New communication technologies (NCTs) are one of the fastest growing forms of media in the 21st century. The internet is probably the most well-known example of NCT.
We are able to access information not just from other countries, but also on the go. Many things we could not do in the past, such as following foreign television dramas on the day they are aired and getting the latest global news have been made possible. Many people across the world are able to view videos on youtube, and the media makes use of this by uploading their own videos there. Many record labels or singers have their own youtube channels which garner thousands, even millions of views per video. Susan Boyle became famous in the UK for her performance on Britain's Got Talent. But it was through the media, traditional and NCTs, that she became globally known. A video of her rendition of 'I Dreamed a Dream' had 2.5 million views in the first 72 hours!
After those widely circulated news, I'm certain Susan Boyle is now poised to enter new markets outside of the UK with the release of her first studio album.
With the popularity of NCTs, many products have been created to cater to the huge market. iTunes sells songs online to attract consumers who prefer online shopping, Amazon and eBay among others are selling products online, all of which were unthinkable in the past when NCTs were not developed yet.
With the gadgets we have now, we are able to gain access to NCTs. Gone are the days when cellular phones were only for calling, now they can do so much more. In Singapore, almost everyone you meet has a cellular phone. And 90% of these phone are likely to be able to access the internet and/or receive updates on news, weather, etc.
We have become so used to being plugged into the latest news and technologies that our perception of what is considered basic has changed drastically from when the technology first came out. It has become cheaper to get the latest gadgets with all sorts of specifications that can support various kinds of technologies.
Take for example the iPhone/iTouch. It can surf the net, keep you connected on Facebook and Twitter, access the latest global news and act as a GPS system! With such specifications, perhaps one day even newspapers would not be printed at all, but online instead.
Traditional forms of media are slowly losing their hold on the world that once used to be dependent on paper and ink. But i do not foresee a sudden decline in print media, in Singapore at least.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Boyle
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Week 7 blog entry
Of the various media messages that we receive each day, advertisements are some of the most influential. It does not matter if we are aware of the fact that we are receiving the messages, but the fact that what we do is to a certain extent influenced by these messages achieves the aim of the message.
Advertisements, the products of organisations, are produced at great expense. For example, spokespersons for advertisements can earn up to 7-figure sums depending on who is engaged to front the advertisements and for how long. Before her contract ended, Gisele Bundchen was paid $5 million a year as a Victoria’s Secret Angel.
From television commercials to billboards, advertisements make full use of all forms of mass media. For different advertisements, they use different technologies to spread their messages. Through the different media forms, they are able to emphasis on different parts of their messages. We generally choose to believe what we can see, and so television advertisements are often viewed as one of the best forms of advertisements.
Take for example fashion advertisements, there was a Gucci advertisement on Singapore television earlier this year promoting their perfume, Flora, by Gucci. If this advertisement were to be a print advertisement, it would be hard to link the flowery background with a perfume as the perfume bottle only appears in the last five seconds of the television commercial. Hence in this case a television advertisement would be able to best bring across the message.
Advertisements are also non-exclusive in nature and are aimed at the majority of the audience. Using the example of Flora by Gucci, the target audience may not just be women, but also men looking for a suitable gift for women. It was also screened frequently between 19:00 to 22:00, which is the prime time slot throughout the whole week.
However, due to the widespread reach of the mass media, it is almost impossible to personalise advertisements to recipients. There is also minimal contact between media sources and the audience, which demonstrates the linear communication model, whereby there is no feedback to the message sender.
Advertisements, the products of organisations, are produced at great expense. For example, spokespersons for advertisements can earn up to 7-figure sums depending on who is engaged to front the advertisements and for how long. Before her contract ended, Gisele Bundchen was paid $5 million a year as a Victoria’s Secret Angel.
From television commercials to billboards, advertisements make full use of all forms of mass media. For different advertisements, they use different technologies to spread their messages. Through the different media forms, they are able to emphasis on different parts of their messages. We generally choose to believe what we can see, and so television advertisements are often viewed as one of the best forms of advertisements.
Take for example fashion advertisements, there was a Gucci advertisement on Singapore television earlier this year promoting their perfume, Flora, by Gucci. If this advertisement were to be a print advertisement, it would be hard to link the flowery background with a perfume as the perfume bottle only appears in the last five seconds of the television commercial. Hence in this case a television advertisement would be able to best bring across the message.
Advertisements are also non-exclusive in nature and are aimed at the majority of the audience. Using the example of Flora by Gucci, the target audience may not just be women, but also men looking for a suitable gift for women. It was also screened frequently between 19:00 to 22:00, which is the prime time slot throughout the whole week.
However, due to the widespread reach of the mass media, it is almost impossible to personalise advertisements to recipients. There is also minimal contact between media sources and the audience, which demonstrates the linear communication model, whereby there is no feedback to the message sender.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Week 6 blog entry
Assuming that countries and states are ‘individuals’ then the United Nations (UN) is an example of a ‘group’.
Currently with 192 member states, the UN as an international body has group synergy, which enables them to do things on a much larger scale, and is able to lend support and commitment to member states. They make complex decisions about major international issues such as climate change and sanctions which requires the full, or majority, support of the group.
Full memberships to such organisations comes with time as prospective countries have to submit detailed reports and some may require time to meet all the conditions that the organisations may require. In order to join the UN, prospective members have to abide by Chapter 2, Article 4 of the UN Charter.
‘Part 1: Membership in the United Nations is open to all other peace-loving states which accept the obligations contained in the present Charter and, in the judgment of the Organization, are able and willing to carry out these obligations.
Part 2: The admission of any such state to membership in the United Nations will be effected by a decision of the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council.’
Members also have roles to play in the group as they can run for various committees such as the Security Council in UN. During the UN General Assembly, members can give their opinions and bring up and evaluate issues addressed then, all of which are task roles (behaviour which helps a group accomplish its tasks).
But why do countries join international organisations such as the UN, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank and World Health Organisation (WHO)? For the protection that the countries gain? The increase in number of trading partners? Individuals will measure the benefits from staying in a group and when they feel that there are no more benefits to them, they will withdraw from the group.
One such example is Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez’s announcement in April 2007 that ‘he would formally pull Venezuela out of the World Bank and IMF’. However, due to ‘Venezuela’s sovereign bond contracts require IMF membership’, ‘Chavez was forced to back down from an immediate exit’. The benefits to Venezuela prevented Chavez from pulling out of the World Bank and the IMF at that point in time, reiterating the point that rewards determine the members’ allegiance to the group.
Being a part of a group can be extremely beneficial to an individual as the group can meet the individual’s needs, but it can also be a source of stress for them as there are rules and regulations that members have to follow in order to continue being a part of the group. A group also can do more things that an individual can do and on a larger scale. In the case of the UN, it has accomplished a lot of things that a country will find it hard to do without help from other countries, which in itself is another form of a group.
Credits:
http://www.un.org/en/index.shtml
http://www.brettonwoodsproject.org/art-554206
Currently with 192 member states, the UN as an international body has group synergy, which enables them to do things on a much larger scale, and is able to lend support and commitment to member states. They make complex decisions about major international issues such as climate change and sanctions which requires the full, or majority, support of the group.
Full memberships to such organisations comes with time as prospective countries have to submit detailed reports and some may require time to meet all the conditions that the organisations may require. In order to join the UN, prospective members have to abide by Chapter 2, Article 4 of the UN Charter.
‘Part 1: Membership in the United Nations is open to all other peace-loving states which accept the obligations contained in the present Charter and, in the judgment of the Organization, are able and willing to carry out these obligations.
Part 2: The admission of any such state to membership in the United Nations will be effected by a decision of the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council.’
Members also have roles to play in the group as they can run for various committees such as the Security Council in UN. During the UN General Assembly, members can give their opinions and bring up and evaluate issues addressed then, all of which are task roles (behaviour which helps a group accomplish its tasks).
But why do countries join international organisations such as the UN, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank and World Health Organisation (WHO)? For the protection that the countries gain? The increase in number of trading partners? Individuals will measure the benefits from staying in a group and when they feel that there are no more benefits to them, they will withdraw from the group.
One such example is Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez’s announcement in April 2007 that ‘he would formally pull Venezuela out of the World Bank and IMF’. However, due to ‘Venezuela’s sovereign bond contracts require IMF membership’, ‘Chavez was forced to back down from an immediate exit’. The benefits to Venezuela prevented Chavez from pulling out of the World Bank and the IMF at that point in time, reiterating the point that rewards determine the members’ allegiance to the group.
Being a part of a group can be extremely beneficial to an individual as the group can meet the individual’s needs, but it can also be a source of stress for them as there are rules and regulations that members have to follow in order to continue being a part of the group. A group also can do more things that an individual can do and on a larger scale. In the case of the UN, it has accomplished a lot of things that a country will find it hard to do without help from other countries, which in itself is another form of a group.
Credits:
http://www.un.org/en/index.shtml
http://www.brettonwoodsproject.org/art-554206
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Week 5 blog entry
The article 'Former karung guni gets his girl' published in The Sunday Times on October 4, 2009, shows a real life example of interpersonal communication. We can see how interpersonal communication features in their experiences from how Mr Peter Khiew and Ms Sally Khoo met to what transpired from then to their marriage.
They met at a karaoke session and ‘hit it off instantly and began dating’. This falls under the process known as ‘Engagement’ according to DeFleur et al (2005). Reciprocity from both parties acts as a form of validation for a relationship to form. This is the first to fourth step of the Knapp Model of Relational Development (KMRD), whereby Initiating is further developed to Integrating, where a couple becomes a relational unit.
Further down the Knapp Model of Relationship Development, we have Differentiating, Circumstancing, Stagnating, Avoiding and finally Terminating. In Mr Khiew and Ms Khoo’s relationship, there was a brief period of Avoiding, whereby ‘she did not speak to him for a week’, after Mr Khiew’s sudden public proposal. This is an example of a conflict caused by differences in perception. But this conflict was functional (builds a relationship) and only brought them closer.
In the article, Mr Khiew once ‘camped out all night at the carpark below’ where Ms Khoo lived so that ‘she would feel safe’. This shows how a party identifies the other party’s short term needs, which is in this case, a sense of security, and realizes the need. His actions proved to Ms Khoo how important she is to him and that further reinforces their relationship.
And with the marriage of Mr Khiew and Ms Khoo, they have arrived at the fifth stage of Knapp Model of Relationship Development, Bonding, characterized by significant public rituals and formalization of obligation and commitment.
-
Congratulations to Mr Peter Khiew and Ms Sally Khoo on their wedding.
They met at a karaoke session and ‘hit it off instantly and began dating’. This falls under the process known as ‘Engagement’ according to DeFleur et al (2005). Reciprocity from both parties acts as a form of validation for a relationship to form. This is the first to fourth step of the Knapp Model of Relational Development (KMRD), whereby Initiating is further developed to Integrating, where a couple becomes a relational unit.
Further down the Knapp Model of Relationship Development, we have Differentiating, Circumstancing, Stagnating, Avoiding and finally Terminating. In Mr Khiew and Ms Khoo’s relationship, there was a brief period of Avoiding, whereby ‘she did not speak to him for a week’, after Mr Khiew’s sudden public proposal. This is an example of a conflict caused by differences in perception. But this conflict was functional (builds a relationship) and only brought them closer.
In the article, Mr Khiew once ‘camped out all night at the carpark below’ where Ms Khoo lived so that ‘she would feel safe’. This shows how a party identifies the other party’s short term needs, which is in this case, a sense of security, and realizes the need. His actions proved to Ms Khoo how important she is to him and that further reinforces their relationship.
And with the marriage of Mr Khiew and Ms Khoo, they have arrived at the fifth stage of Knapp Model of Relationship Development, Bonding, characterized by significant public rituals and formalization of obligation and commitment.
-
Congratulations to Mr Peter Khiew and Ms Sally Khoo on their wedding.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Week 4 blog post
In town this week for F1 Rocks Singapore With LG is Hollywood starlet Lindsay Lohan. An interview of Lohan was featured in the article “Lohan ‘hearts Singapore’” published in Life, The Straits Times on Friday, September 25 2009.
Published interviews often include non-verbal cues which the interviewee exhibits during the interview and in this interview, Lohan used several non-verbal cues such as outward appearance, tapping of her fingers and initiating changes in the location of the interview.
One aspect of non-verbal cues that we tend to overlook is punctuality, but this non-verbal cue is one that can give us an insight into the other person. In this case, Lohan was over an hour late for the interview, and in the article, the phrase ‘true to diva form’ was used to show the significance of punctuality. Very Important Persons (VIPs) are usually the ones who show up fashionably late for events. This non-verbal cue has been used, perhaps unintentionally, to show Lohan’s status as a celebrity.
Her dressing was another point to note, a floral skirt matched with a black top and a cropped jacket makes for a fashionable outfit suitable to be worn in hot, humid Singapore. It is not over-the-top, but more of a simple, girl-next-door charm which makes people feel more comfortable around her. Feelings can affect a person’s behaviour and thinking and by giving the impression that she is approachable to the press, she makes things easier to proceed.
During the interview, Lohan was ‘all smiles’ and ‘on her best behaviour’. As a celebrity, Lohan understands the importance of giving others a good impression. She ‘patiently fielded questions’ and with the exception of ‘rapidly tapping fingers on her knee’, she showed no outward signs of boredom. Lohan shows her professionalism by maintaining her smiles, with no negative comments about the interview.
Half way during the interview, she suggested a change in location for the interview, moving from a chair to a bed. This action shows that Lohan is reinforcing the fact that she is the one in control of the interview.
There was a mention of Lohan’s public image and her actions at New York Fashion Week earlier this month. Those were put in to show the difference in Lohan’s behaviour then and at the interview. Seeing her then and now gives you two vastly different impressions of Lohan.
Published interviews often include non-verbal cues which the interviewee exhibits during the interview and in this interview, Lohan used several non-verbal cues such as outward appearance, tapping of her fingers and initiating changes in the location of the interview.
One aspect of non-verbal cues that we tend to overlook is punctuality, but this non-verbal cue is one that can give us an insight into the other person. In this case, Lohan was over an hour late for the interview, and in the article, the phrase ‘true to diva form’ was used to show the significance of punctuality. Very Important Persons (VIPs) are usually the ones who show up fashionably late for events. This non-verbal cue has been used, perhaps unintentionally, to show Lohan’s status as a celebrity.
Her dressing was another point to note, a floral skirt matched with a black top and a cropped jacket makes for a fashionable outfit suitable to be worn in hot, humid Singapore. It is not over-the-top, but more of a simple, girl-next-door charm which makes people feel more comfortable around her. Feelings can affect a person’s behaviour and thinking and by giving the impression that she is approachable to the press, she makes things easier to proceed.
During the interview, Lohan was ‘all smiles’ and ‘on her best behaviour’. As a celebrity, Lohan understands the importance of giving others a good impression. She ‘patiently fielded questions’ and with the exception of ‘rapidly tapping fingers on her knee’, she showed no outward signs of boredom. Lohan shows her professionalism by maintaining her smiles, with no negative comments about the interview.
Half way during the interview, she suggested a change in location for the interview, moving from a chair to a bed. This action shows that Lohan is reinforcing the fact that she is the one in control of the interview.
There was a mention of Lohan’s public image and her actions at New York Fashion Week earlier this month. Those were put in to show the difference in Lohan’s behaviour then and at the interview. Seeing her then and now gives you two vastly different impressions of Lohan.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Week 3 blog entry
Formula 1(F1) season is back in Singapore again, to the joy of many F1 fans, myself included. However, in recent seasons, F1 has seen many setbacks, from the withdrawal of BMW Sauber and Honda, to the latest F1 scandal, ‘Crashgate’, involving Renault, Nelson Piquet Jr., Flavio Briatore and Patrick Symonds.
In the article “F1 veers towards madness” by Rohit Brijnath in The Straits Times on Friday, September 18 2009, the author picked out, summarized and interpreted certain information about the CrashGate scandal. Many readers would also have done the same given the widespread coverage of CrashGate.
F1 in recent years have more negative than positive news and CrashGate is just the latest in a series of scandals. Following SpyGate and LieGate, CrashGate is set to be, if it is already not, F1’s biggest news in the 2009 season. Within the past two to three weeks, hardly a day goes by without an article in the newspaper commenting on CrashGate. With such bombardment of information by the mass media, even non-F1 followers would have developed their own perceptions about the sport.
F1 is a fairly new sport to Singapore. 2009 is the second year that Singapore is hosting the race, at the Marina Bay Circuit. It is a novelty for local fans who are unable to attend races held at other circuits and for Singaporeans in general. But with such scandals, it is a matter of time before the novelty runs out. Fans follow F1 for the excitement, the speed and the technology, not for scandals that drag the credibility of F1 through the mud.
What made the Renault team do what they did? To give Alonso his podium finish? For the team to get constructor points? Why did Piquet Jr. do it? Was it for an extension for his contract so he could stay in F1? Alonso got his podium finish, Renault got their points and Piquet Jr. got a one-year extension for his contract with Renault (for your information, Briatore sacked Piquet Jr. after the Hungarian Grand Prix, which some speculate was what caused the leak of information that brought CrashGate to light). It is understandable that winning was the driving force behind it, but why a crash? Taking such a drastic step with such high risks.
If it is true that F1 teams have to resort to underhanded methods in order to win, then it is a sad thought that this sport, where we expect the highest level of sportsmanship, would have sunk so low. Winning may be the goal of all sports, but it is not worth risking a life for the sake of winning one race. In the future, people may look back at F1 and CrashGate will be one of the scandals that will marr the history of a sport that enthralled millions.
In the article “F1 veers towards madness” by Rohit Brijnath in The Straits Times on Friday, September 18 2009, the author picked out, summarized and interpreted certain information about the CrashGate scandal. Many readers would also have done the same given the widespread coverage of CrashGate.
F1 in recent years have more negative than positive news and CrashGate is just the latest in a series of scandals. Following SpyGate and LieGate, CrashGate is set to be, if it is already not, F1’s biggest news in the 2009 season. Within the past two to three weeks, hardly a day goes by without an article in the newspaper commenting on CrashGate. With such bombardment of information by the mass media, even non-F1 followers would have developed their own perceptions about the sport.
F1 is a fairly new sport to Singapore. 2009 is the second year that Singapore is hosting the race, at the Marina Bay Circuit. It is a novelty for local fans who are unable to attend races held at other circuits and for Singaporeans in general. But with such scandals, it is a matter of time before the novelty runs out. Fans follow F1 for the excitement, the speed and the technology, not for scandals that drag the credibility of F1 through the mud.
What made the Renault team do what they did? To give Alonso his podium finish? For the team to get constructor points? Why did Piquet Jr. do it? Was it for an extension for his contract so he could stay in F1? Alonso got his podium finish, Renault got their points and Piquet Jr. got a one-year extension for his contract with Renault (for your information, Briatore sacked Piquet Jr. after the Hungarian Grand Prix, which some speculate was what caused the leak of information that brought CrashGate to light). It is understandable that winning was the driving force behind it, but why a crash? Taking such a drastic step with such high risks.
If it is true that F1 teams have to resort to underhanded methods in order to win, then it is a sad thought that this sport, where we expect the highest level of sportsmanship, would have sunk so low. Winning may be the goal of all sports, but it is not worth risking a life for the sake of winning one race. In the future, people may look back at F1 and CrashGate will be one of the scandals that will marr the history of a sport that enthralled millions.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Week 2 Entry
In recent times, it is considered fashionable to have a unique date on one’s certificate of marriage. August 8, 2008, 08/08/08, was probably one of the most desired wedding dates, more so in Asian countries and especially among the Chinese.
The number eight, 8, ‘ba’, sounds like ‘fa’, which means wealth or prosperity in Chinese. 08/08/08 has three ‘8’s, which bodes a prosperous start to a newly wedded couple’s life. Moreover, having the date of the Beijing Olympics on the marriage certificate is also something that a Chinese national can be proud of. In 2009, one of the favourite dates for weddings was September 9 of that year, 09/09/09. The number nine, 9, ‘jiu’, means everlasting in Chinese, and is seen as an auspicious sign for long-lasting marriages.
Language is a part of communication that can influence the way we think and act, as shown by the large number of marriages in China on 08/08/08 and 09/09/09. If ‘eight’, ‘nine’, ‘everlasting’ or ‘prosperity’ is pronounced differently, there probably would not have been as many marriages specially scheduled for these particular dates.
In the article ‘090909 - 366 couples wed’ dated September 9, 2009 featured on The Straits Times website, 366 couples tied the knot in Singapore, compared to a daily average of 64. This phenomenon was also observed in China where the number of weddings hit a record high again this year repeating the 2008 trend.
The Chinese culture places a strong emphasis on having weddings on auspicious dates, and many Chinese couples take into consideration the corresponding dates in the Lunar and Gregorian calendar.
If not for 09/09/09 happening to be during the seventh lunar month, also known as the Ghost Month, the number of couples who got married in Singapore on that day would have been much higher. For many South-East Asian Chinese, the seventh lunar month is not seen to be an auspicious time for weddings and should be avoided if possible. While a one-day record for marriages was broken in China on 09/09/09, the number of weddings in Singapore for the same day fell to 366, almost half of that in 07/07/07. Such is the impact due to slight differences in cultures between China and South-East Asia.
By taking beliefs and attitudes from cultural traditions, we view and understand what is shown to us differently. The younger generation tends to be less superstitious than the older generation but in Asian cultures, the elderly are viewed to be more experienced and respected and tend to have the final say on the choice of wedding dates.
However, as the world becomes more cosmopolitan, the boundaries between cultures will eventually become blurred. Also, an auspicious date may give a good start but how the marriage will work out ultimately depends on the parties involved.
---
Credits:
1. ‘08/08/08 – A special date’
(http://theweddingplannerireland.wordpress.com/2008/01/18/080808-a-special-date/)
2. ‘090909 - 366 couples wed’ By Ng Xiao Yan and Ess Aubrey Gabrelyn
(http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_427318.html)
3. Lucky "999" day sees tens of thousands Chinese wed
(http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-09/09/content_12023487.htm)
The number eight, 8, ‘ba’, sounds like ‘fa’, which means wealth or prosperity in Chinese. 08/08/08 has three ‘8’s, which bodes a prosperous start to a newly wedded couple’s life. Moreover, having the date of the Beijing Olympics on the marriage certificate is also something that a Chinese national can be proud of. In 2009, one of the favourite dates for weddings was September 9 of that year, 09/09/09. The number nine, 9, ‘jiu’, means everlasting in Chinese, and is seen as an auspicious sign for long-lasting marriages.
Language is a part of communication that can influence the way we think and act, as shown by the large number of marriages in China on 08/08/08 and 09/09/09. If ‘eight’, ‘nine’, ‘everlasting’ or ‘prosperity’ is pronounced differently, there probably would not have been as many marriages specially scheduled for these particular dates.
In the article ‘090909 - 366 couples wed’ dated September 9, 2009 featured on The Straits Times website, 366 couples tied the knot in Singapore, compared to a daily average of 64. This phenomenon was also observed in China where the number of weddings hit a record high again this year repeating the 2008 trend.
The Chinese culture places a strong emphasis on having weddings on auspicious dates, and many Chinese couples take into consideration the corresponding dates in the Lunar and Gregorian calendar.
If not for 09/09/09 happening to be during the seventh lunar month, also known as the Ghost Month, the number of couples who got married in Singapore on that day would have been much higher. For many South-East Asian Chinese, the seventh lunar month is not seen to be an auspicious time for weddings and should be avoided if possible. While a one-day record for marriages was broken in China on 09/09/09, the number of weddings in Singapore for the same day fell to 366, almost half of that in 07/07/07. Such is the impact due to slight differences in cultures between China and South-East Asia.
By taking beliefs and attitudes from cultural traditions, we view and understand what is shown to us differently. The younger generation tends to be less superstitious than the older generation but in Asian cultures, the elderly are viewed to be more experienced and respected and tend to have the final say on the choice of wedding dates.
However, as the world becomes more cosmopolitan, the boundaries between cultures will eventually become blurred. Also, an auspicious date may give a good start but how the marriage will work out ultimately depends on the parties involved.
---
Credits:
1. ‘08/08/08 – A special date’
(http://theweddingplannerireland.wordpress.com/2008/01/18/080808-a-special-date/)
2. ‘090909 - 366 couples wed’ By Ng Xiao Yan and Ess Aubrey Gabrelyn
(http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_427318.html)
3. Lucky "999" day sees tens of thousands Chinese wed
(http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-09/09/content_12023487.htm)
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
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