I visit Loh's thread on Singapore affairs as part of my routine when surfing a few sites when time permits. I am not specially interested in Singapore, I am also very interested in China, Japan, Europe,US etc etc but only Loh is taking the trouble to keep us informed and that sure takes a lot of time and effort to provide such a service. Who has the time to go looking for every country's newspapers on the web-site? Unless it is some loser with nothing better to do.As far as Singapore is concerned Loh is keeping many people happy (except some spiteful ones)with the selected articles.I will know how to filter or look for alternative views if I am interested. In fact people from China, Japan, Europe,North America etc should have similar threads to keep everyone involved in badminton to be informed about developments elsewhere. I'll drink to that but not to get drunk. Maybe someone can start a column called " Let's argue about anything under the sun" or "let's debate about our private, internal, family affairs and let the whole world see your deficiencies". Maybe no one is too old to take up martial arts, then one can have a full-time sparring partner to entertain oneself. By the way have you all ever bothered to play music to a buffalo and expecting it to understand?I think buffalo language is in order.
A very common saying in the construction business " It takes thousands of people many man-hours to build a building or monument, it takes just one idiot to bomb it to bits." I think even a 3 year old can now grasp the meaning of the word "constructive" or "putting your money where your mouth is"-the language of salesmen.
A*Star scores 'hat-trick' The Straits Times Jul 13, 2010 By Lai Han-Wei SCIENTISTS from A*Star have made three successive breakthroughs in key areas of cancer research. Their work, published in top scientific journals Cancer Cell, Nature Cell Biology, and Cancer Research, sheds light on the mechanism behind cancer metastasis, suggest why breast cancer cells live as long as they do, and show a better way to detect and fight cervical cancer. A team of scientists led by Dr Zeng Qi , from Agency of Science, Technology and Research's (A*Star) Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB) made a discovery about how PRL-3, a key protein, is regulated in the body. Together with her collaborator Dr Leah Vardy from A*Star's Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), the discovery sheds light on the role of PRL-3 in cancer and suggests possible ways to prevent metastasis, arguably the most harmful aspect of the disease. Said Dr Zeng: 'The finding of PCBP1 as a potential tumour suppressor is highly significant as a similar mechanism may be regulating other cancer genes. 'Since PRL-3 plays multiple tasks in contributing to cancer metastasis, we are extremely excited to discover the mechanism underlying PRL-3's expression control as it uncovers another piece of the puzzle surrounding one of the most important proteins involved in cancer.' Their findings were praised by Professor Neal Copeland, Executive Director of IMCB, who said: 'This study by Drs Zeng and Vardy is a fine example of how basic research contributes to understanding processes that lead to metastasis, perhaps the most devastating aspect of cancer'. Other breakthroughs PRL-3 was first identified by Dr Zeng in 1998. However, the mechanism controlling the expression of PRL-3 is poorly understood. While trying to understand how PRL-3 expression is regulated in the body, the scientist discovered that PCBP1 was responsible for suppressing the expression of PRL-3. Using their mouse model, the scientists found that inducing over-expression of PCBP1 significantly reduced tumour size, suggesting that controlling levels of PCBP1 may be a means of suppressing the growth and spread of tumours in the body. Shortening the life of breast cancer Another team of scientists from IMCB led by Dr Vinay Tergaonkar have discovered a protein, Rap1, which plays an important role in breast cancer. Their work, published in Nature Cell Biology showed that the presence and abundance of Rap1 could serve as biomarkers of various human illnesses including breast cancer. They also found that Rap1 could protect cancer cells from self-programmed cell death and that Rap1 levels in breast tumours might be responsible for cancer cell metastasis, making the protein an excellent target for cancer therapies. A more sensitive test for cervical cancer The third team of scientists led by Dr Francoise Thierry of IMB discovered that the human papillomavirus (HPV) E2 protein could be used for the early detection of HPV . Their work, published in Cancer Research, is a step forward in the fight against cervical cancer, the second cause of death by cancer in women worldwide. Dr Thierry, together with Drs Jeffrey Low and Diana Lim of the National University Health System, Singapore, showed that HPV detection methods based on HPV E2 were more sensitive than methods based on detection of the HPV DNA. Furthermore, the presence of HPV E2 was intimately linked to the progression of cervical cancer, and could therefore help to control the progression of the disease. Scientists from A*Star have made three successive breakthroughs in key areas of cancer research. -- PHOTO: NUH
Let not waste our time playing music to a cow ! There are better things to do.... the earth still spins and we need to move on. And like you have mentioned, I also appreciate Loh's effort of updating Singapore's affair. For me who is working overseas, Loh's thread has provided me a quick mean to know what is happening back home. In addition, I can also spend sometime on other topics in badmintoncentral Thanks.
"Professional ", very interesting word. . Professionals dont use language like " Hanky panky, put your money where your mouth is, pissed off, what's your beef, look, etc etc. Professionals demonstrate inhibitions and tact in speech and choose their language carefully with reserve, always with an eye on the audience, this is not an "American Talk Show" cantonese say "Ngap tak chau Ngap".Professionals set a good example for other people to follow. Professionals do their homework based on authoritative works, not newspapers or propoganda. Later on if i have the time I will collect all the "professional" language and multi quote them here.
Singapore expects double-digit 2010 economic growth Channel NewsAsia 14 July 2010 0807 hrs SINGAPORE: The Singapore government on Wednesday upgraded its 2010 economic growth forecast to a blistering 13 to 15 per cent, outstripping estimates of around 10 per cent growth in regional powerhouse China. Robust demand for its manufactured exports, particularly biomedical products, resulted in the sharp upgrade from the earlier estimate of 7.0 to 9.0 per cent growth in gross domestic product (GDP). GDP growth in the first quarter was 16.9 per cent from a year ago, the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) said, while second quarter expansion is estimated at 19.3 per cent. MTI said growth would moderate in the second half of the year due to a slowdown in the US recovery and sovereign debt problems in Europe. On an annualised and seasonally adjusted basis, Singapore economy expanded 26.0 per cent in the April-June period. The manufacturing sector is estimated to have grown by 45.5 per cent year-on-year. Growth was driven by a surge in the output of the biomedical manufacturing cluster, as well as a strong expansion in the electronics cluster. Singapore also revised upwards its forecast for total trade growth this year to between 17 and 19 per cent. This compared to the previous forecast for between 14 and 16 per cent growth. The forecast for non oil domestic exports (NODX) has also been raised to between 17 and 19 per cent, up from the previous projection of between 15 and 17 per cent. Trade promotion agency IE Singapore said among the reasons for the upward revisions were better-than-expected second quarter trade performance. The year-on-year expansion in both Singapore's total trade and NODX was larger than expected for the second quarter of 2010, at 28 per cent each. The corresponding figures for the second quarter of 2009 were declines of 27 per cent and 14 per cent. IE Singapore said another contributory factor was strong trade growth of Asian economies. They continued to enjoy buoyant growth in the first half of 2010, with the International Monetary Fund upgrading Asia's 2010 real GDP growth forecast to 7.5 per cent, up from April's forecast of 6.9 per cent. The agency said global semiconductor demand also grew at a much faster pace than in 2009. IE Singapore said for the month of June, NODX rose by 29 per cent on year after the 24 per cent growth in the previous month, due to both electronic and non-electronic domestic exports. Electronic NODX increased by 44 per cent in June on-year due to higher domestic exports of ICs, parts of ICs and PC parts. The agency said non-electronic NODX grew by 21 per cent. The increase was led by higher domestic exports of pharmaceuticals, petrochemicals and specialised machinery. NODX to all of the top 10 markets increased in June. The largest contributors to the increase were the European Union, China and Japan. Singapore's financial district.
Johor's Iskandar wooing Singapore investors Channel NewsAsia 13 July 2010 1122 hrs By Melissa Goh Photos 1 of 1 Model of Iskandar Malaysia Video Johor's Iskandar wooing Singapore investors JOHOR BAHRU, MALAYSIA: Malaysia's southern economic region Iskandar expects strong investment flow from neighbouring Singapore, despite an expected economic slowdown in the second half of the year. In an interview with Channel NewsAsia, the CEO of Iskandar Investment, Arlida Ariff, said she hopes to ride on improved bilateral ties to woo Singapore investments. Spanning over 2,200 square kilometres, the Iskandar economic region located in southern Johor is three times the size of Singapore. Since its inception at the end of 2006, Iskandar has attracted more than 60 billion ringgit worth of investment from both local and foreign investors, surpassing its own target of 47 billion. Singapore is currently the third largest investor in Iskandar, with 3.03 billion ringgit worth of investments committed so far. They are mainly in electrical and electronics, manufacturing and education. But according to the CEO of the economic region, Iskandar offers plenty of synergistic opportunities especially in leisure tourism. CEO Arlida Ariff said: "This is an area Singaporeans as visitors have taken advantage of. But for businessmen (and) investors, this is certainly an area we see potential and opportunities... those are the areas we would like to invite interest from Singapore." To boost tourism, Iskandar is opening up two more hotels, a marina, retail malls, an indoor family theme park including Asia's first Legoland in 2012. It also plans to add another 5.5 million square feet of commercial and residential space later this year. CEO Arlida Ariff said: "Very frankly, most long-haul visitors look for location that justifies a stay of 4-5 nights. "I think, singly, Johor and Singapore do not provide the long-stay conditions. We don't have enough attractions to justify a long stay. "(But) working together in collaboration, we can develop packages. It's a win-win situation, we actually create a bigger market." Malaysia expects its tourist arrivals to exceed 18 million this year while Singapore is forecasting 12 million. Combined, analysts say, both countries stand to reap more from an increased number of tourists who stay longer and spend more.
Singapore's Double Helix Bridge at Marina Bay Last Sunday evening, after my badminton session, I made my way to the newly erected Youth Olympic Park where the double Helix Bridge is located amidst some of the most famous attractions and landmarks around Marina Bay that have given Singaporeans and tourists alike a great deal of pleasure and excitement. Marina Bay is now a buzz word that sets one flowing with adrenalin and eagerness. The imposing brand-new Marina Bay Sands' three hotel tower blocks of 55 storeys, topped up by a 'cruise ship' Skypark never fails to cause one to admire from near and far. And the recently completed double Helix Bridge, considered by experts as an engineering wonder, complements MBS fittingly at the ground level. Not too long ago, the Esplanade with its twin 'durians' made an indelible cultural mark here, providing serious and contemporary entertainment to all and leaving our historic Victoria Theatre across the road almost unheard. Marina Bay is an important part of the Singapore River. The Marina Barrage was commissioned not long ago to help control the level of water that comes from the sea and to turn Marina Bay eventually into another huge reservoir. Already it is used as a place for sports, recreation and entertainment. The YOG canoe racing will be held here, I believe. Just beyond this waterway, after the age-old Anderson Bridge, stands our economy-sustaining financial district and Fullerton Hotel. Our famous Merlion stands at the opposite jetty spouting a stream of water from its mouth into the sea and our first ever giant floating platform, which has been a favourite venue for our past National Day Parades, will host the YOG opening ceremony soon. Nearby too, the giant Singapore Flyer, still holding the record as the biggest wheel in the world, was the first to provide a panaromic view of the city and a glimpse of Malaysia and Indonesia. The MBS Skypark will now provide some competition. Come September, the vicinity will be deafened by the bursting thunder of the F1 dare devils in a circuit largely made up of concrete streets as racing tracks! Marina Bay is the place to be in. And soon the softer side will be added to this unique hive-of-a-place with the extension of our tranquil Botanic Gardens. Expect more to come, including the National Day fireworks on 9th August.
Loh, the Singapore skyline (night) is getting more and more beautiful. Of course the photography must be good too.
Singapore Garden Festival charms visitors with garden & floral displays Channel NewsAsia 14 July 2010 2145 hrs By Evelyn Lam/Lynda Hong SINGAPORE : The Singapore Garden Festival is back for the third time to charm visitors with the works of top designers, as well as garden and floral displays. President S R Nathan opened the festival, which is being held until July 22 at the Suntec Convention and Exhibition Centre. On display are some 250,000 tropical and temperate plants, as well as 31 masterpieces by award-winning garden and floral designers from 17 countries - with four winners from Singapore. The centrepiece is a five-metre tall display called The Man Who Planted Trees. It is grown and nurtured by hundreds of people from the public - and is the fruit of labour of the community. The eight-day festival is expected to draw over 300,000 visitors. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Senior Minister of State for National Development, Grace Fu, said: "Community gardening is indeed blossoming as Singapore transforms from a Garden City to a City in a Garden...We need the community to help nurture and grow it." For the first time in the festival, two Singaporean designers were awarded top honours. John Tan's garden, "The Tree House - Modern Kampong Lifestyle", was the winner for the Best of Show - Landscape Garden category. His garden depicts a modern kampong house that reflects the lifestyle of the future, but yet retains the old character of wooden houses. Damian Tang's "The Mysterious Jungle of Pandora" came out tops in the Best of Show - Fantasy Garden category. His garden replicates a rich jungle environment shadowed by underlying tones of danger and the unknown that would captivate and overwhelm the senses. Jim Fogarty of Australia was named the inaugural recipient of the SGF Horticulture Excellence Award. The award was given in recognition for best plant use and plant quality in his Landscape Garden entitled "Daintree". Germany's Brigitte Heinrichs took home the Best of Show in Floral Windows to the World category with her work entitled "Design with Nature".
Tycoon sends jet for durian The Straits Times Jul 15, 2010 THE Mao Shan King durian from Malaysia has proven to be so irresistible that Stanley Ho, who is Macau's Gambling King, sent his personal jet to pick up 88 durians from Singapore recently China Press reported that Mr Ho's men bought about $2,065 worth of the durian from the 818 Durian Stall at Telok Kurau Road. Mr Ho then shared the king of fruits with his friend Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing by giving him 10 durians. The daily reported that Mr Ho's worker wanted to buy 98 durians but only managed to get 88 as there wasn't enough due to adverse weather. In Singapore, the Mao Shan King durian costs about RM16 per kilo, the daily reported. Durians are not allowed on commercial flights. -- THE STAR/ANN Stanley Ho sent his personal jet to pick up 88 durians from Singapore recently. -- PHOTOS: FRANCIS ONG PUAY GUAN, AP
Night Festival Singapore 2010 http://sg.theasianparent.com/articles/night-festival-singapore-2010 by Dheeraj Dream of the past, treasure the present and fantasise of the future at this years Night Festival 2010. The magical playground in the pulsating arts and heritage district gets reinvented and comes to life! Explore and have fun at this dazzling spectacle of street theatre extravaganza. Festival highlights include: Paraboles 2.0 6 giant satellite dishes spring from the urban ground right in front of the museum. At its core, stroboscopic light flashes quietly indicating it is in operation. Under each satellite, you hear a melody of sounds composed of music of the stars, solar winds and radio waves. Viet Nam The World Tour A series of live performances that transcends national boundaries and ideas of nationhood. Come join the rap and dance performances, admire the new generation of art- graffiti murals on vans and try your luck at the t-shirt giveaways. Putho!-Circus Acts Let these dare-devil acrobats stun and amaze you with their range of physical contortions, balancing acts and death-defying stunts- a performance not for the faint hearted! Abusement Park Baroque Interventionists and Vertical Submarine will convert parts of the Singapore Art Museum into an Abusement Park. Go down and check out the basics of pain at the shooting gallery and the guillotine or experience the unexpected with the Hungry Artist and Private Poverty. The Peranakan Museum Enjoy some family-friendsly fun in the Glow-in-the-dark room or check out the special exhibition- Ramayana Revisited: A Tale of Love & Adventure. Live Music Gigs at the Substation Get jiggy with it with live music performances by Bani Haykal, Lunarin, Mux, The Analog Girl, Ugly in The Morning and Westside. So go on down to the Night Festival: New world 2010 this weekend! Admission to all galleries are free at the National Museum of Singapore, Singapore Art Museum , SAM at 8Q and Peranakan Museum till 2 am. Visit their website for more details.
More cycling towns to come The Straits Times Jul 16, 2010 By Maria Almenoar RESIDENTS in Changi-Simei and Bedok can look forward to cycling paths connecting them to neighbourhood amenities by 2014. The two neighbourhoods will join Yishun, Sembawang, Tampines, Pasir Ris and Taman Jurong to become designated cycling towns. A $43 million fund has been set up to pay for the building of cycling paths and infrastructure to park bicycles. Cycling will also be promoted in the city area. Marina Bay will be the first area in the city to have a network of cycling paths. It was chosen as it is not fully built-up yet, making it easier to install the infrastructure. Work on Marina Bay will be completed by 2014 and will cost $26 million.
Seven towns to have dedicated cycling paths by 2014 Channel NewsAsia 15 July 2010 1856 hrs By Dylan Loh SINGAPORE: The government pedals forward with plans to get more people on two wheels. By 2014, Changi-Simei and Bedok will have dedicated cycling lanes. This will bring to seven the number of estates where the government aims to promote intra-town biking to transport nodes like MRT stations. The other towns, announced in February 2009, are Yishun, Tampines, Sembawang, Taman Jurong and Pasir Ris. The tracks in these towns will be completed by 2012. In total, S$43 million will be spent for such dedicated cycling paths in the seven towns. Besides the heartlands, the Marina Bay area will also see more biking action. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has been working closely with the Urban Redevelopment Authority and National Parks Board to implement a network of cycling paths in the area. S$26 million has been set aside for the project. Work on these bicycle paths will begin this year and by 2014, cyclists can look forward to 16 kilometres of dedicated bicycle lanes in the Marina Bay area. Meantime, construction of dedicated cycling paths in Tampines and Yishun has started. The first 1.2-kilometre stretch in Tampines will open for use this Sunday. Dedicated bicycle lanes are hugely popular in European cities like Salzburg, Berlin and especially Amsterdam, where the bikes outnumber people by almost half. That's how much they love their two wheels. So the big question is: Can a similar cycling culture catch on in Singapore? "I suppose so, because like now, cars are giving off too much greenhouse gas emissions," said a member of the public. "It's not just a form of transport but it also builds up your physical fitness. So I would go for cycling," said another. "No, because people might get in the way when I cycle and it's quite troublesome," said a third. Initiatives like safety talks and cycling clinics will be used to tell the public about responsible cycling. Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Transport Teo Ser Luck said: "We want to make sure that they are educated in terms of some of the behaviours when they're cycling and making sure they recognise the different signs." In addition, more resources will also be put into developing bicycle parking facilities at key transport hubs.
Get involved, thwart the threat, says Muslim scholar to Muslims TODAY 05:55 AM Jul 16, 2010 by Zul Othman SINGAPORE - Muslims need to get involved in their community so as to be part of a movement that could help counter the various setbacks to the image of Islam worldwide, said two Islamic theologians yesterday. Speaking at a press conference at the Grand Hyatt, Swiss scholar Professor Tariq Ramadan - who teaches at Oxford University - said the last thing Muslims should do is isolate themselves because of bad press. "... Being involved in your community is the best way to normalise relationships," he said. Prof Ramadan, whose Egyptian father was exiled by the Egyptian government, is one of the speakers at a three-day conference organised by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis), Oxford University's Faculty of Oriental Studies, the University of Melbourne's National Centre for Excellence in Islamic Studies and NUS' Malay Studies Department. Singapore, added Prof Ramadan, is the perfect example of a country where Muslims and non-Muslims co-exist harmoniously. In other parts of the world, conflicts may arise due to misunderstandings and cultural differences. But Muslims need to get away from the "victim mentality", said Dr Ramadan. He himself was permitted this year to enter the United States after waiting five years for a ban imposed on him by the previous Bush administration to be lifted. What is also needed is a more balanced portrayal of Islam in the press, said the director of Australia's National Centre for Excellence in Islamic Studies, Professor Abdullah Saeed. "Violence will always be there, but I think the media should play a part in highlighting things that are positive as well," he said. Changing perceptions may not be easy, but Muslims should not be disheartened, said Prof Ramadan. Terrorists and religious extremists will continue to grab headlines "but we are looking at things in the long run". "We will distance ourselves (from acts of extremism) but we also shouldn't let a single episode destroy the movement," he added. What is also important, said Prof Ramadan, is constant dialogue - not just with other religions, but among Muslims as well.
