How various places in Singapore got their names?

• Pickering Street- Named after William Pickering- foremost protector of Chinese, who was first European to speak and read Chinese at that time.
• Kim Seng Road-Named after Tan Kim Seng who was a local philanthropist for his contributions to society
• Hill Street-Named so due to its location at the foot of Canning Hill.
• High Street- As it was built on higher ground
• Chinatown-In 1819 when Singapore was first founded by Sir Stamford Raffles, the very first immigrants arrived at the mouth of the Singapore River in 1821 from Xiamen, in Fujian province, China. Raffles set aside Chinatown for the Chinese Community in his Singapore Town Plan in 1842. Thus Chinatown which was rich in Chinese culture became a place of interest both for Chinese and tourists.
• Telok Ayer Street-In malay, ‘Telok Ayer’ means ‘Street by the bay”. It was South-east shoreline of Singapore at once point of time.
• Pagoda Street-Named after Sri Mariamman Temple located on the corner of the street. The Gopuram -high tower of the temple was found familiar to a pagoda and hence the name of the road.
• Sago Street-There were plenty of sago factories in the area, hence it was named sago street.

ComEx 2009 Singapore IT Show

Comex 2009 - the biggest IT & Electronics show of the year is back with a bang again! The show is a platform for exhibition of latest technologies, exclusive offers and off course great deals! The event shall be covering an area of 345000 square feetand shall be biggest consumer technology exhibition ever in Singapore so far.

Duration of the show shall be  12PM-9PM on Septmember 10-13 at Suntec Singapore and 820 exhibitors shall be displaying  their gadgets.Entry to show is free of cost!

World’s biggest CNG Station opens in Singapore

World’s largest CNG(Compressed natural gas) refuelling station was opened in Singapore yesterday . The S$60-million C-nergy station in Toh Tuck is covering an area of  7000 square metres and has 46 pumps with a capacity to serve up to 20,000 vehicles daily.

C-nergy is the brainchild of Teo Kiang Ang, who also runs TransCab, Singapore’s second largest taxi company after Comfort Delgro.

There are plans of opening 3 more CNG stations  in Bedok-Changi area, Woodlands and Toa Payoh – within the next three years at an estimated cost of about S$6 million each, excluding land cost.

BENEFITS

• More CNG vehicles means fresher air and lesser pollution.
• CNG is much cost effective in comparison to other fuels.
• The new CNG station runs 24 hours a day
  

ISSUES

• Currently, there are some 4,200 CNG vehicles out of over 700,000 vehicles in Singapore. About one third of the CNG vehicles are taxis. Drivers are reluctant to switch to CNG despite the green tax rebate, because they say there are simply not enough CNG refuelling stations. Big CNG stations shall solve this problem.
• CNG refuellers say they are reluctant to spend millions to build CNG stations because there are simply not enough CNG vehicles.
• Land availability and land acquisition is a problem according to builders.

Want to know more on Singapore? View Singapore Weekly News Update.

Cancer caused death of a father on his daughter’s birthday

Well, just read this story in newspaper online about the sad death of  Javert See who was suffering from nasopharyngeal carcinoma which is a kind of nose cancer.

The family tried all treatments- be it chemotherapy, radiotherapy or even surgery, but his life had to end this way. He died on 10th birthday of his daughter, who was the twinkle of his eye.

For those, who are blessed to have not been face to face or none of their family members with this deadly disease- cancer, I would like to say that you just cannot imagine the pain and suffering it brings to the patient but also to the family.  Cancer means a lot of expenditure on treatment, a lot of pain and may take your life in the end. The only preventive measure is alertness.

If you are reading this, then please read the following symptoms to detect cancer in early stages and live life with your loved ones:

• Bladder cancer: Blood in the urine, pain or burning upon urination; frequent urination; or cloudy urine
• Bone cancer: Pain in the bone or swelling around the affected site; fractures in bones; weakness, fatigue; weight loss; repeated infections; nausea, vomiting, constipation, problems with urination; weakness or numbness in the legs; bumps and bruises that persist 
• Brain cancer: Dizziness; drowsiness; abnormal eye movements or changes in vision; weakness, loss of feeling in arms or legs or difficulties in walking; fits or convulsions; changes in personality, memory or speech; headaches that tend to be worse in the morning and ease during the day, that may be accompanied by nausea or vomiting
• Breast cancer: A lump or thickening of the breast; discharge from the nipple; change in the skin of the breast; a feeling of heat; or enlarged lymph nodes under the arm
• Colorectal cancer: Rectal bleeding (red blood in stools or black stools); abdominal cramps; constipation alternating with diarrhea; weight loss; loss of appetite; weakness; pallid complexion
• Kidney cancer: Blood in urine; dull ache or pain in the back or side; lump in kidney area, sometimes accompanied by high blood pressure or abnormality in red blood cell count  
• Leukemia: Weakness, paleness; fever and flu-like symptoms; bruising and prolonged bleeding; enlarged lymph nodes, spleen, liver; pain in bones and joints; frequent infections; weight loss; night sweats
• Lung cancer: Wheezing, persistent cough for months; blood-streaked sputum; persistent ache in chest; congestion in lungs; enlarged lymph nodes in the neck
• Melanoma: Change in mole or other bump on the skin, including bleeding or change in size, shape, color, or texture
• Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma: Painless swelling in the lymph nodes in the neck, underarm, or groin; persistent fever; feeling of fatigue; unexplained weight loss; itchy skin and rashes; small lumps in skin; bone pain; swelling in the abdomen; liver or spleen enlargement
• Oral cancer:  A lump in the mouth, ulceration of the lip, tongue or inside of the mouth that does not heal within a couple of weeks; dentures that no longer fit well; oral pain, bleeding, foul breath, loose teeth, and changes in speech
• Ovarian cancer: Abdominal swelling; in rare cases, abnormal vaginal bleeding; digestive discomfort
• Pancreatic cancer: Upper abdominal pain and unexplained weight loss; pain near the center of the back; intolerance of fatty foods; yellowing of the skin; abdominal masses; enlargement of liver and spleen
• Prostate cancer: Urination difficulties due to blockage of the urethra; bladder retains urine, creating frequent feelings of urgency to urinate, especially at night; bladder not emptying completely; burning or painful urination; bloody urine; tenderness over the bladder; and dull ache in the pelvis or back
• Stomach cancer: Indigestion or heartburn; discomfort or pain in the abdomen; nausea and vomiting; diarrhea or constipation; bloating after meals; loss of appetite; weakness and fatigue; bleeding – vomiting blood or blood in the stool
• Uterine cancer: Abnormal vaginal bleeding, a watery bloody discharge in postmenopausal women; a painful urination; pain during intercourse; pain in pelvic area

(http://www.cancure.org/cancer_symptoms.htm)

Apart from these, do follow these health tips:

• Eat healthy, sleep healthy
• Exercise daily
• Get medical checks ups done every year
• Women should get a mammography done every year after age of 30 years

Tamiflu Resistant Case in Singapore- What next?

As H1N1 is spreading its wings to almost all parts of the world, what adds to debacle is the news of swine flu curing drug – Tamiflu resistant cases.

Lets have a look at such cases reported throughtout the world:

• Japan: 3
• Canada:1
• Denmark:1
• Hongkong:1
• Singapore:1

Implications:

• Such resistance to drugs if on the rise can make swine flu absolutely untreatable
• It is high time we realize that nature may punish us the way we have destroyed God’s beautiful earth. Global warming, pollution, vanishing of ozone layer all will have a reverse effect on us some day. Natural forces will revert back but in what fashion, we dont really know. The day is not far, when some big disaster may happen due to which the existance of humans may come to an end.

Singapore Economy hints recovery

Singapore’s economy grew much faster than what was expected in the second quarter of the year, but according to the government, whether the recovery would sustain depends on the performance of exports sector which is a strong pillar of Singapore’s economy .

Still, economists feel that these numbers may indicate the end of worst time in current downturn.

An economist with Action Economics quoted “”We can see that the pace of contraction is coming down, and on a seasonally adjusted basis, the numbers indicate more demand for goods from Singapore.”

GDP grew by 20.7% compared to 20.4% estimated in July according to stats by Ministry of Trade and Industry.

Trade and industry minister Lim Hng Kiang  said that although the worst is past in terms of the economic crisis, any recovery would take time.

Monetary Authority of Singapore said that its current neutral currency policy shall continue and  it shall review its monetary policy in October.

Looking at yearly basis, the economy contracted 3.5%, less than a 3.7% contraction initially estimated by the government and the 3.9% drop tipped by the Dow Jones Newswires poll.

How to beat Stress

Greetings to all!

In this fast moving world, stress is something which has become a part and parcel of our hectic lives. We seldom get time to relax and think upon where we are heading.

Whatever may be your profession- medicine, journalism, marketing or business; you must know how to keep your stress levels under control.
Here are some alarming symptoms of increased stress:

• You are so tense that you are not able to eat food. Either you eat less or you eat a lot
• You tend to be in a hurry in doing many things at a time and end up doing nothing.
• You are not able to sleep at night due to tension

Well in case you experience this, dont be worried. Stress is a part of life but it should not dominate you so much that you may fall ill.
Students face a lot of stress due to exams, tests, assignments but they can overcome it by studying regularly, finishing home tasks on time and spending time in extra- curricular activities.
Similar is the case with working people, you should always keep your personal and professional life separate. Always finish your tasks on time.
Here are some tips to beat stress and lead a healthy life:

• Do yoga and meditation and exercise on a daily basis
• If you are over stressed or some thing is troubling you, share your thoughts with someone. If you dont have anyone to share with, then either write it in your diary or on a piece of paper, it releases stress.
• Indulge yourself in indoor and outdoor games. You can also join health clubs or sports club and play sport of your choice
• Spend quality time with your family. You can go out for a vacation with your family to some nice tourist destination
• Consult a counsellor/psychologist/psychiatrist in case you feel stress is over powering you. There is nothing wrong in seeking help.

Hope you will be able to beat stress and live a stress free life.

Fruits are good for your health

Fruits if eaten regularly and religiously as a part of your daily diet can help you keep fit and healthy.

First let us have a look at top 5 reasons why you should be eating fruits daily:

• Reason 1 : 100% free of bad cholesterol
• Reason 2: Great healing effects! There are news about people getting cured from cancer by just following fruit based diet.
• Reason 3: Fibre based! Well you can easily avoid health issues such as constipation, hypertension and many such ailments if you eat fruits regularly!
• Reason 4: Fruits can be  good for your memory! Fruits are considered good for your brain and can help you have a better memory!
• Reason 5: Fruits are natural food which mother nature has gifted us. Unlike non-vegetarian foods where we kill innocent animals, fruits are just picked up or they themselves fall down..remember Newton discovered law of gravitation when an apple fell on his head!

I will be writing a series of posts this week where I shall be covering each fruit daily. To start with, lets have a look at the fruit of paradise- fruit for people of all ages- banana (Musa acuminata).

Health benefits of banana:

• Rich in Vitamin B6
• Good source of fibre
• Rich in Vitamin C
• Rich in Potassium  thus helping in regulationg blood pressure and also helps in muscle contraction
• Magnesium
• Rich in carbohydrates thus provides energy
• Can help you overcome depression! Yes these are rich in serotonin and norepinephrine thus called good mood fruit.

Popular among people of all ages.

• Babies/infants are given banana as a solid food diet as these are easy to digest and most babies dont have allergy to bananas.
• As adults/ youngsters we consume bananas as a substitute for snacks in breaks
• In old age, bananas can be easily eaten and digested

Well now you must have understood why I call banana as the fruit of paradise!

I am listing down a few popular dishes based on bananas:

• Banana shake- recommended for those you want to gain weight
• Banana pudding

Try http://food.sulekha.com/ingredient/banana-recipes.htm

National Day in Singapore

Singapore celebrates it national day on 9th of August every year since the time she gained independance from Malaysia in the year 1965. National Day is marked with National Day Parade .

Singapore had celebrated her first national day in the year 1966.

Venues for Parade Day

• 1999 – National Stadium
• 2000- Padang
• 2001- National Stadium
• 2002- National Stadium
• 2003- National Stadium
• 2004 – National Stadium
• 2005- Pdang
• 2006-National Stadium
• 2007-Marina Bay
• 2008-Marina Bay
• 2009-Marina Bay

National Day Songs

• Count on me – Singapore

We have a vision for tomorrow,
Just believe, just believe
We have a goal for Singapore,
we can achieve, we can achieve
You and me, we’ll do our part,
stand together, heart to heart
We’re going to show the world
what Singapore can be
We can achieve, we can achieve
Chorus:
Count on me Singapore,
count on me Singapore
Count on me to give my best and more,
count on me Singapore

• Stand Up for Singapore

Stand up for Singapore, do the best you can
Reach out for your fellow man
You’ve got to make a stand
Recognise you can play your part
Let it come right from your heart
Be prepared to give a little more
Stand up, stand up for Singapore

How about MBA from Singapore?

Singapore is already catching up as a hot destination for higher education. Doing MBA from Singapore has many advantages:

• Quality of education offered is commendable
• Affordability
• Work Permit
• Attractive placement options

Here is a list of Institutes offering MBA in Singapore:

• Singapore Management University
• NUS Business School
• Nanyang Business School
• SP Jain Center of Management (SPJCM

and there are many more

What you should look for while selecting a good MBA college for yourself:

• Fee Structure
• Scholarships
• Affilation/ Recognition
• Faculty
• Placement records
• Environment