Biennale / Gardens by the Bay

Today I went to see some of the art pieces exhibited as part of the Singapore Biennale 2006. The first thing I realised is that many people do not know how to pronounce the word Biennale correctly (including myself at first). It's pronounced as Bian-narl-lay. I guess I got it right after listening to the word being repeated over a hundred times on TV mobile on my bus ride there.

We went to the Art Museum, National Museum, and the main Biennale booth at SMU. I was hoping to see lots of shocking contemporary works, but frankly, I wasn't very impressed. In fact, the pieces that I really liked were classic oil-on-canvas paintings by Liu Kang and one other surrealist Malay painter. But those paintings you can catch all the time at the Art Museum, so much for the Biennale. Maybe there's other better stuff that I haven't seen yet, will try to see more if I have the opportunity. I guess the raw talent of the classic oil-on-canvas artists stood out in this case. I was quite impressed by the surrealist; his work is comparable to Salvador Dali! The Art Museum really needs a serious makeover too. Its a rather large building, but the layout and what not really pales in comparison to the Guggenheim, SF MoMA, National Gallery of Art or the California Palace of the Legion of Honor.

After that we went to the Botanic Gardens to see the models and posters for the new Gardens by the Bay project at Marina Bay. There's essentially 3 parts to Gardens by the Bay: Marina South (IR), Marina East (near the golf course) and the giant Ferris Wheel area. The entire project is huge! There's gonna be lots of conservatories, edutainment, flower markets etc. So many things going on that New York Central Park pales in comparison. I feel that Marina South, where the bulk of the activity is, is actually quite out of the way though. I will definitely visit, but probably not on a regular basis. I doubt people will go there for a weekly jog like at East Coast Park. Its just too out of the way and too many things going on. Not sure how this thing is going to turn out.

This whole garden thing got me thinking about land usage in Singapore. We are barely 25 miles (40km) across, yet we have more than 10 golf courses, huge parks and gardens (botanic gardens, east coast park, sungei buloh, macritchie and other reserviors, and now marina bay), 2 civilian air ports (seletar and changi) and a huge port (PSA). And not to mention close to a quarter of the mainland is used by the military for training and other purposes. And yet we have 4.3 million people here. Someone tell me its not getting too crowded?

Went with JM to Pedro's house for a BBQ party. This is Pedro's back yard. Notice the golf fairway behind? His house is literally in the middle of a golf course/ country club! 

Met up with Carmen, Kofi and others for a jazz concert at Yoshi's Jack London Square 

Brunch at Bettes. The potatoes/onions were so well done that each piece is crispy! 

Notice the root beer float at Bette's looks different? That's because they put like 2 huge scoops of ice cream inside, whoa! 

Bette's diner on 4th street (Berkeley) is where you go for a classic american breakfast! 

Crikey! Remember Steve by putting (tu) in your msn nick!

Steve Irwin, Wildlife Master, Is Killed by a Stingray at 44
By GLENN COLLINS
Published: September 5, 2006 (paragraphing edited)

Steve Irwin, the khaki-clad wildlife stalker who won global fame with his televised death-defying crocodile stunts and whose booming voice made "Crikey!" in a ripe Australian accent an international catchword, was killed by a stingray yesterday while filming a documentary at the Great Barrier Reef off Australia's northeast coast. He was 44. Witnesses said he apparently died of cardiac arrest after the stingray attack. Mr. Irwin was on location in the area to film television segments, including material for “The Ocean’s Deadliest.” Witnesses on his boat, Croc One, and on a nearby diving vessel said that when he came close to a stingray, its barb pierced his chest and lodged in his heart.

In an interview with reporters in Australia, Prime Minister John Howard termed the death “a huge loss to Australia,” and called Mr. Irwin “a wonderful character.”
“He was a passionate environmentalist,” Mr. Howard added. Mr. Irvin’s television shows, including “The Crocodile Hunter,” were seen in more than 100 countries on cable television, and he was an ebullient staple of American talk shows ranging from “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno” to “Live With Regis and Kelly.” He customarily appeared in his trademark hiking boots and khaki shorts and shirt, commenting volubly on animal conservation and showing clips of his fearless exploits, which included leaping on the backs of crocodiles, wrestling with boas and mastering poisonous snakes and spiders.

Dr. Leo Smith, an expert on venomous fishes in the department of ichthyology at the American Museum of Natural History in Manhattan, said that although Mr. Irwin had no scientific degree and some scientists criticized his theatrics and hyperbole, “he could be considered a biologist rather than just a television personality.”
“He was knowledgeable and seemed to care passionately about wildlife,” Dr. Smith said. “He took a very outgoing approach that made people less fearful of sharks and other mean things out there.” Mr. Irwin’s death, he said, “is depressing because the last thing you want is for the guy who says things are safe to be killed.”

But Mr. Irwin was widely criticized in 2004 for feeding a snapping crocodile inside a pen while holding his infant son, Bob, in one arm. Though some likened the action to child abuse, he said he had been in firm control of both the child and the crocodile. He was never charged with endangering his son’s welfare. While filming a documentary in Antarctica later that year, Mr. Irwin ran afoul of critics who said he came too close to humpback whales, seals and penguins, disturbing them. Environmental officials did not press charges after an investigation.

Though Mr. Irwin was accustomed to confronting dangerous animals, deaths from ray attacks are unusual, Dr. Smith said. “On an average there are only one or two fatalities a year worldwide,” he said. Dr. Smith said there were approximately 120 known ray species and four families of venomous stinging rays. At the base of the tail is a spine or barb connected to a venom gland; in an attack, the spike and the gland may be broken off and can remain in the wound. The stingray venom contains toxic proteins, and most stingray attacks pose risk from shock, infection and the venom’s toxicity, he said. Most deaths are caused by heart injuries or blood loss. “The puncture alone could have done it,” Dr. Smith said of the attack on Mr. Irwin, “but the venoms do have major cardiac effects.”

Stephen Robert Irwin was born in 1962 in a suburb of Melbourne and spent his childhood in Queensland, where his parents, Bob and Lyn Irwin, operated a wildlife park; he grew up with wild animals, including crocodiles. He met his American-born wife, Terri, when she was vacationing in Australia in 1991. Film from their honeymoon in the wild — trapping crocodiles — was used in creating their first documentary. She became his business partner and, styled as the Crocodile Huntress, she was an on-screen co-star in his television shows and in a 2002 feature film, “The Crocodile Hunters: Collision Course.”

Mr. Irwin was caricatured in “South Park” for his penchant for phrases like “Check out the size of this bloke!” and “Whew, he’s getting cranky!” He also appeared in the 2001 film “Dr. Dolittle 2” with Eddie Murphy. His fame engendered books, action figures and interactive games and, for a time, tube-watching pub crawlers played a drinking game, hoisting a glass every time Mr. Irwin said, “Crikey!” or, “Isn’t she a beauty?” His parents’ wildlife park, renamed Australia Zoo and expanded and developed by Mr. Irwin, became a popular tourist attraction. His survivors include his wife and son, and a daughter, Bindi Sue.

Ching Hway taking a shot at Thalassa. Notice that since my trip I've been using full names in my blog (rather than initials). Guess its just my tribute to all the great people I'm meeting up and hanging out with on this vacation! 

Bing Ying and Germ in front of their apartment. That green tea BY is holding is really really green, and she took like 1.5 hours to finish it haha! It was cold today, so notice the jackets.... 

Decided to walk down Market to Civic Center to catch the city hall in the sunset since I haven't been there in years. Turns out that it wasn't such a good idea. Behind me in this shot was A LOT of hoboes, punks, loiterers and what not! I had to turn my back to them so that I won't get mugged when they see my expensive camera. Guess some places are not as safe as Singapore (where supposedly you can't gather in a group of more than 5 haha....)

Here's a view of the MoMA from Yuerba Buena Gardens. There was a huge Matthew Barney exhibit which was kinda weird, too bad no picture taking. Some great works by Matisse, Picasso, Roschenberg and Mondrian too! 

I had sandwiches with Chris and Stella from the dorms. They work in the city where there are lots of sandwich places on every street corner! 

More ball pics

"Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out with the crowd.
Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack,
I don't care if I never get back,
Let me root, root, root for the A's!
If they don't win it's a shame.
For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,
At the old ball game."