kueytoc

Sales people, IT professionals, business analysts in demand: Robert Walters Channel NewsAsia - Tuesday, April 13 SINGAPORE: Sales people, Information Technology professionals and business analysts are in high demand within the Information Technology and Telecommunications (IT&T) sector in Singapore. That’s according to recruitment firm Robert Walters’ first quarter market update. It said the sales function within IT&T has evolved from a transactional role to a more creative and intelligent function. This, according to Robert Walters, has created a huge demand for professionals with the ability to understand the needs of customers and offer solutions that could involve multiple partners and technologies. For example, pre—sales consultants with up to five years of experience can now expect a salary increment of between 14.3 and 20 per cent compared to last year. It also said that small and medium sized companies in Singapore looking to grow their presence in the Asia Pacific region will lead to an expected increase in hiring activities for IT professionals at senior and strategic levels. The recruitment firm also expects a continuing trend for companies operating in this sector to hire candidates with strong tax experience. Despite challenging market conditions in 2009, Robert Walters expects salaries and contract rates across the board to return to levels witnessed in early 2008. CNA/vm

also tastes 'bagus' when fried.

Played 'POKER-FACE' too much liao. Thai poll body says ruling party must be dissolved AP - Tuesday, April 13 BANGKOK – Thailand's Election Commission has found the ruling party guilty of misusing poll donations, and recommended its dissolution. The commission's decision will have to be endorsed by the Constitutional Court for the Democrat Party of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to be disbanded. No date was set for the court to hear the case. The Election Commission decision Monday adds a new twist to Thailand's ongoing political crisis over protesters' demands for the government to step down. The crisis erupted into violence in Bangkok on Saturday when 21 people were killed in street clashes with security forces.

Thailand in turmoil after 21 die in bloody clashes AFP - Monday, April 12 BANGKOK (AFP) - Defiant "Red Shirt" Thai protesters vowed Sunday to keep up their bid to topple the government, after the country's worst political violence in almost two decades left 21 dead and over 800 injured. Protest leaders, who have promised to maintain their campaign until the government dissolves parliament and calls fresh elections, demanded Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva step down and leave the country. Seventeen civilians, including a Japanese TV cameraman, and four soldiers were killed following Saturday's crackdown on the red-shirted supporters of fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra in Bangkok, the emergency services told AFP. On Sunday evening Reds gathered to mourn the loss of their comrades at the city's Democracy Monument -- the scene of a fierce battle on Saturday -- where grieving relatives led a procession holding gold-framed pictures of the dead. They were followed by weeping men carrying caskets, a couple containing bodies draped with Thai flags and flowers. Some onlooking protesters prayed and others waved red banners. Related article: Japan urges probe into journalist's death It is the latest chapter in years of turmoil pitting the ruling elite against the mainly poor and rural Reds, who say the government is illegitimate as it came to power in 2008 after a court ousted Thaksin's allies from power. The violence erupted when troops tried to clear one of two sites in the centre of the capital occupied by the protesters for the past month. Soldiers fired in the air and used tear gas while the Reds responded by hurling rocks. As the clashes intensified gunshots echoed around the city and both sides accused the other of using live ammunition. Emergency services said two protesters were killed by gunshot wounds to the head. The government denied troops had opened fire on protesters with live rounds. "Weapons were used only in self defence and to fire into the air. We don't find any evidence that soldiers used weapons against people," government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn told a press conference. More than 200 soldiers were injured, 90 of them seriously, he said. One of the dead was a colonel. At one stage protesters overwhelmed and captured an armoured personnel carrier, while army spokesman Sunsern Kaewkumnerd said government weapons had fallen into the hands of the demonstrators. The army later retreated, calling for a truce with the demonstrators, who were holding five soldiers hostage. Thousands of protesters remained on the streets at the two main protest sites on Sunday. "Abhisit must leave Thailand," Reds leader Veera Musikapong told supporters. "We ask all government officials to stop serving this government." The government said an investigation had been launched into the violence and that negotiations were under way to bring about a resolution to the stand-off without further unrest. The Thomson Reuters news agency said one its journalists, Japanese cameraman Hiro Muramoto, died after being shot in the chest during the protest. Tokyo urged Bangkok to investigate the death. The unrest marked Thailand's worst political violence since 1992 and the United States urged both sides to show restraint. The protesters called on the country's revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej to intervene to prevent further bloodshed. "Did anybody inform the king that his children were killed in the middle of the road without justice?" Reds leader Jatuporn Prompan said. "Is there anyone close to him who told him of the gunfights?" Although he has no official political role, the hospitalised king is seen as a unifying figure. During a 1992 uprising he chastised both the military and protest leaders, effectively bringing the violence to an end. Tensions briefly escalated again late Sunday as around 200 Reds drove motorcycles to a nearby bridge, on apparently unfounded rumours that the army was approaching. Top Red Weng Tojirakarn said their People Television (PTV) station was switched back on after the government twice pulled the plug on the channel. Thai flags, red roses and incense sticks were placed on pools of blood where protesters were killed or wounded in the Khaosan Road backpacker district, a few yards from a number of ruined cars with their windows smashed in. Abhisit offered his condolences over the deaths but refused to bow to the protesters' calls to resign. Arrest warrants have been issued for many of the senior Red leaders but so far none is reported to have been taken into custody. Thaksin, who was ousted in a bloodless coup in 2006 and is now based mainly in Dubai, also offered his condolences to the victims and their families via the micro-blogging site Twitter.

Thai army pulls back from protest clashes; 18 dead By JOCELYN GECKER, Associated Press Writer - Sunday, April 11 BANGKOK – Savage clashes between protesters and Thai soldiers killed at least 18 people and injured hundreds before both sides retreated, no closer to ending a monthlong occupation of parts of the capital by demonstrators demanding new elections. Hopes were expressed for negotiations Sunday. Bullet casings, rocks and pools of blood littered the streets where pitched battles raged for hours Saturday. It was the worst violence in Bangkok since more than four dozen people were killed in an antimilitary protest in 1992. Army troops pulled back and asked protesters to do the same, resulting in an unofficial truce. Five soldiers and 13 civilians, including a Japanese cameraman for the Thomson Reuters news agency, were killed, according to the government's Erawan emergency center. Editorials in Bangkok newspapers Sunday called for urgent talks between the government and so-called "Red Shirts" to end the violence, noting that some protest leaders were ready for negotiations. The violence erupted after security forces tried to push out demonstrators who have camped in parts of the capital for a month, staging disruptive protests demanding that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajva dissolve Parliament and call new elections. The demonstrations are part of a long-running battle between the mostly poor and rural supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and the ruling elite they say orchestrated the 2006 military coup that removed him from power on corruption allegations. The protesters, called "Red Shirts" for their garb, see the Oxford-educated Abhisit as a symbol of an elite impervious to the plight of Thailand's poor and claim he took office illegitimately in December 2008 after the military pressured Parliament to vote for him. Saturday's violence and failure to dislodge the protesters are likely to make it harder to end the political deadlock. Previously, both sides had exercised considerable restraint. Abhisit "failed miserably," said Michael Nelson, a German scholar of Southeast Asian studies working in Bangkok. Tanet Charoengmuang, a political scientist at Chiang Mai University sympathetic to the Red Shirt's cause, said he expects the fighting will resume because the protesters are unafraid and the government refused to listen to them. Abhisit went on national television shortly before midnight to pay condolences to the families of victims and indirectly assert that he would not bow to the protesters' demands. "The government and I are still responsible for easing the situation and trying to bring peace and order to the country," Abhisit said. Nelson said he had been hopeful the situation would calm down after the troops pulled back but that Abhisit's TV appearance raised doubts because he seemed "totally defiant." The army had vowed to clear the protesters out of one of their two bases in Bangkok by nightfall, but the push instead set off street fighting. There was a continuous sound of gunfire and explosions, mostly from Molotov cocktails. After more than two hours of fierce clashes, the soldiers pulled back. Army spokesman Col. Sansern Kaewkamnerd went on television to ask the protesters to retreat as well. He also accused them of firing live rounds and throwing grenades. An APTN cameraman saw two Red Shirt security guards carrying assault rifles. At least 825 people were injured, according to the Erawan emergency center. The deaths included Japanese cameraman Hiro Muramoto, who worked for Thomson Reuters. In a statement, Reuters said he was shot in the chest. Most of the fighting took place around Democracy Monument, but spread to the Khao San Road area, a favorite of foreign backpackers. Soldiers made repeated charges to clear the Red Shirts, while some tourists watched. Two protesters and a Buddhist monk with them were badly beaten by soldiers and taken away by ambulance. A Japanese tourist who was wearing a red shirt was also clubbed by soldiers until bystanders rescued him. Thai media reported that several soldiers were captured by the protesters. Red Shirts also staged protests in other provinces, seizing the provincial hall in the northern city of Chiang Mai, Thaksin's hometown. On Friday, the police and army failed to prevent demonstrators from breaking into the compound of a satellite transmission station and briefly restarting a pro-Red Shirt television station that had been shut down by the government under a state of emergency. The humiliating rout raised questions about how much control Abhisit has over the police and army. Thailand's military has traditionally played a major role in politics, staging almost a score of coups since the country became a constitutional monarchy in 1932. The Red Shirts have a second rally site in the heart of Bangkok's upscale shopping district, and more troops were sent there Saturday as well. The city's elevated mass transit system known as the Skytrain, which runs past that site, stopped running and closed all its stations. Merchants say the demonstrations have cost them hundreds of millions of baht (tens of millions of dollars), and luxury hotels near the site have been under virtual siege. Arrest warrants have been issued for 27 Red Shirt leaders, but none is known to have been taken into custody. Associated Press writers Grant Peck, Kinan Suchaovanich, Denis D. Gray and Thanyarat Doksone contributed to this report. Thai protesters storm into TV compound By KINAN SUCHAOVANICH,Associated Press Writer - Saturday, April 10 BANGKOK – Thai anti-government protesters stormed Friday into a telecom company compound where authorities had shut down their vital TV channel, as soldiers and riot police tried to hold them back with tear gas and water cannons. It was the first use of force by the government in monthlong protests aimed at ousting Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and forcing new elections. Meanwhile, the Criminal Court said it had issued arrest warrants for three top protest leaders. The "Red Shirt" protesters had threatened to charge into the building if a senior military commander didn't come out to negotiate with them to restore their People Channel, or PTV. Hurling rocks, the protesters breached the barbed-wire perimeter of the Thaicom Public Co. Ltd. within minutes, though they were not immediately able to enter the main building. As they moved into the compound, security forces threw tear gas canisters and fired water cannons but then quickly retreated into the main building as thousands of protesters swarmed around it. Some security forces were seen throwing down their shields and riot gear and shaking hands with the protesters. The Red Shirts offered water to soldiers and police. The escalating demonstrations are part of a long-running battle between the mostly poor and rural supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and the ruling elite they say orchestrated the 2006 military coup that removed him from power. They see the Oxford-educated Abhisit as a symbol of the elite and claim he took office illegitimately in December 2008 with the help of military pressure on Parliament. In recent weeks, police at demonstrations have frequently shown sympathy with the protesters and analysts say the security forces, especially the police, are split in their loyalties, making it difficult for the government to enforce its orders and decrees. Leaders of the Red Shirt movement initially said they would march to undisclosed locations across Bangkok on Friday in their biggest rally yet, but switched plans, with protest leader Nattawut Saikua telling followers, "We're all moving in one direction." "We're going to bring back our People Channel," he said. Columns of protesters, riding motorcycles and pickup trucks, had blared horns and waved red flags as they moved out of their two main encampments in downtown Bangkok and headed north 28 miles (45 kilometers) to the offices of Thaicom in the suburb of Pathum Thani. Thaicom was founded by Thaksin, a telecommunications tycoon turned politician. The government security agency estimated that 15,000 people were in the motorized caravan, but army spokesman Col. Sansern Kaewkamnerd placed the number at about 3,000. Both figures are far below the biggest estimated turnout of about 100,000 during the early days of the protests last month. PTV was set up and financed by Red Shirt sympathizers. A number of small community radio stations also are allied with the protesters, who also use cell phones and social networking to communicate. On Friday, the Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for three leaders for allegedly seizing the commercial district, the official Thai News Agency said. To date, a total of 27 warrants have been issued but none of the leaders is known to have been taken into custody. The government has declared a state of emergency but so far has exerted no significant force to stop the escalating demonstrations. Instead, it has censored the protesters' communication links. On Thursday, it blocked the "People Channel" and dozens of Web sites that broadcast the protesters' fiery rallies and calls to the countryside for reinforcements. Abhisit imposed the emergency order Wednesday and canceled a one-day trip to Hanoi for a summit of Southeast Asian leaders as he searched for ways to resolve the showdown without the use of force. The prime minister went on national television late Thursday to explain the reasons behind the censorship and to announce that arrest warrants had been issued for protest leaders accused of briefly storming Parliament on Wednesday. "What the government wants is peace and happiness," Abhisit said. Although the emergency order means the military now has greater power to restore order, both Abhisit and the army know a crackdown could result in bloodshed that would be political poison. "It is the manipulation of information that is creating hate," he said. Government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said the media outlets blocked put out false information, including warnings that Abhisit authorized the use of force against protesters. Most of Thailand's television stations are owned by the government, but other media are privately owned and reflect a wide spectrum of political opinion. Protesters have camped in Bangkok's historic district since March 12 and occupied the capital's main shopping boulevard since Saturday. A group of demonstrators stormed Parliament on Wednesday, forcing officials to flee over a back wall and by helicopter, and prompting the emergency decree, which also allows authorities to impose curfews, ban public gatherings, censor media and detain suspects without charge for 30 days. Associated Press writers Denis D. Gray, Jocelyn Gecker and Grant Peck contributed to this report.

Dun forget MOI-MOI too !

Orphaned DECLIVIS eagerly waiting for ya kind adoption...please process the needful 'paperwork'.

$1 million each, for Olympic glory Channel NewsAsia - Friday, April 9 SINGAPORE: The national women’s table tennis team ended 48 years of hurt when they won silver at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. In a bid to win Singapore’s first individual medal since weightlifter Tan Howe Liang finished second at the Rome Olympics in 1960, the six athletes currently in the Olympic Pathway Programme (OPP) will be funded to the tune of approximately $1 million each. "With so much money pumped in, we are targeting an individual medal at the 2012 London Games," said Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) Teo Ser Luck on Thursday. Mr Teo was speaking on the sidelines of the Singapore Youth Sports Development (SYSD) committee visit of the Youth Olympics badminton squad at the Singapore Sports School. He added: "The amount for the OPP is one of the highest in support of our Olympic athletes. We will build an eco—system and athletes can hire the best coaches, therapists and psychologists, and this will help benefit the teammates and sport." Paddlers Feng Tianwei, Sun Beibei, Wang Yuegu and Yu Mengyu, swimmer Tao Li and shooter Jasmine Ser joined the OPP last year. Funding for the programme, which right now is at $6.3 million, is from the Tote Board and MCYS. Selection for the programme is based on criteria such as an athlete’s world ranking and results at major international meets. A steering committee led by Mr Teo oversee the OPP, assisted by three sub—committees in the areas of athlete identification, training and development, and sports medicine and sports science support. A joint management team comprising a representative from the respective national sports association (NSA), coach and an official from the Singapore Sports Council (SSC) will manage the fund for each athlete. They will monitor his or her progress on a regular basis. Regular performance reviews will be submitted to the training and development sub—committee. On Tuesday, the SSC revealed that a total of $50.22 million will be distributed to 63 NSAs for FY2010, a 6.9—per—cent increase from last year. Last month, the Singapore National Olympic Council revealed that Olympic—bound athletes would received additional support from a new scheme, the Singapore Olympic Foundation, which aims to raise between $5 million and $10 million from companies to support the development of young athletes. Said Mr Teo: "The OPP will add to the annual funding that SSC gives out, along with the Singapore Olympic Foundation." The planned Singapore Sports Institute, which will be located at the $1.87—billion Sports Hub at Kallang and is expected to be ready by early 2014 at the latest, is expected to take over the running of the OPP by 2016. The current Olympic programme follows the success of Project 0812, a $7—million government—led initiative to help Team Singapore attain medal success at the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games. The women’s table tennis team of Li Jiawei, Wang and Feng clearly benefited when they returned home with a silver in 2008. Swimmer Tao Li, who made a splash at the 2008 Games after finishing fifth in the women’s 100m butterfly final, is already gearing up for the battle in 2012. "This is very good news and it’ll definitely help me ... I will grab this opportunity and I hope to help Singapore reap the rewards in London,’’ she told MediaCorp. Also on the radar for the OPP are the athletes from August’s Youth Olympic Games, with Mr Teo saying potential talent in sports like swimming, sailing and shooting could be added to the programme in the future. TODAY

I am my own man: Kenneth Jeyaretnam Channel NewsAsia - Thursday, April 8 SINGAPORE: It has been almost a year since Mr Kenneth Jeyaretnam was persuaded to take over the leadership of the Reform Party, following the death of its founder — his father JB Jeyaretnam (JBJ). The 50—year—old former hedge fund manager, who gave up his job to focus on politics full—time, says that at the time the Opposition party was a "drifting, rudderless empty vessel". While Mr Jeyaretnam sees his work as a continuation of his father’s lifelong mission, he also wants to be seen as "his own man" with his own brand of "economically—competent" politics. And perhaps having witnessed firsthand his father’s costly legal battles, he recently told Loh Chee Kong that he wants the Reform Party to steer clear of legal minefields. ’I’ve got nothing to hide’ Why did you enter politics? Was it what your father expected of you? And is the JBJ legacy a boon or a bane to your own political career? My father had always hoped that one of us (Kenneth or his younger brother Philip Jeyaretnam) would follow him into politics ... My father’s legacy is not really an issue any more because I’m seen as my own man. When we did our walkabout with the Singapore Democratic Alliance last Sunday, I was sitting with my members at a table (at the void deck of a block of flats) and a guy at the next table said: "Hi Kenneth, how’s it going?" People do come up and approach me now. You had previously kept a low profile. Were you prepared for the media scrutiny? I’m ready for any scrutiny — I’ve got nothing to hide. Obviously, it’s an uphill struggle to get your message across in the mainstream media. But because of the rise of the new media, we’ve been getting our message across ... but we have to be in control of the content. One of the things I’m concerned about is that we don’t put out anything that is potentially libellous, inflammatory or seditious, that could lead to potential legal problems. You have spent a large part of your life overseas. Will that count against you getting elected? Can you relate to the average Singaporean? Let’s get it straight: Do you think that I left Singapore by choice? I couldn’t get a job here. I had a "double first" (first—class honours in two separate subjects) from Cambridge. After I graduated in 1983 — which was two years after my father was elected into Parliament — I wanted to return to Singapore. The Monetary Authority of Singapore rejected my application after one round of interviews. A lot of financial institutions and banks also rejected my applications. Anyway, I’m not here to whine. I’ve succeeded in London. I’ve built a successful career in the financial sector and in hedge fund management. It has given me a perspective of seeing how an open, democratic society operates. People find me approachable, proactive, capable — even though some people say I speak with an English accent. ’The party was in a bad state’ It’s been almost a year since you took over leadership of the Reform Party. What was the experience like? When I was elected as secretary—general, it was actually a bit of a shock because I found the party was in quite a bad state. It was like a drifting, rudderless empty vessel. Morale had dwindled, the number of members had decreased and there hadn’t been central executive committee meetings for about four or five months ... But since then, the responses I’ve gotten have been much more than I expected. We’ve definitely created a watershed in Singapore politics. For the first time, you’ve got an Opposition party that is perceived as economically competent, credible, and proposing alternative policies that could really make a difference or change Singapore. With your brand of politics, are you trying to appeal to the intelligentsia? We appeal to all sections of Singapore. I went on a house—to—house visit in West Coast GRC recently in a low—income area. We got a very enthusiastic response there ... there haven’t been elections there for 20 years. We appeal to the professional classes because of our economic policies and perceived economic competence. We definitely appeal to most Singaporeans who think there should be more opposition in Parliament — that we need to move towards a two—party system. Rising property prices is one area that the Reform Party is concerned about. How would the party do things differently from the Government? There’s a conflict of interest in the Government’s role as the owner of 79 per cent of the land and the provider of housing ... they have a vested interest in seeing property prices rise. We’ve said that we would like to see more private sector competition with the HDB in the provision of low—cost housing. I don’t think this would lead to lower quality because first, you have a regulator to ensure that standards are maintained. Second, competition usually leads to higher quality. If you get into Parliament, do you see yourself as a full—time Member of Parliament? What would your priorities be? I’m already a full—time politician and I’ll certainly devote the major part of my time. Being an MP is not the ultimate objective, because every political party’s objective should be to get to be the government and that’s what I’ll be working for. The PAP may be against the two—party system but it’s inevitable, as we have seen in Korea, Taiwan and Indonesia. The problem with the one—party system is not corruption — at least not in Singapore because the Government is not corrupt — but it leads to a society closed to new ideas, with too many "yes men". ’We are fairly united’ What is your take on the state of Opposition unity here? You can’t force Opposition unity but I think it will definitely happen. That’s the basis of our purported alliance with the SDA (Singapore Democratic Alliance) — it would not be to just fight an election but to coordinate our actions in Parliament. We don’t all have to agree on exactly the same policies, but we all have the same objective, so it would be wrong to talk about Opposition disunity. We are fairly united. If you team up with the SDA’s Chiam See Tong to contest a Group Representation Constituency, wouldn’t you find yourself in the shadow of a veteran Opposition figure? Mr Chiam is much—loved and respected by his constituents. He has done a great job in Potong Pasir. But let’s be frank: In a democratic country, if a party has failed for 25 years to expand its base beyond one seat in Parliament then I think the leaders would have been voted out. Mr Chiam and I share the same view that the purpose of a political party is to form a government. He has spoken many times about the Opposition forming, not at the next General Election but by the election after that, to be in a position to be seen as an alternative government — which is something the Reform Party has also said. I can’t comment on our election strategy. It’s completely shocking that we haven’t seen the boundaries ... that is grossly unfair to the Opposition. What do you hope Singaporeans see Kenneth Jeyaretnam as? I hope that I’ll be seen as somebody who transformed Singapore politics — I hope that doesn’t sound too arrogant — and who made (participating in politics) seem like a normal and patriotic duty, rather than something to be shunned or avoided out of fear. The writer is a freelance correspondent.

AT-dt

Here's a legal way to print money: change the font By DINESH RAMDE, Associated Press Writer – Tue Apr 6, 4:17 pm ET MILWAUKEE – Here's a way you might save $20 this year: Change the font in the documents you print. Because different fonts require different amounts of ink to print, you could be buying new printer cartridges less often if you wrote in, say, Century Gothic rather than Arial. Schools and businesses could save thousands of dollars with font changes. Data on the subject from Printer.com, a Dutch company that evaluates printer attributes, persuaded the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay to make a switch. Diane Blohowiak, coordinator of information-technology user support, has asked faculty and staff to use Century Gothic for all printed documents. The school also plans to change its e-mail system so it uses Century Gothic. "The feedback we've gotten so far has been positive," she said. "Century Gothic is very readable." The school of 6,500 students spends about $100,000 per year on ink and toner cartridges. Although students and staff can change the default font to something more ink-intensive, Blohowiak said the university expects to save $5,000 to $10,000 per year with the font switch. When Printer.com tested popular fonts for their ink-friendly ways, Century Gothic and Times New Roman topped the list. Calibri, Verdana, Arial and Sans Serif were next, followed by Trebuchet, Tahoma and Franklin Gothic Medium. Century Gothic uses about 30 percent less ink than Arial. The amount of ink a font drains is mainly driven by the thickness of its lines. A font with "narrow" or "light" in its name is usually better than its "bold" or "black" counterpart, said Thom Brown, an ink researcher at Hewlett-Packard Co., the world's top maker of printers. Also, serif fonts — those with short horizontal lines at the top and bottom of characters — tend to use thinner lines and thus less ink than a "sans serif" counterpart. But while using less ink at home can help you buy roughly one fewer printer cartridge each year, it's not necessarily better for the environment. That's because some fonts that use less ink, including Century Gothic, are also wider. A document that's one page in Arial could extend to a second page if printed in Century Gothic. Blohowiak said her research suggests that ink comprises the main cost of a printout, but the environmental costs of paper are probably higher. "Maybe the individual characters use less ink, but if you're using more paper, that's not so green, is it?" said Allan Haley, director of "words and letters" at Monotype Imaging Inc. in Woburn, Mass., which developed Century Gothic. Also, Century Gothic was designed for limited blocks of text such as titles and headlines, not for full documents, said Haley, who describes fonts as his "children." Despite Printer.com's research and UW-Green Bay's experience, Haley said he still recommends Times New Roman or Arial for their readability. The standard advice for trimming printing expenses still applies: Print in "draft mode," if you can. Use both sides of a page and do a print preview to make sure you're not printing pages with useless text such as a copyright line. Using an ink-saving font is just one more technique to consider. And the greenest way to save on ink is not to print at all. That's the philosophy Microsoft Corp. said it uses in deciding which fonts to include in its Outlook and Word applications. The more pleasing a font looks on the screen, the less tempted someone will be to print, said Simon Daniels, a program manager for Microsoft's typography group. That's why the company changed its defaults in Office 2007 from Arial and Times New Roman to Calibri and Cambria, he said. "We're trying to move the threshold of when people hit the print button," he said.

Avoid emergency—hit Bangkok & surrounding areas: MFA Channel NewsAsia - 44 minutes ago SINGAPORE: Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has urged Singaporeans not to travel to Bangkok and other areas under a state of emergency. The advice came after the Thai government announced a state of emergency in protest—hit Bangkok and the surrounding areas including Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan, Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom and Ayuthaya. The MFA and its Embassy in Bangkok are closely monitoring the situation. The MFA said it is concerned about the ongoing developments in Thailand and trusts that all parties will quickly find an amicable and peaceful resolution to their differences. The MFA added that it is important that the situation in Thailand return to normalcy as soon as possible, as Thailand is a key member of ASEAN. Singaporeans who do not have a pressing need to travel to the affected areas should postpone their trips, the MFA said. Those who still need to go to Thailand should monitor developments there and register with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at http://eregister.mfa.gov.sg/. This will enable the MFA and its Embassy in Bangkok to contact Singaporeans and render consular assistance in case of emergencies. The MFA also urged Singaporeans in Bangkok to minimise their movements outside and remain indoors if there are signs that personal safety may be at risk. They should also be on personal alert and monitor the news closely. The MFA also encouraged all Singaporeans travelling abroad to purchase comprehensive medical and travel insurance. Should Singaporeans require assistance, they can contact the Singapore Embassy in Bangkok or the MFA Duty Officer (24—hours) at: Embassy of the Republic of Singapore 129 South Sathorn Road, Bangkok 10120 Tel: 001—66—(81) 844—3580/001—66—(2) 286—2111 Fax: 001—66—(2) 286—6966 Email: singemb_bkk@sgmfa.gov.sg> CNA/ir

Thai PM declares state of emergency in Bangkok By GRANT PECK, Associated Press Writer - 2 hours 18 minutes ago BANGKOK – Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva declared a state of emergency in Bangkok on Wednesday, handing the army broad powers to restore order after weeks of disruptive street protests by anti-government demonstrators. The announcement came after protesters broke into Parliament and senior government officials had to be evacuated by helicopter. Some lawmakers scaled the compound's walls to escape. The government already had placed Bangkok under the strict Internal Security Act. But a state of emergency includes more sweeping powers. It gives the military authority to restore order and allows authorities to suspend certain civil liberties and ban all public gatherings of more than five people. The so-called Red Shirt protesters are demanding that Abhisit dissolve Parliament within 15 days and call new elections. He has offered to do so by the end of the year. They have been camped in Bangkok since March 12 and have ignored all other decrees for them to stop their protests. Abhisit has become the target of harsh criticism for failing to take strong measures to end the protests. He has tried negotiations, and has had security forces pull back from possible confrontations. In a statement broadcast on all television stations Tuesday, he explained that "the current fragile situation demands careful maneuvering." "We need to plan and implement everything to the last detail and with thorough care. The last thing we want is for the situation to spiral out of control."

WOW !...'Tower of BABEL'.

Seller’s market for used cars as COE premiums soar Channel NewsAsia - Tuesday, April 6 SINGAPORE: It’s a seller’s market now for second—hand cars, as high COE prices drive up the resale value of used cars. Dealers say sales of used cars have gone up by at least 30 percent over the last two weeks. Certificate of Entitlement (COE) prices for vehicles soared when the last bidding exercise ended on March 24, as the market reacted to an expected reduction in the supply of COEs this month. The biggest increase was in the Open category, where the COEs can be used for any vehicle type but end up usually for cars. Here, the premium rose S$14,411 to close at S$42,001. While the sky—high COE prices may be bad news for first—time car buyers, it may just be good news for those looking to sell their cars. With the higher COE prices, car dealers say they are seeing more people who are willing to sell their cars in order to upgrade to another one. These sellers are asking for at least the same price at which they bought their cars about one or two years back. And dealers are willing to match these prices in anticipation of better sales in the second—hand car market in the months ahead. Wang Weiye, sales manager at Vegas Automobile, said: "A BMW is the most classic example. A new car then was $108,000. But in today’s used car market, a car like that, which is about a year old, can (fetch) $128,000. Instead of losing money, you have gained $20,000 in returns. It is as if consumers are driving the car for free and taking in a profit." Eric Liew, sales manager at Fugen Automobile, said: "We actually saw a lot of people upgrading from, for example, a Honda Fit to a Volkswagen Polo, from a Japanese car to a Continental car." Raymond Tang from Yong Lee Seng Motor said: "....about three to four months ago when they wanted to sell a car (and buy a new one), they needed to top up the difference or maybe they will take lesser money back. "But now, they do not need to top up and instead they can break even on the car price or they may even take more money back to put into their next car. "Two years ago, if you buy a Toyota Altis, you will be paying around $50,000. Now, you can even sell out at around this range...and you are not making a loss." The results of the next round of COE bidding, which is the first after a supply cut, will be out this Wednesday. CNA/ir

Ya must have carried the 'BAK-HU' over from there lah. How's ya Lady Naokae doing mate ???

Young Singaporeans should have confidence in their future, says DPM Teo Channel NewsAsia - Tuesday, April 6 SINGAPORE: Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean says young Singaporeans should have a well—founded confidence in their future. He pointed out that even though Singapore has vulnerabilities, the country has strong anchors that will keep it stable. Mr Teo was speaking at a wide—ranging dialogue session at a forum attended by more than 250 undergraduates. The forum was organised by the National University of Singapore (NUS) Student’s Political Association. The forum was an opportunity for young Singaporeans to highlight their concerns about Singapore’s future. One point raised — is it possible for Singapore to fall, despite the progress so far. Mr Teo was frank — saying yes, there is that possibility, if Singapore is not careful. He said as a small nation the margin for error is much less compared to bigger countries. And being trade—dependent, Singapore is also vulnerable to external factors. That is why there are buffers — such as the country’s strong reserves and investment in defence. Mr Teo said: "So what am I putting to you? I’m telling you we worry, we have vulnerabilities. So the question is should all of you be so frightened that all of you abandon ship straightaway? No, the answer is no, because in fact what I’m trying to put to you is, you should have a well—founded confidence in our own future, and why? Because even though we have vulnerabilities, we have anchors against these vulnerabilities, and indeed we have many, many strengths for the future." One student urged leaders to do away with what he calls "the culture of fear" in politics. Farouk Osman, an Undergraduate, said: "It’s regarding a statement made by the Minister Mentor that if the opposition wins in a GRC contest then Singaporeans should better sell their flat because they would no longer be of any value. I think that’s bad. He’s basically saying don’t vote the opposition and my feeling is that most Singaporeans don’t like being told what to do, especially regarding political stuff and this is especially so for people like us, the younger generation." Responding, Mr Teo said he agreed that how the government engages the people is important. Mr Teo said: "People are sensitive. I mean I don’t like being told what to do. I prefer to think that I make up my own mind and so do most Singaporeans. But you know Minister Mentor. He’s got a wealth of experience, he’s probably heard this question multiple times and he is famous for telling it like it is." On Singapore’s "secret weapon" in the event of an economic crisis, Mr Teo said that would be its people. The questions flowed easily in the highly interactive dialogue with Mr Teo himself seeking clarifications and feedback to some of the questions posed to him. In fact one of the issues that got the audience in stitches was a call for longer maternity leave which prompted Mr Teo to get his young audience to think about loosening up and not to over—plan parenthood. Mr Teo said: "You want to wait for perfection before you decide to get married, you want a perfect man or this perfect woman to come along but this doesn’t exist! It just doesn’t exist! You’re looking for this 10 which doesn’t exist maybe 8.5 will do or 7.5 will be alright and then you just adapt to each other. "Then you want to wait for this perfect house to come along before you actually tie the knot. Then you want to wait for this perfect moment in your married life before you have your first child, and you don’t want to have your first child unless you’re sure your child can score 250 points in PSLE. Nobody can guarantee that! I’m not suggesting that we all become promiscuous but we can all loosen up a bit." And with reports of opposition figures conducting their walkabouts, one undergraduate wondered if ’election fever’ was heating up. Mr Teo said: "You cannot watch the PAP and know if the elections are coming. Once the elections are over, we already start working the ground. It becomes so boring and so routine the media never reports on it." This is unlike the opposition which Mr Teo said is "hardly" seen walking around. "I don’t know when the elections will be. I can only tell you that with each passing day, the elections come one day closer," he said. CNA/de

Blue-tip Lime-Green Polyps Fiji Acro

Blue-polyps Candlelight Yellow Acro

Enlisting cute 'Baby Gozilla' to protect these priceless GEMS !

Kiko keen to help 03/04/2010 15:21, Report by Gemma Thompson This time last year Federic Macheda sent Old Trafford wild with delight after coming off the bench to fire a vital late goal in United's bid for the title. History repeated itself on Saturday against Chelsea, but unfortunately Macheda's late strike this time round was not enough to prevent the visitors from gaining the upper hand in the race for the Championship crown. "As a striker, it's always good to score, but it would have been better if we'd have won the game," he told MUTV. "We are very disappointed, but there are still five games left and we are ready to play those games. "I hope to be involved in the upcoming matches - I've had a few injuries this season and been out for a good few months. But I'm pleased to be back now." With Wayne Rooney out injured, the Italian striker could be called upon again on Wednesday night with the Reds needing to beat Bayern Munich if they are to make it through to the Champions League semi-finals. Despite the setback against Chelsea, Macheda says it's vital the players stay positive. "We must forget the Chelsea game because there are still games left and we must focus on those," he insisted. "We have to train hard and be focused on the Bayern game now and hopefully we can get the result we need." Vidic: We're still fighting 03/04/2010 14:50, Report by Gemma Thompson Despite having lost their last two matches and underperformed in both, Nemanja Vidic insists the Reds must not lose hope and should take heart from their fighting display in the second period against Chelsea. A poor performance against Bayern Munich on Tuesday was followed by another below-par display against Carlo Ancelotti's men who stole a march in the title race with their 2-1 victory at Old Trafford, albeit thanks to an offside Didier Drogba goal. Vidic admits tiredness may have played a part during the first half, but says the Reds should be buoyed by their response after the restart. "We were more aggressive and pressed higher up the pitch after half-time and that had an affect on the game," he told MUTV. "We had some good half chances and if the final ball had been better we could maybe have been celebrating at the end. "We still have five games to play and we need to win all of them. It won't be easy, but the second half against Chelsea gives us hope that we can do well." While disappointed not to have reached their full potential against Chelsea, there was equal frustration at Drogba's controversial winner. are very disappointed about their second goal. It was offside, but what can you do?" admitted the Serbian. "We hope there will be more dropped points from our rivals and Chelsea do at least have the FA Cup to think about as well as the league. "If we win our last five games I think we'll have a good chance."

Boss: Blues have title edge now 03/04/2010 14:22, Report by Adam Bostock Sir Alex Ferguson says United will bounce back from losing at home to Chelsea for the first time in five years, but admits it may not be enough to keep the title. “It’s a disappointing result,” said Sir Alex. “I thought we looked leggy in the first half. We took too long to get going. Chelsea were by far the better team. “But in the second half we did well and we were unfortunate not to get something from the game. We dominated that second period and there’s always that chance we can rescue it. But we just didn’t get there today.” Unfortunate may be putting it mildly – some might say grossly unlucky, considering Didier Drogba was in an offside position when he made it 2-0 to the Blues. “What I can’t understand is the linesman was directly in line with it,” said Sir Alex. “There’s nobody in front of him and he gets it wrong. In a game of that magnitude you really need quality officials. We didn’t get them today and it was a poor, poor performance. "That's twice we've been undone by refereeing decisions against Chelsea - it was the same down at Stamford Bridge. So we've caught the wrong end of them this season. It's unfortunate but it happens. Sometimes you get the decisions for you, sometimes you don't." The appointment of referee Mike Dean for this game had been criticised in midweek by another aggrieved manager, Burnley’s Brian Laws, but Sir Alex wouldn’t be drawn on that. “I don’t know about that. I’m not going into that. When I saw it was Mike Dean, I did worry, I must admit. Plenty of people are criticising him but I’m not going to go down that road.” Whatever the reasons for United’s defeat, there is no doubt the Barclays Premier League pendulum has now swung in favour of Carlo Ancelotti’s victors. “Chelsea are favourites now, no question. There are five games left and they are two points ahead and four goals better off in goal difference. They’re in the driving seat, no question about that. “I’m certain we’ll respond. But we could win our next five games and not win the league. If Chelsea win their five, they’re champions.” Sir Alex's next task is to raise his troops for Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final second leg against Bayern Munich, when the Reds have to turn around another 2-1 defeat. "We have to (raise the players), it's important," Sir Alex told MUTV. "It's a European tie and an opportunity to get to the semi-finals of the Champions League with a final in Madrid beckoning. That's incentive enough."

Double WHAMMY !!! Man Utd 1 Macheda (80) Chelsea 2 Cole (19), Drogba (78) 3 April 2010, Old Trafford Attendance: 75,217 03/04/2010 13:30, Report by Gemma Thompson Didier Drogba came off the bench to strike a hammer blow to United’s title chances with a controversial winner which secured a 2-1 victory for Chelsea at Old Trafford. The Ivorian was clearly offside when he latched onto Salomon Kalou’s pass, but was allowed to carry on and fire what could be a hugely decisive goal in the title race. Joe Cole had earlier put the visitors ahead, before Drogba doubled the advantaged soon after entering the action in the second half. Federico Macheda, who had saved United this time last year with a stunning winner against Aston Villa, gave the Reds hope but his goal was too little too late for United, who lacked a real cutting edge without Wayne Rooney up front. Sir Alex made three changes to the side that started in Munich with one a well-reported enforced change. In the absence of Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov, as expected, occupied the lone striker role with support close behind from Ji-sung Park. Chelsea, meanwhile, opted to leave top scorer Didier Drogba on the bench with Carlo Ancelotti sticking with the 11 that put seven past Aston Villa last weekend. Chelsea started brightest, with Alex heading wide on four minutes from a Frank Lampard corner. The early exchanges were dominated by the Blues who enjoyed good spells of possession, while United, just as against Bayern, struggled to keep the ball. Spurred on by a vocal Old Trafford faithful, Sir Alex's men carved out their first opening on nine minutes when Antonio Valencia picked out the unmarked Berbatov in the area after good work down the right. Unfortunately the Bulgarian was unable to direct his header on target. A lot had been made of the responsibility resting on the striker’s shoulders with Rooney out injured, but aside from that cross from Valencia, the Reds struggled to provide him with any real service during the opening 45 minutes. Chelsea, meanwhile, were knocking the ball around well and finding pockets of space all over the pitch. The in-form Florent Malouda, who impressed throughout, made the most of that room down the left in the 19th minute. After skipping past a challenge from Valencia and shrugging off the attentions of Darren Fletcher, he fired a low cross into the box where Joe Cole, who was under pressure from Patrice Evra, backheeled the ball brilliantly through the legs of Evra and into the far corner. Old Trafford fell silent, while the visiting fans went wild knowing what an important goal that could prove to be in the context of the title race. Both teams had good shouts for penalties turned down soon after, with Park tripped in the box by Yuri Zhirkov and Gary Neville barging Nicolas Anelka to the ground at the other end. Mike Dean was unmoved on both. Chelsea ended the half as they had started it – in complete control. It had been a half of huffing and puffing for United who looked short of ideas and adventure in attack without you know who. Just three minutes into the second period, the visitors went within inches of doubling their advantage when Cole fed the onrushing Paulo Ferreira down the right. The Portuguese full-back burst into the box, but his cross-######-shot trickled wide with Anelka unable to latch onto the loose ball at the back post. Lying in wait in the same spot at the other end soon after was Patrice Evra who connected brilliantly with Valencia’s deep cross, but he couldn't keep his well-struck first time volley on target. There was definitely a renewed vigour about United’s play after the restart, but there was still an evident lack of real penetration up front. There was the odd spark though – just before the hour Fletcher fed a lovely ball into the path of Berbatov who cleverly let it run to Park who found himself through on goal. The Korean couldn’t match his great run with a finish though as he skewed his effort wide. As the fans raised the decibel level inside Old Trafford the players followed suit with their performance level on the pitch as they went in search of that equaliser. Twice in quick succession Berbatov flashed headers just wide and over Petr Cech’s goal. There was a host of personnel changes as the game entered the final quarter. Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou replaced Anelka and Cole, while Sir Alex introduced Nani and Federico Macheda in place of Park and Scholes. Chelsea had been largely anonymous as an attacking force in the second half, but the introduction of Drogba gave them a real presence up front. And it didn’t take long for the Ivorian striker to make his mark, even if he shouldn't have been allowed to. Kalou slipped a pass in behind the United defence for Drogba on 78 minutes, who was beyond the final United man, but play carried on and Chelsea’s leading scorer duly lashed the ball into the roof of the net. The Reds, as we know, never give up and the man who had fired such a vital goal for United this time last year sparked more scenes of celebration. Nani powered down the left flank and his low cross bounced off Cech onto Macheda's chest and into the net. The Italian knew little about it and Chelsea were quick to claim hand ball, but the goal stood and United had a lifeline. There was still work to be done however and Berbatov had a great chance to fire the equaliser in the final minute of normal time but his volley from Gary Neville’s cross was straight at Cech. That was to be United's last chance as Chelsea held out for a victory which could turn out to be crucial in the race for the title.

Very elusive Sailfin Blenny aka Emblemaria pandionis