THE line between a plan and an idea is a fine one. A waver of the designer's pen, a slip of the draughtsman's sketchpad, and a workable concept could become just a concept.

LET'S say that Singapore meets its projected population of 6.5 million. And that it fits all these people into its tiny 710 square kilometres. If it manages to do so - and it looks like it will rather soon - then it follows that the planet's population of 6.5 billion, a thousand times that of 6.5 million, could very well fit into a thousand Singapores. That would take up only 0.5 per cent of the world's land area.

ACCORDING to the latest United Nations reports, almost half of the world's population lives in cities today and by the year 2030 they expect more than 60 per cent of the world population will be urbanised.

THE Brazilian Carnival (or 'Carnaval', as Brazilians call it) in Rio de Janeiro and Salvador is one of the best-known Carnavals and street parties today - a riotous explosion of feathers, glitter and skin.

PLAYING Pac-Man, listening to Michael Jackson (on cassette tapes, no less) and watching Star Wars - these are memories that people all over the world who lived through the 1980s look back on with nostalgia.

AT THE start of Going the Distance, a film about the perils of the long-distance relationship, newly-single music executive Garrett (Justin Long) has just been dumped by his girlfriend because of a disturbing lack of interest in what women really want - a condition common to most young, healthy, beer-swilling males of his persuasion.

WITH the Seventh Month festivities now in full swing, two new horror-themed movies have opened just in time before the real-life spookfest winds down in about a week. However, don't count on both films to give you the jitters.

SEX sells and Hush's director Jeremiah R Oh should know it by now.

THERE comes a time in every cover band's career when it considers taking the leap into original material, and local band 53A has taken that step with its first album, Settle The Kettle.

LISTENING to Sarah Cheng-De Winne's sassy debut EP, Let's Pretend, it's hard to believe the 22-year-old has no formal jazz theory training.

FINE wines need to age to develop to their optimum potential. This cellaring period varies depending on many factors, chief among which is their pedigree.

A SERIES of upcoming parties at different venues across Singapore, the Jet Black Party series will kick off with a Singapore Grand Prix pre-party on Sept 10 at Powerhouse (St James Powerstation).

SOME games aren't suitable for children, such as fantasy game Dante's Inferno. But Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days is a little too violent even for young teenagers. In fact, it's disturbing for adults.

SINGAPORE'S reputation as a food paradise is not lost on top-tier international chefs who have been turning up on our shores, and Formula One is just one more reason for acclaimed chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten to make a return trip.