JIAREN
LOWI feel compelled to open this editorial with a generic "Hey, what's up???" for lack of originality. The semester is almost through, and so ends yet another chapter here in Ann Arbor. Though some may stay, many of us will be returning to Singapore for the summer holidays. A select handful of seniors will be leaving this small town, and be moving on to achieve great things. But even before we begin to contemplate the next course of our lives, the editorial team and I thought we would put together a little something for you to take away. In the process of dreaming up this newsletter, we witnessed many beautiful sunrises and sunsets, and agonized many a night over content, structure, artistry, creativity and technology. Many attempted con jobs later (persuading people to pose as apes for the front cover and so on… don't ask…) we finally convinced a lone brave soul to be our cover model. And thus began our mission. In your hands right now, you are holding yet another issue of The MI-Sing Link. First and foremost, we would like to introduce to you the newly inaugurated SSA Committee, and give you a chance to get to know them a little better in all their quirky glory. Then, to pay homage to the drug culture of America, we bring you movie reviews by the esteemed Cornelius Quek. Following that, we dish out the juice on Spring Break 2002, and report on the various winter activities that your fellow Singaporeans engaged in. Finally, we bring you "The MI-Sing page" in all its uncensored randomness and "the last page" in its artistic splendor. Enjoy.
Karen Lee
Editor
SSA 2002
Introducing
Your Crew
by Karen Lee
Welcome aboard flight SSA2002. We are now boarding all rows. Light refreshments will be served shortly. If there is anything else we can do to make your flight more comfortable, please do not hesitate to approach any of our crewmembers. In our attempt to further personalize in-flight service, we decided to dish out the scoop on them.
JIAREN
LOW
Strong, silent, macho disposition. So tall his head touches the top of the MRT door! Word has gotten around that he brings the house down with his lusty vocals, especially when belting out golden favorites like La Bamba. Has a weakness for Oreo pie from Denny's, and is able to eat tubs of Haagan Dazs vanilla ice cream in a single sitting. When asked to comment on the situation of the spring squirrels running amok in Ann Arbor, he exclaimed: "Wah biang! Out of point! (Accentuated with special hand wave. Contact lowj@umich.edu for more details on the wave.) If you still haven't figured out who he is, rumor has it that he has a fondness for a certain yellow duck that he has been observed to carry around his house and to Kroger's.
ZHIYANG
(a.k.a. zeemonster)
A self-professed connoisseur of LURVE, he places faith in his time-tested secret weapon and supplementary apparel. His lady-magnet gear includes toe socks of all shades, colors and smells. Close friends testify that he is very much in touch with his sexuality and pounces on any opportunity to retreat to dark corners to do his thang. Tip for the ladies: raw onions are reported to arouse his deepest desires. A word of caution: Stay out of his path when he gets less than his 8 required hours of sleep, for you will feel his fury like none other. Victims include ex-Econ 401 GSI Subir Bose.
LEON
TAN
Leon got electrocuted when he was 6, and his pinky was fried till it looked like charcoal (but that's no excuse for looking the way he does now.) Prides himself on his hair cutting skills. Has a Superman fetish - possesses every conceivable collectable, from tapes to posters to the porn video series. Also a StarWars freak, and a freak in general. I mean, who else walks around in slippers in the dead of Michigan winter? Furthermore, he has snores that could wake the dead. We hear that he pretends to hate Enrique, but in reality, is a closet fan.
VIKRAM
Has interests in soccer, tennis and running. Completed a half marathon in 1 hour 46 minutes (that's an average of 5 minutes per km!!) Plans to re-write history in marathons to come. He only eats chicken and fish, and is obsessed about people not eating the ends of bread. Personal observation leads me to believe that he derives immense satisfaction from his own jokes (great conversation stoppers.) However, close friends of his remark that he specializes in sweet talking girls, and is quite a regular Don Juan.
XIAOQING
Also fondly known as "Ah Qing." Embodies the characteristics of the perfect girl-next-door - sincere, sweet, and absolutely lovable. She faithfully goes to church and enjoys the company of close friends in relaxing activities. A brilliant cook, she could whip up a mean Chinese meal, and give Lucky Kitchen a run for their money. Forthright and candid, she will (literally) turn and walk away from people she doesn't like. She looks quiet, but actually talks A LOT. During the weekends, she brings down the house with her sultry act and show-stopping renditions of popular karaoke favorites.
KAREN
LEE
Constantly challenging herself with intellectually stimulating material from MTV's Elimidate and NBC's Jenny Jones. Considers Conan O'Brien the sexiest late night talk show host. Fixated on anything Spanish - from samba, to flamenco, to random hot guys conversing in Spanish at the indoor track on Wednesday afternoons. When she's not sampling the fine cuisine at Betsey Barbour, she specializes in nuking indomee and brewing instant Milo. She delusionally chooses to believe that she is the newly discovered talent and formidable goalie of the co-rec soccer team and Wimbledon could-have-been-if-she-practiced-really-REALLY-REALLY-hard.
KUANG
Packs on the sleaze with his experimental form of exotic dancing, sometimes involving props, though mostly just pure imagination. Firm belief in the exceptional quality of his chicken rice. Spends his free time haunting the fourth floor of the UGLi, checking out the cute Asian chicks on the pretext of studying. Swears that accounting 271 is THE class with the babes. In the confines of his homes, he skulks behind the computer screen, writing programs "just for fun." Reliable informants tell me that you may also catch a glimpse of him randomly pirouetting across his hallway, or attempting splits in mid air.
Ever wonder what your fellow Americans are doing on a Saturday night? Why do they invest in 6-foot tall bongs and why does the hallway always reek of burnt grass? Why do they walk around with their eyes half closed, and stumble from door to door with a silly grin on their faces? As a tribute to the 31st Hash Bash, here are some movies guaranteed to bring your routine, boring, and mundane life into PERSPECTIVE. Come on pot head - wannabes, it's time to get high…….
--- Cornelius Quek
Hemp Ratings Guide
High = 
Spaced Out =
Floating on cloud 9 =
Holy Momma, give me those magic mushrooms! =
Marijuana Dossier File Comes from the plant cannabis sativa Active ingredient is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and it is this complex chemical that produces most of the psychoactive (mind-altering) reactions experienced by marijuana users.
Category: Comedy
Director: Danny Boyle (also directed The Beach, A Life less Ordinary and Shallow
Grave)
Cast: Ewan Mc Gregor, Ewen Bremner, Jonny Lee Miller, Kevin McKidd, Robert Carlyle,
Kelly Macdonald
Release Date: July 26, 1996
Running Time: 1 hr 34 mins
Rating: R
Studio: Miramax Films
Review:
Trainspotting, a superb film by Danny Boyle is a delightfully dark look on life at the wild side. Based on the novel by Irvine Welsh, this movie explores the lives of five single Scottish blokes (Renton, Spud, Sick Boy, Tommy and Begbie) who spend their days drinking, checking out babes in their drunken state (sound familiar?) and shooting up. The portrayal of heroine junkies in this film is not for the faint hearted. Expect revolting, nausea-inducing scenes. Despite the syringes, shit and dead babies, Boyle still manages to inject humor in the most unexpected situations. The performances in this film are top notch. Ewan Mc Gregor plays Mark Renton, junkie trying to quit his habit. Renton's hectic lifestyle revolves around under aged girls, suspicious drug deals and trying to find one last fix. Each of the Trainspotting characters is uniquely distinct and each has their share of limelight in the movie.Trainspotting is set apart from other drug movies in its accurate reflection of the shared urgency, desperation that only fellow drug addicts can understand. Setting the atmosphere for this top grade movie is its awe-inspiring soundtrack featuring the likes of Iggy Pop, Underworld, Blur, Leftfield and many more. Don't be afraid of the lurid subject matter, Trainspotting is an engrossing and highly satisfying must see film. Choose your future. Choose Life.
Cornelius' Rating:
Category: Comedy
Director: Tamra Davis (also directed Crossroads, the recent Brittney Spears
movie.)
Cast: David Chappelle, Guillermo Diaz, Jim Breuer, Harland Williams, Rachel
True, Clarence Williams III, Laura Silverman, Tommy Chong, Jon Stewart, Snoop
Dogg, Willie Nelson, Janeane Garofalo, Steven Wright, Dave Edwards
Release Date: January 16, 1998
Running Time: 1 hr 22 mins
Rating: R
Studio: Universal Pictures
Review:
To put it simply, this movie chronicles the adventures of four potheads who smoke weed and score "booty" all day. When a pothead snuffs a cop's horse and lands in jail, his stone-dopey buds try to bust him out. This film is all about weed, grass and well, more grass. If you are not a bong lover or a big weed fan, you will not enjoy this movie. Where most "stupid" comedies succeed, Half Baked fails miserably. Its inability to bring a foolproof plot to fruition, speaks gravely about the director's capabilities. (Come on, director of Crossroads? What more can you expect?) Even the stupid antics carried out by the main characters are insufficient to carry the plot through. This movie is good for a few good laughs, (that is if you're humored by stupidity like me, think "Road Trip" and "Scary Movie") and its celebrity cameos definitely add weight to the otherwise brainless plot.All things said I have to commend the writers on the choice of the movie title. It is very apt as the movie IS Half Baked.
Cornelius' Rating:
"People think it's all about misery and desperation and death and all that shit which is not to be ignored, but what they forget is the pleasure of it. Otherwise we wouldn't do it. After all, we're not fucking stupid." --- Trainspotting
Disclaimer: These reviews only reflect the tastes of the reviewer. It should not be used to reflect the likes of the general public.
On a side note: Due to the recent economic crisis, we had to
cut back on the number of movies to be screened on our inflight entertainment
system. Trainspotting will be screened on Channel 1, while Half Baked will be
screened on Channel 2. It will be played over and over and over and over, and
so on and so forth.
Oh yeah, and the author is using a pseudonym because he is currently in hiding
from the FBI on felony charges.
NOTES FROM A TRAVELLER'S DIARY
Coverboy and avid traveller, Hsu Tien Yeo, lays it bare for all to see in this triple dose extravaganza of Spring Break 2002. We hear that he will be trotting around Europe this summer with his bevy of beautiful women. London, Spain, France… Look out!
Fast and the Furious in Toronto
Hunger, boredom and the need for some thrills drove me out of the dimly lit
hotel room where there was this girl in slumber in the bed next to mine. Whoa
there! What the heck is going on? Stay inside! Girl sleeping? Bed? Are you retarded?
Man, all I can say to that is you have one sick mind. She's my friend. Plus,
we weren't alone.
Driving.
Dark streets all around. Dim street lamps slip by, zip, zip, zip. Doubt over
the availability of excitement on a night like this overtakes me. Getting back
to the hotel and calling it a night didn't sound so bad.
Vroom, vroom! The sound of angry hornets from behind awoke me from the stupor
of driving on this empty street. Rice cars! And they are coming here to take
me on! Heh heh, silly Canucks, they will have no idea who overtook them!
Shiny black Prelude, with an exhaust the size of a manhole roars from behind
and blazes past me, neon under-car light kit glowing like blue fire. Time to
put him to shame. But before I can do anything, Integra cuts out of the darkness
of a side street and drifts dangerously onto the main road from the left. Holy
cow! Intercooler, Altezzas, aero kit, everything! This was getting interesting.
Time to push the rpm on my ride.
The two cars rode side by side for a few briefs seconds, and I struggled to
pull beside them on this two-lane road. Then they were off. Tires spinning,
smoke pluming, engine blaring off into the darkness of the next traffic light.
Three thousand, four thousand, five thousand, red line! I could not catch up.
They were far away when I finally got to the traffic lights. My ride was too
slow.
Head low, heart pounding, teeth grinding. I slowly made a u-turn and headed
back to the hotel. NOS! I need NOS! Why don't Jeep Grand Cherokees come with
NOS? They don't even have superchargers! My 0-60's are hitting the 15 range
with this thing!
But don't worry; I'll be back… next time with my twin turbo Supra. Oh yeah…
then we'll see who beats the red light.
A day in the life of Ffej Ok over Spring Break 2002
As described by Tien-Yeo Hsu
(Names other than that of the writer have been re-shuffled in order to protect
the identity of the individual involved)
TY: So what did you do everyday over Spring Break?
FO: Dunno… I just stayed at home, played with the cat and slept.
TY: Uh huh… and that must have been real fun, eh?
FK: Hahaha, it was ok lah…
TY: I see… (Note to self: must get Ffej out more)
TY: I understand your mom was here over spring break. How was that?
FO: Ok lah. I mean she cooked three meals for my brother, and me and didn't
really nag at me all that much, so it was ok. Hehe.
TY: *sigh* so besides sleeping, eating and playing with your cat, what else
did you do?
FO: I played a lot of computer games, namely Starcraft, did some homework and
yeah, I guess that's about it. My mom and my brother watched a lot of Chinese
serials and they went to Troy as well to go shopping. And oh yeah, we did go
snowboarding the first weekend of Spring Break.
TY: Wow! That must be exciting, tell me about it!
FO: It was ok lah. Actually, it was pretty fun. Although one of my friends did
get hurt…
TY: Ouch, that sucks big time. Is he ok?
FO: Should be lah. I think he fractured his ribs, but can still drive. Hehe.
TY: So, what do you think are the chances that future Spring Breaks will end
up as *ahem* exciting as this?
FO: Dunno man, see how lah. Hehe
TY: Right… hey, are you doing anything later? Want to go clubbing with
me tonight?
FO: Hsiao…
"I didn't shop. I just ate. I spent all my money on food!" (Hungry
side-glances)
Thus begins our culinary tale filled with indulgence, decadence and whimsical
bliss. This is a story of love, of hope and of happiness. Ah, to be really,
really hungry once more…
London, perhaps not quite the Mecca of fine dining for those with exotic taste
buds, but for our young heroine, it was as close as it comes. After languishing
in the food doldrums that is Ann Arbor, she needed to satisfy those primal desires
for good food, and lots of it. So off to Merry Ol' England she went.
Glorious scones! Succulent curries! Overwhelming smells. "Cakes, pastries,
chocolates and cookies that could make your heart go pitter patter". Oh
yes, she was in heaven.
"Prithee takest me to thy nearest restaurant so I may dine on morsels of
clam, sup on fricassee of lamb, and treat mine poor lips to sinful mousse."
"What's wrong with you, Sumeilette? I know we're in England but you don't
have to sound like you sprouted out of some Shakespearean play …"
"I can not but help feel gay at the sight of all this marvelous food! So
please, take me hither! Hurry, set mine heart free!" Waving a hand over
her furrowed brow and rubbing her tummy.
"Uh huh… but aren't we here to look at this art muse…"
"Look yonder! A bakery! Sprightly! Set thy feet forth like the North wind!"
Sprinting away at 40 mph.
"…um. Here we go again…"
Thus, wherever she went, the thought of food was never far away. At the Kew
Gardens- "banana tree", Portobello Market- "My favorite part
of the market? The food and produce section", Greenwich- "I didn't
buy anything again, but we did eat lunch at this excellent Italian place there!"
Could there be anything more wonderful than good food in the company of dear
friends? Not likely. However, as the old saying goes- all good things must come
to an end, and so the feasting, the in-your-face stuffing and hedonism came
to a sad end with the departure of our heroine from the Old World back to the
New.
Things are not as bleak as they appear though, not only did she not gain a single
ounce from this whirlwind food escapade, but I'm thinking she'll be back in
due time. What do you think?
Only time and her tummy will know.
Skiing?
Break a Leg by
Shanthan Selvakumar
I can remember the
ski trip to Alpine Valley like it was just yesterday, unfortunately! Don't get
me wrong, it was a wonderful idea and well organized, but the event itself was
literally a "pain the butt", well for me at least.
It was a Friday night and I was all excited about the trip to the Alpine Valley.
Being a "kampong boy", I had never seen snow before coming to Ann
Arbor (I actually ran around with my tongue hanging out when snow first fell
back in Fall '01 ) and couldn't sleep. You can only imagine how excited I was
about at the prospect of gliding down the ski slopes. For some reason, being
the cocky person that I am, I figured that ski-ing would be too easy and boring,
so, I elected to sign up for snowboarding instead ( Did I mention that I had
never seen snow before coming here? ).
We all left that Saturday morning and I remember staring at the slopes once
we got there and commenting about how small they were. I was dressed in my jeans,
one pair of socks, sneakers, woolen gloves and yes, no hat. Now, at this point
of time, the experienced ski-ers amongst you lot reading this and those of you
with half a brain would realize that I must have been out of mind dressing up
like that. Anyways, so, I pick up my snowboard and get on the ice. I fell down.
I got wet. Did I mention that I was on a flat surface? I learnt the hard way
that the floor gets a lot more slippery when standing on a board. So anyways,
I trudge up to the peak of the beginners mountain ( I kept on falling when trying
to grab the rope tow ) and align myself with all the other snowboarders in the
group. If I remember correctly, I patiently waited for them all to move off
first. Once I saw them fall, I went ahead too. Still, my enthusiasm and failure
to grasp reality prompted me to stop wasting time at the beginner's slope and
head off to the black diamond! I somehow felt that snowboarding to be elementary
and based on logic ( I was an avid skateboarder in my primary school days),
I went up with a few guys to the black diamond slope. Needless to say, from
the time I got off the ski lift to the time I finally rolled to the end of the
slope, I was falling all over the place. If I remember correctly, Clare and
Leon shouted out to me when I was struggling on the middle of the slope, they
had started off with me, and were on the way up the slope again on the ski lift.
Once at the bottom, I figured it better to go back to the beginner slope.
Now that I was back in my own league, I was beginning to have fun. I was still
tumbling around, but there were others tumbling with me. I can remember taking
turns to fall with PRO Vikram. We were like those Jamaican dudes in the "Cool
Runnings" movie, cursing away at the snow and ice whilst falling all over
the place. As the day drew on however, my company on the beginners slope became
less and less, till I was alone. Even Vik left me. I was cold, drenched and
overcome by the feeling of "sian-ness". Then however everything changed,
when I had my upteenth fall, this little girl ,standing all of two feet, skids
down on her little board and asks if I am alright. That was it; The buck had
to stop there. I decided to go back… back to the black diamond. Half way
there though, I decided to take a break at the restaurant and prepare myself
mentally, rest my aching body and get warm by the fire. Looking at the nice
scenery and sipping on my swiss miss by the fire, I lost track of time (really
I did!) and was there for a while.
With half and hour before we were supposed to return our boards and skis, I
rushed as fast as I could back outside and to the top of the black diamond.
Ok, maybe I didn't exactly "rush" … but I was moving in that
general direction. Finally, I got to the top, said a prayer and was on my way.
Strangely enough, with no expectations, I started out fine, without realizing
it, I did that turn from left to right and then left again turn that I picked
up from Jia Ren. Soon though, I hit this big bumpy part, and , I was airborne
…. Just like the "suberusheee" in Sentosa … except that
I had hard ice to break my fall.
Finally, the day ended and we made our way for a nice Vietnamese dinner. I chose
to go back to Couzens though for a nice massage from my neighbor ( heh, heh
) and a warm shower. Somehow, I felt I couldn't contribute to the happy chatter
about the days events with the rest of the ski friendly guys and gals. And so
ended my adventure at the ski slopes. Thanks to the SSA, I had a cold, a sore
body and wet clothes. Strangely though, in a weird sort of way, I had a great
time and the memories will be forever with me!
Over spring break, my friends DJ and Kevin asked me to join them and a few others
to the Whistler slopes in Canada for some hard core ski-ing and snowboarding.
I politely declined.
Celebrating
Chinese New Year in the Great Lakes by Luo Yan
Yu
The SSA Chinese
New Year dinner this year took place on the 8th of February at Great Lakes.
It was a reunion of friends who had 'lost touch' due to their hectic college
lives. It was a reunion of seniors and freshmen, although for some, it was first
time encounters. The cost was expensive, and the food wasn't great. But that
wasn't what everyone dressed up for - it was more for the table games and the
lucky draw prizes. Then-president Mindy Teo walked away with the first prize
of an MP3 player. It happened to be my birthday that night, and my friends surprised
me with presents. I left the restaurant with a big smile that night.
Sheep in the Big City by Lisa Chong & Leon Tan
The city, the lights, the wind. They were all there, and so were we. Hadn't
intended on going, personally, but was worth it in the end. Performing a cappella
group at dinner was good, though unappreciated by almost everyone yabbering
and clanking plates against such great harmony. U-M table outraged, applauded
louder at end.
Didn't sit to listen to the speech about the importance of increasing my economic
worth-had been too crushed to listen further personally, having heard the speech
begin by chiding us for taking classes that we enjoyed. Last we heard, Egyptian
history was gorgeously rich. But apparently such classes do nothing to increase
our economic value. Slunk back in when I heard applause signalling the end.
Felt happier seeing that everyone else was thrilled to see their old friends
again. Didn't know anyone other than U-M people, but felt happy that everyone
was happy anyway. Were all pleasantly surprised to see Stanley at Citylights-hadn't
seen him for ages. Felt like home at the end to see everyone on the dance floor
with the disco lights and the familiar mambo night-meets-R&B music blasting
away. All laughed at TK and Leon trying to snap a photo of Caroline unawares
on the dance floor. Remembered that it was more about fun and camaraderie with
people we knew, rather than worrying about how much money we would be able to
generate by the time we hit 30. After all there will be chances aplenty-considering
this is one of many D&Ds we'll come to dread attending. Wound up at Cheesecake
Factory after all the excitement. Good stuff.
Rest of the time in Chicago was devoted to spending time and money at art exhibitions
(Chicago Art Institute Museum), dinosaur exhibits (Field Museum), and window
exhibits (shops along the Magnificent Mile). Some great bonding going on amongst
everybody at the same time. Felt this to be more valuable than listening to
boring speech. Boosted both economy and self-worth at same time. Thus, left
poorer in pocket, but richer in spirit.
* Content of this article is solely authors' own takes on events; does not
necessarily represent entire group's feelings.
Links held at Cornell University by Vikram Iyer
The Singapore Student's Association of Cornell University organized and hosted
Links 2002 over the weekend of April 29th, 30th and 31st. Links brings together
Singaporean students from the U.S, Canada, and the United Kingdom for a weekend
of fun and entertainment. This year's event in Ithaca, New York, was the fourth
consecutive one, since its inauguration in 1999.
The event kicked
off in the early evening of Friday, 29th April, as arriving participants checked
in at the hotel, and signed in for the event. The registrants were allowed to
pick from a list of restaurants, and were accompanied to their restaurant of
choice for a rejuvenating meal. Cuisines offered ranged from American fare to
Japanese and Thai food.
Links 2002 was officially launched later that evening during the Opening Ceremony,
held at the Johnson Art Musuem, a building designed by the world-renowned architect
I. M. Pei. The Opening Ceremony, hosted by the Singapore International Foundation
(SIF), provided the participants an opportunity to mingle with old friends,
and acquaint themselves with new ones. Professor Chan Heng Chee, Ambassador
of Singapore to the United States, and Dr. Tan Chi Chiu, Executive Director
of SIF, addressed the gathered participants and welcomed them to Links, as did
the co-chairs of the organizing committee, Shaun Goh and Gerald Ng. The participants
were then treated to a violin recital, violin and piano duet, and a capella
performance. At the end of what had been a long day, the participants headed
back to their rooms for some shut-eye.
On Saturday morning, a spread of local breakfast items awaited the bleary-eyed
participants. Hot Milo, Kaya and bread, and porridge were some of the items
served. A Panel Discussion titled "Singapore going global: The Waters Beyond"
was held after breakfast. Speakers at this discussion included Prof. Chan and
Dr. Tan, as well as Associate Professor Kong Hwai Loong, Deputy Executive Director
of the Biomedical Research Council, A*STAR, Mr. David Tan, Executive Director,
Contact Singapore, and Mr. Yeoh Keat Chuan, EDB Regional Director, Eastern US.
Following lunch, participants were given a choice of activities that included
Campus Tours, a culinary class, and a wine tasting trip. At the culinary class,
the participants were allowed to prepare food items and sample the preparations
of the instructors. The wine tasting trip, by far the most popular choice, gave
participants the opportunity to taste a variety of wines ranging from the simple
Chardonnay, to the more extravagant ice wines. Bottles of wine were available
for purchase at discounted prices to Links participants.
Later that evening, the highlight of the event, the Gala Dinner, showcased the
talents of the Cornell SSA's members, who put up a skit and performed famous
songs for the audience. A sumptuous three-course western meal accompanied the
entertainment. Following the dinner, well-known DJ Shohei Matsuda got the party
started with his captivating mix of Mambo and House music. The participants'
partied on late into the night, with some even bringing the parties into the
privacy of their own rooms.
On Sunday Morning, participants were given a chance to experience the dining
opportunities of Cornell Students. This was by no means similar to what we know
to be "Dorm food". Items on the menu included omelettes made-to-order,
pizzas, pancakes, dumplings, bagels, muffins, and pastries. The closing ceremony
that followed brunch was hosted by EDB, and closed the curtains on Links 2002.
Despite its somewhat cramped schedule, the participants seemed to have thouroughly
enjoyed meeting others and taking part in the activities. Many reluctantly bid
their friends, both old and new, adieu and headed back to the hotel, before
departing for their schools.
Sports News
For the Love of Basketball by Ko Junwei
On the 9th of March,
2002, 2 teams made up largely of Singaporeans, took part in a 3 on 3 Hong Kong
Students' Association (HKSA) day-long basketball tournament. NNY1 comprised
of Lip Kun, Junwei, and 2 other Taiwanese and was led by Low Jiaren, In spite
of their demanding exam schedules, they fought hard and emerged overall champions
of the tournament. NNY2 was captained by inspiring leader Leon Tan, and consisted
of Singapore player Bill, Japanese Hiroshi and Taiwanese Will. They rounded
up the competition with a flourishing third place finish. The 4 other teams
that participated in the competition comprised of all-Hong Kong squads. Congratulations
to all players! Here are some exerpts from the events of that day…
9:47am
"Eh, you coming or not?"
"Yeah, coming, parking the car……"
As I slammed the car door and made my hundred meter dash to the CCRB through
the sub-zero temperature, I was wondering to myself: What the hell was I doing
here on a Saturday morning, I should be in my bed!!! @@#$%^
10.13am
"What?!, Round robin, siao….. they got nothing better to do?... somemore
now haven't start yet, confirm must be the honkies delaying time lah….."
The day just got more depressing for me. I have three mid terms coming up next
week, a homework due on Monday and it looks like my stay here at the basketball
court is going to extent for another couple of hours.
"Kan!!!!!!" (courtesy of our Taiwanese imports - Will, Roger and Peiju.
Luckily our Japanese team-mate Hiroshi is a pretty quiet guy or else another
variation of the F-word will be added)
10:45am
Teams\Record, Wins, Losses:
NNY1, 0, 2
NNY2, 2, 0
"Eh, what time you slept last night? How come play so badly, better wake
up your idea!"
A tongue thrashing by Leon, our basketball co-captain, cannot get more intimidating
than this. Leon who had just led his team, NNY2 which comprised of Will, Billy
and Hiroshi, to two straight wins could not bear to see our team going 0 for
two so early in the tournament. "Ok, we better pick it up from here. Lip
and Junwei, no more of those two people chasing one-opponent nonsense (watch
the video and you will know why). Roger, you have to score more and Peiju, stay
active. This is 3on3, so we have to hustle more," emphasized our other
co-captain - Jiaren. "Leon and gang has already won two straight, let's
keep up."
11:23am
Game: NNY1 vs. NNY2
Score: 8 to 9
"Shit, you must admit he is quite fast for someone so heavy." Lip
shook his head in disgust as he passed the ball to me to check start the next
possession. Leon shrugged his shoulders upon hearing Lip's comment on his crossover-hop
step-in between two defender- right hand lay up, not knowing whether to take
that as a insult or compliment. This was the first ‘real’ game for
us. You would think that we would be sick of playing against each other and
be more enthusiastic trying to kick other Asian asses. Billy nearly ripped Jiaren’s
head off with his signature clothes-line foul. Then the turnaround began. Jiaren
stopped missing from under the basket. Junwei’s long range bombs decide
to fall and Peiju and Lip were monsters off the boards. Well, Lip is a monster
in any case. Final score: 13 - 11 to NNY1.
2:15pm
This damn tournament was beginning to suck the energy out of our lives.
We weren’t so much as tired from the playing, but more from the boredom
of waiting…After a 15 minute game, we had to wait for 45. And they
didn’t buy lunch for us! Both the organizers and players had tuna
sandwiches. Lip and the rest of NNY1 had to run to Jimmy Johns. So much
love we felt.
3:07pm
Finally, it was over. More relieved than pleased actually. Peiju, Lip,
Junwei and Jiaren came up tops. NNY2 ended up 3rd…No prizes for guessing
who knocked them out. Billy insists though that it’s because they lost
because he wasn’t playing. Go figure. The prize was fantastic though.
It’s hanging up in the Geddes Ave Apartments. The last tournament for
this season - the first one that No Name Yet has won.
Men's and Co-rec Soccer Teams Make Playoffs by Vikram Iyer
MEN'S:
Two teams comprising fellow Singaporeans have made the playoffs in this year's Men's Intramural Indoor Soccer Tournament.
The team in the Men's Division A, captained by Sim Kok Hwee, earned its place
in the top bracket of the draw for the playoffs despite a 4-3 loss in its very
first game by recovering to beat its other two first round group opponents.
The season started on a sour note, as the team was edged 4-3 by a more physical
opposition. The unfamiliarity in the team, playing together for the first time,
resulted in costly defensive errors that proved too much to overcome. The team
learnt from the defeat, and put together a scintillating performance to dismantle
the second team from the group 10-2. The opposition was given a lesson in teamwork
and clinical finishing, and the game was over with more than 5 minutes left
on the clock. The decisive final game proved to be tighter encounter. The lads
put themselves 2-0 ahead, before the opposition grabbed a late consolation goal,
which embarrassed stand-in keeper Paul by crashing off the bar and onto his
heel before rolling into the goal. The win put them in the top bracket of the
draw for the playoffs.
The team in the Men's Division B, captained by Tan Zhiyang, had a somewhat easier
passage into the playoffs. In their first game, they let a 4-1 lead slip as
the opponents fought back to tie the game 5-5.The second group game was over
as a contest within 5 minutes of the start. The opponents failed to show up
and a walk-over was awarded. In their final game, needing just a draw to go
through to the top bracket of the playoffs, they amassed a 8-5 victory and sealed
their place in the playoff. They played their first playoff game last Thursday,
28th April. Missing their influential captain, they succumbed to a 9-6 defeat,
bringing to a close their season.
Co-Rec:
To promote soccer
amongst the women of the Singaporean community here at University of Michigan,
Paul Lee assembled a team of interested players, and registered a co-recreational
team consisting of about equal number of women and men. The co-rec team kicked
off the season on a poor note, losing 6-3, and had more bad luck in their second
game as they went down 7-4, but this time, it was more of a contest. The players
persevered, only to be let down by some controversial refereeing decisions.
In the crucial final group game, an outstanding performance by Karen Lee in
goal set the platform for a nail-biting finish. Sim Kok Hwee, who till then
had been struggling to find the net, finally reaped the reward for his persistence
and scored a hattrick, including the crucial winner to take the team to the
playoffs following a 6-5 victory. A third-placed finish in the group left them
in the third bracket for the playoffs.
In the tradition of pages of this variety, we want to make it as exciting as possible. After all, we a long journey ahead, and you will need something to keep you on your toes. We hope you have enjoyed your flight on board SSA2002, and that you will continue to travel with us.
Remember, bringing drugs into Singapore is illegal, and warrants the death penalty.
Spring in Ann Arbor by
Jonathan Kwa
Morning light shines across my window,
Spring air drifts in, chilling the room.
On the snowy bough, perches a crow,
Speaks with rough tones, of impending doom.
The TV blares on, channel 30,
"Cold front moving in, expect flurries"
"Dropping to low teens in the night,
accumulation of 4 inches." This is spring, right?
Class in 30 minutes, time to go,
Uncover the blanket, uncover my toes.
Look at the temperature, look at the clock,
Look at the bed, awww who gives a fuck.
zzzzzzz
Quotable Quotes
"… It's 13 inches all around…"
-Senior Matthew Wong overheard bragging about his, umm… "leg of ham."
"I don't care if ure yellow red blue green white purple or freaking polka
dotted. Stop this nonsense now."
-Jonathan Kwa, the idiot who started the e-mail war, making his stand.
Special thanks to Jon Kwa and Lin Li, the people who clear the birds off the runway every morning.
Kudos to cargo loaders Yan Yu, Shanthan, and Junwei, for looking so damn hot in neon orange jumpsuits and ear muffs.
Thanks to Lisa for being the sexiest ticket checker we know.
We appreciate Suzy Park, the chioest and cutest cook, who made ramen for the editorial team at ungodly hours of the morning.
Thanks to the airline crew for being so sporting,
and to Cornelius Quek for scoring us the weed.
Finally, a BIG thank you to Tienyeo for being just the way he is…
Destination : Unknown
