Heh. Seeing this youtube, "LOST: What Will Happen Next? / LOST - Answers?! (Song parody)" makes me realize how much I miss getting hooked (and puzzled) to this TV series, LOST.
The Importance of Being Trivial: In Search of the Perfect Fact. Written by Mark Mason, this non fiction book is a real fun. Still reading...
This has to be the best reason not to tune to 987FM. Seriously. She should not be allowed on radio!
Though, it sure adds to publicity (albeit a bad one) to 987FM. The ridiculous news about Ris Low being late to her own radio show has made it to MSN Entertainment, "HAVE YOUR SAY: Beauty queen late for her own radio show".If you tuned into the Shan & Rozz Show on MediaCorp's 987FM on Monday evening you would have heard Ris Low, the former beauty queen.
Not as a guest - but as a radio DJ. Yes, the girl who coined words like "boomz" and "shingz" is apparently now putting her extensive vocabulary to good use on air.
Now, if only she could turn up on time for work. Ms Low was two hours late for the Shan, Rozz & Ris show on Monday. Her reason: "I was at the hair salon and ... blame it on the rain, it was so good for sleeping!"
Ms Low, who is no stranger to controversy, later went on to say that while she liked Mr Wee (Shan), she thought Ms Lee (Rozz) - who was sitting in front of her - was "not nice" and unfriendly. Talk about starting off on the wrong foot.
Then again, this is one girl who has done pretty much everything in the Big Book Of Wrong Things To Do (credit card fraud, using vulgarities on her blog, etc) and made headlines for all the wrong reasons (remember her performance as a condom ad spokeswoman, being molested at Park Mall).
So why is she on radio?
TODAY asked 987FM's senior creative director, Georgina Chang, who said: "She seems to evoke a very strong reaction from Singaporeans and the last time Shan and Rozz interviewed her, that stirred a lot of interest. I see it as a good way to pep up the evening show."
In fact, she pepped things up even before going on air, with netizens responding in force on various online forums. There have been hundreds of postings about her debut, both good and bad, and even a Facebook page, "Ris Low Is Awesome. She Makes Me Look Smart".
"Is it legal to air such bad English?" Benjamin Seah posted. "She is high Ris(k) for radio, this is a new Low," posted Yu Ren Jie.
"I think Ris will add a lot of fun to the show! Her choice of words are so funny!" commented jemsified.
Ms Chang noted: "We've had a lot of people reacting strongly to the news and people claim they're not going tune in, but I know that people will tune in anyway ... even if it's just to find more things to complain about."
And what did Ms Low have to say about this brouhaha?
"I'm sure to bring more people to tune in to 987FM. I'm comfortable but I'm not sure about them. I'm settling down pretty well," said Ms Low.
Still, turning up late for a radio show that you are supposed to DJ, bad mouthing your colleagues to their face ... I've a feeling she's not going to last the week. And then we'll see who has the last laugh.
From Channel NewsAsia, "Ris Low on radio - What gives?".
The Castle Green Condominium management committee has been pasting lists of residents' names on notice boards next to letter-boxes and in lifts at the blocks where they live, including the amounts - ranging from over $1,000 to $10,000 - they owed. Man, when I read about it from Straits Times, the first question comes to my mind: is it defamation if the announcement is only about facts??? I don't think so.
Nevertheless I think the management committee of this The Castle Green condo might better be saying goodbye very soon. I don't think their action of naming (and shaming) the inconsiderate, lazy debtors is a popular one. It's right, alright. But ain't popular.A CONDOMINIUM in Yio Chu Kang has resorted to publicly naming residents who are late in paying their maintenance fees, in what is seen as the infamous 'Owe$Pay$' tactic being used by loan sharks.
The Castle Green Condominium management committee has been pasting lists of residents' names on notice boards next to letter-boxes and in lifts at the blocks where they live, including the amounts - ranging from over $1,000 to $10,000 - they owed, reported The New Paper on Tuesday.
Next to each list is a notice warning that legal action may be taken against those who fail to pay up the late monthly maintenance fee, which is about $700 every quarter for residents in the 664-unit condo along Yio Chu Kang Road. Owners of bigger units have to pay more.
From Straits Times, "Name and shame".
Don't you just love the lousy scams?! Heh. This asshole claims to be an auditor in Europe & yet sent the email using a 'tw' domain (I believe it's Taiwan) email. From: skwang (skwang@isu.edu.tw)
Medium riskYou may not know this sender.Mark as safe|Mark as junk
Sent: Mon 3/29/10 7:01 PM
To: gg.caparros@hotmail.com
Greetings to you,
I am George Caparros an external financial auditor in Europe. I got your e-mail address through private internet search.
I have sufficient information enough to claim out over Ten Million Dollars from a Bank if only you will stand as next of kin to one of our deceased customer who died without a wil.
I have my reasons for contacting you personally in this deal if not I can handle it alone; but in my next email I will explain why I need your assistance.
Do not worry yourself on how this will be done, I have studied the transaction and I have the master plan.
This transaction is hundred percent legal, no risk, but has to be confidential, no third party communication
If you are interested and want to learn how this will be done, kindly respond with your full name, age and private cell phone number, upon receipt I will send you a detailed email on how to achieve this goal.
Best Regards
George Caparros
Oh yes. If ever I succumb to the pressure of Life & choose to be an ostrich & hide my head within the ground of despair, I'll remember the above image & remember how cool--no, alive--it is to live a life spiced up with adversity. :)
They claim themselves to be 'reporters without borders'. Not 'within', but 'without'. Giving a false impression that they influence many countries without affected of any borders.
Right.
Whoever they are (no matter how grandiose they perceive themselves to be), they are getting too much when issuing an open letter to Singapore PM Lee Hsien Loong to stop libel actions against the foreign media.
These 'reporters without borders' have weakened their position. If they do dare to report facts, they should not be deterred of any libel actions by any government. They should persistently fight all the way (to bankruptcy if needs come to be. Because Fact is the most significant thing in Life, isn't it?!).
'Reporters without borders'. Maybe they have no borders as no countries want to be associated with these 'reporters'. Yeah, that's one way to see it...INTERNATIONAL media watchdog Reporters Without Borders has written an open letter to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong calling for a halt to libel actions by him and government leaders against the foreign media.
In the March 25 letter, secretary-general Jean-Francois Julliard cited recent cases in which leaders took court action against foreign publications, and referred to this week's apology from the International Herald Tribune (IHT) to three leaders for an article which implied that PM Lee got his job on account of his father, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew.
The letter, also posted on the group's website, began by noting that a foreign newspaper 'has yet again been forced to apologise to you and your father and pay you a large sum of money for publishing an article you did not like'.
This was a reference to an article titled All In The Family, written by op-ed page contributor Philip Bowring, a Hong Kong-based journalist and former editor of the Far Eastern Economic Review. It referred to Singapore as being among the countries in Asia which practised 'dynastic politics'.
Singapore's three leaders - PM Lee, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong and MM Lee - demanded an apology, damages and costs.
The article was published online and in the paper on Feb 15 and 16 this year.
From Straits Times, "Stop libel actions".Media rights watchdog Reporters Without Borders has urged Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, his father Lee Kuan Yew and other top officials to stop taking "libel actions" against journalists.
RSF secretary general Jean-Francois Julliard wrote an "open letter" to the Singapore leader Thursday asking for a meeting about the group's observations and proposals "for guaranteeing press freedom" in the affluent city-state.
His letter followed an apology and payment of damages by the New York Times Company to the Lees and former prime minister Goh Chok Tong over an allegedly defamatory article.
"A foreign news organisation has yet again been forced to apologise to you and your father and pay you a large sum of money for publishing an article you did not like," Julliard said.
He urged the government to "put a stop to the libel actions" being taken against journalists.
The New York Times Company on Wednesday issued an apology to the Lees and Goh over an article about political dynasties it published in February in its global edition, the International Herald Tribune (IHT).
The article, entitled "All In The Family", was written by Hong Kong-based columnist Philip Bowring.
Davinder Singh, a lawyer for the three men, said the New York Times Company and Bowring would pay damages totalling 160,000 Singapore dollars (114,000 US) to the leaders, who said their reputations had been sullied by the article.
An apology that appeared in the IHT's Wednesday edition said the article may have implied that the younger Lee did not get his job on merit.
Singapore's leaders have won hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages in defamation cases against critics and foreign publications.
The leaders have defended their actions as necessary to protect their reputations from unfounded attacks.
"Freedom of expression is not a source of political unrest. Quite the contrary," said Julliard, who proposed a meeting with the prime minister.
"We have no comment," the prime minister's press secretary Chen Huai Liang said in response to an AFP query.
Last year, Hong Kong-based Far Eastern Economic Review and its editor paid more than 400,000 dollars to settle a defamation suit filed by Prime Minister Lee and the elder Lee, the founding father of modern Singapore.
A Wall Street Journal senior editor was fined 10,000 Singapore dollars in March 2009 for contempt of court over three articles that were ruled to have insulted the city-state's judiciary.
From MY.sinchew.com, "Stop suing journalists: RSF tells Singapore leaders".rime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
Prime Minister’s Office
Orchard Road
Istana
Singapore 238823
Paris, 25 March 2010
Dear Prime Minister,
A foreign news organisation has yet again been forced to apologise to you and your father and pay you a large sum of money for publishing an article you did not like. This time it is the New York Times Co. that is a victim of this double punishment because of a compliant judicial system that always rules in favour of you and your family in all the lawsuits you bring against foreign news media.
Before the New York Times Co., you succeeded in punishing the Far Eastern Economic Review (FEER), FinanceAsia.com, The Economist, International Herald Tribune and Asian Wall Street Journal for their coverage of the political and economic situation in your country.
Threatened by a trial, the New York Times Co. apologised to you and your father, Lee Kuan Yew, for the article “All in the Family,” written by Philip Bowring and published in the 15 February issue of the International Herald Tribune. As well as an apology, this US media company had to pay 114,000 US dollars in damages.
Your lawyer, Davinder Singh, said Bowring’s article violated an “agreement” between your family and the International Herald Tribune, which was sentenced in 1994 to pay a large sum in damages for an article entitled “The claims about Asian values don’t usually bear scrutiny.”
The now defunct Far Eastern Economic Review agreed last November, after a long legal wrangle, to pay you and your father 290,000 US dollars in damages. Despite a lack of evidence, Singaporean judges ruled in favour of your family both in the original trial and on appeal without a thought for media freedom.
Reporters Without Borders condemns the judicial harassment which you and your father have practiced for years in order to prevent foreign news media from taking too close an interest in how you run your country. It does serious and lasting harm to press freedom in Singapore.
Your government has repeatedly displayed a disturbing inability to tolerate foreign journalists. Last October, for example, Ben Bland, a British freelancer who strings for The Economist and The Daily Telegraph, was denied a visa and permission to cover an APEC summit in Singapore. “I was forced to leave Singapore after the government refused to renew my work visa without any explanation,” Bland told Reporters Without Borders.
But the censorship has above all affected local media and local artistic production. In October 2009, for example, the ministry of information, communication and arts upheld a ban on a documentary by Singaporean filmmaker Martyn See about government opponent Said Zahari. Watch the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOI2...
In response to the publication of the Reporters Without Borders 2009 press freedom index, in which Singapore was ranked 133rd out of 175 countries, your law minister, K. Shanmugam, described it as “absurd” and “disconnected from reality.”
Unfortunately, the facts show that we are right.
In the six years since you became prime minister and said you favoured an “open” society, we have seen very few improvements in the situation of free speech.
We therefore think your government should take the following measures as a matter of urgency:
1. Put a stop to the libel actions which you and your relatives have been bringing against Singaporean and foreign media that cover Singaporean developments in an independent manner. As the UN special rapporteur for freedom of expression recently said, the prime minister, his minister and high officials must refrain from suing journalists over their articles and comments.
2. Amend the criminal code so as to abolish prison sentences for press offences.
3. Amend the press law, especially the articles concerning the granting of publication licences. The current restrictions are preventing the emergence of independent media. The film law should also be relaxed.
4. Reform the national security law so as to abolish administrative detention, which allows the authorities to imprison people because of what they think.
5. Reform the Media Development Authority so that it is no longer able to censor and can solely make recommendations about TV programmes and films.
6. Allow government opponents and civil society representatives unrestricted access to the public media.
7. Guarantee the editorial independence of all the media owned by Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) and Media Corporation of Singapore (Mediacorp).
8. Transfer the money that your family has obtained in damages from foreign and Singaporean news media to a support fund for imprisoned journalists that Reporters Without Borders proposes to set up.
We regret that you, the members of your government and your father keep citing the need to guarantee Singapore’s stability as grounds for controlling the media and maintaining its draconian laws. Countries that show the most respect for press freedom, such as Finland and Norway, are peaceful and prosperous democracies. Freedom of expression is not a source of political unrest. Quite the contrary.
You have perpetuated your father’s legacy by continuing to harass and intimidate news media. As a result, aside from a few websites specialising in Singapore, no news outlet can publish independent news and information about issues affecting the political situation in your country.
We would be very honoured to be able to meet with you in order to talk about our observations and our proposals for guaranteeing press freedom in Singapore in person.
Respectfully,
Jean-François Julliard
Secretary-General
From Reporters Without Borders, "Open letter to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong".
Sounds a good deal for me. But sure will need more details especially on the pricing...MOVIE buffs will be able to download the latest DVD releases - legally - later this year, the first time such a service is available in Singapore.
The service will be offered by local company Innoform, which owns the home video distribution rights in Singapore for movies from studios such as Warner Home Video, 20th Century Fox and Shaw, among others.
The company said it is working on two services: One will allow users with a high-speed broadband connection to stream high-definition movies onto their computers for viewing, while the other lets them pick up movies from 20 kiosks around the island.
From Straits Times, "Legal DVD downloads".
Update: more search on 'Innoform' leads me to this old piece of news (in 2008) about how Innoform had allegedly infringed the composers' rights?! Is that the same Innoform? And how come there's no follow-up news about the case???THEY are singing a different song.
No, not the patrons in karaoke lounges (KTV), but the parties tussling over music royalties.
For KTV operators, it's a song sung blue, as they have been told they must pay composers for the right to copy their compositions on to their karaoke-on-demand (KOD) systems.
Not fair, they cry. We are already paying for the rights to use these songs.
So upset were they that 40 pub operators and suppliers of KOD systems marched into the Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) two days ago.
They wanted to lodge a complaint against Innoform Entertainment, a licensing agency which sold them the rights to copy 'music videos' into their KOD systems.
They had understood that the licence they bought from Innoform included the composer's rights, which they were now being asked to pay for.
The sheer number of complainants caused CAD to move them to an indoor basketball court in the Police Cantonment Complex before hearing their complaints.
The problem began when the Composers and Authors Society of Singapore (Compass) sent a letter to about 300 KTV pub operators on 24 July.
'NO LEGAL PERMISSION'
It informed them that they did not have legal permission to copy the music and lyrics of composers into the KOD devices - computerised karaoke systems used by the KTV industry since 2003.
Compass wanted compensation of behalf of composers represented by four companies - Sony Music Publishing, Suwah Records, Touch Music Publishing and HIM International Music.
But the pub operators had assumed their annual payments to Innoform had covered composer royalties.
They were upset that the song CDs provided by Innoform had infringed the composers' rights and left them vulnerable to possible court action by Compass as a result.
Innoform collects $6,800 to $30,000 in annual KOD licence fees from each KTV operator, depending on their scale of operations.
The licence allows the operators to copy 'music videos' owned by 10 record companies, for which Innoform is the exclusive licensee.
They claimed that it is a common understanding in the karaoke industry that music and lyrics rights are included in the term 'music videos'.
One KOD supplier who wanted to remain anonymous, said it was like 'buying a 3-in-1 coffee only to find out later that you need to pay extra for the milk'.
Responding to the dispute, Innoform executive director Nancy Seah, 40, said Innoform had made it clear that their licence is limited to the rights owned by record companies over the visuals and sound recordings done by their artistes.
She said Innoform's contract with KTV operators mention that lyrics were not included in the 'music videos' sold by Innoform.
For example, the music for a song by Stefanie Sun might belong to a record company, but the lyrics might belong to a publishing company, she said.
Therefore, a KTV operator may need to pay different licensing agencies such as Compass and Innoform for the rights to a single song.
She said KTV operators should have understood that they need to pay for various rights or sought legal advice before setting up a KTV pub.
But most KTV operators interviewed were unsure as to the number of rights they had to pay for, and felt misled by Innoform.
According to them, the CAD was looking into the matter.
Mr Kelvin Lim, 29, who owns Raining Bar, said he was shocked Compass was asking for more money.
'We just want to know why we have to pay so much,' he said.
Annually, he pays $3,000 to Compass for music composition performance rights, $4,000 to Recording Industry Performance Singapore (RIPS) for music video performance rights and $7,000 a year to Innoform for reproduction rights for the KOD system.
'NOT CLEAR'
Mr Lim Chong Ping, 36, managing director of Octopus Holdings, a F&B investment company that manages 70 outlets, said: 'There is no clear definition of who owns what type of rights, nor what the rights are that pub operators need to buy.
'Paying for these rights is fair, but an operator would rather pay a single party at a fair price instead of paying multiple parties at a price that is set arbitrarily.'
He said the average KTV pub uses 20 to 30 per cent of their profits on copyright fees.
Compass licensing manager Melvin Tan said composers' rights have to be taken care of and he had sent the letters to inform pub owners that there are rights they have yet to pay for.
He said there are scenarios where rights belong to different parties but 'Compass's role is specific to the composers'.
'Composers give birth to the song, they are its soul and spirit,' he said.
Mr Tan said Innoform also needed to pay Compass and that it had already approached Compass for talks.
He said he could not determine how much extra copyright dues Compass has to collect.
Initial estimates are $3 per song.
From Asiaone, "Why must we pay & pay?". (17/08/2008)
Dubbed by media as 'BEDOK TWIN TRAGEDY' we are reminded how easy it is to kill ourselves or our loved one without little regard to the feeling of those we leave behind.
The tragedy has a 34-year-old woman (Madam Tan Bee Chan) killed with stab wounds, her 38-year-old husband (Teng Chu Leong) fell to death and their 2 children left with no parents.
Still no clue about what had gone terribly wrong there. I hope the two orphans will be taken care (by the husband's sister in law?).A DOUBLE tragedy in Bedok North Road yesterday left a young Malaysian couple dead and their two children orphaned.
The bodies of husband and wife, who were heard having an argument earlier, were found in separate places at Block 75, Bedok North Road.
The woman, 34, was found dead with stab wounds at the 12th floor lift landing, while her 38-year-old husband's body was discovered at the foot of the block.
A knife with bloodstains was recovered from a lift at the 12th floor.
The tragic events unfolded shortly before 6.40pm, when police were informed that the motionless body of a man had been found at the bottom of the block.
When The Straits Times visited the scene around 9pm yesterday, the police were leading a woman and two children out of the lift.
From Straits Times, "Couple found dead".A man and a woman were found dead in Bedok on Thursday evening.
The 38—year—old man was found lying at the foot of Block 75, Bedok North Road. SCDF paramedics pronounced him dead at about 6.40pm. Police said he appeared to have suffered multiple injuries.
The 34—year—old woman, who was found lying motionless on the 12th floor of the lift lobby in the same block, was also pronounced dead. Police said she appeared to have suffered stab wounds.
A knife with bloodstains was recovered from the lift at the 12th floor.
Preliminary investigations revealed that both deceased were husband and wife.
Police have classified the case as unnatural deaths and investigations are ongoing.
Residents told MediaCorp that they heard people shouting and crying at about 6.30pm.
Mr Fakir Hussein said: "I live in the opposite block and saw the woman in a yellow top shouting with two children."
Another resident who lives on the same 13th floor as the deceased, said he heard the woman and the children shouting and crying.
Others said they heard a loud thud when the man fell. He is believed to have hit the covered walkway, which had a dent on its roof.
From Yahoo! News, "Husband & wife found dead in Bedok".JUST moments before he plunged 12 storeys to his death from a Bedok North flat, Malaysian Teng Chu Leong called his sister-in-law.
The call was to utter what may have been his last words: 'Take care of the children.'
Moments later, the 38-year-old's body was found at the foot of Block 75, Bedok North Road.
The body of his wife, Madam Tan Bee Chan, 34, was also discovered, with stab wounds, at the 12th-floor lift landing of the same block - barely a metre from where her husband is said to have fallen from. Madam Tan, also a Malaysian, had worked in Singapore as a shop assistant at a video shop.
A bloodstained knife was recovered from the lift at the 12th floor.
Apart from a blood-smeared handprint on a 12th-floor parapet ledge, little, if any clues, emerged yesterday as to what might have led to the tragic double death the day before.
From Straits Times, "'Take care of the children'".
I really mean it!
Hollyho1989 has appealed to 10 million people to donate her 10 cents each & she's on her way to be a millionaire. Her problem, though, is that she seems unable to face the media. As soon as her story printed in STOMP (to which she's actually be thankful for the additional--and free--publicity), she takes out her YouTube video. In other website, Dailymotion, her video there has also been removed.
Hollyho1989's quest to be a millionaire--without working--is not working because she doesn't have the mindset of being a millionaire. Or the courage. Hollyho1989 should just persevere amidst the nasty comments (mostly in YouTube, I guess they are from those who are jealous as they did not come up with that creative idea themselves in the first place) & reap eventually her $1 million.
For every 100 angry netizens, there is always one who is willing to part from his/her 10 cents. 
A SINGAPOREAN beauty is asking her compatriots for a 10-cent donation each - and hopes to become a millionaire within a year, reported Sin Chew Daily.
The 21-year-old woman known as Holly made her intention known through a self-recorded video clip posted on YouTube last week.
In the clip, Holly said she was unemployed and did not wish to work either.
She hoped Singaporeans would help realise her dream of becoming a millionaire by the time she turns 22.
Holly even read out her bank account number in the clip.
She, however, did not reveal how she will repay her donors' "kindness".
Her action was widely condemned by online users.
Some censured her for trying to "reap the fruits without sowing the seeds", while others suggested that she undergo a psychiatric check-up.
From Asiaone, "S'porean's novel 10-cent way to becoming a millionaire".This local girl aims to make a million bucks in just a year. Her plan? Get people -10,000,000 of them - to each give her ten cents. The 21-year-old blithely says she has no occupation because she 'doesn't want to work'.
The girl, nicknamed 'hollyho1989', does not appear to offer anything in exchange for the money. According to a poster sent by STOMPer Joshii, the girl simply hopes people will be 'nice' and give her the money.
She even provides her bank account number so that people can transfer the money to her.
STOMP followed the link on the poster and found that her account was started just a week ago. Thus far she has not uploaded any videos and she has no recent activity on her account.
From STOMP, "S'pore girl wants people to be 'nice' and give her $1m for no reason".
Wage increases must come with increased productivity, Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong stated. No duh...Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong said wage increases must come with increased productivity.
He added that the National Wages Council, which makes the annual wage recommendations in May, is also mindful of this.
He was addressing comments made at a tripartism forum on Friday. The forum heard concerns about productivity putting pressure on wage costs.
Tony Chew, chairman of the Singapore Business Federation, said when workers go for training to help increase their productivity, companies face manpower shortage and trained workers would demand higher wages.
But Mr Gan stressed that any wage increase must be accompanied by productivity gains.
He said: "If we keep on increasing wages without actual improvement in productivity, we will lose our cost competitiveness and it will not be sustainable in the long term. So we need to watch wages, wage costs, at the same time watch the productivity improvements. Both of them have to be in line."
Even though companies want to keep wages affordable, it is important to share productivity gains with workers.
Philip Overmyer, chief executive, Singapore International Chamber of Commerce said: "In the process of improving productivity, the company sees higher output because of the improved productivity. And most good companies recognise that you have to share the amount of benefits that goes to the company and the benefits that goes to the employee, who of course have developed better skills."
However, gains from productivity improvements may not necessarily lead to higher wages, and could be in the form of a productivity bonus. One company offering this is SIA Engineering.
Lim Swee Say, secretary-general, NTUC said: "Phase one of the operation, they saved S$10 million. Now the next question is what happens to this savings.
"So the union and management came to an agreement that 24 to 33 per cent of the savings will be shared with the workers in the form of a quarterly productivity bonus, and their target is to save S$50 million a year by the end of this year.
"If they can achieve that, then the quarterly productivity bonus for the workers could be as much as S$1,000 per quarter."
The tripartite partners also agree that management must take the lead in enhancing productivity. Managers must also attend training to improve work processes.
From Channel NewsAsia, "Wage increases must come with increased productivity: Gan Kim Yong".
This Lady Joan Presley is married to a dead man. A 'royalty' at that. What a scam...Here writes Lady Joan Presley, suffering from cancerous ailment. I am married to Sir Alex Presley, an English man who is dead. My husband Was into private practice all his life before his death. Our life together as Man and wife lasted for three decades without a child. My husband died after A protracted illness. My husband and I made a vow and promise to uplift the Down-trodden and the less-privileged individuals as he had passion for Persons who cannot help themselves due to physical disability or financial Predicament, I can adduce this to the fact that he needed a Child from this Relationship, which never came.When my late husband was alive, he deposited the sum of Four Million. Eight Hundred Pounds (4,800,000.00 Million Great Britain Pounds Sterling) which were derived from His vast estates and investment in capital market with his Bank here in UK .
Presently, this money is still with the Bank and most recently, my Doctor had Told me that I have limited days on earth to live due to the cancerous Problems I am suffered for years. Though what bothers me most is the stroke That I have in addition to the cancer. With this hard reality that has Befallen my beloved family, I have decided to donate this funds to you and Want you to use this gift which comes from my husbands effort to fund the Upkeep of widows, widowers, orphans, destitute, the down-trodden, physically Challenged children, barren-women and persons who prove to be genuinely Handicapped financially.
I took this decision because I do not have any child of my own that will Inherit this money and my husband relatives are bourgeois and very wealthy Persons and I do not want my husband hard earned money to be misused or Invested into ill perceived ventures. I do not want this money to be misused Hence the reason for taking this bold decision. I am not afraid of death Because I know where I am going. I do not need any telephone communication in This regard due to my deteriorating health and because of the presence of my Husband relatives around me. I do not want them to know about this Development Please.
I will also issue you a Letter of Authority that will empower you as the Original beneficiary of this fund. My happiness is that I lived a life worthy Of emulation. Please always be prayerful all through your life. Please assure me that you will act just as I have stated herein. Hope to hear from you soon and God bless you and members of your family. You can contact me through my private email address:joanpresley01@googlemail.com
Hope to hear from you soon.
You can contact me through this email address:joanpresley01@googlemail.com
Lady Joan Presley.
It was reported that Master Hui Jie's predictions came true after Jack Neo's scandalous affair with a 22-year-old model was made public. The question is were the predictions made before the sex scandal was known? I don't know about you, but for me it seems that nowhere in the report it is said that the fengshui master had publicly predicted the misfortune (and announced his calculations based on Neo's date of birth & the 8 characters of Chinese horoscope) before everyone else did know about the scandal.
The power of hindsight is absolute. And so is that of twisted logic.A famous fengshui master has given advice on how Jack Neo can resolve his personal crisis and avoid more scandals.
Master Hui Jie told Shin Min Daily News that according to calculations based on Neo's date of birth and the 8 characters of the Chinese horoscope, Neo's fortune started to decline from April 2009 and this will continue until 2011.
The fengshui master's predictions came true after Jack Neo's scandalous affair with a 22-year-old model was made public.
He must resolve his personal crisis by May 5, or else he may not be able to undo the calamities that have occurred.
In order to resolve this, Master Hui Jie's advice was for Neo to install a miniature fountain or a fish pond in his house.
From Asiaone, "Fengshui master offers advice to Jack Neo on how to resolve scandals".
Can hardly wait...=) Just realized I have missed most of the festival. The last one I posted was only for the 20th Singapore International Film Festival. =(The Singapore International Film Festival kicks off next month. The S$500,000 festival will showcase close to 200 films from over all over the world.
It's one of the most anticipated festivals for movie buffs in Singapore. Now in its 23rd year, the Singapore International Film Festival is back with a wide selection of films.
One of the highlights is a film called "Shake Hands With the Devil", a sad tale about the struggles in Rwanda seen through the eyes of a U.N peacekeeper.
Meanwhile Park Jin Pyo's latest effort, Closer To Heaven will also be showcased.
And setting the tone for the festival is the film, "Mao's Last Dancer". It's about a dancer from China who defects to the US and eventually becomes a principal dancer for the Houston Ballet. It stars one of Asia's most established actresses, Joan Chen.
This year's festival includes special segments on Dance, Women in Film as well as cutting edge flicks from New York.
Kirpal Singh, festival director, Singapore International Film Festival, said: "We are showing films that have very broad appeal and will reach out to both the general viewership as well as the niche film going public.”
When it comes to censorship, organisers said they have had meetings with the authorities and have been pro-actively persuading them to give more leeway.
Majority of the films have been passed while some are still in consideration.
Geoff Malone, chairman & founder, SIFF, said: "We don't show films if they want cuts for it but I don't think we've got anything hugely controversial. Of course with the Board of Film Censors, the whole thing has opened up a lot more these days, it certainly got a lot better than when we first started the festival. Singapore's come a long way."
Festival Director Kirpal Singh added: "We've had meetings with people in the MDA. We have also been very pro active in trying to persuade them that it is time that the Singapore Film Festival became like every other big international film festival.
“This means that films that have to go through the usual process of censorship are actually submitted for viewing but are given more leeway in their screening so that Singaporeans can also proudly walk anywhere in New York or Paris or London and say that these days even the Singapore Film Festival is liberal and shows films now that weren’t allowed five years ago.”
And it's not long before the festival kicks off from April 15 to 24.
From Channel NewsAsia, "23rd S'pore Int'l Film Festival to take place from April 15-24".THIS year's Singapore International Film Festival will see an emphasis on 'classical' values of film-making in its programming, says first-time festival director, academic and poet Kirpal Singh, 61.
The festival's board is trying to win untapped audiences, especially among teens and tertiary students. 'We have something for the young and the old, something for someone who wants more familiarity. We want to make sure we don't just cover extremes,' says Dr Singh.
He preferred to call the inclusion of more tried-and-tested fare an 'evolution' in programming, rather a departure from past practice.
Last year, for example, six films were withdrawn from the festival over film classification issues relating to religious and homosexual themes, language and images. Roughly the same number have been withdrawn in previous years.
Films which provoke for provocation's sake have been excluded from this year's programme, in favour of films which deal with sensitive issues in a 'powerful, compelling mode', he says.
Dr Singh says he does not expect films on the list this year to run afoul of the Board of Film Censors (BFC), Media Development Authority (MDA).
From Straits Times, "Less is more at film fest".Last year was a tough time for the Singapore International Film Festival (SIFF). But like the themes of optimism and hope that are found in this year's selection of movies, the team behind it are looking at the brighter side of things.
According to founder Geoff Malone, the 23rd edition of the festival, which runs from April 15 to 24, will be "business as usual".
The Siff has undergone radical changes in recent months.
The successful 2009 edition was later overshadowed by the controversial departures of three key members last July: Its two new festival co-directors, Zhang Wenjie and Yuni Hadi, and board member Jasmine Ng, who cited differences with remaining board members Malone and Philip Cheah.
Last November, poet and educator Kirpal Singh and Audrey Wong were appointed new board member and festival manager, respectively.
There will always be challenges in setting up a festival but they've "now got an excellent team", said Singh.
The festival will comprise some 200 films from 36 countries, including 18 Asian premieres and 12 world premieres.
Among the films included are The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, which is based on the novel by the late Swedish author Stieg Larsson; Jim Jarmusch's The Limits Of Control; Lukas Moodysson's Mammoth; and opening film Mao's Last Dancer by Oscar-nominated Australian director Bruce Beresford, which tells the true story of Chinese ballet dancer Li Cunxin's defection to America.
Singh added that they will also be "taking the festival to the people", citing SIM University in Clementi as one of the screening venues.
One glaring change is a smaller presence of South-east Asian films, which has long been considered one of the festival's main strengths.
"It is the purpose of the festival to highlight South-east Asia and Singapore, but it's also a matter of what good films are available internationally," explained Malone.
The line-up for festival guests is still being finalised and, added Malone, it may include an "Oscar-nominated actor".
Tickets for the festival go on sale on March 26. More details can be found at www.filmfest.org.sg.
From TODAYonline, "A new hope for the SIFF".
The notorious (and acquited) SDP 5 who consists of SDP chairman Gandhi Ambalam, assistant secretary-general John Tan, and central executive committee member Chee Siok Chin as well as SDP supporters Yap Keng Ho and Chong Kai Xiong. Who doesn't know about them? Well, I don't.
Their case is pleasantly ignorable. A street procession by a pathetically large figures of five created so much legal noise that the court time was taken to assess if the procession was indeed a procession.
Yeah, I know. It sounds ridiculous. The case should be closed immediately. No further judgement ought to be reserved. Publicity is what these SDP 5 want most. Ignore the incident; it's not worth mentioning (or blogging--ah, never mind...)!THE High Court has reserved judgment in the Government's appeal against the acquittal of five opposition figures for taking part in a street procession in 2007.
Justice Choo Han Teck said he needed more time to consider submissions from the respondents and the prosecution, which is represented by the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC). He did not indicate when he would give his decision.
Three of the five are Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) leaders: chairman Gandhi Ambalam, assistant secretary-general John Tan; and central executive committee member Chee Siok Chin. The other two are SDP supporters Yap Keng Ho and Chong Kai Xiong.
They were cleared, after a 20-day trial, of walking without a valid permit from Hong Lim Park to the Queenstown Remand Prison on Sept 16, 2007.
District Judge John Ng's written judgment said he acquitted them because he did not consider what they had done a procession.
During yesterday's half-day hearing, Mr Bala Reddy, chief prosecutor in the AGC, presented several arguments against the verdict.
From Straits Times, "Judgement reserved on SDP 5".
Also from the same article, "About the case":THE SDP five staged a walk on Sept 16, 2007 to commemorate the first anniversary of a planned protest march the police had disallowed at the International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings held here in 2006.
They walked from Hong Lim Park to Parliament House and the Istana before stopping at the Queenstown Remand Prison, where SDP secretary-general Chee Soon Juan was being held.
Had the five been convicted, they would have faced a fine of up to $1,000 each.
Update on 01/04/10: High Court overturns acquital of SDP five for holding procession without permit. And no, it's no April Fools' joke.The Singapore High Court has allowed a government's appeal and convicted five opposition figures for taking part in a street procession without permit.
Among them are three leaders of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) - Chairman Gandhi Ambalam, assistant secretary-general John Tan and central executive committee member Chee Siok Chin.
The other two are SDP supporters Yap Keng Ho and Chong Kai Xiong.
They were acquitted last October after District Judge John Ng found that their walk from Hong Lim Park to Queenstown Remand Prison in 2007 did not amount to a procession.
But on Thursday, High Court Judge Choo Han Teck said the five knew that a permit was required, despite their assertion that they were merely walking.
The procession was held to mark the anniversary of the World Bank-International Monetary Fund meetings protest in 2006. The group previously had an application for a police permit turned down in 2006.
The five will be sentenced at a later date, after mitigation submissions have been heard by Judge Ng.
From Channel NewsAsia, "High Court overturns acquital of SDP five for holding procession without permit".
Update on 21/04/10: the verdict (is it finally, uhm, final?) is out. The group is convicted after a rare Govt appeal against their acquittal & fined either either $500 or $600.
So what have we learnt from this case? Well, that it cost $100 to stay in jail for a day. Heh.FIVE leaders and supporters of the opposition Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) have each been fined either $500 or $600 for taking part in an illegal street procession in 2007.
They are SDP chairman Gandhi Ambalam, assistant secretary-general John Tan, central executive committee member Chee Siok Chin and party supporters Yap Keng Ho and Chong Kai Xiong.
District Judge John Ng sentenced them on Monday, with Tan, Chee and Chong each fined $500 or five days' jail in default. Gandhi and Yap were each fined $600 or six days' jail in default.
The five applied for time and were given until May 14 to pay the fines. They had faced fines of up to $1,000 each under the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act.
Earlier this month, High Court Judge Choo Han Teck allowed a rare appeal by the Government against their acquittal last October by the district court, and convicted the five.
He also sent them back to District Judge Ng for sentencing.
From Straits Times, "SDP group fined".
The 28-year-old Sallehan Allaudin sure has anger management issue. What I don't understand, though, how can he & his wife left their 2-year-old daughter Natalie Nikie Alisyia Sallehan alone at home?
Who to be blame then if the curious child was playing with the hot-temper father's cigarettes?! And how the hell was she able to do so in the first place?! Were the cigarettes kept so very much accessible by the late daughter?A 28-year-old cleaner who was charged with the murder of his two-year-old daughter over cigarettes was convicted of culpable homicide instead on Wednesday morning.
On January 6 last year, Sallehan Allaudin went to the supermarket with his wife to shop for groceries.
He also picked up a Barbie doll as a birthday present for his daughter, Natalie Nikie Alisyia Sallehan.
But he arrived home to find Nikie playing with his cigarettes.
Enraged, he took her into the kitchen and proceeded to slap and punch her on her arm and back.
Nikie collapsed on the kitchen floor and died because one of her major veins, the inferior vena cava, ruptured.
This caused blood to collect inside her heart sac and prevent it from pumping.
Justice Lee Seiu Kin said on Wednesday morning in the High Court that while he finds that the injuries Sallehan inflicted on Nikie caused her death, he did not have the intention to cause the injuries.
However, Justice Lee said that Sallehan knew or reasonably ought to know that the injuries, given their quantity and severity, are likely to cause death.
So he decided to acquit Sallehan of murder but found him guilty of culpable homicide.
Sallehan will be sentenced at a later date.
From Channel NewsAsia, "Cleaner convicted of culpable homicide in death of 2-year-old daughter". THE cleaner, who attacked and killed his 23-month-old daughter, was spared the death penalty on Wednesday when the High Court reduced his murder charge and convicted him for culpable homicide instead.
Justice Lee Seiu Kin held that the 27-year-old , who is not named in the judgement, had not intended to kill his daughter - a key factor in a murder charge.
The man will be sentenced next week and faces up to 10 years jail or caning or fine, or both.
The father of three had attacked the girl on the evening of Jan 6 last year at the family's Boon Lay flat.
He and his wife had earlier gone out that day to buy a birthday present for the girl, leaving her and her two younger sisters - one just over a year old and the other two months old - at home. When the couple returned, she was found eating and playing with her father's cigarettes.
He snapped, pulled her to the kitchen where he slapped, punched and kicked her till she turned blue. The blows that he landed on the 10-kg toddler were so heavy that the attack was akin to a 360kg man whaling on a 60kg man, but the man did not know this, said the judge.
An autopsy found she died of a rare rupture in a major vein that supplied blood to the lower part of her body.
Lawyer N. Kanagavijayan, argued that his client could not have forseen that his punches would result in a rupture of the vein.
From Straits Times, "Cleaner spared death penalty".
Update on 19/04/10: the monster is thrown to jail for six years. I'm disappointed. And what on earth is this part: "The convicted man could not be named to protect his children."? The article omits the name of the monster, alright. But why the name of his wife must be mentioned? Moreover, the previous articles (see above) have clearly mentioned the name of the culprit!!IN A fit of rage, a cleaner punched and slapped his two-year-old daughter Nikie to death in a case of 'extreme violence' that caused her to suffer a tear in a major vein near her heart.
On Monday, the cleaner was jailed six years by the High Court after Justice Lee Seiu Kin felt the cleaner had done it in a fit of anger. The judge disagreed with the prosecution that the cleaner's actions were premeditated. Justice Lee said that there was no doubt that the father loved the girl, the eldest of his three children, all daughters.
On the day he hit the child, the man was returning home after buying her a present. When he saw her chewing on the tobacco from his broken cigarettes, however, his emotions boiled over. Just two days earlier, he had scolded her for doing just that, and he wanted to teach her a lesson so that she would not do it again.
The man's personal frustrations - his inability to support his family and insecurities about his wife's suspected infidelity - also tipped him over, said Justice Lee.
The accused was initially tried for murder but after the nine-day trial, he was found guilty and convicted of culpable homicide last month. His wife, Madam Rozanah Mohamed Yusoff, 25, told reporters that he was disappointed with the severe sentence. She has forgiven her husband and is looking forward to his return.
The convicted man could not be named to protect his children.
From Straits Times, "Father jailed for girl's death".
Update on 08/11/10: additional 4 years to the 10-year jail term. Somehow, I still feel it's not enough. Why can't we just hang this monster?!?!Sallehan Allaudin, the father who caused the death of his daughter after she had played with his cigarettes was on Monday jailed for four more years.
He had been jailed six years in April but the prosecution on Monday successfully appealed against that sentence.
While an appeal judge took issue with the prosecution on the conduct of its case, the Court of Appeal upped Sallehan's jail term for "one of the worst cases" it had seen.
Sallehan had beaten his daughter to death on January 6, last year.
From Channel NewsAsia, "Man who beat daughter to death gets 4 more years' jail".
See the problem with Jack Neo's statement in the title of this post? "I had only one affair, for which I'm totally repentant and totally remorseful". Kinda vague. It could mean that there was only one affair and not more.
Or...that could be interpreted that there were many affairs but only one which Jack Neo is totally repentant & totally remorseful. That is to say, except for that one affair, the rest (of the affairs) he is partially repentant & partially remorseful or not at all repentant & remorseful.
Am I being anal here? I really don't know. Only Jack Neo can clarify which of the interpretations is the correct one.I HAD only one affair, for which I'm totally repentant and totally remorseful.
This was what Jack Neo told The New Paper last night in an exclusive interview.
"From day one, I've admitted that I made a grievous mistake," he said over the telephone.
The 50-year-old film-maker confessed to an affair with freelance model Wendy Chong, 22, after she went to his home and asked to see his wife, Madam Irene Kng, 46, last Friday.
Jack questioned the motives behind the other women - including actress-singer Foyce Le Xuan and French student Maelle Meurzec - who alleged that he had sexually harassed them.
He said, sounding agitated: "As for the others who have surfaced to make all kinds of claims, I wonder what their motives are.
"Is it because they think I'm down-and-out now that they can join in to cast stones at me?"
Flabbergasted
Jack said he was flabbergasted to read about the latest accusations by a transsexual.
Ms Maggie Lai, 55, had claimed to Shin Min Daily News that he had asked her to perform a sex act on him 22 years ago when she was a masseuse.
Ms Lai, who now manages nightclub singers, said she underwent a gender change operation in 1987.
In 1988, she started work as a masseuse and met Jack later that year at the massage parlour. She claimed that he was a frequent customer there.
Jack said: "Silence does not reflect quiet acceptance (of the accusations).
"Just because I've yet to publicly challenge some claims does not mean that anyone can just step out and say anything they like."
He said he was fed-up with seeing fresh allegations made against him every day, which was why he finally decided to talk to this reporter.
Jack had initially declined to be interviewed when The New Paper first approached him yesterday to address the many questions that arose from his press conference on Thursday.
Need some time
Pleading for more time, he said: "I'm so sorry, I hope you can understand. I need some time to sort out other matters."
In an exasperated tone, he indicated that he was not trying to avoid the media.
"I really dare not speak to anyone (reporters) right now, anything I will say will just not be right," he said.
But he acknowledged that he owed an explanation to everyone, adding that the press conference was specifically meant to address that.
However, he did not expect the mayhem that ensued after his wife's legs gave way.
Jack said he had intended to apologise after she spoke, but she stood up to leave, then collapsed into his arms.
Some people have questioned whether the collapse was staged for dramatic effect, but the couple's good friend, actor Mark Lee, said it was absurd to suggest this.
He said: "Jack had to cut short the press conference when Irene became too upset to continue.
"He was already prepared to face the music and apologise to everyone affected. Otherwise, there wouldn't have been a conference."
Mark added: "After all that have happened, there is no way that Jack would even contemplate using Irene as a shield. No way!"
Since Jack did not have a chance to complete what he had originally intended to do, he decided to dedicate an open letter to his fans and the public on his blog.
In the entry posted yesterday afternoon, he apologised for his actions, adding that he has been deeply humbled by the episode.
Jack said: "I'm truly sincere in my repentance and give me time please. I will definitely face the media again.
Must protect wife
"I must protect Irene. I must not allow her to be hurt again. It has been a harrowing week for her. I dare not sleep soundly at night as I'm worried she may do something rash."
He added: "Each day, we pray that today will be the last, that we can start to put everything behind us.
"But something comes up and emotions run high again. I blame no one but myself."
Agreeing, Mark said: "I'd been so furious when I first read reports of Jack's affair."
He had only spoken to his mentor over the phone - until the conference.
Mark said: "If you know my mentor as well as I do, I can tell you one thing, Jack has learned his lesson.
"Irene asked for everyone's blessing (so that she can move on). I only hope that she and Jack get that and be given the space they need now to heal and rebuild the family.
From Asiaone, "I cheated with only one woman".
Even confusing as the relationship involves money. And lots of them. The lady claims that their relationship is a 'Christian platonic kind of relationship'. The guy claims that their relationship has reached the level of going on trysts to hotels.
Platonic relationship is always the most confusing of them all...PROMINENT paraplegic athlete William Tan Kian Meng claimed that a woman who is suing him for some $400,000 had given him the money, not lent it to him, as they had been in an 'intimate relationship'.
Details about Dr Tan's relationship with Stephanie Chee Jok Heng, 51, emerged in court when his lawyer cross-examined the woman on the first day of the hearing into her lawsuit.
They had even gone on trysts to hotels, claimed Dr Tan. But Chee, a divorcee with three daughters, flatly denied allegations that they had been lovers and insisted that the two had merely had a 'Christian platonic kind of relationship'.
In her lawsuit, Chee, a former management consultant, is seeking the return of $259,818.24 that she had extended to Dr Tan between 1999 and 2007. These included payments for his car insurance, road tax, life insurance premiums; expenses on his supplementary credit card; and expenses incurred in their business ventures.
Dr Tan, 53, who is single, does not dispute receiving the money, but he claims that many of the payments were 'love gifts' to him. He also contends that Chee had waived her right to the money when she turned down his previous offers to pay her back.
Chee is seeking another $149,858.19 from Dr Tan, claiming he had promised to indemnify her for losses she had made from the sale of an apartment at the One Tree Lodge condominium.
From Straits Times, "Money given, not loaned".Day two of the court case involving well-known paraplegic Dr William Tan saw him insisting that the sums of money given to him by Dr Stephanie Chee were "love gifts" when they were still together.
In the High Court on Tuesday, Dr Tan said he and Dr Chee were in a romantic relationship between 2000 and 2006.
Dr Chee is suing Dr Tan for S$259,800 in financial help given to him between 1999 and 2005.
She is also suing for another S$149,800 for losses suffered from the sale of a property linked to Dr Tan, which she had held in trust and as a nominee for Dr Tan.
In turn, Dr Tan said Dr Chee owes him S$279,900 - money he had lent her to buy a property.
From Channel NewsAsia, "Paraplegic Dr Tan says money given to him were "love gifts"".
The Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) shoulgoing after the mobile content companies individually! Why should telcos be answerable? And what has "moral duty" got to do to anything in any of business transactions?!THE Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) is going after companies that are foisting unsolicited services upon mobile phone users, as complaints go up.
Case said on Monday it will hold talks with the three major telcommunications providers here - Singtel, Starhub and M1 - to pursue this issue.
More consumers have approached Case complaining they have been signed up for phone services without their consent.
Others who did sign up complained they were misled into thinking the services were free, only to find out that they only got a free trial and had to pay subsequently.
These services run the gamut, from ringtone and wallpaper downloads, to football and entertainment news alerts.
There are more than 20 companies that provide such services now. Mobile phone users pay for them through their telcos, who act as billing agents.
The problem appears to be particularly acute among youths, said Case president Yeo Guat Kwang. 'Many of these services are popular with teenagers, who often do not know what they are getting into and how much they will have to pay,' said Mr Yeo.
This is despite recently-introduced regulations in the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act in April last year, stating that unless the consumer expressly agrees to pay for the opt-out service, the provider cannot charge the consumer. If the service has a free trial, the customer must also be informed in advance about the end of the free trial period.
Instead of going after the mobile content companies individually, Case is asking the telcos to take action instead, as it is 'their moral duty to their customers' said Mr Yeo, who hopes Case can pressure these companies to get their act together.
From Straits Times, "Case goes after telcos".
The question is will Swedish government oblige to Malaysia's demand? Considering Egypt, Iran and Pakistan had made formal complaints when the tasteless caricature was first printed in 2007...MALAYSIA has urged the Swedish government to act against three newspapers that reprinted a caricature of the Prophet Mohammed with the body of a dog, its foreign minister said.
'Malaysia strongly denounces the reprinting of the caricature of Prophet Muhammad by three Swedish newspapers on 10 March 2010,' Anifah Aman said in an unusually outspoken statement late Saturday.
He said his country was concerned that such 'despicable acts disregard the sensitivity of the Muslim world in the name of freedom of expression.' 'Such irresponsible acts are provocative and offensive in nature and hence it is totally unacceptable,' he added. 'Malaysia wishes to request the Swedish government to take measures against such publications to prevent the recurrence of such irresponsible acts in the future.'
The conservative Islamic party PAS said it would organise a demonstration after Friday prayers and submit a letter of protest to the Swedish embassy over the re-printing of the caricature.
The comments follow the reprinting of the caricature in Swedish papers last week following the arrest of seven people over an alleged plot to assassinate cartoonist Lars Vilks, who drew the caricature and who has a US$100,000 (S$139,340) bounty on his head from an Al-Qaeda-linked group.
The controversy started when a Swedish regional daily published Vilks' satirical cartoon in 2007, which prompted protests by Muslims in the country while Egypt, Iran and Pakistan made formal complaints. An Al-Qaeda front organisation had offered US$100,000 to anyone who murdered Vilks, with an extra 50,000 if his throat was slit.
From Straits Times, "Action over cartoon urged".
Yes, that is a hoax. The former Singaporean Gopalan Nair's fake blog post is really reflecting the blog owner himself: a fake! Anything to gain more traffic to your blog, huh, Gopalan 'Fake' Nair?!Acting Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts Lui Tuck Yew said there was no need to "dignify ... a proper response" to the recent hoax that Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew had suffered a serious heart attack.
Rear Admiral Lui was replying to Government Parliamentary Committee chairman (Information, Communications and the Arts) Zaqy Mohamad, who asked about the ministry's non-response to former Singaporean Gopalan Nair's fake blog post.
RAdm Lui said: "We should treat it with the contempt it deserves. All it shows is the character of the man."
He credited netizens for initially "expressing disbelief" and later condemning Mr Gopalan, now an American citizen, when the latter fessed up. Some sites "regretfully" continued to champion Mr Gopalan's cause.
Still, RAdm Lui said it was "worthwhile to have incidents like this" so the Internet community can take steps to self-regulate.
He added that the Government is particularly concerned with misuse of identity, stolen identity and impersonation, which have "repercussions beyond what (netizens) imagine it to be".
From TODAYonline, "Mica unfazed by American netizen's hoax".
And David Gurnani is very happy about it. The Indonesian David Gurnani sheds 83kg to walk away with $139,000 and a car to win the title in The Biggest Loser Asia TV reality show!THE Biggest Loser Asia reality show ended on Tuesday with Indonesia's David Gurnani taking the top prize after losing 83kg.
Weighing in at 74kg, the 1.82m 25-year-old walked away with US$100,000 (S$139,000) and a Renault car.
'I was not sure that I would win, but I knew that I had given everything that I could, so I really thank God for everything,' he tells Life! in a telephone interview from Indonesia two days ago.
The 16 contestants of the weight-loss reality show spent 13 weeks at a villa in A'Famosa Resort in Malacca. There, they were subject to a gruelling exercise regime and had to give up any kind of unhealthy food. Then, they returned home for two months to continue their weight loss before the final weigh-in on Tuesday.
'We had cereal for breakfast and tuna sandwiches for lunch, it was a shock for me,' says Gurnani. 'I would never eat WeetBix cereal at home, it's tasteless. And I wanted noodles or rice for lunch.'
But he slowly got used to the regime, and by the end of the stay-in segment of the reality show, he lost 55kg.
From Straits Times, "Biggest Loser is big winner".
"I'm sorry for everything I've done.
"I've a wonderful wife and family, and yet I didn't treasure what I had. My betrayal has hurt them deeply.
"I'm deeply sorry and sad and I regret what I did.
"What moves me most is that my wife, despite all the hurt I've caused, has decided to forgive me. I'm very grateful for her love and generosity. She didn't give up on me, and that's what's keeping our family together.
"I've let my parents, siblings, relatives and fans down, people who have been so supportive of me all along.
"I know everyone is very disappointed in me, and I deserve it.
"Many have told me that all that matters is my wife's forgiveness, nothing else matters.
"But after giving it a lot of thought, I realised that for the last 20 years, all of you have been with me, growing with my movies.
"You were all so concerned and supportive of me, how can I see you as outsiders? Therefore, it is equally important that I get your forgiveness.
"... And I will be careful to behave with girls, to avoid any misunderstandings, and I'll be loyal to my wife.
"... I cannot undo my mistakes. I'm only human, I err. Although I've ... admitted to my wrongdoings, I still hope for your forgiveness, that you'll give me a chance.
It's going to be a five-star hotel on waterfront land in Tibar, near East Timor's capital. The site reveals itself to have two machine-dug graves for the final rest of total 9 persons. Nothing is said whether the construction plan for the luxury hotel will proceed.
Unless of course the hotel management want to advertise the hotel as the haunted, luxury hotel & challenge the customers to dare spend the night inside. (Somehow the article brings to mind the movie '1408'. Hmmm...)THE construction of a luxury hotel near East Timor's capital has uncovered machine-dug graves containing remains of people who may have been killed during the country's occupation by Indonesia, scientists said on Thursday.
An estimated 180,000 East Timorese died during the 25-year occupation by Jakarta and the United Nations estimates around 1,000 died in violence surrounding the 1999 vote that led to the nation gaining independence.
When a property developer was given approval to build a five-star hotel on waterfront land in Tibar, in Dili's west, the government called in a group of Australian forensic scientists to investigate the site first.
'This area has long been talked about by various people, a lot of the community in Dili, as having been used by the Indonesians as a place to dispose of bodies,' said Soren Blau, a scientist at the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine and a member of the investigative team. 'None of those stories have ever been verified,' said Ms Blau.
The team found two machine-dug graves about 2 metres deep, one containing seven skeletons and one containing two. 'They were piled on top of each other,' Ms Blau told Reuters by telephone, declining to elaborate on the victims' gender or cause of death. 'I can say there is evidence of things like ligatures and blindfolds.'
The team is working with the government and local community to identify the skeletons and some bones may be taken to Australia for tests. 'There are many families who perhaps might think this is their relative,' she said. Ms Blau said that Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao visited the site on Thursday.
From Straits Times, "Hotel development reveals graves".
What you know? Yet another scam? And poorly written at that, without any space in between the paragraphs. Argh...This is to Officially Inform you that it has come to our notice and we have thoroughly Investigated by the help of our Intelligence Monitoring Network System that you are having a Legal transaction with one personnel of the republic of NIGERIA. During our Investigation, it came to our notice that the reason why you have not received your payment is because you did not fulfill your complete Financial Obligation giving to you in respect to your Contract.
So therefore, we have contacted the Federal Ministry Of Finance in Republic Of NIGERIA on your behalf and they gave a solution to your problem by arranging a compensation payment in total sum of Two Million Five Hundred Thousand pounds in an internationl certified ATM CARD which you can use to withdraw money anywhere in the world, hence you now have the lawful right to claim your fund in the ATM CARD by contacting the ATM CARD CENTRE.
Proceed and contact the ATM CARD CENTER for their requirements to procure your Approval Slip which contains details of your PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER (PIN) that you would use in activating and operating your ATM CARD in any ATM Machine close to you, please note that to procure your Approval Slip it would cost you ( 310 dollars )only, Since the Federal Bureau of Investigation is involved in this transaction, you are rest assured that this transaction is 100% risk free so do contact the ATM CARD CENTER to let you know how to make payment for the procurement of your Approval Slip which is the only payment needed for the processing and delivery of your ATM CARD respectively to your designated address.
Please reconfirm the required information below for the effective delivery of your ATM CARD.
Full names.
Complete contact/delivery address.
contact phone/fax numbers.
occupation
Also below are the contact details of the ATM CARD official for you to proceed immediately to procure your Approval Slip containing your PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER (PIN)
CONTACT DETAILS:
Name : Mr Ali Wahab
Email: aliwahab01@yahoo.com
We do await your quick response earnestly so we can proceed with our Investigation and make sure your ATM SWIFT CARD gets to you accordingly without delays.
Thank you for your anticipated co-operation.
Hope to hear from you soonest.
Sincerely,
FBI Director.
shirley Velaz
Representative
Republic Of Nigeria
Note: Disregard any email you get from impostors or offices claiming to be in possesion of your ATM CARD, you are advised only to be in contact with Reverend peter Edmond of the ATM CARD CENTRE who is the rightful person you are suppose to deal with regarding your ATM CARD PAYMENT and forward any email you get from impostors to this office so we could act on it for subsequent investigation.
And this another 'junk' email I was told that I've won 500,000 GBP without even participating?! Yay!!Attn: Winner,
You won the sum of 500,000.00 GBP Great British Pounds Sterlinngs from our monthly sweepstakes.Your email address was among the five lucky winner in our computer email ballot,You are hereby advice to contact the courier company,to claim your prize.
CONTACT COURIER PROMOTION MANAGER WITH DETAILS BELOW;
PPPAY COURIER UK CORRESPONDENCE:Mr Cally Martins.
TEL : +44-701-113-3045
FAX : +44-707-505-5654
EMAIL: cally_martins147@yahoo.com.hk
PLEASE NOTE: NON RESIDENTS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM ARE TO BEAR EXPENSES FOR THIER COURIER DELIVERY.
Claims Requirements:
1.full name:
2.Home Address:
3.Age:
4.Sex:
5.Marital Status:
6.Phone Number:
7.Passport Photograph:
8.Nationality :
9.Country Of Residence:
10.Occupation:
Regards,
Mrs Rose Williams
Received this email which successfully landed itself in my Junk folder. Things people would write for scamming others. Heh.Dearest Calvary Greetings,
With Due Respect And Humanity, I was compelled to write to you under humanitarian grounds. My name is Mrs Amanda Jacob. I was born in Liverpool, England, I am married to Mr. Amos Jacob director J.C Industries United Kingdom. We were married for 36 years without a child. He died four years ago after a Cardiac Arteries Operation. And Recently, My Doctor told me that I would not last for the next six months due to my cancer problem (cancer of the liver and stroke). Before my husband died last year there is this sum $14.258(Fourteen Million Two Hundred and Fifty Eight United State Dollars that he deposited With Natwest Bank International U.K.
Presently this money is still in the Bank custody. Having known my condition I decided to donate this fund to any good God fearing brother or sister that will utilize this fund the way I am going to instruct herein. I want somebody that will use this fund according to the desire of my late. husband to help Less privileged people, orphanages, widows and propagating the word of God. I also want part or this fund to be donated to any humanitarian Organization presently in Haiti.
I took this decision because I would be going in for Surgery later today.I don't have any child that will inherit this fund, And I don't want this money used in an un Godly way. This is why I am taking this decision to hand over to you this Fund. I am not afraid of death hence I know where I am going. I want you to always remember me in your daily prayers because of my up coming Cancer Surgery later today.
You are to work with my attorney who will assist in these funds transfer to your account and how the funds is to be used for the good work of the Lord Almighty. My Husband Paid for the State tax on the day of deposit with the Bank so there would be no expenses from you.
Contact my lawyer with this info:
Clifford Chance Solicitors
Suite B2938, Trimrose towers Hyde, London EA1 7LS
Name: Barrister.Willam Parker
Email:barr.william.parker@cliffordchance-law.co.cc
Tel;+447024069640
If you find this mail appealing, kindly contact my attorney by quoting this reference number to him JJ/MMS/953/5015/GwrI/316us/uk . I write this mail to you solemnly with the faith that you will assist me in my last wish. As soon as you contact him with the reference number above, he should be able to identify you.
Best regards,
Mrs.Amanda Jacob
Swami Nithyananda Aka Paramahamsa Nithyananda Aka the Alleged Guru in a Sex Video Scandal?
In its official website, Nithyananda Dhyanapeetam, a statement is released--partially quoted:This is in response to the defamatory video on Paramahamsa Nithyananda aired by Sun TV and various other news media since the night of March 2, 2010.
At this moment, we feel that a mix of conspiracy, graphics and rumor are at play in these recent events that have unfolded. We are working on a legal course of action and will come up with updates in due course
In these trying times, we wish to reassure the lakhs of devotees and well-wishers whose sentiments have been deeply hurt by this conspiracy. We thank all the devotees and disciples for standing with us during these times
In the past 7 years of his public life, Paramahamsa Nithyananda has been a transformational force in the lives of over 2 million people across numerous countries around the world. The powerful truths he lives and shares and his personal authenticity have made his teachings relevant across religions, cultures and class
For those who have experienced the blessings and grace of Swamiji, no further explanation is necessary. Yet we request you to recall the life solutions from Swamiji that continue to provide a powerful spiritual anchor for millions in these turbulent times. We wish to reiterate that Nithyananda Dhyanapeetam is a worldwide movement which is committed to bringing about a true awakening for all, irrespective of race, culture or nationality. Reviving the timeless Vedic wisdom in the light of modern living, the Nithyananda Dhyanapeetam creates opportunities for the powerful transformation of the individual and the community
In keeping with the Vedic culture, the Nithyananda Order includes people from all four ashramas – brahmacharyam, grihastha, vanaprastha and sannyas. Most of them hail from traditional, educated and respected families.
And the news article which seems 100% certain that the spiritual teacher is indeed the star of the sex video:A SEX video involving Swami Nithyananda, one of India's most popular spiritual gurus, and a Tamil actress, is creating shockwaves in India and elsewhere in the world, including Malaysia, where he has a huge following.
The 32-year old guru, who is also known as Paramahamsa Nithyananda, was caught with his dhoti down in the video which has been aired by Tamil Nadu's Sun TV and Andhra Pradesh's TV9.
The face of the actress was blurred in the video and she has not been identified although some blogs have named her as "R*****a", a starlet who is related to a Tamil screen queen of the 70s.
Sun TV did not reveal the location of the room in the video but it is believed that the guru was caught in a sting operation that took place in a hotel or his ashram.
There has been no official response from Nithyananda but his ashram located at Adi Annamalai near Tiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu has been a hive of security activity.
Locals said that the guru visited the ashram two months ago to celebrate his birthday there. Police are looking into the matter.
Nithyananda has a big following in India, and in many countries around the world, including Malaysia and the US.
In 2007, he was elected chairman of the Hindu University of America, also known as the International Vedic Hindu University, an institution in the US state of Florida.
From Asiaone, "Spiritual guru in sex video scandal".
Update on 30/03/10: Indian guru resigns over sex tape probe? And here the movie, "The Love Guru" comes to mind with Mike Myers as Guru Maurice Pitka explaining the acronym of G-U-R-U stands for "Gee...yoU aRe yoU". Sigh.A popular Indian guru who claims a global following of two million devotees resigned Tuesday as head of his religious organisation after he became the focus of a police obscenity probe.
Paramhamsa Nityananda has been under investigation since television stations earlier this month aired video footage purportedly showing the 32-year-old fondling two unidentified women in bed.
His Dhyanapeetam ashram has insisted the footage was faked, but in a video statement on its website, Nityananda said he felt an obligation to step down as the ashram's spiritual leader.
"I am resigning as the head of the Dhyanapeetam and from all the trusts associated with it," he said, adding that he would "live a life of spiritual seclusion, for some indefinite time."
Nityananda has a large following in southern India - where his ashram is based near the city of Bangalore - and has 26 other ashrams dotted around the world.
"If required I will return and talk about all that had happened as an independent witness to my conduct with a clean heart and pure soul, and also in a less prejudiced atmosphere," he said.
He ended his statement by exhorting his followers to "be blissful".
Angered by the video footage, local villagers had attacked Nityananda's ashram on March 3, forcing police to give it special protection.
The guru's followers insist the video was faked by a jealous occupant of the ashram in a effort to defame him.
From Asiaone, "Indian guru resigns over sex tape probe".
