Everything in the Universe !

Mystery shrouds Ledger death's after inconclusive autopsy

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 07:21:00 +0000

NEW YORK : The sudden death of Hollywood heartthrob and rising Australian star Heath Ledger remained a mystery Wednesday as experts began a second round of toxicology tests after an initial autopsy was inconclusive.

The 28-year-old who shot to worldwide renown with his sensitive portrayal of a repressed homosexual cowboy in the Oscar-winning "Brokeback Mountain," was found naked and unresponsive in his Manhattan apartment on Tuesday.

Police said that prescription medications and a rolled-up 20 dollar bill were found in the residence, while the Australian actor's family insisted that his death had been "accidental."

"The autopsy is inconclusive," New York City medical examiner's office spokeswoman Ellen Borakove said. "We have to do additional testing which will include toxicology and tissue testing.

It will take about 10 days." Prescription pills bearing the name of the Australian actor were found in the apartment, police said.

The entertainment news site TMZ said they included anti-anxiety drugs Xanax and Valium as well as the sleep aid Ambien.

New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly told a news conference that a rolled up 20 dollar bill was found near the body and it was currently undergoing tests, though there was no visible drug residue on it and no illegal drugs were found in the apartment.

Ledger had separated in September from his fiancee Michelle Williams, who played the wife of his cowboy character Ennis Del Mar in 2005's "Brokeback Mountain," and who was the real-life mother of his daughter, Matilda Rose, 2.

"We are deeply saddened and shocked by this accident," Ledger's publicist Mara Buxbaum said in a statement.

"This is an extremely difficult time for his loved ones. We're asking the media to please respect the family's privacy and avoid speculation until the facts are known."

The actor's father Kim Ledger read a statement outside the family home in Perth, Australia, indicating the family's belief that Ledger's death was "very tragic, untimely and accidental," and not a suicide.

"He was found peacefully asleep in his New York apartment," his father said. "He was a down-to-earth, generous, kind-hearted, life-loving, unselfish individual who was extremely inspirational to many."

Ledger was found dead at 3:26 pm (2036 GMT) Tuesday in an apartment in the posh district of SoHo, a police spokesman said. Neighbours said Ledger had been renting the loft apartment for the past several months.

New York City deputy police commissioner Paul Browne said a masseuse and a housekeeper discovered the actor's body after the masseuse arrived for an appointment.

They were "waiting for him to come out of the bedroom. When he didn't come out, they checked on him and found the body at the foot of the bed," Browne told reporters.

"There were prescription medications that included sleeping pills that were taken from the apartment. The reports that they were scattered around the body were untrue," said Browne.

At 19, Ledger left Sydney for Hollywood, where his talent was spotted by Mel Gibson when auditioning 500 actors for the role of his son in "The Patriot" -- a break that led to his leading role in "A Knight's Tale."

Numerous Hollywood stars, including fellow Aussies Gibson and Nicole Kidman, expressed shock at the death.

Gibson, who plucked Ledger from relative obscurity, said the death of the versatile actor was a "tragic loss."

"I had such great hope for him," the Oscar-winning actor and director said. Kidman called Ledger's death a "tragedy" and said her heart went out to his family.

Australia's Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said it was "tragic that we have lost one of our nation's finest actors in the prime of his life ... Heath Ledger's diverse and challenging roles will be remembered as some of the great performances by an Australian actor."

Ledger was nominated for a best actor Oscar for his "Brokeback Mountain" role. He had been working this month on "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus," directed by Terry Gilliam, which is due out next year. He also portrays The Joker in the upcoming Batman movie "Dark Knight." - AFP/ir

Heath Ledger is found dead at 28!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 02:19:00 +0000

The Australian actor Heath Ledger was found dead Jan. 22, 2008 at a downtown Manhattan residence.

210 million Internet users in China

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 12:05:00 +0000

The China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) released the "21st Report of China Internet Development" on January 17th in Beijing. By December 31, 2007, the total number of Internet users in China reached 210 million (only 5 million less than the United States); ranked second in the world; and the number is expected to become the world's largest in early 2008.

Data show that in 2007, China's Internet users increased by 73 million. The annual growth rate reached 53.3 percent, with an average daily increase of 20 million. However, despite today's Internet access rising to 16 percent; it is still below the world's average of 19.1 percent.

More farmers turn to Internet, nearly 40% of new Internet users in rural areas.

CNNIC data show that the rapid growth of Internet users in rural areas is an important new aspect of Internet use. Among all new users, 29.2 million, or 40 percent, are in rural areas. By the end of December 2007, there were 52.6 million Internet users in China; and the annual growth rate reached 127.7 percent. The rapid growth of Internet users in rural areas makes rural areas a big potential consumer market. As the popularization of village informationization continues and policies such as "every village has access to the Internet" and "every village has a website" are going smoothly, the rural Internet market will certainly be promising.

CNNIC report conducted a detailed analysis of new users for the first time. Among new users in 2007, the proliferation among all levels is clear: Internet users under the age of 18 and over the age of 30 grew rapidly; users with an education level of and below high school had rapid growth; and more low-income people began to access the Internet.

All enter the broadband network era, daily growth of .CN domain names reaches 20,000.

Data show that the number of broadband Internet users in China reached 163 million, accounting for 85.9 percent of total Internet users; and China has entered the era of broadband networks. Additionally, 50.4 million mobile phone users have wireless Internet access.

The development of basic Internet resources is also "doing its part." By the end of December 2007, there were 135 million IP addresses in China; but compared with the basic needs of each IP address for one Internet user, the gap remains large.

The report revealed that China's total number of domain names reached 11.93 million; and the annual growth rate is as high as 190 percent. There are 9 million national domain .CN names, increasing four times over the same period in 2006; and the daily growth of 20,000 is miraculous in the history of the domain name. Websites with a .CN domain exceeded 1 million for the first time: two-thirds of all 1.5 million websites in world. In addition, the numbers of websites, web pages and bytes on a page all have grown by more than 60 percent; and Internet users now have access to increasing diverse information resources.

Entertainment becomes the focus of network applications, 181 million users listen to music online.

The interpretation of various Internet applications models is a major high point of this report. Investigations revealed that the most common application for China's Internet users is transfers; and entertainment has become the country's most important network application. The top seven categories of network application are: online music, instant communication, network television, network news, search engines, online games, and e-mail. Applications pertaining to online entertainment, such as online music and network television, rank significantly ahead; and 94.2 percent of Internet users give a positive evaluation of Internet entertainment.

Data shows that as many as 181 million Internet users listen to online music. Internet users who use instant messaging are as many as 170 million; and that is nearly 40 percent of the Internet users who choose instant messaging online as a first foothold. Internet-based applications such as network news and e-mail fall behind; and email applications ranked at the top before 2007. - By People's Daily Online

Apple unveils online movie rental service

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 04:18:00 +0000

Apple unveiled Tuesday a new movie rental service through its popular iTunes online music and movie store, a move that the company hopes will boost sales of its digital gadgets.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs made the announcement during a keynote speech at the annual Macworld trade conference in San Francisco. He said that customers can rent new release movies through the online service, and watch them over computers, iPods or iPhones for 3.99 dollars for a month.

While out-of-date titles will rent for 2.99 dollars for the same time period.

Jobs said that new digital video-on-demand service has the support of all major Hollywood studios including Disney, Warner Bros., Paramount, Universal, Sony Pictures, 20th Century Fox, MGM, Lionsgate and New Line.

Movie studios are often reluctant to make their newest releases available for streaming and downloading because of fears that such a service would hurt box office and DVD sales.

Apple hopes the new service could boost sales of its Apple TV set-top box, a device designed to serve as a bridge between the computer and the living room TV.

The Silicon Valley company, which dropped the word "computer" from its official name one year ago, has completed its makeover from a struggling niche computer maker to a consumer electronics giant and entertainment service provider, largely thanks to its phenomenal iPod and iPhone products. - Source: Xinhua

Kohjinsha

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 23:04:00 +0000

Products Feature of SH Series
* Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic/Home Premium
* Intel Processor A100(600MHz)/A110(800MHz)
* 512MB/1GB
* 120GB
* Bluetooth Ver2.0+EDR
* Wireless LAN: IEEE 802.11b/g
* 7" Wide TFT Color LCD 1,024 x 600
* Web Camera 1.3 Million Pixels

1 Display
2 Camera
3 Launcher
4 Shutter
5 Rotation
6 Enter
7 Brightness
8 Scroll
9 Mouse Button
10 Direction
11 Pointer
12 Volume(with Silent)
13 Headphone 3.5mm Mini Jack
14 Microphone 3.5mm Mini Jack
15 Wireless
16 Kingston Lock
17 LAN port
18 USB 2.0 port
19 RGB Mini D-Sub15
20 Power
21 CF Card reader
22 USB 2.0 port
23 3in1 Multimedia Card Reader
24 Kingston Lock

Kohjinsha

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 22:59:00 +0000

A journey to the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 22:52:00 +0000

Singapore News

WHEN it comes to housing a relic as sacred as a Buddha tooth, devotees spare no expense - as was the case for the new Buddha Tooth Relic Temple in Chinatown.

More than 60,000 donors poured $45 million and 270kg of gold into the four-storey building, where a tooth believed to be one of Buddha's molars now resides in a 3.6m-high stupa made out of worshippers' gold donations.

But now, doubts have been cast over whether this tooth belonged to Buddha - or even a human

being. And they range from the historical and political to the anatomical.

Mr Yap Kok Feng, a paralegal executive, wrote to Lianhe Zaobao recently claiming that the relic looks nothing like a human tooth.

When contacted, he said that he had shown a picture of it to dentists who believe it to be a herbivore's.

One of them, Dr Pamela Craig, a senior lecturer at the School of Dental Science at the University of Melbourne, told The Sunday Times she had examined photographs and compared the tooth with teeth from various animal skulls in her comparative dental anatomy department.

'There's absolutely no possibility that it is a human tooth,' said Dr Craig, who specialises in human and animal oral anatomy.

'I'm almost certain that it belongs to a member of the Bos species, probably a cow or a water buffalo.'

Dr Craig said human teeth should be rounded with a short crown and a comparatively longer root, but the picture clearly shows a long crown and a shorter root.

'In this case, looking at a photo is clear enough because it's so obvious that it's not a human tooth. It's like comparing a pear and an apple.'

The Sunday Times also showed a picture of the tooth to four other dentists, including two forensic dental experts. All said the tooth could not have come from a human.

'This is an animal 'cheek tooth', that is, a molar at the back of the mouth,' said Professor David K. Whittaker, a forensic dental specialist at Cardiff University in Britain.

The seemingly uneven biting surface is indicative of grass-eating animals whose teeth have 'a very efficient grinding surface for breaking up coarse plant materials,' he said.

Dr Myra Elliott, a consultant oral and maxillofacial surgeon with a practice at Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre, said: 'Even if human teeth have been fossilised, there's still a pattern. And what is shown in the picture doesn't look like a primate's tooth at all.'

The size of the tooth - measuring 7.5cm - is also far too long for a human tooth, said Dr Anthony Goh, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon.

'There isn't enough space in the jaw.'

The tooth relic was supposed to have been discovered by a Myanmar monk, the late Venerable Cakkapala of Bandula Monastery, in 1980 while restoring a collapsed stupa at Bagan Hill in Mrauk-U, Myanmar.

He gave the relic to Venerable Shi Fazhao, the abbot of both the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Golden Pagoda Buddhist Temple in Tampines in 2002.

The public can see the tooth only twice a year - on Vesak Day and the first day of Chinese New Year.

When The Sunday Times asked Venerable Shi Fazhao about the tooth, he said in Mandarin: 'To me, it has always been real and I have never questioned its authenticity.'

As for the dental experts' assessment, he said: 'They can say all they want, I don't care what they say. If you believe it's real, then it's real.'

The curious dental structure is not the only bone of contention here.

In another Lianhe Zaobao commentary published on July 6, Chinese Buddhism studies researcher and lecturer Wan Bingyan cited religious and historical texts supporting the popular belief that only two of Buddha's teeth are left in this world.

They are now believed to be at the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy, Sri Lanka, and the Ling Guang Monastery in Beijing, China.

When a third surfaced in 1998 after a Tibetan monk smuggled it out and handed it to Taiwan's Venerable Master Hsing Yun of Fo Guang Shan Temple, it was fingered by Chinese officials as a fake.

Buddha's relics are venerated by Buddhists worldwide and held up as national treasures in Sri Lanka and China.

China had allowed its Buddha tooth relic to go on tour to Thailand, Hong Kong and thrice to Myanmar at the government's invitation.

Two tooth relic pagodas were later built in Yangon and Mandalay, one housing an ivory replica tooth and the other, donated religious items.

Mr Kyaw Swe Tint, counsellor at the Myanmar Embassy here, said that as far as he knows, there has been no evidence of genuine tooth relics in his country.

'This (the one believed to be housed here) could very well be a fake,' he said.

But Venerable Shi Fazhao said Venerable Cakkapala had given him the tooth; it was a private matter between two people and not between two countries. 'Don't politicise it,' he said.

Would he let an expert examine the tooth in Singapore? He replied: 'It's mine, why should I let you examine it? Why don't you go examine what's in Sri Lanka and China first?'

Venerable B. Dhammaratana, religious adviser of the Buddhist Research Society, explains that different Buddhist societies would subscribe to different versions of Buddha's legends.

'You can't say which is right or which is wrong.'

Well, I have spent about an hour in the temple with my family. It is not difficult to find a donation box. They are all located at all the entrances and on certain levels. We have donated some money on level 1 and level 4. We have also brought some mini bells each costs $1 at a gift shop. The staffs claimed that the bells can protect one from spiritual and blessed with good luck. My family was indeed very happy after visiting the temple but was quickly saddened and surprised by the abovementioned news when friends informed us about it.

Alaska island hit by powerful earthquake

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 08:16:00 +0000

A magnitude 6.5 earthquake rattled Alaska's Aleutian Islands in the northern Pacific on Wednesday, but did not immediately trigger a tsunami warning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The strong quake was detected at 1:04 p.m. local time southeast of Nikolaski, a village of 31 people about 1,500 kilometers southwest of Anchorage, with the epic center about 33 kilometers deep in the Pacific, the agency said.

The West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center said the quake did not generate a tsunami and no warning or watch was put into effect.

Source: Xinhua

FREE Radio Clock with alarm feature !

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 01:05:00 +0000

Wow! This free exquisite Radio clock with alarm feature will be yours if you purchase a Singtel Hi card at any 7-eleven stores. Worth S$18 of value but you only need to pay S$15.

Light weight and very good in the reception.

On the 14th Dalai Lama's betrayal of Buddhism

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 10:50:00 +0000

Thursday's People's Daily (overseas edition) carried a signed article titled "Why does the "Buddhist leader" frequently violate dharma and break faith: on the 14th Dalai Lama's betrayal of Buddhism".

The basic criterion to distinguish pious Buddhists from bogus ones is "taking precepts as masters" and "abiding by precepts to practice Buddhadharma". dGe-lugs-pa Sect, the Yellow Sect of Lamaism, of the Tibetan Buddhism is even better known for its strict observance of those commandments. Master Tsongkha-pa wrote in his book, the Great Exposition on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment, that "the great achievers will be so only in name if they fail to fully follow Buddhist precepts and teachings". Though the commandments followed by Tibetan Buddhists vary, they are all based on the common ground of four precepts, namely no killing, stealing, adultery and lying. Monks would be seen as committing serious offenses if they betrayed one of the four precepts. However, the 14th Dalai Lama, a self-claimed "Buddhist leader", repeatedly broke the commandments and betrayed his faith by violating the precepts of no killing and lying.

Firstly, let's look at how he betrayed the precept of no killing. In the late 1950s, Tibetan reactionary leaders launched an armed rebellion in an attempt to permanently maintain the feudal serfdom and their autocratic rule. The 14th Dalai Lama was the chief representative of the feudal serfdom. The armed rebels set houses on fire, looted Tibetan people and raped women. What happened then still lingers in Tibetan people's minds today. In the late 1980s, the Dalai Lama clique stirred up unrest in Lhasa, which seriously harmed people's lives and damaged their property. Moreover, who was behind the mid 1970s assassination of Gung-thangTshul-khrims, one of the leaders of the Group 13, who failed to obey Dalai's orders? Who nodded to plot and implement the assassination of Li-thang A-thar? Who, in the late 1990s, sent killers to the home of Rin-po-che Kun-bde-gling and seriously wounded him? Who threatened to exterminate the "life and activities" of two young Rin-po-ches, Chi-jang and Sun-po? Vjigs-med Tshe-ring, who once was one of the key members of the Dalai Lama clique, said that at least ten Tibetans, who disagreed with the Dalai Lama, had been assassinated.

Secondly, let's have a look at how the 14th Dalai Lama violated the precept of no lying. The Dalai Lama sent a telegram in 1951 after the signing of the agreement on the peaceful liberation of Tibet, in which he said that the agreement, signed on May 23, 1951,was based on friendship and thus won unanimous support from the local government of Tibet, Tibetan monks and the people. But on March 10, 1961, the 14th Dalai Lama said in a speech that the agreement was written fully in the will of the "Red Han" and was signed by his representative, who was put under house arrest. In 1953, the 14th Dalai Lama wrote an article, saying that Tibetans were one of the ethnic communities in China, which enjoyed long and rich history and Tibetan people enjoyed freedom and equality as all the other ethnic groups did in China after they returned to the great family of the motherland. But on March 10, 1960, he said in another speech that Tibet has been "a completely independent country" with its own political system and government ever since the Tibetan people created their own written language.

In 1954, I accompanied the 14th Dalai Lama and the 10th Panchen Lama to Beijing. Till now, the zealous and respectful manner that the Dalai Lama demonstrated during that visit is still vivid in my mind. In the eulogy he presented to Chairman Mao Zedong in both Tibetan and Chinese, he extolled Chairman Mao as the "red sun", which "glorifies the whole nation, drives away invaders, and brings peace and blessing to people of all ethnic groups". However, when he fled abroad, he went back on his words and broke the precept of no lying by wantonly attacking and defaming his home country and calling on the so-called free world to unite to block the development of his own people and motherland.

It is known to all that in the early Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the Fifth Dalai Lama paid respects to Emperor Shunzhi and was conferred by the Emperor with honorific title. The title and position of Dalai Lama was also legalized by the central authorities during the visit. The move not only helped maintain the unification of China, but also boosted the social stability and economic development in Tibet. The Tibetan people, who were profoundly grateful to the Fifth Dalai Lama, commended him as "theGreat Fifth". It was shocking to many people that as a descendent of the Fifth Dalai Lama, the 14th Dalai Lama unabashedly attacked the Fifth Dalai Lama in May 1986 at a gathering of Tibetan people in the Netherlands, saying that it was shameful for the Fifth Dalai Lama to have "joyously accepted the mandarin jacket conferred by the Qing emperor." He also derided the Fifth Dalai Lama for paying respects to the central authorities, saying he had" lost face by setting up the relations." Those sayings were Dalai Lama's real thoughts, which also proved that he had totally betrayed his ancestors and his religion.

During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the 14th Dalai Lama believed that the dramatic changes in the former Soviet Union and east Europe brought new opportunities for "Tibet independence". In August 1991, he said in France and Switzerland that it would take no more than five or ten years for Tibet to be separated from China. In January 1992, he said again that Tibet would achieve independence in five or ten years. In 1995, it seemed that Dalai Lama gained more "magic power" even though his clique was low in morale. In March of the same year, he formally issued a prophecy, proclaiming that great changes would take place in China that year or in the following year. In August, he said in public that the "upcoming changes in 1995 or 1996" would benefit his group. As a matter of fact, Tibet did witness "great changes" in 1995. During that year, Tibetan people celebrated the 30th anniversary of the founding of the Tibet Autonomous Region, and most of the 62 key construction projects in Tibet financially supported by the whole nation were completed. Also in 1995, the divine reincarnation of Panchen Lama was successfully completed. The development of Tibet played a joke with the "magic power" of the 14th Dalai Lama, which, perhaps, is the judgment on Dalai Lama for his betrayal of the precept of no lying.

The spiritual essence of the tenets and canons of the Tibetan Buddhism include the basic essentials of observing the rules, sincerity, equilibrium, even share of wealth, altruism and harmony, which are also the basics of the healthy practice of Buddhism over the past 2,000 years and grounds for Buddhists to cultivate themselves through meditation and encourage people to do good. All Buddhists should follow the tenets to distinguish right from wrong on cardinal issues and make further progress in their religious accomplishment. However, the 14th Dalai Lama has been playing with the divine Buddhism to achieve political goals and purposely mislead the public, which fully demonstrates his hypocrisy in faith. By Shi Shan, the author is a research fellow in Tibetan Buddhism, who used to work in Tibet for a long time.

Kitten and Chick !

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 07:42:00 +0000

Miss Lebanon crowned Miss Intercontinental 2007

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 01:30:00 +0000

Miss Lebanon Nancy Afiouny smiles after being crowned Miss Intercontinental 2007 at a pageant held by World Beauty Organisation on Mahe island Oct. 13, 2007.

China's longest tunnel under lake opens to traffic

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 14 Oct 2007 01:37:00 +0000

Vehicles move along a bridge in Suzhou, East China’s Jiangsu Province on October 10, 2007. The bridge is part of the 7.37 km-long Dushuhu bridge and tunnel project, which opened to traffic Wednesday after more than one year of construction. The project cost 2.71 billion yuan ($360.79 million). (newsphoto)

Vehicles move along a 3.46 km-long tunnel under the Dushuhu Lake in Suzhou, East China’s Jiangsu Province on October 10, 2007. The tunnel is part of the 7.37 km-long Dushuhu bridge and tunnel project, which opened to traffic Wednesday after more than one year of construction. The tunnel is the longest of its kind in China. (newsphoto)

Pregnancy kills over 500,000 women a year

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 14 Oct 2007 01:25:00 +0000

More than half a million women still die every year in pregnancy or after childbirth in spite of two decades of efforts to bring down the toll, reports revealed on Friday.

Little has changed, particularly in much of the developing world. Women die of avoidable complications such as high blood pressure or haemorrhage in childbirth - and often the baby dies too or does not survive the next few years without a mother. Tens of thousands die painfully in backstreet abortions in countries where contraception is not readily available and abortion is heavily restricted or banned.

Papers prepared for a major conference in London next week and published in the Lancet on Friday reveal the scale of the failure. New figures show it is highly unlikely that the Millennium Development Goal 5 - to slash death rates by 75 percent from their 1990 level by 2015 - will be achieved.

In 1990 it was estimated that 576,300 women died in pregnancy, labor or after giving birth. The latest calculations, from the Harvard Centre for Population and Development Studies in Cambridge, Massachusetts, show that 15 years later, in 2005, some 535,900 died. The maternal mortality ratio dropped from 425 in 100,000 to 402 in 100,000.

But that, says Ken Hill, lead author of the paper, is a best estimate. Because of the lack of data from some of the countries with the worst death tolls, calculations have to be based on better performing countries that do collect figures. That makes it look as though there has been a drop of 2.5 percent in the mortality rate a year but it could be as low as 0.4 percent.

"0.4 percent unfortunately I think is the more realistic figure for the globe as a whole," said Professor Hill. "The proportion of sub-Saharan African births is going up and maternal mortality is not going down."

Abortion rates have dropped, mostly due to a big rise in contraceptive use in Eastern Europe. Globally numbers came down from 46 million in 1995 to about 42 million in 2003. But the picture in Africa and parts of Asia remains dire and some experts accuse the Bush administration of worsening the problem due to its anti-contraception, pro-abstinence policies there.

"There couldn't be a better set of findings to show the failure of the Bush administration policy - the emphasis on abstinence and monogamy, the obsession with abortion, the defunding of good family planning organizations because they talk about abortion," said Sharon Camp, president and CEO of the Guttmacher Institute, which carried out the abortion study with the World Health Organization.
Source: China Daily/agencies

Furore over funeral parlour's final resting place

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 00:48:00 +0000

URA proposals to build a funeral parlour in Sin Ming have met with the objections of residents despite its assurances that the facilities will be quiet and discreet

An example of a purpose-built funeral parlour in Hong Kong Shatin Memorial Hall, New Territories. Often sited within mixed residential and industrial areas, they are what the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) here is looking to copy in the possible funeral parlour in Sin Ming. -- PHOTO: URA

FUNERAL parlours in Hong Kong and Japan look just like modern office buildings, complete with lift lobbies.

But inside, they are kitted out with dining areas and large halls for wakes.

Often sited within mixed residential and industrial areas, they are what the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) here is looking to copy in the possible funeral parlour in Sin Ming, slated for the empty plot next to the Bright Hill Temple.

On Friday, the URA released details for the parlour, assuring the residents of Sin Ming that it will be a quiet, discreet and dignified place that will not advertise the business of death so near to their homes.

The URA stressed that no decision had been made on where the parlour will be as a study is still ongoing. It said it wanted residents' feedback.

Asked about alternative sites for the parlour - such as Mandai, already home to a crematorium and columbarium - the URA returned to its point that site details had not been finalised.

Its spokesman said: 'We are looking at details on the siting of such parlours, the timing for implementation, the mitigating measures that would be needed in place to minimise disturbance to the surroundings.'

When The Straits Times asked via e-mail why Sin Ming was being considered despite the area's lack of an MRT station, the URA replied that it was accessible by public and private transport.

It also said a future industrial development would shield the parlour from nearby homes and access to it would route traffic away from residential areas. Rules would be set up on the design and operation of the parlour.

The URA spokesman said that Yishun, another proposed site, had been tendered out, but there were no takers. The feedback it received suggested that it was not centrally located.

The proposed Sin Ming site is near a school, HDB blocks, private condominiums and terrace houses.

Residents told Transport Minister Raymond Lim last Sunday that they did not like the parlour being near their homes because of the taboos surrounding death.

Other residents The Straits Times interviewed on Wednesday expressed concern about the noise from funeral processions, the chanting, incense fumes and traffic jams. These things would depress their property value, others said.-By Alina Ashad

Pumpkin weighs 1,524 pounds

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 09:40:00 +0000

Workers move a pumpkin grown by Thad Starr (not pictured) onto the scale at the World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Half Moon Bay, California Oct. 8, 2007. Starr’s pumpkin took first place, weighing a record 1,524 pounds.

Virtual colonoscopy as effective as traditional one: study

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 07:48:00 +0000

WASHINGTON : Virtual colonoscopies, done with scanners that create a three-dimensional image of the intestinal wall, are just as effective in detecting advanced polyps as the more invasive traditional colonoscopy, a study released on Thursday found.

The University of Wisconsin Medical School study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, compared virtual colonoscopies of 3,120 adults with an average age of 57, and the traditional colonoscopies of 3,163 adults with an average age of 58.

The latter exam is routinely recommended in patients over 50 years of age to locate intestinal polyps and removing them, aiming to stop the spread of cancer as colon cancer is among the deadliest forms of the disease. In the United States alone it kills 55,000 people a year.

Traditional colonoscopies are normally performed under general anaesthetic, with a thin flexible tube called a colonoscope inserted through the anus to explore the intestines.

Biopsies and many abnormal growths can be taken out during the procedure which requires the patient to first drink four liters of liquid.

Virtual colonoscopy requires some injection of air. The removal of any polyps found requires a separate procedure.

The study found almost the same number of advanced neoplasms (over 6 mm): 123 with virtual colonoscopy and 121 with the traditional procedure. - AFP/de

Poor eyesight an indication of poor health

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 10:04:00 +0000

POOR eyesight could be linked to higher death rates, says a new study.
Reflecting a trend in Australia, Britain and the United States, a new study among Chinese in Singapore's Tanjong Pagar district has shown that those with poor vision are about three times more likely to die than those with good eyesight.

The study, conducted over a seven-year period, found that mortality rates were higher regardless of other underlying health conditions. It tracked Singaporeans aged 30 to 79 years from 1996.

Associate Director Wong Tien Yin of the Singapore Eye Research Institute, at the Singapore National Eye Centre, who spearheaded the the study, said the findings showed that poor eyesight was not to be taken in isolation.

'People tend to underestimate the impact of visual impairment, but this shows it's a marker for poorer overall health, and isn't just for ophthalmologists to be concerned about,' said Dr Wong.

Previous studies on visual acuity and its link to mortality have been carried out in the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom. Although the link was noted in all countries, the correlation was strongest in Singapore.

Fun Phrase !

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 10:32:00 +0000

You might like it. This is hilarious... ..even an Englishman could not construct sentences using numeric, which is exclusive only to Malaysians and Singaporeans.

Ah Lek was asked to make a sentence using 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Not only did he do it 1 to 10, he did it again from 10 back to 1. This is what he came up with.....

1 day I go 2 climb a 3 outside a house to peep. But the couple saw me, so I panic and 4 down. The man rushed out and wanted to 5 with me.. I ran until I fell 6 and threw up. So I go into 7 -eleven and grabbed some 8 to throw at him. Then I took a 9 and try to stab at him. 10 God he run away.

10 I put the 9 back and pay for the 8 and left 7-eleven. Next day I called my boss and told him I was 6 . He said 5 , tomorrow also no need to come back 4 work. He also asked me to go climb a 3 and jump down. I don't understand. I am so nice 2 him but I don't know what he 1.

Go ahead for Singapore F1 street circuit

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 11:08:00 +0000

THE F1 Singapore Grand Prix street circuit has received in-principle approval from FIA, the world governing body for motorsports, Minister of State for Trade and Industry S Iswaran announced on Friday.

Expressing delight at the speedy go-ahead, the Minister said: 'This approval has come quite quickly, within just four months since we announced the hosting of the F1 race.'

But the race promoters, Singapore Grand Prix, are still awaiting confirmation on whether it can stage a night race, which will be held exactly one year from now on Sept 28, 2008.

Mr Iswaran said the race promoters, with the strong support of government agencies led by STB, have made good progress and are on track to presenting a very special race to the world next year.

He described the Singapore's street circuit in Marina Centre as a compelling win-win proposition for Formula One and Singapore.

'It will be an attractive and exciting Formula One race venue on many counts,' he said and went on to highlight the track circuit.

The Singapore Grand Prix is Asia's first street race and it will run counter-clockwise, making Singapore one of only three circuits in the world to do so, along with Istanbul in Turkey and Sao Paulo in Brazil.

Spanning 5.067km, with 14 left hand turns and 10 right hand turns, the Singapore street circuit will present several thrilling straights and tight turns for dramatic action that will not only test the capabilities of the F1 drivers but also satisfy even the most avid race enthusiasts.

From a Singaporean perspective, the circuit will showcase Singapore's skyline in the heart of the city and many historic buildings.

It will take the F1 drivers and half a billion television viewers past some of our iconic landmarks like the City Hall, the former Supreme Court, the Padang and The Esplanade. As you can well imagine, the scene outside The Esplanade will be quite different one year from today.

The in-principle go ahead for the circuit from FIA will pave the way for road works to commence.

The Land Transport Authority will manage modifications to some existing infrastructure such as road kerbs and traffic islands as well as the construction of a new 1.2 km road alongside the pit building that forms the start and finish straight.

The FIA will make several inspections on the progress in the coming months and issue the full circuit licence after the final inspection on the week of the race itself.

Mr Iswaran said Singapore is awaiting confirmation from the FIA on whether the Sept 28 Grand Prix will be the first night race in F1 history.

STB and other government agencies are working closely with the race promoter to ensure the lighting trials run smoothly, he said.

Meanwhile, Singapore GP will launch the sale of corporate hospitality packages in November and the season passes in December.

Night racing has become the latest fad in Formula One, even though an actual race has yet to be held under floodlit conditions.

Whilst it would certainly be a spectacle to have F1 cars screaming around the city circuit against the night sky, the economic dimension of having the race at a more convenient time for viewers in Europe is just as crucial.

Malaysia, Japan, China, and India have all been said to be looking at possible night races to cater to European audiences, who would have needed to wake up at 3 or 4am to catch the season opener in Melbourne this year.

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has already impressed upon Australian race organisers that night racing is imperative, with global viewership of the Melbourne leg falling from 339 million in 1999 to 82 million.

However, drivers have also been divided over the issue of safety, with some concerned about the possibility of a mid-race blackout, and blinding glare coming off puddles in the event of rain.

The organisers of next year's race in Singapore have given the assurance that safety is of prime concern, and a night race will only happen if the motorsports' governing body, the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), gives the go-ahead.

Recent trials of night-time racing in France were successful, and two more trials - one in Singapore and one overseas - are expected soon.
- The Straits Times

Toilets

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 09:14:00 +0000

Singapore's "magic monkey" trees inspire cult, cynics

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 07:38:00 +0000

SINGAPORE (Reuters Life!) - Buddha sat for years under one to find enlightenment, and scientist Isaac Newton had his epiphany in another's shade. But for many Singaporeans, trees are useful for a more prosaic quest -- lucky lottery numbers.

The discovery of two "monkey heads" poking out of the bark of an otherwise non-descript African Mahogany tree have sparked a minor craze in the southeast Asian state, as devotees seek numbers from what they believe to be a god living in the tree.

Bananas, peanuts and peaches have been left as offerings to please the monkey god, sacred in Chinese mythology and Hinduism. A wheel-like device which kneeling gamblers turn by hand in front of the tree to spit out numbered balls has helped fuel the mania.

"Most people come for lottery numbers", explained Madam Kang, who had traveled half way across the island to join a crowd of a hundred onlookers milling around the tree on a weekend afternoon.

"There were three car accidents by the tree but no one was hurt, so people believe it was the monkey god protecting them."

Not long after the monkey god reportedly aided a series of wins, another three trees bearing gnarls that resemble gods were discovered along the same -- now jammed -- road.

Cartons of milk and more joss sticks garnish a small shrine set up in front of the elephant god Ganesha on a nearby tree, where a nobbly "elephant" head juts from the trunk.

Meters away, more onlookers snap images of a bark outline of the Chinese mercy goddess, Guan Yin, while others pat an oval bark eruption on another tree, ringed with garlands and said to be a tiger-dragon god tree.

SPIRIT PANTHEON
Despite the sacred trees' popularity, not all are convinced.

"The uneven bark surface at the base of the tree trunk is the result of callusing, a natural reaction in which the tree grows new bark over injured areas", a spokeswoman for the National Parks Board told the official Straits Times newspaper.

Other skeptics say the concept is simply too good to be true.

"If the tree can give money, most of the people in Singapore are not going to work. They'd just go to the tree and ask for the number," laughed taxi driver Mahmud Sanusi.

"After a few months maybe somebody will find a rock, with Mickey Mouse on it," said another taxi driver Chan Chee Siong.

But for others, sacred and lucky trees are a reality.

Bamboo and wooden "wishing trees", where devotees pray and hang written wishes, are found in several Chinese temples. And small shrines, nestled into the trunks of the roadside trees, are a common sight on this verdant island.

Henry Yap finds nothing strange about worshipping each week at a yellow-painted shrine set up in the roots of a massive banyan beside a shopping mall. "When you come here you set your mind free. It's what you call a holy place. It's very different from an indoors place," he explained.

For lucky tree-devotees, winning is believing. In February, 26-year-old Han Weili won $2,000 in the lottery with what he said were numbers gained from a lucky tree outside his housing block.

"I'd never won before" he said. "After I won I said thank you to the tree and bought it some food and some small flowers. I didn't buy anything with the money."

Despite local protests, estate renovations have now fenced off the tree. Devotees say the god "moved" to another sacred tree -- a 120-year-old, 30 meter (98 foot) tall Bodhi that towers over a temple, and which is now mobbed at weekends.

Volunteers at the temple, who believe the tree is Singapore's oldest and most sacred, are perplexed at its new fan base. But they can not stop them.

"No one can explain it. God appears in different forms to suit the culture," said temple volunteer Alice Chua.

"Being greedy is against our precepts, in Buddhism we don't encourage gambling. But we can't stop their luck if they do win."

- By Gillian Murdoch

Arts

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 03:52:00 +0000

Fu Dogs

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 03:48:00 +0000

This spectacular pair of immaculate bronze Fu Dogs are specially made for those who adore perfection. The male has a globe under his paws while the female has a child under her paws. This pair of dogs are smiley and are extremely obedient creatures to their owners. This ancient guardians have been used as potent protectors in imperial palaces, homes of high officials and rich merchants. In modern times, they are invited into homes to protect against theft and robbery, to help out working people who are not at home most of the time. Today, even office desks in cubicle set-up are being decorated with this kind of Fu Dogs to "woof" away thiefs and people of bad intention.
What Fu Dogs symbolize and how to place this object? The name Fu Dogs are actually derived chinese "foh" (recited in chinese as Buddha) because these beings are found as stone mounting guardians at Buddhist temples.

They are considered sacred in Buddhism, where most deities are depicted sitting on it. It is the emblem of wisdom, power and protection, which could be the reason why they are being embroidered on ancient chinese official robes.

These powerful guardians are fun to own like a lovely pair of real dogs at our homes and are easy to tame.

This powerful symbol provides potent protection and demon scaring for ancient palaces, banks, mansions, shops, malls, businesses, hotels and jewellery shops. Their faces may look like lions, but take note that they are different from the actual lions.

The male is usually depicted holding a ball to signify important global network for business people outside and external protection, while the female holding a child signifies protection of members of the household or premise. The male is placed on the left (from inside looking out of your premise) and the female holding a child is placed on the right (from inside looking out of your premise).

Ancient legend revealed that the Fu Dogs produce milk from their paws and enjoyed sporting with hollow balls. Therefore, ancient people place hollow balls in the jungle in hope of them leaving some milk onto the hollow balls. This is the reason why many chinese artpieces would show two Fu Dogs playing with the hollow balls. And these two Fu Dogs actually have the same significance as the two supreme Dragons playing with the pearl.

The Fu Dogs are popularly known as defender of law and protector of buildings. The Fu Dogs provide ultimate protection, wards of evil spirits and harmful people, nourishes chi that enters homes, bring in happy blessings and dissolves bad chi from neighbourly formations when placed in front of your main door at either sides or raised high up on both sides of your main gate.

Place a pair of the Fu Dogs at the door front on either sides if the door is facing the lift, stairs or escalator to dissolve rushing bad chi. They can be placed on floor level or raised to higher level.

Natural remedies to protect your aura & energy from environmental pollution

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 03:16:00 +0000

As we develop spiritually our vibration increases, so too does our sensitivity to energy & vibration around us. We become more sensitive to the negative effects of environmental pollution generated by microwaves, television, computers, mobile phones .The ideal solution would be to avoid contact with such pollutants but for most of us this would not be practical. We should also acknowledge how we benefit from having access to technology such as computers & the internet.

It is likely that we are all adversely effected by electromagnetic pollution & studies have highlighted links to common ailments & serious disease. As you develop spiritually you may notice that you become tired & drained, some people develop chronic illness .

There are natural remedies that may ease the effects of electromagnetic pollution. Try some of these remedies for yourself & develop your own cleansing & protection routine to keep yourself in balance. Crystals can be an effective way to deflect the negative energy omitted by television, microwaves or computers. Try the following crystal remedies:

Amethyst is a powerful & protective stone that blocks negative environmental energies

Iron pyrite also know as Fool's Gold works extremely well as an energy shield by blocking negative energy & pollutants.

Amazonite has the ability to act as a powerful filter. It absorbs microwaves & cell/mobile phone emanations. Amazonite protects generally from electromagnetic pollution.

Hematite is a good protective stone as it prevents all types of negative energy entering the aura.

Aromatherapy & essential oils may also guard against the negative effects of environmental pollution. Try basil, bay

The colour red can help to absorb negative energy emitted by technology . Place a red throw or cushion near the television or computer.

Plant & flower essences also offer protection from environmental pollution. Aspen & Beech from the Bach flower remedy range help you portect the crown & third eye from electromagnetic pollution. The combination essence Guardian (Developed by Alaskan Flower essences) is helpful for people who live or work around computers & other types of technology

Bloesem Flower essences produce an essence called Cell phone. It contains Mycena which is a mushroom essence which is used for purification. You could carry this essence with you & keep it near to you & your mobile phone.

Angelsword is an excellent all round protection & purification essence. It is made by Australian Bush Flower essences & it is great at the end of the day when you may be feeling drained by the people or environment you have come from. You can add six to ten drops of Angelsword to a warm bath. Soak for at least 10 minutes & you will feel the negativity dissolve away from you.

Place a few drops of your plant, flower or crystal essence into the palm of your hands & run your hands through your aura, the energy field around your physical body. This will clear your aura & protect it.

Place your crystals or a few drops plant/flower essences in your bath to help remove any negative energy you have picked up during the day.

Make your own room spray/space clearing spray by placing a crystal into spring water. Leave it in a window for a few hours.. If you want to preserve your spray add a few drops of alcohol such as brandy or vodka.

You could also add glycerine as a alternative preservative. You could combine more than one crystal with different plant or flower essences to make your own combination essence. Spray your essence in your aura & around the room for maximum effect.