Some pundits worry that the Oscar ceremony won't feel like the real thing, because the late date (April 25) is disorienting and because the show will be divided between two venues, Los Angeles's Union Station and the traditional Dolby Theatre. In truth, a fluid date and multiple locations go back to Oscar's earliest days. The first televised ceremony in 1953 had cameras in both Hollywood and New York, a tactic that continued through 1957. Even before that, Oscar included live segments. So this is a return to the original format. Early ceremonies were broadcast on radio; in 1940, the show stopped for its first live remote, which was Franklin D. Roosevelt's six-minute address to showbiz. (Yes, politics and Oscar have always mixed.) In 1951, ABC Radio aired the Oscars. Lead actor contender Jose Ferrer was starring in the comedy 20th Century on Broadway with fellow nominee Gloria Swanson, so he scheduled a modest Oscar-night birthday party for her at Manhattan's La Zambra ... » Learn More about What will Oscar ceremony look like? Like it did in the 1950s (but in colour)
What did the real cleopatra look like
5 stylish homes in Singapore that don’t look like HDB flats
HDB flats may be a basic space, but that doesn't mean the decor has to be basic. If you're too late for these new BTO homes with condo-like features, fret not. You can still have a stylish HDB flat. Here's a look at some stunning HDB interiors that are proof of how you can have the home design you've always dreamed of - no matter the size of your home. It just takes a bit of creativity. 1. Oriental chic There is incredible detail in every corner of this Chinoiserie-themed five-room flat, which was the result of a collaborative effort between interior designer Trifven Ho from Living Icon and the homeowners, Trish and Jason Yong. The previous owner had bought the corridor space, giving Trifven more space to experiment with various tiles. A splash of red anchors the entryway and complements the oriental decor. What went into the $100,000 renovation? According to homeowner Trish, most of the budget went into reconfigurating the space. "We took some space from the dining room for ... » Learn More about 5 stylish homes in Singapore that don’t look like HDB flats
What really drove Singaporean real estate prices down during Covid-19?
Singapore’s housing market is among some of the most expensive in the world. However, with the outbreak of the Coronavirus, Singapore’s real estate market, which has been strong over the past few years, has experienced considerable turbulence in pricing compared to previous years. But was every neighbourhood in Singapore affected similarly by the pandemic? In this study, we’ve analysed the price per square foot by postal code to examine exactly which Singaporean neighbourhoods saw the greatest price changes during the pandemic. Private real estate price changes by district (February - July 2020) Key Findings Real estate in Singapore's central region was disproportionately affected during the height of the pandemic, as prices dropped by almost 14 per cent between February and July, compared to the overall market's 7 per cent price decline In contrast, real estate prices in neighbourhoods in the outer regions of Singapore grew by 5.05 per cent, indicating that during ... » Learn More about What really drove Singaporean real estate prices down during Covid-19?
Real estate is worth the investment
Amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, some businesses or industries managed to flourish as others were severely affected. One such industry that managed to survive the onslaught of the pandemic is real estate because it is something that does not lose value, which makes it worth investing under any circumstance. In this industry, real estate brokers play a key role in ensuring a successful transaction, which translates to a successful investment. A good broker will never let a client down and one such brokerage firm is Top Realty Corp. According to Jackson Lim Jr., chief executive officer of Top Realty, the most compelling reason is that real estate investments protect home buyers and investors from annual inflation. “So, in order to beat inflation, you need to “grow” your money through investments that provide rates of return higher than the rate of inflation. There are many ways to achieve this, but investing in real estate is definitely one of the best,” ... » Learn More about Real estate is worth the investment
Are video calls causing you to become insecure about your looks
When I was a child, looking in the mirror was considered an act of vanity. I vaguely remember being chastised by my granny when I was caught checking myself out. The mirror served simply as a way of making sure you didn't have a smudge on your nose or tangled hair. I'm not old enough that a man had to hide his head under a blanket to take family pictures, but certainly, my childhood took place before digital cameras. There was no delete button and just 24 or 36 exposures on a roll of film, and we would sometimes have to wait months before mum or dad visited the pharmacy to develop the blurry shots from family trips. Digital media and then social media changed all that. Every shot can be retaken, results are instant, we know our best angles and lighting, and posting a selfie on Instagram is normal, not needy. All that may have caused myriad problems with self-image, but I, a middle-aged person, was largely unaffected, or so I thought. And then the pandemic hit. Zoom and ... » Learn More about Are video calls causing you to become insecure about your looks
Benzema delivering for Real Madrid but still stuck in Ronaldo’s shadow
Real Madrid want to improve their attack and Zinedine Zidane has said a return for Cristiano Ronaldo is possible. Madrid may be looking for a striker who has scored more than 20 goals already this season, including at least five in the Champions League. Or one that delivers on the big occasion, like a Champions League knock-out game or a crunch La Liga fixture against the league leaders. They might also think fitness is important, someone who plays the majority of matches, and form, who may have scored something like nine goals in their last 10 games. Real Madrid already have a striker that ticks all those boxes but Karim Benzema is not Ronaldo and never has been. When Ronaldo was at the club, Benzema embraced his role of supporting actor and when Ronaldo left, he stepped up to become the lead. Others were supposed to do the same but failed, like Gareth Bale, who was sent on loan to Tottenham, or Eden Hazard, whose injuries have reduced him to almost an irrelevance. There ... » Learn More about Benzema delivering for Real Madrid but still stuck in Ronaldo’s shadow
Witnessing the real Xinjiang, foreign diplomats debunk lies
"The naan has a perfect integration of tradition and modernity," said Norov, secretary-general of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). He said what impressed him most was the industrial chain driven by naan, a daily food for the people in Xinjiang, which is also gaining popularity in other parts of China. The naan making involves agricultural production, processing, logistics, cultural creativity, and the tourism industry, thus providing various positions for job seekers. Norov is not the only one impressed by the social and economic development in Xinjiang in recent years. From March 30 to April 2, a delegation comprising Norov and more than 30 diplomats from some 21 countries visited Xinjiang. They talked with locals from various sectors of society, visited local schools and enterprises, and debunked rumors about Xinjiang, a region whose image is frequently distorted by some Western politicians, organizations and media. REFUTING LIES Mohammad ... » Learn More about Witnessing the real Xinjiang, foreign diplomats debunk lies
Trans athletes not an issue but discrimination real
All around the country, states are rushing to approve laws to address a supposed problem that, in reality, doesn’t actually exist. Has there even been a case where a transgender athlete actually stole a college scholarship or gained an unfair competitive advantage? That sound you hear is crickets. Seriously, if folks are so concerned about the state of women’s athletics, there are no shortage of inequities they could turn their attention to. For starters, the NCAA basketball tournaments. Instead, states like Mississippi, Arkansas and Tennessee prefer to focus on transgender athletes, demonizing them as some sort of spurious group plotting the downfall of women’s sports. What a bunch of nonsense. And dangerous nonsense, at that. Transgender people already face a barrage of discrimination, incessant bullying and ridicule, and even occasional acts of violence for simply trying to be true to themselves. A few years ago, it was those ridiculous, demeaning bathroom laws — ... » Learn More about Trans athletes not an issue but discrimination real
18 renovation regrets from real-life homeowners so you won’t make the same mistakes
We recently spoke to a couple of homeowners as well as asked our readers on Instagram what some of their renovation regrets were. If you’re currently planning your home renovation, it helps to see what others have gone through to learn what should have been done better. We’ve also included our tips so you can make a more informed decision in your own renovation. These are what they had to say: 1. “Didn’t realise my laminate choice looked so messy.” Our tip: Unless you’re opting for solid colour laminates, don’t just rely on sample sizes. Head down to the laminate supplier if you can and request to see the actual size. Laminates with woodgrains, or any other patterned laminates for that matter, can look very different in sample sizes versus actual sizes. 2. “Marble countertop.” Our tip: Gorgeous as they are, marble is an incredibly high-maintenance material, especially for a hardworking place like the countertop. Marble is a soft, porous natural stone that stains and ... » Learn More about 18 renovation regrets from real-life homeowners so you won’t make the same mistakes
Ruthless Real Madrid turn to Barca after Liverpool rout
Real Madrid have made a habit of saving their best for the biggest moments of the season and their 3-1 win over Liverpool in the Champions League on Tuesday suggested they could be ready to do it again. Madrid rolled back the years with a performance reminiscent of their most ruthless days under Zinedine Zidane, when they powered through the knock-out stages to win three European titles in a row, or motored to 10 consecutive victories at the end of last season to win La Liga. A pivotal eight days that pitched two quarter-final legs against Liverpool either side of Saturday's Clasico against Barcelona got off to the perfect start, Vinicius Junior's double and a Toni Kroos masterclass at the Alfredo di Stefano stadium putting Madrid in sight of another Champions League semi-final. Mohamed Salah's away goal early in the second half, and Liverpool's comeback from a more desperate situation against Barcelona in 2019, should serve as warnings against complacency. But an imperious and ... » Learn More about Ruthless Real Madrid turn to Barca after Liverpool rout