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Paralysis- an Overview
2008-01-12 15:56:00
Do you know the perfect definition for paralysis? It is nothing but complete and irreversible loss of use of a limb. Other terms indicating paralysis are Quadriplegia, Paraplegia and Hemiplegia. Quadriplegia implies total paralysis of both upper and lower limbs. When the total paralysis of both lower limbs are noticed, it is termed as paraplegia. When there is complete paralysis of the upper and lower limbs on one side of the body, then this type is called as Hemiplegia. There will be change in the muscle tone in the paralyzed limbs. In addition to this, the paralyzed muscle may be spastic, tight and with rich tone, or flaccid, flabby and without appreciable tone. The location of the nerve damage can easily be located by the distribution of weakness, which is an essential clue for identifying paralysis. There are few insurance companies that are paying the individual, if they are determined to be paralyzed within an year of an accident. So get clear this fact before selecting a suit...
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Check Your Credit Report
2008-01-10 05:32:00
Most people are aware that credit reporting agencies and bureaus - such as Experian or Equifax - keep tabs on payment histories. Most people are also aware that they can obtain a copy of their credit report (in most cases for free or for a minimal charge). However, most people have no idea what’s on their credit report, how to read it, or how to correct any erroneous information. Personal Information Is your name, social security number, address and other personal information accurate? If not, contact the credit reporting agency to let it know it has made an error. A lending company would be skeptical of making a loan to an individual whose name and address (as listed in the credit report) are not consistent with the information provided to access the loan. Note: Discrepancies, no matter how small they may seem to the individual, can cause financial institutions to not approve loans. (If you’ve identified a possible case of identity theft, see Identity Theft: How To Avo...
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SICEX(AGEING POPULATION) Talk at Suntec City! Your are Invited!
2008-01-09 19:03:00
Dear all, We are having a booth at SUNTEC CITY on 12th Jan (Sat) 11am-3pm Come to SICEX 2008 Exhibition! Visit more than 100 booths featuring exciting lifestyle products and services designed for baby boomers (45-65 years) and your families.Theme: “Turning Silver into Gold: Opportunities in Asia” Place: Suntec International Convention & Exhibition Centre 1 Raffles Boulevard, Suntec City , Singapore 039593 www.suntecsingapore.com Time: 11am-3pm Bring along a print out of this blog to our NTUC INCOME booth and win yourself a free gift when you sit down to talk to us. CLick here to see conferences and forum schedules Asia as a whole is ageing rapidly. A recent Mastercard report dubbed it a “glittering silver market”. The SICEX 2008 Conference is aimed at stimulating business interests to harness the economic opportunities of an ageing Asia. The Conference will see a convergence of professionals, business leaders, policy-makers, academia, social ...
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Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan: Majority of S’poreans won’t have
2008-01-08 06:39:00
HEALTH Minister Khaw Boon Wan on Monday answered one major question over means testing at public hospitals: Will Singaporeans have to pay more? Not the majority of those who currently opt for the heavily subsidised C and B2 class wards, he said. His message would likely bring cheer to Singaporeans worried that means testing would mean higher medical costs for them. He also promised that people would still be free to choose their preferred ward class. The difference is that the rich will get a lower subsidy for that class than the poor. Determining the level of subsidy will also be made easy, possibly even automated, if based on salaries declared in tax or CPF returns. The type of housing one lives in could be considered in determining subsidies for retirees, housewives, children and the unemployed. But here too, Mr Khaw has promised to be generous, with possibly all HDB residents and those living in lower-end private housing continuing to enjoy current subsidy rates. Mr Khaw said a ...
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Make your money work harder, S’poreans advised
2008-01-08 04:52:00
MOST Singaporeans opt for safety first when it comes to investing their cash, but they still expect to reap decent returns. The findings - from a global survey on retirement planning by French financial giant AXA Group - show that for many people, risk is something to avoid at all costs. Sixty-seven per cent of working adults and 64 per cent of retirees in Singapore prefer products such as bank fixed deposits, which offer minimum returns without any financial risks, according to the survey. In fact, 75 per cent left their savings in the Central Provident Fund (CPF) to earn an annual, risk-free interest of about 2.5 per cent or more. Only 23 per cent of working Singaporeans and 13 per cent of the retirees were willing to accept a higher return with a higher financial risk. Singapore’s low-risk appetite is in line with global trends, with about 70 per cent preferring low-risk products. AXA’s annual survey, conducted in July and August last year, gauges attitudes towar...
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Medisave, Medishield … Medi-crisis?
2008-01-05 09:36:00
Those who are looking into matters into medishield and medisave matters, may like to look into this article to understand the rationale for such implementations. Following article is by Today Newspaper IN AN October interview with Fortune magazine, Mr Alan Greenspan was asked what the biggest economic worries were at this point in history. Speaking of America, he said Medicare was the most serious fiscal problem out there. . “When the baby boomer retires, we are going to have either to raise taxes very sharply or cut benefits by half,” he said. “Prudent policy would be to adjust the longer term now, not when it becomes a serious problem for people who have already retired and are told after the fact that they will not be getting the real Medicare that they expected.” . We are running into the same problem here in Singapore. In place of “Medicare”, read Medisave/ MediShield. Statistics indicate medical inflation — which hit 6.2 per cent in Octobe...
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Coma Symptoms and Treatment
2008-01-04 16:44:00
Coma is a state of unconsciousness for a prolonged period of time. If you try to awaken the person suffering from Coma, you may fail. Moreover, they won’t respond to your call also! Comatose person has shown following symptoms- Absence of sleep-wake cycles Lack of arousal Absence of response to external stimuli, such as light or pain No conscious Closed eyes Treatment of Coma As you know very well that the coma may be a precursor of anatomical or metabolic defect. In anatomical defect, you may need to do surgery. If there is any brain hemorrhage or any bruises in the brain, it should be rectified immediately. In case of metabolic defect, the health care providers will try their level of best to cure the condition by correcting the metabolic disorder. If an individual is suffering from liver disease, kidney failure, asthma or diabetes, the doctors will focus on addressing these diseases. Some times, antibiotic therapy also holds good, if the cause of the coma is infection. Dr...
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oil prices surge. What is the investment outlook next?
2008-01-04 09:36:00
Oil hits US$100 level. Fears of lower US stockpiles and concerns over supplies spark price jump. I have tried to summarise the article to let those in overseas understand the situation over in Singapore CRUDE oil kicked off the new year by touching US$100 (S$144) a barrel for the first time. At least 12 people were killed over the New Year in the oil centre of Port Harcourt. There was also fear that data expected late last night would show that United States energy stockpiles had fallen again. US reserves, which often function as a safety net in the oil industry, fell by over three million barrels to 293.6 million barrels two weeks ago, the sixth consecutive weekly decline. Hedge funds and other traders were also behind the price surge with many piling into crude as well as other commodities such as gold, platinum and palm oil futures to shield themselves against inflation and a weak US dollar. These three commodities rose to record highs yesterday The Organisation of Petroleum Exp...
More About: Investment , Outlook , Surge , Prices , Urge

Caring for Comatose Person
2008-01-03 16:39:00
An intensive care unit in a hospital may hold a person in a coma because the comatose person require extra care and attention from doctors, nurses and other hospital staff. The affected person should be provided with necessary fluids, nutrients, and any medicines he needs to keep his health in good condition. The fluids may be administered either through a vein or a feeding tube that brings nutrients and fluids directly to the stomach. In hospital the person in a coma may be provided with artificial respiration through ventilator, if he finds difficult to breathe on his own. The comatose person usually suffer from bedsores, if not provided proper care. This condition is noticed in a person who is lying in a same position for a quite long period. If your loved one is suffering from Coma, it is really frustrating and upsetting to see him. But you can help the person by reading, talking and even play music while going to hospital because the some of the comatose person may able to hear...
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Autoresponder Moved to MonsterResponse.com
2008-01-03 03:58:00
Dear Readers, For those who have been subscribing for free info and free ebooks, would be informed that we have now moved to a new autoresponder called Mons terResponse .com. An individual email has been sent to you to acknowledge it. For those who are intending to subscribe to the new ebook and report which I am launching. Please bear with us for a week as we are doing maintenace and updating to our blog these few days. Thank you all for the kind understanding Alvin Soong on behalf of SKCagency. Bookmark to:
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Can you retire in 5 years?
2008-01-02 01:02:00
The last five years before you retire may be some of the most critical years in your retirement planning stages, as you must determine within that period whether you can truly afford to retire. The determination will hinge heavily on the amount of preparation you have done to date, and the results of such preparation. If it is determined that you are financially prepared, then you may just need to maintain your program and continue on to your retirement goal. If you are not financially prepared, then you may be looking at more than five years of a modification to your planned retirement lifestyle. Let’s take a look at an action plan you can use to determine your level of readiness as you start the five year stretch. Assessing Your Readiness One of the primary causes of retirees being financially unprepared for retirement is because of incomplete retirement-needs analysis. Retire ment-needs analysis frequently takes the simple approach of including current income, current income...
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Human Resources and Public Relations skills I learn from these quotes and e
2008-01-01 01:05:00
While celebrating my father’s birthday dinner at Jurong Country Club newly open chinese restaurant (formerly from a hotel restaurant chain), I witness what is so special with the PR officer at the restaurant who goes around entertaining the birthday person, the person who books (and eventually foots the bill) and pays compliments to every single one on the table within a very short time frame. A huge PR skills that I have not witness anywhere in any restaurants or hotel chain restaurants. While observing, I realised this is probably what makes the newly opened restaurant so special from the others in the service industry, doing things that are simple but yet neglected and out of the box. Gareth Fox, Regional Director of Human Resources by InterContinential Hotel Group (SE ASIA, S. Korea): We should focus on 4 rooms: Room to Great start, Room to be involved, Room to grow and Room for ourselves (or you) Claudio Fernandez-Araoz, director of executive search firm Egon Zehnder Inte...
More About: Public Relations , Human Resources , Public

Happy New Year 2008!
2007-12-31 01:21:00
Dear all valued friends, readers and policyholders, Have a Happy New Year 2008 and a fresh new prosperous year ahead! My email system has broken down these fews days since before xmas,hence I was not able to presend my well wishes to all of you. Pardon the repair would be done real soon. Here’s wishing all of you have a good time ahead! Bookmark to:
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Money Matters between Siblings 4/4
2007-12-30 15:02:00
I have decided to summarise the straits times article I read for easy reading. I try to summarise as close as possible so that it does not lose its essence in the press papers, and yet can be understood by all. In the last segment of a four-part series on money matters in the family, The Sunday Times looks at the disputes that can occur among siblings and how such matters are resolved Siblings may fight over monetary matters including real estate, bank accounts, and thus may break down the bonds between siblings. According to some of the interviews with the specialists dealing with such matters, it is not uncommon for difficulties to arise over the disposition of personal effects. such as medical expenses, funeral expenses, probate costs or long-term care expenses for the parents. The conflict can be more intense when the parents do not have any savings to absorb these costs. Another minefield is lending money to a family member.We name some of the cases below Case 1: Dispute ove...
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Dec Stocks News Summary
2007-12-28 17:38:00
Hyflux water trust issued Temasek reduce stocks in Cosco and Banks and focus on China Eastern Airlines 6th Dec More hotel plots for tourism Banks sectors in China (BCC and BOC) as they faced pressing loans issues from subprime, may suffer China Railway warrants issue ICBC bought S AFrica largest bank US cuts to benefit banks in Singapore, HK and Indonesia (see UBS) 22th Dec Office rental rates went records high JIANGSU New Yangzi Shipbuilding, a unit of China shipbuilder Yangzijiang Shipbuilding Holdings, has signed a deal to build 20 container ships for Cosco Container Lines worth US$1.36 billion (S$2 billion). UBS projects YangtseKiang to go up to 2.80 Hsu Fu Chi cut stakes to 12.22% INDIAN shipping line Mercator Lines IPO and enters counter next fri. Lian Beng bought property and developing in Sentosa Bookmark to:
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Last Gentle Reminder before close of the year 2007!
2007-12-27 17:58:00
It is coming to end of the year 2007. Just a gentle reminder on the important matters mandated by the government just before the start of year 2008: 1) Have you relocated your CPFOA(2.5%) and CPFSA (4% non-gauranteed)? With effect of next year January, govt will freeze the 20K in cpfoa and 40K in cpfsa to give 1% more interest. You can earn much more in NTUC INCOME with gauranteed 4.1%pa for CPFOA and up to 10%pa for CPFSA 2) If you have foreign workers in your company? If so, MOH now manadates your company to cover with medical insurance for foreign workers, if not they would fined. NTUC INCOME is offering at $51 flat for full coverage (up to standard 5K without co-insurance and deductible). Compulsory by govt to take it up before 1st Jan 08 3) Medishield Changes. Subisidies not given to PRs and Foreigners Singapore Govt Hospital no longer provide Subisidies not given to PRs and Foreigners. Be ready to have increase in shield plans due to that. At least it covers almost your full m...
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Can We Spilt an HDB flat when there is no will ?
2007-12-27 11:53:00
Q MY PARENTS died without a will stating which of their three children would be the sole owner of their HDB flat. Two of us are married with an HDB flat each. Our brother is the only one without a flat. As both of us have our own HDB flats, technically, neither of us are allowed to act as the administrator of my parents’ estate as we cannot own two HDB flats. My brother is the only one eligible to become the administrator. 1. Can the administrator hold the HDB flat as long as we want? We want to keep the flat so my brother will have a place to live. 2. Can the administrator rent out the whole flat or some rooms? And when can that be done? Fixed deadline In a case where there is an HDB flat, the administrator would have to resolve the distribution of the entitlement to the flat to the three beneficiaries within six years of the date of death. 3. If the flat cannot be held, what are our options? Can we sell the flat, buy each other’s shares or give up our shares? 4. ...
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It’s My Birthday!!
2007-12-24 17:01:00
I would be celebrating a 3 days 3 night celebration for my birthday. Sunday was my Chinese Birthday so we had family dinner with 2 other birthday boy (my father bday of the same month) and birthday gal (my granny bday of the same month We had dinner at the new restaurant at 2nd Floor Jurong Country Club Monday was Xmas eve celebration and Tuesday was Xmas Celebration Gathering Wednesday, That’s today going to be a birthday celebration with a movie marathon from dusk till dawn (haven’t been watching movies for so long given the busy schedule I had)..wow. I just got to know from a friend who wish me happy birthday today, that my university days article was out in a Magazine called For You Information. Guess another thing to celebrate today….having fun, and will catch up with all of you soon! Bookmark to:

Merry Xmas 2007 and Happy New Year 2008!
2007-12-24 11:55:00
Dear Friends and Readers Happy Merry Xmas 2007 I wish to take this opportunity to thank all of you for supporting me all this years and grow with me. Thank you also for trusting my advise and allowing yourself the opportunity to be better insured and generate even more wealth than before. Your belief in us allow myself and our group to be where we are today. Special Thanks to many of our loyal readers and clients-friends out there. We wish 2008 would be a good year for all of you. Warmest Rgds Alvin Soong Bookmark to:
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12 tips of managing your Parents’ Finance
2007-12-24 11:53:00
MOST of us are reluctant to bring up the subject of financial planning with our parents, and sometimes put it off until they have become incapacitated or squandered their savings. By discussing these issues with our parents early, we can enjoy greater peace of mind. 1. Living expenses This can be a delicate subject. Your parents need to feel comfortable about their situation and know that you can help with any money worries. In some circumstances, simply rearranging the way monies are held in deposit, or how investments are made, can help improve income, said international financial advice and investment group ipac. 2. Medical history Educate yourself about your family’s medical history. You might need to make health insurance inquiries on your parents’ behalf, and you want to ensure that the information you are giving is accurate, to avoid disputes during future claims. 3. Medical fund For older parents who might not be in the pink of health or who might be too ol...
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(Bio Agriculture) Golden Agri
2007-12-23 14:39:00
Based on fundamentals, 3 years profits, bought in POEMS at low price, $1.85 on () Sold on () $2.15, based on technical analysis, 4 rises consecutively, and sold on the 5th day, achieved over 10% profits at targeted amount. (Guerilla Trading) May buy in when price lowers down to below $1.90 —————- Directions for personal monthly log: Move directions to energy and food sectors. (construction and reits for very short term given the sharp rise, but further analysis required) Bookmark to:
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How much to give to your parents?
2007-12-23 10:31:00
In the third of a four-part series on money matters in the family. The Sunday Times looks at how much is enough cash allowance for parents and lists 12 tips on how to better manage parents’ finances MONEY talk can be a taboo topic not only among couples but also between parents and their grown-up children. Once the children start working, how much of a cash allowance they give their parents on a regular basis often becomes a touchy issue. Give too much and the children might suffer financially; give too little and their parents might not be able to maintain their current lifestyle. Let’s look at two contrasting examples. Computer consultant Diana Low, 42, gives a token monthly sum of $200 to her parents, who are retired comfortably. This is in contrast to her colleague, Ms Joyce Chua, 43, who gives $950 per month to her parents, who are less well-off than Ms Low’s parents. She also pays the phone bills at her parents’ house. Both earn about $11,000 monthly...
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Expect to pay more for food Next Year 2008!
2007-12-21 13:58:00
Below is the forum discussion and the local news article on food price hike! SINGAPOREANS should brace themselves for a sharp hike in food prices starting from New Year ’s Day, which could affect anything from curry puffs to ice cream. Wholesalers could raise their prices to clients such as hotels and hawkers by as much as 10 per cent, with some of the cost bound to be passed on to customers. The increases are a direct result of intense global demand - particularly from the developing world - for agricultural produce but the timing of the rises in Singapore is also partly linked to supply contracts ending on Dec 31. These long-term contracts have helped to control prices to wholesalers and distributors, but once they start expiring, it could be open slather for wholesalers and retailers. ‘When January comes, there’ll be a huge price increase as some of our raw material costs have been locked in for several months. Once the contract is over, we’ll be paying ...
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A fifth of S’poreans unsure when they can afford to retire: study
2007-12-20 13:44:00
Dec 19, 2007 A fifth of S’poreans unsure when they can afford to retire: study By Alvin Foo A FIFTH of working adults in Singapore are unsure of when they can afford to retire. More than a third are clueless about how much money they would need for their golden years. And close to a fifth feel they need more than $1 million to retire comfortably. These findings are from a recent study done by global information and media firm The Nielsen Company. The results were released on Wednesday. The survey, which was conducted in September, involved 550 working adults here. The study touched on three main issues: their ideal retirement age, what age they can afford to retire, and how much money they need to retire. Said Ms Connie Nielsen (Singapore)’s associate director for customised research : ‘Given that retirement may not be a widely broached topic, it’s not surprising to find parts of Singaporeans who are uncertain when they can afford to retire and how much th...
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No papers required to prove separation
2007-12-18 17:27:00
Q MY HUSBAND and I have been living separately since 2004. Our two sons and a daughter live with me. My husband is a bankrupt and lives in a rented room. I plan to file for a divorce next year, citing our four years of separation. We did not draw up any papers on separation, so how can I prove that we have been living separately for four years? Does having a different address on my identity card (IC) count? Do I need any witnesses? I am also concerned about the custody of my children. My mother and I take care of their daily needs, with the help of a maid. I live at my parents’ home and work from there, so I supervise my children almost 24 hours a day. I have a stable income with a tax statement to prove it. Will my husband be given any custody of the children? If I file for a divorce next year, which department should I approach? I do not have a lot of money to engage lawyers. On the other hand, I am not eligible for any legal help, as my income exceeds $1,000 per month....
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Thou shalt heed these 10 commandments of investing
2007-12-18 01:36:00
By Mark Bruno, AUTHOR 1. Acknowledge that your retirement is a reality, even if it may be 30 or 40 years away. Your retirement will cost you more money than you could possibly imagine, and you don’t want to wait and see if you can play catch-up. 2. Don’t wait. Do something now. You are not entirely on your own, but it is up to you to take care of yourself. Commit to saving just a small portion of each pay cheque for your retirement before you can spend it. 3. Whenever there is free money, take it. If you are lucky enough to work for a boss who will make matching contributions to your retirement plan, take the money. 4. Treat your retirement as another line item taken out of each pay cheque. Instead of making large annual contributions to your retirement, have smaller contributions automatically deducted from your pay cheque. 5. If you think you can’t afford to save, you are probably wrong. Even saving as little as US$90 (S$130) a month will help you begin to ...
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Teaching the young about money
2007-12-17 01:22:00
In the second of a four-part series on money matters in the family, The Sunday Times sits down with five families who share tips on how to go about unravelling the concept of money to children in five areas WHERE do children think money comes from? Some answers from a quick poll of 15 children from aged five to 12 years in Toa Payoh Central included: ‘My mummy’; ‘The ATM machine’; ‘My daddy’s boss’; ‘Cai Shen Ye’ (Prosperity God in Chinese) and a rather candid ‘I don’t know’. Teaching your children that money does not grow on trees is one of the challenges faced by parents in today’s increasingly affluent society. We speak to five families each with two or three kids aged eight to 17: Mr Ajay Kanwal, Standard Chartered Singapore’s head of consumer banking; Mr Mohamed Salim, financial advisory firm First Principal Financial’s chief; Mr Aaron Koh, executive director of wealth and investment a...
More About: Money , Young , The Young

Dow slips but investors are still hoping for good news
2007-12-16 05:29:00
NEW YORK - NEW data on the troubled housing sector and consumers’ pocketbooks in the final countdown to Christmas could lift investors’ spirits after a week of surprises that left US stocks sharply lower. The coming week also provides a look at who on Wall Street is hurting and who is riding out the sub-prime credit crunch storms, as three of Wall Street’s biggest investment banks - Goldman Sachs Group, Morgan Stanley and Bear Stearns Co - report quarterly results. Finally, investors will zero in on the Federal Reserve’s auction of US$20 billion (S$29 billion) worth of loans as it seeks to get the credit markets working once more. Data on groundbreaking for home construction is scheduled for Tuesday. According to the median forecast in a Reuters poll of economists, November building permits, which indicate future activity, are seen dropping to an annual pace of 1.15 million units from 1.170 million in October. On Friday, the Commerce Department reports on ...
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New Changes to Foreign Maid Insurance
2007-12-15 05:14:00
With effect from 01 Jan 2008, the Minstry of Manpower (MOM) will require employers to cover medical insurance (MI) of $5,000 per year for their foreign domestic maids. This requirement is being implemented in tandem with the withdrawal of health care subsidies for foreigners, which was previously announced by Ministry of Health. The requirement will apply to: a) Existing Maid s : Cover is required when renewing their work permit with MOM online (WPOL) or at MOM counter from 01 Jan 2008. b) New Maids : Cover is required when applying for issuance of new work permit card with MOM online (WPOL) or at MOM counter from 01 Jan 2008. With effect from 01 January 2008, we have enhanced our plan to include hospital and surgical benefits at $5,000 per annum. The premium for the new plans, MI 2, MI 2, MI 4 are right below. The premium for Plan 1a and 1b remain unchanged. The existing Plan 2, 3 and 4 will be available till 31 Dec 2007. The website, ebao system & printed materials are still in...
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What is a Revosave Plan?
2007-12-11 17:04:00
Summary for revosave: Save $500 per month, and can withdraw $4000 every year from 25th month onwards. Gauranteed If not required to withdraw can choose to redeposit into : 1) deposits 3.5%pa or 2) Invesments 9%pa (projected or more) If critical illness, NTUC INCOME will pay all premium in future on behalf of policyholder, and policyholder can still get $4000 back every year gaurantted. On top of that at critical year, can receive $50K life insurance and the balance of all at the final year. Free gift for NTUC FAIRPRICE /Raflles Dining / Amarita Spa vouchers worth >= $120 for every $250 savings per month. (valid last day 30th Nov 2007) Optional: If you like to have a life insurance of another $50K of free life insurance that would increase up to $120K further life insurance added to it, it can be added to the policy at the same premium (savings component would be the same) Withdrawable amount would reduce from $4000 to $2000 every year. —————&mdash ;&mdas...
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