Key to preventing allergies and asthma: Lice?

Study of mice suggests allergies may heightened by hyper-clean living

updated 12:09 p.m. April 22, 2009

WASHINGTON - Could lice be the secret to preventing asthma?

Research on mice shows that those carrying the most lice had calmer immune systems than uninfested rodents, and they said their finding may have implications for studying the causes of asthma and allergies in people.

The study, published in the BioMed Central journal BMC Biology, adds to evidence supporting the so-called hygiene hypothesis, which holds that the rise in asthma and allergies can be linked to hyper-clean living.

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The idea is that if the immune system is not properly primed in childhood, immune cells can improperly react to harmless triggers such as pollen or bits of dander. Bacterial and viral infections do not seem to be the priming factor, but researchers have been focusing lately on parasites.

Joseph Jackson of Britain's University of Nottingham and colleagues wanted to test real, wild mice, not hygienic lab mice that had been raised for generations in ultra-clean conditions.

"Our understanding of mammalian immunology is largely based on rodents reared under highly unnatural pathogen- and stress-free conditions," Nottingham's Janette Bradley, who helped lead the study, said in a statement.

They trapped mice and studied their immune systems.

Mice uninfested with the louse Polyplax serrata had much more excitable immune systems than the mice carrying a heavy load of the parasites, they found.

It might be suppressing the immune system in some way, they speculated, perhaps by transmitting some other parasite or microbe or perhaps in its saliva as it feeds on the blood of its host.

The hygiene hypothesis holds that the immune system evolved when people were constantly infected by a host of worms and other parasites — from the mosquito-transmitted malaria parasite to various lice and ticks.

"Much like laboratory mice, people in developed countries are currently exposed to a very different profile of infections to that encountered by their ancestors," the researchers wrote.

"It is possible that the immune dysfunctions we see today are the result of immune systems calibrated for a set of challenges completely different to those they now routinely face."

Humans can also be infested with lice, although the species that affects humans does not affect other animals.

Copyright 2009 Reuters.

Crane part crashes

(The article is from the Straits Times, April 24 2009)

About 50 tonnes of metal is hanging from the top of a building at Ardmore Park after a crane part collapsed late on Wednesday.

The authorities are investigating the incident, which caused massive traffic jams in the Anderson Road area yesterday morning.

No one was hurt and no property damaged when the crane’s hooking hook - used to lift construction material for an unfinished, 36-storey condominium project – crashed to the ground at about 11.20 pm on Wednesday. It occurred about the same time as an unusually strong wind storm. The rest of the crane, secured by steel cables to a carriage, is dangling about 150m above the street.

The site was unoccupied when the incident happened. Residents of neighboring Abelia Condo have been evacuated.

Comments: I think this crane was sabotaged.

By Chan Hsien Rong

How to become a friendlier person

Try honestly to make the other person feel important, and do it sincerely.
- Dale Carnegie

To strengthen your relationships, become a friendlier person. Try following these principles:

• Don't criticize, condemn, or complain.
• Give honest, sincere appreciation.
• Arouse in the other person an eager want.
• Become genuinely interested in other people.
• Smile.
• Remember that a person's name is to that person the sweetest sound in any language.
• Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.
• Talk in terms of the other person's interests.
• Make the other person feel important - and do it sincerely.

Source:
The Leadership Advantage

Contributed by Mrs. Susan Lau

God’s Help with a Capital ‘H’!

God's help is nearer than the door.

Irish proverb

Sometimes I wonder why I so quickly want to solve a problem myself, instead of turning and asking for help from God. :S It seems that for me, God tends to be a means of last resort. In my last post, I mentioned Chinese wisdom in putting time and effort into educating people. In this article, I want to mention 3 pointers on why we should call on God as a first resort, based on this Irish proverb:

1. Our relationship improves when we put God first. This shows God that we trust Him to be able and willing to solve our problems. Our trust in God improves also when we see Him help us through our problems.


2. It is simply less tiring. Yes, running around like a headless chicken trying to solve our own problems may seem fun at first, but in reality, is really tiring. Seeking God first will help calm us down and hopefully help us to see things a little more rationally.






Matthew 11:28-30





Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.



3. God delights in helping us. I believe that God is happy when we turn to him, trusting that He will take care of us. Isn't that why he sent his only begotten son to earth to save us?

Matthew 7:11

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

A Beautiful Lesson

The girl in the picture is Katie Kirkpatrick, she is 21. Next to her, her fiancé, Nick, 23.
The picture was taken shortly before their wedding ceremony, held on January 11, 2005 in the US.
Katie has terminal cancer and spend hours a day receiving medication.
In the picture, Nick is waiting for her on one of the many sessions of chemo to end.



In spite of all the pain, organ failures, and morphine shots, Katie is going along with her wedding and took care
of every detail. The dress had to be adjusted a few times due to her constant weight loss


An unusual accessory at the party was the oxygen tube that katie used throughout the ceremony and reception as well.
The other couple in the picture are Nick's parents. Excited to see their son marrying his high school sweetheart.


Katie, in her wheelchair with the oxygen tube, listening to a song from her husband and friends


At the reception, Katie had to take a few rests. The pain did not allow her to stand for long periods





Katie died five days after her wedding day.

Watching a woman so ill and weak getting married and with a smile on her face makes us think.....
Happiness is reachable, no matter how long it lasts .
We should stop making our lives complicated.


Life is short
Break the rules
forgive quickly
love truly
laugh constantly
And never stop smiling
no matter how strange life is
Life is not always the party we expected to be
but as long as we are here, we should smile and be grateful.

contributed by Mrs. Grace Ow

Brainwriting: Getting More from Your Idea Sessions

Article from http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCT_86.htm

Many of us have taken part in brainstorming sessions. These are commonly used to generate ideas, and to come up with a creative solution to a problem. What can often happen during a brainstorming session, however, is that key players on the team speak up and express their ideas. Everyone else then enters the discussion about those few ideas, and they reach a consensus on the solution – without considering many other ideas that could have been generated.

This can be one of the drawbacks of the brainstorming process. Some members of the group may not speak up because they're shy, or are afraid that their suggestions may be rejected. Others may say nothing at all because they fear their ideas are simply too outrageous or bold. People with stronger personality types may loudly push and defend their ideas, without listening to others' suggestions. And ‘conservative' people may tend to propose only safe alternatives.

Yes, brainstorming can be effective in getting people to think laterally about a problem. However, if you're faced with obstacles like those we have just mentioned, how do you overcome them?

Enter the brainwriting technique – an idea-generating process that enables EVERYONE in the group to participate in a nonthreatening way. This approach can often generate more potential solutions than traditional brainstorming.

Why? One reason is because traditional brainstorming sessions allow only one person to speak at a time. By the time each individual has spoken (and the group has finished the discussion), most participants have edited, discarded, or simply forgotten their own ideas. This is called ‘blocking,' and it can reduce creativity and productivity in these sessions. Brainwriting can help to eliminate this problem.

In this article, we'll show you what brainwriting is – and look at how you can start using it with your team.
What Is Brainwriting?

Brainwriting is similar to brainstorming – they're both methods for generating ideas and solutions for a problem.

Brainwriting, however, gives everyone equal opportunity to participate, and it enables all group members to think without any ‘blocking.'

Here are the steps of a brainwriting session:

1. Seat group members at a table, with a sheet of paper in front of each person. At the top of the page, ask them to write down the problem that everyone is trying to solve. (Note: They should NOT write their names.) Appoint someone to be moderator, and time each round.

2. Give the group three minutes to write down three ideas for how to solve the problem. They should not edit the ideas, or try to perfect them. Allow them to write in ‘free form.' Do not permit any discussion.

3. After three minutes, move on to round two. Ask everyone to pass their papers to the left, and then generate three more ideas on the new paper they have just received. They can build on the first three ideas that are already written, or think of three new solutions.

4. Ask the moderator to decide how many times the papers are passed around the table.

5. When all rounds are finished, collect the papers, and write all ideas on a whiteboard for everyone to see. Then begin discussing which ideas would work best for solving the current problem.

Benefits of Brainwriting

There are several advantages of using brainwriting in a group:

* Because there's no discussion during the initial idea-generating rounds, you can produce many ideas in a very short amount of time.

* All group members – even the quiet and shy people – have an equal chance of offering their ideas for consideration.

* Everything is anonymous – you don't know who wrote which ideas – so there's more freedom to be truly creative. Participants are often empowered to suggest solutions that they otherwise might have thought were too unusual, or would not be well received.

* Exchanging papers still allows group members to evaluate and build on other people's ideas, but in a much more concentrated, creative way.

When to Use Brainwriting

Brainwriting can be used to help solve almost any problem. The process is used often in marketing, design, and creative fields, but it's also gaining popularity in other areas.

Any time that you would traditionally use brainstorming to solve a problem, you could use brainwriting instead.
Key Points

Although brainstorming is the most common technique for generating ideas in a group, brainwriting can be much more effective, because it involves all participants on an equal basis. Both introverts and extroverts can participate, and you can produce more ideas in less time.

Condo units turned hotels

[An excerpt from The Strait Times, 19/4, prepared by Marcus Lau]


Some entrepreneurial owners of condominium units are renting out and marketing their properties as hotel rooms, going against regulations set by the Urban Redeveloping Authority. Marketed as “condotels”, “holiday apartments” or “hotel-style apartment room accommodation”, the rooms are advertised freely on hostel directories online and personal websites. These rooms are being rented out at between $40 and $150 a day and are popular with students, people here for medical treatment and vegetarian business travelers from Bangladesh who want a kitchen to cook their own food. These lodgers typically rent for a few days, although it can go up to a month. The URA is currently investigating the matter.

My thoughts: If this matter goes on, it may have adverse effect on other residents. In this way, the condo units are also misused.

By Marcus Lau

Condo units turned hotels

Some entrepreneurial owners of condominium units are renting out and marketing their properties as hotel rooms, going against regulations set by the Urban Redevelopment Authority. The Straits Times knows of at least four condominium developments with units being rented out on a daily basis.

Marketed as “condotels”, “holiday apartments”, or “hotel-style apartment room accommodation”, the rooms are advertised freely on hostel directories online and personal websites. One website, claiming “award-winning service”, even indicated check-in and check-out times, a $70 key deposit and free wireless internet.

Advertised as the Soho 188 condotel, it is actually known as the Soho 188 condominium development in Race Course Road, near Little India. Other accommodations can be found at Parkview Condotel, officially known as Parkview apartments in Bukit Batok; Braddell Road’s Bradell Regalia and Serangoon’s Avon Park. These rooms are being rented out at between $40 and $150 a day and are popular with students, people here for medical treatment and vegetarian business travelers from Bangladesh who want a kitchen to cook their own food. These lodgers typically rent for a few days, although it can go up to a month.

Owners of this units, like Mr Roger Pay, said they did not know they were doing anything wrong. The owner of four units at Avon Park started renting out his 20 rooms half a year ago when he “received calls from people saying they wanted daily or weekly stay”. The 41-year-old, who told the Strait Times that all but two rooms are currently occupied, charges about $50 to $90 per room each day and has seen “increased popularity over time.” It is the same story for a 75-year-old owner who did not want to be named. He has been renting out units to lodgers who fork out $70 daily.

Mr. Surendra Kumar Sinha, who is in Singapore for colon cancer treatment, rents rooms at a condo unit in Soho 188. He and his wife, both from Bangladesh, pay $130 a night.

“It is rather expensive for us, but it is still cheaper than hotels and other studio apartments,” said the 59-year-old, who arrived in Singapore earlier this month.

For Miss Crystal Deleon, who is on a 13-day trip to visit her Singaporean boyfriend, her condotel room brings her many benefits.

“It’s cheaper than a hotel and near my boyfriend’s house, so he can send me back after work,” said the Philippine national, who pays about $70 daily for a room in Braddell Regalia.

The URA is still currently investigating the matter.


By Kristine Lenneth Ranola


The Strait Times

April 18, 2009

1st Singapore made car to be run on hydrogen

The first eco-friendly car to run on hydrogen was launched on April 20, 2009 at the National University of Singapore (NUS). The car, known as KRUCE or Kent Ridge Urban Concept Ecocar, expels water as exhaust and is twice as energy efficient as internal combustion engine vehicles, according to fuel-cell technology data. It will compete against 66 teams from 37 countries at the Shell eco-marathon to be held from May 7 to 9 at the EuroSpeeday Lausitz, a race track located near Klettwitz in eastern Germany. The annual contest will see cars perform seven laps (22 Km) around the circuit within 53 minutes. The winner, who stands to win 1000 Euro, is determined by the car which consumes the least amount of fuel during the distance covered.

Comments: the winner will be the most Eco-friendly. Very interesting…

By Chan Hsien Rong

LOAN SHARK CASES INCREASE

Comments from Chan Hsien Rong:

When you need a loan, loan sharks will come in and cheat you.

These loan sharks charge you more than you borrow.

If you don’t pay within a certain time… They will hunt you down and beat you up.

They may even kill.

But alas… many in Singapore are turning to them. Never make a deal with them!

Is it because of the economical crisis that this world has gone to chaos?

An excerpt from the Strait Times, Friday, April 17, 2009

Illegal Migrant Racket Leader Gets 6 Years

The leader of a human smuggling syndicate Salam Awang, 62, was sentenced to 6 years in prison.

Although I did not know about this, I was glad that he was brought to justice.

An excerpt from the Strait Times, April 16, 2009

By Chan Hsien Rong

Bangkok Roiled By Pitched Street Battles

Thailand’s military yesterday finally moved to enforce a state-of-emergency, speaking violent confrontations for much of the day in various parts of the capital that has left at least 1 dead.

Arson & street fights were reported as soldier’s battled bands of red-shirted pro-democracy protestors defying the state of emergency and demanding resignation of the government.

Nearly 100 were injured.

This act is bad.

They should learn to follow their new leader.

They are doing this because they hate their Prime Minister.

They should not do this.

Chan Hsien Rong

An Excerpt from The Straits Times, April 14, 2009

DBS CEO Richard Stanley dies

[An excerpt form the Sunday times, 12/4, Prepared by Marcus Lau]


Friends and family last night flocked to the wake of DBS Group Holdings chief executive Richard Stanley, who died yesterday morning after a short battle with leukaemia. His body is resting at the Singapore Casket and his body will be held tomorrow at the Church of St Theresa in Kampong Bahru Road. Mr. Stanley was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukaemia in late January and had been responding well to treatment. After two rounds of chemotherapy, his doctors believed that his cancer was in remission. But his weakened immune system made him susceptible to infection. His condition rapidly deteriorated over the last 48 hours and he succumbed to the infection. Within hours of the news of his death, the chiefs of local banking rivals United Overseas Bank and OCBC both offered deep condolences.

Project To Help Those Wrongly Jailed

He spent six months in an Indonesian prison for embezzlement, was acquitted on appeal and now, wants to set up a group to help others like him who have been ‘wrongly discriminated’.

Businessman Leslie Ang Kok Wee, 38, plans to put in 1 million dollars to start the organization which will run like a business.

His start-up funds will come mainly from the $400,000 he received from the lawsuit he brought against the firm that brought him to Indonesia.

He did the right thing in helping others.

By Chan Hsien Rong

An Excerpt from Home, The Straits Times, Monday, 13 April 2009.

Braving the Sahara for Needy Students

Mr. Lawrence, a 36-year-old corporate trainer, will be taking part in the seven-day, 250km Sahara Race, part of the 4 deserts series of endurance events.

The Sahara is the world’s hottest desert, with temperatures ranging from 50 degree Celsius in the day to below freezing point at night.

About 150 competitors from 30 countries will be taking part in the Sahara Race alongside Mr. Lawrence. To train, the adventurer and recreational skydiver go trekking everyday.

He will also be taking part in the 84km adidas Sundown ultra-marathon next month. So far, the longest distance he ever run is 42km, at the Standard Chartered marathon. Mr. Lawrence has come up with two ways for well-wishers to donate: Pledge a sum of money for every kilometer run, or “donate” meters at $1 per meter.

“The thought of children depending on me will spur me on every step of the way, so I’ll just have to keep on going,” said Mr. Lawrence, a former teacher.

The straits Times School Pocket Money Fund provides pocket money to needy children. Primary school pupils receive $45 a month each from the fund while secondary school students get $80.


The Straits Times, April 4 2009

By

Kristine Lenneth Ranola

Teen Jailed For Punching Bus Driver

A Malaysian teenager who punched a SBS Transit bus driver and damaged the door of the vehicle was jailed for three weeks yesterday.

Adezan Norman, 19, pleaded guilty to punching bus captain Tamilarasu Nyanasagran, 27, and smashing the glass panel door along Tanjong Katong Road on March 15.

A magistrate’s court heard that Adezan was reeking of alcohol when he boarded service 197 about 1pm that day.

A dispute arose when he asked Mr. Tamilarasu to let him alight but he refused.

Adezan then punched him on the forehead twice.

After Tamilarasu stopped to get help, Adezan fled and smashed the glass panel in the process.

He was soon arrested.

My thought: he did a horrendous crime which threatened the life of an innocent man.

I will not be like him.

Chan Hsien Rong

An Excerpt from Home, the Straits Times, April 8, 2009.

Church Leader Sparks Baby Boom In Georgia

-THE STRAITS TIMES Friday, March 27 2009// page A23 world international

"Georgia's birthrate has increased sharply over the past year, a development many attribute to the influential head of the Georgian Orthodox Church, BBC has reported.

Two years ago, the small Caucasian nation had one of the lowest birth rates in the world. But after Patriarch Ilia II promised at the end of 2007 to personally baptise any child born to parents of more than two children, the number of babies born jumped by nearly 20 per cent last year - "a miracle", said the Georgian Orthodox Church.


In a country where 80 per cent of the population follows the Orthodox faith, the Patriarch is indeed an influential figure. Many say he is the highest authority in their lives."


There are a few things we can learn from this short excerpt of an article about an influential man.
1. We should be self-conscious
2. We should watch our words
3. We should use influence for good

We must be self conscious- As individual people part of the bigger picture in the fabric of society our actions do not go unnoticed. Even something as insignificant as a small nation's birthrate is watched closely by BBC. Everything we do and say are remembered by the people that we come into contact with consciously or unconsciously. For example if you know that a person is violent by nature you would be careful when approaching that person, but how would you know whether that person was violent by nature unless you have known that person through a different source or that you took notes of what that person was like? I want to prove that we take notes of each other to remind us that we affect the people that we directly or indirectly come into contact with.

We should watch our words- In the second paragraph the Georgian Orthodox Church said that the increase in birthrate was a miracle. what is the definition of a miracle?

mir⋅a⋅cle

/ˈmɪrəkəl/ [mir-uh-kuhl]

1.	An effect or extraordinary event in the physical world that surpasses all known human or natural powers and is ascribed to a supernatural cause.

So a miracle as we can see is something that is 'supernatural'. In the case of the article, i could attribute one of the reasons of the increase in childbirth is because of Patriarch Ilia II's initiative. So what the Georgian Orthodox Church said in this instance was not right. Claiming the work of a man supernatural should be taken with discretion and wisdom. ( in the same note- not all churches are the same)


We should use influence for good- I am not about to explain what good is(morals differ from individual to individual) and how to do good. Not many people are put in positions with authority or influence. Therefore its safe to say that influence is entrusted with a select few. People in authority have leverage and can control certain elements within their circle of responsibility. In the last paragraph of the article we can see that people respect and in a way 'obey' the Patriarch. Because of the prospect of having the Patriarch's promise of giving blessing on their children the parents are motivated or "strongly encouraged" to give birth. And to take care is no easy feat, with responsibility no lesser. in this case (in my limited and narrow view), the parameters of good would be the ability of the parents of fully take care, provide for his/her needs, and to plan for his/her future. The possibility of the "giving of birth so we won't miss this opportunity" is very high because of the scarcity of such an event to baptize children. Did the Patriarch think of this when he wanted to bless kids? He could destroy the lives of kids whose parents aren't prepared for the kid but decide to bring him into the world. Be very careful of whatever or whomever you influence. You may influence someone to do the wrong thing(even with good intentions).

Report by Luke Chang

North Korea Fires Rocket, Sparks Outcry

Brushing aside warnings from the international community, North Korea launched a long-range rocket yesterday.

The UN banned them from using missiles and missile-related tools.

The US, Japan, and South Korea believe the missile was a cover-up for their latest missile technology, Taepodong-2, is designed to reach Alaska.

Given the fact that this could be deadly, another war may start.

China and Russia have urged all nations to ‘exercise restraint’.

Comments:

I think this is defiance.

North Korea may start another war.


Why did they do something that the UN has banned them to do?

Hope they are stopped.

(An Excerpt from the Straits Times, April 6, 2009.)

By Chan Hsien Rong

Khmer Rouge chief torturer says sorry

[From The Straits Times 1/4/09, Prepared by Marcus Lau]

Duch, the man at the heart of the Khmer Rouge’s mass killing machinery, confessed in court to role in crimes at S-21 prison, expressing regret. He admitted his role and expressed “deep regretfulness and hatred sorrow” for “serious crimes that cannot be tolerated” on the second day of his formal trial. He headed the notorious S-21 prison where at least 14000 people were sent to their deaths during the four years of Khmer Rouge rule. About 1.7 million Cambodians died of starvation or overwork or by execution during its rule.

Eight high-tech exam cheats jailed

The Staits Times Saturday, 4 April, 2009

   Eight Chinese parents and teachers, who used mobile phones and wireless earpieces to help children cheat at university entrance exams, have been jailed. The eight, who were found guilty of illegally obtaining state secrets on Tuesday, were given sentences of six months to three years. The cheating took place in 2007 in the wealthy eastern province of Zhejiang, with the parents and teachers operating in three groups.The parents, some of them local officials, got together to plot how to help their children as "they knew their academic achievements were not ideal", the official Legal Daily said. One group of parents managed to bribe a teacher to fax them the questions once the exams got under way. They also engaged six university students, who were put up in a hotel room which functioned as the "headquarters", to answer the questions. The answer were then sent via mobiles to their children in the exam hall who were wearing tiny earpieces.

 Another parent employed even more high-tech equipment. He bribed a student taking the same exam as his son to get him the questions using a miniature scanner. To make sure that his child could pass with flying colors, he had nine teachers on standby to answer the questions. A third scam involved a school teacher who had charged hundreds of dollars to get the answers to students. But the answers were not transmitted successfully because of technical glitches. The cheats were discovered after the police detected "abnormal radio signals" near the school. The reports did not say what happened to their children.

 While such cheating incidents were not uncommon on China, the Zhejiang case has attracted attention because of the elaborate means used to cheat. In court, one of the parents said: "As parents, we pin all our hopes on our children. That is why we are willing to take risks - even to the point of resorting to illegal means - just to help them pass the university entrance exam which is crucial to their future. "Never did I imagine that I would end up doing harm to my child and myself."

 

China's entrance exams,  or "gaokao" , are fiercely competitive tests. Stories of cheating surface every year, despite stiff penalties. Students pay for leaked exam paper, smuggle in mobile phones and electronic dictionaries, or pay other or take the exam for them. In another recent high-profile case, more than 1,000 applicants were caught cheating during China's civil service exams, with some using spy technology such as micro-earpieces. More than 300 were caught during the November 30 exam, while about 700 others were deemed to have cheated because their papers "shared much conformity."

Prepared by Kevin Christian Ranola

Boy, 9, Writes Program which Scores 480,000 Hits

(An excerpt from Digital Life, April 1, 2009)

Lim Ding Wen took just 3 days to make the program which lets you draw with the IPhone Touch.

He may be only nine, but Doodle Kids, the drawing program he created, has been downloaded 480,000 times in 3 months from Apple’s online app store.

He has also made other applications.

He is very creative and he could be a company-maker in the making.

His space game, Invader War, is about shooting down alien invaders.

Comments:

If he could do it, I could do it too.

He is very creative.

He has a bright future.

By Chan Hsien Rong.

New Blog layout

A big thanks to Kevin and Luke for their 'know-how' in setting up this blog.

Thanks!

1 Dead, 28 Hurt In Bus Crash

A bus ferrying foreign workers crashed into a lamp post and then a tree at Jalan Bahar on Tuesday night, injuring the driver and 28 workers; one died later.

The bus was carrying 45 Indian nationals from their workplace- a shipyard in Benoi Road, back to their dorms at Lim Chu Kang around 7.30 pm when the driver was said to have lost control after one of the tires burst.

This deadly accident was most unfortunate. It has taken one life.

The others who survived mourned the death of Srinivas Alval, 22, who died of his injuries yesterday.

Srinivas was going to get married soon.

This was a very grave incident.

An excerpt from Home, The Straits Times April 2, 2009.

prepared by Chan Hsien Rong

A look at how the credit crisis happened in the US

The Crisis of Credit Visualized

Fun Gear For Teens And Kids Alike!

(Toys for teens and kids alike! is an excerpt from Digital Life by the Straits Times, April 1, 2009)

A Digital Life reporter, Tan Chong Yaw, checks out the fun gear for kids (and teens).

1. ITeddy

$69.90, from Toys ’R’ Us

Ages 3 up

This cuddly teddy bear has an MP4 player in its belly.

The player with a 1.8-inch colour LCD screen and speakers displays photos and plays tunes and videos. Content is downloaded from a PC to the player via a USB cable.

Bump up the built-in 512MB memory with an SD card.

The player is, too, removable.

Verdict: good for teens and kids alike!

2. Pixel Chix Secret Life of Pets

$59.90 from leading department stores

Ages six up

Like superheroes, these video game pets- choose from a puppy or hamster- have an alter-ego.

These electronic pets can be groomed and fed.

The action hots up when the box is turned upside down. The pets’ beds become DJ tables and the pets transform into singing and dancing stars.

Join two Pixel Chix houses and the pets can even cross over.

3. dr. eye 8.0

$129, from the Besta store at Funan DigitaLife world.

Ages 13 and up

Okay, this may not be a toy but it can raise your brain cred in school.

For the teen who needs help in Chinese, this can help you. It is a translator.

Of all, what do you like?

Prepared by Chan Hsien Rong

You are in

www.heritagelearningcentre.com/blog

Heritage’s online blog!

Boy, 8, tutors mum for O levels

[An excerpt from Straits Times, March 09, prepared by Marcus Lau]


Ben Hayward, aged 8, is preparing to coach his mum, Sue, through her ‘O’ levels. Although the youngest of six children, he has been helping his older brother with his homework. At this age, he has the mathematical ability of a 16-year-old and the reading talent of an 18-year-old. He has a dream of becoming a math’s teacher and aiming to attend Oxford University. Besides being a youthful mathematician, his math’s teacher noticed that he is a well-behaved, modest and a bright young lad.

My thought: if I were him, I could be a tutor by then. It will be the greatest achievement for me