Rabu, 3 Julai 2013

The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

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The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

National Day goodie bag goes ‘high fashion’
‘Peer pressure among factors setting limit for doctor’s charges’
Docs sue Mindef for copying

National Day goodie bag goes ‘high fashion’

Posted:

The Funpack for this year's National Day Parade has gone "high fashion" with a durable, sail-shaped design, as organisers hope that people will use it as a bag even after the parade rather than toss it aside.

The goodie bag for spectators at Singapore's 48th birthday bash features a flute, souvenir book and mini-banner, as well as familiar items such as a mini national flag, ponchos and snacks.

It can be used as either a backpack or slingbag. The NDP executive committee 2013 unveiled the pack yesterday.

This year's parade aims to strike a more personal tone, with its theme "Many Stories... One Singapore".

The National Day song, sung by local artistes in previous years, will for the first time be sung by a choir made up of ordinary Singaporeans. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

‘Peer pressure among factors setting limit for doctor’s charges’

Posted:

DOCTORS have revealed which factors they use to determine the size of their bills, in the wake of the Susan Lim (pic) overcharging case.

Public sector fees, insurance payouts and peer pressure all help them to gauge the "ethical limit" on how much specific services should cost.

Eight doctors spoke to The Straits Times following Dr Lim's failure to overturn her professional misconduct conviction.

The 58-year-old surgeon had appealed against her three-year suspension and S$10,000 (RM25,000) fine for charging S$24mil (RM60mil) to treat a royal patient from Brunei.

But the Court of Three Judges upheld the verdict, saying medical fees have an "ethical limit" – regardless of market forces or contracts signed by the patient.

While this limit is not fixed, fellow doctors and patients play a big role in pricing policies in the private sector.

Medical oncologist Wong Seng Weng, who runs practices at Paragon and Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre, said these factors give doctors a sense of where the average price hovers.

"Most people who have been practising for quite some time will know roughly how much a service costs from speaking to peers or to patients who may doctor-hop."

Liver specialist Desmond Wai, who practises at Gleneagles Medical Centre, said one way to gauge how much to charge is to look at prices at public hospitals, which are available on the Health Ministry's website. Patients' insurance policies also help as there are fixed sums that can be claimed for specific procedures.

But others believe clearer benchmarks will help prevent cases such as Dr Lim's from happening again.

Fee structures are "necessary to prevent exploitation", said one primary care doctor who did not want to be named. He added that medicine "cannot be treated like any other business, subject to the same commercial considerations or anti-competition laws".

The Singapore Medical Association published guidelines in 1987, but they were scrapped six years ago due to the Competition Act, which aims to stamp out anti-competitive practices.

Dr Jeremy Lim, an expert in health systems, said: "In the absence of specific guidelines, it will be near impossible to know where the lines are drawn." — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Docs sue Mindef for copying

Posted:

TWO doctors have taken the Government to court for patent infringement, claiming that the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) knowingly copied the concept of their mobile emergency medical station.

The Government, however, has rejected the allegation, arguing that the concept was not new.

It has also counterclaimed, seeking a declaration from the court that the patent granted to the doctors had always been invalid, and an order for it to be revoked.

At issue is the "mobile medical vehicles" used by Mindef. Dr Ting Choon Meng, 53, and Dr Mak Koon Hou, 51, claimed that the concept of the vehicles was similar to theirs.

The duo filed for a patent for their concept in Singapore in December 2002. It was granted in September 2005.

The five-day trial opened yesterday, with the doctors passionately defending what they claim is their invention.

Dr Ting, an adjunct professor at Nanyang Technological University, and Dr Mak, a cardiologist in private practice, launched the suit through their company MobileStats Technologies, which markets their "mobile first aid post".

They are represented by lawyers from Bih Li & Lee.

Their "mobile first aid post" is essentially a truck that opens up to become a resuscitation area with surgical equipment, a built-in suction system for removing blood, fluids and debris, and emergency life-saving devices.

The concept was conceived by the doctors shortly after the Sept 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States.

Licences were granted to vendors for the Singapore Civil Defence Force, to whom they pitched the prototype.

But according to court documents, Mindef has also been using their "mobile medical vehicles" since at least July 10, 2009.

The doctors have said it approached them before that for discussions about their mobile station.

They then gave suggestions on how to improve it for use by the army, but heard nothing more.

In dispute now are the patent claims of the "extendable overhead coverage panels" – the side walls of the vehicle, which can be raised and include a further extension to provide more shelter. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star eCentral: Movie Buzz

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The Star eCentral: Movie Buzz

Double the talent
'The Heat' sizzles at box office
Back to school

Double the talent

Posted:

Andy Lau and Sammy Cheng, not only acted, but also sang the theme song for the movie Blind Detective.

known as Hong Kong's golden box-office duo, Andy Lau and Sammi Cheng are best remembered for their collaborations in hit romantic comedies such as Needing You (2000), Love On A Diet (2001) and Yesterday Once More (2004).

It has been eight years since they last worked on a film together; Blind Detective marks their seventh big-screen collaboration. The movie is also the duo's fourth collaboration with prominent Hong Kong filmmaker Johnnie To.

Though labelled as a crime action flick, Blind Detective has been described by many as a "rom-com in disguise". Pop icons Lau, 51, and Cheng, 40, also sang the theme song for the movie in both Cantonese and Mandarin.

In Blind Detective, Lau portrays the titular character, a highly-gifted detective named Chung who is compelled to leave the police force after losing his sight in an accident.

Thereafter, Chung continues to employ his talents as a private investigator and makes a living by solving cold cases in exchange for monetary rewards.

Cheng, in the meantime, plays an up-and-coming detective named Ho, who is harbouring a personal secret. Her best friend from school, Minnie, went missing after she declined to go out with her one night, and Ho has been troubled with a guilty conscience ever since that incident occurred more than 10 years ago.

After witnessing Chong's prowess in solving a case, Ho enlists his help to find Minnie. Chong agrees to help her, while also making use of her to help him solve other cases.

Their investigations lead them to a former taxi driver, whom they suspect is a serial killer responsible for a spate of cold cases involving women.

Lau reportedly described his role in Blind Detective as one of the most challenging roles in his career simply because the director did not allow his blind character to wear dark glasses. To prepare for the time-consuming role, Lau attended classes at a training centre with visually-impaired students for six weeks.

Cheng, on the other hand, was confronted with a more serious issue while shooting the movie – she was diagnosed with a disorder of the inner ear known as Ménière's disease.

The movie which commenced filming in October 2011, had to stop in June 2012 so that she could recuperate. Blind Detective only resumed filming in August last year after Cheng fully recovered.

'The Heat' sizzles at box office

Posted:

SANDRA Bullock and Melissa McCarthy's FBI-cop buddy movie The Heat fried Channing Tatum and Jamie Foxx's cop-President buddy movie White House Down at the US box office this past weekend. Still, it was another pair of buddies – James P. Sullivan and Mike Wazowski – who held on to the top spot with Monsters University.

MU scared its way to US$46.2mil (RM146.6mil) for a 10-day total of US$171mil (RM542.5mil).

The Heat came in second with US$40mil (RM126.9mil) in its debut weekend, marking its stars' highest ever opening grosses, according to Box Office Mojo (www.boxofficemojo.com). In third place was the Brad Pitt action thriller World War Z, which earned US$29.8mil (RM94.5mil) in its second weekend for a US$123.7mil (RM392.4mil) haul to date.

The year's second presidential-domicile-under-fire movie only managed US$25.7mil (RM81.5mil) to place fourth. It was considerably below the earnings for star Channing Tatum's previous hits The Vow, Magic Mike and 21 Jump Street.

White House Down, preceded about three months ago by the similarly-themed Olympus Has Fallen, tried to differentiate itself from that violent R-rated Gerard Butler movie with more humour and a buddy-flick vibe between Tatum and Jamie Foxx as the president.

Critics noted, however, that the similarities between the two were still significant, unlike previous instances of movies with the same theme opening within a few months of each other, like Deep Impact and Armageddon or Tombstone and Wyatt Earp.

The PG-rated thriller also served up mayhem on a much less spectacular level than director Roland Emmerich's previous, er, spectacles like 2012 and The Day After Tomorrow, while the website noted that The Heat could have drawn some of Tatum's female fan base this weekend.

The robust second weekend of World War Z continued to surprise observers and surpass industry expectations, with the film on track to possibly match its star's biggest-ever earner, Mr & Mrs Smith, which earned US$186.3mil (RM591mil) back in 2005.

Zack Snyder's overblown Superman reboot Man Of Steel rounded out the top five with US$20.8mil (RM66mil) for a take to date of US$248.7mil (RM789mil). The website noted that it is on track to earn about US$310mil (RM983.4mil), considerably behind the US$405.4mil (RM1.29bil) of Iron Man 3. What do you know, iron does trump steel.

This weekend's top performers will face a big challenge this weekend with Despicable Me 2 and the big-budget The Lone Ranger among the new releases.

Back to school

Posted:

Alfred Molina plays a professor in Monsters University.

HAVING done his heavy share of drama, Alfred Molina found more laid-back voice work especially appealing in Monsters University.

The Englishman, 60, is probably best known for star-turning roles in Prick Up Your Ears, The Perez Family, Chocolat and Frida.

These days Molina is Professor Knight, a gruff figure with a grotesque underbite, dinosaur scales and threatening tail, who shows his young charges how to become better "scarers" in Disney Pixar's prequel to the (dare we write?) monstrous hit, Monsters, Inc.

How did you first get involved with this project and how did you find the overall experience?

I just got a call asking, 'Would I be interested?'. Then they showed me some visuals, and the guy looked conceivably like a family member (laughs).

When you're recording in the studio a video camera catches little idiosyncrasies and facial expressions so the animators can incorporate the actual person into the character.

I hadn't done much voice work, but I started thinking this could be a whole new thing for me. I had a wonderful time. And I've finally made a film that my grandchildren can see without it being awkward or uncomfortable.

How is this kind of acting unique?

One's priority here is to tell the story, and the beauty of animation is you've only got the voice to express yourself. You really kind of focus in on it, and it gives you a chance to be much more inventive. The only shame is you often tend to be on your own as we record separately, though the director (Dan Scanlon) was in the room with me giving me suggestions, telling me to put an emphasis on this word, give this a tweak or raise my voice a little. Nothing is arbitrary, which is interesting.

Monsters is partly an observation of today's campuses. What was your time at university like?

Americans tell me the way college life is depicted in this film is very accurate and that it caught all the subtleties.

In Britain, it's a slightly different system. We had these little cliques: The sporty types, the ones who did their work. I didn't fit in. I was terrible at sport, I wasn't successful socially. The only crowd I could hang out with was the drama crowd.

We were basically viewed by everyone else as the losers because we spent all our time pretending to be somebody else. We walked around with that slightly defensive snobbery, like we thought we were kind of special, but it was a front because we all knew we were kind of pathetic! – The Miami Herald/McClatchy-Tribune Information Services

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: World Updates

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The Star Online: World Updates

Japan's Abe urges voters to help end parliamentary deadlock
South Korea proposes fresh talks with North over shuttered factories
Egypt Brotherhood says gathering fired on in Cairo

Japan's Abe urges voters to help end parliamentary deadlock

Posted:

FUKUSHIMA, Japan (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, riding high in opinion polls on hopes he can revive a stagnant economy, urged voters on Thursday to back his ruling bloc in this month's upper house election and end a six-year policy deadlock.

Abe, back in power after his Liberal Democratic Party's big win in a December election for the powerful lower house, is expected to lead his coalition to a hefty victory in the July 21 poll, resolving a "twisted parliament" where opposition parties control the upper house and are able to block bills.

He officially kicked off the campaign on Thursday in Fukushima in Japan's northeast, which was devastated by a massive earthquake and tsunami in 2011 that triggered the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

"Because of a twisted parliament, rebuilding has not progressed speedily, revitalisation of the economy has not progressed speedily," Abe told a crowd of about 1,000 people near a train station in Fukushima city.

Japan has suffered parliamentary gridlock ever since Abe led the LDP to a massive defeat in a 2007 upper house vote. He quit abruptly two months later due to the deadlock, plummeting support and ill health. The main opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) faced a similar headache after sweeping to power in 2009, only to lose a 2010 upper house election.

Public support for Abe and the LDP now far outstrips any rivals, buoyed by hopes that his recipe of hyper-easy monetary policy, fiscal spending and structural reform to boost growth can end Japan's prolonged stagnation.

An opinion poll by the Tokyo Shimbun published on Tuesday showed that 28 percent of respondents planned to vote for the LDP in districts where members are decided by proportional representation, dwarfing the 5.9 percent who intend to cast ballots for the DPJ.

Voter support for the LDP in general contrasts with public antipathy towards nuclear power after the Fukushima crisis, the world's worst atomic disaster since Chernobyl. A huge earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011, caused reactor meltdowns at Tokyo Electric Power Co's Fukushima plant, spewing radiation and forcing 160,000 people to flee, many never to return home.

The LDP has pledged to seek the understanding of affected communities to restart offline reactors that are found to meet new safety standards that take effect on July 8.

ECONOMY FIRST

"Unless we have a party in power that can get things done in power, things won't change," said a 65-year-old woman who lives in a Fukushima apartment reserved for disaster victims.

"I haven't actually felt the economic recovery affecting my life just yet. But I support 'Abenomics'. At least they took one step forward," she said, adding however that she also opposed the restart of nuclear reactors.

Abe, a deeply conservative hawk who wants to revise Japan's pacifist constitution to ease limits on the military, has vowed to maintain his priority on fixing the economy after the election. However, many wonder if he will shift gears to focus on his agenda that includes constitutional reform.

Stress on his conservative agenda, including efforts to recast Japan's war-time history with a less apologetic tone, would further strain relations with China and South Korea, where bitter memories of Japan's past militarism run deep. Tokyo is already feuding with Beijing and Seoul over disputed islands.

Abe, in a debate with rivals on Wednesday, declined to say whether he would visit Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine, where Japanese leaders convicted as war criminals by an Allied tribunal are enshrined with Japan's war dead. He also declined to be drawn on questions whether Japan had engaged in a war of aggression against China in the last century.

With a victory by the LDP and its junior partner, the New Komeito, widely expected, the focus will also be on whether the Liberal Democrats can win a majority on their own in the 242-seat chamber, where half the seats are up for grabs.

A massive win for the party could be a mixed blessing: it would give Abe a mandate but also bolster the ranks of MPs who may oppose painful reforms many say are needed to revive growth.

Whether the LDP-led coalition, together with smaller parties that favour revising the constitution, can win a two-thirds majority is another key question, although Abe has said he will not rush to attempt any constitutional changes given wary public opinion and a cautious stance by the more dovish New Komeito.

Abe wants first to revise Article 96 of the charter, which stipulates that any change in the constitution requires approval by two-thirds of both houses of parliament and a majority of votes cast in a public referendum.

He and the LDP want to change the parliamentary requirement to a simple majority in both houses before the public vote.

Abe's resignation in 2007 began a series of revolving-door leaders - Japan has had seven since Junichiro Koizumi served a rare five-year term ending in 2006. A win on July 21 could set the stage for the first stable, long-term administration since then. No national election needs to be held until 2016.

At the same time, an anticipated bashing for the Democratic Party, which surged to power in 2009 pledging to pry control of policymaking away from bureaucrats and pay more heed to consumers than companies, could call into question its future as well as hopes for a true two-party system in Japan.

(Additional reporting by Tetsushi Kajimoto in Tokyo; Writing by Linda Sieg; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)

South Korea proposes fresh talks with North over shuttered factories

Posted:

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea offered to hold talks with North Korea aimed at reopening a jointly run factory park near the armed border between the two countries just three weeks after their last attempt at dialogue faltered amid bickering over protocol.

The offer, made on Thursday, was for talks to be held on Saturday at the Panmumjom truce village that straddles the border, the South's Unification Ministry said in a statement.

It was made through a telephone hotline that was restored by the North late on Wednesday and comes amid pressure from owners of small and medium businesses at the shared Kaesong industrial zone that are incurring losses.

"The proposal takes into account the big problems facing the firms of Kaesong industrial zone three months after it was suspended and the potential damage anticipated with the start of the monsoon season," ministry spokesman Kim Hyung-suk said.

A sudden flurry of activities in June raised expectations that the two Koreas, which remain technically at war under a truce ending the 1950-53 Korean War conflict, would resume high-level dialogue for the first time in six years to ease tension.

The North had proposed talks to reopen the money-spinning factory park, which generates $90 million annually in wages for its workers, after shutting it down in April after threatening the South with war and nuclear annihilation.

Proposed cabinet-level talks were called off one day before the meeting was to start, with each side accusing the other of insincerity by planning to send low-ranking officials.

The United States and South Korea, as well as China, the North's sole major diplomatic ally, have urged Pyongyang to take steps to end its nuclear programme and to return to dialogue.

The impoverished and isolated North conducted its third nuclear test and threatened Seoul and Washington with nuclear attacks earlier this year.

South Korean President Park Geun-hye has pledged to engage the North in dialogue and take steps to build confidence for better ties, but has also vowed not to give in to unreasonable demands or make concessions to achieve superficial progress.

Her predecessor, Lee Myung-bak, cut off a decade of lucrative aid from liberal leaders and demanded nuclear disarmament, angering the North.

The North was blamed for sinking a South Korean navy ship and bombing an island while Lee was leader.

(Additional reporting by Christine Kim; Editing by Paul Tait)

Egypt Brotherhood says gathering fired on in Cairo

Posted:

CAIRO (Reuters) - Officials of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood said a gathering of its supporters near a mosque in a Cairo suburb was attacked early on Thursday after the Islamist movement's Mohamed Mursi was ousted by the army as head of state.

Independent confirmation was not immediately available.

Gehad El-Haddad, the movement's official spokesman, told Reuters he was among about 2,000 people still camping out at the site when, shortly after 3 a.m. (2 a.m. British Time), men in plain clothes began firing on the crowd, many of whom were praying. He said he saw several casualties being carried away.

He later tweeted that the attack lasted some 15 minutes.

Osama Gado, another Brotherhood official, also told Reuters by telephone from the site that men had thrown petrol bombs at the Mursi supporters and opened fire with shotguns and rifles. He said he was not sure if there had been casualties.

A wide area around the site has been cordoned off by the army since just before its announcement that Mursi had been removed and the constitution suspended. Troops have been letting demonstrators leave but not allowing people to enter the area.

(Reporting by Tom Perry and Yasmine Saleh; Writing by Alastair Macdonald; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star eCentral: Movie Reviews

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The Star eCentral: Movie Reviews

Double the talent
'The Heat' sizzles at box office
Back to school

Double the talent

Posted:

Andy Lau and Sammy Cheng, not only acted, but also sang the theme song for the movie Blind Detective.

In Blind Detective, Lau portrays the titular character, a highly-gifted detective named Chung who is compelled to leave the police force after losing his sight in an accident.

Thereafter, Chung continues to employ his talents as a private investigator and makes a living by solving cold cases in exchange for monetary rewards.

After witnessing Chong's prowess in solving a case, Ho enlists his help to find Minnie. Chong agrees to help her, while also making use of her to help him solve other cases.

Their investigations lead them to a former taxi driver, whom they suspect is a serial killer responsible for a spate of cold cases involving women.

Cheng, on the other hand, was confronted with a more serious issue while shooting the movie – she was diagnosed with a disorder of the inner ear known as Ménière's disease.

The movie which commenced filming in October 2011, had to stop in June 2012 so that she could recuperate. Blind Detective only resumed filming in August last year after Cheng fully recovered.

'The Heat' sizzles at box office

Posted:

MU scared its way to US$46.2mil (RM146.6mil) for a 10-day total of US$171mil (RM542.5mil).

This weekend's top performers will face a big challenge this weekend with Despicable Me 2 and the big-budget The Lone Ranger among the new releases.

Back to school

Posted:

Alfred Molina plays a professor in Monsters University.

HAVING done his heavy share of drama, Alfred Molina found more laid-back voice work especially appealing in Monsters University.

The Englishman, 60, is probably best known for star-turning roles in Prick Up Your Ears, The Perez Family, Chocolat and Frida.

How did you first get involved with this project and how did you find the overall experience?

I just got a call asking, 'Would I be interested?'. Then they showed me some visuals, and the guy looked conceivably like a family member (laughs).

When you're recording in the studio a video camera catches little idiosyncrasies and facial expressions so the animators can incorporate the actual person into the character.

How is this kind of acting unique?

Monsters is partly an observation of today's campuses. What was your time at university like?

Americans tell me the way college life is depicted in this film is very accurate and that it caught all the subtleties.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

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The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

Mad about Norman Bates
Hear them roar
Kim looks ahead

Mad about Norman Bates

Posted:

This television prequel to 'Psycho' gives you plenty of reason to stay a while.

Prequels are tricky; how do you keep the audiences interested in a story to which they already know the ending? And in the case of recently-premiered television show Bates Motel, a story that is an acknowledged classic by a master filmmaker (which has already spawned two sequels, a prequel, and a remake)?

I'm talking, of course, about Psycho, Alfred Hitchcock's iconic 1960 movie that singlehandedly put the fear of showering in motel rooms in us, as well as giving the term "mama's boy" a whole creepy new twist.

The film also introduced the world to Norman Bates, the murderous motel owner who is consistently ranked as one of the best movie villains of all time.

And yet, if they are done right, prequels can also be a very smart marketing move, building on the audience's pre-existing interest to draw them into familiar yet new territory. So far, Bates Motel seems to be hitting all the right notes.

Featuring Norman as a teenager, the show takes us back to before his psychosis became full-blown. Even more tantalising, it explores Norman's relationship with his mother Norma. Billed as a "contemporary prequel", the show is set in current time, allowing the writers to contextualise Norman within today's young people - a decision that serves the show well, as it turns out.

The pilot kicks off with the 17-year-old Norman and Norma moving to White Pine Bay and buying a motel after the mysterious death of Norma's husband.

The show loses no time in throwing us into the weird dynamics of the relationship between mother and son, from Norman's desperate desire to please his mother to her instant disapproval of a pretty schoolmate who befriends him.

Despite Norma's vain attempts at a normal life for them both, a brutal turn of circumstances results in Norma murdering someone and having Norman help her cover it up; something which is sure to set a whole chain of events in motion.

There are also plenty of nods to Psycho – some a tad obvious, and some very cleverly slipped in – that will not only keep the fans happy, but also serve to link the show to the larger themes in the original movie.

What really sells the first episode, however, is fantastic performances from the two leads, Freddie Highmore as Norman and Vera Farmiga as Norma.

Highmore, no doubt, has a massive job on his hands, to live up to Anthony Perkins' career-defining performance. Rising to the task admirably, the young actor somehow manages to imbue the teenaged Norman with a Perkins-like quality without resorting to imitation.

Instead, we feel like we really are watching a younger version of the awkward and affable Norman Bates we first met in Psycho. If anything, we start liking Norman a little too much, which is rather disconcerting when you stop to think about it.

Farmiga, meanwhile, is phenomenal as Norma, slipping effortlessly into the character's different modes, whether it is affectionate, determined, needy, passive-aggressive or just plain manipulative. The control she has over a role that could well have become a caricature is amazing, and in even just the first two episodes, she remains consistently fascinating.

Joining the dysfunctional family in the show's second episode is Dylan (Max Thieriot), Norma's son from a previous relationship.

While struggling with his own demons, Dylan also provides a counterpoint to Norman's relationship with Norma, and it will be interesting to see how this develops as the show progresses.

Thieriot rounds out the main cast very nicely, and shares excellent chemistry with both Highmore and Farmiga, which has already made for some interesting exchanges between the characters.

Bates Motel, however, also seems to be about more than just this little family. There are hints of something being not quite right in the small town of White Pine Bay, what with a girl being chained up somewhere, a thoroughly illegal marijuana field being cultivated in the forest, and a town-wide conspiracy that no one talks about.

While I'm not convinced that creating more drama around a character that already has such an extraordinary backstory (or "frontstory"?) is necessary, it also seems refreshing that the show doesn't just hinge on Norman's future notoriety.

The various plot threads introduced so far also give rise to many interesting theories on whether the town itself has something to do Norman's eventual breakdown.

Bates Motel's first season ended recently in the US to positive reviews, and the show has been renewed for a second season. Of course, the show could still end up a bloody mess, but the twisted plot, compelling characters, and fantastic acting seem to be reason enough to check into Bates Motel for now.

Bates Motel airs every Wednesday at 10.50pm on Universal HD (HyppTV Ch 612).

Hear them roar

Posted:

Their settings may be worlds apart, but shows like The Good Wife and Game Of Thrones are both showcases of strong female characters.

CAN women have it all? On television, I mean. Are there strong female characters who have it together in all aspects of their lives? Or does a successful woman necessarily come with dysfunctional personal relationships or a worrying mental illness or both?

Take Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes) of Homeland as a prime example. She's an ace CIA operative whose instincts are almost always spot on. She's sharp and her thinking process is like no other. But, she is mentally unstable (certifiably so, not just in a matter of speaking). That sharp mind? It's flawed. And her personal life is a big fat mess – hey, she is hell-bent on catching Nicholas Brody whom she suspects of treason and yet she can't help falling in love with him? Sex is her undoing? Really?

What about Nurse Jackie Peyton – a 40-something mother of two who is extremely good at her job as a nurse at the emergency room at New York City's All Saints' Hospital? Well, it's only an illusion. She has a drug problem and she's having an affair with the hospital's pharmacist which, when discovered, sends her life into a downward spiral. Really, now? Sex again? Is that really the downfall of women?

Thankfully, not all women (on TV) are made equal. We have characters like Brenda Leigh Johnson (The Closer) who, despite her quirks, has her life nicely put together: she is the Deputy Chief of the LAPD's major crimes division and a happily married woman. She's feminine and a chocoholic, but can wield a gun and shake down a criminal like nobody else.

And then there's Mindy Lahiri (Mindy Kaling) of The Mindy Project. She's an obstetrician/gynaecologist who's hoping her life will play out like a romantic comedy. OK, it seems de-womanising at first, but who doesn't want a happily ever after? Despite her many bad relationships, Mindy never completely breaks down. I like that about her. And the fact that she has a real woman's body and isn't hung up about fitting into a size 2 dress. That's refreshing. Speaking of dresses, some of her outfits are really cute!

And then we have the women on The Good Wife – Alicia Florrick (Julianna Margulies), Kalinda Sharma (Archie Panjabi), Diane Lockhart (Christine Baranski) and Jackie Florrick (Mary Beth Peil).

Seriously, aren't the men on the show simply insipid (well, except for Eli Gold played by Alan Cummings)? In every instance, the women steal the show. In the relationship between Alicia and her cheating husband, Peter, for example, she's the dominant one who eventually calls all the shots. It's refreshing to see Peter doing the grovelling, really.

In the Lockhart-Gardner law firm, Diane is far more in control than her partner Will, who is half the time mooning over former galpal Alicia.

And then there is Kalinda, the enigma who defies definition. Is she a lesbian? Is she bisexual? Does it matter? She is vulnerable but also very steely and she doesn't need anyone's help to settle her problems.

In my younger days I tended to look up to women for far more superficial reasons – they looked nice, they dressed nice, they were kind-hearted and helpful, they had nice apartments and perfect families. Cut me some slack ... I was young, after all. These days though, I'm all for female characters who are unapologetic for who they are and what they want. – SI

* I'VE just finished watching Season Three of Game Of Thrones and am very much in the mood to dissect all the womenfolk portrayed in the TV adaptation of the novels in George R.R. Martin's A Song Of Ice And Fire fantasy series.

There are just so many to choose from, and all so differently portrayed, from helpless and docile to cunning, brave and ruthless. They are all beautiful in their own way, except maybe for Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner), who in my opinion has nothing going for her other than her pretty face.

One of my favourite characters is the tomboy Arya Stark (Maisie Williams), Sansa's younger sister, who from a tender age seemed to prefer trying out archery with her brothers rather than being cooped up in a parlour doing embroidery with the other ladies.

While Arya's story has turned rather grim, and she's made her first kill already, I think her character (thus far on the TV show, note that I have not read the books) shows true gumption. She keeps going, and she's got an agenda. She never cowers in fear and speaks her mind freely. If I'd like to be anyone on the show, it would be gutsy Arya.

I haven't quite decided if I like Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke). I do like some of her qualities. I am fascinated by her ability to speak three languages (English, Dothraki and Valyrian), and her ability to assimilate with all peoples though she was brought up a noblewoman, in pretty much the same way Sansa was, I suppose.

When Daenerys was betrayed by her own brother and married off to the brutish nomad Dothraki Khal Drogo (Jason Momoa), she didn't fuss and whine (like dear Sansa), she pledged herself to him wholeheartedly and theirs became one of the best love stories of the tale. Even after her husband's death, she still calls herself Khaleesi, which is a Dothraki title referring to the wife of the khal. Things seem to happen too easily for Daenerys though. It is as if the mother of dragons has the gods on her side.

Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie) is another one of my favourites, and the fact that she earns not just Jaime Lannister's (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) trust but his friendship just makes her all the more attractive to me. She stands for everything good, and she never accepts defeat. She is strong and brave and true, always keeps her word, is loyal and fearless.

I am fascinated by both Ygritte (Rose Leslie) and Shae (Sibel Kekilli), the romantic interests of Jon Snow (Kit Harington) and Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) respectively. I think if I were a man, I would easily fall in love with either, or both, for these women have the ability to love a man so completely it borders on excess, if that were possible. Both eventually are "betrayed" by their other halves – a sacrilege they cannot stomach – and these poignant moments are some of the best, when it comes to the romance depicted on the show. All four actors play out their parts to a T.

As for Catelyn Tully (Michelle Fairley), I initially hated how she treated Jon Snow, the bastard son of her husband Ned. But when she explains herself in a moment of truth to her daughter-in-law Talisa Maegyr (Oona Chaplin, not one of my favourites, but I have to admit she is beautiful), my perception of Cate changed completely. I am not sure that if put in a similar situation I would not have brought up the son of my husband's lover the same way Cate did. These questions keep me up at night, I tell you!

As for bad women, there's a whole pack from which to pick – Queen Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey) and the priestess Melisandre of R'hllor (Carice van Houten) are currently vying for top spot as the most evil. The night is dark and full of terrors, after all, and you never know what you're in for with these two sirens.

And then there's Margaery Tyrell (Natalie Dormer). While you might think her only crimes are sartorial, Margaery's wiles are truly dangerous because this is one bad wolf in (very skimpy) sheep's clothing.

All said, I think Game Of Thrones provides much fodder when it comes to its women, and it gives one a lot to think about what sort of woman one wants to be, whether you are a daughter, sister, mother, wife, politican, priestess or prostitute. – AMC

Kim looks ahead

Posted:

Actor Kim Nam-gil has returned to the small screen in KBS' Don't Look Back: The Legend Of Orpheus after an almost three-year hiatus.

Don't Look Back is Kim's first television drama since completing mandatory military service last year in July.

"I felt that a lot would have changed during those three years, but while working on Don't Look Back I came to feel that not much had changed at all," said Kim, 32.

Of what he learned while away from the camera, Kim said, "You could say my work in The Great Queen Seondeok made me famous and I think there was a moment when I could have let all that go to my head. But during those years of military service, I focused on finding happiness in the little things and returning to that initial feeling of joy of just being able to act."

Kim confessed to being concerned about how he would differentiate his new character from that of his previous role.

In Don't Look Back, Kim plays an anti-hero out to avenge his father's murder, a role not unlike that of his work on SBS' Bad Boy, where he played a stuntman determined to exact revenge on the family that ruined his life.

"You could draw similarities between the characters from Bad Boy and Don't Look Back," Kim said.

"The biggest challenge I face is surpassing my role in Bad Boy," he said. "At the moment, I am tackling my role with the goal of being up to par with the quality of work I did in Bad Boy."

"In truth, I really do want to play lighthearted roles. I personally think I would be good in a romantic comedy and it is a genre that I like. However, I am drawn to characters that possess emotional scars and have traumatic pasts," said Kim of his tendency to latch onto heroes with bad boy personas.

In the drama, Kim's hero, Han Yi-soo, loses his father before narrowly avoiding death himself.

Scarred by his past, Han (Kim Nam-gil) carefully plots his revenge, amassing wealth and power as the adopted son of a wealthy and influential businessman in Japan before returning to Korea after 12 years of absence.

Co-star Son Ye-jin plays Han Yi-soo's first love, Cho Hae-woo. Believing Han to be long-deceased, Cho, determined to uncover the truth behind his case, eschews her duties as a hotel heiress to become a prosecutor.

Like Kim, Son is returning to the small screen after nearly three years to star in the upcoming "mystery and melodrama".

"This is our second time working together," Son, 31, revealed, explaining that the first time she met Kim was when they starred in an advertisement together.

Co-star Lee Honey puts in her two cents on Kim, saying that unlike his characters Kim was very playful and "really brings life to the set."

"Kim Nam-gil is a real joker off duty," said Don't Look Back director Park Chan-hong. "You know, life is long and if you want to have a good time you need someone like him around."

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Business

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BSN agents chalk up RM635mil
CTSM targets 8% growth in trade transactions
Ranhill Energy offers for sale 407m shares at RM1.85 each

BSN agents chalk up RM635mil

Posted:

PUTRAJAYA: Bank Simpanan Nasional Bhd's (BSN) network of about 4,100 registered bank agents (EBB) has recorded transactions worth RM635mil in value to date.

"EBB has registered 7.1 million transaction worth RM635mil in value since the introduction in early 2012. On a daily basis, it is about 45,000 transaction worth RM4mil," CEO Datuk Adinan Maning said after the launch of BSN Putrajaya Night Marathon yesterday.

Also present at the launch were Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Ahmad Maslan, BSN chairman Tan Sri Abu Bakar Abdullah and Perbadanan Putrajaya president Tan Sri Aseh Che Mat.

Adinan said the community bank has targeted to have a total of 5,000 EBB by year-end.

The EBB programme was launched in January 2012 with agents offering services like deposits, cash withdrawal, bill payments and top up for prepaid phones.

In addition, Ahmad said BSN's EBB programme had enabled under served area in the absence of a bank to get banking services.

He said so far BSN had been aggressive on this approach while Malayan Banking Bhd had partnered Pos Malaysia and uses the latter offices to deliver its shared banking services.

BSN, which is the title sponsor for the marathon, is targeting 12,000 runners this year.

"We realised that sports sponsorship is an avenue to strengthen our brand image," he said.

BSN PNM has attracted more than 10,000 runners every year and set to increase to 12,000 this year," Abu Bakar said in his speech earlier.

In addition, he said BSN had designed a special 10km CSR run for other corporate entities to support a fund raising initiative.

"For this year, we have IJN Foundation on board as a beneficiary for the fund raising," Abu Bakar said.

Ahmad also urged other financial institutions to make an example of BSN's support towards sponsoring sporting event and making it part of organisations' annual corporate responsibility programme.

CTSM targets 8% growth in trade transactions

Posted:

GEORGE TOWN: Citigroup Transaction Services (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd (CTSM) is a targeting 7% to 8% growth this year for its total transactions handled at its trade processing hub in Penang.

CTSM managing director Srinath Sambasiva said the hub in Penang handled 20 million transactions last year with a throughput of US$5.8 trillion across trade and cash business.

Speaking at the opening of CTSM new trade processing facility here by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, he said the trade processing hub in Penang was the largest of the six located in Buffalo, the United States, Mumbai and Chennai in India, Dalian, China, and Dublin, Ireland.

The new facility occupies some 60,000 sq ft of office space at the One Precinct business cum retail centre. "The two facilities in Penang engaged approximately 1,000 experienced professionals to service the interests of clients in Asia, North America, Europe, Middle-East, and Africa," Srinath told a press conference.

Also present was Citibank Bhd chief executive officer Sanjeev Nanavati (pic).

Sanjeev said Citigroup was recognised as a leader in transaction processing.

"The launch of the second CTSM facility here in Penang cements our commitment to offering consistent yet flexible solutions at competitive costs to help our customers in Malaysia and around the globe to build capacity for growth," Sanjeev added.

Sanjeev added that CTSM was supported by the largest proprietary network in the world, covering over 100 countries with a corresponding network of 3,300 banks.

"Our strong capital base and comprehensive support network makes us a trusted and reliable financial shared services partner, and enable us to effectively manage high-value trade finance transactions for our customers," he added.

CTSM began operations in Penang in 1993, and Citi was the first bank to choose Malaysia as a location for its process outsourcing for financial services.

The hub offers operations support to trade and cash management and commercial cards business of Citigroup.

Ranhill Energy offers for sale 407m shares at RM1.85 each

Posted:

KUALA LUMPUR: Ranhill Energy and Resources Bhd, which is seeking a listing on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia, will have a market capitalisation of RM1.779bil, comprising of 961.76 million shares at an indicative retail price of RM1.85.

According to its prospectus issued on Thursday, it said the floating exercise would involve an initial public offering of up to 407 million shares of which 328.72 million shares will be offered to institutions and the remaining 78.278 million shares to the eligible employees, directors and the public.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Entertainment: Movies

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Double the talent
'The Heat' sizzles at box office
Back to school

Double the talent

Posted:

Andy Lau and Sammy Cheng, not only acted, but also sang the theme song for the movie Blind Detective.

In Blind Detective, Lau portrays the titular character, a highly-gifted detective named Chung who is compelled to leave the police force after losing his sight in an accident.

Thereafter, Chung continues to employ his talents as a private investigator and makes a living by solving cold cases in exchange for monetary rewards.

After witnessing Chong's prowess in solving a case, Ho enlists his help to find Minnie. Chong agrees to help her, while also making use of her to help him solve other cases.

Their investigations lead them to a former taxi driver, whom they suspect is a serial killer responsible for a spate of cold cases involving women.

Cheng, on the other hand, was confronted with a more serious issue while shooting the movie – she was diagnosed with a disorder of the inner ear known as Ménière's disease.

The movie which commenced filming in October 2011, had to stop in June 2012 so that she could recuperate. Blind Detective only resumed filming in August last year after Cheng fully recovered.

'The Heat' sizzles at box office

Posted:

MU scared its way to US$46.2mil (RM146.6mil) for a 10-day total of US$171mil (RM542.5mil).

This weekend's top performers will face a big challenge this weekend with Despicable Me 2 and the big-budget The Lone Ranger among the new releases.

Back to school

Posted:

Alfred Molina plays a professor in Monsters University.

HAVING done his heavy share of drama, Alfred Molina found more laid-back voice work especially appealing in Monsters University.

The Englishman, 60, is probably best known for star-turning roles in Prick Up Your Ears, The Perez Family, Chocolat and Frida.

How did you first get involved with this project and how did you find the overall experience?

I just got a call asking, 'Would I be interested?'. Then they showed me some visuals, and the guy looked conceivably like a family member (laughs).

When you're recording in the studio a video camera catches little idiosyncrasies and facial expressions so the animators can incorporate the actual person into the character.

How is this kind of acting unique?

Monsters is partly an observation of today's campuses. What was your time at university like?

Americans tell me the way college life is depicted in this film is very accurate and that it caught all the subtleties.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Nation

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Meeting to clear air over Malaysian firms and open burning
Calls for rational solution to religion
Safeguard country’s peace and freedom, says Sultan

Meeting to clear air over Malaysian firms and open burning

Posted:

KUALA LUMPUR: A meeting will be held with representatives of Malaysian companies involved with plantation activities in Sumatra, Indonesia, to clear the air over alleged open burning blamed for the haze affecting Malaysia and Singapore.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri G. Palani-vel said it would be held in Kuala Lumpur on July 9 and would in-clude Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Douglas Uggah Embas.

"We will be holding talks to determine the extent of their activities in Sumatra and how to deal with the problem of open burning," Palanivel told reporters after presenting the Forestry Department's Forester Monitoring Certificates to 74 forest rangers here. He said the companies had denied their involvement in open burning as they had adopted a zero burning policy.

Indonesian Environment Minister Balthasar Kambuaya had said eight Malaysian companies, including Sime Darby, were being investigated for open burning activities.

Sime Darby backed up its denial with satellite imagery of its plantations in Sumatra.

On a related issue, Palanivel said Asean environment ministers would hold a three-day talk on how to deal with the annual haze woes affecting the region.

He said ministers would press Indonesia to ratify a 2002 joint agreement to ensure compliance with measures to deal with open-burning and the haze.

On a separate issue, Palanivel said efforts to protect 4.7 million hectares of permanent forest reserve and wildlife in peninsular Malaysia were hampered by the lack of Forestry Department rangers.

"The department has only 200 of them and it is impossible for them to monitor such a large area against illegal logging and wildlife poachers," he said.

He said that talks were underway with the Public Services Department to double the department's enforcement manpower.

"However, such a move requires the cooperation of the respective state governments as the rangers' salaries are borne by the state."

Palanivel said there were also plans to increase the forest reserve area by a million hectares.

On wildlife conservation, Palanivel said the ministry was also considering a proposal under the National Tiger Plan to create tiger parks or sanctuaries, such as in India, to better monitor and protect the endangered animal.

Calls for rational solution to religion

Posted:

PETALING JAYA: Various groups are calling for a rational solution to a controversial Clause in a recently tabled Bill, which allows a minor to be converted with the consent of only one parent.

MIC deputy president Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said there could have been a lack of communication in preparing the controversial Section 107(b) Administration of the Religion of Islam (Federal Territories) Bill 2013.

"A similar issue was discussed in 2009 by a committee under the then National Unity and Social Development Ministry. At that time, we made proposals for amendments to the Law Reform Act (Marriage and Divorce) and some components of the Islamic enactment for Federal Territories to resolve the issue," he said, adding that MIC was not consulted over the recent Clause.

He said the party was also not aware of the Clause until it was tabled for first reading.

"We saw that the Malay translation was not in line with our current thinking. So, we'll voice our views in Cabinet and see how we can resolve this issue," he said.

It was previously reported in The Star that although the English version of the Bill states that a non-Muslim below 18 years of age may convert to Islam if "his parent or guardian consents to his conversion", the Malay version of Section 95 amended "ibubapa (parents)" to "ibu atau bapa (mother or father)".

Subramaniam said the translation could have come about because of a legal precedent set in S. Shyamala's case, in which the Federal Court had interpreted "parent" as either father or mother.

"We are stuck with the court's decision but as far as the Government is concerned, we are committed to finding a solution," he said.

In November 2002, Dr Jeyaganesh C. Mogarajah became a Muslim and converted his two young sons without his wife Shamala's knowledge or consent.

In July 2004, the High Court granted Shamala interim custody of the children but the father was allowed access.

On whether MIC would vote against the Bill, Dr Subramaniam said: "I don't think we will reach that stage."

In Batu Pahat, MCA Young Professionals Bureau chief Datuk Chua Tee Yong said all calls to relook the Bill should be viewed objectively to ensure the protection of non-Muslims' rights.

"We have to look at the Bill rationally. We respect that the official religion in the country is Islam. It's just that we believe certain parts of the Bill may cause more issues," he said, adding that all processes of the law must be in accordance with the Federal Constitution.

On the Government's assurance that all parties would be consulted before any decision was made, Chua said he was grateful that the Bill was open for discussion.

"It means there is room for improvement. It is a good way to resolve the issue," he said, adding that he was confident MCA would discuss the issue in its next central committee meeting.

However, he also noted that there were positive aspects to the Bill, such as allowing qualified non-Muslim syarie lawyers to represent parties in Syariah court proceedings in the three Federal Terri-tories.

In George Town, state Gerakan legal and human rights bureau chief Baljit Singh urged Barisan Nasional MPs to vote with their conscience on the Bill.

"A child should be allowed to retain his religion and decide only when he is at the age of 18. It is not right to allow one parent to decide on the conversion of religion since both parents are responsible for the child's upbringing," he said, urging for the Bill to be withdrawn.

Safeguard country’s peace and freedom, says Sultan

Posted:

KUANTAN: The people should enjoy the country's freedom by making use of it in a proper manner to express constructive views, Sultan Ahmad Shah said.

The Pahang Sultan said there was no need to take to the streets as it would result in fights and violence.

"I am disheartened with the attitude of some individuals for threatening the country's peace and stability by organising illegal demonstrations and gatherings," he said in his royal address when opening the new state assembly session here.

"As responsible citizens, all efforts should be made to preserve the harmonious relations among the people of different races. It is my hope that such negative elements and culture will not make its way into Pahang."

Sultan Ahmad Shah said everything the country enjoyed today was achieved through concerted efforts by all parties and statesmen of the past.

He said national unity was the key to the country's success all these years and as such, should be further strengthened and preserved.

"I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in obtaining the people's mandate to continue governing the country," he said. "Under his leadership, I hope our country will continue to enjoy peace and racial unity."

Sultan Ahmad Shah reminded all state assemblymen to be proactive and look after the people's welfare, regardless of race, religion and political affiliations.

In terms of economic progress, the state ruler said he was proud with the 5.8% growth rate in the state last year, higher than the national gross domestic product of 5.6%.

"In addition, household income and total investments are increasing while the poverty and unemployment rates are declining," said the Sultan.

"Last year, Pahang received RM7.76bil in investments, including other incentives from 51 projects in various sectors with an estimated 7,000 job opportunities created."

Sultan Ahmad Shah said criminal cases had also dropped from 6,363 cases in 2011 to 5,965 cases last year, crediting the police and other security forces for their good work.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

Rabu, 3 Julai 2013