Dollar firms on Fed official's September easing hint
POSTED: 29 Jun 2013 6:29 AM
The dollar gained ground on Friday after a senior Federal Reserve official pointed to September as the date the central bank could begin winding down its massive asset purchases.
NEW YORK CITY: The dollar gained ground on Friday after a senior Federal Reserve official pointed to September as the date the central bank could begin winding down its massive asset purchases.
The euro fell to $1.3013 around 2100 GMT, down from $1.3038 late Thursday.
The greenback also firmed against the Japanese currency, to 99.11 yen from 98.35 yen Thursday, while the euro rose to 128.99 yen from 128.23 yen.
Kathy Lien of BK Asset Management said the dollar was boosted by comments from Jeremy Stein, a member of the Fed board of governors and the policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC).
Stein suggested in a speech in New York that the central bank could make a decision to begin slowing its stimulus program within three months.
Stein specifically cited September in an example explaining that accumulated economic data for the past year, and not just the most recent data, would determine whether the FOMC decides to taper the bond purchases.
That "really got investors excited," she said.
"This specific comment about September sparked speculation that this will be the month when the Fed starts tapering," she said.
The dollar is expected to benefit when the Fed eventually begins to taper the buying, which it has conditioned on continued improvement in the economy.
The dollar slipped a bit against the Swiss currency, to 0.9446 franc from 0.9450 franc.
But it rose against the pound, which bought $1.5202, down from $1.5257 late Thursday.
- AFP/ac
- wong chee tat :)
Sunday, June 30, 2013
New home loan rules may cause 15% fall in demand: analyst
New home loan rules may cause 15% fall in demand: analyst
POSTED: 29 Jun 2013 9:53 PM
Property analysts said the new property loan curbs could cause housing demand to drop by up to 15 per cent over the next few months. On Friday evening, Singapore's central bank introduced a Total Debt Servicing Ratio (TDSR) framework and tighter Loan-to-Value (LTV) limits on housing loans.
SINGAPORE: Property analysts said the new property loan curbs could cause housing demand to drop by up to 15 per cent over the next few months.
On Friday evening, Singapore's central bank introduced a Total Debt Servicing Ratio (TDSR) framework and tighter Loan-to-Value (LTV) limits on housing loans.
Analysts said these new rules, which take effect on Saturday, will hit property investors the hardest.
Property analysts said the new rules will not significantly affect genuine house hunters, or those looking to upgrade from their HDB flats.
By Saturday evening, all 738 units at private residential project J Gateway were snapped up.
Over at the Jewel, Buangkok's new condominium, 80 per cent of its 350 units were sold.
But it is a different story for property investors looking to buy a second or third property.
Mohamed Ismail, CEO of PropNex, said: "Who will be affected? The so-called greater-risk appetite investors. I will not be surprised if the volume of transactions dip by a good 10 to 15 per cent. The 10 to 15 per cent I'm expecting is an immediate reaction to the cooling measures. But in the long term, I think the market will stabilise as people try to plan within the parameters that have been provided. Overall in the longer term, (there will) probably be a 5 per cent dip in the market as some of these investors will be out of the opportunity to buy more properties."
The TDSR framework will apply to loans for the purchase of all types of property, loans secured on property and the re-financing of all such loans.
Analysts said these latest measures will also close loopholes used by some investors to circumvent the existing rules.
Steven Tan, managing director at OrangeTee, said: "The refinement of the Loan-to-Value rules will make sure that the buyers will not be able to make use of the loopholes, such as using another person's name to avoid paying additional buyer's stamp duty or to secure a higher Loan-to-Value. It will also make sure that they won't use another younger borrower's name to secure a longer loan period."
Mr Ismail said: "Parents who are of the older age buy properties under their children’s names and some are still studying, above 21 and not even having an income… In some instances, they even buy the property in someone else's name so as to avoid the Loan-to-Value. Because once you have a second property or a third property, your Loan-to-Value ratios drop drastically."
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said the move aims to encourage financial prudence and cool demand.
David Teo, a potential property buyer, said: "If you have a car now, maybe with the 50 per cent down payment and with the car prices now, then of course more of your income will be locked up in your car. But if you got your first house, then if you're really stretching yourself, then you shouldn't really go for it.”
MAS said any property loan should not push a borrower's total debt obligations to above 60 per cent of his or her gross monthly income.
- CNA/xq
- wong chee tat :)
POSTED: 29 Jun 2013 9:53 PM
Property analysts said the new property loan curbs could cause housing demand to drop by up to 15 per cent over the next few months. On Friday evening, Singapore's central bank introduced a Total Debt Servicing Ratio (TDSR) framework and tighter Loan-to-Value (LTV) limits on housing loans.
SINGAPORE: Property analysts said the new property loan curbs could cause housing demand to drop by up to 15 per cent over the next few months.
On Friday evening, Singapore's central bank introduced a Total Debt Servicing Ratio (TDSR) framework and tighter Loan-to-Value (LTV) limits on housing loans.
Analysts said these new rules, which take effect on Saturday, will hit property investors the hardest.
Property analysts said the new rules will not significantly affect genuine house hunters, or those looking to upgrade from their HDB flats.
By Saturday evening, all 738 units at private residential project J Gateway were snapped up.
Over at the Jewel, Buangkok's new condominium, 80 per cent of its 350 units were sold.
But it is a different story for property investors looking to buy a second or third property.
Mohamed Ismail, CEO of PropNex, said: "Who will be affected? The so-called greater-risk appetite investors. I will not be surprised if the volume of transactions dip by a good 10 to 15 per cent. The 10 to 15 per cent I'm expecting is an immediate reaction to the cooling measures. But in the long term, I think the market will stabilise as people try to plan within the parameters that have been provided. Overall in the longer term, (there will) probably be a 5 per cent dip in the market as some of these investors will be out of the opportunity to buy more properties."
The TDSR framework will apply to loans for the purchase of all types of property, loans secured on property and the re-financing of all such loans.
Analysts said these latest measures will also close loopholes used by some investors to circumvent the existing rules.
Steven Tan, managing director at OrangeTee, said: "The refinement of the Loan-to-Value rules will make sure that the buyers will not be able to make use of the loopholes, such as using another person's name to avoid paying additional buyer's stamp duty or to secure a higher Loan-to-Value. It will also make sure that they won't use another younger borrower's name to secure a longer loan period."
Mr Ismail said: "Parents who are of the older age buy properties under their children’s names and some are still studying, above 21 and not even having an income… In some instances, they even buy the property in someone else's name so as to avoid the Loan-to-Value. Because once you have a second property or a third property, your Loan-to-Value ratios drop drastically."
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said the move aims to encourage financial prudence and cool demand.
David Teo, a potential property buyer, said: "If you have a car now, maybe with the 50 per cent down payment and with the car prices now, then of course more of your income will be locked up in your car. But if you got your first house, then if you're really stretching yourself, then you shouldn't really go for it.”
MAS said any property loan should not push a borrower's total debt obligations to above 60 per cent of his or her gross monthly income.
- CNA/xq
- wong chee tat :)
Gardens by the Bay celebrates first anniversary
Gardens by the Bay celebrates first anniversary
By Alice Chia
POSTED: 29 Jun 2013 11:39 PM
Gardens by the Bay turned one on Saturday. More than 10,000 people turned up for a garden party on Saturday evening, which was part of its first anniversary celebrations.
SINGAPORE: Gardens by the Bay turned one on Saturday.
More than 10,000 people turned up for a garden party on Saturday evening, which was part of its first anniversary celebrations.
They gathered at the grass lawn of The Meadow for a mass picnic, and enjoyed musical performances by local artistes, which included Kit Chan, Taufik Batisah and Li Feihui.
The event was graced by Minister for Trade and Industry Lim Hng Kiang, who is also the Member of Parliament for West Coast GRC.
It was hosted by Minister for National Development Khaw Boon Wan.
Among the visitors was 17-year-old Harlynna Bte Rahmat, who became the Gardens' five-millionth visitor on Monday.
She said: "The experience has been a great one. Everyone here is very nice to us. They are friendly. The place is very beautiful, very nice."
Dr Tan Wee Kiat, Chief Executive Officer of Gardens by the Bay, said: "It's hard to imagine that we opened our doors only a year ago. And we are very near in completing our basic infrastructure. We still have the children's garden to complete, which we hope to do by the end of this year. And we have a brand new cactus garden.”
- CNA/xq/de
- wong chee tat :)
By Alice Chia
POSTED: 29 Jun 2013 11:39 PM
Gardens by the Bay turned one on Saturday. More than 10,000 people turned up for a garden party on Saturday evening, which was part of its first anniversary celebrations.
SINGAPORE: Gardens by the Bay turned one on Saturday.
More than 10,000 people turned up for a garden party on Saturday evening, which was part of its first anniversary celebrations.
They gathered at the grass lawn of The Meadow for a mass picnic, and enjoyed musical performances by local artistes, which included Kit Chan, Taufik Batisah and Li Feihui.
The event was graced by Minister for Trade and Industry Lim Hng Kiang, who is also the Member of Parliament for West Coast GRC.
It was hosted by Minister for National Development Khaw Boon Wan.
Among the visitors was 17-year-old Harlynna Bte Rahmat, who became the Gardens' five-millionth visitor on Monday.
She said: "The experience has been a great one. Everyone here is very nice to us. They are friendly. The place is very beautiful, very nice."
Dr Tan Wee Kiat, Chief Executive Officer of Gardens by the Bay, said: "It's hard to imagine that we opened our doors only a year ago. And we are very near in completing our basic infrastructure. We still have the children's garden to complete, which we hope to do by the end of this year. And we have a brand new cactus garden.”
- CNA/xq/de
- wong chee tat :)
Electricity tariffs to fall by 2.9%
Electricity tariffs to fall by 2.9%
Lower tariffs due to lower cost of natural gas used for electricity generation
28 June
SINGAPORE — Electricity tariffs will drop by an average of 2.9 per cent for the period July 1 to September 30, SP Services said today (June 28).
This tariff reduction is due to the lower cost of natural gas used for electricity generation, which fell by 5.1 per cent compared to the previous quarter of this year.
The electricity tariff for households will decrease by 2.8 per cent in the third quarter of this year, from 26.70 to 25.95 cents per kWh.
Families living in four-room Housing Board flats (HDB) will see a S$3.08 decrease in their average monthly electricity bills.
SP Services reviews the electricity tariffs quarterly based on guidelines set by the Energy Market Authority (EMA), the electricity industry regulator.
- wong chee tat :)
Lower tariffs due to lower cost of natural gas used for electricity generation
28 June
SINGAPORE — Electricity tariffs will drop by an average of 2.9 per cent for the period July 1 to September 30, SP Services said today (June 28).
This tariff reduction is due to the lower cost of natural gas used for electricity generation, which fell by 5.1 per cent compared to the previous quarter of this year.
The electricity tariff for households will decrease by 2.8 per cent in the third quarter of this year, from 26.70 to 25.95 cents per kWh.
Families living in four-room Housing Board flats (HDB) will see a S$3.08 decrease in their average monthly electricity bills.
SP Services reviews the electricity tariffs quarterly based on guidelines set by the Energy Market Authority (EMA), the electricity industry regulator.
- wong chee tat :)
Electricity tariffs to fall by 2.9%
Electricity tariffs to fall by 2.9%
POSTED: 28 Jun 2013 2:13 PM
Electricity tariffs will drop by an average of 2.9 per cent for the period July 1 to September 30, SP Services said on Friday.
SINGAPORE: Electricity tariffs will drop by an average of 2.9 per cent for the period July 1 to September 30, SP Services said on Friday.
This tariff reduction is due to the lower cost of natural gas used for electricity generation, which fell by 5.1 per cent compared to the previous quarter of this year.
The electricity tariff for households will decrease by 2.8 per cent in the third quarter of this year, from 26.70 to 25.95 cents per kWh.
Families living in four-room Housing & Development Board flats (HDB) will see a S$3.80 decrease in their average monthly electricity bills.
SP Services reviews the electricity tariffs quarterly based on guidelines set by the Energy Market Authority (EMA), the electricity industry regulator.
-TODAY/fa
- wong chee tat :)
POSTED: 28 Jun 2013 2:13 PM
Electricity tariffs will drop by an average of 2.9 per cent for the period July 1 to September 30, SP Services said on Friday.
SINGAPORE: Electricity tariffs will drop by an average of 2.9 per cent for the period July 1 to September 30, SP Services said on Friday.
This tariff reduction is due to the lower cost of natural gas used for electricity generation, which fell by 5.1 per cent compared to the previous quarter of this year.
The electricity tariff for households will decrease by 2.8 per cent in the third quarter of this year, from 26.70 to 25.95 cents per kWh.
Families living in four-room Housing & Development Board flats (HDB) will see a S$3.80 decrease in their average monthly electricity bills.
SP Services reviews the electricity tariffs quarterly based on guidelines set by the Energy Market Authority (EMA), the electricity industry regulator.
-TODAY/fa
- wong chee tat :)
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Dollar firms on Fed official's September easing hint
Dollar firms on Fed official's September easing hint
POSTED: 29 Jun 2013 6:29 AM
The dollar gained ground on Friday after a senior Federal Reserve official pointed to September as the date the central bank could begin winding down its massive asset purchases.
NEW YORK CITY: The dollar gained ground on Friday after a senior Federal Reserve official pointed to September as the date the central bank could begin winding down its massive asset purchases.
The euro fell to $1.3013 around 2100 GMT, down from $1.3038 late Thursday.
The greenback also firmed against the Japanese currency, to 99.11 yen from 98.35 yen Thursday, while the euro rose to 128.99 yen from 128.23 yen.
Kathy Lien of BK Asset Management said the dollar was boosted by comments from Jeremy Stein, a member of the Fed board of governors and the policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC).
Stein suggested in a speech in New York that the central bank could make a decision to begin slowing its stimulus program within three months.
Stein specifically cited September in an example explaining that accumulated economic data for the past year, and not just the most recent data, would determine whether the FOMC decides to taper the bond purchases.
That "really got investors excited," she said.
"This specific comment about September sparked speculation that this will be the month when the Fed starts tapering," she said.
The dollar is expected to benefit when the Fed eventually begins to taper the buying, which it has conditioned on continued improvement in the economy.
The dollar slipped a bit against the Swiss currency, to 0.9446 franc from 0.9450 franc.
But it rose against the pound, which bought $1.5202, down from $1.5257 late Thursday.
- AFP/ac
- wong chee tat :)
POSTED: 29 Jun 2013 6:29 AM
The dollar gained ground on Friday after a senior Federal Reserve official pointed to September as the date the central bank could begin winding down its massive asset purchases.
NEW YORK CITY: The dollar gained ground on Friday after a senior Federal Reserve official pointed to September as the date the central bank could begin winding down its massive asset purchases.
The euro fell to $1.3013 around 2100 GMT, down from $1.3038 late Thursday.
The greenback also firmed against the Japanese currency, to 99.11 yen from 98.35 yen Thursday, while the euro rose to 128.99 yen from 128.23 yen.
Kathy Lien of BK Asset Management said the dollar was boosted by comments from Jeremy Stein, a member of the Fed board of governors and the policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC).
Stein suggested in a speech in New York that the central bank could make a decision to begin slowing its stimulus program within three months.
Stein specifically cited September in an example explaining that accumulated economic data for the past year, and not just the most recent data, would determine whether the FOMC decides to taper the bond purchases.
That "really got investors excited," she said.
"This specific comment about September sparked speculation that this will be the month when the Fed starts tapering," she said.
The dollar is expected to benefit when the Fed eventually begins to taper the buying, which it has conditioned on continued improvement in the economy.
The dollar slipped a bit against the Swiss currency, to 0.9446 franc from 0.9450 franc.
But it rose against the pound, which bought $1.5202, down from $1.5257 late Thursday.
- AFP/ac
- wong chee tat :)
Friday, June 28, 2013
The Singing Bone
The Singing Bone
Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
Once upon a time in a certain country there was great concern about a wild boar that was destroying the peasants' fields, killing the cattle, and ripping people apart with its tusks. The king promised a large reward to anyone who could free the land from this plague, but the beast was so large and strong that no one dared to go near the woods where it lived. Finally the king proclaimed that whoever could capture or kill the wild boar should have his only daughter in marriage.
Now in this country there lived two brothers, sons of a poor man. They declared that they dared to attempt the task. The older one, who was crafty and shrewd, did so out of pride. The younger one, who was innocent and simple, did so because of his kind heart.
The king said, "In order to be more sure of finding the beast, you should enter the woods from opposite sides."
Thus the older one entered the woods from the west, and the younger one from the east.
After the younger one had walked a little while, a little dwarf stepped up to him. He held a black spear in his hand and said, "I am giving you this spear because your heart is innocent and good. With it you can confidently attack the wild boar. It will do you no harm."
He thanked the dwarf, put the spear on his shoulder, and walked on fearlessly.
Before long he saw the beast. It attacked him, but he held the spear toward it, and in its blind fury it ran into the spear with such force that its heart was slashed in two.
Then he put the monster on his back and turned towards home, intending to take it to the king.
Emerging from the other side of the woods, he came to a house where people were making merry drinking wine and dancing. His older brother was there too. Thinking that the boar would not run away from him any time soon, he had decided to drink himself some real courage. When he saw his younger brother coming out of the woods with his booty, his envious and evil heart gave him no peace.
He called out to him, "Come in, dear brother. Rest and refresh yourself with a beaker of wine."
The younger brother, suspecting no evil, went in and told him about the good dwarf who had given him the spear with which he had killed the boar.
The older brother kept him there until evening, and then they set forth together. After dark they came to a bridge over a brook, and the older brother let the younger one go first. When the younger brother reached the middle above the water, the older one gave him such a blow from behind that he fell down dead.
He buried him beneath the bridge, took the boar, and delivered it to the king, pretending that he had killed it. With this he received the king's daughter in marriage.
When his younger brother did not return he said, "The boar must have ripped him apart," and every one believed it.
But as nothing remains hidden from God, this black deed was also to come to light.
After many long years a shepherd was driving his herd across the bridge and saw a little snow-white bone lying in the sand below. Thinking that it would make a good mouthpiece, he climbed down, picked it up, and then carved out of it a mouthpiece for his horn. When he blew into it for the first time, to his great astonishment the bone began to sing by itself:
Oh, my dear shepherd,
You are blowing on my little bone.
My brother killed me,
And buried me beneath the bridge,
To get the wild boor
For the daughter of the king.
"What a wonderful horn," said the shepherd. "It sings by itself. I must take it to the king."
When he brought it before the king, the horn again began to sing its little song. The king understood it well, and had the earth beneath the bridge dug up. Then the whole skeleton of the murdered man came to light.
The wicked brother could not deny the deed. He was sewn into a sack and drowned alive. The murdered man's bones were laid to rest in a beautiful grave in the churchyard.
- wong chee tat :)
Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
Once upon a time in a certain country there was great concern about a wild boar that was destroying the peasants' fields, killing the cattle, and ripping people apart with its tusks. The king promised a large reward to anyone who could free the land from this plague, but the beast was so large and strong that no one dared to go near the woods where it lived. Finally the king proclaimed that whoever could capture or kill the wild boar should have his only daughter in marriage.
Now in this country there lived two brothers, sons of a poor man. They declared that they dared to attempt the task. The older one, who was crafty and shrewd, did so out of pride. The younger one, who was innocent and simple, did so because of his kind heart.
The king said, "In order to be more sure of finding the beast, you should enter the woods from opposite sides."
Thus the older one entered the woods from the west, and the younger one from the east.
After the younger one had walked a little while, a little dwarf stepped up to him. He held a black spear in his hand and said, "I am giving you this spear because your heart is innocent and good. With it you can confidently attack the wild boar. It will do you no harm."
He thanked the dwarf, put the spear on his shoulder, and walked on fearlessly.
Before long he saw the beast. It attacked him, but he held the spear toward it, and in its blind fury it ran into the spear with such force that its heart was slashed in two.
Then he put the monster on his back and turned towards home, intending to take it to the king.
Emerging from the other side of the woods, he came to a house where people were making merry drinking wine and dancing. His older brother was there too. Thinking that the boar would not run away from him any time soon, he had decided to drink himself some real courage. When he saw his younger brother coming out of the woods with his booty, his envious and evil heart gave him no peace.
He called out to him, "Come in, dear brother. Rest and refresh yourself with a beaker of wine."
The younger brother, suspecting no evil, went in and told him about the good dwarf who had given him the spear with which he had killed the boar.
The older brother kept him there until evening, and then they set forth together. After dark they came to a bridge over a brook, and the older brother let the younger one go first. When the younger brother reached the middle above the water, the older one gave him such a blow from behind that he fell down dead.
He buried him beneath the bridge, took the boar, and delivered it to the king, pretending that he had killed it. With this he received the king's daughter in marriage.
When his younger brother did not return he said, "The boar must have ripped him apart," and every one believed it.
But as nothing remains hidden from God, this black deed was also to come to light.
After many long years a shepherd was driving his herd across the bridge and saw a little snow-white bone lying in the sand below. Thinking that it would make a good mouthpiece, he climbed down, picked it up, and then carved out of it a mouthpiece for his horn. When he blew into it for the first time, to his great astonishment the bone began to sing by itself:
Oh, my dear shepherd,
You are blowing on my little bone.
My brother killed me,
And buried me beneath the bridge,
To get the wild boor
For the daughter of the king.
"What a wonderful horn," said the shepherd. "It sings by itself. I must take it to the king."
When he brought it before the king, the horn again began to sing its little song. The king understood it well, and had the earth beneath the bridge dug up. Then the whole skeleton of the murdered man came to light.
The wicked brother could not deny the deed. He was sewn into a sack and drowned alive. The murdered man's bones were laid to rest in a beautiful grave in the churchyard.
- wong chee tat :)
Thursday, June 27, 2013
New eligibility criteria for preschool Anchor Operator Scheme announced
New eligibility criteria for preschool Anchor Operator Scheme announced
By Hetty Musfirah Abdul Khamid and Monica Kotwani
POSTED: 27 Jun 2013 3:50 PM
Religious organisations which run preschool centres and commercial operators will now be able to qualify for the government's Anchor Operator Scheme, under new eligibility criteria revealed on Thursday.
SINGAPORE: Commercial preschool operators and religious organisations that run preschool centres will now be allowed to apply for the government's Anchor Operator Scheme, under new eligibility criteria revealed on Thursday.
Previously, only not-for-profit organisations could apply.
Getting anchor operator status will allow access to government funding.
Those applying will need to show that they are motivated by a strong social mission to provide good quality and affordable services.
The current two anchor operators, PCF and NTUC's My First Skool, are not only eligible for government subsidies, but they also get first dibs over the allocation of sites in HDB estates.
In turn, the two operators, which run some 330 centres, are required to provide good quality services that are accessible to most low- and middle-income families.
In calling for more anchor operators to come on board, Minister for Social and Family Development Chan Chun Sing said the expansion of the scheme would give parents more options and help cater to the diverse learning needs of children.
Religious organisations that run preschools can now also apply to become anchor operators, but they have to ensure their programmes are secular and cater to children of all backgrounds.
Mr Chan said: "If they have good innovative practices that can drive the cost down and lower prices for our parents we welcome that, but at the same time, money-making cannot be their primary goal. The special mission must be their primary goal, when it comes to educating and laying the foundations for our youths."
Those interested to become anchor operators will have to meet strict criteria.
These include running at least ten centres or having an enrolment of 1,000 children, providing a financial guarantee of six months of operating costs or S$10 million (whichever is lower), and having a governing body with independent members.
Applicants will also need to cap their monthly fees for services.
For a full-day childcare programme, fees cannot exceed S$720.
Kindergarten fees will be capped at S$160 and infant care fees at S$1,275.
Operators said they understand the rationale behind the stringent criteria, but they are worried it may squeeze out smaller operators, which are already having a tough time with competition from bigger players.
Frances Ng is the founder of Carpe Diem Group, which oversees 26 centres.
He highlighted the criteria of showing six months of operating costs based on the total number of centres for that year.
He said: "That is still quite substantial... We don't have that many operators in Singapore with that kind of finances. If you look at the market, over the last few years, they are constantly being squeezed out with the newcomers, new commercial operators, and in the last three years, with more AOP centres coming out, they feel the squeeze further.
"Smaller operators will definitely have a tougher time ahead of them, but having said that, I think it's not impossible to do well, they just need to find their own niche."
Mr Ng said the way around this is to enter into a joint venture with other "like-minded" people. He said he is in talks with a few other potential partners.
Under changes to the scheme, anchor operators will now have to ensure all their teachers are diploma-trained, compared to 80 per cent of teachers before.
Some operators Channel NewsAsia spoke with have welcomed this move, saying it would generally add to the quality of teachers, but some are worried it would add to the severe manpower crunch that is already present.
Mr Ng said: "Five years ago, the number of new centres was about 40 centres. Three years ago, it... doubled to about 80-90 new centres a year for the last three years. With that increase in (number of) centres, we don't have enough teachers to accomodate the additional centres we have.
“With the new criteria of requiring all teachers in the AOP centres to be diploma holders, it's going to pose a huge challenge, not just for the new AOPs but across the board. Everybody will be fighting for the small cake that we have."
He added: "I'm not against increasing the number of centres to accommodate parents, but I think we need to manage the growth across the industry."
Interested operators have until 27 August to submit their proposals.
The Early Childhood Development Agency, which is overseeing this call for proposals, said only those who meet all criteria will be selected.
- CNA/fa/xq
- wong chee tat :)
By Hetty Musfirah Abdul Khamid and Monica Kotwani
POSTED: 27 Jun 2013 3:50 PM
Religious organisations which run preschool centres and commercial operators will now be able to qualify for the government's Anchor Operator Scheme, under new eligibility criteria revealed on Thursday.
SINGAPORE: Commercial preschool operators and religious organisations that run preschool centres will now be allowed to apply for the government's Anchor Operator Scheme, under new eligibility criteria revealed on Thursday.
Previously, only not-for-profit organisations could apply.
Getting anchor operator status will allow access to government funding.
Those applying will need to show that they are motivated by a strong social mission to provide good quality and affordable services.
The current two anchor operators, PCF and NTUC's My First Skool, are not only eligible for government subsidies, but they also get first dibs over the allocation of sites in HDB estates.
In turn, the two operators, which run some 330 centres, are required to provide good quality services that are accessible to most low- and middle-income families.
In calling for more anchor operators to come on board, Minister for Social and Family Development Chan Chun Sing said the expansion of the scheme would give parents more options and help cater to the diverse learning needs of children.
Religious organisations that run preschools can now also apply to become anchor operators, but they have to ensure their programmes are secular and cater to children of all backgrounds.
Mr Chan said: "If they have good innovative practices that can drive the cost down and lower prices for our parents we welcome that, but at the same time, money-making cannot be their primary goal. The special mission must be their primary goal, when it comes to educating and laying the foundations for our youths."
Those interested to become anchor operators will have to meet strict criteria.
These include running at least ten centres or having an enrolment of 1,000 children, providing a financial guarantee of six months of operating costs or S$10 million (whichever is lower), and having a governing body with independent members.
Applicants will also need to cap their monthly fees for services.
For a full-day childcare programme, fees cannot exceed S$720.
Kindergarten fees will be capped at S$160 and infant care fees at S$1,275.
Operators said they understand the rationale behind the stringent criteria, but they are worried it may squeeze out smaller operators, which are already having a tough time with competition from bigger players.
Frances Ng is the founder of Carpe Diem Group, which oversees 26 centres.
He highlighted the criteria of showing six months of operating costs based on the total number of centres for that year.
He said: "That is still quite substantial... We don't have that many operators in Singapore with that kind of finances. If you look at the market, over the last few years, they are constantly being squeezed out with the newcomers, new commercial operators, and in the last three years, with more AOP centres coming out, they feel the squeeze further.
"Smaller operators will definitely have a tougher time ahead of them, but having said that, I think it's not impossible to do well, they just need to find their own niche."
Mr Ng said the way around this is to enter into a joint venture with other "like-minded" people. He said he is in talks with a few other potential partners.
Under changes to the scheme, anchor operators will now have to ensure all their teachers are diploma-trained, compared to 80 per cent of teachers before.
Some operators Channel NewsAsia spoke with have welcomed this move, saying it would generally add to the quality of teachers, but some are worried it would add to the severe manpower crunch that is already present.
Mr Ng said: "Five years ago, the number of new centres was about 40 centres. Three years ago, it... doubled to about 80-90 new centres a year for the last three years. With that increase in (number of) centres, we don't have enough teachers to accomodate the additional centres we have.
“With the new criteria of requiring all teachers in the AOP centres to be diploma holders, it's going to pose a huge challenge, not just for the new AOPs but across the board. Everybody will be fighting for the small cake that we have."
He added: "I'm not against increasing the number of centres to accommodate parents, but I think we need to manage the growth across the industry."
Interested operators have until 27 August to submit their proposals.
The Early Childhood Development Agency, which is overseeing this call for proposals, said only those who meet all criteria will be selected.
- CNA/fa/xq
- wong chee tat :)
Singapore's office rental market expected to go up
Singapore's office rental market expected to go up
By Toni Waterman
POSTED: 26 Jun 2013 11:24 PM
Singapore's office rental market is on the rebound after bottoming out in the last quarter of 2012, according to Cushman & Wakefield.
SINGAPORE: Singapore's office rental market is on the rebound after bottoming out in the last quarter of 2012, according to Cushman & Wakefield.
In its quarterly office market report, the real estate firm said rents are on the rise and vacancies are drying up, though not all office buildings are sharing the comeback.
Cushman & Wakefield's latest office market report showed that the average rent in prime Grade A locations was up 4.2 per cent in the second quarter, from a quarter earlier, hitting S$9.03 a square foot per month.
That was up from S$8.99 per square foot per month in the first quarter of this year.
Sigrid Zialcita, managing director of research for the Asia Pacific at Cushman & Wakefield, said: "We are expecting rents to go up across the board on the back of very solid demand.
"We're not going to see the spikes we've seen in the 2007-2008 time frame, where rents went as high as S$18-S$19 a foot."
The report showed that all the CBD submarkets saw average rents appreciate, with Marina Bay and Shenton Way seeing a 9 per cent rise in rents. In the fringe area, Orchard Road's average rents moved up by around 4.6 per cent quarter-on-quarter.
The average rent in the suburban submarket rose slightly -- by 1.3 per cent quarter-on-quarter -- to S$5.64 psf per month.
Vacancy rates for Grade A office space is also improving -- dropping to 3.7 per cent in the second quarter from 5.0 per cent in the first quarter.
Vacancies at Marina Bay shrank to 3.6 per cent in Q2, from 5.6 per cent a quarter ago and 12.1 per cent a year ago. Raffles Place had an overall vacancy rate of 5.5 per cent, while Shenton Way's vacancy rate stood at 4.9 per cent.
Experts said diversity in the tenant pool has helped fill the office space.
"Long gone are purely financial institutions," said Desmond Sim, associate director of CBRE Research. "You have complimentary services like insurance, you've got legal all coming in to take up Grade A stock within Marina Bay and Raffles Place."
Also helping the office rental market is the limited new supply coming to the market.
Mr Sim said: "This year, we have the Asia Square Tower II coming on stream. Next year, we have CapitaGreen that will come on stream. Then we actually have a break of no Grade A product coming in 2015.
"So if someone is trying to take advantage of the current low Grade A rents, they might realize the Grade A stock coming online is quite limited."
One place where vacancies are not falling is in the suburbs, where vacancies are expected to rise to over 8 per cent through 2014.
The suburban vacancy rate was 2.7 per cent in 2012, and is expected to rise to 6.0 per cent this year and hit 8.2 per cent in 2014.
Sigrid Zialcita said: "In the suburbs, we're going to see some massive projects delivered and add space, but again we don't think it's a huge concern for the market because the take up we've seen has been brisk, and going forward we see very healthy leasing occurring in this properties."
There will be more options, but not necessarily better prices, as experts said despite rising vacancies, rental rates in the suburbs will remain stable at around S$5.50 per square foot this year to 2014.
- CNA/al
- wong chee tat :)
By Toni Waterman
POSTED: 26 Jun 2013 11:24 PM
Singapore's office rental market is on the rebound after bottoming out in the last quarter of 2012, according to Cushman & Wakefield.
SINGAPORE: Singapore's office rental market is on the rebound after bottoming out in the last quarter of 2012, according to Cushman & Wakefield.
In its quarterly office market report, the real estate firm said rents are on the rise and vacancies are drying up, though not all office buildings are sharing the comeback.
Cushman & Wakefield's latest office market report showed that the average rent in prime Grade A locations was up 4.2 per cent in the second quarter, from a quarter earlier, hitting S$9.03 a square foot per month.
That was up from S$8.99 per square foot per month in the first quarter of this year.
Sigrid Zialcita, managing director of research for the Asia Pacific at Cushman & Wakefield, said: "We are expecting rents to go up across the board on the back of very solid demand.
"We're not going to see the spikes we've seen in the 2007-2008 time frame, where rents went as high as S$18-S$19 a foot."
The report showed that all the CBD submarkets saw average rents appreciate, with Marina Bay and Shenton Way seeing a 9 per cent rise in rents. In the fringe area, Orchard Road's average rents moved up by around 4.6 per cent quarter-on-quarter.
The average rent in the suburban submarket rose slightly -- by 1.3 per cent quarter-on-quarter -- to S$5.64 psf per month.
Vacancy rates for Grade A office space is also improving -- dropping to 3.7 per cent in the second quarter from 5.0 per cent in the first quarter.
Vacancies at Marina Bay shrank to 3.6 per cent in Q2, from 5.6 per cent a quarter ago and 12.1 per cent a year ago. Raffles Place had an overall vacancy rate of 5.5 per cent, while Shenton Way's vacancy rate stood at 4.9 per cent.
Experts said diversity in the tenant pool has helped fill the office space.
"Long gone are purely financial institutions," said Desmond Sim, associate director of CBRE Research. "You have complimentary services like insurance, you've got legal all coming in to take up Grade A stock within Marina Bay and Raffles Place."
Also helping the office rental market is the limited new supply coming to the market.
Mr Sim said: "This year, we have the Asia Square Tower II coming on stream. Next year, we have CapitaGreen that will come on stream. Then we actually have a break of no Grade A product coming in 2015.
"So if someone is trying to take advantage of the current low Grade A rents, they might realize the Grade A stock coming online is quite limited."
One place where vacancies are not falling is in the suburbs, where vacancies are expected to rise to over 8 per cent through 2014.
The suburban vacancy rate was 2.7 per cent in 2012, and is expected to rise to 6.0 per cent this year and hit 8.2 per cent in 2014.
Sigrid Zialcita said: "In the suburbs, we're going to see some massive projects delivered and add space, but again we don't think it's a huge concern for the market because the take up we've seen has been brisk, and going forward we see very healthy leasing occurring in this properties."
There will be more options, but not necessarily better prices, as experts said despite rising vacancies, rental rates in the suburbs will remain stable at around S$5.50 per square foot this year to 2014.
- CNA/al
- wong chee tat :)
Hillview residential site up for sale by tender
Hillview residential site up for sale by tender
POSTED: 26 Jun 2013 10:45 PM
A freehold residential site in Hillview has been put for sale by tender.
SINGAPORE: A freehold residential site at 1 Jalan Remaja, off Hillview Avenue, has been put for sale by tender.
The site, which is located on elevated ground, has a land area of over 43,500 square feet.
According to its marketing agent DTZ Debenham Tie Leung, the site can be developed into a 10-storey condominium with a maximum gross floor area (GFA) of about 83,600 square feet.
It added that the new development can accommodate about 110 units, if the average apartment size is about 70 square metres.
DTZ's head of investment advisory services and auction, Shaun Poh, said in a statement that "the regular configuration of the site allows the developer to maximise building efficiency and provides design flexibility for a boutique residential development".
The estimated development charge to develop the site for residential use would be approximately S$14.9 million.
As an indication of the potential value of new units on the site, DTZ pointed to recent projects in the area such as Natura@Hillview and The Hillier which have been sold at prices up to S$1,750 per square foot.
The tender will close on July 23 at 3pm.
- CNA/al
- wong chee tat :)
POSTED: 26 Jun 2013 10:45 PM
A freehold residential site in Hillview has been put for sale by tender.
SINGAPORE: A freehold residential site at 1 Jalan Remaja, off Hillview Avenue, has been put for sale by tender.
The site, which is located on elevated ground, has a land area of over 43,500 square feet.
According to its marketing agent DTZ Debenham Tie Leung, the site can be developed into a 10-storey condominium with a maximum gross floor area (GFA) of about 83,600 square feet.
It added that the new development can accommodate about 110 units, if the average apartment size is about 70 square metres.
DTZ's head of investment advisory services and auction, Shaun Poh, said in a statement that "the regular configuration of the site allows the developer to maximise building efficiency and provides design flexibility for a boutique residential development".
The estimated development charge to develop the site for residential use would be approximately S$14.9 million.
As an indication of the potential value of new units on the site, DTZ pointed to recent projects in the area such as Natura@Hillview and The Hillier which have been sold at prices up to S$1,750 per square foot.
The tender will close on July 23 at 3pm.
- CNA/al
- wong chee tat :)
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
One third.
Inspired by the comic strip which I posted yesterday, I decided to modify the contents. :)
Original Comic is here.
- wong chee tat :)
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
H2 GLS programme to yield 14,200 private residential units
H2 GLS programme to yield 14,200 private residential units
POSTED: 25 Jun 2013 11:29 AM
The National Development Ministry said sites identified for the Government Land Sales programme for the second half of 2013 will yield about 14,200 private residential units.
SINGAPORE: The National Development Ministry (MND) said sites identified for the Government Land Sales (GLS) programme for the second half of 2013 will yield about 14,200 private residential units.
This includes 3,300 Executive Condominium (EC) units.
The sites can yield 268,000 square metre (sqm) gross floor area (GFA) of commercial space and 960 hotel rooms.
MND said the supply from the GLS programme, together with projects in the pipeline, will be able to meet the continuing demand for private housing and commercial space.
The Confirmed List contains 10 private residential sites, including five EC sites.
MND said the supply of about 6,000 private residential units (including 2,800 EC units) comes on top of the 100,600 units (including ECs) in the pipeline, of which 39,000 units remained unsold as of the first quarter of 2013.
The government will continue two initiatives that were introduced in the first half of 2013 GLS Programme to encourage more prudent bidding by developers.
First, the batched tender closing date system will be applied on two pairs of sites on the Confirmed List.
The first pair, meant for private residential developments, is located at Upper Serangoon View. The other pair is meant for EC developments and is at Choa Chu Kang Grove.
The sites in each pair are adjacent to each other and are of a similar size and unit yield.
Secondly, developers of EC sites will only be allowed to launch units for sale 15 months from the date of award of the sites or after the physical completion of foundation works, whichever is earlier.
MND said this requirement will be applied on all the EC sites offered in the second half of 2013 GLS Programme.
Also on the Confirmed List is a commercial site at Woodlands Avenue 5.
MND said this will kick-start the development of Woodlands Regional Centre which will anchor the North Coast Innovation Corridor.
This is where more jobs near homes in the north of Singapore are expected to be introduced.
This site will provide 66,000 sqm GFA of office space to meet business needs, and 3,500 sqm GFA of ancillary retail space.
The Reserve List contains 14 private residential sites (including one EC site), one commercial & residential site, one commercial site, one White site and three hotel sites.
These sites can yield about 8,200 private residential units (including 500 EC units), 199,000 sqm GFA of commercial space and 960 hotel rooms.
MND said the hotel site at Victoria Street, which was made available for sale through the Reserve List in November 2012, will be removed from the Reserve List.
This is to facilitate a review of the land use intention for the site.
The three remaining hotel sites at Race Course Road, East Coast Road and Havelock Road will be carried over from the first half of 2013 Reserve List.
The hotel sites have a total estimated yield of 960 rooms.
- CNA/fa
- wong chee tat :)
POSTED: 25 Jun 2013 11:29 AM
The National Development Ministry said sites identified for the Government Land Sales programme for the second half of 2013 will yield about 14,200 private residential units.
SINGAPORE: The National Development Ministry (MND) said sites identified for the Government Land Sales (GLS) programme for the second half of 2013 will yield about 14,200 private residential units.
This includes 3,300 Executive Condominium (EC) units.
The sites can yield 268,000 square metre (sqm) gross floor area (GFA) of commercial space and 960 hotel rooms.
MND said the supply from the GLS programme, together with projects in the pipeline, will be able to meet the continuing demand for private housing and commercial space.
The Confirmed List contains 10 private residential sites, including five EC sites.
MND said the supply of about 6,000 private residential units (including 2,800 EC units) comes on top of the 100,600 units (including ECs) in the pipeline, of which 39,000 units remained unsold as of the first quarter of 2013.
The government will continue two initiatives that were introduced in the first half of 2013 GLS Programme to encourage more prudent bidding by developers.
First, the batched tender closing date system will be applied on two pairs of sites on the Confirmed List.
The first pair, meant for private residential developments, is located at Upper Serangoon View. The other pair is meant for EC developments and is at Choa Chu Kang Grove.
The sites in each pair are adjacent to each other and are of a similar size and unit yield.
Secondly, developers of EC sites will only be allowed to launch units for sale 15 months from the date of award of the sites or after the physical completion of foundation works, whichever is earlier.
MND said this requirement will be applied on all the EC sites offered in the second half of 2013 GLS Programme.
Also on the Confirmed List is a commercial site at Woodlands Avenue 5.
MND said this will kick-start the development of Woodlands Regional Centre which will anchor the North Coast Innovation Corridor.
This is where more jobs near homes in the north of Singapore are expected to be introduced.
This site will provide 66,000 sqm GFA of office space to meet business needs, and 3,500 sqm GFA of ancillary retail space.
The Reserve List contains 14 private residential sites (including one EC site), one commercial & residential site, one commercial site, one White site and three hotel sites.
These sites can yield about 8,200 private residential units (including 500 EC units), 199,000 sqm GFA of commercial space and 960 hotel rooms.
MND said the hotel site at Victoria Street, which was made available for sale through the Reserve List in November 2012, will be removed from the Reserve List.
This is to facilitate a review of the land use intention for the site.
The three remaining hotel sites at Race Course Road, East Coast Road and Havelock Road will be carried over from the first half of 2013 Reserve List.
The hotel sites have a total estimated yield of 960 rooms.
- CNA/fa
- wong chee tat :)
Random Thoughts
Some random thoughts:
I really wonder what will happen if all of the one-third of the staff go bersek at the same time?
I really wonder what is the pointed hair boss's reaction if he is also rated as "does not meet expectations"?
- wong chee tat :)
Monday, June 24, 2013
Singapore's inflation up slightly in May
Singapore's inflation up slightly in May
By Yvonne Chan
POSTED: 24 Jun 2013 1:48 PM
Singapore's headline inflation inched up slightly to 1.6 per cent on-year in May from 1.5 per cent in April.
SINGAPORE: Singapore's headline inflation inched up slightly to 1.6 per cent on-year in May from 1.5 per cent in April.
While car prices declined, it was more than offset by higher contributions from all other major categories.
According to the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), accommodation costs increased 5.1 per cent in May, up from 2.4 per cent in April as the one-off rebates for Housing & Development Board service and conservancy charges was available in April only.
Meanwhile, imputed rentals on owner-occupied accommodation continued to increase, contributing 0.9 percentage point to overall inflation in May.
On the other hand, the cost of private road transport fell for the first time since 2009, declining by 3.7 per cent in May, compared to the 0.5 per cent rise in April.
MAS said this was due to lower Certificate of Entitlement (COE) premiums in April and price adjustments by car dealers following the implementation of motor vehicle related policy measures.
Meanwhile, services inflation rose 2.5 per cent in May from 2.2 per cent in April. This was due mainly to costlier medical treatment and medical insurance as well as a smaller fall in holiday travel cost.
Food prices were up 2.0 per cent in May, slightly stronger than the 1.8 per cent in the preceding month.
MAS said this reflects steeper price increases for both non-cooked food and prepared meals.
In addition, MAS said core inflation, which excludes the costs of accommodation and private road transport, rose to 1.7 per cent in May from 1.4 per cent in April, largely due to steeper increases in services fees and food prices.
Looking ahead, MAS said imported inflation will likely remain subdued this year, given ample supply buffers in the commodity markets.
However, MAS warned that domestic cost pressures are expected to persist amid a tight labour market and cost pass-through to prices of consumer services could also pick up slightly.
As such, MAS said core inflation is expected to rise moderately in the second half of the year and average 1.5 per cent to 2.5 per cent in 2013.
Imputed rentals on owner occupied accommodation will continue to add significantly to CPI-All Items inflation although MAS believes the pace of increase will be slower in the second half of this year, with more private housing units coming on stream.
While COE premiums are expected to fluctuate, its contribution to CPI-All Items inflation is likely to be lower compared to last year.
For 2013, MAS expects CPI-All Items inflation to come in at three per cent to four per cent.
- CNA/fa
- wong chee tat :)
By Yvonne Chan
POSTED: 24 Jun 2013 1:48 PM
Singapore's headline inflation inched up slightly to 1.6 per cent on-year in May from 1.5 per cent in April.
SINGAPORE: Singapore's headline inflation inched up slightly to 1.6 per cent on-year in May from 1.5 per cent in April.
While car prices declined, it was more than offset by higher contributions from all other major categories.
According to the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), accommodation costs increased 5.1 per cent in May, up from 2.4 per cent in April as the one-off rebates for Housing & Development Board service and conservancy charges was available in April only.
Meanwhile, imputed rentals on owner-occupied accommodation continued to increase, contributing 0.9 percentage point to overall inflation in May.
On the other hand, the cost of private road transport fell for the first time since 2009, declining by 3.7 per cent in May, compared to the 0.5 per cent rise in April.
MAS said this was due to lower Certificate of Entitlement (COE) premiums in April and price adjustments by car dealers following the implementation of motor vehicle related policy measures.
Meanwhile, services inflation rose 2.5 per cent in May from 2.2 per cent in April. This was due mainly to costlier medical treatment and medical insurance as well as a smaller fall in holiday travel cost.
Food prices were up 2.0 per cent in May, slightly stronger than the 1.8 per cent in the preceding month.
MAS said this reflects steeper price increases for both non-cooked food and prepared meals.
In addition, MAS said core inflation, which excludes the costs of accommodation and private road transport, rose to 1.7 per cent in May from 1.4 per cent in April, largely due to steeper increases in services fees and food prices.
Looking ahead, MAS said imported inflation will likely remain subdued this year, given ample supply buffers in the commodity markets.
However, MAS warned that domestic cost pressures are expected to persist amid a tight labour market and cost pass-through to prices of consumer services could also pick up slightly.
As such, MAS said core inflation is expected to rise moderately in the second half of the year and average 1.5 per cent to 2.5 per cent in 2013.
Imputed rentals on owner occupied accommodation will continue to add significantly to CPI-All Items inflation although MAS believes the pace of increase will be slower in the second half of this year, with more private housing units coming on stream.
While COE premiums are expected to fluctuate, its contribution to CPI-All Items inflation is likely to be lower compared to last year.
For 2013, MAS expects CPI-All Items inflation to come in at three per cent to four per cent.
- CNA/fa
- wong chee tat :)
Tenders called for government ICT infrastructure services
Tenders called for government ICT infrastructure services
POSTED: 24 Jun 2013 3:50 PM
The government is calling a series of tenders for the provision of government infrastructure services.
SINGAPORE: The government is calling a series of tenders for the provision of government infrastructure services.
This is to provide for a smooth transition before the end of the current Standard ICT Operating Environment (SOE) contract.
The objective of the SOE, launched in 2008, was to consolidate the government's infocomm services into a single environment.
A joint statement by the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Communications and Information, and Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore, said the current SOE contract will expire in February 2016 and there is a need to put new contracts in place to ensure service continuity.
The government will continue to operate in a single environment to enhance Whole-of-Government security, inter-operability and resiliency.
The new tenders are structured to allow greater flexibility so that government agencies have more options to manage their IT infrastructure for optimal efficiency.
The first set of tenders will cover central core infrastructure services, messaging and collaboration services, desktops, notebooks and printers, and agency facilities management.
The remaining tenders will be issued in the months ahead.
- CNA/fa
- wong chee tat :)
POSTED: 24 Jun 2013 3:50 PM
The government is calling a series of tenders for the provision of government infrastructure services.
SINGAPORE: The government is calling a series of tenders for the provision of government infrastructure services.
This is to provide for a smooth transition before the end of the current Standard ICT Operating Environment (SOE) contract.
The objective of the SOE, launched in 2008, was to consolidate the government's infocomm services into a single environment.
A joint statement by the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Communications and Information, and Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore, said the current SOE contract will expire in February 2016 and there is a need to put new contracts in place to ensure service continuity.
The government will continue to operate in a single environment to enhance Whole-of-Government security, inter-operability and resiliency.
The new tenders are structured to allow greater flexibility so that government agencies have more options to manage their IT infrastructure for optimal efficiency.
The first set of tenders will cover central core infrastructure services, messaging and collaboration services, desktops, notebooks and printers, and agency facilities management.
The remaining tenders will be issued in the months ahead.
- CNA/fa
- wong chee tat :)
Work on three DTL2 stations delayed
Work on three DTL2 stations delayed
By Dylan Loh
POSTED: 24 Jun 2013 9:27 PM
Work has stopped on the King Albert Park, Sixth Avenue and Tan Kah Kee stations, after Alpine Bau GmbH, the main contractor, filed for insolvency on June 19.
SINGAPORE: It will take some three to six months for new contractors to resume work on three stations on the upcoming Downtown Line Stage 2 (DTL2).
This is according to the Land Transport Authority (LTA).
Work has stopped on the King Albert Park, Sixth Avenue and Tan Kah Kee stations, after Alpine Bau GmbH, the previous main contractor, filed for insolvency on June 19.
LTA said there are legal and contractual matters to be resolved with the insolvency administrator before the newly-appointed completion contractors can start work.
Measures have been put in place to safeguard the station sites and equipment, which was the immediate priority for authorities.
About half of the total works required for the stations and tunnels has been completed.
LTA said it will work closely with relevant parties to minimise the impact on the completion timeline, and assess if any delays are expected.
Contracts to build the stations were awarded in September 2009, when it was assessed, based on the available financial information then, that Alpine Bau had the financial resources to undertake the projects.
The contracts awarded to Alpine Bau have a total approximate value of S$670.74 million.
Authorities said the events that resulted in the firm's current financial difficulties could not have been anticipated then.
Furthermore, as recent as mid-June this year, just days before Alpine Bau filed for insolvency, the company had given authorities the assurance and underlined its commitment to completing the station and tunnelling works.
Authorities said there had also been no signs of any slowing down of works on site, with works on the three stations in full swing.
- CNA/ms
- wong chee tat :)
By Dylan Loh
POSTED: 24 Jun 2013 9:27 PM
Work has stopped on the King Albert Park, Sixth Avenue and Tan Kah Kee stations, after Alpine Bau GmbH, the main contractor, filed for insolvency on June 19.
SINGAPORE: It will take some three to six months for new contractors to resume work on three stations on the upcoming Downtown Line Stage 2 (DTL2).
This is according to the Land Transport Authority (LTA).
Work has stopped on the King Albert Park, Sixth Avenue and Tan Kah Kee stations, after Alpine Bau GmbH, the previous main contractor, filed for insolvency on June 19.
LTA said there are legal and contractual matters to be resolved with the insolvency administrator before the newly-appointed completion contractors can start work.
Measures have been put in place to safeguard the station sites and equipment, which was the immediate priority for authorities.
About half of the total works required for the stations and tunnels has been completed.
LTA said it will work closely with relevant parties to minimise the impact on the completion timeline, and assess if any delays are expected.
Contracts to build the stations were awarded in September 2009, when it was assessed, based on the available financial information then, that Alpine Bau had the financial resources to undertake the projects.
The contracts awarded to Alpine Bau have a total approximate value of S$670.74 million.
Authorities said the events that resulted in the firm's current financial difficulties could not have been anticipated then.
Furthermore, as recent as mid-June this year, just days before Alpine Bau filed for insolvency, the company had given authorities the assurance and underlined its commitment to completing the station and tunnelling works.
Authorities said there had also been no signs of any slowing down of works on site, with works on the three stations in full swing.
- CNA/ms
- wong chee tat :)
iphone zommed in
Problem:
Encountered an iphone 4 with all the icons "zoomed in". Basically, the screen is zoomed in.
This is because the zoom option under Accessibility is accidentally turned on.
Solutions:
One way is completely shut down and restart and it will revert to its original settings and it will not zoomed in any more.
Triple tap with three fingers will fix the issue.
- wong chee tat :)
Server settings for email for android phones
Server settings for email for android phones
1) Enter domain\username
2) Enter password. This could be the same as your windows login password
3) Enter mail server (mail.something.com or similar)
4) Check Use secure connection (SSL)
5) Accept all SSL certificates
Select Done
It will take some time to verify with the mail server and you will see emails downloading to your phone.
- wong chee tat :)
1) Enter domain\username
2) Enter password. This could be the same as your windows login password
3) Enter mail server (mail.something.com or similar)
4) Check Use secure connection (SSL)
5) Accept all SSL certificates
Select Done
It will take some time to verify with the mail server and you will see emails downloading to your phone.
- wong chee tat :)
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Bernanke Sneezes, Global Markets Catch a Cold
Bernanke Sneezes, Global Markets Catch a Cold
By the Editors Jun 21, 2013 6:00 AM GMT+0800
Stocks worldwide fell after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke’s June 19 statement on U.S. monetary policy. Emerging markets were hit especially hard. The statement, and Bernanke’s comments afterward, shouldn’t have come as a surprise -- so what’s going on? Was the sell-off a meaningless overreaction, or a warning of new financial stresses ahead?
A bit of both. Bernanke said the Fed’s program of quantitative easing would be reduced over the next year or so, and probably ended in 2014 -- so long as the economy continued to strengthen as the Fed expects. He also reiterated his plan to keep short-term interest rates on the floor for longer than that. Again, none of this was unexpected. It would have been shocking if he’d said anything else.
In that sense financial markets overreacted, as they are apt to do. But Bernanke also focused investors’ attention on the challenges of a return to normalcy in global financial conditions -- because that’s what the tapering of QE and the (still distant) prospect of higher short-term interest rates represent. Monetary policy quite rightly went far out on a limb in the aftermath of the recession, and getting off that limb was never going to be easy. Anxiety over this maneuver isn’t misplaced.
For the past several years, central banks, led by the Fed, have provided extraordinary liquidity to global markets, driving down interest rates and leading investors to search far and wide for decent returns. Capital has flowed into emerging markets. As normal prices and valuations are restored, these flows are bound to be partially reversed, and assets whose prices were bid up will get cheaper. The process had already begun; this week it accelerated.
The danger is that the adjustment will be so abrupt that it causes collateral damage, or that asset prices might fluctuate wildly as the market finds equilibrium. It has long been argued that there’d be less volatility if policy makers made their intentions clearer, but at the moment this doesn’t look so plausible. Bernanke has worked hard to provide greater transparency about the Fed’s thinking, and it hasn’t helped.
To paraphrase the bumper sticker, volatility happens, and there’s not much policy makers can do about it. But they can help their economies and financial systems to take these lurches in stride. Here’s the real cause for complaint -- and alarm. Work to strengthen banking systems in advanced and emerging economies alike has barely begun. Financial systems are still seriously undercapitalized, and their capacity to absorb losses is too thin. This makes volatility much more dangerous than it needs to be -- and it’s a vicious circle, because fragile systems are more susceptible to panic, which in turn amplifies the volatility.
In many emerging markets, this danger is compounded by weak and opaque supervision, and by other homegrown policy challenges. Long before sentiment moved further against emerging-market stocks on June 19, investors in China were grappling with signs of a serious slowdown and government moves to slow the supply of credit. India is juggling a limited liberalization of its financial system, a huge current-account deficit and a falling rupee. Emergent middle classes in Brazil, Chile, Russia and Turkey, to name just a few, see their prospects dimming and are demanding action.
Instability in emerging markets -- in financial markets anywhere -- is a given, especially over the next few years. The right thing to ask of governments is greater resilience. That’s within their power to deliver.
To contact the Bloomberg View editorial board: view@bloomberg.net.
- wong chee tat :)
By the Editors Jun 21, 2013 6:00 AM GMT+0800
Stocks worldwide fell after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke’s June 19 statement on U.S. monetary policy. Emerging markets were hit especially hard. The statement, and Bernanke’s comments afterward, shouldn’t have come as a surprise -- so what’s going on? Was the sell-off a meaningless overreaction, or a warning of new financial stresses ahead?
A bit of both. Bernanke said the Fed’s program of quantitative easing would be reduced over the next year or so, and probably ended in 2014 -- so long as the economy continued to strengthen as the Fed expects. He also reiterated his plan to keep short-term interest rates on the floor for longer than that. Again, none of this was unexpected. It would have been shocking if he’d said anything else.
In that sense financial markets overreacted, as they are apt to do. But Bernanke also focused investors’ attention on the challenges of a return to normalcy in global financial conditions -- because that’s what the tapering of QE and the (still distant) prospect of higher short-term interest rates represent. Monetary policy quite rightly went far out on a limb in the aftermath of the recession, and getting off that limb was never going to be easy. Anxiety over this maneuver isn’t misplaced.
For the past several years, central banks, led by the Fed, have provided extraordinary liquidity to global markets, driving down interest rates and leading investors to search far and wide for decent returns. Capital has flowed into emerging markets. As normal prices and valuations are restored, these flows are bound to be partially reversed, and assets whose prices were bid up will get cheaper. The process had already begun; this week it accelerated.
The danger is that the adjustment will be so abrupt that it causes collateral damage, or that asset prices might fluctuate wildly as the market finds equilibrium. It has long been argued that there’d be less volatility if policy makers made their intentions clearer, but at the moment this doesn’t look so plausible. Bernanke has worked hard to provide greater transparency about the Fed’s thinking, and it hasn’t helped.
To paraphrase the bumper sticker, volatility happens, and there’s not much policy makers can do about it. But they can help their economies and financial systems to take these lurches in stride. Here’s the real cause for complaint -- and alarm. Work to strengthen banking systems in advanced and emerging economies alike has barely begun. Financial systems are still seriously undercapitalized, and their capacity to absorb losses is too thin. This makes volatility much more dangerous than it needs to be -- and it’s a vicious circle, because fragile systems are more susceptible to panic, which in turn amplifies the volatility.
In many emerging markets, this danger is compounded by weak and opaque supervision, and by other homegrown policy challenges. Long before sentiment moved further against emerging-market stocks on June 19, investors in China were grappling with signs of a serious slowdown and government moves to slow the supply of credit. India is juggling a limited liberalization of its financial system, a huge current-account deficit and a falling rupee. Emergent middle classes in Brazil, Chile, Russia and Turkey, to name just a few, see their prospects dimming and are demanding action.
Instability in emerging markets -- in financial markets anywhere -- is a given, especially over the next few years. The right thing to ask of governments is greater resilience. That’s within their power to deliver.
To contact the Bloomberg View editorial board: view@bloomberg.net.
- wong chee tat :)
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Microsoft Security Bulletin Summary for June 2013
Microsoft Security Bulletin Summary for June 2013
This bulletin summary lists security bulletins released for June 2013.
With the release of the security bulletins for June 2013, this bulletin summary replaces the bulletin advance notification originally issued June 6, 2013. For more information about the bulletin advance notification service, see Microsoft Security Bulletin Advance Notification.
For information about how to receive automatic notifications whenever Microsoft security bulletins are issued, visit Microsoft Technical Security Notifications.
Microsoft is hosting a webcast to address customer questions on these bulletins on June 12, 2013, at 11:00 AM Pacific Time (US & Canada). Register now for the June Security Bulletin Webcast. After this date, this webcast is available on-demand.
Microsoft also provides information to help customers prioritize monthly security updates with any non-security updates that are being released on the same day as the monthly security updates. Please see the section, Other Information.
For details on affected software, see the next section, Affected Software.
Security Guidance for Update Management provides additional information about Microsoft’s best-practice recommendations for applying security updates.
Obtaining Other Security Updates
Updates for other security issues are available from the following locations:
Learn to improve security and optimize your IT infrastructure, and participate with other IT Pros on security topics in IT Pro Security Community.
MS13-047
- wong chee tat :)
- wong chee tat :)
Published:
Version: 1.0This bulletin summary lists security bulletins released for June 2013.
With the release of the security bulletins for June 2013, this bulletin summary replaces the bulletin advance notification originally issued June 6, 2013. For more information about the bulletin advance notification service, see Microsoft Security Bulletin Advance Notification.
For information about how to receive automatic notifications whenever Microsoft security bulletins are issued, visit Microsoft Technical Security Notifications.
Microsoft is hosting a webcast to address customer questions on these bulletins on June 12, 2013, at 11:00 AM Pacific Time (US & Canada). Register now for the June Security Bulletin Webcast. After this date, this webcast is available on-demand.
Microsoft also provides information to help customers prioritize monthly security updates with any non-security updates that are being released on the same day as the monthly security updates. Please see the section, Other Information.
Bulletin Information
Executive Summaries
For details on affected software, see the next section, Affected Software.
| Bulletin ID | Bulletin Title and Executive Summary | Maximum Severity Rating and Vulnerability Impact | Restart Requirement | Affected Software |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MS13-047 | Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (2838727) This security update resolves nineteen privately reported vulnerabilities in Internet Explorer. The most severe vulnerabilities could allow remote code execution if a user views a specially crafted webpage using Internet Explorer. An attacker who successfully exploited the most severe of these vulnerabilities could gain the same user rights as the current user. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights. | Critical Remote Code Execution | Requires restart | Microsoft Windows, Internet Explorer |
| MS13-048 | Vulnerability in Windows Kernel Could Allow Information Disclosure (2839229) This security update resolves one privately reported vulnerability in Windows. The vulnerability could allow information disclosure if an attacker logs on to a system and runs a specially crafted application or convinces a local, logged-in user to run a specially crafted application. An attacker must have valid logon credentials and be able to log on locally to exploit this vulnerability. Note that this vulnerability would not allow an attacker to execute code or to elevate their user rights directly, but it could be used to produce information that could be used to try to further compromise an affected system. | Important Information Disclosure | Requires restart | Microsoft Windows |
| MS13-049 | Vulnerability in Kernel-Mode Driver Could Allow Denial of Service (2845690) This security update resolves a privately reported vulnerability in Microsoft Windows. The vulnerability could allow denial of service if an attacker sends specially crafted packets to the server. Firewall best practices and standard default firewall configurations can help protect networks from attacks that originate outside the enterprise perimeter. | Important Denial of Service | Requires restart | Microsoft Windows |
| MS13-050 | Vulnerability in Windows Print Spooler Components Could Allow Elevation of Privilege (2839894) This security update resolves a privately reported vulnerability in Microsoft Windows. The vulnerability could allow elevation of privilege when an authenticated attacker deletes a printer connection. An attacker must have valid logon credentials and be able to log on to exploit this vulnerability. | Important Elevation of privilege | Requires restart | Microsoft Windows |
| MS13-051 | Vulnerability in Microsoft Office Could Allow Remote Code Execution (2839571) This security update resolves one privately reported vulnerability in Microsoft Office. The vulnerability could allow remote code execution if a user opens a specially crafted Office document using an affected version of Microsoft Office software, or previews or opens a specially crafted email message in Outlook while using Microsoft Word as the email reader. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could gain the same user rights as the current user. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights. | Important Remote Code Execution | May require restart | Microsoft Office |
Exploitability Index
Affected Software
Detection and Deployment Tools and Guidance
Other Information
Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool
Non-Security Updates on MU, WU, and WSUS
- Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 894199: Description of Software Update Services and Windows Server Update Services changes in content. Includes all Windows content.
- Updates from Past Months for Windows Server Update Services. Displays all new, revised, and rereleased updates for Microsoft products other than Microsoft Windows.
Microsoft Active Protections Program (MAPP)
Security Strategies and Community
Security Guidance for Update Management provides additional information about Microsoft’s best-practice recommendations for applying security updates.
Obtaining Other Security Updates
Updates for other security issues are available from the following locations:
- Security updates are available from Microsoft Download Center. You can find them most easily by doing a keyword search for "security update".
- Updates for consumer platforms are available from Microsoft Update.
- You can obtain the security updates offered this month on Windows Update, from Download Center on Security and Critical Releases ISO CD Image files. For more information, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 913086.
Learn to improve security and optimize your IT infrastructure, and participate with other IT Pros on security topics in IT Pro Security Community.
Acknowledgments
MS13-047
- Scott Bell of Security-Assessment.com for reporting the Internet Explorer Memory Corruption Vulnerability (CVE-2013-3110)
- SkyLined, working with HP's Zero Day Initiative, for reporting the Internet Explorer Memory Corruption Vulnerability (CVE-2013-3111)
- An anonymous researcher, working with HP's Zero Day Initiative, for reporting the Internet Explorer Memory Corruption Vulnerability (CVE-2013-3112)
- Ivan Fratric and Ben Hawkes of the Google Security Team for reporting the Internet Explorer Memory Corruption Vulnerability (CVE-2013-3113)
- Ivan Fratric and Ben Hawkes of the Google Security Team for reporting the Internet Explorer Memory Corruption Vulnerability (CVE-2013-3114)
- Ivan Fratric and Ben Hawkes of the Google Security Team for reporting the Internet Explorer Memory Corruption Vulnerability (CVE-2013-3116)
- Ivan Fratric and Ben Hawkes of the Google Security Team for reporting the Internet Explorer Memory Corruption Vulnerability (CVE-2013-3117)
- Omair, working with HP's Zero Day Initiative, for reporting the Internet Explorer Memory Corruption Vulnerability (CVE-2013-3118)
- Stephen Fewer of Harmony Security, working with HP's Zero Day Initiative, for reporting the Internet Explorer Memory Corruption Vulnerability (CVE-2013-3119)
- SkyLined, working with HP's Zero Day Initiative, for reporting the Internet Explorer Memory Corruption Vulnerability (CVE-2013-3120)
- An anonymous researcher, working with HP's Zero Day Initiative, for reporting the Internet Explorer Memory Corruption Vulnerability (CVE-2013-3121)
- An anonymous researcher, working with HP's Zero Day Initiative, for reporting the Internet Explorer Memory Corruption Vulnerability (CVE-2013-3122)
- Aniway.Anyway@gmail.com, working with HP's Zero Day Initiative, for reporting the Internet Explorer Memory Corruption Vulnerability (CVE-2013-3123)
- Amol Naik and Omair, working with HP's Zero Day Initiative, for reporting the Internet Explorer Memory Corruption Vulnerability (CVE-2013-3124)
- Amol Naik and Omair, working with HP's Zero Day Initiative, for reporting the Internet Explorer Memory Corruption Vulnerability (CVE-2013-3125)
- Aniway.Anyway@gmail.com, working with HP's Zero Day Initiative, for reporting the Internet Explorer Script Debug Vulnerability (CVE-2013-3126)
- An anonymous researcher, working with HP's Zero Day Initiative, for reporting the Internet Explorer Memory Corruption Vulnerability (CVE-2013-3141)
- Toan Pham Van, working with HP's Zero Day Initiative, for reporting the Internet Explorer Memory Corruption Vulnerability (CVE-2013-3142)
- Mateusz "j00ru" Jurczyk of Google Inc for reporting the Kernel Information Disclosure Vulnerability (CVE-2013-3136)
- Andrew Lyons and Neel Mehta of Google Inc for reporting the Office Buffer Overflow Vulnerability (CVE-2013-1331)
Support
- The affected software listed has been tested to determine which versions are affected. Other versions are past their support life cycle. To determine the support life cycle for your software version, visit Microsoft Support Lifecycle.
- Security solutions for IT professionals: TechNet Security Troubleshooting and Support
- Help protect your computer that is running Windows from viruses and malware: Virus Solution and Security Center
- Local support according to your country: International Support
- wong chee tat :)
- wong chee tat :)
System Status
Cleaned and quick re-lay and reorganized network cables.
Fan cleaned! ^^
- wong chee tat :)
Fan cleaned! ^^
- wong chee tat :)
Friday, June 21, 2013
Choices:
Heard this from fren:
To all the guys - Never laugh at your wife's choices. You are one of them.
- wong chee tat :)
To all the guys - Never laugh at your wife's choices. You are one of them.
- wong chee tat :)
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Ugly Duckling Hello Kitty
When to look for this kitty after work and found that the kitty was all sold out. :(
- wong chee tat :)
- wong chee tat :)
Scheduled Maintenance - POSB
Scheduled Maintenance
We are constantly upgrading our systems to bring you a more pleasant
banking experience. During the mentioned period of scheduled
maintenance, some of the services will not be available:
| Service | Scheduled Maintenance Date | Expected Downtime | Remarks |
| iBanking | 22 Jun 2013 | 0100hrs - 0500hrs | System Maintenance
|
| 22 Jun 2013 | 0500hrs to 0800hrs | System Maintenance
|
|
| 22 Jun 2013 | 1100hrs to 1200hrs | System Maintenance
|
|
| 23 Jun 2013 | 0000hrs to 1400hrs | System Maintenance
|
|
| 23 Jun 2013 | 0105hrs to 0130hrs | System Maintenance
|
|
| 23 Jun 2013 | 0105hrs to 1105hrs | System Maintenance
|
|
| 23 Jun 2013 | 1045hrs to 1050hrs | System Maintenance
|
|
| 23 Jun 2013 | 0500hrs to 0530hrs | System Maintenance
|
|
| 07 Jul 2013 | 0336hrs to 0346hrs | System Maintenance
|
|
| 07 Jul 2013 | 0730hrs to 0740hrs | System Maintenance
|
|
| mBanking | - | - | - |
| iB Application | - | - | - |
| iB - Trading Services | 22 Jun 2013 | 1400hrs to 2359hrs | System Maintenance |
| 23 Jun 2013 | 0000hrs to 1100hrs | System Maintenance | |
| D2Pay | - | - | - |
| Phone Banking | - | - | - |
| NETS | - | - | - |
| Passbook Update | - | - | - |
| Automated Teller Machine (ATM) | - | - | - |
| Cash Deposit Machine | - | - | - |
| Coin Deposit Machine | - | - | - |
| Cheque Deposit Machine | - | - | - |
| POSB Print | - | - | - |
| AXS D-Pay | - | - | - |
| Branches and ATMs Locator | - | - | - |
| Token Registration | - | - | - |
| e-Commerce on 3D Secure Websites | - | - | - |
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
The smartcard reader
Note:
There are cases that smartcard reader is too "tight" and you have to use a bit of force to push the smartcard all the way in, so that the hardware reader is in contact with gold contact pad of the smartcard. Otherwise, the software application unable to detect it.
- wong chee tat :)
There are cases that smartcard reader is too "tight" and you have to use a bit of force to push the smartcard all the way in, so that the hardware reader is in contact with gold contact pad of the smartcard. Otherwise, the software application unable to detect it.
- wong chee tat :)
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Monday, June 17, 2013
Installation SAP GUI 730 and BEx Front-End
Installation SAP GUI 730 and BEx Front-End
Installation steps:
- uninstall the Frontend and SAP GUI
Windows --> Start --> Control Panel --> Program and Features --> remove
- SAP Business Explorer
- SAP GUI for Windows 7.x - delete the bw containing folders:
- C:\Program Files (x86)\SAP\Business Explorer\BI
- C:\Program Files (x86)\SAP\FrontEnd\Bw
- C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\SAP Shared\BW - reboot the system
- start the Front-End Installer from Frontend-CD:
- folder: ...\NW_7.0_Presentation\PRES1\GUI\WINDOWS\WIN32\
- file: SetupAll.exe
- select/install ...
[x] SAP GUI for Windows 7.30 (Compilation 1)
[x] Business Explorer
- install latest patch: SAP GUI
- install latest patch: SAP BI AddOn
- wong chee tat :)
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Mate Choice and the Origin of Menopause
Mate Choice and the Origin of Menopause
Abstract
Human menopause is an unsolved evolutionary puzzle, and relationships among the factors that produced it remain understood poorly. Classic theory, involving a one-sex (female) model of human demography, suggests that genes imparting deleterious effects on post-reproductive survival will accumulate. Thus, a ‘death barrier’ should emerge beyond the maximum age for female reproduction. Under this scenario, few women would experience menopause (decreased fertility with continued survival) because few would survive much longer than they reproduced. However, no death barrier is observed in human populations. Subsequent theoretical research has shown that two-sex models, including male fertility at older ages, avoid the death barrier. Here we use a stochastic, two-sex computational model implemented by computer simulation to show how male mating preference for younger females could lead to the accumulation of mutations deleterious to female fertility and thus produce a menopausal period. Our model requires neither the initial assumption of a decline in older female fertility nor the effects of inclusive fitness through which older, non-reproducing women assist in the reproductive efforts of younger women. Our model helps to explain why such effects, observed in many societies, may be insufficient factors in elucidating the origin of menopause.Author Summary
The origin and evolution of menopause is understood poorly and explanations remain contentious. Virtually ignored among explanations is the effect that mate choice can exert on an evolving population. We designed and used a computational model and computer simulation to show that male mating preference for younger females in humans could have led to the accumulation of mutations deleterious to female fertility and thereby produced menopause. Our model demonstrates for the first time that neither an assumption of pre-existing diminished fertility in older women nor a requirement of benefits derived from older, non-reproducing women assisting younger women in rearing children is necessary to explain the origin of menopause.- wong chee tat :)
Study blames men for menopause
Study blames men for menopause
POSTED: 15 Jun 2013 7:44 AM
Men and their preference for younger female mates may have led to the phenomenon of menopause in women, according to a controversial study by Canadian researchers published this week.
WASHINGTON: Men and their preference for younger female mates may have led to the phenomenon of menopause in women, according to a controversial study by Canadian researchers published this week.
"If women were reproducing all along, and there were no preference against older women, women would be reproducing like men are for their whole lives," said evolutionary geneticist Rama Singh, a professor at McMaster University.
Singh said the conventional "grandmother theory," which holds that older women grow infertile so that they can assist the survival of their kin by helping to raise their children's offspring, did not make sense to him.
Instead of age leading to infertility, Singh theorised that the dwindling pool of male mates for older women - because many older men seek to mate with younger women - led to a lack of reproduction that gave rise to menopause.
His work, backed up by computer models, suggests that a male mating preference for younger females could have led to the accumulation of genetic mutations that would harm female fertility and bring on menopause.
The study was published on Thursday in the open-access, peer-reviewed journal PLOS Computational Biology.
But while the assertion raised many eyebrows, not all experts are convinced by Singh, who questioned why menopause appears to be mainly a human phenomenon.
"I cannot agree with the theory put forth," said Steven Goldstein, professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at New York University School of Medicine.
"There are other primates who do experience menopause, although life expectancy after menopause is extremely limited," said Goldstein, who was not involved in the research.
"The same was true of humans until roughly the 1850s. In 1850 the average age of menopause was 46 and life expectancy was 50, which more closely parallels that of chimpanzees or gorillas.
Rather, a more accurate explanation would be that scientific advances like water purification and antibiotics have led to much longer lives among humans, he said.
"The cessation of reproductive capabilities in higher primates has always come shortly before the life span ends. It is only the advances of modern society that have women living so very long," he told AFP.
- AFP/fl
- wong chee tat :)
POSTED: 15 Jun 2013 7:44 AM
Men and their preference for younger female mates may have led to the phenomenon of menopause in women, according to a controversial study by Canadian researchers published this week.
WASHINGTON: Men and their preference for younger female mates may have led to the phenomenon of menopause in women, according to a controversial study by Canadian researchers published this week.
"If women were reproducing all along, and there were no preference against older women, women would be reproducing like men are for their whole lives," said evolutionary geneticist Rama Singh, a professor at McMaster University.
Singh said the conventional "grandmother theory," which holds that older women grow infertile so that they can assist the survival of their kin by helping to raise their children's offspring, did not make sense to him.
Instead of age leading to infertility, Singh theorised that the dwindling pool of male mates for older women - because many older men seek to mate with younger women - led to a lack of reproduction that gave rise to menopause.
His work, backed up by computer models, suggests that a male mating preference for younger females could have led to the accumulation of genetic mutations that would harm female fertility and bring on menopause.
The study was published on Thursday in the open-access, peer-reviewed journal PLOS Computational Biology.
But while the assertion raised many eyebrows, not all experts are convinced by Singh, who questioned why menopause appears to be mainly a human phenomenon.
"I cannot agree with the theory put forth," said Steven Goldstein, professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at New York University School of Medicine.
"There are other primates who do experience menopause, although life expectancy after menopause is extremely limited," said Goldstein, who was not involved in the research.
"The same was true of humans until roughly the 1850s. In 1850 the average age of menopause was 46 and life expectancy was 50, which more closely parallels that of chimpanzees or gorillas.
Rather, a more accurate explanation would be that scientific advances like water purification and antibiotics have led to much longer lives among humans, he said.
"The cessation of reproductive capabilities in higher primates has always come shortly before the life span ends. It is only the advances of modern society that have women living so very long," he told AFP.
- AFP/fl
- wong chee tat :)
JEM attracts more than 10,000 shoppers within first hour of opening
JEM attracts more than 10,000 shoppers within first hour of opening
By Alvina Soh
POSTED: 15 Jun 2013 12:35 PM
The much-awaited opening of suburban mall JEM took place on Saturday morning and attracted more than 10,000 shoppers within an hour of its opening.
SINGAPORE: The much-awaited opening of suburban mall JEM took place on Saturday morning and attracted more than 10,000 shoppers within an hour of its opening.
However, not all shops were shipshape, with some, including retailer Topshop and restaurant Ding Tai Fung, closing in the afternoon due to water leakages, according to their staff.
Plastic bags were seen placed over store mannequins and towels on the floor inside Topshop, barely hours after its opening in the morning.
A sales assistant there also told Channel NewsAsia that the building's aircon was leaking.
Queues were seen snaking outside the mall with some shoppers showing up as early as 5.30am.
The suburban mall finally opened its doors after delaying its opening on June 11 due to the lack of fire permits.
The delay did not discourage shoppers who came from all over the island to throng the 818,000 square feet mall.
One thousand early-bird shoppers also received S$10 vouchers which were quickly put to good use inside the 241-store mall.
Shoppers can also look forward to shops like bookstore Kinokuniya which opened its first branch here in 14 years.
The mall did not open as scheduled early this week after the Singapore Civil Defence Force said it did not receive safety applications for some of the 241 units.
Fire safety certificates are necessary for commercial premises and their units to operate.
- CNA/fa
- wong chee tat :)
By Alvina Soh
POSTED: 15 Jun 2013 12:35 PM
The much-awaited opening of suburban mall JEM took place on Saturday morning and attracted more than 10,000 shoppers within an hour of its opening.
SINGAPORE: The much-awaited opening of suburban mall JEM took place on Saturday morning and attracted more than 10,000 shoppers within an hour of its opening.
However, not all shops were shipshape, with some, including retailer Topshop and restaurant Ding Tai Fung, closing in the afternoon due to water leakages, according to their staff.
Plastic bags were seen placed over store mannequins and towels on the floor inside Topshop, barely hours after its opening in the morning.
A sales assistant there also told Channel NewsAsia that the building's aircon was leaking.
Queues were seen snaking outside the mall with some shoppers showing up as early as 5.30am.
The suburban mall finally opened its doors after delaying its opening on June 11 due to the lack of fire permits.
The delay did not discourage shoppers who came from all over the island to throng the 818,000 square feet mall.
One thousand early-bird shoppers also received S$10 vouchers which were quickly put to good use inside the 241-store mall.
Shoppers can also look forward to shops like bookstore Kinokuniya which opened its first branch here in 14 years.
The mall did not open as scheduled early this week after the Singapore Civil Defence Force said it did not receive safety applications for some of the 241 units.
Fire safety certificates are necessary for commercial premises and their units to operate.
- CNA/fa
- wong chee tat :)
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