Singapore's Marina Bay district is home to an iconic skyline that never fails to awe visiting tourists with its grandeur, but do you know that it hides a 'cool' secret?

Lying 25m underneath the iconic Marina Bay Sands and ArtScience Museum is the largest district cooling network in the world, the Marina Bay District Cooling plant, which is responsible for keeping the whole Marina Bay district cool.

A video released by Temasek Holdings on Saturday (May 6) provided a peek into the plant, which operates a district cooling system in contrast to traditional air-conditioning systems.

Thanks to this underground system, there is no need for overhead cooling towers. Rooftop space is freed up for other amenities, such as the Marina Bay Sands infinity pool, which is also the world's largest rooftop infinity pool. 

And here we thought we knew all there was to know about Marina Bay.

Currently used for commercial buildings, district cooling systems produce and distribute chilled water from a central plant to a network of buildings, and simultaneously receive used water to be chilled again. This allows for a drastic reduction of energy costs and carbon emission levels.

Indeed, as French writer Antoine de Saint-Exupery famously wrote, "What is essential is invisible to the eye."

pariel@sph.com.sg

Okay, let's just come right out and say it. I'm not sold on Ridley Scott's efforts to get us to bother about the Engineers - the alien "gods" that created humanity as seen in his 2012 opus Prometheus - and their legacy, an attempt to create a larger backstory to the original classic Alien.

The saga Scott began with underwhelming impact in Prometheus is now being stretched into a trilogy, of which Alien: Covenant is the middle part.

It now seems there is almost zero chance that District 9 auteur Neil Blomkamp's vision of an "Alien 5" - which was to sidestep Alien3 and Alien Resurrection and reportedly continue Ripley, Hicks and Newt's story - will get made.

Alas, all the spending money is going to Sir Ridley and his trilogy, so we can look forward to one more instalment where - I'll be blunt - stupid characters bring catastrophe down upon their own stupid heads.

Small spoiler: Seriously, I'd imagine that in Alien's grim and gritty universe, people landing on an exoplanet - even one with human-friendly atmospheric conditions - would at least wear freakin' masks or filters or something to keep unknown toxins out.

It's not like flap caps are the greatest item of survival gear in the universe, duh?

Also, that such space crews would be sufficiently trained in common sense so they would. Never. Stoop.

To sniff at sinister, mangosteen-like globes. Least of all when they're on the soggy floor of a freakin' alien vessel. Don't even get me started on how the film's first Facehugger victim becomes a Facehugger victim to start with.

Did IQs drop sharply well before Ripley even went away?

Unlike in Prometheus, the story here could have actually progressed without such acts of colossal moronicity (yeah, I'm not sure that's really a word either, but I beg your indulgence) on its characters' part.

You see, there is some sort of intent and purpose to the harrowing times they get put through, as opposed to the dumbness-driven events of the previous film.

And Covenant turns out to have a greater bearing on the original Alien, while it also sorts out some of the baffling moments in Prometheus.

Story-wise, it's pretty basic - strictly paint-by-numbers for the franchise.

Some years after the Prometheus went missing, a colony ship called the Covenant is heading to a distant star when it intercepts a transmission. And so, here we go again.

In terms of its sub-themes and undertones, though, this one may have more in common with Blade Runner than Alien.

Creations meeting their creators, ruminations on the nature of existence, a creation's purpose in life, a strongly symbolic opening sequence where Michael Fassbender's David (from Prometheus) meets his creator, Peter Weyland (Guy Pearce) and clearly has disdain for this "higher" power … we're just missing Brion James asking Harrison Ford how long he has to live.

That's all well and good, and indeed, if Alien: Covenant had gone a little more in-depth into all the symbolism and parallels it throws at us - to name a few, the ship's scripturally-significant name, its captain being a man of faith, the iconoclastic impulses that partially drive the film's villain - it might have been a more rewarding effort.

Because all the story subtext is just skimmed over in a rather shallow manner, it becomes a vehicle for irony instead of profundity.

Visually, it's as gorgeous as you would expect of a Ridley Scott movie, and the creature scenes - there's an even ghastly-looking thing dubbed a "Neomorph" here - are shocking and bloody in their savagery.

Character development, or even definition, has become a cursory exercise in the franchise by now, so expect to give zero hoots for all but a couple of the folks here, human or synthetic.

Instead, Scott spends too much time trying to shoehorn two different types of story in here: one a philosophical musing on creations aspiring to be worthier than their creators; and the other, a monster-in-the-crawlspace horror piece.

They don't fit nicely, and neither half is satisfyingly developed.

There is a riveting scene around the mid-way point when the android David and the Covenant's synthetic person Walter (Fassbender again, as an "improved" model) meet, and a music lesson follows.

It's a fascinating moment, not only for the way it highlights the subtle differences between David and Walter (kudos to Fassbender for that!), but because, for one rare instant, you hold your breath, unsure of what is going to happen next.

By the arrival of the film's telegraphed twist ending, though, that fleeting gem seems such a distant memory amid the betrayal, obligatory gore, cluelessness and tacked-on shipboard bug hunt. Lost in time, like … tears in rain?

Malaysia-born, Singapore-based comics artist Sonny Liew's acclaimed graphic novel, The Art Of Charlie Chan Hock Chye, has received six nominations in the 2017 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, topping the list for the most nominations this year.

The US edition of his book has been nominated in these categories: Best Graphic Album, Best US Edition of International Material - Asia, Best Writer/Artist, Best Colouring, Best Lettering, and Best Publication Design.

The Art Of Charlie Chan Hock Chye is a biography showcasing the life and work of the fictional Chan Hock Chye, a pioneering but largely forgotten comics artist in Singapore.

With a career spanning more than five decades, from pre-independent Singapore through its three prime ministers, Chan's work reflects the changing political and economic environment in the island state.

The Singapore edition published by Epigram Books has previously won a number of local awards, including Book of the Year at the 2016 Singapore Book Awards, and Best Fiction Title at the Singapore Literature Prize in the same year.

The US edition made The New York Times bestseller list for graphic novels, as well as numerous year-end must-read lists by overseas publications such as The Economist and The Washington Post.

The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards is widely considered the comic book industry's equivalent of the Oscars, and this year's nominees involve 120 titles from 50 publishers worldwide.

The following is a selected list of nominees in other categories.

Best Single Issue/One-Shot:

• Babybel Wax Bodysuit by Eric Kostiuk Williams (Retrofit/Big Planet)
• Beasts Of Burden: What The Cat Dragged In by Evan Dorkin, Sarah Dyer & Jill Thompson (Dark Horse)
• Blammo #9 by Noah Van Sciver (Kilgore Books)
• Criminal 10th Anniversary Special by Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips (Image)
• Sir Alfred #3 by Tim Hensley (Pigeon Press)
• Your Black Friend by Ben Passmore (Silver Sprocket)

Best Continuing Series:

• Astro City by Kurt Busiek & Brent Anderson (Vertigo/DC)
• Kill Or Be Killed by Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips (Image)
• The Mighty Thor by Jason Aaron & Russell Dauterman (Marvel)
• Paper Girls by Brian K. Vaughan & Cliff Chiang (Image)
• Saga by Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples (Image)

Best Limited Series:

• Archangel by William Gibson, Michael St John Smith, Butch Guice & Tom Palmer (IDW)
• Briggs Land by Brian Wood & Mack Chater (Dark Horse)
• Han Solo by Marjorie Liu & Mark Brooks (Marvel)
• Kim And Kim by Magdalene Visaggio & Eva Cabrera (Black Mask)
• The Vision by Tom King & Gabriel Walta (Marvel)

Best New Series:

• Black Hammer by Jeff Lemire & Dean Ormston (Dark Horse)
• Clean Room by Gail Simone & Jon Davis-Hunt (Vertigo/DC)
• Deathstroke: Rebirth by Christopher Priest, Carlo Pagulayan, et al (DC)
• Faith by Jody Houser, Pere Perez & Marguerite Sauvage (Valiant)
• Mockingbird by Chelsea Cain & Kate Niemczyk (Marvel)

For more information on the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards 2017, visit the San Diego Comic-Con International website at tinyurl.com/Star2-Eisner.

Malaysian-born, Singapore-based designer Priscilla Shunmugam held a showing of her RGB 2017 cheongsam and samfu collection in Kuala Lumpur recently.

Stringing together traditional textiles from Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan and Korea, the designs were described as "reconstructed, fresh pieces for the modern wardrobe".

"The cheongsam and samfu, being definitive traditional Chinese outfits for women, form the basis for the collection but we are careful with appropriating them so that we never actually reproduce them," said Priscilla.

RGB 2017 is Priscilla's first cheongsam and samfu collection under her fashion brand Ong Shunmugam.

It was presented at last year's Singapore Fashion Week and plays on the idea of light and colour.

The show in Kuala Lumpur is apparently the first Ong Shunmugam trunk show outside Singapore.

It also marks another milestone, with the brand celebrating a six-year anniversary last December.

Ong Shunmugam in the spotlight

Since its founding, Ong Shunmugam has opened a flagship store in Singapore.

The brand has also presented collections at Paris Fashion Week, Beijing Museum Of Women And Children and National Museum Of Singapore.

Priscilla was the first representative from Singapore fashion to sit as a jury member at the 2015 Cannes Lions Festival.

In 2015, she received the International Woman Of The Year Award For Business from the American Women's Association.

The RGB 2017 runway show in KL was organised by ShoesShoes-Shoes, a Malaysian retailer of women's clothing and accessories.

Ung Yiu Lin, the founder, said that the collection was "brilliant, and as expected".

"Before the show, Priscilla and I had talked about stocking some pieces from the collection, but after the show ended, I knew we had to bring all of the 25 looks to KL," she added.

It is easy to see the end result and forget about the process. But "Unstoppable" Angela Lee remembers everything that got her to this point in her career.

The 20-year-old martial arts prodigy will step into the cage at ONE: DYNASTY OF HEROES on Friday (May 26) as the ONE Women's Atomweight World Champion.

As such, she has the ability to influence others everywhere, and that is exactly what she wants to do.

"My goal is to inspire other people through my own martial arts journey. I want to inspire and empower others, because I want them to chase their dreams, just like how I am chasing mine," she states.

That may be a heavy responsibility to carry, but the unbeaten Lee - who represents Singapore in the cage - is dedicated to her vision, and has been building towards that ever since her childhood.

As soon as she could stay on her feet long enough to throw punches and kicks, her father - lifelong martial artist and coach Ken Lee - started teaching her martial arts.

My goal is to inspire other people through my own martial arts journey. I want to inspire and empower others, because I want them to chase their dreams, just like how I am chasing mine.

Angela Lee

She became well-versed in many striking disciplines, and evolved into a master grappler who eventually earned a brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Despite all of that, it has not always been plain sailing en route to the top, but Lee always found a path back to the martial way. Distractions came in different forms, one of those being an interest in football.

After being so fluid and competent in combat sports, however, it took all of a season for her to realise that life on the football pitch was not for her.

"All the other girls there had been doing it since they were little kids, and that is like me with the martial arts. They are sticking to what they know and what they are good at. Maybe I should do that," thought a young Lee.

Needless to say, Lee proved to be very good at martial arts indeed. She won a pair of world titles in Pankration at the age of 16, and followed that up shortly after by winning a Hawaii State Wrestling Title in her weight class.

Lee's talent and potential was undeniable, but keeping it channeled in the right direction would prove to be tricky.

"I was the wild child, the rebel child. I gave my parents a lot of trouble in high school," she reminisces, again showing that it was not always smooth sailing to the top.

There were blips, but true athletes turn these experiences into learning tools, and find where their true passions lie.

Read also

Angela Lee Makes Second Title Defense In Singapore Against Istela Nunes

Getting those rebellious teenage instincts out of her system early allowed Lee to reconnect with her competitive love of martial arts, and that is why she can say she is a world champion at just 20 years old, making history in the sport as the youngest-ever to achieve the accolade.

Today, it is the prestige of being champion that keeps her motivated. She does not need anything else to keep her on the right track. That journey continues on Friday when she faces Istela Nunes in the main event of ONE: DYNASTY OF HEROES.

Lee is focused on defeating the Brazilian knockout artist in the Singapore Indoor Stadium, and continuing her training so she can remain on top for years to come.

"Now that I have the belt, I want to keep the belt," she continues.

"I do not want anyone to take my place, so that is the motivation - just staying extremely focused and training really hard, because I totally feel like I was born for this. It is what I was meant to do."

K-drama fans and historical buffs alike will be delighted to learn that Asian Civilisations Museum has recently launched an exhibition called Joseon Korea: Court Treasures and City Life.

Through 150 artefacts and national treasures, the exhibits give a deeper insight of life during that dynamic era, and how it has helped to shape Korea and the Korean culture many know and love today.

Below are some of the treasures that you will be displayed at the exhibition which you may find familiar:

Painted screens featuring the Sun, Moon and Five Peaks

Painted folding screens like the one in the picture above were used in the Joseon court. Screens with this theme, which is a symbol of royal authority in Joseon Korea, were placed behind the throne or royal portrait of a king.

The moon and sun symbolised the forces of yin and yang respectively, while the five peaks signify the five elements of earth, fire, water, wood, and metal. The evergreen pine trees connote the wish for the longevity of the dynastic lineage as well as the king's regime.

 Where you may have seen this: A folding screen above as seen in the 2012 historical Korean drama, Moon Embracing the Sun. The symbols have also been used in the design of the 10,000 South Korean won note.

Portraits of yangban officials

 Painted portraits of yangban officials, who were part of the traditional ruling class during the Joseon Dynasty.     

 Where you may have seen this: Fans of historical Korean dramas like Sungkyunkwan Scandal (2010), would be familiar with these outfits won by the scholarly aristocrats of the era.

Queen's ceremonial robe:

A reproduction of a ceremonial robe worn by Queens of Joseon dynasty will also be on display at the exhibition. The robe was worn during official ceremonies and important events such as her own wedding.

There are nine rows of pheasant birds, which symbolise marital bliss.

Where you may have seen this: The queen in Six Flying Dragons (2015) wearing a similar robe.

Joseon Korea: Court Treasures and City Life is on from April 22 to July 23, 2017 at the Asian Civilisations Museum.

Admission: $10 for Singaporeans and PRs, free for children and seniors; $15 for tourists (concessions available); Ticket includes entry to permanent galleries.

Need a job? McDonald's Singapore is hiring on Saturday (May 13) which is also National Hiring Day.

McDonald's Singapore will kick off its first large-scale National Hiring Day as 700 crew members and managers gather for a mass hiring drive aiming to attract 2,000 applicants.

About 120 participating McDonald's restaurants are also conducting "open houses" from May 13 to 19 to give interested candidates a back-of-house tour that will help them better understand the culture and various roles in a McDonald's restaurant.

McDonald's offers a variety of continuous training and education opportunities such as hospitality and management development programmes, as part of McDonald's 'Archways to Opportunity' promise.

It is not uncommon for McDonald's restaurant managers to have started as a crew member and reach their fullest potential through series of internal and external training programmes provided by McDonald's, said their press release today.

Flexibility in the workplace is also an appealing factor to the different groups of employees at McDonald's.

Students who work with McDonald's are given flexible hours that fit their schedules while family-friendly policies allow other employees with family commitments to enjoy work-life balance.

McDonald's was also one of the pioneers to begin hiring mature workers in the 1980s and has since provided an operations-friendly environment for them.

spanaech@sph.com.sg

"Pay peanuts, get monkeys" is one of Singaporeans' favourite expressions, often used when explaining why you're not going that damn extra mile.

But there are some situations where accepting lower pay, or "peanuts", if you will, and working damn hard at your job nonetheless might actually be a good idea-at least for a while.

Here are five scenarios where you might actually want to jump at the chance to do a job for less.

1. The company's reputation would give your CV a boost

It's amazing what a reputable company's name can do for your CV.

Nobody gives two hoots if you were the COO at Ah Pek's Trading Company Pte Ltd.

But put a big MNC's name on your resume and all of a sudden, you become more employable.

For this reason, it is often a good idea to accept lower pay to get a good company name on your CV-just be sure to move on when the time comes.

2. The job can be used as a stepping stone to a better one

Just because your job pays you peanuts right now doesn't mean you're stuck in low paying roles forever.

In fact, a low paying job can sometimes be used as a stepping stone for something much better.

For instance, many bank employees take on contract roles in which they're paid less than permanent staff for a shot at being converted to perm staff themselves.

Those who aren't converted still have a higher chance at getting a similar perm role in a different company.

You can also leverage the skills and experience gained in some low paying jobs to leapfrog to a better job later on.

Just remain at the job for long enough to learn how things are done, and then apply as an "experienced" hire to another company when it's time to move on.

3. Better work-life balance and flexibility

In Singapore, there are lots of very well paid employees who have zero life outside of work.

For instance, if you're a lawyer, "good" work-life balance can mean leaving at 7pm or 8pm every day.

Poor work-life balance means being at the office till after midnight.

In such circumstances, it may be necessary to accept a lower paying job in order to enjoy better work-life balance.

In a 2015 survey, 57 per cent of Singaporeans said they'd pick better work-life balance over higher pay, so there you go.

Employers who are willing to offer a high degree of flexibility might also be worth considering, even if they're paying less than those who insist on lots of face-time.

If you're allowed to work from home three days a week, it might be worthwhile taking a pay cut, especially if the alternative is to sit at the office from 9am to whenever the boss leaves every night.

4. Receiving stock options

Companies sometimes offer their employees stock options in exchange for a lower salary. In fact, receiving stock options has become a defining part of working for a start-up.

In reality, you're taking a gamble, as your stock options are worthless if the company goes nowhere or, worse, tanks.

Still, if this is a company you believe in and you're committed to doing your best, taking those stock options will totally change the way you work.

There's also the (admittedly) slim chance that your company will IPO and you'll find yourself becoming an overnight millionaire.

Big, publicly-traded companies might also dangle equity as part of the benefits.

Granted, you're unlikely to see your $5,000 worth of shares balloon to $5,000,000, but on the flipside the chances of your stock becoming worthless are low.

5. You're likely to be promoted and given a raise in the near future

A job that's paying a less than desirable salary might be worth considering if you foresee a promotion and/or pay rise in the near future.

This can happen when you join a fast-growing company that's about to create more job openings than it can fill.

You might also be able to anticipate a promotion if you're slightly overqualified for the role you're being hired for, and just need a few months to gain the skills that will haul you up onto the next rung of the career ladder.

But just to be sure, this is something you want to discuss with your potential boss before you sign that employment contract, not after.

So you've bought your dream home. It's located in a nice area that doesn't require you to spend hours on public transport to get to work.

You have a nice view from a high floor.

There's enough space for you and your household to keep your bathroom habits private.

But you know what would really make it a dream? If the government would take it off your hands in an en-bloc sale a few years from now.

Since the majority of residential property, including all HDB flats, is on 99 year leases, there's a time limit on your dream home-especially if you buy resale property whose lease might run out during your lifetime.

Recent news coverage has left people wondering what will happen if their lease runs out before they die.

In the recent past, purchasers of old HDB flats didn't worry too much about this, with many assuming their flats would eventually be eligible for SERS (Selective En Bloc Redevelopment Scheme) and they'd be paid a tidy sum of money to relocate to a brand new home.

But the government has now warned against assuming your home will eventually be acquired through SERS-this is a clear sign that the authorities intend to let some flats run the full course of their leases, before acquiring them at $0.

Given the possibility that you could one day lose your home, it becomes even more pressing to know just how much en-bloc potential your home really has.

While there's no magic formula, here are some factors that can raise your chances.

Rising land and property values in your area

One of the catalysts for an en-bloc sale is when the land value rises above the value of your property.

For example, many of those people who've bought old HDB flats in the Tiong Bahru estate are no doubt hoping they'll be eligible for SERS in a few decades, since Tiong Bahru has been given a new lease of life thanks to the hipster cafe explosion.

One big hint you might be able to benefit from en bloc is if your area is undergoing a huge transformation.

For instance, in 2014 it was announced that $31 million would be spent to develop Woodlands into a high-traffic zone, with six blocks being relocated under the SERS scheme in the process.

Obviously, centrally-located areas with good public transport links have a higher chance of experiencing more en-bloc sales.

You have a higher chance of your place going en bloc if you live in River Valley or Redhill than, say, Yishun.

Your property isn't using the land space efficiently

It's no surprise that condo units and HDB flats have been shrinking over the years, while the number of floors in each block has risen.

It makes sense for developers, as they earn more out of every square metre of land they buy and sell.

Old blocks or condos that use space inefficiently could be prime candidates for redevelopment.

For instance, if your block has only four or five floors when the developer could build a block of 30-floors in its place, it's a good candidate for an en-bloc sale.

There is a wide availability of alternative housing in the area

When a building gets acquired in an en bloc sale, like stray cats, all the residents have to be relocated.

The availability of suitable housing in the area makes it more likely that a successful en bloc exercise can be carried out.

If you live in a condo and an en bloc sale is proposed, it will only be carried out if at least 80 per cent of the residents vote in favour of the sale (or 90 per cent if the development is less than 10 years old).

They're more likely to vote yes if they know they can move elsewhere in the same area.

When it comes to HDB property, the government has the final say, but one of the factors they consider is the availability of suitable sites in the area to move residents to.

The property market is strong

An en-bloc sale will only happen if developers or the government feel that they can get even more value out of the land by buying and redeveloping it.

For private property dwellers, that means that the performance of the property market will influence how often and how aggressively developers bid for new sites.

For HDB property, one of the factors that will be taken into account is the economic viability of the en bloc sale, which basically means the same thing.

So far, we have not gotten to the stage where the oldest residential HDB leases have started to expire.

But based on the messages the government has been sending out, it's best not to assume your place will be selected for SERS, even if it satisfies all of the above criteria.