WenXian-10narrowly escapeBukit Panjang blaze,arson suspected

Arsonists are believed to have struck a five-room HDB flat in the Bukit Panjang area on June 23 morning.Petrol have been splashed on the floor of the sixth story Senja Road flat.Singapore Civil Defence Force took about 10mins to extinguish the fire and rescued eight of the ten flat occupants, who tried to escape by climbing through the building's narrow air condition-ing ledge.

Flames from the burning sixth-storey flat reached as high as the ninth floor, blackening the exterior walls of the Bukit Panjang block. Units directly above the fiery flat were damaged by the blaze ,cracking glass panes. An 82-year old retired fireman ran for pails of water to help douse the flames.Onlookers shouted to the trapped man to stay calm and assured them that help was on the way.

Personal Response:

I feel that this is such a tragedy as the flame has cause a lot of damage to the resident's property.It is also a good way of showing the singaporean spirit as a multi-racial society.

Kelly Wee-Canada confirms new case of mad cow disease

VANCOUVER - A NEW case of mad cow disease has been confirmed in Canada, its 13th case since 2003.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said on Monday it is investigating where the infected cow was born in British Columbia.
Mad cow disease is also known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE.
The inspection agency says a ban on using animal materials in feed products has virtually eliminated the spread of BSE in Canada, but a small number of mad cow cases are still expected to surface.
In 2006 and 2007 the disease was found in two British Columbia dairy cows that were infected by contaminated feed. The inspection agency said no part of the animal entered the human food system.

Personal comments: Mad cow disease could be very serious as in could affect everyone worldwide! Hence, it is best to have an antidote so as to ensure the outspread of disease and also to stop people from dying from the disease

Varian Ang- Every dog as its day - even ugly ones

GUS the dog has three legs, one eye and no hair, except for a white tuft on the top of its head and its a real winner.The pedigree Chinese crested won the World's Ugliest Dog contest on saturday at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in northern California. Its owner, Ms Jeanenne Teed, had brought GUS all the way from Florida to compete fot the dubious distinction.After the excitement of the moment, Ms Teed said of her dog's reaction: "well, i think right now, it is ready for a nap" The Chinese crested breed is a popular choice in this annual contest with last years's champ, Elwood, a chinese crested and chihuahua mix. Gus' owner won US$500 and will be flown to New York to appear on CBS This Morning, with the event to be aired on the Animal Planet network in October.


Personal view: Even though people area willing to pay a higher price for a pure breed or a nicely coated dog, there are still people who are willing to breed a ugly looking one. Dog lovers has dedicated their time even to look after ugly looking dogs. From looking at the dedications this people would provide for the dog, it shows me that we can do something as long as we want to and has the heart to do it.

Kelly WEE-Nigerian youths blow up oil pipeline

Armed youths blew up a Nigerian crude oil pipeline operated by US. This cut more output from the world's eigth largest oil exporter. The attack came hours after the MEND attacked a remote Royal Dutch Shell offshore facility, cutting the country's oil output by 10 per cent and under the scoring the vulnerability of Africa's biggest oil producer. Mend said it was not responsible for the Chevron attack, but that it was contacted by youths claiming responsiblity for blowing up the crude pipeline. Military said that crude oil production is largely affected.

Personal comments: Now the oil prices is raising as steep as a mountain! Due to the sabotage, the oil production is largely affected and hence affecting the rest of the world as the amount of oil exported to other countries will be affected and also hence causing oil prices to increase in individual country.

Rachel Chia - Asleep at the wheelchair: Australian man charged with drunk rolling

In Brisbane, Australia - A man found asleep in a motorized wheelchair on a highway has been charged with drunk driving.

Officers noticed the man slumped in the stationary chair about 10A.M Friday on an exit lane near the tourist city of Cairns. Regional traffic Inspector Bob Waters said that cars were swerving to get around him.

The officers tested the breath of the 64-year-old man, who registed a blood alcohol reading of 0.301 - more than six times the legal driving limit. Hence, he was charged with operating a vehicle while drunk and ordered to report to court on July 7.

Although typical vehicles associated with drink driving are cars, trucks and motorbikes, there are also other classes of vehicles subjected to drink-driving laws. These include horses, bicycles and motorized vehicles.


Personal Views:

Although a tad silly, the man ought to have realised the severity of his actions. Despite a motorcycle not being an actual 'vehicle', he was still on the road and controlling his vehicle while he was drunk. This might have cost him his life if others had knocked him out by accident. To prevent such things from happening, we should start actively spreading the message of how drink-driving applies to all sorts of vehicles on the road, not just the usual cars and motorcycles. The message of the consequences of drink-driving should still be spread around to ensure everyone knows the dangers and harm it might cause them.

Chi Jin ting-'Majestic re-mix of the classics'.

Summary of the article:
It pays homage to the classics, yet strips ot down until it becomes recognisable only through a certain refrain: the familiarity of a melody or a signature move that suddenly recalls its original context.
Canadian choreographer Edouard Lock creates poetic universes with a starkly minimal set & dancers who move with super-human speed. His choreography is precise and technical in its repetition. In an ode to the swans, the dancers' arms lash out with almost violent restraint, whick, under the dim lighting, evokes the flurry of feathered wings.
There is an inner dialogue that exists within Lock's choreography; the dancers respond to each other in this beautiful language.
A male dancer in a pas de deux with a female dancer in a white dress rises en pointe together with her: It is a beautifu.stunning sight. Later, two men dance a pas de deux.The music by contemporary composers David Land, Blake Hargreaves and Gavin Bryars is exquisite and evocative.
The classical refrain of Tchaikovsky in the muted notes of a violin was punctuated by bursts of mechanical white noise, yet with all its distortion, the composition stays elegant though moody. A pianist, a cellist and two violinists are situated at the back of the stage. The lighting, switching starkly from an unearthly blue to icy white, often snaps abruptly during scenes. The chiarascuro lighting is evocative of film noir with cinematic jumpcuts.
An exquisite masterpiece, Amjad furthers the dialogue between modern ballet and its classical roots in a ferocious, majestic display.

My Response:
Tchaikovasky's Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty are the two most representative works of him in his whole life. Ballet is the best form to express the music, scene and meaning of these two works. He was a Russian composer, his music is not as same as other composers. His style is constantly changing. So people who study or perform his music are very careful to display the soul, the spirit and the quintessence of them. And by the way, some super stars like S.H.E., they used Tchaikovasky's Swan Lake to be one of their hot song, called "Remember" . Until now, the best pianist which can perform Tchaikovasky's works is Lang Lang from China, Shen yang. He is a genius born for piano. He is crazy when he is performing. I like his music very much but the pity thing is he didn't compose many pieces of works. That's sad.

jaclyn-Sports bra saves hiker stranded in Alps

BERLIN, Germany (AP) -- An American hiker stranded in the Bavarian Alps for nearly three days was rescued after using her sports bra as a signal, police in southern Germany said Monday.
Berchtesgaden police officer Lorenz Rasp said that he helped lift 24-year-old Jessica Bruinsma of Colorado to safety by helicopter on Thursday after she attracted the attention of lumberjacks by attaching her sports bra to a cable used to move timber down the mountain.
"She's a very smart girl, and she acted very resourcefully," said Rasp. "She kept her shirt and jacket for warmth, but thought the sports bra could work as a signal."
An Alpine rescue team, including five helicopters and 80 emergency workers, had been searching for Bruinsma since she went missing June 16 after losing her way in bad weather while hiking with a friend near the Austrian border.
She fell 16.4 feet to a rocky overhang, where she spent the next 70 hours on the narrow ledge, sustained by water that she found by breaking into a supply box on the ledge.
She badly bruised a leg and dislocated a shoulder in the fall, and the cliff was too isolated for her to climb free, Rasp said.
Rasp said the cable was only within reach because the timber transport system was out of service. When a repairman restored the line on Thursday, the cable car started moving up the mountain and Bruinsma's bra reached the worker at the base. He knew of the missing hiker and immediately called police.
Rasp said his team followed the cable line up the cliff side in a helicopter and found Bruinsma standing on the ledge, waving with her good arm. After circling once, they lowered a winch to Bruinsma and lifted her aboard."
She did so well because she is in very good shape," Rasp said. "She has been training for a marathon -- her goal is to finish in 3 hours and 10 minutes."
Bruinsma told Rasp that she has scrapped plans to stay in Berchtesgaden to learn German and plans to return home to Colorado Springs with her parents. He said she still plans to run the marathon, if she recovers in time to keep training.


Personal views:

Using clothes to attracts rescuers' attention to the fact that someone was being stranded somewhere is a good idea.But using a sports bra as a signal is unheard of,especially by attaching it to a cable used to move timber down the mountain.Not only can the stranded person has a glimmer of hope that someone will see the sports bra and linked it to a missing person looking for rescue,she can also keep herself warm with her shirt and pants.Isn't that being resourceful!And also,even though she had badly bruised a leg and dislocated a shoulder when she fell,she had overcame her pain in the hope that she will be rescued.Most importantly,if not for the repairman
who had spotted the sports bra and linked it to the missing hiker,she would still be stranded somewhere in the mountain.Thanks to her perserverance,she is able to overcome every obstacles and be rescued.

Cylvi Lim - McCain calls for $300 million prize for better car battery

Sen. John McCain on Monday called for a $300 million prize to whoever can develop a battery that will "leapfrog" the abilities of current hybrid and electric cars. Citing high oil prices, the Republican presidential candidate said he wants his offer to "deliver a power source at 30 percent of the current costs."
"[The prize would amount to] $1 for every man, woman and child in the U.S. -- a small price to pay for helping to break the back of our oil dependency," McCain said during a town hall-style meeting at California's Fresno State University. McCain said the new automobile battery should have "the size, capacity, cost and power to leapfrog the commercially available plug-in hybrids or electric cars."
"In the quest for alternatives to oil, our government has thrown around enough money subsidizing special interests and excusing failure," McCain said. "From now on, we will encourage heroic efforts in engineering, and we will reward the greatest success."
McCain's remarks came a day after his Democratic rival, Sen. Barack Obama, called for greater oversight for energy traders. Obama's campaign said many economists believe speculation could be adding between $20 and $50 to the price of a barrel of oil; the price per barrel closed near $135 on Friday.

Personal response:
I think that McCain's idea is very good as now the price of oil increases leading to financial problems for a lot of people. Businesses are also affected from the increasing oil prices, as it needed to run cars and trucks to transport goods. For example, vegetables and poultry prices increased and affect the consumers. Taxi drivers also having a more difficult job and will earn less money as the fuel costs for the car increased. In my opinion, as oil become more expensive and is depleting, we need to find alternatives for oil. The $300 million prize that McCain suggest for better car battery will attract a lot of people's attention to invent alternatives for oil.

Lynn Tang- Cellphones could play key role in tracking infectious diseases

Summary: By tracking the cellphone's signal, researchers could tell whether you have crossed paths with someone who is infected by diseases such as dengue, malaria and bird flu. Cellphone tracking could reduce the time it takes to trace a patient's contact as right now, health officers have a hard time tracking diseases like dengue, which can pop up in several areas of the city at once. Singapore would be an ideal place to use mobile phone as it is a small place and Singaporeans have one of the higest rates of mobile phone ownership in the world. However, the health authorities here are unwilling to use the teachnology in the infectious tracking as it infringes on an individual's privacy.

Comments: Though that the tracking of infectious system will infringes on one's privacy, i feel that this can help to reduce the time to trace a patient's contact and this will generally benefit the rest as the doctors can spent lesser time to wait for the results of the blood test. Now, there are still cases of dengue fever in public area and if the tracking of diseases is activated, the cases of dengue fever will be reduce because the doctors can easily deduce if you have the possibility of getting dengue fever. This can save the doctors' and individual's time and the doctors are able to attend to other patients. As a result, more patients will be saved. Also, by checking the phone contacts, if a person is affected, the family members wuld also have a small possibility of being affected too. This not only can save time and it will save our loved ones.

Kelly Wee-Motorcyclist in Fatal crash

A motorcyclist in his early 40s, died after his motorcycle crashed into a railing on the centre divider at Geylang Bahru. He was travelling in the direction of Bendemeer Road and is believed to have lost control of the motorbike near the Kolam Ayer Community Club. He suffered multiple injuries and died at the scene.

Personal Comment: I feel that it is not worthwhile to be exchange a person's life for a few minutes at the exchange of one's life. Would it be worthwhile to not waste time and risk losing one's life due to speeding and eventually ending in an accident? -It isn't worthwile at all

Bridget Tang - A child prostitude at 14, an Aids activist today

Ms Srey Mom is a Cambodian who was one of the unfortunate girls who was being sold to be a child prostitude. She started working at the age of seven, abandoned at 10 and then she became a child prostitude at 14. She contracted the HIV virus when she was only 16. She is now an activist who is determined to help other Cambodian girls avoid her fate. Therefore, she shared about problems of human trafficking and child prostitution that plagued Cambodia and other South-east Asian countries to Singapore students who attended a Famine Camp. 30,000 sex workers in Cambodia are estimated to be below 16 years of age and a fifth of these workers are infected with HIV. The relief and advocacy agency runs camps annually to educate Singaporeans to act on global issues such as poverty, hunger and HIV or AIDS. As people are getting poorer, parents are known to sell their daughters.

Personal Views:
As a teenager, I truly sympathise with Ms Srey Mom and other girls who were being sold to work as child prostitudes. I feel I am really fortunate to be a Singaporean as I cannot imagine if Singapore has such activities happening. We, Singaporeans at least have the chance to learn about global issues rather than being the victims over at Cambodia.

Cheng Wee- Chinese tourists warned against gambling and porn in Taiwan

Chinese visitors to Taiwan will not be allowed to gamble or engage in ''pornographic activities''. Travel agencies are also not allowed to arrange gambling, pornographic and drug-related activites harming cross-strait relations. Chinese travel agency managers went to Taiwan on a fact-finding mission to inspect tourism infrastructure such as hotels and transportation. They inspects on tourism infrastructure at the weekend example the Taiwanese Premier Liu Chao-shiuan, to check on the progress of refurbishment works. The warning was issued by the cross-strait tourism association which then lead to the sign of break-through agreements on charter flights and tourism promotion between China and Taiwan this month.

Personal comments: I think that for my point of view, it is the right thing that they warned Chinese tourists against gambling and porn in Taiwan. This will results in less people thinking about ''dirty'' stuff and into heavy gambling as they will not have to be in contract with it. All these would only ruin their future and life and they might not have a second chance to draw back into the right path again. This would even further influence their families as they would be in heavy debt and i believed many happy families' bond have been broken because of that. I think that Singapore should also imply the similiar strictness againist gambling and porn . But overall it is up to our own thinking of getting into such stuff as if you really want it, no one can stop you.

Junella Ang - Man held for cleaner's murder

A 26 year- old Malaysian suspect was arrested yesterday morning(22nd Jun) in connection with a weekend murder in an Ang Mo Kio flat. The suspect had "no fixed place of residence" in Singapore and was arrested in a hotel in Geylang.

The 61 year-old victim was Singapore permanent residence Abdul Khalid Othman and was said to be a transvestite by his neighbours. The victim was found dead on Saturday in the bedroom of two-room flat in Ang Mo Kio Avenune 8. He had no visible injuries and was wearing only his undergarments.

The resident who lives next door the victim's said that his wife heard two loud shouts from the victim's flaton Thursday at about 9.15pm.

The victim's colleague said that he was a caring man who wound even feed the stray cats in the neighbourhood.





Personal View : Nowadays, people are staying in flats whereas people in the olden days stay in kampong where they get to interact with one another and get to know each other. There are also not many strangers as everyone in the kampong know one another and it will be easy to track down murders happening around them. But in this city now, everyone is staying in flats.

Voon Shi Tian-Prostitute at 14, Aids activist today

Summary of new event

Activist Srey Mom was born the only daughter and the last of seven children to a village baker and his wife. She left school after one month to hawk bread. However, after her father died her mother remarried and left her behind.To survive, she slept on streets and begged before becoming a fruit stall helper.Worse of all, she was sold to a brothel instead of getting a job as a prawn peeler which a woman had promised her.In times when she refuses to have sex with men, she was tortured and locked up in a tiny dark room until she submitted.Soon enough, she was infected with HIV and a volunteer from TRC came to her aid and turnedher life around by helping her recover and equipping with skills to earn a living.

Personal response

I pity the fate that Activist Srey Mom has.Imagine the pains she suffered after her father died early and she had no one to depend on as her mother had abondoned her.At an age of 13, she had to be independent and work in order to survive.Hence i feel that i am blessed to be borned in my family where i am well-provided for. I also get to enjoy all the material comforts that Activist Srey Mom did not get to enjoy so i should learn to be contented with what i have now.In addition, i think that she had hurt her pride as it was not her wish to have sex with men.
She was forced to do so and she was tortured if she refused.After contracting HIV, even her mother chased her out although she had just reunited with her.Therefore i think that the trafficked girls should work with the volunteers to share about their experience in order to raise awareness so that brothel owners and traffickers will be prosecute.

Clarissa Sng - Typhoon Leaves Hundreds Dead.

More than 700 passengers and crew aboard a ferry that sank in typhoon-battered seas in the central philippines are missing and feared dead. only 4 people were known to have survived after making it to shore.

My Personal Response.

I think that the family memebers of the many people that had been kiled in the typhoon have a greater burden, and by living on earth with your family member dead in a typhoon suffer the most. The dead will be kept in their hearts but they have to live on having the dead in mind. Nobody would have wanted that to happen but it was just to suddenly. "It seemed like everything happened in fifteen minutes. Next thing we knew, the ship had gone under." this was quoted from the news. it just happened too fast, it was very difficult to save themselves or one another. Just as you were about to survive the typhoon, you are dragged down by it. Many cries have been heard. This does not affect me much unless i experience it myself. But i fee sorry and say for those who had lost their family member.

Ong Li Yan (: Online betting illegal

Many tech-savvy gamblers takes their habbit online,not realising that it is illegal.Placing bets with opertators not from Betting Act and Common Gaming Houses Act is considered an offence and would be fined and jailed for up to six months.The two legal operators do not provide online gambling facilities,however the rate of online betting has risen.While Singapore credit cards are not accepted on online betting websites,people set up online accounts which they used to gamble online.Mr Suresh Anantha said that people go online to stay annoymous and people also find it convenient as you can do it anywhere any time without calling the bookie.However,people failed have to understand that even though you may win occasionaly,you will still lose money over the long term and that's how gambling works.
Personal Resopnse..
People go online as it is more convenient as you do not have to queue up for a long time just to bet on the soccer team.Betting online is faster and definately more convenient.However,people did not realise that betting online is illegal and people who are underage may also be involed in such illegal acts.If betting online becomes legal,more people will start gambling since it is so convenient which is bad because they might just get too addicted and spend all their money on gambling.This will in turn cause economic problems as people will turn jobless,bankrupt etc.And the sucidal rate will also increase.This affects Singapore's population growth and cause aging population as more young people will gameble compared to the older ones.

Chi Jin ting -'Gates closes door on Microsoft career'.

Summary:
A HARVARD University dropout who ushered in the home computer age and made billions of dollars along the way will have his last official day of work at Microsoft on Friday. Mr Bill Gates founded Microsoftand he has pledged to give his fortune to charity - rather than leaving it for his children. The Foundation which funds health and education projects around the world. He will spend just one day a week at the business. His wife and he said they have chosen not to pass the money on to their children. They want to give it back to society in the way that it will have the most positive impact.
Mr Gates left Harvard after two years to found the company that became global powerhouse Microsoft. His success with the computer giant has made him the richest man in the world for 13 years in the row, according to Fortune magazine's rich list.
The challenge Microsoft has when the founder departs is remembering its heart. At some point, the firm has to take the essence of what made Bill Gates successful and make sure that is preserved. Microsoft's Windows Vista operating system released in January last year has flopped with customers, many of whom are clinging to its predecessor Windows XP.
Free online programmes that compete with Office and other packaged software sold by Microsoft. Microsoft failed in a recent bid to buy Yahoo. A founder takes such a larger-than-life role and directs a company in very subtle ways that are often forgotten when a founder leaves. That gap, for a lot of companies, has been almost terminal.


My Response:
Bill Gates is one of the most successful and the richest person in the world. Because he can make just few hundreds of dollars to become thousands of millions and billions by building one of the biggest company - Microsoft. Computers are now being more and more popular in today's society, if Bill Gates didn't invent the essential system software for each computer in the world. Then I can't imagine how the computer is working today. I mean he is so great. And last but not least, he is so generous, he has pledged to give his S$41 bilklion fortune to charity - rather than leaving it for his children. I think the spirit and thought that he has it's really kind. The charitable deeds that he does can help a lot of people who are suffering in drought,flood,any disasters or having problems to get education or healthcare. He is a really kindhearted man. Hope the money that he donated can help more people in the world.

LIMWANJIE (:
Gamblers spent estimated $4.2b on 4-D

Singaporeans gambled away billions of dollars last year , with the bulk of bets going towards 4-D lotteries , according to a Straits Time check.About $1.9 billion was wagered on horse races and $535 million spent on Toto in Iras' last financial year.The study found that more people see 4-D and Toto as leisure activities, a trend witnessed by counselllors.They have become easier for people to part their money , say experts. There are now 309 Singapore Pools outlets and the betting operator also takes wagers over the phone."Many gamblers believe their lucky number will( come around ) soon," said Mr Charles Lee."So , they bet on the same set of numbers their whole life."

Personal response:
Honestly , i do not understand why adults like to bet on 4-Ds , Totos and things like that to earn easy money . Are they just trying to play on it or trying their luck to get more money? I seriously dislike people who gamble too much. It makes me feel so irritated and wondering why would they be so stupid . They should have consider on how much they have spent on bets than on winnings. In the first place , why would goverment want to open Singapore Pool yet wanting Singaporeans to stop gambling ?

Wen Xian- Want to read a comic? Use the cell phone

Comic book heroes such as Spiderman and Superman may soon be appearing on smaller screens of your mobile phone.Businessmen reading comic books is a common sight in Japanese trains, but soon they will be poring over their phones as publishers increasingly digitalise their comics to cash in on the country's mobile-savvy consumers.The launch of Apple's iPhone on 11 o July could spur the growth of the moble comic market ,as the device's touch screen would make it easier and more appealing to read comics on handsets, analysts say. 85% of Japan's population are mobile phones subscribers, carriers are moving away from voice services and beefing up content services and data transmission to increase revenue.Comics led the size of the mobile publications market to double in the past business and the size is almost three times larger then the e-publication market for PCs.

Personal response:

I feel that using the cellphone to 'read' comics is not a bad idea. We can easily download and watch animaes using our phones and need not waste time on downloading from the computer. I also think that the cons are more than the pros regarding this issue. Watching the comics in digital form might harm the eyes more than reading it from a book.Moreover, there is radiation from the cellphones that harms us more. Parents might not agee to allow their child to watch their favourite animae from the phone as it is so convenient and they might neglect their studies.
The quality of the comics might not be as good as the ones from the book itself as everything is compressed together into a smaller screen.

Magalence Teng : Korea's 'Gold Misses' dump men for career

Ms Kim Ji Won , have been identified as one of the 'Gold Misses' in Korea , spent S$3,300 on a limited edition Fendi handbag during a recent shopping spree and a dress , costing Us$1700. She proclaimed that purchasing designer goods as a reward for working hard. She is one of a new age of women who are forsaking marriage to pursue careers. In addition , these women have attracted attention of banks which offer special accounts to win their business too. It is true that women have realise that they need not rely on men to lead an affluent lifestyle. Subsequently, the teachings of Confucius had brought an impact to Korea as well. ' Gold Misses' are defined as single women age ranging from 30 to 45, holding degrees anf have an annual income of US$40,000. Traditionalists say the trend is undermining South Korean society. In fact, this was instigated by a few feminists and youngsters who indulge in Western culture . Also, it is lamentable how women's egocentriness have lead to the rupture of families in Korea, which has historically valued families as the root of sound ethnics.

My Comments : It is common for this trend to exist in this modern society , including Singapore as well. Women working in different professionals , holding degrees and have an annual income of at least US$40,000 are not willing to get married. It is obvious that these women want is not a husband but freedom as well as the affluent lifestyle they are experiencing now. It is true , according to the news article , where women's egocentricness have lead to the rupture of families in Korea as well as the next generation will face a greater danger in terms of continuing the tradition. In addition, this have affected the economic and social development of one's country as well.

Chan Jia Li - Typhoon Leaves Hundreds Dead

More than 700 passengers and crew aboard a Philippine ferry that sank in typhoon-battered seas are missing and feared dead.By June 22 evening ,only four people were known to have survived after making it to the shore.Four people aboard the ferry have so far been confirmed dead after their bodies were washed ashore.The Typhoon Fengshen with packing of top winds of 120kmh has lashed the Philippines over the weekend,leaving at least 229 people dead.Fengshen is expected to exit the north of the country by today,heading to Taiwan,where it could make landfall in the next few days,according to weather experts.

Response:
I am utterly worried about the current Typhoon situations,if worst comes to worst,Singapore might be endangered in encountering with a Typhoon as well.I think we should all be prepared to tackle against such events when it really takes place.Nevertheless,i felt sorry for the victims that were killed by the Typhoon and hope that none of this will ever happen again.Hopefully,Taiwan is prepared and have taken precautions against the upcoming typhoon which is heading towards them anytime.We should all make an effort to prevent any more unnecessary loss of lives as prevention is better than cure.

Gamblers spent estimated $4.2b on 4-D

It is not an unusual sight to see large numbers of people queueing up outside your neighbourhood Singapore Pool outlet to bet on their usual dose of 4-D. Surveys have shown that singaporeans gamble away billions of dollars by betting on lotteries such as 4-D, horse racing, Toto and soccer bets. The masses who gamble are mostly middle-aged men. The reason to explain the increasing trend on betting is that this is seen as a leisure activity by many. Many are also tempted by the easy lure of money, there is no guranteed as to when you may win the prize money. Others enjoy the thrill that comes hand in hand with the bets.



In my opinion, I absolutely, strongly disapprove of such reckless acts. Instead of putting this money to better use, they are spending it on something else that people believe that can cater to their boredom and thrill. Some people have said that betting is a form of leisure activity, which according to my own opinion, is a waste of hard-earned money. According to reports, "It has also become easier for people to part with their money.," . It seems that Singaporeans are gradually forgetting how difficult it is to earn money and to make a living for yourself.
However, many people don't realise that in the game of gambling and betting, you do not always win and neither will you always lose. For the former, they will keep placing their bets on such lotteries in order to win. Apparently, the saying "Never give up!!!" seems to apply to gamblers as well. For the latter, they will ride on that thrill of winning and consider about continuing to gamble.

Voon Shi Ying - More poor Indonesians sending kids to orphanages

A survey of Indonesia's child care instituitions released has found orphanages flooded with more children who are being seperated from their parents not by death but because of poverty. The report said that up to 500,000 of the country's 85 million children live in instituitions, where they receive free food and education. Of those ,90 per cent still have one or more parents alive. It is also surveyed that the children spent much of their time not in school helping to do the housework and looking after younger kids as the instituition is understaffed. It is also said that the government policy was partly fuelling the surge in parents giving up their children. The government has funded orphanages based on the children registered. However this has led to religious and social organisation establishing new instituition to actively 'recruit" children.
personal response: I feel that the parents should not give up their children although it is understood that they are poor but they wanted their children to receive the best in orphanages where lives are not so hard there. The children are young and need the love from their parents .However , by sending them to the orphanages , it may bring them more harm than good. Without their loved ones they will feel lonely and may grow to become more self-centered.Being unfamiliarised with their surrounding ,some may try to escape.Bullying may also be a common incident in an instituition filled with large number of children.Also i feel that the orphanages have done wrong by using the older children to look after the younger ones as they failed to put the children's interests at heart. In addition , i feel that the government should instead fund the poor rather than the orphanages so that they could benefit better and also discourage them on giving up their children.

Amanda Soh - Mediacorp's HD5 coming soon to StarHub

MediaCorp, Singapore's national free-to-air TV operator and StarHub, Singapore's largest pay TV operator have announced their latest collaboration. MediaCorp's HIgh Definition (HD) TV channel -HD5- will be carried on StarHub's cable television platform in July 2008, signalling yet another step forward in the growth of HD TV services in the city state. HD5, a simulcast of MediaCorp TV's Channel 5, is the only free-to-air HD channel in Singapore. Since its launch in November last year, HD5 has won over audience with its telecast of blockbuster movies (eg. Fantastic Four, Van Helsing, Mr & Mrs Smith, the Indiana Jones trilogy, Alien vs Predator); international drama series (Heroes, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chroncicles, Pushing Daisies, Ghost Whisperer, CSI Miami) and local English productions (Incredible Tales, MarkanSutra Raw, Behind Closed Doors). HD5 will be available at no addition cost on Channel 300 to all StarHub Digital Cable customers who have an HD-ready TV set and StarHub's HD set-top box. As at end March this year, there were about 508,000 households subscribing to StarHub Digital Cable.

Personal View :
With HD5 available to StarHub Digital Cable subscribers, we will now have more choices to watch HD5 across several platforms. During the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, we will be able to watch from 9am to 1am live and recorded in true HD.

Rachel Chia - A Child Prostitute at 14, an Aids activist today

Ms Crey Mom, from Cambodia, started working at the age of seven, was abandoned at 10 and was totured into becoming a child prostitute at 14. At 16, she contracted the HIV virus.

Now, at 20, she is an activist and determined to help other Cambodian girls avoid her fate. For many of the Singapore students who attended the World Vision's 30-hour Famine Camp at the Anglo-Chinese School in Barkey Road, she voiced on out the problems of human trafficking and child prostitution which affect Cambodia and other South-east Asian countries.

The World Vision agency has run the camp annually since 1985 to educate and motivate Singapore youths to act on glocal issues such as hunger, poverty, HIV/Aids and the environment. It is estimated that up to 30,000 sex workers are estimated to be below 16 years old and about a fifth of the country's female sex workers are infected with HIV.


Personal Views:

Everyone should play a part and help to prevent such happenings from occuring repeatedly. I think the World Vision agency has an excellent way of spread and educating the message on global issues that affect people these days. With a rise in the numbers of teenagers being hauled into prostitution, the number of HIV-infected people are growing by large numbers daily, and

Chin Kee Teck - 'Gus' crowned world's ugliest dog

At a dog fair in California, a three-legged, one eyed, cancer-afflicted dog named Gus has been crowned the World's Ugliest Dog.

Gus is a Chinese Crested dog, beat other dogs to take the title at the Sonoma-Marin Fair. Gus' owner, Jeanenne Teed, from Florida, said she would spend the $1,600 prize money on treatment for Gus's skin cancer.

The competition has been going on for 20 years and is one of the fair's top attractions. Marketing director of the fair, Vicki DeArmon, said that in the past years, winners had been dogs that had been abandoned or neglected before they were adopted by dog-lovers. She added that although the dogs look hard to care for, the new owners were definitely taking good care of them.

Gus was rescued from a bad home, with one of his legs amputated as a result of his skin tumour. His loss of one eye is due to a fight with a tomcat.


Personal Views:

This shows that despite dogs being abandoned worldwide, there are people who are willing to take care of them, even if they are not as good-looking as other dogs. I feel that such contests will show the world that all dogs have the right to live and win. Also, everyone will be able to see the kind of 'ugly' dogs from these contests, and know that a lot of them are subjected to abuse and were mistreaten by their previous owners.

Being an attraction to the fair itself proves that majority of people do have a heart for abused animals. For those who go with the intention of simply mocking the dogs, they will be able to see the ugly dogs' owners willing to sacrifice their time and take care of such dogs and this will allow them to change their views.

Chin Kee Teck - Girl in Romania denied abortion despite rape allegation

In Romania, a medical ethics panel refused to grant an abortion to an 11-year-old who had allegedly been raped by her uncle.

This is because according to the penal code, after the 14th week of pregnancy, termination is only allowed if the mother's life is endangered or if the foetus suffers from malformation. Having examined the girl, the panel says that the pregnancy is proceeding naturally and that termination is not an option.

The girl's parents discovered the pregnancy during a medical check-up two weeks ago aftr she complained of stomach pains. Police are looking for the uncle, who is said to have fled.

The reason that the pregnancy stemmed from rape was not taken into account by the panel is due to two reasons, one being the rape has not been proven and the other being the penal code not allowing any exceptions.

Doctors searched a reason to abort the pregnancy, but found none.


Personal Views:

I feel that the uncle of the girl is extremely unreasonable and also, that the law in Romania has loopholes. Women should have the right to choose what they want and also, in this case, how is it possible that an 11-year-old would get pregnant, especially when she merely complained of having a stomachache?

With such a law, there might be a lot of young women getting pregnant from rape and they will be unable to raise their children. If more of such rape cases happen and the male escapes scout free and there is no evidence of rape, it would mean chaos. Although the medical panel might mean well by enforcing the rule of not allowing abortions unless the mother's life is in danger or the foetus is suffering from malformation to reduce the killing of unborn babies, they might be actually be causing more problems instead.

Voon Shi Tian - UP prices of eggs and some vegetables

Summary of news events:

Singaporeans already battered by inflation faced another whammy this week.
Prices of eggs and some vegetables have jumped at wet market across the island. This comes barely a week after Malaysia - Singapore's biggest food supplier - trimmed domestic fuel subsidies. The move has driven up transport costs for fresh-food importers, who truck supplies like vegetables and poultry across the border. This increase has trickled down to wet markets here, which have already been forced to raise prices because of a supply crunch. Furthermore,those who drive taxis running on fuel have suffered as daily fuel cost have nearly doubled.

Personal response:

I think that the increase in Malaysia's fuel price has affected the Singaporeans alot.Singaporeans who to Malaysia regularly to top up their fuels now have to plan carefully on each trips they make.Taxi drivers on the other hand have also suffered as their daily fuel cost have inscreased and this means that their daily earnings have decreased. In addition, housewifes have to scrimp and save now as the increased in Malaysia's fuel price has increased the fuel cost of trucks going into Malaysia for importation of goods like vegetables and poultry.Therefore this cost has been brought down to the consumers of these products and most of them have been affected greatly as they have lesser money to save on for rainy days instead of the usual sum of money.Cost of Fuel, rice, vegetables, eggs and other products have been increasing and familes of low income will now be worrying of their financial situation.Hence, I think that the government should come up with some financial plans to help these families as much as possible.

Voon Shi Ying - Girls at US school get pregnant for fun

A city in Massachusetts is investigating an apparent teenage "pregnancy pact" that has at least 17 girls at its public high school expecting babies, four times more than last year.Many of the girls are 16 years old or younger.The high school health clinic in the city of Gloucester became suspicious after seeing a surge in the number of girls seeking pregnancy tests. Local officers said that nearly half of those who became pregnant appeared to have entered into a pact to have babies together over the year.The first report was received after students were reporting that the girls were getting pregnant on purpose.It is noticed that they were not upset than before after being pregnant.This trend was hihlighted when singer Britney Spears' 17 years old sister gave birth to a baby girl.
Personal response: I feel that the girls are very foolish to go into the pact to have babies together. They are still young and do not have the financial ability to support a child . Having a baby would means extra financial burdens to their parents. The girls are too rash and do not seem to consider about the consequences that will result. Being pregnant for fun also means that the babies would likely be abandoned . I feel that the girls should think twice about being pregnant . They are matured enough to think . As a student , her first priority is to study .Even if they wanted to have fun , they should look for other alternatives. The girls should not treat a life lightly and cause harm an innocent baby.

Voon Shi Ying - Three people spending 24 hours in a small stuffy boxes to spread green message

Three Singaporeans are living in a hot, stuffy see-through box for 24 hours to spread the green message. They are participants of MediaCorp's 'Gaia Life Challenge', a competition to find Singapore's most eco-friendly individual. The contestants have drawn curious stares from shoppers at Bugis Junction, and MediaCorp hopes the efforts of the contestants will inspire the public to go green. The box is a small Perspex house measuring 2.4 metres on all sides, and it can get really hot in there. There is an air-condition unit and an electric fan inside for the contestants to use if they want to. Contestants get 15-minute breaks every two hours, and some use them to cool off a bit. Contestants will also compete in games - from sorting out recyclables from their trash to collecting water from the nearby fountain. At the end of it all, one of them will leave with the grand prize of 10,000 Singapore dollars
personal response: I am very glad about the increasing awareness of global warming .The effects of global warming is unquestionable. With the recent reports about the rising of atmospheric temperature and sea level , the movement of saving Gaia is certainly significant.It is definitely not about one's own effort , but everyone's responsibility to protect and save the Earth.Destructions on the Earth have made a huge impact in our lives hence i support MediaCorp action to organise this activity as this will make us realise the importance of conservations in order for our next generation to survive and also win great prizes. Besides , i also hope that there will be more activities to save Gaia ,with the support of people of the world and help play their part.