my Fatherly Life

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Enlightening encounters with service angels

A special feature on service

Lynette Koh

lynettek@mediacorp.com.sg

Good service should never come at a cost.

In the course of checking out service standards at various retail outlets for this series (as well as my own extensive non-investigative shopping trips), I have found that a store's price tags are seldom commensurate to its level of service.

Some of the most polite and helpful sales people can be found in clothing stores where prices rarely go above a hundred dollars; and some of the most clueless and curt sales assistants are found in stores where prices rarely dip below it.

The most exceptional examples of service, in fact, can be free, as one of my colleagues, who we shall call Jane, discovered on a ravenous evening several months ago.

Having seized a window of opportunity to grab dinner at a nearby fast food outlet after 8pm — and hours of nonstop work — she had ordered an upsized meal costing about $8, and was about to pay for it when she realised that she had left her wallet at her desk.

Crestfallen and hungrier than ever, Jane prepared to make the ten-minute trek back to the office to get her wallet.

Sensing her distress, however, the server manning the counter unhesitatingly told her she could return the next day to pay for her meal.

Torn between not wanting to take advantage of his kind gesture, and the allure of the food which lay before her, Jane recalled how she had made several half-hearted protests.

Eventually succumbing to the hunger pangs, however, Jane thanked him and promised to return at the earliest opportunity to pay for her meal.

Unfortunately, however, she never saw him at the outlet again, and subsequently, our office moved away from the area.

Even as she got over her feelings of guilt towards the free meal, Jane remained profoundly moved by the server's unreserved gesture of kindness.

My own experience with similarly exceptional service, while not free, was certainly discounted.

I have long nursed a tendency to take more taxis than is fiscally advisable, as well as a chronic inability to make the trip to an automated teller machine even when I am down to my last dollar (or less).

And the increasing number of taxis outfitted with Nets and credit card processing facilities has only served to increase my disregard towards having sufficient amounts of cash in my wallet — which led to my recent cab-related panic.

After work, I had hopped into a cab, unthinkingly as usual, distracted by thoughts of dinner options.

It only hit me halfway through my journey that I was in a taxi that had no credit card or Nets facilities. I had a little over $7 and the journey from the office to town would typically cost about $10.

After rummaging through my bag for five minutes — and losing any hope of finding a forgotten, not-empty ang bao deep in its recesses – I confessed to the taxi driver, asking sheepishly to alight only as far as the seven dollars would take me.

Instead of making sneering noises and throwing me out of his cab at the next traffic junction, as I half-expected, the cabby simply asked me how much money I had.

Amazingly, his jolly demeanour remained unchanged even after I confessed, as he drove on towards town.

"It's okay, lah," he said, adding that it was difficult to get a cab at that time of the day.

Waving off my promises to pay him the balance at a later date, the driver told me about other passengers' similar cash-short situations, which occurred from time to time.

Said the driver good-naturedly: "I just tell them, if you can, donate the money to charity."

My embarrassment faded as he continued making friendly chatter for the last 10 minutes of the journey.

As I neared my destination, I asked the cabby: "When a passenger says that she doesn't have enough money, how do you know if it's true?"

With a smile, he replied: "I don't – but well, all that happens is that I make a little less money, right?"

From TODAY, Voices – Tuesday, 22-Sep-2009

Parents root of problem?

Image via Wikipedia

This article, in itself, speaks of what I wanted to say, so I keep mum. Read on…

----------

NEWS COMMENT

Liang Dingzi

news@mediacorp.com.sg

THE best thing that has emanated from the annual "Speak Good English" movement is not how important the use of proper English is in today's world, but instead, the truth of how badly our standard of the language has deteriorated.

An old chestnut, the campaign, first launched in 2000, generates the usual round of debates on related issues such as the proliferation of Singlish, recruitment of native speakers as trainers and, more recently, foreign workers with limited command of the language. Unfortunately, like most campaigns, the exercise is as good as it lasts. What next, one may ask.

This year's campaign targets young people. Going by the laments over the years of the declining standard of spoken English here, it is the natural group to target.

The committee rightly recognises the changing environment our youth are experiencing, and aims to engage them "on their terms" - via social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and blogs.

The SMS generation has become careless in their use of the language. Mr Goh Eck Kheng, chairman of the campaign, pointed out the mistaken notion of young people that bad English is acceptable so long as they are understood by their peers. But isn't that what communication is all about, and language is but one of its tools? The end justifies the means, so to speak, however poorly constructed the means?

What our youth do not realise is how this mentality will create a linguistic in-breeding problem that at it's extreme, make us incommunicado with the rest of the world. As it is, much has already been said about the consequences.

The key message of this year's movement is that "good communication skills transcend the use of correct grammar and vocabulary". This is a laudable objective, although I confess that personally I had to struggle with its tagline - "Impress. Inspire. Intoxicate."

However, the initiative seems overly ambitious. Have we overcome the hiccups of retail staff saying "not there mean no got have" and "if got have, you can surely find on the shelf", that we should now be concerned about where they are placing the "but" as to whether it is more proper to say "this dress suits you but it is expensive" or "this dress is expensive but it suits you"?

Each time I ride the train, I quibble internally over whether "priority seat" should accurately be "courtesy seat" since priority connotes a privilege accorded not necessarily to the physically disadvantaged and others who need help, but also to "able" people who are deserving for such reasons as status, affordability and goodwill.

Even "reserved" is not quite right, strictly speaking, unless it means no one who does not qualify to be included in the stated category should occupy the seat. Perhaps we should first look at Phua Chu Kang mixing up his numbers when he says: "Please give up this seat to those who need it."

Indeed, we have a whole lot more walking to do before we can run. It is critical that we take stock of the progress of the campaign from one year to another.

Until we do so, we will not be able to effectively remedy persistent problems and build on the strengths achieved thus far. The movement is not like a carnival, which may assume a completely different and unrelated character each year.

Every campaign in its history is a milestone that marks a significant stage in a continuous process of learning. To move forward, it is necessary to continue the journey from where we left off. That is why it is time we take stock of our progress thus far.

We need to take a hard look at the root of the problem. I cringe when parents speak poorly to their children. The problem is compounded when day-caregivers, kindergarten teachers and sometimes schoolteachers speak as carelessly.

A Today reader put this problem succinctly in a nutshell: "Singapore has a unique phenomenon in that even when Grandma has only 10 words in her English vocabulary, which she pronounces in her Hokkien accent, she chooses to communicate with her grandchild in what she thinks is the English language. The result is an entire generation of kids speaking badly adulterated English."

Ironically, in the days when parents who were not proficient in English would speak to their children only in the mother tongue, the standard of the language was much higher.

The problem will be a hard one to crack, not something that a disparate annual movement can tackle. But, if left unchecked, it can only get worse. That's how a pidgin tongue (Singlish in our case?) evolves as the camel pushes the Arab out of his tent.

The writer has published two books on Singlish among his collection of published works.

From TODAY, News – Tuesday, 22-Sep-2009

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Cause and (halo) effect

Image via Wikipedia

To what extent are our purchasing decisions based on the way products are packaged?

If a person is good-looking, does that mean he or she is also honest, kind and intelligent? Any rational individual will tell you the answer is "no".

Good looks have absolutely no relation to one's honesty or intelligence.

However, in real life, when we meet a good-looking person, research has shown that we will assign traits such as intelligence or honesty to the individual.

Researchers call this the halo effect.

The halo effect, a fairly common phenomenon, essentially refers to the tendency to generalize feelings or evaluations of an object, such as the way it looks and its packaging, and associate these evaluations with other aspects of the brand, such as the perception of its quality.

It is a form of cognitive bias prevalent in many aspects of people's lives. It may affect a teacher's judgment of a student's performance, a boss's evaluation of an employee and, of course, consumers' judgments of brands and products.

The halo effect may affect how we view products and brands in two ways.

Firstly, positive evaluations of a product's attribute may influence a person's judgment of the other attributes of the same product.

For example, liking a perfume bottle may also make one feel that the perfume smells better and is more appealing than other perfumes. Knowing that an apparel is produced in, for instance, Korea, may also make one think the garment is better designed and of higher quality.

Secondly, positive feelings towards or evaluations of an item may also be extended to the broader brand. For instance, one's positive evaluation of a product, for instance, the Sony VAIO laptop, may be extended to other products by the brand, such as its MP3 Player.

This is one of the main reasons why companies prefer to introduce new products under a parent brand. By using the same brand name, marketers hope consumers may transfer the positive associations they have about the parent brand to the new product.

This is especially so for companies with strong brands, as people are more willing to try the new products and services they offer. Taking advantage of the halo effect is also one of the reasons why we frequently see lesser-known brands mimicking the packaging of well-known brands.

Thus, the halo effect may lead us to make unsound judgments or judgments that are too heavily dependent on one or two factors.

So, why do people adopt such heuristics (or mental shortcuts)? For a start, many are generally unaware that they are engaging in such generalisations. They are unconscious of its effect.

Even when people are told that their judgments have been biased by the halo effect, research has shown that they are unable to discount it adequately. However, there is an upside to such heuristics.

Given the multitude of decisions one has to make each day, using heuristics is actually a good way to reduce one's cognitive load. It takes one's mind off the complicated evaluation process and simplifies the entire purchasing decision.

In essence, the halo effect is ubiquitous and to a large extent, unavoidable. The next time you make a decision, perhaps you should take a moment to figure out how much of your decision is affected by the halo effect.

This article is contributed by Associate Professor Sharon Ng. She is an associate professor at the division of marketing and international business, Nanyang Business School, Nanyang Technological University. Her research focuses primarily on two main areas: Cross-cultural differences in consumer behaviour and branding issues.

From TODAY, Business – Tuesday, 15-Sep-2009

Monday, September 28, 2009

Principal has done the right thing

IN SCHOOLS

Letter from Ong San San

I REFER to "Let teachers motivate ..." (Aug 31). I have three children and empathise with Mr Roland Ang. Yet, I think the school his daughter attends has done right in engaging neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) practitioners to motivate its students.

In this challenging society, we must improve at the speed of light if we want to see or improve on results. Motivational speakers will help students to stay positive, think through what they want to do in the future and give them confidence and courage to work towards their goals.

My child tells me her co-curricular activity teacher talks to her about her future and shares his experiences in life with her. This motivates to do better in her studies.

NLP programmes are costly and not all are fortunate enough to be able to attend them. They are not a substitute for a teacher but will enhance a student's learning process.

From TODAY, Voices – Tuesday, 01-Sep-2009

NLP has issues, problems

Image via Wikipedia

IN SCHOOLS

Letter from S Ganesamoorthy

I REFER to "Let teachers motivate ..." (Aug 31). Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) as a methodology has lots of hidden issues and problems.

As principals are increasingly inviting these speakers to talk to their students, there is a need to be circumspect and look at the issue of NLP from the broad perspective of its use in education.

NLP practitioners receive their so-called master's certification by attending a short course or via online master's certification.

NLP is also not accepted into the fold of psychiatry, psychology or even sociology or social work, and does not contain the academic rigour of being accepted as a field of discipline in its own right.

The originators of NLP are themselves not agreed on the objectives and targets that must bind the NLP process.

There is certainly an obligation on the part of the Ministry of Education to ensure that the methodologies adopted to instruct our students pass the acid test of evaluating NLP as a subject in its own right.

Besides, there is an urgent need for our educational/para educational, counselling, psychological and medical agencies to evaluate and validate the methodologies adopted by NLP practitioners and hold them accountable.

It is also worrying that these training providers, who are invited to train students at an enormous investment of time and money, also conduct courses and seminars on "short circuits" to becoming millionaires.

As we celebrate Teacher's Day, let us pay tribute to the many who have mastered their skills to make a difference in their students' lives and reassert their pre-eminence in the lives of all students today and in the future.

Let us empower our teachers so that they will empower our students.

As stated so succinctly by Haim Ginott, the teacher, child psychologist and psychotherapist who pioneered techniques for conversing with children that are still taught today:

"I've come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It's my personal approach that creates the climate. It's my daily mood that makes the weather.

"As a teacher, I possess tremendous power to make a student's life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humour, hurt or heal. In all situations it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a student humanised or de-humanised".

From TODAY, Voices – Tuesday, 01-Sep-2009

Friday, September 25, 2009

Let teachers motivate ...

Image via Wikipedia

AT SCHOOL

But principal uses motivational speakers to boost school's results

Letter from Roland Ang

RECENTLY, I received an SMS from my daughter's school asking me to sign up for a paid workshop to help parents understand their children - to be conducted by some neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) practitioners.

My daughter told me that the school had also engaged the same people to counsel and motivate them as her school principal was not happy with the overall mid-year result.

The purpose of the NLP-trained motivational speaker, they were told, was to help them achieve better results.

Private organisations use NLP-trained motivational speakers to enhance sales targets and customer service, notably in the insurance and time-share industries. Their relationships are purely commercial. However, that cannot be said between schools and motivational speakers as the latter have no stake and vested interest in any school.

Schools should leave the teaching, inspiring and motivating of children to parents and school teachers rather than relying on external trainers to enhance their overall school results just to maintain their school ranking. Is education all about results and nothing else?

Miss Ho Peng, the director-general of Education at the Ministry of Education, said in a speech recently at the Teachers' Mass Lecture as well as the formation of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), which are powerful platforms for teachers to learn from one another, that it gives her great fulfilment when teachers move on to greater responsibilities and, in turn, help to develop others.

I think this is a move in the right direction for teachers.

There are many advertisements in from NLP entrepreneurs. Their punchlines are about helping those who sign up for their courses to attain financial success, or to "get rich fast".

Legally, this is not wrong, but morally these people are capitalising on the weaknesses of people with a desire to get rich fast without the need to work hard.

Such courses may lead to an erosion of the work ethic in the gullible young, especially during this economic downturn when many are unemployed or desperate to recover losses from bad investments.

If parents want to send their children to accelerated learning programmes, they do so at their own prerogative. But I hope schools will avoid engaging NLP practitioners merely to enhance their students' results. Rather, they should keep faith and trust in their teachers to inspire and motivate their students.

Our children are human beings and not commodities.

From TODAY, Voices – Monday, 31-Aug-2009

Brainy kids - born or made?

Image via Wikipedia

KIDS

Experts say that parents and caregivers play an important role in developing a child's intelligence

Eveline Gan

eveline@mediacorp.com.sg

AT AN age when most of her peers were figuring out how to use the potty, 18-month-old Janelle Kuah underwent private enrichment classes that involved memory-training and speed-learning.

Now aged 4, Janelle has memory skills which probably exceed that of many adults. She is able to memorise 50 different images and recite them in sequence at lightning speed. Her ability to pick up new words, as well as phrases in different languages and dialects, is just as "amazing", said Janelle's mother, Chua Ann Nee.

"The lessons aren't cheap, but I feel the training definitely helps with her brain development. She's faster than most of her peers in nursery," added Ann Nee, who forks out about $65 for an hour-long session.

But is it really possible to develop a child's intelligence?

The answer, according to experts Today spoke to, is yes.

"It is not a new idea to train and improve intelligence. Intelligence theories have always divided intelligence into two components - the part you're born with, and the part that can be learnt," said Dr Joanne Staunton, a cognitive psychologist at Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre's Singapore Baby and Child Clinic.

Psychologists Today spoke to said intelligence can be measured using standardised intelligence tests, administered only by trained psychologists (online IQ quizzes are not reliable). Regardless of age, the average IQ for any person is between 90 and 110, said Dr Staunton.

However, said the psychologists, you should only have your child's intelligence tested if you suspect your child has learning difficulties, or has experienced difficulties at school.

At KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH), IQ tests are only conducted for children who have been found to have developmental delay and learning problems.

According to Ms Frances Yeo, principal psychologist at KKH Psychology Service, the human brain is not developed completely at birth and continues to develop from childhood to adulthood.

"Appropriate interventions, training and schooling will help the child to develop cognitive skills," said Ms Yeo.

"On the other hand, illness, head injuries or any medical conditions that affect how the brain develops can 'derail' learning development."

But before you rush headlong into enrolling your child in brain training enrichment courses, consider this.

New research has shown that strong loving emotional attachments with adults - such as with parents or caregivers - can shape infants' brain development positively, said Ms Therese Tan, a committee member of the professional development team at Association for Early Childhood Educators (Singapore).

"It was found that the enriching responses and positive cues that babies experienced with such relationships facilitated neural (brain nerves) activity," added Ms Tan.

Besides enrichment courses, Dr Staunton added that there are also plenty of day-to-day activities parents or caregivers can do to develop a child's IQ.

Ms Jocelyn Khoo, executive director of The Shichida Method (S) Pte Ltd, which focuses on brain training in young children, believes that a well-rounded childhood - comprising a wholesome diet, parent-child bonding, social skills and physical fitness - is just as important as the training.

"A parent must not get too caught up with developing a child's intellect and pay less attention to other parenting aspects, such as providing love and being patient. Doing so might create hidden stress in children, thus leading to reduced learning capability," added Ms Khoo.

SMART MOVES

Cognitive psychologist Dr Joanne Staunton suggests a list of five things parents and caregivers can do to develop their child's IQ.

1. Teach your child to approach things in a step-by-step manner.

2. Help your child to categorise items by discussing their similarities and differences.

3. Teach your child to follow instructions. For instance, tell your child to "draw a circle". Gradually, get your child to follow instructions in an incremental manner by increasing the instructions, such as "draw a square and a circle".

4. Show your child how to complete patterns. After teaching your child a sequence, such as numbers one to 10, encourage your child to find a missing number.

5. Develop your child's language skills. This can be done by reading to your child, using new words or simply asking your child questions.

----------

From TODAY, Living – Weekend, 29/30-Aug-2009

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Don't read this while driving

Image via Wikipedia

I've heard it said before: we are now able to multitask, but not fully concentrate. We know a mile wide, but we understand an inch deep. This is the paradox of our time.

----------

WASHINGTON - The people who multi-task the most are the ones who are worst at it.

That is the surprising conclusion of researchers at Stanford University, who found multi-taskers are more easily distracted and less able to ignore irrelevant information than people who do less multi-tasking.

"The huge finding is, the more media people use the worse they are at using any media. We were totally shocked," said Professor Clifford Nass of Stanford's communications department.

The researchers studied 262 college undergraduates, dividing them into high and low multi-tasking groups and comparing such things as memory, ability to switch from one task to another and being able to focus on a task.

Their findings are reported in Tuesday's edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

When it came to such essential abilities, people who did a lot of multi-tasking didn't score as well as others, Prof Nass said.

"Is multi-tasking causing them to be lousy at multi-tasking, or is their lousiness at multi-tasking causing them to be multi-taskers?" Prof Nass wondered. "Is it born or learned?"

In a society that seems to encourage more and more multi-tasking, the findings have social implications, Prof Nass observed. Multi-tasking is already blamed for car crashes as several states restrict the use of cell phones while driving. Lawyers or advertisers can try to use irrelevant information to distract and refocus people to influence their decisions.

In the study, the ability to ignore irrelevant information was tested by showing participants a group of red and blue rectangles, blanking them out, and then showing them again and asking if any of the red ones had moved.

The test required ignoring the blue rectangles. The researchers thought people who do a lot of multi-tasking would be better at it.

"But they're not. They're worse. They're much worse," said Prof Nass.

The high media multi-taskers could not ignore the blue rectangles. "They couldn't ignore stuff that doesn't matter. They love stuff that doesn't matter," he said. AP

----------

From TODAY, World – Wednesday, 26-Aug-2009

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Jobs, but no locals

Image via Wikipedia

Is this due to the locals' closed-mindedness, and to the extent of viewing some jobs as 'indecent', 'dishonorable', and 'degrading'?

----------

Businesses in Little India find it tough to hire Singaporeans

Leong Wee Keat

BESIDES overseas training and a $1,500 monthly salary, he even threw in a guarantee that the job would be for five years. Yet the owner of a restaurant in Little India is still looking for a Singaporean to hire as a cook.

Speaking at a tripartism forum yesterday, he appealed to Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong "not to kill the golden goose" when reviewing the foreign worker quota - the subject of some speculation that it may be further tightened.

For while there may be waves of jobs retrenchment, businesses in Little India are finding it hard to hire locals. Because of that, it is tough to expand, said Little India Shopkeepers and Heritage Association chairman Rajamkumar Chandra.

"When Singaporeans come, they are interviewing us, 'Can we work Monday to Fridays? We don't want Saturdays and Sundays'," he said.

Replying, Mr Gan said that while he would consider their views, it is important for employers, unions and the Government to work together to achieve a "win-win outcome". His ministry would work with unions to train the manpower for the food and beverage and hospitality sectors.

But employers should also think of a way to enhance job worth in the service sector, said Labour chief Lim Swee Say.

An example: The security and cleaning industries where job redesigns have led to higher salaries.

"If foreign workers become the only solution and at the expense of job upgrading, job redesign and skill redevelopment ...we will be on the unsustainable track," said the secretary general of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), who is also Minister in the Prime Minister's Office.

Both Ministers were speaking at a dialogue session with 180 business leaders from the Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

The Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience (Spur) also came up for discussion. If firms are not able to send workers for retraining, perhaps the Government could transfer the subsidies to them in the form of Jobs Credits asked an employer.

To this, Mr Lim said the NTUC would object. Jobs Credits help employers cut costs, while Spur is to upgrade workers' capabilities. Mr Gan also said - ahead of official numbers - that retrenchment numbers in the second quarter would be "better than the first quarter".

From TODAY, Home – Wednesday, 29-Jul-2009

If you are interested, read the comments from readers on this news article.

How to rip off students

PARENTS BEWARE!

Another one of those 'fake' or 'bogus' agencies… and also again involving Australia?

----------

TV show exposes exploitation of Indian students

MELBOURNE - Australia yesterday vowed to crack down on migration scams targeting Indian students and condemned a "cowardly" attack on a female reporter who blew the lid on the shady practices.

Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said Australia was tightening regulations on migration agents after a television current affairs show exposed rip-offs exploiting students who have fuelled the country's booming international education sector.

The revelations are the latest to damage the US$12.7 billion ($18.3 billion) a year industry - Australia's third-largest export earner - after a series of violent attacks on Indian students living in Melbourne and Sydney.

Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard slammed the attack on the female Indian journalist, who was physically assaulted in a Sydney street over the weekend while working undercover for the ABC programme.

"Any attack like that which has been reported is cowardly and completely abhorrent," Ms Gillard said. "The Australian government is absolutely committed to providing quality education for all students, and we have taken steps to improve the experience for overseas students," she added.

The expose, screened on Monday, reported that some Indian families had been left broke after sending children to Australia for courses that failed to deliver any educational value.

It said hundreds of private colleges offering courses such as hairdressing, cooking and accounting had sprung up that lured students with false promises of gaining permanent residency in Australia.

The TV programme said migration agents told its undercover reporter she could pay between A$3,000 and A$5,000 ($3,590 and $5,980) for a fake English-language certificate needed to gain residency.

"Australia's education exports face much deeper problems than safety issues. There's now a rising clamour over dodgy courses, student rip-offs and an education system that's turned into a visa factory," the report said.

The Australian Council for Private Education and Training has said it plans to launch a register of education agents to help students find honest providers.

Indian students protested in Melbourne and Sydney last month, following a series of attacks and muggings which strained diplomatic ties and prompted negative headlines in their home country.

Some 95,000 Indians are studying in Australia following a publicity blitz targeting the huge country's growing middle class. AFP

From TODAY, World – Wednesday, 29-Jul-2009

China bans violent online games

Image via Wikipedia

For one, this I agree with what China is doing…

----------

BEIJING - China has banned websites from advertising or linking to games that glamorise violence, as part of a campaign to ensure social stability ahead of the 60th anniversary of communist rule on Oct 1.

The Culture Ministry said games that promote drug use, obscenities, gambling, or crimes such as rape, vandalism and theft are "against public morality and the nation's fine cultural traditions".

"Such online games promote the glorification of mafia life ... and are a serious threat to the moral standards of society causing vulnerable young people to be adversely affected," the ministry said.

The ban on the websites starts immediately. No details were given on how the law would be implemented.

Some companies have already started internal investigations and removed some games from their websites. Oak Pacific Interactive, which runs popular websites such as mop.com and kaixin.com, told AFP it had scrapped several games, including "All corners of the country" which features black market deals, vendettas and street fights. AGENCIES

From TODAY, World – Thursday, 30-Jul-2009

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Singaporeans are saving more and investing less after economic crisis

Image via CrunchBase

And this is a very commendable character…

I was really looking for some news of this type, and sadly, this is my opinion, that it happens only 'during the rainy seasons'.

Why not make it a way of life, like the ant's benevolence, saving in the summer, that it may have something in store during the winter? Even if winter doesn't come?

I do believe that you have to enjoy yourself while young and while you have the time and resources, but when everything is all spent while just at the start or your life, midlife, isn't that something to be worried about?

While Singaporeans are saving, they still splurge on luxuries… like iPhone 3G or iPhone 3GS… more than the necessary material… more than the basic…

Well, for the news story, read it here.

Singapore to experience minimal effects of upcoming solar eclipse

Image via Wikipedia

Perhaps to allay the fears, if not to completely rebut the supposedly 'evil effects' of the solar eclipse, Singapore says that there is not much effect, no impact, nothing to fear, not to worry, about the upcoming solar eclipse.

See that news story here.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Solar eclipse… good or bad?

Image via Wikipedia

Science against superstition, what is spoken is simply based on what these people believe in.

As it is defined, superstition is 'fear of the devil or demon', and as it is even more so based on mythology, it would be even more historically rooted in the deep faith and religion of the Indian folks.

So they say that the upcoming solar eclipse, when the moon comes between the Earth and the Sun, the total darkness will create chaos, wars, etc., etc. Bad, bad omen, then say.

I wouldn't want to tell the whole story, so go and read it here.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Outright fines for commuters caught eating & drinking in MRT trains, stations

Image via Wikipedia

Is this latest principle over-the-board?

If you ask me, I think it is not. There are people who simply just ignore the signs.

Worse, when they are politely asked by concerned citizens, they have the knack to be self-righteous, and become angry.

I agree with this – it is high time.

Read that news story here.

Monday, July 6, 2009

Opportunities exist despite downturn, say Singaporean designers

Image by Ed Yourdon via Flickr

In this time of recession, some are badly hit, while some are benefitting from it.

Still others say that we are able to survive, and some profess that opportunities abound.

For one of such story, read it here.

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Guam expected to hire Filipino medical workers by 2012

Image via Wikipedia

As for the answer to Filipinos hit even worse by the recession, here is one news that may bring some good promise.

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

The daily grind: Sex for a week boosts sperm quality

Would this finding help in producing better kids? Healthier? Cannot tell?

----------

AFP - Wednesday, July 1

A painting in the lobby of the world's biggest sperm bank, Cryos, which has its headquarters in the Danish city of Aarhus. Men seeking to become a dad should have sex each day, or ejaculate daily, for a week before their partner ovulates in order to maximise sperm quality, according to a study by Australian fertility specialists.

PARIS (AFP) - - Men seeking to become a dad should have sex each day, or ejaculate daily, for a week before their partner ovulates in order to maximise sperm quality, according to a study presented on Tuesday.

Australian fertility specialist David Greening recruited 118 men whose sperm had a higher-than-normal level of DNA damage.

Before the test, on average 34 percent of the group's sperm was rated as damaged, meaning that it was classified as "poor" in quality. Among individuals, this ranged from 15 percent to 98 percent.

The men were asked to ejaculate daily for seven days, but were not given any drugs or told to make any changes to lifestyle.

After seven days, their sperm was examined again.

The average of damaged sperm fell to 26 percent, placing it in the category of "fair" in quality.

Fourth-fifths of the men saw an increase in sperm quality, and many of them moved into the "good" range and out of the "poor" or "fair" categories.

However, one-fifth saw a decline in sperm quality.

Greening, an obstetrician and endrocrinologist at Sydney IVF, an Australian company that carries out assisted reproduction, said the improvements were "substantial and statistically highly significant."

Daily ejaculation not only boosted sperm quality for most of the men, it also helped sperm motility -- another big factor in successful fertilisation -- even though volumes of semen declined, he said.

Greening presented his findings at a conference in Amsterdam of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE), which provided details in a press release.

The research did not investigate whether the improvement in sperm quality led to better pregnancy rates. But previous work has shown that sperm that is less damaged and more mobile has a better chance of leading to a healthy baby.

"These results may mean that men player a greater role in fertility than previously suspected, and that ejaculatory frequency is important for improving sperm quality," said Greening.

Why this is so is unclear.

Greening said he suspected that the longer sperm stays in the testicular ducts, the greater its exposure to rogue oxygen molecules that damage cells.

His advice to couples would be to have sex, or to ejaculate, daily in the runup to ovulation or to sperm donation for in-vitro fertilisation (IVF).

"The optimal number of days of ejaculation might be more or less seven days, but a week seems manageable and favourable," he said.

"It seems safe to conclude that couples with relatively normal semen parameters should have sex daily for up to a week before ovulation date."

From Yahoo! News; see the source article here.

Friday, June 26, 2009

Dying seconds that will last for ever

by Cassandra Jardine The Daily Telegraph

05:55 AM Jun 26, 2009

Since finding its way onto the Web, the video of Neda's horrific death has opened the world's eyes to what's happening in Iran. AFP

THE death of a young woman on the streets of Tehran is caught on camera and viewed by millions. But should we be watching?

You tick the box saying you are over 18. You notice the warning that the material you are about to see could be upsetting. But nothing can prepare you for the horrible immediacy of watching a young woman die, as Neda Agha Soltan does on YouTube.

The moment you hit the "Play" button, you are pitched into the streets of Tehran, where a woman in jeans is lying on the ground while several men attempt to help her.

As the camera moves around the scene, away from her legs, past the striped T-shirt of a helper, we see the face of the 27-year-old philosophy student.

She is young and beautiful, but it is her eyes that are unforgettable. They stare at you with a look of animal panic, as blood begins to trickle out of her mouth.

The film lasts only 40 seconds, but it is enough to affect world opinion. Over the past few days, millions of people have sent links to each other, wanting to share the horror that brings home so vividly the violence which the Iranian authorities are meting out on innocent citizens.

United States President Barack Obama spoke about the clip: "We have seen courageous women stand up to brutality and threats, and we have experienced the searing image of a woman bleeding to death on the streets. While this loss is raw and painful, we also know this: Those who stand up for justice are always on the right side of history."

In years to come, the bloodied face of Neda - already called the Angel of Freedom - will be the image that lingers of the Iran uprising, just as the naked, napalmed girl running down the road has come to encapsulate the Vietnam War.

Neda never set out to be a martyr: Her boyfriend has said that she was with her music teacher when she briefly stepped out of the car, only to become caught up in history. Yet, she is already on her way to becoming Iran's Joan of Arc.

These images, as the great war photographer Don McCullin has said, are our modern version of religious icons.

The footage of Neda's death certainly has the ring of truth about it: The panic-stricken voices, the blood that spread with shocking speed over her face (as it would since she had been shot in the heart) and the testimonials of relatives. This looks like an image that we can trust. But should we be looking at it at all?

Generally, the British media steer clear of such shocking images because they contravene one of our last taboos - that the moment of death is private and should be witnessed only by those who care for that person. In the YouTube age, that principle is being eroded.

And yet, Mr Stuart Franklin, president of Magnum - a cooperative representing many war photographers - believes that there "is a difference between Neda's death and voyeurism. It's about drawing attention to an issue". He feels that images force change.

"I was in Tiananmen in 1989, when gory photographs of students were glued to lamp posts. It was the only way people could see what was going on. The photographs taken at the Heysel stadium (where 39 football supporters died in 1985) focused attention on inadequate design and police practice."

At the time there were protests about the Heysel publication. Upsetting as the results may be, the alternative is worse.

Many appalling atrocities of recent years have passed relatively unnoticed because there are no images to which the public can attach their outrage.

Repression in Burma and Tibet has been helped by the lack of reporting and filming. And who remembers the deaths of rioting Mexican students before the 1968 Olympics? Few, because no images exist.

What Neda's death does not do is shed any light on the nuances of the conflict. For that, words and thought are more reliable than pictures and emotion.

From TODAY, Comment – Friday, 26-Jun-2009; see the source article here.

Household electricity tariff to go up from July 1

By Lee Siew Hoon, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 26 June 2009 1604 hrs

SINGAPORE: After two quarters of downward adjustment, household electricity tariff will go up by 6.93 per cent or 1.25 cents per kilo watt hour (kWh) from July 1 to September 30.

Electricity supplier SP Services said the increase is due largely to higher average fuel oil prices from April to June which hit S$76.24 per barrel.

This is a 26 per cent increase from the S$60.47 per barrel used in setting the previous quarter's tariff.

The tariff is calculated based on a new formula which kicks in next month.

Under the revised formula, the electricity tariff for the next quarter will be based on the average fuel oil prices in the preceding three months instead of the fuel oil price in the first month of the previous quarter.

SP Services said the tariff revision is mitigated by a reduction in the cost recovery fee which it collects to cover the costs of billing and meter reading.

The fee which forms part of the overall tariff will go down from 0.28 cents per kWh to 0.22 cents.

SP services said this reduction is due to its productivity improvements and cost reductions. - CNA/vm

From ChannelNewsAsia.com; see the source article here.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Traffic Lights: Is Green A Safe Color?

Based on this video, green light on your lane... hmmm... it's not 100% safe... at least, when a driver from the other intersecting lane is not following his traffic light color...

Office Stress 4

Ever been stressed in the office? See this video... 4th one

Office Stress 3

Ever been stressed in the office? See this video... 3rd one

Office Stress 2

Ever been stressed in the office? See this video... 2nd one

Office Stress 1

Ever been stressed in the office? See this video...

On Being A Father

06/21/2009 | 08:10 PM

"By the time a man realizes that maybe his father was right, he usually has a son who thinks he's wrong." – Charles Wadsworth, classical pianist and music promoter

From GMANews.tv; see the source article here.

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Jackie Chan to son: Don't wish me "Happy Father's Day!"

Xin.sg - Tuesday, June 16

A "Big Brother" who passionately shows the roots of showbiz to his juniors, Jackie Chan is different as a daddy.

Taking the education of his son, Jaycee, into his own hands, Chan instilled so much fear in his son that the latter would never dream of offending his dad for fear of the consequences.

Chan said, "I've never taken care of my son nor sent him to school. For the first and only time that I went to pick him up from school, I went to the wrong one. I am not a good father but definitely a responsible one. My son is utterly afraid of me; he respects and listens to me. I don't think that I will be called a good daddy just by fetching my son to and from school. It's hard for someone like me. If I had sent him to school everyday, I don't think I will be who I am today."

Jackie Chan to son: Don't wish me "Happy Father's Day!"

He added, "There was once when I received a call from him while I was filming in Hengdian. You have to understand that he seldom calls me. And when he does, he is either asking for a ticket to watch the NBA match or that he has crashed my car.

"That day he called me to wish me Happy Father's Day! I sprouted some vulgarities and shouted at him: "Next time don't call me! Don't call me on Father's Day; don't call me on my birthday! Call me on usual days, do you get it?" And I hung up the phone immediately. I don't remember my parents' birthdays and I am not exceptionally nice only on Father's Day and Mother's Day. Everyday is like an occasion to me."

Last year, Jaycee told Xin.sg in an exclusive interview that he would be "digging his own grave" to be seeking his parents' advice on work issues. Ever since he was a child, his father only compliments him for one out of the hundred things he does.

Jaycee also said that he has a few of his father's songs in his car only for show and plays them when his dad is with him. On hearing this, Chan laughed, "If it's true, I'll slap him twice on his face when I return home."

From Yahoo! News; see the source article here.

Friday, June 19, 2009

Hey Dad!

By Susan Ferroa, channelnewsasia.com Posted: 19 June 2009 2216 hrs

Tien Court restaurant at Copthorne King's Hotel

There are some dates on the calendar that we all can’t miss since everyone from florist to restaurateur won’t let us forget, like Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day.

But when it comes to Father’s Day, “somewhere in June” is probably the best answer most would hazard to offer.

To be precise, Father’s Day always falls on the third Sunday of June and this year, it’s on 21 June.

The date changes each year for Father’s Day, and if it fell on the first Sunday of the month, like Mother’s Day in May – that would make Father’s Day easier to remember.

Could that be one reason why Father’s Day gets less attention?

Or maybe it’s a guy thing wound around the father figure.

When Channel NewsAsia’s website users were asked in a poll here how they would describe their father, it turned out to be a close finish between the choice of a distant parent and a hard-working one.

Some also saw their father as the disciplinarian who is also nice.

Perhaps it’s that ‘big boys don’t cry’ image that most fathers work to uphold along with that nonchalant air he maintains whether he gets attention or not, that tell us that Dads don’t want any fuss on Father’s Day.

However, that's all on the surface.

Each day when I see a certain well-worn mug, I recall the pride and love shining in the eyes of a father as he recounted how his little girl bravely went up in public to say “I love my Dad” to earn the mug emblazoned with the same words which she presented as a Father’s Day gift.

Penang Laksa from Princess Terrace Cafe at Copthorne King's Hotel

You can't match that, so what else could you do for your Dad this Father's Day?

For starters, you could offer an Apple - not the fruit of course.

You could tap on the special engraving service offered by the online Apple store so you can let Dad know how you feel and have it etched forever on an iPod touch.

Students or faculty staff could also take up the back-to-school offer where the purchase of a Mac and an iPod comes with a S$365 rebate.

The offer which covers the latest MacBook Pro means you get for just a few dollars, an 8GB iPod touch with the latest Operating System as it’s shipped after 17 June.

Alternatively, the book-loving Dad could enjoy a coffee-table book filled with family photos and special notes which you can compile and create through iPhoto and send to the Apple online store for the publishing work.

As the way to a man’s heart has always been said to be through his stomach, a number of restaurants have come up with special menus for Father’s Day.

Mussels at Azur, Crowne Plaza Hotel

If you want to give Dad a treat along with the rest of the family, Tien Court, the Chinese restaurant at the Copthorne King’s Hotel is offering a special set menu which includes a number of its signature dishes such as Braised Lobster with Egg Noodles, as well as Steamed Yam dessert at S$48 per person.

Also at the Copthorne King’s is the Princess Terrace café which offers a Penang Buffet featuring favourites such as Fried Kway Teow, Laksa and Prawn Noodles done the way that would pass the muster of most Penangites.

If you relish dishes from Gurney Drive, head for this buffet priced at $38 for adults and $23.80 per child which also includes an aromatic Nasi Ulam which is not often found offered on restaurant menus, as well as Penang-style desserts.

The best part about this delicious spread is that even if you find the buffet booked out on Father’s Day, you could make it up to Dad on another day as the buffet is available daily, even in the evenings.

A chance visit on a Friday evening to the buffet found it well-stocked and none-too-crowded. But it's a good idea to make a reservation as the Penang buffet is popular as it is scrumptious.

Even if you've saved on making that eating trip to Penang, you could still take Dad and the family out to the airport.

At Terminal 3 is the one-year-old Crowne Plaza hotel.

Although it is a favourite among travellers making a short stay in Singapore, locals diners find it a worthwhile trip to make for some good wining and dining at the hotel.

The Azur restaurant has put together an International Buffet for Father’s Day which features a vast array of mussels from Sardinia, New Zealand and France, alongside freshly shucked oysters and poached Boston lobster.

There are three different $48 menus for the Father’s Day spread which offers both Asian and Western styled dishes.

If all else fails, a hug does go a long way, and so does a simple “thank you”.

So here's to da, Jock and the guy with the black mug - father figures who've made a difference to their kids and who have reminded me that no matter how old you get, you'll always remain Daddy's Little Girl or Little Buddy (even if he doesn't say so).

From ChannelNewsAsia.com; see the source article here.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Study shows minorities face job discrimination in Australia

I was thinking of migrating to Australia… I'm an Asian… will that be a problem? I possess the skills they need? Will that help? Who knows?

----------

Posted: 18 June 2009 1308 hrs

Pedestrians pass through central Sydney.

SYDNEY: Job seekers in Australia face a tougher time finding work if they have non-English sounding names, with Chinese and Middle Eastern applicants facing the worst discrimination, a study has found.

Researchers from Canberra's Australian National University (ANU) sent out 4,000 fake job applications in response to employment advertisements in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane using ethnically distinct names.

They found Chinese applicants needed to send 68 per cent more CVs than those with English names to get the same number of interviews, with Middle Eastern job-seekers requiring an additional 64 per cent and Aborigines 35 per cent.

The information about the applicants' qualifications for the advertised position was identical, leaving the name as the only variable for employers to decide whether to grant an interview.

"We found clear evidence of discrimination... job applicants find it easier to get an interview if they have an Anglo Saxon name," ANU researcher Alison Booth said.

The researchers suggested recently arrived migrant groups faced the most prejudice, pointing out that Italians – well established since the 1940s – needed to send only 12 per cent more applications than Anglo Saxons.

Researcher Andrew Leigh admitted he was surprised the results pointed to widespread job-market discrimination in Australia, a country where one-in-four residents was born overseas.

He said the study showed major differences between Australian cities. In Sydney, Chinese had to send out 92 per cent more CVs than those with English names, with the figure set at 80 per cent for Middle Eastern applicants.

In Melbourne, the figures dropped to 61 per cent and 64 per cent respectively, falling to 57 and 51 per cent in Brisbane.

"As a Sydney lad, I was confident its bosses would be the most tolerant and cosmopolitan of the three cities, while Brisbane employers would be a bunch of rednecks," Leigh told the Australian newspaper. "It was, in fact, the other way around."

- AFP/so

From ChannelNewsAsia.com; see the source article here.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

When age is the limit

MATURE WORKERS

Older jobseekers cite qualifications and skills as other obstacles

Leong Wee Keat , weekeat@mediacorp.com.sg

05:55 AM Jun 16, 2009

THE 48-year-old made the journey from her home in Boon Lay to an office in Middle Road for a job interview - only to be told she was “too old”. The job Ms Jennifer De Souza was applying for?

A telemarketer.

“I was so angry I demanded my bus fare back,” she told Today. “Age should not be a factor in this line of work. If I’m willing to work, what’s the problem?”

Mature workers, like Ms De Souza, have found it harder to get employment in the first quarter of the year, according to labour market figures released by the Manpower Ministry yesterday.

Nearly six in 10 who were unemployed for more than six months were such workers. Compared with the same period last year, the number of long-term jobless people has doubled from 7,500 to 16,600 this year. And familiar faces have been turning up at meet-the-people-sessions, Members of Parliament have stated.

These jobseekers cite a combination of age, skills and education qualifications as obstacles to their re-employment.

Those with secondary education or lower are the hardest hit. Ms De Souza, who has O-level qualifications, for example, sent out more than 600 job applications over six months before she finally landed a job as an administrator in April.

To help mature workers overcome any physical limitation, labour MP Halimah Yacob suggested employers consider reducing working hours - from eight to six or even to four hours - to allow flexibility.

However, even as various options - such as re-training, job matching and highlighting vacancies - have been made available to mature jobseekers, some have been adamant as to the kind of jobs they would do.

MP Cynthia Phua said some insist on being hired as security guards even though jobs as cleaners are readily available.

At Punggol Central, residents not matched with job offers are given other helping hands: The Sengkang Community Club lent out 14 pushcarts and also entrusted its car park to four elderly residents to manage. The residents take home any profits.

Mr Goh Cher Chye, 53, takes home between $70 to $300 a month selling toys from a pushcart. Even though he is grateful for the help provided, Mr Goh’s wife had to re-enter the workforce to supplement the family’s income.

Ms De Souza, who is single, is slightly better off - her $800 monthly salary helps to cover the monthly $500 HDB mortgage.

“It is not great, but it beats sitting around at home,” she said.

From TODAY, News – Tuesday, 16-Jun-2009; see the source article here.

Monday, June 15, 2009

Glitches seen in China's web filtering software

Posted: 15 June 2009 1621 hrs

An internet bar in Beijing.

BEIJING: The designers of controversial Internet filtering software that China has ordered shipped with all new computers said they were trying to fix security glitches in the programme.

"Yes we are trying to fix it. But this is normal. Any software has bugs," Bryan Zhang, head of Jinhui Computer System Engineering, told AFP.

The code problems are the latest blow to the plan to include the filtering software with all PCs sold here from July 1, which has been criticised overseas and even in China as a bid at mass censorship and a threat to personal privacy.

The government says the Green Dam Youth Escort software is a vital tool needed to prevent young people from having access to pornographic websites.

Chinese authorities have a history of blocking sites that feature porn or politically unacceptable subjects such as the Tiananmen pro-democracy protests in 1989 and the banned spiritual group Falungong.

Last week, researchers at the University of Michigan who examined the software said it contained serious security vulnerabilities that could allow outside parties to take control of computers running it via remote access.

It also added that the software's text filter blocked words that included obscenities and phrases considered politically sensitive to China's ruling Communist Party.

"Other parties can say what they want. But I don't care what they say," Zhang said, declining further comment.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology issued a notice to computer makers saying the software could either be pre-installed or included with PCs on a separate disc, and that users were not required to use it.

The move received an unusual amount of criticism in the state media last week.

An online poll by popular Chinese portal Sina.com last week found 81 per cent of respondents felt the move threatened their privacy, while nearly 72 per cent thought it would be ineffective in keeping youths from viewing pornography.

China has the world's largest online population at nearly 300 million Web users.

- AFP/yt

From ChannelNewsAsia.com; see the source article here.

Strike a balance

Image via Wikipedia

A note that is struck, and rightly so, for, if all things are in place, we as humans will surely find the 'place that suits us' – our family…

----------

Economic progress is great - just don't leave your family behind

Subana Hall

I WAS getting my daily dose of world news when I read the headlines on the disruption to London Underground services. Ah yes, here we go again.

The Tube strike brings back memories of seven years ago, when I had to walk from St Paul's to King's Cross train station because of a strike. (The Tube is the London underground train service, the equivalent of the MRT service here - but with strikes and without clean seats).

I remember that day very clearly. I was seven months pregnant and had to walking home after a full day's work at Fleet Place, where I was working as a TV news producer. The taxi queues were long and the traffic was a nightmare.

Under such circumstances, most Londoners would tell you that it is quicker to walk home than to drive or wait for a cab. That day, I got home at 10pm, four hours after I had left my newsroom.

I love London for many reasons but a strike, especially one that affects the public's day-to-day lives unfairly, is not certainly one of them.

The London Chamber of Commerce has said that six out of 10 London businesses have been hit by the latest strike and that it would cost the capital's economy more than £100 million ($240 million). Even in normal times, such losses would be deemed as unnecessary, let alone in our current unprecedented economic climate.

I am a great believer of people's rights; however, during the Tube strike seven years ago, my rights as a civilian preceded that of the Tube workers. I was more concerned with my right to be able to return home on the Tube without any disruption.

Human rights are important; then again, so are human responsibilities.

Rights and responsibilities are two sides of the same coin.

Back here in Singapore, we have several debates about human rights, freedom of speech and other aspects of the Singaporean life. Recently we have been thinking about our political future after 50 years of achieving what we proudly term as "Merdeka", or self-rule.

I am one of many critics of the way of life here, including our level of graciousness and education. However, I am also one who appreciates the numerous perks Singapore has to offer to its people and its visitors, one of which is the reliability of the essential services such as public transport, education and health. The buses and trains here may be late, but they do not go out of service because of workers' strikes, leaving hundreds of commuters stranded.

Such reliability is one of the signs of a maturing nation.

Essentially there has to be a fine balance between rights and responsibilities. While such balance is a difficult one to strike - no pun intended - the most important thing is for a society to never stop trying to achieve that balance.

In Singapore, there are many areas of progress that still need to be addressed.

Perhaps we could start by striking a balance between work and family, such that people are not stuck in situations where they have to work long hours at the expense of their family time.

After all, what is the point of the trains running on time ... if we can't leave work on time?

From TODAY, Voices –Monday, 15-Jun-2009

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Whither the personal touch?

Image by publik15 via Flickr

EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES

Now would be a good time to raise levels of professionalism

Letter from Gilbert Goh

I HAVE sought out the services of employment agencies before, but have been disappointed, to say the least. I have since given up relying on employment agencies for a job. Many ask you to lower your salary range to ridiculous levels or ask whether you are willing to do something totally different from your area of expertise. Most offer part-time clerical work at around $5 an hour.

I have found, in general, their service to be terrible. Many simply do not respond to you at all after asking you to send a resume. Even if you attend their interviews, many do not get back to you thereafter.

To me, employment agencies here lack professionalism and the personal touch. They are merely interested in clinching sales, oblivious to the feelings of the jobseeker.

Due to the agencies’ focus on meeting sales targets, many of their staff move on when they are unable to meet sales targets so there is no continuity of service. A client could well be served by a few different consultants over a short period, say three to four months.

The consultants here are mostly in their 20s and can hardly be expected to be able to empathise with a middle-aged jobless person. They do not understand the struggles a middle-aged worker has and can be insensitive when trying to coerce someone to enter a totally new field of work.

Maybe there are too many jobseekers then and too few jobs available for matching; still, it would be nice to be treated as a person, not a statistic or sales target.

Now would be a good time for employment agencies raise their level of professionalism. For starters, a templated response should be provided to every email and enquiry over any job opening. This is simple professional courtesy.

There was one positive experience I had with a woman from a small recruitment company. Not only did she exhibit understanding and provide encouragement, she also took time to go through my resume and suggested some changes so it would appear more professional. Though she did not manage to get me a job, I still remember her many years on as one of the rare few to stand out.

I am not here to run down all employment agencies. I am sure some are well run, professional outfits. Nonetheless, I urge all jobseekers to try all avenues and spread your resources around, so that you can benefit from several job search vehicles.

From TODAY, Voices – Friday, 12-Jun-2009

Friday, June 12, 2009

Many facets to road safety

Image via Wikipedia

I wanted to tell about this… already told, so I'll wait for the reply…

----------

Indiscriminate parking puts other motorists at risk

Letter from David Zaccheus

05:55 AM Jun 11, 2009

I REFER to "Don't be a road menace" (June 10), a letter from DSP Paul Tay.

Another group of road users who endanger others are those who indiscriminately and illegally park their vehicles. This happens almost every day from noon to 2pm, and sometimes for the entire day. It doesn't matter what the road markings are - continuous white lines, zig-zag lines, double yellow lines ... It is an act that is committed deliberately, regularly and persistently.

The Land Transport Authority website, www.onemotoring.com.sg, states: "Parking illegally might save you a few minutes or a few dollars. The few minutes or dollars will not help when precious lives are lost.

"Drivers who violate parking restrictions may receive a parking ticket and get demerit points. However, do you know that illegal parking may have more serious consequences than fines or demerit points? "

According to the non-profit Association for Safe International Road Travel, "parking violations can contribute to congestion and may be some factors in road crashes".

The "hot spots" of chaotic, illegal parking are well known to most drivers, yet continue to exist. The road menace must be holistically dealt with, not selectively. I hope the police will address this nuisance.

From TODAY, Voices – Thursday, 11-Jun-2009

Someone has it worse than you

Image by Lower Columbia College via Flickr

And we were thinking of the gizmos that we don't have, while we are already up and above the 'necessities of life'?

----------

by Esther Ng

Updated 11:11 AM Jun 11, 2009

ON BOTH occasions, she was one-and-a-half months overdue when she gave birth to her two sons, now aged three and one. Mary (not her real name) told me that she did not once see a doctor when she was pregnant because she had no money.

"I checked myself into KK when I felt my stomach was too big," she said. She had to have a Caesarean each time.

Hers was one of the more startling anecdotes I came across while researching my story "It's not always easy" (May 30) about broken or dysfunctional families.

It was a humbling experience speaking to people who get by on less than $500 a month. Some of them live in a rental flat, others in a shelter. How do they do it? Especially with children in tow?

Something has to give. In Mary's case, it's her health - she looks anaemic.

Mary has just one meal a day so she can feed her three kids. Besides her two sons, she also has a 14-year-old daughter from a previous relationship.

There is a ray of hope. Mary has started working as a telemarketer; she speaks English well and is quite articulate.

Mary's daughter - despite living in a one-room rental flat with four other family members - is smart enough to get into a mission school in the east. Her grades are average and who knows what they might have been with a different home environment?

Recently, Mary's three-year-old has been bugging her to send him to school. "When he sees other kids going to school, he wants to go, too," she said.

The problem is, she needs $100 to register him in a childcare centre. She also needs money to buy him shoes and a school bag.

When I heard that, I thought about the $200 bill I recently racked up when I was feeling down - I had splurged on a bag, necklace and earrings.

Mary's troubles and those of others like her really put mine in perspective.

From TODAY, Voices – Thursday, 11-Jun-2009

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Don’t be a road menace

Image via Wikipedia

Traffic Police on the lookout for errant motorists, cyclists

05:55 AM Jun 10, 2009

Letter from DSP Paul Tay

Assistant Director, Media Relations Public Affairs Department

Singapore Police Force

WE REFER to Mr Allan Zheng's letter, "Look beyond statistics" (June 1), posted at www.todayonline.com/voices. We wish to assure Mr Zheng that his earlier letter to the media on cyclists refusing to dismount at pedestrian crossings had received our attention. The Traffic Police has also replied directly to Mr Zheng with regard to his feedback sent in via the Police website on May 30.

Traffic Police shares Mr Zheng's concerns about the dangers posed by errant road users. In fact, our officers are constantly on the lookout for irresponsible road behaviour and will not hesitate to take enforcement action against errant road users who breach the law.

Cyclists who fail to ride in an orderly manner and without due regard for the safety of others commit an offence that entails a composition amount of $20. In the last three years, an average of about 200 summonses was issued to cyclists who failed to ride safely. If charged in court for any of these offences, errant cyclists may be fined up to $1,000 or jailed up to three months. A subsequent offender may be fined up to $2,000 or jailed up to six months.

In his letter, Mr Zheng also raised the issue of motorists refusing to give way at pedestrian crossings. While pedestrians are required by law to use designated pedestrian crossings and obey traffic signals, motorists are also required to slow down when approaching pedestrian crossings to enable them to come to a complete stop for pedestrians to cross safely. Motorists who fail to do so commit an offence that entails a composition amount of up to $180 and six demerit points.

In the last three years, Traffic Police also issued an average of 100 summonses to motorists who had failed to give way to pedestrians at controlled intersections. Motorists who knock into pedestrians at such crossings can also be charged in court with dangerous driving.

Traffic Police will continue to reach out and educate the various road user groups via the media and also through other platforms such as regular road safety talks, exhibitions and public education materials. However, while we continue to enforce and educate, all road users - motorists and pedestrians alike - should also do their part by abiding by the rules and exercising care, caution and consideration at all times.

This would go a long way toward making the use of our roads a safer and more pleasant experience for all.

From TODAY, World – Wednesday, 10-Jun-2009; see the source article here.

Anti-porn software raises other issues

Updated 11:22 AM Jun 10, 2009

WASHINGTON - Microsoft on Monday said a Chinese rule that personal computers sold in China include Web filtering software raises issues of freedom of expression, privacy, and security.

Computer makers have been told by the government that all personal computers sold from July 1 must be shipped with anti-pornography software.

Two of the biggest personal computer manufacturers in the United States, Hewlett-Packard and Dell, said they were seeking more information.

But the new rule remains contradictory, unclear, and contains no information on enforcement, said analyst Liu Ming. "This software may not be targeting politically-sensitive websites, which the government has already had some tools in place to control," said Mr Liu, who has downloaded and examined the software.

Yesterday, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang defended the move, saying the software filters "unhealthy content, including pornography and violence". AGENCIES

From TODAY, World – Wednesday, 10-Jun-2009; see the source article here.

Driving dangerously

ROAD SAFETY SURVEY
Drivers with young kids more likely to speed while women more likely to use phone when driving

by Neo Chai Chin

05:55 AM Jun 10, 2009

Drivers with young children in their cars are more likely to speed, switch lanes without signalling, and drive in bus lanes. Women are generally safer drivers than men, but are more likely to text-message or talk without using a hands-free phone kit while driving. And experienced taxi drivers tend to drive more dangerously than their less-seasoned counterparts.

These are some findings from a nationwide road safety survey commissioned by AXA Insurance, which polled 521 drivers, about one in five of whom are cabbies.

The survey, done by marketing research firm Acorn in February and March, also found that six in 10 drivers engaged in at least one instance of dangerous driving, most likely speeding, or accelerating on an amber traffic light.

These two acts, as well as driving in a bus lane during prohibited hours, are also the ones considered by half the drivers to be dangerous only under certain circumstances.

The survey shows that Singaporean drivers are “generally aware of safe driving practices but would at times engage in risky behaviour as they believe that potential road accidents can be averted by the driver, depending on the situation”, said Ms Tan Hwee Leng, Acorn’s senior research manager.

And while it seems counter-intuitive that drivers with young children would be the most dangerous on the roads, chief executive of AXA Insurance Singapore Henri Gurs said: “Sometimes when you have young kids, your attention is attracted to the backseat. You have to take care of them … so it can really have an impact on your driving”.

But Mr Azhan Othman, 37, disagreed with this. He drives more carefully when his nine-day-old baby is in the car, as do his friends who are young fathers, said the flight attendant.

Cabbie Simon Tay explained why seasoned taxi drivers may be more dangerous on the road. Some of the older drivers may have more financial commitments and “are trying to earn more, so there is pressure to find more passengers”, he said.

“And sometimes, it’s not that they want to speed. The passenger might be rushing to catch a flight, for example,” said the 53-year-old who has been driving a taxi for a decade.

AXA’s survey results come at a time when motor insurance claims are rising. Insurers and consumers alike are grappling with how to keep claims - and premiums - in check.

AXA’s claim frequency, for instance, increased to 16 per cent last year from 13 per cent in 2004. And the amounts claimed rose 20 per cent.

AXA declined to comment on the Consumers Association of Singapore’s proposed no-fault claims framework as its discussions with the General Insurance Association are ongoing.

But Mr Gurs believes irresponsible driving is largely a result of an increase in the number of young drivers. Claims at AXA from those aged 27 years and below are 50 per cent higher than those above this age group, he said. Meanwhile, drivers are less careful than before, even with more cars on our roads.

AXA plans to do the survey on a regular basis and tweak its policy offerings here to reflect certain trends.

In France, for example, AXA has been giving taxi vouchers to young policyholders since 2006.

“We identified drinking as having a very bad impact on the claims,” Mr Gurs said.

From TODAY, News – Wednesday, 10-Jun-2009; see the source article here.

Driving over speed limit, beating amber lights top dangerous driving habits

By Zhang Tingjun, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 09 June 2009 1836 hrs

Traffic in Singapore (file pic)

SINGAPORE: A nationwide road safety survey has revealed that Singapore drivers are less inclined to signal when switching lanes or overtaking, but are more careful when it comes to drinking and driving than European motorists.

The month-long survey by AXA Insurance was conducted with more than 500 Singapore drivers, made up of private car owners and taxi drivers.

The survey showed that 60 per cent admitted to committing at least one dangerous driving practice. Driving at more than 10 kilometres per hour over the speed limit and beating an amber light topped the list.

Drivers were more prudent, however, when it came to drink driving, with 24 per cent saying they do not drink at all before taking the wheel.

When asked what would deter them from dangerous driving practices, the top three reasons cited pertained to law enforcement. Personal safety came in fourth, and the safety of others fifth.

Another notable finding was that the only dangerous driving behaviour that women are more likely to engage in than men is answering the phone without a hands-free kit or text messaging while driving.

Drivers who were married with young children were also found to be more likely to engage in unsafe driving practices compared to those married with older children.

Younger motorists between 18 and 34 years of age were also found to be less likely to perceive a breach of safety rules as dangerous driving compared to motorists aged 35 and above.

According to AXA, the most surprising finding, however, was that over 75% of those surveyed gave the wrong answer to the question "What is the speed limit on normal roads?"

Some did not know, whereas others guessed 60, 50 or 30 kilometres per hour. The correct answer is 50 kilometres per hour.

AXA said that going over the speed limit is not only dangerous, it can also be costly when it comes to filing claims.

Henri Gurs, CEO, AXA Insurance Singapore, said: "Between an accident at 50 km/h or an accident at 70 km/h, the damages will be more than doubled."

According to AXA, accident claims have risen from 13 to 16 per cent over the past four years. - CNA/ms

From ChannelNewsAsia.com; see the source article here.

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

A disparity in job expectations?

By Alicia Wong | 05:55 AM Jun 08, 2009

--------------------------------

Minister of Manpower Gan Kim Yong (centre), with Tanjong Pagar GRC MPs, scaling fish during a community visit to Bukit Merah View.
Photo by WEE TECK HIAN

ARE locals really unrealistic in their job hunt?

For restaurateur Amelia Kang, hiring Singapore citizens and permanent residents has not been "that ideal". Out of 10 local workers, mainly in clerical work, it's typical for only two to last more than three months, while out of 15 locals, only three have stayed in the job for more than a year, she shared.

Some Singaporeans do not have industry-specific knowledge, but expect to earn their previous salary. Said Ms Kang: "It doesn't make sense."

But when Mr Andrew Tan applied for a job he was over-qualified for, his interviewer told him: "If you come in, I don't know what I can teach you, but you have a lot to teach me."

Mr Tan, who had used the Manpower Ministry's job matching system, suggested that it be improved.

The expectations of workers and employers was one of the issues at a dialogue session yesterday at the Tanglin-Cairnhill division, and with Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong visiting, it was not long before foreign workers soon became the bogeymen.

Mr Gan reiterated the need for a "calibrated approach" in hiring foreign workers. Reserving jobs for locals during hard times would affect our long-term economic position, he said. Measures such as foreign worker quotas and the Jobs Credit scheme protect Singaporeans, he added.

One participant among the 300 residents and grassroots leaders, however, pointed out that Singaporeans "do not quarrel with the fact that we need foreign talent" but with the marketing of foreign talent as "saviours of Singapore".

"You have to look at things in perspective," he said, as foreign workers come to eke out a living and can survive on less, unlike Singaporeans who have families to support.

Foreign workers in the production line are also more willing to work overtime compared to Singaporeans, added Mr Tan.

Speaking to the media later, Mr Gan said the foreign-local divide "will remain" and is a "stress point that ... is heightened during the recession".

"It's important for Government and community to continue to explain why it's important to do the right thing, rather then to do the favourite things (by keeping jobs for locals)," he said, and added that the Government is working to assimilate foreigners into society.

Other issues raised during the one-hour session at Singapore Management University included feedback on the Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience. Mr Gan urged residents to go to the Community Development Councils or their Members of Parliament for assistance.

From TODAY, News – Monday, 08-Jun-2009

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

US store owner gives would-be thief $40 and bread

I'm not condoning this, but oh, the extent to which fathers will go to bring bread for their family… extremes…

----------

06/03/2009 | 07:43 PM

GARDEN CITY, New York – A convenience store owner confronted by a bat-wielding would-be robber said Tuesday he decided to show mercy on the man after he collapsed in tears claiming he was only committing the crime to support his starving family.

The store owner provided the man with $40 and a loaf of bread, but only if he promised never to rob again.

"This was a grown man, crying like a baby," Mohammad Sohail, owner of the Shirley Express convenience store about 65 miles (100 kilometers) east of New York City, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview.

The man dropped the bread, picked up the bat and tucked the $40 into his waistband before fleeing, said Suffolk County police Sgt. John Best.

Sohail, who moved to the United States from Pakistan about 20 years ago, said he was getting ready to close his store shortly after midnight on May 21 when the man in his 40s entered with a bat in his hand. Sohail said he tried to stall for a moment and then grabbed a rifle he keeps behind the counter and ordered the assailant to drop the bat.

The would-be thief dropped to his knees and begged for forgiveness, Sohail said.

"He started crying that he was out of work and was trying to feed his hungry family," he said. "I felt bad for him. I mean, this wasn't some kid."

He said he tossed $40 to the man, who then stood up and told Sohail he wanted to become a fellow Muslim. Sohail said he then pretended to swear the man into the Muslim faith and two ended up shaking hands.

Sohail said he went to the back of the store to get some milk to give to the man, but when he returned the man had fled. He said he called police and reported the attempted robbery, but he doesn't want to press charges if the man is ever caught. – AP

From GMANews.tv; see the source article here.

Monday, June 1, 2009

A family that cooks together

Da Paolo's continued success can still be found unsurprisingly close to home

DON MENDOZA, donm@mediacorp.com.sg

IT ALL began 20 years ago, with a humble yet emphatically elegant trattoria on Tanjong Pagar.

Nestled a few stones' throw from the heart of the city, Trattoria Da Paolo, then, was one of only a handful of authentic Italian eateries on the island — an astonishing fact, when you consider our protracted (at least as far back as this 38-year-old can recall) and rather curious obsession with Italian food.

Capitalising on its strengths in this vastly popular cuisine, the casual start-up by executive chef Paola Scarpa and his wife Judie has since diversified and grown into a gourmet dynasty of sorts, comprising no less than 10 food and beverage enterprises.

Clearly, chef Paolo can't be at all restaurants at one time, but he is still king of his kitchens, ensuring the standards he has worked hard to attain. His son Andrea is now also a chef and, like his dad, thrives on hard physical work, his mum Judie proudly declared.

The 22-year-old graduated top of his class at a renowned culinary academy in Parma and is currently garnering experience in Europe at leading Italian restaurants, before he returns home to help run the family business.

Call it what you want, but surviving our fickle — though not always discerning — palates and two of our country's worst economic storms, and coming away as a leading brand name in Italian fine foods is no mean feat.

In late-June, the opening of Da Paolo Group's latest Gastronomia outfit (its fifth gourmet store, at Marina Bay) will aim to lay proof of its continued success.

"There is always hay to be made," Judie said. "We also believe that in this current economic gloom, our products are extremely attractive to professionals working and living in the vicinity."

Enjoying such high quality food at a restaurant, she explained, can be a relatively expensive affair. "But these cost only a fraction at a gourmet cum eat-in concept store."

Okay, so its new mushroom with taleggio cheese sandwich ($10) I sampled can't compare to the homemade egg pasta filled with braised veal in veal jus ($24, at Da Paolo's Il Giardino on Bukit Timah Road). But that's not the point, is it?

While they are called sandwiches, they aren't quite what many delis would serve. Premium ingredients aside, the freshly baked country bread I selected for my sandwich also flaunted a freshness I could actually taste.

Despite its modern-minimalist facade, the new Gastronomia outlet will be taking the same unpretentious approach to fine dining — that is, serving fine foods without the prudish peculiarities of a meal at a fine-diner.

And, unlike its other outlets, it will be serving new pasta dishes whipped up a la minute — these will average $12 to $15 per serving. There will also be new salads and Italian wines sold by the glass, alongside the usual staple of desserts. The lemon tart ($8) that I often have, is just the generously portioned, nicely sweet and sour delight I would go for after a light savoury meal.

But how is this thriving family business planning to keep up with Singapore's continually changing culinary landscape? By "keeping it together in the family", of course.

Daughter Francesca, 26 (left, with dad, Paolo), is now one of the group's directors. "She has ambitions to bring the business to the next level, so it was a natural progression," Judie explained.

"She also felt that it was her duty to relieve her parents of the day to day running, so that we can slow down and enjoy the fruits of our labour."

Da Paolo Gastronomia is scheduled to open in the third week of June at The Sail (#01-15 Tower 2).

From TODAYOnline.com; see the source article here.

The family that works together...

Stays together — that's what the Teos are betting on

Tan Hui Leng, huileng@mediacorp.com.sg

WHEN Teri Teo told his family in 2007 that he was quitting his full-time job as a sales manager in the plastics industry, selling his car and pumping in some $300,000 of his savings into a recycled plastics business, they were concerned, to say the least.
After all, he was then drawing a comfortable salary of around $5,000 to $6,000 and his daughter, Si Qi, was just three years old.

"They were worried because my wife and I were putting in so much of our savings into the company," said Mr Teo, the 38-year-old operation director of Winrigo.

"As environmental awareness was not so high then, they also wondered if people would buy the concept of recycled plastic."

Despite their misgivings, the extended family threw their support behind the entrepreneur to help him in whatever way they could — from lending the couple $100,000 in capital to introducing business contacts to tips on where to find sources of plastic.

"Sometimes, when I have to go to our Malaysian factory, my sister or another family member lends me their car," he said. Mr Teo has stakes in two factories in Malaysia and Batam in which Winrigo's trademark recycled plastic, R3plas, is produced.

"My sister, who is in the construction industry, also lends us equipment, such as a forklift, whenever I need it."

And it's not just his seven siblings who are involved; his nieces and 11 nephews are also roped in whenever he needs help.

For example, his nephew has helped him in copywriting. A graphic-savvy niece designed the R3plas logo.

"Our family ties are really strong and family members will always chip in when I ask for help without asking for anything in return," he told Weekend Xtra.

Given the Teo family's initial worries, it must be gratifying for them to see Winrigo's promising outlook as an end-to-end solutions provider of recycled plastic products.

Winrigo not only provides plastic resin like other plastic companies in Singapore, it is also involved in the design and manufacture of products such as plastic bags, crockery and even hospital disposal units. Some of its products are biodegradable.

Nanyang Optical's spectacles are made from recycled plastic are made by Winrigo. The dog poo bags you see at Singapore parks, as well as at Sentosa Cove, are also from the company.

Last year, Winrigo achieved $1 million in sales turnover. His target for this year is $1.5 million, and aims to hit $2.5 million in 2010 and $5 million in 2011.

Mr Teo first realised the potential of recycled plastics when he was working for various plastic resin suppliers some 13 to 14 years ago. "I saw a lot of good, usable plastics thrown away and being wasted," he said. "I realised that these could be recycled and resold. It was a business opportunity."

His first convert was his wife of nine years, 31-year-old Madam Lily Toh, who quit her job in finance to run Winrigo's office and accounts.

"All the while, it has been his goal to set up his own business. What I can do is to give him my full support," she said.

Her 59-year-old father, who is a lorry driver in the logistics business, helps transport cargo for them.

Today, Mr Teo works 16 hours a day and draws less than $2,000 a month. Mdm Toh draws about $1,000. They employ another four staff in Singapore.

Mr Teo admitted candidly that the company is still in the red and that he has not yet returned the $100,000 or so he has borrowed from relatives. However, Mr Teo expects his company to break even by 2012. His confidence stems from the fact that both Winrigos' sales and turnover have spiked by 100 per cent since 2006.

This has been achieved even though recycled plastic costs 3 to 5 per cent more than prime plastic, as much more testing is involved to ensure that the reclaimed plastic is of suitable quality.

"Since the end of 2007, we have received at least one call every day from aunties who ask us where they can buy our recycled products," said Mr Teo.

Apart from the satisfaction that he gets from running the business, his involvement with Winrigo has also made the Teos and their extended family realise how vulnerable Mother Earth is.

"My family is now more aware of sustainability in our daily lives, like reusing and recycling items," he said.

"It's important to be environmentally friendly so that we leave a healthy planet for our next generation."

WEEKENDXTRA

From TODAYOnline.com; see the source article here.

Just me and my girl

36 hours alone with my16-month-old daughter

Nick Duerden, xtra@mediacorp.com.sg

ELENA looks skittish, almost frisky. Odd. "I bought one," she says. "One what?" I ask. "A pregnancy testing kit."

She strides to the toilet, pees, flushes and comes back into the living room, the radioactive stick held tightly in her hand.

"And?" I ask.

"You're going to be a father."

I am not proud of my reaction. I place my head between my knees, as if in an aeroplane about to crash, and the room spins. A strong wave of nausea reaches my throat and I open my mouth, tongue exposed, to vomit. An empty wretch. I burst into howling tears.

"I was hoping for a better reaction," says Elena.

Nine months later, the mother of my child has her legs in stirrups. In the midwife's hands is a baby — mine.

From the baby comes a noise: A sigh, a weary grunt. It is then placed into my hands and I'm told to take the six steps back towards my girlfriend. Elena takes it from me and holds it against her breast. We look from one another to it, and back again.

"Happy?" asks one of the midwives. Truthfully? I have absolutely no idea.

It is 7am on a blazing Saturday morning when Elena leaves me fully alone with our daughter for the first time. She is going to a hen party in Dublin and will be gone 36 hours, promoting me to sole parent. I'll be fine, she tells me. Of course I will. Amaya is 16 months old now, walking and almost talking, a daily wonder to me. Parenthood has finally become fun.

A quarter of an hour later comes the familiar staccato cry from Amaya's room. I bound out of bed with an enthusiasm that scarcely represents my usual morning self, cross the landing in three steps and burst into her room. She is standing up, wailing from what she considers unforgivable inattention, but breaks into a sunshine smile at the sight of me. This bodes well.

We look down into the garden and she points to one corner with mounting excitement. There, we see a mother fox and her six cubs, tiny and gorgeous, the colour of autumn and full of the bounce of new life.

We are captivated by the sight until, after 10 minutes, Amaya wants to get down and do something else. I place her on the floor and stay by the window to watch the mother fox tending its young. From behind me, I hear a noise, the sound of choking.

I turn around and see my daughter still on the floor, her face now a bright and urgent purple, mouth gaping. Her eyes are huge with panic, and she is gesturing at her chest. I drop to the floor and begin to pat her back, gently at first, then harder. Nothing. I have no idea what I am supposed to do, and for several painful moments I draw a complete blank. She continues pointing.

I tilt her head back and look inside her mouth to see that something large and yellow has become wedged at the opening of her throat. It is half of the plastic casing of a Kinder Egg toy, slippery with saliva. It slides out with merciful ease.

Amaya is now breathing freely. She pants like a dog. She clambers on to my lap and hugs me tightly, pressing her hot body against mine. She has never done this before, and I hug her back with equal force, an avalanche of guilt mixing with overwhelming relief.

For the remainder of the day, I am a model parent. I feed Amaya, play with her, keep the television off. I push her high on the swings, accompany her on the roundabout till we very nearly see my Japanese takeaway from last night again, and help her up and down the slide until the sun sets.

At 8pm, she is lying in her cot with only the light from the rotating musical mobile keeping the room from total darkness. In the shadows, her eyes find mine and lock on. Tears flood my eyes.

I sit on the floor by the bars of the cot and allow her to fall asleep with my finger in her grasp, setting an unwise precedent for the nights to come, but right now I don't care. I just want to be right here alongside her, to draw out the moment for as long as I can.

Elena arrives home, finally. As my wife bends down to kiss me, she sees tears streaming down my cheeks. Instantly, she panics: "What is it? Is it Amaya? What happened? What have you done?"

I shake my head, smiling. "I think maybe my daughter loves me," I say.

She looks at me, confused. "And you've only just realised?" THE GUARDIAN

WEEKENDXTRA

From TODAYOnline.com; see the source article here.

Tinker, tailor, soldier, banker

So much money, so little time for family — why you should think twice before entering the finance sector

David Leonhardt, xtra@mediacorp.com.sg

THE big influx of highly educated workers into finance in the last two decades has been the subject of some national hand-wringing in the United States lately. President Barack Obama, college presidents and economists have all worried aloud that Wall Street has hoarded human resources that might otherwise have gone to science, education, medicine or other fields.

Now, new research is suggesting that the shift also brought another cost — a cost that fell mainly on the people, especially women, who took jobs in finance. Among elite white-collar fields, finance appears to be uniquely difficult for anyone trying to combine work and family.

Finance, on this score, is worse than law and worse than academia. It is far worse than medicine, which emerges from the research as the highly-paid profession with the most flexibility. Near finance at the bottom of the list is consulting, another field that became more popular in the last two decades.

The research, by Professors Claudia Goldin and Lawrence Katz of Harvard, answers a question that college students, for all their careful career planning, rarely consider: Which jobs offer the best chance at balancing work and family life? A decade or two after college, however, that question often comes to dominate conversations among friends and between spouses.

On almost every aspect of work-life balance, finance and consulting look pretty bad. People who take time off in those fields suffer large penalties, both in terms of money and career opportunities, once they return to full-time work. And part-time jobs are hard to come by, which often forces people to make a choice between working a 70-hour week and leaving a job entirely.

One set of statistics neatly summarises the findings. After surveying Harvard College alumni 15 years after graduation, Goldin and Katz estimated the average financial penalty for someone who had taken a year and a half off and then returned to work. In medicine, that person earned 16 per cent less than a similar doctor who had not taken time off. Among people with no graduate degree, the gap was 25 per cent. For both lawyers and PhDs, it was about 29 per cent.

For MBA's, a group dominated by finance workers and consultants, it was 41 per cent. Given how much money many make, they can probably do just fine even after such a pay cut. Yet the size of it suggests that time off puts them on a completely different career track.

"The good news is that there are at least some professions where women have been able to carve out a set of policies that are compatible with family life," Columbia professor Jane Waldfogel, who studies families, told me. "The challenge for the next generation — and it isn't just about women — is to extend this to other occupations."

Professors Goldin and Katz, who are two of the country's leading labour economists and have published the crux of these findings in the American Economic Review, studied Harvard graduates from the last 40 years. That allowed them to compare a fairly similar group of students over a long period, but had the disadvantage of creating a decidedly atypical survey group.

So the two economists compared their results to two other surveys — the National Survey of College Graduates, run by the National Science Foundation, and a study of University of Chicago business school graduates — and found broadly consistent patterns.

According to the most recent National Survey, for instance, 21 per cent of doctors in their late 30s and early 40s work less than 35 hours a week. The share was roughly 14 per cent for MBA graduates, as it was for lawyers and people with PhDs.

The idea that medicine offers more choices than other elite professions may come as a surprise, given that medical training requires notoriously long hours of study. But once doctors reach their 30s, many of them seem to be rewarded with a wider set of options than their counterparts in other fields.

Also, in medicine, group practices are now the norm, and the doctors take turns being on call. A family's primary obstetrician isn't guaranteed to be the one who delivers the baby. In many practices, every doctor will see a woman at least once during her pregnancy, so that she knows everyone who may deliver her baby.

Wall Street, consulting firms and law firms have resisted this group approach to work. The partners claim the work is too complicated to be handed from one employee to another. In some cases, that's no doubt true. Often, though, I bet it isn't. "Why are women's bodies less complicated than someone's account?" Goldin wryly asks.

The general resistance to group work — and to flexibility — instead seems to stem from old habits, much as obstetricians once would have scoffed at the notion of a group practice. The downsides of allowing people to share work would probably be outweighed by the benefits of being able to hire talented people who want satisfying careers and aren't willing to work 70-hour weeks.

For now, that group remains largely female. But there is some reason to hope that fathers will be increasingly drawn to such jobs as well. Over the last four decades, according to the economists Mark Aguiar and Erik Hurst, men have increased the average amount of time they spend taking care of children.

The question of how to balance work and family is almost inevitably a thorny one. Easy answers, free of compromise and sacrifice, are rare, especially for people who don't earn nearly as much money as doctors.

But if you're a teenager or college student trying to decide what to do with your life, you at least may want to start thinking about the question. I promise: Most of you will spend a lot of time thinking about it later. THE NEW YORK TIMES

WEEKENDXTRA

From TODAYOnline.com; see the source article here.

What does it take to be the family guy these days?

Home truths

Christopher Toh, christophertoh@mediacorp.com.sg

I'LL BE the first to admit that while having a family is the best thing in the world, it isn't the easiest thing.

For someone who had a dream of being a rock star and having a slight case of OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) — I'm particular about the utensils I use — starting a family of my own basically scared the pants off me. For instance, could I share my utensils with someone else?

Fast forward 10 years later, I'm not a rock star, I still have slight OCD and I am a parent. Now of course, I ask questions about my ability to take care of my family: Am I providing the best life for them? Or the ever-popular: Do I want my sons to follow in my footsteps?

Which was why I decided to ask actor Adrian Pang what he thought.

See, we both have many things in common. Pang is married to wife Tracie, who hails from England. My wife sometimes gets mistaken for an ang moh too and we both have been to England. Tracie is a director; I basically do whatever my wife directs me to do. He has two sons, Zack and Xander; so do I — but not called Zack or Xander.

And we both don't allow our kids to watch that much TV, although Pang said his kids have been trying to follow the TV drama Red Thread — which he stars in — "just because all the other kids at school are talking about it". I haven't starred in any drama, but I've been on TV.

Okay, so maybe we don't have so many things in common.

Still, he's the only dad I know whose email address has all the families initials —A, T, X, Z — on it. That's family commitment.

The 43-year-old actor had been living in London before bringing his family over to Singapore in 2001. By any account, it's a big shift uprooting your family to another country, but Pang's reasons were purely familial.

"Before I became a dad, I had been working as a freelance actor and living very contentedly in London for six-and-a-half years. Fatherhood made me reassess my personal needs and wants, and weigh them against my duties and responsibilities to my young family."

When he was offered a job at the now-defunct Mediaworks, Pang said it "represented an opportunity for me to continue working as an actor, with the added security and stability of a regular paycheque".

He added: "Plus Tracie and I were certain that Singapore was a much safer place to bring up Zack and Xander, and we'd be able to offer them a better quality of life."

Like many parents, it's a challenge balancing the work-life continuum. "My work schedule is often very brutal when it comes to family time. So my life is basically about juggling work and family — while walking a tightrope and trying not to drop either. I've fallen on my ass a couple of times but somehow managed to keep up the juggling.

"Also, as an actor working for a living in order to take care of one's kids — and at the risk of sounding like a prat — certain personal 'artistic' compromises and sacrifices have had to be made, and are still being made on a daily basis."

FLIPPING BURGERS

One way around it is to make his boys understand the nature of his work. "Zack and Xander recently came to see me perform in Much Ado About Nothing at Fort Canning, and I suddenly realised that this was the first time that they had properly seen their daddy on stage. The last one I did (The Pillowman) was about child murders, for goodness' sake!

"Ultimately I try to make my boys understand that what daddy does for a living is no big deal, and because the nature of my job means that it is production-line-manufactured for quick-fix mass consumption, it makes it no different from someone working in a fast-food joint. I just happen to flip burgers in public."

When he's not "flipping burgers", Pang said he likes to spend his time with his family in the great wide open. "Just half-an-hour ago Tracie, Zack, Xander and I were out in the park shooting some hoops and 'swave-boarding'. We like to do outdoorsy stuff, like cycling by the beach, wake-boarding and swimming. We also love going to the cinema as a family. Star Trek rocks, by the way."

And does he want his kids to follow in his footsteps?

"My two boys certainly display a strong artistic streak (God help them) in various forms, but Tracie and I are by no means pushy stage parents. We don't mind if they dabble in the arts while they are growing, but I don't think we'll actively pursue that course.

"In fact, I'd probably personally dissuade them in no uncertain terms from going into the arts. Double standards? Hell, yeah! It's my prerogative as a parent to have as many double standards as I see fit!

"But at the end of the day, I look at my two happy, healthy boys and it's all worth it — so those two buggers better bloody appreciate it!"

Well, nobody said it would be easy.

But now I think I understand what Ed Kowalczyk meant when he wrote: "I don't need no one to tell me about Heaven, I look at my daughter and I believe."

If that's the case, then I'm a believer too.

WEEKENDXTRA

From TODAYOnline.com; see the source article here.

Nurturing the pillar of strength

EVEN the best among us occasionally take family for granted. Hence, there will always be a place for the National Family Celebrations, now in its in 24th year.

With Singaporeans feeling the pinch of the recession, this year's celebrations — kicking off on Saturday — will include affordable or free activities, so that families on tight budgets can still take part.

"The family is the most reliable and strong pillar of support, which we can count on, especially during trying times," said Mr Lim Soon Hock, co-chair of the celebrations' organising committee.

"The support, be it emotional or otherwise, that is received and provided within the family can help to keep us grounded, maintain a positive frame of mind, and make us feel loved and cared for."

And spending time together meaningfully needn't necessarily cost a lot of money. Activities like Family Day Out are free, while the business partners this year — such as the Night Safari and Wild Wild Wet — will be offering special discounts.

Said fellow co-chair Mr Seah Kian Peng: "It can be as simple as coming together for a meal, or catching a movie ... the important thing is to make time for each other."

With a straw poll showing that 90 per cent of Singaporeans want to spend more time with their families, but could not find time to do so, Mr Lim felt the celebrations are important. "(They) serve as a constant reminder that family relationships, like all relationships, need to be nurtured and tended to, whether in good times or bad," he said. LIN YANQIN

From TODAYOnline.com; see the source article here.

It’s not always easy

Spare a thought for Singapore's dysfunctional families, trapped in a spiral of hurt and neglect

ESTHER NG, estherng@mediacorp.com.sg

DRESSED in a simple black skirt and grey blouse, Mary (not her real name) told Weekend Xtra that for the past two years she has had one meal a day: Dinner at her mother's place, a one-room rental flat where her mother looks after Mary's three kids.

The 35-year-old divorcee has been staying in shelters for the past 18 months. Her nails are black, a sign of anaemia or Vitamin B12 deficiency.

While many families are looking forward to the host of National Family Celebrations activities lined up during the June school holidays, some like Mary are struggling to hold their family together.

The profile of the typical dysfunctional families has not changed much over the years, counsellors told Weekend Xtra.

"They are usually the second or even third generation of broken families, with low income or no income, poor parenting skills and a history of family violence," said Thye Hua Kwan Moral Society's (THKMS) service director for family service and support, Mr Wong Kwong Sing.

Apart from issues like crime, drugs and gambling that typically plague dysfunctional families, there is "an immense lack of communication between spouses, parents and children and lack of role models in the home", said Ms Veronica Nathan, a senior counsellor with St Andrew's Lifestreams, a voluntary welfare organisation (VWO).

Mary's childhood was far from stable — she and her brother grew up in a children's home. Without proper role models around, Mary left school while in Secondary 1 and drifted in and out of jobs.

You half expect it when she tells you that the men in her life are physically abusive. In 2007, she took out a protection against her husband after a severe beating.

Mary has lived in shelters since, even then she cannot stay too long as such stints are only meant as "short-term stays for them to sort out their issues", said Mary's case manager, who did not want to be named.

Lodging at these shelters is not free. Residents pay between $100 to $150 a month.

Over in a three-room flat in Ang Mo Kio, Jack tells Weekend Xtra that his three children, aged nine, four and two, miss their mother, Jill (not her real name).

The 28-year-old woman has been in remand for two years now for drug offences. Jill was originally slapped with the death penalty, later reduced to a life sentence.

"The first year was very difficult. The kids kept asking for their mother and when we take them to see her, they ask her why is she's there," he said.

"She tells them that she is working there. Then they ask her how is it her work is so bad that she can't go home when other mothers can. Sometimes, they cry at night for her."

Jill's lawyer, Mr Mark Goh, believes that "the family does not know how to break the news to the children".

He added: "The accused and their family member's are under a lot of emotional stress which I'm not equipped to handle. If the courts can appoint two lawyers under the Legal Assistance Scheme for Capital Offences, it would be good if they can appoint counsellors too."

Jill's family said that the children do not need counselling — but they do need financial assistance. They sold their three-room flat because they could not afford the mortgage and are now paying $1,500 rent monthly. Jack, 38, earns about $1,000 as an odd job worker, as does his father-in-law.

They have so far received $480 from a religious organisation over a period of three months and staples like rice, sardines and milk from a voluntary welfare organisation.

Also in an equally hapless position are foreign wives abandoned by their Singaporean husbands. The problem is made worse when they are not Permanent Residents.

"After the marriage breaks down, their husbands send them off as soon as their long-term social visit visa expires," said Ms Eliza-beth Tan, executive director of the Archdiocesan Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People (ACMI).

When this happens, the wife, is usually either unable to afford to return to Singapore to see her children, or finds that she and her children sent back to her country of origin to fend for themselves.

For instance, Ms Vanessa Paz, 35, has flown in to Singapore to see her eight-year-old daughter. Despite being given visitation rights by the courts, the father barred Ms Paz from spending time with her. ACMI is helping Ms Paz with legal aid.

"It's not so bad if the child is Singaporean; they can get help at local agencies. Those who are not fall through the system of local help," said Ms Tan. Their alternative? Agencies that deal with migrant issues, whose resources are limited.

Counsellors agree while there is more help for disadvantaged families now, there could be more synergy among various agencies to help dysfunctional families break the cycle of misery.

"We need to adopt an intensive case-management approach. Let one of the agencies be the case manager and coordinate the efforts of different agencies to help the family," said Mr Wong of THKMS.

He added that it would be good if "VWOs had access to resources under Co

my Fatherly Life

About Me

My Blog List

Labels

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Monday, September 28, 2009

Friday, September 25, 2009

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Monday, July 20, 2009

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Monday, July 6, 2009

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Friday, June 26, 2009

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Friday, June 19, 2009

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Monday, June 15, 2009

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Friday, June 12, 2009

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Monday, June 1, 2009