The Straits Times Blogs - Inside The ST Newsroom

Why they stand out

2008-12-19T22:00:00Z

Michael Sargent explains why in a year of upheavals, some pictures matter more.

AS WE quickly approach the New Year, we find ourselves looking back on 2008 and reflecting on all events - both good and bad that have transpired. I feel there’s really no better way to remember the passing of time than through pictures.

This year seemed to bring about a stormy upheaval, with more bad news than good. Natural disasters in a variety of forms - the devastating earthquake in China, hurricanes and wildfires buffeting the US and a continuous series of man-made disasters that rocked the world economic communities - flourished without relent.

It seemingly started with the sub-prime mortgage crisis, followed by a Tsunami like ripple effect, causing havoc throughout the global financial industry. And if that wasn’t enough bad news, the web of global terrorism continued to widen its reach in new ways, on new frontiers.

On a more positive note, China sent three astronauts or “Taikonauts” as they’re called in China, in to space and the United States elected its first black President.

While perhaps not all of this year’s events are framed by what I would consider truly iconic images, there are generally always pictures to serve as a visual reference and document the passing of time historically.

One picture that left a lasting impact on me was one from the earthquake in China. It’s actually a picture from the Sichuan earthquake that took place in August. Of all the pictures I looked at from the earthquake coverage, this one seemed to stand out.

Source: Associated Press

The picture shows a woman shielding a child, their bodies being unearthed in a fallen house by Chinese soldiers. The woman and child lie almost angelically in a red clay soil and the soldiers, dressed in red-clad camouflage carefully digging around them with their hands. The woman and child were apparently buried in falling debris inside a house during the quake.

I found the picture quite surreal really; it was almost like the soldiers were carefully unearthing a relic at archaeological site. I was touched by several elements of the pictures, the colour, the symmetry of the subjects and the message it conveyed. A woman shielding a child in harm’s way, only to end in vain was quite touching.

This is the cover image of The Straits Times Saturday Special Report entitled “Upheaval”, which is running on 20 December

As a photographer, getting those iconic images that seem to capture the essence of a defining moment of an event doesn’t come easily.

Henri Cartier-Bresson was a truly gifted French photographer and is frequently thought of as the father of modern photojournalism. He was also one of the co-founders of the most esteemed photo agency Magnum. For him, a great picture was all about the “decisive moment”, a point he chronicled in one his books with the same title.

Cartier said: "There is nothing in this world that does not have a decisive moment." It’s frequently a split second that separates a great image from all the others.

I am the proud owner of a signed original print of By the Marne River, taken in 1938. I purchased the print at a charity auction only a year before his passing.

Capturing an iconic image not only starts with being at the right place, at the right time, it also requires mental preparation and a bit of luck. As renowned French chemist Louis Pasteur once said, “Chance favours the prepared mind.” I think this really applies here - always watching your subject or the elements of a story closely, being prepared or anticipating the decisive moment. This is the craft of a true photojournalist.

A good example of an iconic image is the 2008 Pulitzer Prize winning image by Reuters photographer Adrees Latif. His single picture captured the moment a Japanese videographer was shot by a soldier in Myanmar. There are endless examples of how being at the right place, at the right time and focusing on the decisive moment have made a difference amongst the truly iconic images, for these are the images that keep appearing in historical journals and text books in perpetuity.

It’s interesting to note that although there were three wire service photographers travelling with President Bush on his recent trip to Iraq, that none of them had pictures of the now famous shoe throwing incident. Add to that, they had two opportunities at getting a picture, one for each shoe. A poignant example of it’s not just being at the right place and time.

As the picture editor of The Straits Times and a seasoned photojournalist, I always think of the year’s events as they are chronicled through iconic or defining images. One of the realities of working at a newspaper is that it’s not all about pictures. Pictures work together with stories, providing our readers with a visual reference. While I always like to see better use of pictures in the paper, it is, in the end, a give and take.

That said, the times when pictures can really have great impact and make a difference for our readers, The Straits Times will rise to the occasion. This year’s tragic earthquake in China and the Beijing Olympic Games were two such occasions.

In part one of a two part Saturday Special Report in The Straits Times, entitled “Upheaval”, we’ll start to take a look at the year from a visual perspective, highlighting global events, as well as some of the regional ones that shaped the year. We’ll try and end on a happy note with some of the positive things that have happened in Singapore through the eyes of The Straits Times photographers.

Let’s hope 2009 brings us leaves us on a happier note.

Read the Saturday Special Report "Upheaval" and see more photos here.

Be paranoid when imbibing

2008-12-01T11:05:00Z

Joanne Lee offers some tips on how to avoid getting into drunken trouble.

THE first time I ever tasted alcohol was when I was four (or thereabout).

No, I did not sneak a sip when my elders weren't looking. I was offered a glass of Babycham by my grandmother.

You see, she is of the mind that women need to know how to hold their drink. In her day, my low-tolerance grandfather would slip his drinks to her when they were out so that he wouldn't get inebriated. And she made my mother and her sisters learn to drink at home - so they would not get drunk and get taken advantage of when they were of age to go out at night.

I can't claim that I've never been slightly-more-than-tipsy in public, but I'd like to think my grandmother's enlightened ways worked. Like all of us who go through the coming-of-age phase (and continue beyond), we've all imbibed at some point, but thankfully, I've never been so "gone" as to fall prey to dodgy characters.

Sadly, the same can't be said for this 19-year-old who got drunk at a house party - despite her boyfriend being in a room next door. She'd played drinking games with a bunch of people, drunk more whisky than she could handle, fallen asleep in a bedroom and got raped by two men.

What is so upsetting is that she obviously thought her boyfriend would watch out for her. Further, she even woke up mid-way through the trauma and could not protect herself coz she was too drunk.

What a nightmare.

Many of us think we're strong enough in judgement to know who to trust, and strong enough physically to fight off threats when it comes down to that. Or at least that things like this would never happen to us. So hopefully this case will serve as a wake-up call for those of us who suffer from these delusions.

Here's what I've been fortunate enough to be taught by my betters over the years (apart from the obvious piece of advice - that is, don't drink):

(1) If you're going to drink more than your limit, always ensure that you're with friends you can trust - friends who are not about to drink beyond their limit too;

(2) Make sure you have transport home - designated-drivers or friends who will send you home and/or walk you to your flat. Those who just shove you in a cab are not counted;

(3) Order bottled drinks, like beer, when strangers are around so no one can slip stuff into your drink when you're not looking;

(4) Don't let just anyone order or mix your drinks.

Perhaps I'm paranoid, but these things are worth being paranoid about.

Girls, be careful! And for that matter, boys too.

What other bits of advice do you have? Leave them here!

Cost cutting - every little bit counts

2008-11-30T15:54:00Z

Mathew Pereira looks at how just little things can save you a lot of money.

COST cutting is on the minds of everyone. Many are making adjustments. There have been regular letters and columns on how we can all shave our daily expenses sometimes just by making minor adjustments or just taking the trouble to act.

For instance, after a few phone calls, I finally terminated my Singnet dial-up account which I have been keeping since I first signed up for it. I must have switched to cable about 10 years ago at the very least, But I was paying out a monthly fee for my dial-up account all this while even though I was not using it - all because I was too lazy to make the calls or send out the necessary email to terminate the account. Another couple of calls I made will save me a few dollars every month from next month. I switched my Singtel land line to a Starhub one.

Sometimes it means giving up things we like. A friend of mine has cut his wine consumption from 6 bottles a month to one bottle. I know it is going to be tough for him this Christmas season.

I used to leave my two computers running 24 hours a day but now I shut them down before I leave for work and also at night. I don't know how much it will save me but it would cut the number of hours the computers are kept running by at least 50 per cent.

I also religiously take down the addresses of places where I can get fish, chicken and beef cheap. It has required me to make drives to Woodlands and Jurong East which are not exactly close to my home but I realise the savings can be huge. There is nothing to be shy about trying to get a good deal.

Do you have some good suggestions on how costs can be cut? Post them here.

Tougher HIV campaigns needed?

2008-11-30T14:59:00Z

Mathew Pereira finds the rising HIV numbers disconcerting.

THE number of people diagnosed here this year with the Aids-causing virus looks set to hit an all-time high.

Part of the reason for this is the record numbers getting tested.

This follows last year's figures where 423 residents here were diagnosed with HIV, the highest number in a year since the disease first surfaced here in 1985.

The latest figures are for the first 10 months of this year, 7 per cent more than the 356 cases uncovered over the same period last year.

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/Aids has put the true prevalence of the disease here at two to four times higher from undiagnosed cases and cases diagnosed abroad but so far unrecorded here.

Time to start tougher, harder-hitting education campaigns?

Support the Yellow Ribbon project

2008-11-30T14:50:00Z

Mathew Pereira looks at the need for more help to be given to ex-convicts.

KUDOS to Barista Express Cafe for the wonderful work it is doing with those sidelined by society - the mentally ill, ex-prisoners or people with HIV, the human immunodeficiency virus.

At Barista, the mentally ill learn to serve food and drinks to customers with the main aim of getting these troubled people back into the mainstream workforce.

I have a group of friends who do volunteer work with inmates and one of the biggest problems of these inmates when they leave prison is the ability to secure a job.

In spite of the publicity that has been given to the Yellow Ribbon project and the government call on employers to back it, life is still difficult for those who leave the prison after their jail term. These former prisoners say that they often have to lie about their past to secure a job. I know many religious organisations take an active role to help these former prisoners settle back into the normal world. Help they provide include looking for jobs, providing counselling and companionship and sometimes even providing accommodation.

But it is time for others to take on a bigger role.

The fear of counsellors is that isolation and rejection could prove a quick way to drive these former prisoners back to crime and prison.

Should you even buy a car?

2008-11-30T14:43:00Z

Mathew Pereira looks at simple arithmetic that could make you rethink buying a car.

WITH lower car prices and certificate of entitlement (COE) rates at record-low levels, Singaporeans have been visiting car showrooms by the droves to get a feel of the vehicle they have been eyeing the past few months but have been put off, if not by anything else, the high petrol prices. But even petrol prices have dropped so should anything stop you?

Other than the first time I bought a car when the thought of taking a $15,000 or so loan for my second-hand Mazda 323 made me tremble, there was only one other time when I actually thought deep and long about holding on to a car.

It was when a friend sat down and worked out with me how much it cost to actually own a car. We all have some vague ideas but what he took me through made sense but I must add that mathematics has never been my forte.

We worked on the assumption that I would hang on to the car for 10 years, which many of us don't do. My friend warned me that if I were to work on the assumption that I changed my vehicle every 5 years, the cost would be much higher at which point I decided to work on the 10 year ownership model..

First I had to work out the cost of the car (that would be price of the car plus what I would have paid in interest for the loan), add 10 years' worth of annual insurance and road tax to the amount, add 10 years' worth of petrol (I multiplied my monthly average consumption by 12 months and then by 10years). Add to it maintenance (I put aside $200 a month multiplied by 12 and then by 10). Add 10 years worth of car park and ERP charges.

Finally minus whatever you will get back for the car at the end of 10 years (sell off as second-hand vehicle or scrap or whatever deal there is available).

I was then told to take the final figure and divide it by 10 years and then by 365 days to find out what it costs to use the car daily. I was told to sit down what I would then spend on taxi fares every day if I were to take a taxi for every trip. I was shocked by the final figure. But I managed to overcome it and proceed with the purchase of my car. But it was an interesting exercise.

If anyone with a good head for figures can tell me how accurate this exercise is, I am sure many others out there would appreciate it.

Meanwhile, I shall pass it on to you. Have fun with it.

How to drink right for a long run

2008-11-30T13:16:00Z

Mathew Pereira advices runners to drink right before running a marathon.

YESTERDAY, I was told about a teenager who went out for a long 15km run in the heat of the day and almost collapsed. I don't know if he was dehyrdated or if the sun had just baked his brains. But it is a dangerous thing to do.

He had the presence of mind to walk into a fast-food restaurant and ask for water. The staff there saw the condition he was in and gave him a big cupful.

Drinking while running is something which runners who are new to the game ignore because they don't realise how important it is just to make sure they don't drop dead. Of course drinking and drinking right can also affect your performance and running times, if you are one of the competitive sort.

Take a quick read of today's Sunday Times story if you are planning to run the marathon and you have not done any research on how to drink right during a run. The piece gives you tips on what to drink, when to drink and even how to drink it while running. Like the piece says: Consume too little fluid and you risk dehydration; drink excessively and it could dilute sodium levels in your body, causing hyponatremia.

Spare a thought for foreign workers

2008-11-30T12:00:00Z

Mathew Pereira sympathises with foreign workers whose lives are much harder than locals'.

I could not help but be moved by The Sunday Times story on foreign workers fearing for their jobs.

They pay thousands to come to Singapore, have huge debts to repay, take home little and send all their money back to their original country.

When I drive along Little India on a Sunday, it is easy to grumble at the crowds gathered along the shops making the place inaccessible. But sometimes we should stop and chat with some of them and our view of them changes almost immediately.

I once had a long chat with one of these foreign workers and he told me that getting together to eat, drink and chat was among the few things they could afford to do.

For many, it was their only form of entertainment. When they splurge, it is to buy a few beers. Many of them send almost all the money they earn back home to where their families are.

When I spoke to my helper recently about the falling rupiah and how she could now change the money she was earning to millions of rupiah, she replied that falling value of the Indonesian currency was making life for her family even more difficult. The price of everything had shot up and it was impossible for anyone to buy even the basic of food items, she said.

Sitting down and chatting with some of these low-income workers often gives me a totally different take on life and the world around us. I find that I not only appreciate more what I have but also appreciate these people more because in many ways they are like any of us. They have families to take care of, they worry about feeding their children, they slog to give their children a good education and hope that their children have a better life than them. They have more things in common with us than we realise.

Accommodate non-English speaking staff

2008-11-30T11:51:00Z

Mathew Pereira offers solutions to dealing with non-English-speaking service staff in S'pore.

NON-ENGLISH-SPEAKING service staff are again making the news.

It is not the first time they have come under the spotlight. There have been many discussions before in the papers and on websites, as in the latest instance.

But has the situation improved? I don't think so.

Look at those stores which have been named and shamed for hiring staff who speak no English. They persist to use such because even though shoppers complain and grumble they continue to frequent them. Based on anecdotal evidence, more outlets than even seem to be using these non-English speakers. And with the slowdown in the economy, a cheaper non-English speaking Chinese staff may seem even more tempting to hire as they could make the difference between whether a store closes shop or survives this downturn.

We could all continue to complain or just try and make the best of the situation. More often than not, I tend to laugh it off though I have often been frustrated by such staff not because they don't speak English but because they also don't speak Hokkien, which I can speak a bit of.

The most recent amusing incident took place at a kiosk at a petrol station. My wife was queuing up to pay and making payment in front of her was a Caucasian. He asked for two packets of ice. The counter staff, a China national, promptly said: $25. The ang moh said again: "I want two packets of ice."

Sales staff: "Yes, $25."

Ang Moh: "Ice, ice."

Sales staff said: "Yes" . He keyed it into his cash register, tore the printout and showed it to the ang moh. "$25", he said.

The ang moh blurted: "Bloody expensive ice". and took out his wallet to pay for it.

My wife knowing that prices have gone up recently but not by that much stepped in, took a look at the bill and noticed that the counter staff had keyed in rice instead of ice. She again said ice but finally switched to Mandarin before he understood.

There are a few thngs we could do about the present situation as it really does not look like it is going to change. We could:

- Get upset every day and let these guys spoil your day

- Boycott the stores which don't provide English speaking staff

- Try and help each other out by stepping in and helping others to translate and explain and just putting up with the language problem.

I used to get upset but now I tend to accommodate them. They may not speak English but, in general, I find that they tend to be more polite and friendly. I would rather have a polite smiling China staff who uses sign language to communicate serving me than a rude Singaporean staff who makes you feel she is doing you a favour by attending to you.

Accident waiting to happen

2008-11-30T11:31:00Z

Mathew Pereira explains his fear for shopping in crowded malls.

NO SINGAPOREAN would have missed the story on the death of a Wal-Mart employee in Valley Stream, Long Island, after he was trampled by shoppers who broke down the store's doors at a 5.00 am sale. There were reports of fights and injuries in many other stores operated by Wal-Mart, America's leading discount chain. But surely many in American would have seen that it was an accident waiting to happen - if not this year, it was going to be the following year.

When I was in New York two years ago, I was told that the annual Black Friday sale at Macy's was something not to be missed even though I was not an avid shopper. I was quite happy getting what I wanted from warehouse sales there. But I went out of curiosity. I will never do it again. I went there early, before Macy's opened, and there was already a 30metre thick crowd waiting to charge in. And when the store opened the way the crowd charged in reminded me of the many times I had watched on TV the bull runs where people dashed through the cobbled streets of Pamplona, Spain, with panicked and raging bulls in hot pursuit.

On the ground floor, I stopped to look at nothing. The crowd just kept charging on. The security staff stood at the escalator to limit the number of people getting up on it at one go to prevent it from breaking down. But as soon as I cleared the escalator, I was swept up by another crowd that took me to the next floor. The crowds thinned out as I got higher. It is a bit like traffic on the CTE where, congestion eases the further away you move from town.

I found out that the secret to not being shoved around was to hang out near the restroom. There you would be free from the jostling and squeezing. You might be mistaken for a pervert, but heck, you get to stay alive.

Even back then, I feared that if my kids were to trip and fall, it would be the end of them.

I hope shopping centres are not tempted to try these stunts in these desperate times where sales are slow.

Got a real Christmas tree at home?

2008-11-30T00:39:00Z

Mathew Pereira shares tips on how to make your pine tree last longer.

TWO or three years ago, I had a German visitor who just could not get over the plastic tree I had set up in my home. He kept saying: "It looks so strange."

Back in Germany, his tree was a fresh-cut live pine tree and they used real burning candles (how silly, I thought) to decorate it.

Well, that was Christmas trees for this visitor to Singapore. Christmas is around the corner and some of you will be deciding whether to get the real thing or a fake one. Nothing beats the smell of a real pine tree.

My previous neighbour used to get a real tree every Christmas, not me. To spend $500 on a tree that was going to last just a month, was not good use of money, I have always felt. Just work out how many kilogrammes of honey-baked ham or roast turkeys you could get with that money.

I was fortunate back in those years. I could smell my neighbour's tree from my home. So I got a fake tree but with the smell of real pine in my home.

But if you do decide to get a real tree (and there are some places listed in The Sunday Times today), here are some tips on how you can make your tree last till the end of the Christmas season.

- Make another fresh 2cm cut and place the tree in a sturdy stand that holds about 4 litres of water.

- Keep the water level above the base of the tree or a seal will form and prevent any more water from being absorbed by the tree. If that happens, you'll need to make another cut in the trunk. You don't want to do that once it is decorated. Remember, a tree that has been cut for a few weeks is going to suck in a few litres of water in the first few hours after cutting the slice and mounting the tree. On the first day of setting up the tree, check the water level every hour or two. Once the tree quenches that initial thirst, its take up rate will slow down.

- Plain water is all that is needed to keep a tree fresh, don't bother with additives, aspirin, panadol, whatever.

- Unplug tree lights at night. You don't want your home lighted up unnecessarily.

- Use miniature lights, LED lights are good, as they produce less heat and reduce the drying effect on the tree.

- Spray the leaves with an anti-transpirant product, if you can get your hands on some. This material, when sprayed, leaves a thin wax-like coating over the surface of the leaves which slows down water loss through the pine needles.

ST's fitness tips

2008-11-29T22:19:00Z

Mathew Pereira says to look out for fitness advice in The Straits Times.

IF YOU are a fitness conscious person you must have been conscientiously reading the fitness stories that appear in The Straits Times sports pages on Saturdays.

In the latest Saturday issue on Nov 29, our fitness freak of a journalist looks at an alternative route to fitness - indoor cycling - that is the latest craze among fitness nuts. The kind of cycling she describes pushes you to the limits of your fitness and really tests you aerobically. But there is a place for those just starting out on their fitness journey. Some would consider cycling less painful than running. So, this may be a good way to get started on your fitness plan.

We also ran stories the past two weeks on workouts you could do come thunder, lightning or sleet. These are tips good for the rainy months of November and December. You might want to check those out too.

And finally a look ahead: towards the latter part of the week, The Straits Times sports pages will be running stories as a build-up to the marathon next Sunday. Some are inspirational stories others are just tips for what you should or shouldn't do when you go for your distance run, if you are taking part, be it for the full 42km or just the half 21 km. Look out for these pieces which will run from mid-week.

Can't let our guard down

2008-11-29T00:24:00Z

Mathew Pereira on why everyone should be vigilant at all time against terrorism.

The Mumbai terror attacks claimed a Singaporean victim when lawyer Lo Hwei Yen, 28, was confirmed among the dead last night.

She is the first Singaporean to die in a terrorist attack.

This must be one of the more painful stories I have read in a long while. Sure, terrorists attacks happen all the time, but it is difficult to be so stoical about it especially when someone from Singapore is killed.

It sometimes irritates me when jokes are made about the need to be vigilant to report unclaimed parcels, etc.

It is a serious matter, no country can afford to let its guard down.

My condolences to the family of Lo Hwei Yen.

No junk food for us please

2008-11-28T23:56:00Z

Mathew Pereira takes extreme measures when it comes to certain food items.

'Anyone who has bought the Alce Nero Organic Whole Wheat Biscuits 'Frollini Con Farina Integrale Biologica' (350g) from Italy, with the best-before date of Jan 23, 2009, should throw them away.

The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) said in a statement yesterday that importers and retailers have been told to recall that particular batch immediately. This follows an alert from the European Commission that the biscuits have been found to contain high levels of peroxide; 'an indication of degraded food quality which may result in rancidity, deterioration in taste and flavour', the AVA said.

Those with queries can call the AVA hotline on 1800-226-2250.'

I could just be flippant and tell you what deadly news you are missing if you just catch the news headlines off TV or radio. It is frightening to think how easily one could miss such a report and merrily continue munching on stuff like that. My son is convinced that the stomach problems he continues to have is due to the melamine-tainted milk he was taking on a daily basis before the news on China's milk scandal broke.

What can we do about it? If you believe in extreme measures, read on. I have some very strict rules in my home and my friends think I am crazy.

Products from some countries are allowed in my home so long as they are used for scrubbing, washing, waxing, etc, but food products from these countries are banned. So, anything that goes into our mouths should not come from the blacklisted countries. I exaggerate only a little, but I assure you, I follow this rule quite rigidly.

When my youngest son was on a trip abroad with his school, he bought a product in a flavour which could not be found in Singapore. He was so excited he actually called me and told me about his find and its purchase.

He was told to flip to the label and check where it was made and promptly ordered to dump it. Then, even I thought I was being unreasonable but not now.

The melamine scare, I notice, has done one thing for my family: they (yes, they. I don't eat junk stuff) have all stopped eating the rubbish biscuits, cookies, wafers they used to. With the economy the way it is and everyone in fat- and cost-cutting mode, it is not necessarily a bad thing.

Thoughts with those in Mumbai

2008-11-27T07:35:00Z

Joanne Lee tries to imagine an attack during her previous stay at The Oberoi.

"OH MY goodness! We stayed at The Oberoi before!"

That was the first thing my Mom said to me this morning. She'd been watching the Mumbai attacks unfold on the news and, in her confusion, forgot that our stay at the luxury hotel a few years ago was in Calcutta and not India's commercial capital. (I was there for work and my parents had come along for the experience.)

We were still in a state of shock though. Our Oberoi stay had been amazing. The luxury chain is known for its colonial sumptuousness and top-notch pampering. Forget rampaging, armed terrorists. Just imagining the sound of gunshots disturbing the dignified peace is difficult.

My thoughts immediately went out to a couple of friends I know who are stationed in Mumbai. Checking in with them on mobile and Facebook, I am so relieved to report that they are safe.

More than 100 dead. More than 300 wounded.

And it's still not over.

About 100 to 200 are still trapped in The Oberoi. A Singaporean lady is being held hostage by the terrorists right now.

Our thoughts are with them all - and the residents of Mumbai too.

If you have been affected by the Mumbai terror attacks, or know of someone who has been caught in the situation, call us at +65-6319-1066 and share your story. Or leave a comment here.