjoys a blend between the scenic countryside and the bustling nightlife. “It’s different from traveling with your parents as you feel very protected with them. On your own, you experience things at a different level. You definitely get a taste of freedom,” says Deepti.
Prakash Kamat

Age: 21

Institution: National Technological University

Visited: Poland, Bratislava, Czech, Austria, London, Portugal, Belgium, Paris, Amsterdam

Scaled 10 European countries in 30 days with only S$4000

A few months before he finished National Service (NS), Prakash Kamath took a stab at freedom by planning a budget trip around Europe. While in NS, he booked hostels and motels through the Internet, and calculated obsessively how many days he and his three friends would spend at a particular destination. Then they made the journey down to their first destination – London. Their 30-day scenic trip included places like Czech Republic, Poland, Bratislava and Austria in Western Europe and Portugal, Amsterdam, Belgium and even Paris. He spent a total of $4,000. Permitting themselves just S$70 (35 Euros) everyday, money was especially tight as the temptation of shopping, accompanied by their exorbitant price tags, can prove to be hard to resist. “All in all, it was a wonderful experience for me, with Paris, Bratislava and Portugal making the most impact. They have breathtaking views and it really was special to be there.”

“With a smile on his face, the little boy said to me: ‘My mother jumped. My father killed her boyfriend. I come to school because I have to tell.’”

That was 17 years ago and the little boy’s revelation shocked Sister Victorine Fernandez, who was then teaching in a boy’s school. She chose to resign from teaching and go into full-time counselling.

The Catholic nun from the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary says, “At that time I had 40 students in my class, and I knew there were problems with some of the boys, but this boy shocked me. I couldn’t continue teaching.

“I wanted to get into another sphere where I could directly help students like him,” she adds.

Today, she works as a counsellor at the Poverello Teen Centre in Tampines Street 12 that was set up for students from Hai Sing Catholic School nine years ago, but is now open to any youth in need.   

Through counselling at the school, she discovered the students had few places to go to when classes ended. She says that the school did a survey, “and found that the students wanted some place not far from school, and yet far away.”

Reaching youth

“Here, we try to enter the lives of young people by giving them life skills,” Sister Victorine says. The youths arrive at the Centre in the afternoon, and attend programmes like guitar playing, kayaking, and even lessons in Japanese drums.

She explains, “We want to engage them to build self-esteem, self-confidence, which helps them focus on their studies.”

Berwin Tan Wei Han, 18, a Hai Sing alumnus, says he first went to the Poverello Teen Centre in Secondary Two to learn kayaking.

“The first time we met,” Berwin says, “I thought she was a very jolly person, and a while ago, I had a long chat with her. It turned out that she loved music, too.”

Not ‘holy moly’

After working with youths for almost two decades, Sister Victorine has touched many lives. She recalls, “There was a girl who came to see me at the Principal’s recommendation.

“The girl was one who was really out with boys, out at discos, but her mother was a beautician who was not ready to give her freedom.

“But she got pregnant.”

Sister Victorine adds, “She came to see me, but was apprehensive because I’m a sister, what do I know about sexuality?

“Somehow or other, she didn’t find me to be someone who was holy moly – someone who was going to just spout about God.

“I gave her a number of options, and the issue of whether she should keep the child came up. But as a counsellor, I cannot force my moral opinions on people.

“She invited me to her wedding, and had a little boy. Being married got her through, but the last I heard from her, she had broken up with the boy, and the son was with him.

“For me, that was still something, because I had helped someone achieve her own sense of life. Wrong, right, isn’t the issue for me.”

If you need help, call the Poverello Teen Centre at 6544-2603. The Centre is at Blk 166 Tampines St 12 #01-357, Singapore 521166 

Teens in Singapore aren’t getting enough sleep and experts say it’s detrimental to the physical and mental health. TEO YIN YIN checks out what’s keeping them awake.

Lim Ya Yun, a third year Pharmacy student in Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP), gets an average of six hours of sleep on weekdays. On worse days, she survives on barely two hours of sleep. “It’s difficult to function in school with such minimal sleep and I’m unable to concentrate on simple tasks,” she says.

The Teen Sleep Survey Singapore (TSSS) 2007 reveals that “80 percent of teens are getting less than eight hours of sleep on school days, while only 2.6 percent are getting the recommended nine hours”.

In addition, a global survey conducted by ACNielsen in 2005 found that 54 percent of Singaporeans stay awake until past midnight, and they usually go to sleep between 12am to 2am. On a typical school day, most students get up at about 6am to 7am to prepare for the day, and that’s a scant five hours after they went to bed.

It’s evident that teenagers are not getting the sleep they need.

“Insufficient sleep can be harmful, sometimes even life-threatening. When deprived of sleep, the brain functions less optimally, resulting in sleepiness,” explains Dr Lim Li Ling, medical director and consultant neurologist at the Singapore Neurology and Sleep Centre, the principle organiser of the TSSS 2007.

She explains that the lack of sleep is classified as a sleeping disorder, and it’s on the rise among all age groups simply caused by modern living.

Uncovering the reasons to the lack of sleep

The TSSS 2007 also shows that 66.5 percent of the students stay up late doing homework or studying. Other late-night activities include watching television, surfing the Internet and chatting online.

Ya Yun says, “Even though most lectures and tutorials end before 5pm or 6pm, I usually reach home only after 7pm.”

She adds, “By then I still have assignments to complete and the following day school starts at 9am. I have no idea how to accomplish everything without compromising on my sleep time.”

Kevin Ng, a second year NP Engineering student, recounts that on several occasions, he didn’t sleep for days because of poor time management. He recalled that when he was a freshman, he couldn’t cope with the examinations and his football trainings. In order to accomplish both tasks, he has to sacrifice his sleep for two days.

“I’m terribly unorganised and the overloading amount of school projects simply suffocates me. I barely even have time for a proper meal,” he says.

Dr Lim mentions that it’s difficult to wind down when there are distractions like the Internet, television, and even the mobile phone. It’s easy to get carried away.

Why Sleep?

Dr Lim observes that many people view sleep as an indulgence rather than a vital activity to rest for good health.

“Many people are unaware of the harmful health effects of missing sleep,” she says.

According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), sleeping consolidates your memory and replenishes your energy so you feel refreshed and alert the following day. Sleeping also ensures that the body functions normally, such as making sure important growth hormones are secreted.

Lack of sleep has harmful effects on the body both physically and mentally. BBC reports that a chronic lack of sleep lowers your immunity and ups the risk of developing hallucinations and other mental problems.

Dr Lim adds that sleep deprivation in the long run is associated with a shorter life span and may even cause medical conditions like heart attacks, depression, diabetes, and attention deficit disorder (ADD). In extreme cases, it can even cause seizures or a stroke.

Now, here’s the big question: How much sleep do we really need? Dr Lim advises that the ideal sleep duration is around six to eight hours, however the amount of sleep differs individually and still remains a variable entity.

Now to turn the clock back

Dr Lim says that one way for the body to catch up on lost sleep is by sleeping in longer during weekends whenever possible.

She adds that youths should also strive to sleep at least an hour earlier than usual. Parents should monitor their children to ensure sufficient sleep.

“It would help to have an effective time management and be organised. One good way is to get an organiser and plan your time properly.”

Tips for a good night’s sleep

Some tips from NSF:

1) Avoid caffeine (coffee, tea, soft drinks, chocolate), nicotine (cigarettes, tobacco products) and
alcohol when it’s close to bedtime

2) Exercise regularly, but complete your workout at least three hours before bedtime

3) Establish a regular relaxing, not alerting, bedtime routine (e.g. taking a bath or relaxing in a hot tub, lighting scented lavender candles)

4) Go to bed at the same time every night

5) Listen to quiet music or drink warm milk

6) Create a sleep-conducive environment that is dark, quiet, and preferably cool and comfortable

Do you share the same attitude as the three readers about your own health and well-being? Their responses reflect a “Superman” mindset that we often adopt, as youths. The idea of playing Superman may be appealing, consider yourself warned. Just like the comic hero in the story, we all have our Kryptonite when it comes to our body’s health and no, you’re never too young to be affected.

AIDS/HIV

It isn’t just going to happen to someone else. If you’ve had sex with more than one partner and don’t practice safe sex, you could be next. According to 2007 statistics released by the Ministry of Health (MOH), 422 Singaporeans were newly reported to have contracted HIV, bringing the number of infected Singaporeans to a stunning 3,482. The truth is that majority of Singaporean males are infected through sexual contact with casual partners or sex workers. And sadly, many females today who thought they were safe with one partner find themselves infected with HIV through sex with their husbands or boyfriends. Get this right: AIDS/HIV doesn’t discriminate against the young, whether you are male or female, and certainly isn’t just a homosexual disease. Contrary to popular belief, most infections do occur during sexual activities between heterosexuals.

COLD (Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease)

This is a serious lung disease that reduces your ability to breathe normally, and over time, shortness of breath and other symptoms of COLD can get in the way of doing even basic tasks like changing your clothes. The reality for all smokers is that COLD is an incurable progressive disease. On top of that, it has been reported that in 2007, smoking causes more than 90 percent of COLD cases. Since this disease is incurable, it can only be managed through extensive and prolonged treatment. The World Health Organisation (WHO) predicts that COLD will become the fourth leading cause of death worldwide by 2030. In Singapore’s statistical terms, the estimate is that more than 60,000 people will suffer from this disease. The frightening reality is that by the time most patients are diagnosed, they may have lost at least 50 percent of their lung functions. Especially those with symptoms such as persistent cough and/or breathlessness, smokers are encouraged to undergo spirometry testing (a breathing test used to diagnose and monitor lung problems), available in some polyclinics and general practice clinics.

TYPE 2 DIABETES

Chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes are closely linked to diet and lifestyle. So really, the saying, “you are what you eat” is no exaggeration. According to a recent MOH report, meals are increasingly being eaten outside the home, and the use of processed packaged food is also rising. What and how we eat at an early age directly impacts the development of risk factors such as obesity and high blood cholesterol, which influences the onset of diseases such as Type 2 diabetes. This can strike anyone at any age and we are definitely not spared.
The risks of developing Type 2 diabetes increases if you:
- Have a BMI (body mass index) of more than 23
- Have an inactive lifestyle
- Have a parent or sibling with diabetes

(For more information, check out the new “Diabetes Be aWare” site at www.hpb.gov.sg/diabetes)

THE GOOD NEWS
While these illnesses stem from unhealthy lifestyle habits and choices that we may have developed from an early age, it isn’t too late to make little changes to significantly reduce the risk of developing these long-term and chronic diseases. Remember that your health is in your hands. You may not be Superman, but you certainly can afford to choose to steer clear from these ticking time bombs!

The female lead from the anime AppleSeed is who Animax creative director Tracy Wong wants to be.

“Deunan is a lean, mean machine. She’s smart and wears amazing Prada shoes. Laughing, she adds softly, “who kicks guys’ ass, only when needed of course.”

With sharp features, long flowing curls tucked neatly behind her eyes and a warm smile, Tracy almost looks as if she’s like dainty Princess Arwen right out of the pages of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings.

Though never in front of the camera before, Tracy takes up a lot of behind-the-camera responsibilities at Animax, almost akin to Peter Jackson’s directing and producing role in the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy. (Read more)

They just started jamming together 2 years back. But they’re now touring the world and performing to crowds of more than 60,000.

Sounds like any rookie band’s dream?

Sweet Dreams Are Made Out Of These

Well, Canadian Indie band Dearest are living that dream, and, in the opinion of the band’s vocalist and guitarist Andre Palmieri, this seemingly overnight success doesn’t come as much of a surprise.

“If a band is growing ‘too’ fast, that tells you something about them – usually, they have their s*** together, or luck. Or both,” he tells UrbanWire in an email interview. (Read more)

They tour the world and play to crowds of up to 100,000 screaming fans. So it’s a wonder why Crowned King can even be bothered to fly halfway across the globe, making annual trips to our little red dot for the past 2 years, to play to the generally strait-laced Singaporean audience again at SINGfest 08.

Back For More Of Singapore

“It’s always good to come back to play to an audience who’s just starting to be interested in your music,” Crowned King lead vocalist Shaun Frank tells UrbanWire over the phone from his home in Vancouver, Canada. (Read more)

“It’s a privileged, harder and beautiful existence living as one” Jeremy Sharma says about life as an artist. A multi-disciplinary artist whose series - The Protection Paintings - is currently showing at the Esplanade, Sharma projects a passion for his work that’s palpable in its intensity.

Art was not always an obvious choice for him, though. “I wanted to be a pilot like all kids as a child, then I really wanted to write or be a musician. I fell into art or if you like, art chose me,” the artist says. (Read more)

Part of Flipside, Auto Auto is a musical performance where two guys smashes up cars, making music in the process.

UrbanWire catches up with Christian von Richthoften, the creator of Auto Auto, to find out more about this man who smashes up cars in the name of music.

Urbanwire (UW): What have you heard about Singapore?

C.R.: I heard about the laws here and they were interesting to me. Because, in my opinion, the democracy and the freedoms we have in Germany doesn’t work. It destroys them. For example, pornography and drugs are not allowed here. These are very big problems in Germany! (Read more)

Taking time out between rehearsals, award-winning director Kok Heng Leun meets UrbanWire at the Drama Centre to talk about Drift.

His latest masterpiece, a collaboration between Singapore’s Drama Box and the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre, was commissioned for the Singapore Season 2007 in China and the ongoing Singapore Arts Festival 2008

The Idea Behind Drift

According to Kok, it’s the fast paced world that we live in, and not knowing what we are striving for, that drives the concept behind Drift.

“Drifting is like a state whereby you’re always moving,” he explains. “You’re never really sure where you are. Some are aware, and some are not aware, but it’s still a state.”

He also says that with how fast everything is travelling so fast today, our concept of time becomes warped, which in turn disrupts our sense of space and time.

“What used to take 10 months now only takes about 10 hours. Distance has shortened relatively, and your sense of space and time gets messed up.You constantly feel as if you are moving from place to place and you really don’t know where you are most of the time.” (Read more)

He started off as a petty vandal back in 1997, painting his love for graffiti in alleyways under the cover of darkness.

But 28-year-old graffiti artist Sufian Hamri, better known by his moniker TraseOne, now works his magic openly in the heart of town and even gets paid for it in conjunction with the ongoing Singapore Arts Festival!

As part of the Singapore Street Festival’s (SSF) 19-day long POWer Grafitti street art showcase, Sufian has taken under his wing 8 teams of budding student graffiti artists from polytechnics and the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), mentoring them in completing an 12 ft by 8 ft panel each based on the Festival’s theme, ‘POWER TO D PEOPLE’.

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You’re walking down the sidewalk, hair damp from the rain and your sweater pulled tight. Then, a peculiar sight steals your attention. 

She’s clad in a pink frock and ballet shoes, while he’s dressed in bright blue shirt with flamboyant frills. Piercing in her lip. Mona Lisa tattooed on his back. Radiohead blasting through the speakers. Brash, loud, assertive and, you would say, in-your-face.

 

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