A person who always watches her diet, exercises regularly, always prefer home-cooked food, always eat more vegetables than meat, not smoking and drinking etc, yet will fall ill or sick.
The worst is she has cancer which means the end of the world.
Cancer can be loosely described as uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in our body. These abnormal cells begin to take control over the growth of our normal cells.
Cancer patients often get thinner and weaker as they approach their final moment.
I pray to God if I ever suffer from cancer, please take me away fast without much pain.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Population hits 4.59m
THE sense of a growing squeeze in shopping malls, MRT trains and hawker centres has been borne out by figures released by the Government on Friday.
Singapore's population grew by a record 5.5 per cent last year, the highest annual spike since Census figures were collected in 1871.
This means that as of June, there are 4.84 million people living in this country, up from 4.59 million last year.
Of these, the number of foreigners - fuelled by a fast-trotting economy last year - expanded the most rapidly, by a whopping 19 per cent, swelling their numbers to 1.2 million.
In contrast, the number of citizens grew by 1 per cent, while the number of permanent residents climbed 6.5 per cent. Together, they add up to 3.64 million residents.
The figures were announced on Friday by the National Population Secretariat (NPS), under the Prime Minister's Office, which is tasked with overseeing Singapore's population policies.
source : www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_282837.htmlMy comments:
More crowded shopping malls, schools, train stations, bus terminals etc?
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Doc, I want to die!
I overheard this heart-breaking story.
A lady (middle-aged) was crying and begging her doctor to let her die because she has cancer. Having cancer is just like a death sentence has been passed. Having cancer is so common yet doctors even with modern medical technology, research and equipment are still so helpless and cueless about this disease.
The doctor and nurses who attended to her could only consoled her to be brave and face the reality and treatment. What else can the medical staff do?
A lady (middle-aged) was crying and begging her doctor to let her die because she has cancer. Having cancer is just like a death sentence has been passed. Having cancer is so common yet doctors even with modern medical technology, research and equipment are still so helpless and cueless about this disease.
The doctor and nurses who attended to her could only consoled her to be brave and face the reality and treatment. What else can the medical staff do?
Birth, Old, Sick & Death
Birth, Old, Sick and Death is a process where all living things have to go through whether one likes it or not.
My mother in law is facing the last stage now.
My own beloved mother is in the third stage.
I am in the second stage.
At times, I fail to see the meanings of life at all.
My mother in law is facing the last stage now.
My own beloved mother is in the third stage.
I am in the second stage.
At times, I fail to see the meanings of life at all.
Singapore Formula One Night Race (26-28 Sep)
To make it a history, Singapore will be hosting the first Formula One Night race during 26-28 Sep 2008. Roads involved are already closed for last minute preparations.
Lots of celebrities and racers have already reached Singapore. They will boost up the tourism and other related industries.
Lots of celebrities and racers have already reached Singapore. They will boost up the tourism and other related industries.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Ten Tales Worth Remembering One
The week that was 10 astounding market facts from Wall Street's wildest week
By Nick Godt, MarketWatch
Last update: 3:52 p.m. EDT Sept. 20, 2008
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- The stock market ended little changed on the week.
Not usually a newsworthy assessment for equities, but in context, that's a fact that would surely make the list of astounding market numbers for what may well be one of Wall Street's most tumultuous weeks on record.
Here's MarketWatch's top 10 items from this week's markets news:
1. On the heels of 158-year old investment firm Lehman Brothers declaring bankruptcy, the Dow Jones Industrial Average on Monday tumbled 504 points, its worst point drop since Sept. 17, 2001, when stocks reopened after the Sept.11 attacks.
2. Hopes on Thursday -- followed by confirmation on Friday -- of a big government plan to take over debt instruments linked to bad home loans leads the Dow industrials to their biggest two-day gains since March 2000.
3. Scrambling for the safe haven of government debt on Monday led yields on two-year Treasury notes to slump the most since Sept. 17, 2001, before jumping by the most in more than 20 years Friday, on the heels of the government's rescue plan.
4. On the New York Stock Exchange, trading volumes for all shares traded by the NYSE Group spiked to 4.2 billion on Thursday, the highest on record.
5. On Wednesday, the volatility index otherwise known as the market's fear gauge, spiked to 41.97 -- its highest level since August 2002, on the Chicago Board Options Exchange.
6. On the same day, gold jumped more than $70 an ounce on the New York Mercantile Exchange, its biggest one-day jump in dollar terms since at least 1980. In electronic trading Friday, the precious metal then tumbled by more than $68, its biggest drop in 28 years.
7. Also on Wednesday, the Dow slumped to its lowest level since October 2005 as lending between banks around the globe nearly ground to a halt. The 3-month U.S. dollar London Interbank Offered Rate, or LIBOR, saw its biggest one-day jump in 9 years.
8. As emerging markets tumbled in unison with Wall Street early this week, Moscow's Micex index plunged more than 17% Tuesday, before surging nearly 30% Friday, its biggest one-day gain ever.
9. Crude oil futures dropped to a low of $90.80 per barrel this week, their lowest level since early February. They climbed back as high as $103.64 on Friday, their highest level since Sept. 10.
10. Oh, yeah. The Dow ended little changed on the week, while the S&P 500
Nick Godt is a MarketWatch reporter based in New York.
(source: www.marketwatch.com/news/story/ten-tales-worth-remembering-one/story.aspx?guid=%7b795F0A3A-9AAC-4432-80FE-472589A33F2A%7d&dist=hplatest&print=true&dist=printMidSection)
By Nick Godt, MarketWatch
Last update: 3:52 p.m. EDT Sept. 20, 2008
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- The stock market ended little changed on the week.
Not usually a newsworthy assessment for equities, but in context, that's a fact that would surely make the list of astounding market numbers for what may well be one of Wall Street's most tumultuous weeks on record.
Here's MarketWatch's top 10 items from this week's markets news:
1. On the heels of 158-year old investment firm Lehman Brothers declaring bankruptcy, the Dow Jones Industrial Average on Monday tumbled 504 points, its worst point drop since Sept. 17, 2001, when stocks reopened after the Sept.11 attacks.
2. Hopes on Thursday -- followed by confirmation on Friday -- of a big government plan to take over debt instruments linked to bad home loans leads the Dow industrials to their biggest two-day gains since March 2000.
3. Scrambling for the safe haven of government debt on Monday led yields on two-year Treasury notes to slump the most since Sept. 17, 2001, before jumping by the most in more than 20 years Friday, on the heels of the government's rescue plan.
4. On the New York Stock Exchange, trading volumes for all shares traded by the NYSE Group spiked to 4.2 billion on Thursday, the highest on record.
5. On Wednesday, the volatility index otherwise known as the market's fear gauge, spiked to 41.97 -- its highest level since August 2002, on the Chicago Board Options Exchange.
6. On the same day, gold jumped more than $70 an ounce on the New York Mercantile Exchange, its biggest one-day jump in dollar terms since at least 1980. In electronic trading Friday, the precious metal then tumbled by more than $68, its biggest drop in 28 years.
7. Also on Wednesday, the Dow slumped to its lowest level since October 2005 as lending between banks around the globe nearly ground to a halt. The 3-month U.S. dollar London Interbank Offered Rate, or LIBOR, saw its biggest one-day jump in 9 years.
8. As emerging markets tumbled in unison with Wall Street early this week, Moscow's Micex index plunged more than 17% Tuesday, before surging nearly 30% Friday, its biggest one-day gain ever.
9. Crude oil futures dropped to a low of $90.80 per barrel this week, their lowest level since early February. They climbed back as high as $103.64 on Friday, their highest level since Sept. 10.
10. Oh, yeah. The Dow ended little changed on the week, while the S&P 500
Nick Godt is a MarketWatch reporter based in New York.
(source: www.marketwatch.com/news/story/ten-tales-worth-remembering-one/story.aspx?guid=%7b795F0A3A-9AAC-4432-80FE-472589A33F2A%7d&dist=hplatest&print=true&dist=printMidSection)
Last week (15-21 Sep 2008)
Last week (15-21 Sep 2008) has been a memorable one for me.
The collapse of 158 years old Lehman Brothers sent chill to world wide investors. To add salt to the wound, AIG was on the verge to collapse. Thanks to US Fed which stepped in with tons of money to rescue US from entering into depression (not recession).
The stock indices went on a wild roller coastal ride. One day they were all high UP and the other day, they fell into bottomless pit.
Not many people could take such a sight with much ease.
Following the collapse of Lehman Brothers, their products called minibonds which were issued by them a couple of years ago were in deep troubles. These structured and complicated products were selling like hot cakes to thousand of conservative investors. They promised attractive interest rates over a few years and linked to big banks and financial institutions which were too big to fail.
Now we can only do nothing but to watch how more ugly scenes to be unfolded.
The collapse of 158 years old Lehman Brothers sent chill to world wide investors. To add salt to the wound, AIG was on the verge to collapse. Thanks to US Fed which stepped in with tons of money to rescue US from entering into depression (not recession).
The stock indices went on a wild roller coastal ride. One day they were all high UP and the other day, they fell into bottomless pit.
Not many people could take such a sight with much ease.
Following the collapse of Lehman Brothers, their products called minibonds which were issued by them a couple of years ago were in deep troubles. These structured and complicated products were selling like hot cakes to thousand of conservative investors. They promised attractive interest rates over a few years and linked to big banks and financial institutions which were too big to fail.
Now we can only do nothing but to watch how more ugly scenes to be unfolded.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
US Government $85 billion loan to save AIG
WASHINGTON - In a bid to save financial markets and economy from further turmoil, the U.S. government agreed Tuesday to provide an $85 billion emergency loan to rescue the huge insurer AIG. The Federal Reserve said in a statement it determined that a disorderly failure of AIG could hurt the already delicate financial markets and the economy.
It also could "lead to substantially higher borrowing costs, reduced household wealth and materially weaker economic performance," the Fed said.
"The President supports the agreement announced this evening by the Federal Reserve," said White House spokesman Tony Fratto. "These steps are taken in the interest of promoting stability in financial markets and limiting damage to the broader economy."
Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said the administration was working closely with the Fed, the Securities and Exchange Commission and other government regulators to "enhance the stability and orderliness of our financial markets and minimize the disruption to our economy."
"I support the steps taken by the Federal Reserve tonight to assist AIG in continuing to meet its obligations, mitigate broader disruptions and at the same time protect taxpayers," Paulson said in a statement.
The Fed said in return for the loan, the government will receive a 79.9 percent equity stake in AIG.
Earlier, Fed chairman Bernanke and Paulson met with Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and House Republican leader John Boehner of Ohio, to brief them on the government's option.
"At the administration's request, I met this evening with Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. They expressed the administration's views on the deepening economic turmoil and shared with us their latest proposals regarding AIG," Reid told reporters. "The Treasury and the Fed have promised to provide more details in the near future, which I believe must address the broader, underlying structural issues in the financial markets."
On Tuesday, shares of the insurance company swung violently as rumors of potential deals involving the government or private parties emerged and were dashed. By late Tuesday, its shares had closed down 20 percent _ and another 45 percent after hours. Still, no deal emerged.
The problems at AIG stemmed from its insurance of mortgage-backed securities and other risky debt against default. If AIG couldn't make good on its promise to pay back soured debt, investors feared the consequences would pose a greater threat to the U.S. financial system than this week's collapse of the investment bank Lehman Brothers.
The worries were triggered after Moody's Investor Service and Standard and Poor's lowered AIG's credit ratings, forcing AIG to seek more money for collateral against its insurance contracts. Without that money, AIG would have defaulted on its obligations and the buyers of its insurance _ such as banks and other financial companies _ would have found themselves without protection against losses on the debt they hold.
"It might not just bring down other financial institutions in the U.S. It could bring down overseas financial institutions," said Timothy Canova, a professor of international economic law at Chapman University School of Law. "If Lehman Brother's failure could help trigger AIG's going down, who knows who AIG's failure could trigger next."
New York-based AIG operates an insurance and financial services businesses ranging from property, casualty, auto and life insurance to annuity and investment services. Those traditional insurance operations are considered healthy and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners said "they are solvent and have the capability to pay claims."
source: sg.news.yahoo.com/ap/20080917/tbs-aig-f8250da.html
It also could "lead to substantially higher borrowing costs, reduced household wealth and materially weaker economic performance," the Fed said.
"The President supports the agreement announced this evening by the Federal Reserve," said White House spokesman Tony Fratto. "These steps are taken in the interest of promoting stability in financial markets and limiting damage to the broader economy."
Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said the administration was working closely with the Fed, the Securities and Exchange Commission and other government regulators to "enhance the stability and orderliness of our financial markets and minimize the disruption to our economy."
"I support the steps taken by the Federal Reserve tonight to assist AIG in continuing to meet its obligations, mitigate broader disruptions and at the same time protect taxpayers," Paulson said in a statement.
The Fed said in return for the loan, the government will receive a 79.9 percent equity stake in AIG.
Earlier, Fed chairman Bernanke and Paulson met with Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and House Republican leader John Boehner of Ohio, to brief them on the government's option.
"At the administration's request, I met this evening with Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. They expressed the administration's views on the deepening economic turmoil and shared with us their latest proposals regarding AIG," Reid told reporters. "The Treasury and the Fed have promised to provide more details in the near future, which I believe must address the broader, underlying structural issues in the financial markets."
On Tuesday, shares of the insurance company swung violently as rumors of potential deals involving the government or private parties emerged and were dashed. By late Tuesday, its shares had closed down 20 percent _ and another 45 percent after hours. Still, no deal emerged.
The problems at AIG stemmed from its insurance of mortgage-backed securities and other risky debt against default. If AIG couldn't make good on its promise to pay back soured debt, investors feared the consequences would pose a greater threat to the U.S. financial system than this week's collapse of the investment bank Lehman Brothers.
The worries were triggered after Moody's Investor Service and Standard and Poor's lowered AIG's credit ratings, forcing AIG to seek more money for collateral against its insurance contracts. Without that money, AIG would have defaulted on its obligations and the buyers of its insurance _ such as banks and other financial companies _ would have found themselves without protection against losses on the debt they hold.
"It might not just bring down other financial institutions in the U.S. It could bring down overseas financial institutions," said Timothy Canova, a professor of international economic law at Chapman University School of Law. "If Lehman Brother's failure could help trigger AIG's going down, who knows who AIG's failure could trigger next."
New York-based AIG operates an insurance and financial services businesses ranging from property, casualty, auto and life insurance to annuity and investment services. Those traditional insurance operations are considered healthy and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners said "they are solvent and have the capability to pay claims."
source: sg.news.yahoo.com/ap/20080917/tbs-aig-f8250da.html
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Cancer means The End of the World
I have heard colleagues suffered from various types of cancer and then eventually passed on. Then some of my relatives were hospitalised due to removal of cancerous tumours in their bodies. Recently some of my closed family members have to go under the knife because lumps were detected in their bodies and most likely to be cancerous too.
Why so many people are getting cancer? What have gone wrong in our life?
First is the denial stage where the patient simply can't believe that "why me? why do I have cancer? will I die soon? what's more suffering I have to endure?"
Then is either the depression stage or "self pick-up" stage. If one is in depression stage, the patient continues to live in grief and sorrow. If one can overcome his depression, he will readjust his mind-set and continues to fight against cancer.
Of course it is always easy to say than done.
I pray real hard to our mightly God for all who are suffering or have suffered from cancer.
Why so many people are getting cancer? What have gone wrong in our life?
First is the denial stage where the patient simply can't believe that "why me? why do I have cancer? will I die soon? what's more suffering I have to endure?"
Then is either the depression stage or "self pick-up" stage. If one is in depression stage, the patient continues to live in grief and sorrow. If one can overcome his depression, he will readjust his mind-set and continues to fight against cancer.
Of course it is always easy to say than done.
I pray real hard to our mightly God for all who are suffering or have suffered from cancer.
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
More needs to be done to care for our elderly parents
The government continues to introduce and implement pro-family measures, in particular, longer paid maturity leave for mothers, paternity leave for fathers etc. What about our own old parents?
Growing old, fall sick and die is a process which everybody is not excluded. When we were young, our parents worked hard to earn a living and took good care of us. When we became parents, we again work very hard to make ends meet and take good care of our children. What about our old parents?
In the stat board that I work with, there is a parental care leave (3 days per calender year). Only 1 day per occasion can be taken. My mother has to undergo a surgery and requires to be hospitalised for about a week. This is considered as an occasion and I am only allowed to take 1 day parental care leave. I have to provide certified true copy of her MC since her original MC has to be submitted to her workplace. Of course I can still apply my vacation leave so that I can have some time to look after her.
I think more needs to be done to take good care of our elderly parents. Afterall, we will grow old one day and who does not want his or her loved ones to be around often?
Growing old, fall sick and die is a process which everybody is not excluded. When we were young, our parents worked hard to earn a living and took good care of us. When we became parents, we again work very hard to make ends meet and take good care of our children. What about our old parents?
In the stat board that I work with, there is a parental care leave (3 days per calender year). Only 1 day per occasion can be taken. My mother has to undergo a surgery and requires to be hospitalised for about a week. This is considered as an occasion and I am only allowed to take 1 day parental care leave. I have to provide certified true copy of her MC since her original MC has to be submitted to her workplace. Of course I can still apply my vacation leave so that I can have some time to look after her.
I think more needs to be done to take good care of our elderly parents. Afterall, we will grow old one day and who does not want his or her loved ones to be around often?
Monday, September 01, 2008
September School Holiday
Today is 1st Sep 2008, the first day of the one week's break between term 3 and 4. What are the reasons to have this break? Well, besides getting a break from school, it is also the time to play catching up with the studies and also to start preparing for the year-end exam.
I felt so ashamed when Isa called my office to ask, "Can I watch LOTR with you tonight?" My heart ached. I have been mean to Isa - I have been piling worksheets and assessment books onto her, instead of giving her a break from studies. I told her that she has to study harder and do better in the coming year-end exam. If she wants to be a school prefect, good academic results are generally preferred.
She has been wanting to wear the prefect tie very much. I have been using this "carrot" to motivate or push her to work harder in her studies. I did not ask her if doing worksheets and assessment books are top of her priority list.
Come on, give that poor child a break! Afterall, she is only 9 years old and she is already inundated with worksheets and assessment books daily.
It is time for me to reflect on myself.
Ok, let me pack up and leave this office which has tons of work that never seems to end. I want to watch LOTR with Isa tonight.
I felt so ashamed when Isa called my office to ask, "Can I watch LOTR with you tonight?" My heart ached. I have been mean to Isa - I have been piling worksheets and assessment books onto her, instead of giving her a break from studies. I told her that she has to study harder and do better in the coming year-end exam. If she wants to be a school prefect, good academic results are generally preferred.
She has been wanting to wear the prefect tie very much. I have been using this "carrot" to motivate or push her to work harder in her studies. I did not ask her if doing worksheets and assessment books are top of her priority list.
Come on, give that poor child a break! Afterall, she is only 9 years old and she is already inundated with worksheets and assessment books daily.
It is time for me to reflect on myself.
Ok, let me pack up and leave this office which has tons of work that never seems to end. I want to watch LOTR with Isa tonight.
Mid-Autumn Festival part 2
Remember that I mentioned I would be buying some "exotic" types of moon-cakes this year? I tasted them yesterday. One type was moon-cakes with fillings made of sesame with yolk. The other was lotus paste but instead of yolk, it was chocolate with cognac.
These mini moon-cakes come with a big price tag; the sesame type costs $42 (excluding GST) for 8 pieces, while the other was $68.
Anyway, it was a good experience to taste them.
These mini moon-cakes come with a big price tag; the sesame type costs $42 (excluding GST) for 8 pieces, while the other was $68.
Anyway, it was a good experience to taste them.
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