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Ris Low: I want to take part in Miss World again By Angela Lim – January 28th, 2011 Never one to shy away from the spotlight, 25-year-old fallen beauty queen Ris Low has vowed to make a comeback in the Miss World Singapore pageant this year. “I’m serious! I’m going to join the Miss World Singapore pageant again!” she told The New Paper. Despite being dethroned as Miss World Singapore in 2009, the excited Miss Low still has her eye on the coveted crown. Her decision to join the pageant once more comes amid changes being made to the Miss World Singapore pageant, such as a bigger cash prize. In a bid to improve the overall standard of the pageant in Singapore, Miss World Limited has dropped ERM World Marketing as their local pageant organiser. Mr Raymund Ooi, 46, the owner of new licensee Limelite Productions, is willing to put up an attractive cash prize for the pageant’s winner so as to attract a higher calibre of contestants. “In Malaysia, they have offered RM100,000 (S$40,000) cash prize for the winner, so I’m hoping to match that,” he said. “I think S$40,000 plus the trip to the Miss World finals, which can cost up to S$15,000, is quite attractive.” Said Miss Low,”In comparison, the prize for the pageant that I joined was the S$2,000 trip to South Africa for the Miss World finals. There was no cash prize.” She claims that ERM World Marketing did not provide enough support in terms of things like sponsored gowns worn by the contestants. The ex-licensee could have found better sponsors and cited how contestants from other countries were dressed in designer gowns for the pageant, she added. “I’m joining the pageant again because I feel that if I had been given the chance to represent Singapore (instead of being dethroned), I could have shone,” she said. She admitted that she would have done better if she had been put through classes to teach her to walk, dress and “basically how to work the whole package”. “Now, if I can get lessons on how to be a top beauty queen, then I definitely want to show the public that I can do this based on my own merit,” she added. But the “bigini”-loving Ris may not have an easy time at this year’s pageant if Mr Ooi has anything to say about it. To avoid another Ris Low debacle, the organiser has vowed to conduct more stringent checks on the finalists of the Miss World Singapore pageant this year. On top of that, he will also engage a credible panel of judges to pick excellent pageant contestants.

Revamp your home the Chinese way By PropertyGuru – January 24th, 2011 By Sunaina Anand (courtesy of PropertyGuru) Just a month into the new-year, and we’ve worked too hard already. There’s nothing more we want than to get away from the mayhem of the corporate world, and to sit back and relax in the sun. At this very opportune time, Chinese New Year (CNY), the most important social and economic festival in China, comes along. While most of us look forward to CNY for the ‘days off from work’, it’s time we learn more about the festival, and celebrate it in the same spirit as our Chinese brothers and sisters do. And from what we can already see, with Singapore all dressed in red, decorations have a big role to play during CNY. So for the upcoming holidays, adorn your house the Chinese way. Find out how. Ribbity Rubbit And what better way to start than with the rabbit? After the year of the very ferocious tiger, 2011, the year of the rabbit, promises to bring prosperity and peace for all. For the kids’ rooms, a picture of bugs bunny would be ideal. Even better, buy a picture of bugs bunny dressed in a cheongsam (a body hugging Chinese dress). Chinatown is the best place to buy decorations for CNY. Fire It Up Legend has it that a beast called Nian would appear on the eve of every CNY eve to harm the villagers. They learned to scare it away by lighting firecrackers. Hence firecrackers are crucial during CNY. Since bursting crackers is banned in Singapore, they are mostly used for decoration purposes. You could even buy electronic firecrackers that sound and light up like the real ones for the front yard or balcony and light them up before dinner. Light Up Your Life One of the most popular CNY decorations, the lantern signifies vitality and good luck. The streets of Singapore are already adorned with red lanterns; hence you’ll have no trouble finding them. However, making paper lanterns together with the children will be a good way to spend some quality time together. This year, make paper lanterns in the shape of a rabbit and hang them in your entryway. Paint the lanterns red and gold in keeping with the colours of the festival. A Splash Of Colour Red and gold are considered auspicious during Chinese New Year. While red signifies longevity, gold is meant to bring happiness, good luck and wealth to a home. Decorate your house with red and gold balloons and streamers this CNY. You could even buy red and gold Chinese characters that spell happiness and good luck to hang on the walls. Shop For The Pot There’s no better time to go shopping than CNY. Sweep away the old and welcome the new is the motto during CNY so splurging is legal! This CNY, buy a brand new round table, with a Lazy Susan (a circular rotating tray placed on top of a table to aid in moving food) mounted on top. Invite family and friends over for dinner to celebrate the very essence of the festival. Have hotpot with the family on your brand new acquisition in true Chinese style. Fortune Cookie No Chinese meal is complete without the fortune cookie. This year, predict good fortune for your friends and families by slipping in personalised notes in the cookies. You could bake the cookies yourself, or buy ready-made cookies, microwave them till they are pliable (20-30 seconds), open the cookie and exchange the fortune with your message. Pinch it back together and let it harden. Tie red and gold ribbons around a glass bowl, put the cookies in it, let the bowl sit on your coffee table till everyone’s ready for them. Blessings Galore Buy red packets (Hong Bao) and shape them like different cartoon characters (including a rabbit). Put some money or tiny gifts for the children in them and place them on the dinner table where the children will sit. You could even stick some Chinese characters spelling good luck and health on them and bless your kids with all the luck and good fortune this year. Life In The Wild The lion dance is performed on most Chinese festivals and is said to bring good luck and happiness. Make or buy a Lion costume for the kids and decorate their room with it. You could even teach them the lion dance and have them perform before dinner. Fruitilicious No CNY celebration is complete without the tangerine tree. Buy two tangerine trees and place them on either side of your entry. Mandarin oranges and tangerines are considered traditional symbols of abundance and good fortune during CNY. Buy some for your guests as presents and bless them with all the good fortune for the coming year. Beauty Personified There’s no better way to decorate your house than with flowers, so beautify your house with flowers this CNY. A blooming flower on CNY signifies a year of prosperity. Flowers are also meant to bring good fortune into your home, so have lots of earthen pots and vases ready. Place them in your living and dining area and decorate them with some peach and plum blossoms, water lilies and peony. While peach blossoms symbolise growth, prosperity, long life and romance, plum blossoms represent perseverance and reliability. The peony signifies feminine beauty and love. So bring happiness, luck, love, colour and vibrance into your home this New Year.

Are your supplements worth your money? By Coach Jon – January 21st, 2011 Unfortunately, the “fitness” industry in Singapore is quite unregulated and every indication so far by our lawmakers seems to show that it is going to remain this way for the foreseeable future. There are always stories of spas or gyms closing down and taking their customers’ money from pre-paid packages with them. Or personal trainers who are in this business purely for the money, and don’t give correct, science-based guidance to their clients. However, one of the most unregulated areas of the health industry is the supplement industry. By “unregulated” I don’t mean that there are a lot of illegal substances being sold as legal ones. In Singapore the Health Science Authority has quite a long list of ingredients that are not allowed into our borders. While the listing of a few of these items are (in my opinion) debatable, many of these items are truly harmful, and should be considered “controlled”. But when I talk about the supplement industry being unregulated, I mean that the quality, effectiveness and safety of the ingredients used in supplements are not always the same. I may use Brand X vitamin C, and you may use Brand Y vitamin C, but one may be extremely effective as an immune system booster and antioxidant, while the other brand may do next to nothing because of a poor choice of absorption method, or a synthetic rather than natural form being used. Here are some things to look for to see if your supplement brand cares about your health, or simply wants to lighten your wallet. I will talk mainly about a multi-vitamin product, because almost all brands have a multi-vitamin so its easier to compare. Look for how the multi-vitamin delivers it’s minerals. Look for minerals like magnesium and zinc. Clearly these are metals, and even a primary school kids knows that we can’t eat metals. To absorb these minerals well, our body needs them to be connected to something else so they become absorbable in our digestive tract. What the mineral is connected to, makes a big difference in the effectiveness of the nutrient. A cheap multi-vitamin often uses the oxide form. E.g. Zinc Oxide, or Magnesium Oxide. This is simpler and cheaper to make as well. Unfortunately for the unaware consumer, it is almost useless for him or her. Oxide forms of minerals are absorbed at a rate of about 5%. That means that 95% simply gets passed out. What a waste! A good multivitamin uses an amino acid to connect to the mineral for better absorption. You can see this in the “-ate” form of the mineral. E.g. Zinc Citrate, Magnesium Orotate, etc. These forms are absorbed at about a 35-50% rate. That is 7 to 10 times better. Yet, the good brands don’t cost 7 to 10 times more! If you are looking for a pure mineral supplement (i.e. a magnesium supplement), look for one that has different forms of the mineral in the supplement. The different forms tend to go to different tissues in your body for even better absorption. E.g. Magnesium Orotate, Magnesium Glycinate, Magnesium Taurate, all in the same capsule. Also, a good brand of supplement will want you to be able to break down the tablet for absorbtion in your stomach. A cheap brand packs as much as they can into a capsule or tablet so they can say they have a lot of ingredients. But such a densely packed capsule will not break down in your stomach, and the nutrients will be wasted. You can test for this by using vinegar in a cup. Put the capsule/tablet in, and it should dissolve completely within about 10-15 minutes. If it still looks like a tablet after this time, you can be quite sure that it will not break down, and it will be wasted money again. Another way that cheap brands skimp on quality to increase profits, is the form of Vitamin E that is used. The most common form is called “d-alpha-tocopherol”. However there are 8 variants of vitamin E that occur in nature, and a combination of these works far, far better than any single type. This combination is what you get in nature. So in your multi-vitamin, always look for “mixed tocopherols, and tocopheryls”. Don’t worry about the techie words, just make sure to get “mixed” types. One final thing that you can look at is the color of the plastic bottle – just kidding. What you should look out for is the reputation of the company and its business model. Quite simply put, you get what you pay for in the supplement world. And it is impossible to make something cheap and good. Below are some of my experiences. I will only state company names which I believe produce honest and value for money products. If I don’t mention a company, it is not because I think it is bad, it may be that I do not know enough to give advice about it. There are, in general, three general sources of supplements. First, network marketing. Some of these products are good, however buyers need to beware of the business model. It favors many levels of distributor before the end user (you!) is considered. Next are the “general population” grade supplements which you can get in most supplements stores at supermarkets in shopping malls, or on most online stores. These are low to medium grade depending on brand. For fish oils in this range, I like “Nordic Naturals” and for other supplements, I find XPN from Canada to be a good choice. But in this grade there is a lot of room for unethical marketing to sway customer decisions. Finally, this is the only grade I recommend completely. It is the medical grade stuff. While they do cost a little more, the companies in this grade tend to have a very good reputation to uphold, and will do their best to deliver the best product to customers. One of the brands I use a lot with clients at my gym who come for personal training or nutrition consultations is the Poliquin brand. They are designed by Charles Poliquin, a coach who has helped athletes win Olympic medals in 18 different sports. He is also one of my mentors in health and sports coaching. Another brand that is of excellent quality is Metagenics. Their chief science officer is Jeffrey Bland PhD. While not a household name to those outside the medical community, he worked closely with the late Linus Pauling, one of the pioneers of nutrition research. Pauling was so good at it that he is the owner of not one but TWO Nobel Prizes! Some other top grade brands that I have used with success are: •Life Extension – They have an excellent, free, online newsletter at their website •Douglas Labs •Biotics Research •Wise Woman Herbals There we have it! A quick guide to successfully choosing supplements. Hope it helps!

Bro, sent U PM yest morn...but boh reply leh.

Goal King Berbatov salutes tough Manchester United AFP - Wednesday, January 26 BLACKPOOL, United Kingdom (AFP) - Dimitar Berbatov hailed Manchester United's mental strength after his brace helped Sir Alex Ferguson's side come from two goals down to beat Blackpool 3-2 at Bloomfield Road. Blackpool went into the break 2-0 up on Tuesday thanks to goals from Craig Cathcart and DJ Campbell, but United produced another of their famous late comebacks as Berbatov and Javier Hernandez ensured the leaders remain unbeaten in the Premier League this season. "We have the mentality that we can win even when we are 1-0 or 2-0 down," said Berbatov, who took his tally to 20 for the season with 19 coming in the Premier League. "We are always confident that if we can score one, we can score even more. The first-half was not so good for us but we overcame that obstacle and in the second-half we had a very good game. "It was hard in the first-half because it is not a friendly ground and the pitch is not the same as at Old Trafford. The ball bobbles around and Blackpool played well and scored some goals and could have had more, but we said we could do it." United were all at sea until Ferguson replaced Wayne Rooney with Hernandez with the clock winding down and that proved to make a huge difference as United turned the game on its head in the space of 15 minutes. "The substitutions did change the game," added Berbatov, who has scored 13 goals in his last 10 appearances. "Giggs has experience and his cross was excellent and Chicharito just wants to score goals, but it was the team-spirit that won the game. "I hope this is not the best football of my career. I hope the best is still in the future ahead of me in a Manchester United shirt. "We now have to move on until the end of the season and finish on the top but we cannot underestimate the other teams." Ferguson admitted United rode their luck in the first half but he was impressed with the way they hit back to move five points clear of Arsenal at the top. "The first half we were battered and we couldn't handle Charlie Adam, his corner kicks are worth 10 million pounds," he said. "We changed it at half-time, brought on Ryan Giggs, started to penetrate and, in the end, ran out deserved winners." Blackpool manager Ian Holloway was furious with referee Peter Walton for not awarding his side a penalty straight after the break when Rafael, later carried off with concussion, tackled Luke Varney in the United penalty area. "If that's not a penalty on Luke Varney then deary, deary me," he said. "Rafael makes no effort to play the ball at all, he wipes the player out, and it's a stone-waller. "If we go 3-0 up, who knows? Saying that, what a team United are. The players they brought on, the way they came strong at the end, they are a magnificent team." Blackpool have also been unsettled this week by the constant speculation over the future of captain and talisman Charlie Adam. Adam has handed in a written transfer request at Bloomfield Road, which was subsequently rejected, yet rumours persist that Liverpool are in the hot seat to land the midfielder. Holloway shrugged off all that attention though to produce another fine performance to add further credence to Holloways belief that he is worth at least 12 million pounds. "Charlie Adam was magnificent," Holloway said. "He deserves to play at a higher level, I have to say that, because he is such a tremendous player, he really is. "I think it is really important that we understand how the boy feels but we also have a duty to the fans to run the club properly. Who can I replace him with for four million pounds? No-one - so why are we doing it then? "Any player in the world can be bought and sold but you have to replace them with someone of importance. "He is going to write himself into Blackpool folklore. In fact I might even build him a statue myself."

Bent's debut goal helps Villa sink Man City Reuters - Sunday, January 23 By Mike Collett LONDON - Darren Bent scored on his debut four days after becoming Aston Villa's most expensive player to give his new side a 1-0 win over Manchester City in the Premier League at Villa Park on Saturday. The England striker, who joined for a club record fee of 18 million pounds from Sunderland on Tuesday, swept the ball home from six metres in the 18th minute after goalkeeper Joe Hart could only push Ashley Young's shot into his path. "They always say the first goal is important and we got it early, then defended really well and played really well," the 26-year-old Bent told ESPN. "It's been a hard week but these are the occasions you enjoy because we have beaten one of the best teams in the country." Villa manager Gerard Houllier said: "I am pleased for Darren because it's his first goal for us and his first game but I thought the whole team were fantastic and they worked very hard for each other and their spirit of sacrifice was outstanding. "I must congratulate them for that because we have beaten a very good side." It was the second time this season Bent has scored the winner in a 1-0 victory over City, having converted a last-minute penalty for Sunderland in August. BAD DAY The defeat completed a bad day for City whose title hopes took a knock as Manchester United and Arsenal won earlier. City slipped from second to third, three points behind leaders United having played two more matches than their arch-rivals. Roberto Mancini's City, who beat Villa 4-0 at Eastlands three weeks ago, hit the post late in the second half when a fierce drive by Nigel de Jong took a deflection off Ciaran Clark and smacked the woodwork. Apart from his goal Bent did not have any other clearcut chances in front of watching England manager Fabio Capello but his debut will long be remembered by Villa fans who have not had too much to cheer about this season. The victory moved them up from 17th to 16th, three points clear of the relegation zone. It was the third time Bent has scored on his debut for a new club following first-game goals for Charlton Athletic and Sunderland.

Fergie confident of United staying power AFP - Sunday, January 23 MANCHESTER, United Kingdom (AFP) – Sir Alex Ferguson saw Manchester United maintain their impressive unbeaten start to the season and claimed his club has the depth and experience to hold onto their position at the top of the Premier League. A Dimitar Berbatov hat-trick, with additional goals from Ryan Giggs and Nani, eased United to an emphatic 5-0 victory over Birmingham and allowed Ferguson to take key players such as Patrice Evra and Ryan Giggs out of the fray to rest for matches ahead. United's next match is a re-arranged fixture at Blackpool on Tuesday - a game for which Rio Ferdinand (groin) and Michael Carrick, who injured his ankle in the first half against Birmingham are both doubtful - although the United manager believes his in-form team can cope. "It helps our goal difference, no doubt about that," said Ferguson of a victory which extends Uniteds unbeaten run to 22 league games this season, 27 dating back to last term. "We have some tough games ahead of course. Hopefully the players can grasp the nettle. They have good experience, we've got the squad and hopefully we can manage all the games ahead. "I was pleased with a good team performance. What helps is you score the early goal, getting a goal after a minute, they have to open up. It's a different perspective you have to face and we capitalised on that. "It was a good scoreline at half-time and I was able to take Patrice Evra off, gave him a break by bringing on Fabio, and take Ryan Giggs off which was important because we have a big game on Tuesday." Giggs turned in an eye-catching display, which featured a goal, on the weekend that the 37-year-old has declared that he wishes to spend at least one more season playing for the only club of his illustrious career. "Ryan Giggs can easily play another year," said Ferguson. "He's as fresh as a daisy, we look after him the right way and he manages himself the right way. Being able to take him off was a bonus." However, Berbatov -- who has now scored 18 goals this season, 17 in the league, including three hat-tricks - was the real star of Uniteds performance. His pairing with Wayne Rooney looks particularly explosive at present although the England forward continues his modest goal production. Having missed at least one glaring chance, Rooney has now scored just two league goals this season, one of them from the penalty spot. "We hope so," said Ferguson when asked if Rooneys return to scoring form is imminent. "He deserves it, he's working his socks off. He was involved in some great football today and involved in the fourth goal just after half-time with fantastic control from a ball from Edwin van der Sar coming out of the clouds, then setting up Ryan. "Dimitar was marvellous. He could have scored more and we were a bit wasteful at times with our finishing but you can't complain at that performance, that was the important thing. "His link-up with Wayne was very good. The third goal was a very, very exciting goal. Berba won the ball then his interplay with Wayne, and the ball from Wayne to Ryan was fantastic. It was an exciting goal and, on the stroke of half-time, killed off the match." Beaten Birmingham manager Alex McLeish conceded that he and his team were distracted slightly by the looming League Cup semi-final second leg tie with West Ham on Wednesday. "I had one eye on that," he said. "You can play your best team or shut up shop. We decided to go with some of the forward players who would play to their strengths. "But we never got our passing game going. We had a small spell when we got behind them but we gifted a second goal and it was verging on the amateur. You can play your best and most experienced defenders and still lose. "We were perhaps a bit bold and sometimes you get punished and sometimes it pays off -- we were punished here. We shot ourselves in the foot. We have a group of players who bounce back well. Taking a drubbing today, people will ask whether if will affect confidence but in the dressing room, they are more angry than anything else."

Seller’s stamp duty and loan-to-value explained By iProperty.com Singapore – January 22nd, 2011 In an effort to maintain a stable and sustainable property market the PAP government has introduced a new raft of measures. iProperty.com Singapore identifies the two that will affect you the most. Seller’s Stamp Duty (SSD) [The amount you must pay if you sell your property within a certain time period.] The SSD has been raised from current three years to four years. You will now pay an SSD of 16%, 12%, 8% and 4% for residential properties which are bought on or after 14 January 2011, and are sold in the first, second, third and fourth year of purchase respectively. Loan to Value (LTV) [The amount a bank is able to loan you based on the value of a property you already own] The LTV limit has been lowered from 70% to 60% for property purchasers who are individuals with one or more outstanding housing loans. If a corporation is purchasing a property, the LTV limit has been lowered to 50%. Anti-Speculative, but Aspirational Home Owners Hit Too Burgeoning house prices generally reflect a growing economy and GDP, something the Singapore government obviously wants to encourage. They do also though remain acutely aware that – even with previous property market moderation measures – the combination of low interest rates and a lot of money washing around in the marketplace, property prices could rise beyond sustainable levels for the average Singaporean. The measures introduced are – especially when interest rates do eventually rise – designed to help prevent purchasers from overextending themselves financially. The raising of the SSD, for example, is aimed at putting off investors looking to make short-term gains – as SSD is payable regardless whether the property is eventually sold at a gain or loss. Notably, the SSD hike is squarely aimed at the private property market, as the required Minimum Occupation Period for HDB flats is five years. Likewise, the reduction in LTV is aimed at property speculators – although this does raise questions about the PAP’s previously expressed sentiments about property ownership being a key component in Singaporeans creating wealth for themselves – as it reduces the amount of money one can leverage on an existing property to purchase a new one. While borrowers who can show evidence that they have sold their existing properties will not be subject to the lower LTV limit when they buy a new property, it could be argued this would only benefit the super-rich, as most home owners would expect to take a loan on their current home before purchasing the next. First-time homebuyers are, obviously, not affected by the new measure. However, those taking a second concessionary HDB loan must use the CPF refund and 50% of the cash proceeds from the sale of their previous flat before they are granted an HDB loan. This measure is a continuance of the PAP’s policy to try and ensure that eligible buyers, especially first-time buyers, purchase public housing in a financially prudent manner.

✿✿♥◕｡◕♥✿✿ Gay Member of Parliament? OK, says MM Lee By Alicia Wong – January 23rd, 2011 Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew has revealed he has no problems with having homosexuals in Parliament. Mr Lee, however, was more ambiguous about whether same-sex marriages should be allowed, or if gays should be given rights to adopt children. The comments were made in an interview published in his new book, MM Lee: Hard Truths To Keep Singapore Going, that was launched on Friday. When asked about the possibility of gay Members of Parliament, Mr Lee said, “As far as I’m concerned, if she does her work as an MP, she looks after her constituents, she makes sensible speeches, she’s making a contribution, her private life is her life, that’s that.” This, however, does not mean his personal views will become the policy of the People’s Action Party. Mr Lee said, in the same interview, if he were the prime minster he would “hesitate to push it through” against prevailing values of society. “You’re going against the current of the people, the underlying feeling. What’s the point of that, you know, breaking new ground and taking unnecessary risk?” What if his grandchild is gay? Mr Lee, who believes homosexuals are born genetically different from heterosexuals, turned to the example of former United States vice-president Dick Cheney, who was against homosexuality but whose daughter is gay. “He says, ‘I still love her, full-stop’,” noted Mr Lee. “Do you throw the daughter out? That’s life. I mean none of my children is gay, but if they were, well, that’s that.” When it comes to same-sex marriages and gays being allowed to adopt, Mr Lee cited a “purely practical view”, noting “complications” would arise. “Two men looking after a child? Two women looking after a child, maybe. But I’m not sure because it’s not their own child. Unless you have artificial insemination, and its their own child, then you have a certain maternal instinct immediately aroused by the process of pregnancy.” He said, the time has not come for such a policy. “The people are not ready for it. In fact, some ministers are not ready for it.” Political watchers and MPs told The Sunday Times Mr Lee’s views were more liberal than societal views. They do not expect the PAP government to change its basic stance. Mr Eugene Tan, a political observer, said change would not happen anytime soon but Mr Lee was “painting the larger picture” to show what is considered acceptable evolves over time. MP Charles Chong (Pasir Ris-Punggol) agreed that MPs should be judged by their performance. PAP candidates are not asked to declare their sexual orientation, he said. Some members of the gay community told the same paper they welcomed Mr Lee’s remarks but wished he would have talked about decriminalising Section 377A of the Penal Code, which makes sex between two men an offence. Ms Irene Oh, 27, also disagreed that adopting a child would lessen the maternal bond. “I think adoption’s a great act of love, and there is no reason to expect adoptive patents to be any less caring.”

Pretty in Pink ??? Global tourist industry eyes the 'pink dollar' AFP - Friday, January 21 MADRID (AFP) - Travel operators trying to shrug off hard times are waking up to the vast potential of gay and les.bian tourism, including the new and burgeoning market for same-sex weddings and honeymoons as more countries allow gay marriage. But industry experts warn that any businesses eyeing the pink dollar, euro, pound or yen need to be welcoming to gays while also avoiding the cliches associated with the community if they want to be taken seriously. "The tourism industry is really opening its eyes and realising that this is a new and emerging market that they need to tap into," said Clark Massad, the European representative of the International Gay and les.bian Travel Association (IGLTA). "Several years ago, it was considered a niche market and now it is really being considered a segment in and of itself," he told AFP at the FITUR tourism trade fair in Madrid, one of the world's largest. As proof, the IGLTA, which has some 2,200 business members in 87 countries, on Wednesday officially became an affiliate member of the UN World Tourism Organisation in a ceremony at FITUR's new Pink Corner for the LGBT (les.bian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) community. "The economic impact of the LGBT traveler has become apparent in the last year and especially with the economic crisis," said Massad. As most are not parents, they have more disposable income, and have the added bonus that they can travel outside peak holiday periods. Ian Johnson, the founder and chief executive of Out Now, which develops marketing strategies for targeting the gay and les.bian community, said studies by his organisation have shown that LGBT travelers account for 6.0 percent of all tourism numbers worldwide. But he warned this also represents a challenge as hotels and travel destinations must ensure that employees are properly trained to make gay guests feel comfortable. "If the consumer senses that it's nothing more than a quick 'pink dollar grab' then the cynicism will kick in immediately and those hotels, airlines and destinations will find they will not get the returns on their investments." His organisation three years ago developed the GayComfort seal of approval, which has now been awarded to around 1,000 locations worldwide. Destination tourism marketing offices in places such as Berlin, Stockholm, Australia's Gold Coast, Helsinki, Tel Aviv and Buenos Aires are among the members of the GayComfort programme. "It is not about making gay guests feel any different, it is all about making them feel welcome, the same as all other guests," Johnson said. Massad agreed that travel operators and destinations must study the market carefully. "That means not just hanging a rainbow flag outside of your business ... The last thing you want is to fall into a situation of just using cliches, because the LGBT market will see right through that immediately." He emphasised that "the LGBT market is an extremely diverse market," with travelers seeking everything from nightlife to beaches to cultural activities. "Everybody wants to pigeon-hole certain gay destinations but I think that's a very dangerous thing because any city that is a major tourism destination today has the possibility to attract the gay traveler." Johnson said marketing efforts generally start with private businesses and small tour operators. Then "government authorities take notice and usually the tourism office money tends to follow the success of one or two pioneering private tour operators in opening up these markets." He mentioned India, Nepal, Vietnam and Thailand among possible new destinations. Some operators are also widening the field to include weddings and honeymoons. Johnson said Out Now has been working with the Vienna tourism board to help develop gay honeymoons." The value is immense and we can only say to you it's growing," although there is still a "distinct lack of awareness" of the potential among operators, he said. The rising numbers of gay parents, an issue highlighted recently by pop superstar Elton John and his partner, is attracting interest in gay family holidays. US actress and talk show host Rosie O'Donnell and her partner several years ago launched R Family Vacations aimed at families with same-sex parents. UNWTO Secretary General Taleb Rifai agreed that LGBT travel is now taking off. "We have seen some announcements lately from countries that in the past would probably have not been able or willing to have come out so clearly and say 'we are encouraging'" gay tourists, he told AFP. "So I think it's a trend that is most likely to continue because it is connected to other global trends that are going in that direction."

Airlines bet oil will correct; stay away from hedging On Saturday 8 January 2011, 5:31 SGT By Francis Kan and Seng Li Peng REUTERS - Top global airlines are staying away from further hedging jet fuel purchases that account for around a third of their costs, betting that a recent surge in oil prices to two-year highs will slow. Skimping on cover risks a squeeze in earnings for these companies, which typically have razor-thin margins and had just returned to profitability in 2010 after economic turmoil had sapped corporate and consumer demand for air travel. Two factors are giving airlines pause: they have withstood prices far higher than current levels and the global economy now seems better placed to cope with the surge; and the industry hasn't forgotten Japan Airlines' bankruptcy, triggered by wrong bets on crude prices. "The risk is if oil prices rise too rapidly beyond a certain level, airlines will be exposed to the price risk and the hedging portfolio will not be effective," said Kelvin Lau, an aviation analyst with Daiwa Institute of Research in Hong Kong . While there are no available figures on the volume of options being traded, transactions in OTC swaps contracts that are sometimes used by airlines as a betting tool have been falling. The visible volume of Asian regrade and jet fuel swaps purchased by banks in the last quarter of 2010, when oil prices crossed $90, dipped compared with the same period last year and also versus the three months to July 2008 when prices climbed to a record high of $147 a barrel, Reuters data showed. "I am not seeing any airline coming out (to hedge) aggressively yet. Many appear quite comfortable with their positions," said Shukor Yusof, aviation analyst with Standard & Poor's Equity Research. "The current oil prices are not too acute for them to rush into the (hedging) market just yet." OTC SWAPS Some 2.85 million barrels worth of the two contracts changed hands in the October-December period last year, versus 3.55 million during May-July 2008, when Japan Airlines was disastrously betting that oil prices would keep rising. "It is not the right time to do hedging now," said a Singapore-based distillates trader. "It is too risky unless you expect prices to keep going up." Airlines contacted by Reuters supported the view that most are either well covered, or are not in a rush to hedge. Delta Air Lines Inc, the world's second-biggest airline behind United Continental measured by passengers carried, said on Dec. 15 that its hedge position for 2011 is about 40 percent, and of that, 40 percent is capped in the low-to-mid $80 a barrel range. Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong 's flagship carrier, is hedging 35 percent to 40 percent for the 2010-11 financial year compared with 50 percent a year earlier, while Malaysia Airlines is covering 33 percent in 2011 compared with 60 percent last year. A slowdown in hedging will reduce the volume of business of banks that sell options and other derivatives to airlines to cover their bets. Oil prices hit a 26-month high over $92 a barrel on Dec. 31, closing the year up 15 percent. Strong growth from Asia, especially China, and a rebound in demand from recovering economies elsewhere fueled a four-month rally that pushed crude over the $70-$80 range it held for much of the year. Prices touched a peak of more than $145 a barrel in July 2008. Jet fuel physical prices were nearly $107.00 a barrel on Tuesday, versus 2010's average at $90.27 a barrel and 2008's average at $121.73 a barrel. LEARNING FROM JAPAN AIRLINES "Fuel hedging allows airlines to forecast their expenses in the coming 6-12 months. But you can never get it 100% right," said Yusof at Standard & Poor's. "They have been very cautious, and concerned about the potential of losing money when they get it wrong, as seen previously." Japan Airlines chalked up $441 million in hedging losses, which contributed to a $25 billion bankruptcy earlier in 2010. The hefty losses, in an environment where most airlines were recovering, suggested the carrier had raised the volume of its hedges when oil was at its peak. This left it over-exposed when prices collapsed. Apart from hedging, another tool often deployed by airlines to cope with higher jet prices is a surcharge on the fuel they levy on tickets. This levy is often adjusted when prices rise. Singapore Airlines (SIA), the world's second-biggest carrier by market value, in early December raised its fuel surcharge by $3.00 to $25.00 per sector, its first increase since June 2008 after jet fuel prices went above $95.00 a barrel. "A fuel surcharge is collected to mitigate the effects of escalating fuel prices," said Nicholas Ionides, vice president of public affairs at SIA. The airline has also reduced its hedging to about 20 percent, down from 30-40 percent, said Lau at Daiwa Institute of Research. Thai Airways has also raised its fuel surcharge since late November. "These actions could help cover the impact of oil prices, so we think our fourth-quarter performance shouldn't be affected by this," said Raj Tanta-Nanta, vice president for investor relations at Thai Airways. (Additional reporting by Kyle Perterson in CHICAGO, Arada Kultawanich in BANGKOK, Eveline Danubrata and Jasmin Choo in SINGAPORE, Alison Leung in HONG KONG, Fang Yan in BEIJING and Aniruddha Basu in MUMBAI; Editing by Manash Goswami)

Will History repeats itself ??? IEA says high oil prices pose real economic risk On Tuesday 18 January 2011, 20:37 SGT Oil prices near $100 a barrel pose a real risk to the world economy, the IEA warned on Tuesday, as the global economic rebound led to the strongest growth in oil demand for nearly three decades. "Recent price levels already pose a real economic risk -- something of deep concern to producers and consumers alike," the International Energy Agency said in its latest monthly Oil Market Report. Oil prices of $100 a barrel represent an 'oil burden' of five percent of gross domestic product on the global economy, the IEA calculated, and said such levels in the past "have clearly been associated with economic problems. "Ultimately, oil producers, financial investors and consumers (notably import-dependent developing countries) all suffer under such a scenario," said the report. Optimism about the global economic recovery and interest from bullish investors have pushed crude prices close to $100 a barrel in recent sessions, levels last seen in October 2008. Harsh winter hitting Europe and parts of North America, as well as growth in China and other developing nations has also boosted prices. Oil prices rose in early trading in London on Tuesday. At 1100 GMT Brent North Sea crude for March delivery was up 62 cents from Monday's close at $98.05 a barrel. New York's main contract, light sweet crude for February delivery, was up 12 cents to $91.66. The IEA, the energy policy and monitoring arm of the 34-member Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, said growth in oil demand in 2010 was at one of the strongest rates in three decades, albeit from a low crisis level. Oil demand grew by 3.2 percent, an increase of 2.7 million barrels per day (mbd) year-on-year to 87.7 mbd, it said. Moreover, "such demand strength appears to be more related to a buoyant economic recovery than to the frigid weather conditions that prevailed in most of the northern hemisphere in late 2010." The IEA said preliminary data showed China's oil demand raced ahead 15.1 percent year-on-year in November, driven in large part by government-mandated closures of coal-fired plants to meet pollution targets that spurred use of small-scale electricity generators run on gasoil. "Total demand has thus reached new historical highs (10.2 mbd), surpassing for the first time the symbolic 10 mbd threshold," said the IEA. Given that the pace of economic recovery is widely forecast to slow down in 2011, the IEA forecast growth in oil demand to slow to 1.6 percent for a gain of 1.4 mbd year-on-year to 89.1 mbd. The OPEC oil cartel, which pumps 40 percent of world crude, revised upwards its 2011 world demand growth estimate on Monday, given the pace of global economic recovery and cold winter weather in the northern hemisphere. The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) said it was pencilling in world oil demand growth of 1.23 mbd to 87.32 mbd for this year, a 1.43 percent jump compared with 1.37 percent previously forecast. The IEA said global oil production fell by 0.3 mbd in December, to 88.1 mbd, as non-OPEC supply decreased largely due to weather-related and technical outages. However, global supply is 2.1 mbd higher year-on-year, it added. It now estimated demand on OPEC countries to average 29.9 mbd, around 0.4 mbd higher than previously, and that the cartel's effective spare capacity has nudged below 5 mbd for the first time in two years. The IEA said OPEC crude oil supply at 29.58 mbd was running at the highest level since December 2008, when the producer group last agreed to cut output targets. It estimated OPEC is now producing about 2.3 mbd above its notional 24.845 mbd output target. The IEA said "the steady increase in prices over the past few months appears to have prompted a number of producers to increase supplies to capture higher revenues and/or to moderate price increases." It singled out Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, the UAE, Nigeria, Ecuador and Venezuela. At its last meeting the 12-nation cartel decided to leave production quotas unchanged, with some nations like Iran and Venezuela urging higher prices to above 100 dollars a barrel to offset what they said were rising production costs. But at the meeting last month in Quito OPEC heavyweight Saudi Arabia differed, saying between 70 and 80 dollars a barrel was a "fair price."

WAH !...cannot go 'DIVING' with 'nong-nong' liao. Thailand closes dive spots due to reef damage On Friday 21 January 2011, 13:39 SGT Thailand has closed a host of popular dive sites to tourists indefinitely to allow coral reefs to recover from widespread bleaching caused by warmer sea temperatures, authorities said Friday. In total 18 areas in seven marine parks are off-limits, according to an order by the Thai National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department. "Diving in all the spots is to be halted indefinitely until the reef has fully recovered," said department official Songtham Suksawang. The ban, effective in seven of 26 marine parks, mainly covers sites in the Andaman Sea on the west coast. It also applies to snorkelling. Songtham said the authorities would limit the number of people visiting certain other reefs at the same time. Coral on Thailand's east and west coasts is thought to have been damaged by last year's unusually high sea temperatures caused by El Nino, as well as excessive human activity near the reefs, a statement by the department said. The ban was imposed in certain areas that "have widespread bleaching of more than 80 percent to allow the reef to rehabilitate", it added. Sea temperatures were said to be around two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) higher than normal in the affected regions. A study by Australia's Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies in October said reefs in Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean were dying from the worst bleaching in over a decade after sea temperatures across the region rose in May 2010. Bleaching is caused by the warm water sweeping over the reefs, shocking the corals and causing them to shed the algae that nourish them. If corals fail to regain their algae, they starve to death. Scientists say corals are vital to marine life because they provide habitats for a vast variety of creatures and absorb large levels of poisonous carbon dioxide. Reefs are also a big draw for tourists looking to explore the wealth of underwater life. Thailand is a popular destination for divers, with many resort islands offering excursions to the reefs strung along the country's more than 3,000 kilometres (1,900 miles) of coastline. The ban affects certain areas in the popular national parks of Similan and Phi Phi, as well as sites in Tarutao, Chao Mai, Chumphon, Phetra and most of Surin. Penalties for non-compliance will run to fines and jail sentences and authorities have also vowed to step up patrols to stop illegal fishing. Anchoring sites at spots not affected by the closures would also be increased to reduce damage done by boats to reefs. Authorities said the coral bleaching will be closely monitored while the ban is in place.

Financial adviser sues for ‘Worthless Degree’ By Ewen Boey – January 21st, 2011 A financial adviser is suing the Insurance and Financial Practitioners Association of Singapore (IFPAS) to get back the money he paid for a Master of Business Administration (MBA) programme that has proven worthless. Mr Davy Goh Peng Yang is suing the IFPAS to get back more than S$30,000 in fees and yet-to-be-determined sum in damages, reported The Straits Times. IFPAS, which was previously known as the Life Underwriters Association of Singapore, is the premier professional association for financial practitioners with more than 5,000 members — over half of the membership of the insurance-based financial industry. Mr Goh, 33, told the paper that he is taking the case to court as IFPAS has refused to give him a refund despite his repeated pleas. Mr Goh, who graduated from Nanyang Technological University with an engineering degree, had been a financial adviser for more than five years when he signed up for the year-long MBA programme with Vancouver University (VU) on the strength that it is endorsed by the IFPAS. However, after he completed his MBA in 2005 and was moving on to pursue VU’s doctorate programme a year later, he discovered that VU was not an accredited university. He discovered that VU had been operating for more than a decade, and had been dealt with several warnings from the Canadian government. He also found out that the Supreme Court of British Columbia had issued a shut-down order for the school in 2007. Media reports state that the Canadian government had never approved of VU to grant degrees. In 2007, VU transferred its MBA programme to International University (IU) in Vienna, but the Austrian embassy in Singapore confirmed that IU was not listed as an approved private university. IU is actually registered as an American university in the state of Alabama, despite having a campus in Vienna. Alabama is known to be a harbour for degree mills because of its lax laws. Mr Goh, who has removed the “MBA” title on his business card, said, “It’s a crime to use unaccredited degrees in some parts of the United States, but it’s also a matter of integrity”. “If it’s unaccredited, it means it has not been through the proper checks for academic quality. How can I trust that anything I learned is of value?” he added. Now studying in a part-time MBA programme in the National University of Singapore, he said, “I thought IFPAS would do the proper checks before asking its members to sing up for a degree.” Mr Goh also noted that IFPAS lists on its website its its dedication to “enhancing ethical and professional standards through continuous education”. When contacted, IFPAS executive director Paul Goh said the MBA programme was jointly launched by VU and CPPD Systems Associates, a firm run by retired NTU business professor B.C. Ghosh, who was uncontactable. Dr Goh added that IFPAS only marketed the programme, which was designed and run by VU and CPPD. He also claimed that seven modules in the programme were conducted by lecturers with “outstanding credentials”, though no names nor details on their qualifications were provided. According to Dr Goh, when IFPAS checked with the Public Service Commission on VU’s degrees, they were informed that there was no government body here that accessed or granted recognition to degrees from universities overseas. When IFPAS heard of the Canadian court’s shut-down order for VU in mid-2007, it immediately stopped the programme and offered students a choice between withdrawing and transferring to IU. It is understood from Dr Goh that between 2002 to 2006, 82 students graduated wtih MBAs, but no figures were revealed regarding the fees for the courses, or who the money went to. Mr Goh lamented, “It’s ironic. I took up the course because people think poorly of insurance agents. I thought if I had the proper qualification, it’ll show I’m knowledgeable about the financial markets and products. Instead, I find out that my MBA is worthless.”

Singapore ‘not yet a nation’: MM Lee By Kai Fong – January 22nd, 2011 For all its gleaming skyscrapers and successful transformation from a tiny fishing village to one of Asia’s — if not the world’s — most modern cities, Singapore is not yet the finished product. That’s the frank, honest and brutal assessment of none other than Mr Lee Kuan Yew, the 87-year-old founding father of the city-state. “We are a nation in the making. Will we make it? Am I certain we’ll get there? No, I cannot say that. Something can go wrong somewhere and we’ll fall apart,” said the Minister Mentor at the launch of his new book at St Regis Hotel on Friday. Speaking in front of an audience of over 160 people, comprising of diplomats, Members of Parliaments and academics, MM Lee went on to assess Singapore’s chances of becoming a true nation. “If you believe it’s a reality, then I think you’re making a mistake. It’s an aspiration, it’s something we must make into reality probably in another 20,30, 40, 50 years.” At what stage would he consider Singapore a true “nation”? When its people were willing to make sacrifices and “die for one another”, he said. He gave the example of China and Japan as nations having been ravaged and demolished but whose ”people have come together to rebuild it”. But if the same thing were to happen to Singapore, it may “simply fall apart”, said MM Lee. “I do not deceive myself for one moment that our differences of race, culture and religion will disappear,” he said, before urging the current and future generations of Singaporean leaders to “nurture, strengthen and build upon” the current Singapore. WIDE-RANGING BOOK The 458-page book, entitled Lee Kuan Yew: Hard Truths To Keep Singapore Going, also reveals MM Lee’s views on topics ranging his personal interpretations of love, family, homosexuality and even fengshui. When asked if he believes in fengshui for instance, he laughed and said it was “utter rubbish” that people think he does. “I’m a pragmatic, practical fella. I do not believe in horoscopes, I do not believe in fengshui, and I’m not superstitious about numbers,” he said. MM Lee also calls love at first sight “a grave mistake” that one will regret. He advised Singaporeans to choose “somebody who will raise your standard”, joking that it was exactly what he did. The 87-year-old also keeps an open mind about homosexuality. “It’s not a lifestyle,” MM Lee said. “There’s a genetic difference, they’re born that way and that’s that.” “So if two men and two women’re that way, just leave them alone,” he reiterated. In the new book, Mr Lee also revealed his wish to have the family home torn down for redevelopment after he dies, even though many would probably wish to have the memorable place conserved. “I’ve seen other houses, Nehru‘s, Shakespeare‘s. They become a shambles after a while.” “Because of my house, the neighbouring houses cannot build high. Now demolish my house and change the planning rules, go up, the land value will go up,” he added. After more than half a century in the public eye, fans and critics alike, MM Lee says he remains driven by the two things he holds closest to his heart – his family and his country. “I did some sharp things to get things right,” he admitted. “Maybe they disapprove of it, (found it) too harsh, but a lot was at stake.” “At the end of the day, what have I got? Just a successful Singapore.” MM Lee’s new book is now available at all major bookstores for $39.90.

WHEN ??? MM Lee on PAP losing power: That day will come By Angela Lim – January 21st, 2011 Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, the founding leader People’s Action Party’s (PAP) has predicted its rule of Singapore will come to an end one day. In a new book to be launched on Friday, the 84-year-old founder of modern Singapore said he has no illusions about his legacy and the future of the ruling PAP, which he led for 38 years and which has been in power since 1963. “There will come a time when eventually the public will say, look, let’s try the other side, either because the PAP has declined in quality or the opposition has put up a team which is equal to the PAP and they say, let’s try the other side,” wrote Mr Lee in his new book. “That day will come,” he said. “No system lasts forever, that’s for sure. In the next 10 years to 20 years, I don’t think it will happen. Beyond that, I cannot tell. Will we always be able to get the most dedicated and most capable, with integrity to devote their lives to this? I hope so, but forever, I don’t know,” he said. He gave the example of the Japanese Liberal Democratic Party, which held power from 1955 to 2009, with an 11-month interruption from 1993 to1994, as an example. He said its downfall was in part because it “carried on with old ideas”. Mr Lee, who now remains on PAP’s central executive committee after serving as PAP party leader until 1992, revealed his concerns in a series of candid interviews with journalists from The Straits Times. The interviews are published in a new book “Lee Kuan Yew: Hard Truths To Keep Singapore Going” which will be launched on Friday at St Regis Singapore. Mr Lee said the change in government could take place suddenly if PAP leaders splits “either for reasons of principle or personality”. Or it could happen over time, if the PAP declines in quality or if the opposition assembles a team equal to the PAP. He said, “If the decline in standards happens gradually, an opposition of quality will be launched. The public can sense it. If it is sudden, well, you’re landed with an emergency, and unless a credible team emerges, the country will start to go down the drain.” But despite his concerns, he was confident Singapore would survive a handover to another party because of the safeguards in its political system. These include the elected presidency, free and regular elections and a bureaucracy separated from the political leadership. “If we are voted out, the system is still working,” he said. “The new government cannot frivolously change the top men with its own sycophants nor spend the country’s past reserves without the President’s consent. They need to govern within these rules.” He pointed out that it was this projected shift in power some day that prompted the PAP to start the safeguards in the first place. Growing wage gap a ‘government concern’ Mr Lee also singled out the growing wage gap as a potential source of trouble for the PAP, explaining that it could spark class interests. “There could come a time when the interest of the upper middle class will be divergent, that they don’t think they should subsidise the lower classes. They may well support a party which says, ‘No I don’t think this taxation is right. Why should I support the people in the two-room and three-room and four-room flats?’ We will widen the divide in our society. I don’t know when, but it will come,” he said. He explained this was why the Government payed special attention to cater to the needs of those in the lower-income groups. Otherwise, it may result in the entrenchment of a ”disaffected, discontented and rebellious” underclass like in America might result, he added. However, Mr Lee insisted that attempting to solve these problems with welfare payments, like many European countries, would not work in Singapore. “We will not perform,” he said. Instead, he said the PAP redistributes enough to secure the support of more than half the electorate, but not to the point where the country loses its competitive drive. “So you say to me, the chaps at the bottom will become anti-government. Do we change because of that or do what we say, ‘Right, we are likely going to lose that number of votes each time and so we’ve got to win from the median upwards’? I mean, that’s politics,” he added. On democracy When probed for his views on liberal democracy, Mr Lee revealed he was not convinced that democracy is superior. If it was clearly better, it would “take over the world”, just as the market economy has, he said. However, he did admit that democracy’s attraction lay in its allowing of non-violent changes of government. So, would an independent commission prevent gerrymandering? Mr Lee said Singapore had “one-tenth the gerrymandering others have done”, even in countries with independent elections commissions. Despite acknowledging that the PAP would lose power one day, he dismissed the suggestion that the PAP should therefore assist the opposition. He quoted from a note younger ministers which said, “If voters elect more opposition MPs, so be it. But we do not believe that helping to build an opposition, to buy insurance in case the PAP fails, will work. Instead, it will lead to party politicking and distraction from long-term issues.” “I’m not out here to justify the PAP or the present government,” he added. “I’m beyond that phase.”

It will be 'lost' HISTORY to future generations ! Singapore's Lee wants home demolished AFP - Saturday, January 22 SINGAPORE (AFP) – Singapore's elder statesman Lee Kuan Yew wants his family home torn down for redevelopment after he dies instead of being turned into a historical shrine. In excerpts from a new book launched Friday, Lee said he had already instructed the government to destroy the British colonial-era bungalow situated off the premier Orchard Road shopping belt after his death. "I've told the Cabinet, when I'm dead, demolish it," the 87-year-old Lee, who now advises his son Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, said in remarks published by the daily Straits Times. "I've seen other houses, Nehru's, Shakespeare's. They become a shambles after a while," he said, the former referring to India's independence hero Jawaharlal Nehru. The newspaper's parent company Singapore Press Holdings is publishing the book "Lee Kuan Yew: Hard Truths to Keep Singapore Going", based on exclusive interviews with Lee by Straits Times journalists. The famously frank and unsentimental Lee described his home -- built more than a century ago by a Jewish merchant -- as "a big rambling house with five bedrooms and three others at the back" and cracks in the walls. Lee, who gave the interviews before his wife Kwa Geok Choo died in October last year, said his family would not miss the house, which he has owned since the 1940s. "I don't think my daughter or my wife or I, who lived in it, or my sons who grew up in it, will bemoan its loss. They have old photos to remind them of the past," he said. Key meetings of what would become the ruling People's Action Party met in the house's basement to plot strategy during its formative years, the newspaper reported. The PAP has ruled Singapore since 1959, when the island gained self-rule from Britain, and its overwhelming majorities have allowed it to plan orderly successions thanks to its nearly total control of parliament. Under Lee, who served as prime minister from 1959 to 1990 and led Singapore to independence from Malaysia in 1965, the city-state underwent an economic miracle, at the same time maintaining a hardline policy on political dissent. He was pragmatic about the house's economic value. "Because of my house the neighbouring houses cannot build high. Now demolish my house and change the planning rules, go up, the land value will go up," he said in the interviews. Speaking at the launch of the book Friday, Lee, who now holds the title of Minister Mentor, said that Singapore remained "a nation in the making", despite its rapid rise to prosperity. "I do not deceive myself for one moment that our differences of race, culture, language, religion, have disappeared," Lee said, urging Singaporeans to preserve racial and religious harmony. "The message I want to convey is a simple one: we are a nation in the making. Will we make it? Am I certain we'll get there? No, we cannot say that. Something may go wrong somewhere and we'll fall apart," he said. Singapore, which prides itself on its political stability, has a predominantly Chinese population, with minority races including Malays and Indians plus a growing foreign community now comprising one-fifth of the population of five million. "You have a nation like China or Japan, China can be ravaged, demolished but the people come together again and rebuild. I'm not sure if Singapore were damaged, ravaged and demolished, they could ever come together again," said Lee. "So this precious, accidental, improbable, unlikely nation that we have created should be nurtured, carefully strengthened and built upon."

Heh...Heh

World Football - Cantona takes job with NY Cosmos Wed, 19 Jan 11:43:00 2011 Manchester United legend Eric Cantona has been named director of soccer at the recently restored American club New York Cosmos The Cosmos were a famous American team in the 1970s with the likes of Pele and Franz Beckenbauer playing for them in their heyday, but they ceased activities in the mid-80s. However, the club name was sold to a new organisation in 2009, who are hoping to build the team into an MLS franchise. Cantona's will be in charge of a "proposed first team" and he admits he is excited by the project. "The Cosmos are very strong, beautifully made, with a great past. It's kind of a mix between football and art," said Cantona Cantona will work with former United States midfielder Cobi Jones, who is assistant director of soccer. The new Cosmos team have yet to find a suitable stadium in the New York area. An ODE to the KING : We'll drink, a drink, a drink, to Eric the King,­ the King, the King, He's the Leader of our football­ team, He's the greatest French Footballer, That the­ world has ever seen. Eric the King is remarkably­ trendy, He's done some modelling around­ town, Wearing the best suits, up on the catwalk, While­ the Leeds fans they just frown. He once played for­ Marseille, but never for Arsenal, Or Liverpool or even­ Man City, Landed in Yorkshire, a terrible blunder, That­ was nine months with the sheep. He had a brief spell­ there, with the Leeds lot, Until he realised that they­ were has-beens, Only one way now, for Eric to go­ now, To the Theatre of our Dreams. On the feild­ it's almost unreal, Some of the things that Eric­ does, Supurb overhead kicks, remarkable­ back-flicks, I'm sure the guy just takes the­ piss. Eric is so cool, remarkably cultured, He like­ good music and poetry too, Performing the fine arts, on­ the field, For the boys they call Man U. We'll­ always remember that day in November, As the time he­ made that special move, Poetry in motion, the deadliest­ potion, He's got nothing left to prove. He is a­ legend, without any doubt, He will reign for years to­ come, We'll just stand there, in admiration, With­ countless more trophies won. We'll drink, a drink,­ a drink, to Eric the King, the King, the King, He's­ the Leader of our football team, He's the greatest­ French Footballer, That the world has ever seen.

‘Bak kwa’ prices to hit record high? By Angela Lim – January 20th, 2011 Bak kwa lovers, get ready to pay more than S$50 per kg if you want to indulge in your favourite festive treat this Chinese New Year. According to The Straits Times, retailers claim rising ingredient and labour costs are pushing up prices of this festive staple of sliced barbecue pork. The first day of Chinese New Year falls on February 3 this year, but some shops have already begun raising prices by between S$2 and S$4 to reach S$48. The cost of traditional bak kwa at the 106-year-old Kim Hock Guan, which has three stores, has been increased from S$46 to S$48 per kg since last week. This is higher than its record price of S$47 per kg last year. Last year, stores like 35-outlet chain Fragrance sold traditional bak kwa for as high as S$50 per kg. Lim Chee Guan, with its three outlets, has also charged more this year, from S$42 to S$46 per kg since last week. The chain’s owner, Mr Rod Lim, said prices of bak kwa this year may exceed last year’s highest price – S$48 per kg – by S$2 to S$3 this time round. He cited the “substantial increase in raw material cost” as one of the reasons for the price jump. Floods in Australia have pushed global sugar prices to a new high. The cost of sugar has increased by nearly 30 per cent recently to more than S$70 per 50kg pack. President of the Meat Traders Association, Mr Chung Suan Lim, said pork prices have risen by at least 10 per cent recently because of the higher cost of animal feed and demand during the festive season. Retailers add that hiring more staff to boost production during this period also adds to the costs. Kim Joo Guan in South Bridge Road doubled the number of workers to almost 60 to meet demands at its shop and two temporary stalls in Takashimaya and Chevron House. Mr Kevin Kwee, its director, said it has been absorbing additional labour costs to give early bird customers a “good deal”. However, it will increase prices by S$3 to S$48 per kg starting next Tuesday. But it seems the climbing prices have not stopped buyers. Many are still willing to wait more than 90 minutes for their favourite snack, forming queues outside popular stores like Lim Chee Guan. Retailers said business has improved compared with last year. At the 37-outlet Bee Cheng Hiang chain, sales have jumped by almost 15 per cent. “Sales are picking up at our stores and our corporate orders have also grown because people feel good about the economy and their spending power has increased,” said the chain’s group general manager, Daniel Wong. Financial news agency Bloomberg News has revived its seasonal bak kwa index to track the price of three varieties of barbecued pork by five major retailers here. Engineering officer Chua Hui Rong, 24, are among those buying their must-have festive treat early to beat rising prices. She queued for more than an hour at Lim Chee Guan’s shop in People’s Park Complex during lunchtime early this week to buy 1kg of bak kwa for her family. Others like sales manager Richard Li, 46, plan to buy closer to Chinese New Year. “I prefer to buy later so that it tastes fresher. And even if the prices go beyond S$50 per kg then, I will still buy because it is a must have for Chinese New Year,” he said.

Court rejects lawyer’s appeal on Thaipusam Guidelines By Faris – January 19th, 2011 An appeal for a court order against the guidelines on Thaipusam was thrown out of the High Court on Tuesday. The application was filed last Thursday by human rights lawyer, M. Ravi ahead of tomorrow’s festival. In his application naming the Attorney-General and the Hindu Endowments Board (HEB) as defendants, he said the guidelines disallowing shouting, playing of music and the sounding of gongs and drums breached a person’s constitutional right to practise his religion. He added that enforcing the curbs would “endanger the safety and personal liberty of devotees”. Last Friday, Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam reassured Hindus that public-order guidelines issued on the festival’s procession were not new, and applied equally to all religious processions. The only new element this year was to allow the singing of hymns, he said, and that represented a relaxation of the rules. The HEB had earlier said that enforcing the rules will address issues of noise and crowd control, which have been escalating at Thaipusam processions in recent years. On Tuesday, High Court Justice Steven Chong dismissed Mr Ravi’s appeal after hearing from him and the Attorney-General’s lawyers in chambers. Speaking to The Straits Times in his office, Mr Ravi said that he will not appeal against the decision, but will turn to the United Nations and other international bodies for redress. Under the guidelines, devotees are prohibited from playing recorded music or sounding gongs or drums, from painting their faces, bodies or wearing any form of disguise, and from shouting or unruly behaviour. Singing religious hymns relevant to the festival is permitted. Participants who fail to comply may be refused permission to participate in the current and future Thaipusam processions. They may also be liable to prosecution including a fine of up to S$5,000 under the Public Order Act. Thaipusam is an annual celebration by Hindus to honour Lord Murugan, an important Hindu deity. Every year, tens of thousands of devotees take part in the overnight procession from the Sri Srinivasa Perumal temple in Serangoon Road to the Sri Thendayuthapani temple in Tank Road.

Singapore’s fertility rate drops to record low By Alicia Wong – January 17th, 2011 Singapore’s Total Fertility Rate has plunged to a record low of 1.16, down from 1.22 — already a record low — the previous year, said Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Wong Kan Seng on Monday, citing preliminary estimates. He also revealed, a total of 29,265 foreigners were granted permanent residency last year, compared to 59,460 given in 2009. Speaking at the keynote address of Singapore Perspectives 2011, DPM Wong — who also heads the newly formed National Population and Talent Division — announced the latest figures as he mapped out Singapore’s long-term strategy for managing sustainable population growth. The annual conference, organised by the Institute of Policy Studies, sought to assess the challenges and solutions facing Singapore today, as it seeks to be an inclusive society. The main thrust of his speech? How can Singapore grow as a global city and yet remain a “distinctive and endearing home” to its citizens. To do so, he acknowledged tensions arising from the Republic’s growing size and from rapid, constant change will have to be resolved, adding that ”not all Singaporeans are comfortable with the pace of change and developments.” He said, the government was aware some Singaporeans feel the pace of life has picked up too fast and that problems like congestion and increased prices are the result of having too many foreigners, while other Singaporeans are more worried about the potential erosion of the Singaporean identity. However, he contrasted those problems by laying out the bare facts: that Singaporeans are simply not having enough babies. “The key hurdle to achieving a sustainable population lies in our weak local fertility rate. For more than thirty years, we have not been having enough babies to replace ourselves. Preliminary estimates indicate that our resident total fertility rate has fallen to 1.16 in 2010, even lower than the 1.22 recorded in 2009. The going is hard, but we have not given up.” Adding to the complexity of the problem is Singapore’s multi-racial, multi-cultural population. DPM said, most global cities such as New York, Hong Kong and Tokyo have “sizeable populations” to attract investors and grow domestic markets. “Singapore, however, is a compact city state and any growth in population size must be balanced against the need to maintain a liveable environment and a harmonious ambience.” Global cities are also “centres of change” that remake themselves from time to time and implement bold initiatives. But too much change, and “we risk losing the essence of home,” acknowledged DPM Wong. “We want to retain the vibrancy and dynamism of a city on the move, without eroding the sense of belonging and pride in our shared heritage,” he said. To tackle these challenges, the NPTD and other government agencies will be guided by three key principles, said DPM Wong. First, the government will “preserve and uphold what is distinctive and unique about Singapore.” To DPM Wong, this boils down to two aspects: Singapore’s national character, which ranges from being hardworking and thrifty to having a “humour that is folksy and unpretentious”, and Singapore’s multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-lingual society. “In managing our population, we will always be guided by the need to preserve a strong citizen core and to maintain stability in our ethnic mix,” he said. Second, the government will “ensure that growth and change benefit Singaporeans.” This includes ensuring sufficient manpower by taking in foreigners for economic growth, and mitigating the impact of ageing. DPM Wong cited how job opportunities, choices and options will grow as Singapore’s economy grows. For instance, up to 10 years ago, the local food and beverage scene was “significantly less vibrant” without the likes of Dempsey Hill. Third, the government will “remain nimble and be prepared to make adjustments along the way.” For instance, the immigration framework was tightened to better manage the inflow and quality of new immigrants in the last quarter of 2009. This resulted in half the number of new PRs in 2010, compared to the year before. New citizens have remained fairly steady at 18,758 in 2010, from 19,928 in 2009. “Whatever we do, we will ensure that Singaporeans will benefit from growth and change. The benefits will be concrete,” assured DPM Wong. He said, “We will not leave behind those who need more help. The surpluses we have set aside in good times can be tapped on to look after the needs of the old and poor. We will continue to enjoy quality education, healthcare, transport and other social infrastructure.”

COE drops $10k for BIG Cars By Kai Fong – January 20th, 2011 Certificates of Entitlement (COE) premiums have dropped again for big cars but increased for small cars in the latest bidding exercise which ended on Wednesday. After reporting 13-year highs in December 2010′s final round of bidding, the COE premium for cars above 1,600cc ended at S$58,910 a drop of $10,090 or 14.6 per cent. Hybrid Motors sales manager Geraldine Lim was not surprised by the decrease as there were fewer bidders. “Chinese New Year is round the corner, and if the customers are not able to get their cars within this time frame, there is no need to go into the bidding,” Ms Lim told Channel NewsAsia (CNA). “A lot of people have cleared their Cat B backlog of orders, also due for Chinese New Year,” agrees Glenn Tan, executive director of Tan Chong International. He added that many were anticipating a big cut. Premium for the Goods Vehicles and Bus category also decreased, by S$5,111 to S$30,000, while that for the Open category registered a smaller 11.6 per cent, or S$8,780, to S$67,009. What was unexpected though was an increase in the premium for cars up to 1,600cc, which registered the largest drop among all categories in the first bidding exercise for 2011. The COE for small cars now costs S$40,123 — a rise of S$1,234 or 3.1 per cent. “(Based on) the number of orders in the market, we feel that the COE should be stable at S$37,000 (or) S$38,000,” said a surprised Raymond Tang. The honorary secretary of Singapore Vehicle Traders Association did not expect the number of bids to go above 1,000. The same trend is spotted in the premiums of motorcycles, which rose by S$187 to S$1,690, and taxis, which hit S$40,123, up by 3.2 per cent. Motor traders said aggressive bidding by taxi companies SMRT, CityCab and Comfort was what caused the spike in premiums, reported The Straits Times. The 350 bids submitted made up one-third of the total bids made in the category. The COE bidding results come before the Land Transport Authority (LTA)‘s reduced COE quota kicks in next month. The LTA announced on 10 January there would be 22,368 COEs available between February and July – a three per cent drop or 695 certificates fewer than the previous six months, which works out to a new monthly quota of 3,728. The next round of COE bidding will also see a new staggered quota, which dealers hope will bring prices down.

Grandpa PLAYBOY wants ya $upport !!! 'Uncensored' Playboy coming to iPad: Hefner AFP - Thursday, January 20 WASHINGTON (AFP) - – Playboy founder Hugh Hefner is bringing his iconic men's magazine to the iPad. The octogenarian publisher, in a message on his Twitter feed, @hughhefner, said current and back issues of Playboy would be available on the Apple device in March. "Big news! Playboy -- both old & new -- will be available on iPad beginning in March," Hefner said. He did not provide any more details but in response to a question from a Twitter follower Hefner said "Playboy on iPad will be uncensored." A Playboy spokeswoman said Playboy for the iPad will be a Web-based subscription service with Bondi Digital Publishing that will be "iPad compatible and will utilize iPad functions." She said the Chicago-based company also plans to release a "non-n.u.d.e" version of a Playboy-branded iPad application in the coming months that "adheres to all of Apple's policies and guidelines." Apple has a strict policy of banning nudity in applications for the iPhone and the iPad sold through its App Store. Playboy already offers an iPhone application for 99 cents that does not feature nudity. Hefner's iPad announcement came just over a week after he struck a deal to return Playboy Enterprises to private ownership.