The Quests

On The Record: Homegrown Bands from Then and Now traces the evolution of Singapore’s English popular music scene from the 1960s til today. Combining print and video, the exhibit features interviews with prominent local musicians that include Vernon Cornelius (The Quests), Derek Fitzgerald (The Thunderbirds), Patrick Chng, Joe Ng, Lunarin, and My Precious. On The Record is now on display at the library@esplanade until the end of the year.

Exclusive to digi.talk, we present a series of audio clips extracted from interviews done during the research process.

Vernon Cornelius

Vernon Cornelius performed in several bands in the 1960s, including The Checkmates, and The Trailers. In 1966, he joined The Quests, Singapore’s top pop band in 1960’s. The Quests were prolific recording artists, recording four albums and more than 30 singles and EPs, under the EMI label. Besides being the were the first local group to record an album in English, their second album ‘33rd Revolution’, was the first local album recorded in Stereo. Vernon Cornelius worked in Rediffusion in the 1970s, and currently does research.

Vernon Cornelius in 1960s

Vernon Cornelius with Jap Chong today

Click on the audio links below to listen to Vernon Cornelius' interview.

1. Did you know that the Beatles made a brief stopover in Singapore in the 1960s? Although the Fab Four didn’t perform in Singapore, bands like The Rolling Stones, The Kinks and The Yardbirds did. Here, Vernon Cornelius talks about the influence of the British Invasion in Singapore’s 1960s music scene.
Download file to listen NOW! (Right click, and select "Save Target As.")

2. The Sixties was the golden age for Singapore music. It was a fertile music scene, unlike anything seen today, with many local bands performing and recording. Here, Vernon Cornelius talks about the peak of 1960s euphoria, when it seemed as if almost everyone was either in a band, or knew someone who was in a band.
Download file to listen NOW! (Right click, and select "Save Target As.")

3. Bands in the 1960s enjoyed the support of the media. The dailies and weeklies devoted much newsprint to local bands. Even in its infancy, the television industry was also supportive of local music, with many bands making frequent appearances on music-themed variety shows screened on television. Here, Vernon Cornelius talks about the media support, and also shares about touring the Malaysian states in the 1960s.
Download file to listen NOW! (Right click, and select "Save Target As.")

Related links:
(1) http://dl.nlb.gov.sg/highbrowseonline/2007/03/on_the_record_homegrown_bands_from_then_and_now.html

Posted by digitalk team at 11:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Inspired by anti-war "teach-ins" and the activist culture of the late 1960s, United States Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin organized the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, to raise awareness of environmental issues and elevate the state of the environment into mainstream political discourse. Denis Hayes, a 25-year-old Harvard law student, was selected to organize and coordinate teach-ins, addressing topics such as pollution and environmental degradation, on college campuses across the United States. Students inspired by the teach-ins and the ensuing publicity that Hayes orchestrated went on to organize thousands of cleanup activities and protest actions to mark the first Earth Day in 1970. Earth Day is now observed in 140 nations and because of Earth Day, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) was formed.

Countries are now beginning to realise the importance of reducing the emission of greenhouse gases and global warming. Here are some of the steps taken or to be taken by various countries in their efforts to ‘save the dying planet.’

United States:

Top lawmakers received a glimpse of the future for clean and efficient student transportation as Navistar International Corporation debuted one of the first diesel hybrid school buses. Company representatives highlighted the potential for this innovative technology to help meet California's climate change, energy efficiency and clean air goals, and they urged government officials to provide incentives that will expand the market for these pioneering vehicles.

New Zealand:

The United Future Party is proposing strong incentives for farmers and forest owners to plant more trees and help reduce greenhouse gases. It launched its forestry and agriculture climate change policy today, saying carbon credits should go to farmers and forest owners when new or replacement trees were planted. An alternative option would be a one-off afforestation grant based on the forecast value of the carbon credits.

Singapore:

BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag) Days will be held on the first Wednesday of every month. Shoppers will be asked to bring their own bags to supermarkets once a month, in a voluntary scheme organised by the National Environment Agency (NEA). If not, they will be requested to donate 10 cents for each plastic bag they take.

A 'green' housing project (Treetops@Punggol) featuring environmental friendly technology in the HDB arsernal. Some of the features include corridor lights powered by solar panels, common areas washed by recycled rainwater and plants growing vertically covering the exterior of walls.

As we celebrate Earth Day there is good news to report on the environment for a change. In 2006, it was found that,
- Air pollution has decreased 50 percent overall, with sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides dropping steadily.
- Lakes in the Northeast of America are recovering from their earlier dousing with acid rain.
- Endangered species, including bald eagles, wolves, and grizzly bears, have rebounded.

- Cars no longer burn leaded gasoline.
- Ozone-destroying chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) have been generally phased out.

However, we should not be complacent. In fact, there are many things that we can do on an individual level to help reduce global warming. Below are some examples:

- Wear hand-me-downs. Every item of clothing you own has an impact on the environment. Wearing an old T-shirt means you avoid consuming all the energy used in producing and shipping a new one.

- Change your light bulbs. Replace regular bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs, which save energy. And don't forget to turn off the lights when you leave a room!

- Ride the bus. A high percentage of trips are by car. Public transportation saves an estimated 1.4 billion gallons of gas annually.

- Walk, don’t drive. If you have to buy a packet of chips, don’t drive to the store next door—take a walk. If you must drive, combine a lot of chores.

- Say no to plastic bags. The next time your parents go to the market, help them pack the groceries in reusable cloth bags. Every year, more than 500 billion plastic bags are distributed, and fewer than 3% are recycled.

- Open a window. Instead of running the air conditioner, let some fresh air in. Set the thermostat higher in the summer and lower in the winter.

- Take a cool shower. Reduce your use of energy-hogging hot water.

- Plant trees, especially in tropical forests, which play a crucial role in cooling the planet. One tree can absorb up to a ton of carbon dioxide over its lifetime.

- Shut off your computer. A screen saver is not an energy saver. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, 75% of all the electricity consumed in the home is standby power used to keep electronic equipment running when it is not in use.

- Buy energy efficient appliances. Next time you buy an iron, an oven, a refrigerator or even an air-conditioner, opt for models by manufacturers whose USP is energy efficiency. It will cut your electricity bills and the emission levels.

- Construct green buildings. If you are planning to build a house or an office complex, hire an architect who could work out ways to optimise the use of energy. The structure could simply have better insulation to retain heat in winter. Also, avoid huge glass walls so that you don’t spend more on air-conditioning during the summer.

- Save paper. If you want to convey something to your friend, do it over the phone or e-mail. Nine hundred million trees, which help to absorb carbon dioxide, become pulp and paper every year.

- Reduce, reuse, recycle. Look at making small changes in your daily life. Recycle cans, paper and glass. Avoid disposable objects like paper plates, cups and towels. Some 900 million trees are cut down each year to make pulp and paper. That number can be reduced if people buy recycled paper.

- Buy fuel-efficient cars. It’s time to renew our awareness about fuel efficiency, not just to save energy but to beat the rise in petrol prices as well. For every litre of petrol consumed, about four kg of carbon dioxide gets injected into the atmosphere. Think about it.

- Check your tyres. Maintaining the right degree of pressure in car and motorcycle tyres improves on mileage considerably and saves fuel.

- Conserve water. Use sprinklers or drip-irrigation devices for watering your lawns or growing crops. Turn the tap off while soaping your face or shaving. Don’t let the water flow unnecessarily. Water is going to be a scarce commodity if you don’t learn to conserve it now.

- Reduce air travel. If you have the option of getting work done over the phone or e-mail, then go ahead. It would save you money and the world a whole lot of carbon emissions.

- Consume less. When you are about to buy something, ask yourself whether you really need it.

- Help reduce the amount of packaging. Styrofoam cups and CD cases cost energy to manufacture and deliver. When possible, give back the extra napkins or unwanted sugar packets

- Forgo the steak. The international meat industry generates roughly 18 per cent of the world's greenhouse-gas emissions - even more than transportation - according to a report last year from the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organisation. Much of that comes from nitrous oxide in manure and the methane from bovine digestion. Methane has a warming effect 23 times as much as carbon dioxide while nitrous oxide is 296 times as great.

- Consume less, share. Live simply. Get to know your neighbours and borrow when you need to and lend when asked.

- Educate others. You may be conserving the natural resources but if your neighbour isn’t, you are still a goner.

Indeed, we should all do our part to save the Earth, not just for us but also for the generations to come. As quoted by ice cream company, Ben & Jerry’s, “If it’s melted, it’s ruined.” (with reference to the rapidly melting glaciers).

Data taken from:
- ‘10 Ways You Can Make A Difference’, 20 April 2007, Time for Kids, Factiva
- ‘Cover Story: Global Warming 25 Tips To Make A Difference’, 23 April 2007, India Today, Factiva
- ‘Energy Saving Measures To Prevent Global Warming- Approaches To Reduction Of Carbon Dioxide Emission’, 18 June 1994, Japan Chemical Week, Factiva
- ‘Give Carbon Credits To Landowners Who Plant Trees’, UF Says, 18 April 2007, New Zealand Press Association, Factiva
- ‘Diesel Hybrid School Buses Give California Legislators New Tool To Reduce Emissions; Clean Buses Can Help Meet Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Reduction Goals’, 18 April 2007, PR Newswire (U.S), Factiva
- Chiras, Daniel D. "Global Climate Change." Encyclopedia Americana. 2007. Grolier Online. 18 Apr. 2007 http://ea.grolier.com/cgi-bin/article?assetid=0432632-00
- http://www.xreferplus.com/entry/4270896, xreferplus
- ‘Reduce global warming, right here Northeaster anti-pollution plans will help, but local homeowner and business can do their part, too’, 27 March 2006. Newsday, Factiva
- Christian Science Monitor, The (Boston, MA), 21 April 2006, Brad Knickerbocker, Newsbank
- ‘and here is how they can go about doing it’, 18 April 2007, Straits Times, Newsbank
- http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1241830931&sid=2&Fmt=3&clientId13402&RQT=309&Vname=PQD, Proquest

Images taken from:
- Factiva

Posted by digitalk team at 06:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Today, in a move to cut down the use of plastic bags, marks Singapore’s very first Bring Your Own Bag Day (BYOBD). Subsequently, BYOBD will be held on the first Wednesday of every month.

BYOBD is a campaign jointly conducted by the National Environment Agency (NEA), the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) and major supermarkets namely Carrefour, Cold Storage, Giant, NTUC Fairprice, Prime Supermarket, Sheng Siong and Shop N Save. The campaign’s purpose is to raise awareness and educate the public on how to curb wastage of plastic bags. (3)

On BYOBD, shoppers who do not bring their own bags can purchase reusable bags available at the participating shops. Checkout staff at these shops will still provide plastic bags to shoppers nonetheless, should they need them for their purchases. Instead, shoppers may be asked if they will donate 10 cents for each plastic bag taken. The proceeds will go to the SEC, a registered charity organisation, to fund its environmental outreach programmes. (3)

This brings to mind a similar campaign also organised by NEA last year, which aimed to get people to choose reusable bags over plastic bags. This however met with limited success, with an estimated 2 per cent of shoppers opting to use reusable bags. (3)

This time round, NEA and the Singapore Environmental Council successfully persuaded about 200 shops and seven supermarket chains to partake in BYOBD. Participating shops will sell reusable bags at discounted prices. (3)

2.5 billion plastic bags are used in Singapore a year, which is equivalent to 625 bags a person annually. Though most of its plastic bags are incinerated so that they do not contribute to landfill, burning these bags produces cancer-causing dioxins and also carbon dioxide, thus contributing to global warming eventually. (3)

It is apparent that everyone is getting more concerned over global warming (it’s high time we did so) these days, even ice cream makers Ben (Bennett Cohen) and Jerry (Jerry Greenfield).

Ice cream lovers had a field day on Tuesday as ice-cream company Ben & Jerry's celebrated its annual Global Free Cone Day at its 8 branches across Singapore.

Apart from being a gesture of thanking the community for their support, the company also hopes to spread the message – that “If it’s melted, it’s ruined.”

It refers to not only ice cream but also a more serious issue, which is global warming and how the Earth’s glaciers are melting rapidly, raising sea levels and wreaking havoc in weather patterns. It is teaming up with the Environmental Challenge Organisations Singapore to urge people to make small changes in their lifestyles – which could reduce carbon emissions by 5 per cent. (1)

Global warming is here. See for yourselves:

The waters of the bay lap against the shoreline of San Francisco, California, January 20, 2007. Global warming, researchers say, has caused the sea level at the Golden Gate to rise more than 7 inches in the past century due to glacial melting and thermal expansion. (Karl Mondon/Contra Costa Times)

A damaged police station as a result of rising sea levels and coastal erosion is seen at the Sagar Island February 19, 2007. All that separates residents from a rising sea is a mud embankment; a fragile barrier tasked with holding back the inevitable flood that one day will wash away their island home. Hundreds living on West Bengal's sparsely populated Moushuni Island - part of the Sunderbans national park and the world's largest mangrove forest - has never heard the term "global warming" but they are living with its consequences. Picture taken February 19, 2007. To match feature INDIA-SUNDERBANS REUTERS/Jayanta Shaw (INDIA)

A farmer digs a drain on a dried-up pond on the outskirts of Kunming, capital of southwestern China's Yunnan province March 6, 2007. Global warming has taken its toll on China, causing sandstorms, heavy fog and severe drought and leading to its second warmest winter in 50 years, the China Meteorological Administration said. Picture taken March 6, 2007. CHINA OUT REUTERS/Stringer (CHINA)

Bangkok's skyline is seen blanketed in a haze during late afternoon of February 1, 2007. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) will release a long-awaited report assessing the human link to pollution, global warming and climate change in Paris on February 2, 2007. A draft of the report, which draws on research by 2,500 scientists from more than 130 countries, projects a big rise in temperatures this century and warns of more heatwaves, floods, droughts and rising sea levels linked to greenhouses gases released mainly by the use of fossil fuels. REUTERS/Adrees Latif (THAILAND)

A surfer carrying his board walks out of the ocean as a cloud is lit by the setting sun at Sydney's Manly Beach October 24, 2006. The report by Australia's premier scientific body, the Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), forecast heat-related deaths for elderly people would rise from the current 176 a year to 1,312 by 2050. Rising sea levels will result in coastal erosion of up to 22 metres (66 feet) for a strip of beaches from Collaroy to Narrabeen in Sydney's north, eating away at many multi-million dollar homes now perched on the edge of the beach. Australia is already feeling the brunt of global warming with the worst drought in 100 years eating into economic growth.

The CSIRO report found Sydney's maximum temperature was expected to raise 1.6 degrees Celsius by 2030 and 4.8 degrees by 2070 and average rainfall will drop by 40 percent by 2070. Picture taken October 24, 2006. REUTERS/David Gray (AUSTRALIA)

General view of high-rise buildings against a smoggy sky at sunset in Tokyo January 31, 2007. The intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) will release a long-awaited report assessing the human link to pollution, global warming and climate change in Paris February 2, 2007. A draft of the report, which draws on research by 2,500 scientists from more than 130 countries, projects a big rise in temperatures this century and warns of more heatwaves, floods, droughts and rising sea levels linked to greenhouses gases released mainly by the use of fossil fuels. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon (JAPAN)

A Robin sits on a frozen winery vine in the dead of winter in Niagara-on-the-Lake January 25, 2007. Robins normally migrate south in the winter and do not usually return until April, however an unusually warm winter, possibly related to the El-Nino effect and global warming, appears to be interfering with normal migratory patterns. REUTERS/J.P. Moczulski (CANADA)

A snowmaking machine stands on a snow-less slope in front of a chairlift in Seefeld, Austria December 1, 2006. Flowers are blooming on the slopes of Alpine ski resorts and bears are having trouble hibernating in Siberia amid a late start to winter that may be a portent of global warming. Photo taken on December 1, 2006. To match story WEATHER/WINTER REUTERS/Dominic Ebenbichler (AUSTRIA)

Perhaps today is a good time start making those small changes after all.

Directs Links:
(1) “Ben & Jerry’s marks Global Free Cone Day to raise funds for charity.”
Channel NewsAsia. 17 April 2007.
Taken from: Factiva.com

(2) “Bring Own Shopping Bag On Wednesday.”
Straits Times, The (Singapore). 16 April 2007.
Taken from: Factiva.com

(3) “Plastic, not fantastic; Campaign to curb plastic-bag wastage starts tomorrow: Letter from Ong Seng Eng, Director, Resource Conservation Department National Environment Agency.”
TODAY (Singapore). 17 April 2007.
Taken from: Factiva.com

(4) Images and captions from: Factiva.com

Posted by digitalk team at 03:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

If you start by promising what you don't even have yet, you'll lose your desire to work towards getting it.
~ Coelho, Paulo (Novelist)

Posted by digitalk team at 11:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Recently, a Jack Russell and a Shih Tzu made the headlines by tying the knot. Yes, you read right. Two dogs in love got married, right here in our Lion City.

This canine couple Judan (the groom/Jack Russell) and Cash (the bride/Shih Tzu), just like any other union, exchanged vows (or perhaps woofs?) in front of friends (fellow canines) and their owners, complete with a traditional tea ceremony.

The lavish wedding was held at Dogoholics, a restaurant for dogs.

Read the full article, search for “You may pet the bride” in Newsbank!
Publication: Straits Times, The (Singapore)
Date: 9 April 2007

Animal marriages, as uncommon as they may seem, are happening in other parts of the world as well.

JAIPUR, India:
They may have been made for each other but will never be joined in holy matrimony. For the Shiv Sena, Bajrang Dal and animal activists, in an act of moral policing, have denied 18 dogs the right to tie the knot.

The dogs were to be married under Hindu rituals on Sunday. But faced with stiff opposition from the saffron brigade and People for Animals, a Haryana-based animal protection group, the organisers - B Positive and Pink City Canine Club - developed cold feet, cancelling the event.

Read the full article, search for “Moral policing goes to the dogs” in Factiva.com!
Publication: The Times of India
Date: 18 December 2006

EAST HANOVER, USA:
It was a first for the Mount Pleasant Animal Shelter – a fairy “tail” wedding for the betrothed, Kato and Cassie.

The two border collie-mix dogs, acquainted for only a few weeks, were “wed” in a lavish ceremony on Thursday before 40 human guests and 10 dogs and cats housed at the shelter.

Kato and Cassie will remain at the shelter in the meantime, according to Rothrock. “They’re being pampered by our staff,” she laughed. “They’re staying in a kennel we’ve renamed the Honeymoon Suite.”

Read the full article, search for “E. Hanover animal shelter joins border collie mixes in canine matrimony” in Factiva.com!
Publication: Daily Record
Author: Tehani Schneider
Date: 17 March 2005

YILAN COUNTY, Taiwan:

Owners of female pig Huang Pu-pu (R) and male pig Shui Fu-ko (L) attend the pigs' wedding ceremony in Taiwan's Yilan County February 5, 2007. The animals were married on the occasion of the upcoming Chinese New Year, also known as the "Year of the Pig". The man in the centre is holding up the pigs' marriage certificate.

Look it up in Factiva.com!
Publication: Reuters Pictures

AYUTTHAYA, Thailand:

Two pairs of Asian elephants, male Nga Tong, 17, and his "bride" Nanpuang, 24, along with female Ooyjai and her partner Wo Ban, 24, pose at their wedding ceremony on Valentine's Day February 14, 2001 in Ayutthaya, the ancient former capital of Thailand. Taking advantage of the elephants traditional mating season, organisers at the local elephant park had the two pairs of elephants hitched and are hoping they will mate on their "honeymoon" at the Ayutthaya elephant park where the species are being kept.

Look it up in Factiva.com!
Publication: Reuters Pictures

BANGKOK, Thailand:

"Newlyweds" Gook (R), a rooster, and Brown, (2nd-R), a hen, pose with fellow "newlyweds" rabbits Fufu and Blao after their wedding ceremonies to mark the upcoming Valentine's day in Bangkok on February 10, 2003. Many animals, including miniature poodles, attended the event.

Look it up in Factiva.com!
Publication: Reuters Pictures

EAST JAVA, Indonesia

Five-year-old bride Melly (R) and seven-year-old groom Bima, orangutans from Borneo, are married in a Javanese wedding ceremony at Taman Safari in Pasuruan, East Java January 1, 2006. The pretend wedding was held to help the pair produce an offspring. Wild populations of orangutans are found only in the tropical forests on the island of Borneo and Sumatra, and all populations are under severe threat from habitat loss, illegal logging, fires and poaching.

Look it up in Factiva.com!
Publication: Reuters Pictures

All images taken from: Factiva.com

Posted by digitalk team at 04:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

"My brother is the boy with the big black eyes. He has an aura about him that feels strange and nervous. My brother is different. He doesn’t understand when jokes are made. He takes a long time to learn basic things. He often laughs for no reason.

He was pretty average until the first grade. That year, his teacher complained of him laughing in class. As a punishment, she made him sit in the hall. He spent all his time on the fake mosaic tile outside the room. The next year, he took a test that showed he needed to be placed in a special-education class.

As I grew older, I began to resent my brother. When I walked with him, people stared. Not that anything was physically wrong with him; it’s just something that radiated from him that attracted attention. I would clench my teeth in anger sometimes, wishing he were like other people, wishing he were normal.

I would glare at him to make him uncomfortable. Every time my eyes met his, stark and too bright, I would say loudly, “What?” He’d turn his head quickly and mutter, “Nothing.” I rarely called him by his name.

My friends would tell me I was being mean to him. I brushed it off, thinking that they were also horrible to their siblings. I did not consider the fact that their brothers and sisters could retaliate. Sometimes I would be nice to my brother just because they were around, but return to being mean the minute they left.

My cruelty and embarrassment continued until one day last summer. It was a holiday, but both my parents were working. I had an orthodontist appointment and was supposed to take my brother with me. The weather was warm, being a July afternoon. As spring was over, there was no fresh scent or taste of moisture in the air, only the empty feeling of summer. As we walked down the sidewalk, on impulse I began to talk to him.

I asked him how his summer was going, what his favourite kind of car was, what he planned to do in the future. His answers were rather boring, but I wasn’t bored. It turns out I have a brother who loves Cadillacs, wants to be an engineer or a business person, and loves listening to what he calls “rap” music (the example he gave was Aerosmith). I also have a brother with an innocent grin that can light up a room or an already sunny day. I have a brother who is ambitious, kind, friendly, open and talkative.

The conversation we had that day was special. It was a new beginning for me.

A week later, we were on a family trip to Boston, and I was in the back seat of our van. I was reading a Stephen King novel, Rage, while my dad and my brother sat up front talking. A few of their words caught my attention, and I found myself listening to their conversation while pretending to be engrossed in my book. My brother said, “Last week, we were walking to the bus stop. We had a good conversation and she was nice to me.”

That’s all he said. As simple as his words were, they were heartfelt. He held no dislike toward me. He just accepted that I’d finally become the sister I should have been from the beginning. I closed the book and started at the back cover. The author’s face blurred as I realised I was crying.

I will not pretend everything is fine and dandy now. Like changes in a Wonder Years episode, nothing’s perfect and nothing’s permanent. What I will say is that I do not glare at my brother any more. I walk with him in public. I help him use the computer. I call him by his name. Best of all, I continue to have conversations with him. Conversations that are boring in the nicest possible way."

Shashi Bhat, "The Bridge Between Verses’, Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul II: 101 More Stories of Life, Love, and Learning, NetLibrary

10th April is Siblings’ Day. As Henry David Thoreau once said, “Things do not change. We change.” Often, we grow distant from our siblings as we grow older. This Siblings’ Day, make it a memorable one for you and your siblings. For more inspirational stories, visit here.

Data taken from: ‘The Bridge Between Verses’, Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul II: 101 More Stories of Life, Love, and Learning, NetLibrary

Images taken from: Factiva

Posted by digitalk team at 05:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

“Singapore is already recognised internationally as a food paradise and its diverse dining alternatives are of immense appeal to both leisure and business visitors. Events such as the World Gourmet Summit highlight our Uniquely Singapore destination experience through international culinary delights,” said Ke-Wei Peh, Area Director for the Middle East and Africa, Singapore Tourism Board.

Now in its 11th year, the World Gourmet Summit (WGS) is an annual celebration of the best of the culinary scene, bringing together master chefs and the best of flavours. The summit runs for three weeks and showcases over 70 food-based activities, including an international line-up of iconic master chefs.

This year’s summit boasts one of the strongest ever line-ups of gastronomy-embracing chefs. Big names like Philippe Legendre, Santi Santamaria and Antonin Bonnet, will be in town for the event. They will join the likes of master chef Chan Kwok from Hua Ting Restaurant in Singapore's Orchard Hotel for the summit which begins on April 10.

For the sixth consecutive year, the World Gourmet Summit is also giving out 17 awards in recognition of outstanding chefs and restaurants. For the first time in all its ten years, ten acclaimed restaurants in Singapore (such as Au Jardin, Li Bai and Saint Pierre) will be participating in the event.

Although we may not be master chefs, we can still aspire to whip up a mouth-watering meal with the help of some “eRecipe Books.”

How to prepare and enjoy delightful desserts when you have diabetes? People with diabetes often believe that they cannot enjoy rich, delicious-tasting cooking--such as desserts.

Professor, chef, and dietitian Sandy Kapoor proves them wrong, showing those who suffer from diabetes how they can fit desserts into a healthy plan of eating. Presenting over 200 mouth-watering recipes that anyone will enjoy, Kapoor teaches the reader to use healthy dessert cooking techniques and ingredients to transform high fat, high-cholesterol, and high-sugar desserts into scrumptious healthy versions.

Sandy Kapoor, PhD, RD, FADA (San Marino, CA), is a trained chef from the Culinary Institute of America, a registered dietitian, and a Fellow of the American Dietetic Association.

Satisfying, delicious food for family and friends

The editors of Diabetic Gourmet Magazine understand that while people with diabetes must carefully monitor their eating habits, they still crave their favorite sweets and savory dishes. That's why this collection of mouthwatering dishes includes healthy versions of crowd pleasers like potato skins, pot roast, veal piccata, macaroni and cheese, peanut butter cookies, banana cream pie, and pecan waffles.

Each of the more than 200 recipes makes meal planning easy by including nutritional information and diabetic exchanges, making this cookbook essential for every health-conscious kitchen.

Here is a book that no self-respecting cookie-lover can resist. The Good Cookie shares a fresh and tantalizing selection of 250 recipes from around the world, complete with expert instruction on how to make them. From rugged Cranberry Orange Nut Bars and irresistible Bittersweet Chocolate Biscotti to sophisticated Chocolate-Filled Almond Hearts, readers bake their way through basic drop cookies, beautiful hand-formed cookies, delectable sandwich cookies, complex decorator cookies, and more.

Each recipe features background information on the cookie's history, technique, ingredients, and more. Chockful of information on decorating, wrapping, and shipping cookies for gift-giving, as well as tips on freezing for make-ahead planning, the book also includes a comprehensive list of sources for basic equipment, out-of-the-way places for finding cookie stamps, as well as tips on where to locate hard-to-find ingredients and equipment.

Have a wonderful time whipping up wonderful gourmet to-be dishes with the “eRecipe books”.

Data taken from:

1) “Singapore to Host World Gourmet Summit”, 21 March 2007, Al-Bawaba News, Factiva
2) “Introduction”, 3 May 2006, The Hindu, Factiva
3) “Annual World Gourmet Summit returns in April”, 21 March 2006, Channel NewsAsia, Factiva
4) NLB Overdrive Collection
5) NLB netLibrary Collection

Images taken from:
1) Factiva
2) NLB Overdrive Collection
3) NLB netlibrary Collection

Posted by digitalk team at 05:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

All this while, some of us may have been under the notion that most NSmen can hardly wait to, to put it in local singlish terms, “ORD, loh!” (which refers to the operationally ready date of those who have served 2 ½ or 2 years of full-time National Service also fondly known as NS, made mandatory for all Singaporean men). Now, that doesn’t seem to be the case at all, after all.

Image taken from Factiva.com

Some 360 gung-ho NSmen have gone beyond the call of duty by serving past their National Service training cycle (which is of up to 20 years) and this makes Minister of Defence, Teo Chee Hean, a happy man. (1)

'Our NSmen play a critical role in making the SAF a credible deterrent and fighting force,' said a very heartened Mr Teo, of the 300,000 NSmen who make up the bulk of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) fighting strength. (1)

This year is special to all Singaporean men whom have served or are serving NS, as it will be 40 years since full-time NS was introduced.

As such, The Army Museum of Singapore is being readied to mark the 40th anniversary of National Service in Singapore. This $8.8 million three-storey museum will tell the story of the Army's growth from two infantry battalions into a high-tech force, and also honour the contributions of Singaporean soldiers. (5)

Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean, officiating at the groundbreaking ceremony, said The Army Museum of Singapore would be a tribute to those who have shouldered the responsibility of defending Singapore. (2)

Since NS began in 1967, nearly 700,000 Singaporean men have experienced life in uniform as operationally ready National Servicemen in the SAF, the Singapore Civil Defence Force and the Singapore Police Force. (3)

Image taken from Factiva.com

NS has evolved into a 'rite of passage' for all Singaporean men and has helped forge a strong national identity and 'a collective will to defend ourselves,' mentioned Mr Teo, citing Lieutenant-Colonel See Tow as example of an NSman whose commitment to NS went beyond statutory duty. (1)

Lt-Col (NS) See Tow Pak Onn, after completing 20 years of NS, told the Ministry of Defence that he wanted to spend more time in uniform. What motivated Lt-Col (NS) See Tow, who commands more than 4,000 soldiers, for wanting to spend more time in uniform? ? He replied, “All the years we’ve trained together, we’ve built up a special relationship and we have a team that stays together.” Every three months, he gets together with NS officers from his unit's headquarters to discuss NS issues. (1)

Also sharing his views on NS was Brigadier-General Hugh Lim, director NS affairs at the Ministry of Defence, who said that NSmen have responded to the call to action in the past 40 years.

These included the Hotel New World collapse, the Sars crisis, Nicoll Highway collapse and recent humanitarian missions. Such deployments and overseas training exercises have made Singapore's neighbours and training partners aware of the high level of professionalism among our soldiers, he added. (3)

Image taken from Factiva.com

Apart from the opening of The Army Museum of Singapore, the 40th anniversary of NS will see a series of events to salute the contributions of all National Servicemen. First in line is the NS40 Commemoration Exhibition.

Look forward to these in the next few months (4):

April 12 to 15: NS40 Commemoration Exhibition at Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza, which will chronicle evolution of NS through four decades.

May 25 to 27: Navy Open House at Changi Naval Base.

July 1: SAF Day Parade, which will involve NSmen and their employers. A first-day cover of NS40 commemorative stamps will be launched the next day.

July and August: Launch of 20-episode army TV drama series.

August 9: National Day Parade will showcase SAF and Home Team capabilities. Parade commander will be an NSman.

August 30 to September 3: Army Open House at Pasir Laba Camp, which will feature latest army weapons and equipment.

September: Opening of Army Museum at Safti Military Institute.

September 27: Commemoration dinner at Pasir Laba Camp, graced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Direct Links:

(1) “NS cycle over? Some opt to bear arms longer - About 360 have gone beyond call of duty by serving past 20-year training cycle.”
Boey, David. Straits Times, The (Singapore). March 6, 2007.
Taken from: Newsbank

(2) “Army Museum to celebrate 40 years of National Service.”
Channel NewsAsia. June 21, 2006.
Taken from: Factiva.com

(3) “Events lined up to celebrate 40 years of NS - Open houses and an exhibition on national service among the activities to be held.”
Boey, David. April 3, 2007.
Taken from: Newsbank

(4) “Look forward to these.”
Straits Times, The (Singapore). April 3, 2007.
Taken from: Newsbank

(5) “$8.8m museum to showcase rich history of S’pore’s army.”
Chin Lian, Goh. Straits Times, The (Singapore). 22 June 2006.
Taken from: Factiva.com

Posted by digitalk team at 05:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Check out some of World Book Day 2007's Top 10 books right here, in our eBook collections:

Pride and Prejudice
By: Jane Austen
eBook Collection: NLB Overdrive
Description: Since its publication in 1813, Pride and Prejudice’s blend of humor, romance, and social satire have delighted readers of all ages. In telling the story of Mr. and Mrs. Bennett and their five daughters, Jane Austen creates a miniature of her world, where social grace and the nuances of behavior predominate in the making of a great love story.

Jane Eyre
By: Charles Bronte
eBook Collection: NLB Overdrive
Description: Winner of a 1995 Talkie Award from the British Spoken Word Publishing, Jane Eyre was written in 1847 by the woman writer Charlotte Bronte. It is an unconventional love story that pairs a simple looking Jane and her obsessive passion with the reserved and gruff Rochester. Jane Eyre remains a classic of 19th century literature.

Wuthering Heights
By: Emily Bronte
eBook Collection: NLB Overdrive
Description: Emily Bronte's only novel, Wuthering Heights is one of the pinnacles of 19th century English literature. It's the story of Heathcliff, an orphan who falls inlove with a girl above his class, loses her, and devotes the rest of his life to wreaking revenge on her family.

1984
By: George Orwell
eBook Collection: NLB Overdrive
Description: Perhaps no other novel in this century has had a greater impact upon the way we think and talk about our world than George Orwell's classic, 1984.

Great Expectations
By: Charles Dickens
eBook Collection: NLB Overdrive
Description: In this, perhaps Dickens' most profound and personal novel, we are invited to share in the sentimental education of Pip, the poor boy from the village forge who risks losing himself in snobbery and selfishness when he mysteriously inherits a fortune. The story moves from the bleak Kentish marshes of Pip's childhood to a thrilling climax which mingles tragedy and triumph.

Direck Links:
(1) World Book Day (http://www.worldbookday.com)
(2) Highbrowse (http://dl.nlb.gov.sg/highbrowseonline/2007/03/world_book_day_01_march_2007.html)

Posted by digitalk team at 03:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The World Swimming Championships 2007 had just concluded, with American swimmer, Michael Phelps dominating in 7 events.

In conjunction with the World Swimming Championships 2007, we commemorate some of the biggest swimming sensations in Singapore also known as “Singapore’s Golden Girls."

Patricia Chan

She was Singapore's first "Golden Girl", flying the Republic's flag high in South-east Asia and beyond from the 1960s to the early 1970s. At 11, she made a big splash on her debut in the 1965 Seap Games, winning eight golds. In 1967 in Bangkok, she emerged with 10 golds.

She competed in the 1970 Asian Games in Bangkok and won a medal in all seven events in which she took part, three silvers and four bronzes. She also swam in two Olympics, Mexico in 1968 and Munich in 1972.

She was also the Sportswoman of the Year a record five successive times from 1967 to 1971. She was inducted into the Singapore Sports Council Hall of Fame in 2002. She retired when she was 19.

Junie Sng

Just as Patricia Chan ended her career in the pool, Junie Sng surfaced. She made her SEAP debut in 1975, winning a gold and a silver. Two years later, she upped her haul to five golds, breaking six meet records along the way.

In the 1978 Asian Games in Bangkok, her debut, at the tender age of 14, she smashed two Asian records en route to gold medals in the 400m and 800m freestyle events. That made her Singapore's first woman swimmer to win at the Asiad. She capped her career with a stunning 10-gold performance at the 1983 SEA Games.

Joscelin Yeo

Joscelin Yeo was the youngest-ever Singaporean to participate at the Asian Games. Although she was part of the team that finished sixth in the 400m freestyle relay, she contributed by helping the quartet break the national record.

At the age of 12, Joscelin took part in the first of her eight SEA Games. She took home two silvers and three bronzes. At 14, she opened the swimming competition of the SEA games by winning the 100m freestyle in a Games record time. In the next few days, Joscelin picked up eight more gold medals. All, except the 200m freestyle, were new Asean records. She also finished second in the 400m individual medley.

During National Day in 1993, Joscelin received the Public Service Star, the second female swimmer to earn the award after Junie Sng.

Joscelin was the centre of attention once more at the Hiroshima Asian Games. She returned home taking the bronze in the 100m butterfly. Her time of 1:01.62 became a new national record for the 1994 Sportswoman of the Year. She was still only 15.

Joscelin came home with seven individual golds and two team silvers at the 1995 SEA Games. Joscelin had won 40 gold medals at Asean level and also received the Meritorious Service Medal. She retired at the age of 27.

The legacy of these Golden Girls continue as our current batch of female swimmers are following in the footsteps of these Golden Girls, making waves in the pool and smashing national and international records, just like their “sisters” in swimming”.

Data taken from:
1)- ‘Pat, Junie or Jos - who's the greatest of them all?’, Nicholas Fang, 4 February 2007, Straits Times, Factiva
2)- ‘TAO LI v JOSCELIN’, Wang Meng Meng,18 December 2006, The New Paper, Factiva
3)- ‘Where are they now?’, Alvin Foo, 6 March 2005, Straits Times, Factiva
4)- ‘Chan's hush-hush about methods’, 23 August 2005, TODAY (Singapore), Factiva
5)- ‘PATRICIA CHAN: Singapore swimmer’, 27 August 1989, Straits Times, Factiva

Images taken from: Factiva
: http://www.ssc.gov.sg/museum/ssm_heros_profile.jsp?type=6&artid=439&root=28&cat=29

Posted by digitalk team at 12:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)