SOURCE: LESTER KONG (THE STAR ONLINE)
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia recorded its highest number of influenza A(H1N1) cases in a day with 569 infections.
There was also one death, bringing the total number of fatalities to 68.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said this indicated that the number of detected cases was still on the rise.
“That’s why our surveillance teams are working hard to detect areas that are persistent in local transmission so we can take measures to cut down on it,” he told reporters on Thursday after attending a campaign on prevention and treating A(H1N1).
He added there were 1,533 patients with influenza-like illness (ILI) who were admitted to 104 hospitals included four private establishments.
From this, 195 tested positive for the virus while 35 patients are in the intensive care unit.
A total of 188 people have been discharged from hospital.
Liow also said that private hospitals could not refuse treatment to patients with ILI.
He added the ministry would probe fatalities caused by late treatment of the patients at private hospitals.
According to a press statement from Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican, the death involved a 33-year old woman who was in the 34th week of her pregnancy.
The patient was treated and admitted into a private hospital in Johor Baru on Aug 8 after developing fever and cough for a day.
She was subsequently, referred and admitted to the intensive care unit of the Sultanah Aminah Hospital in Johor Baru for breathing difficulties five days later.
Tamiflu was administered.
“However, she died the following day because of severe pneumonia and respiratory failure,” he said.
She confirmed positive for the virus on Aug 14.
Earlier, Liow said government clinics in urban areas would now be opened on weekends to treat flu patients.
He said this was to reduce congestions and long queues at public hospitals.
The move takes effect immediately and the hours would differ from state to state, he added.
“In terms of hours, it will be the same as weekdays from 8am to 8pm for selangor,” he told reporters on Thursday after the launch of a seminar of stem cell research and therapy at Ampang Hospital.
“It is up to the state directors to decide on the exact number of hours to open in their respective areas depending on the number of patients.”
He added the doctors from public hospitals will be deployed to the clinics whenever necessary to assist the staff there.
Liow added insurance companies should include cause of death due to complications as a result of contracting influenza A (H1N1) in policies for their clients, regardless of whether they were new or old policy holders.
“I am confident that the demand for insurance will go up because of this health sit due to H1N1,” he added.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Will social media bring harm or do good to us?
SOURCE: Huei (LOWYAT.NET)
Social media such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube are free services that can give you information about the latest trends, almost as soon as it happens; however, the convenience of such technologies does not come without a concern or two. Recently, Mashable reported that the Southeastern Conference (SEC) will be coming out with a new media policy to ban all social media usage at SEC games; which of course, caused this topic to be raging among the most popular trends.
Such policy, which reads “Ticketed fans can’t “produce or disseminate (or aid in producing or disseminating) any material or information about the Event, including, but not limited to, any account, description, picture, video, audio, reproduction or other information concerning the Event.”, is aimed at protecting CBS, the authorized media coverage of the event, because according to The St Petersburg Times, CBS has a $3 billion deal with the conference over the next 15 years.
Ever since the news first surfaced, it created an overwhelming number negative response from just about everybody; the SEC has hence decided to reconsider the ban. On the other side, while it may be harmless to just tweet scores and such, social media can still be a threat to the more sensitive issues - not too long ago, the US Marines were banned from accessing any social media networks for the fear that too much information might be exposed to the adversaries.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Sugar supply likely to fall as unusual weather hits the globe
Source: The Star Online
PETALING JAYA: Sugar is expected to be in short supply worldwide this year because of freak weather.
This is expected to keep the price of the commodity high.
Raw sugar traded in the New York futures market has risen 86%.
Bad weather in India and harvesting delays and crop damage in Brazil – the world’s largest producer of sugar – have contributed to lower supply of the commodity.
India is battling its worst drought in 83 years.
On the domestic front:
> Supplies continue to run low at many sundry shops in the Klang Valley but stocks are starting to reappear in super and hypermarkets,
> Other parts of Malaysia seem to be adequately stocked with sugar,
> Authorities blame local sugar refineries for cutting back on production after over-producing in the first half of the year.
Monday, August 17, 2009
A (H1N1): 2 more die, health curfew if mortality rate reaches 0.4pc
Source: TheStarOnline.Com
KUALA LUMPUR: The Government will consider declaring a health curfew only if the mortality rate of those infected with Influenza A (H1N1) goes above 0.4% from the current 0.1%-0.3%.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the Government was currently treating the situation as a “health emergency.”
A "health curfew" may involve the closure of all schools and the cancellation of all public and social functions, medical sources said.
Public gathering places might also be temporarily closed.
The flu took two more lives, a seven-month-old boy and a 74-year-old woman, taking the country’s death toll to 64.
Liow said Monday that 384 new cases were reported, bringing the total number of case to 4,225.
The Government calculates the mortality rate based on there being 20 cases of infection unreported for each one that is reported.
Liow also said that government records show that many of the deaths were due to late treatment, and he urged private doctors urged to “raise their level of suspicion” when checking patients.
In ALOR SETAR, Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak urged the Federal Government to declare a national health alert.
He said the state government was willing to cancel all government programmes including the state-level National Day parade if the Federal Government declared such an alert.
“We view the spread of the flu seriously because the deaths due to the pandemic has increased day-by-day,” he said after the Wisma Darulaman staff monthly morning assembly on Monday.
In PUTRAJAYA, Health Ministry director-general Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican said the seven-month old baby had asthma and was warded in the intensive care unit on Aug 7 for fever, cough and breathing difficulties over the past two days.
The toddler’s parents had sought treatment from a private clinic a day earlier and anti-viral treatment was given to him on Aug 8. He was confirmed to have been infected with the A(H1N1) on Aug 12.
“The baby died on Aug 15 due to severe pneumonia with acute respiratory failure,” Dr Ismail said Monday.
The 74-year-old victim suffered from diabetes and heart failure; she was warded on Aug 10 after she fainted at her house.
Dr Ismail said the victim had been suffering from fever and cough since Aug 8 and doctors began anti-viral treatment on her on Aug 11 but the patient died the following day.
He said she had succumbed to severe pneumonia and was tested positive for A(H1N1) on Aug 13.
“There are currently 33 patients being treated in the ICU and they are of the high-risk group -- suffering from chronic illness, asthma, obesity, mentally handicapped patients, a pregnant woman and a woman who had just delivered,” he said.
Dr Ismail said it was important for those even with the slightest flu symptoms to stay away from public places, from going to work or school, and they should not even take public transport to avoid infecting others.
“The public must be aware that even if they have a slight flu, the A(H1N1) virus can still be spread to others when they cough or sneeze.
“That is why we strongly advise those affected to remain at home until the symptoms cease,” he said.
KUALA LUMPUR: The Government will consider declaring a health curfew only if the mortality rate of those infected with Influenza A (H1N1) goes above 0.4% from the current 0.1%-0.3%.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the Government was currently treating the situation as a “health emergency.”
A "health curfew" may involve the closure of all schools and the cancellation of all public and social functions, medical sources said.
Public gathering places might also be temporarily closed.
The flu took two more lives, a seven-month-old boy and a 74-year-old woman, taking the country’s death toll to 64.
Liow said Monday that 384 new cases were reported, bringing the total number of case to 4,225.
The Government calculates the mortality rate based on there being 20 cases of infection unreported for each one that is reported.
Liow also said that government records show that many of the deaths were due to late treatment, and he urged private doctors urged to “raise their level of suspicion” when checking patients.
In ALOR SETAR, Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak urged the Federal Government to declare a national health alert.
He said the state government was willing to cancel all government programmes including the state-level National Day parade if the Federal Government declared such an alert.
“We view the spread of the flu seriously because the deaths due to the pandemic has increased day-by-day,” he said after the Wisma Darulaman staff monthly morning assembly on Monday.
In PUTRAJAYA, Health Ministry director-general Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican said the seven-month old baby had asthma and was warded in the intensive care unit on Aug 7 for fever, cough and breathing difficulties over the past two days.
The toddler’s parents had sought treatment from a private clinic a day earlier and anti-viral treatment was given to him on Aug 8. He was confirmed to have been infected with the A(H1N1) on Aug 12.
“The baby died on Aug 15 due to severe pneumonia with acute respiratory failure,” Dr Ismail said Monday.
The 74-year-old victim suffered from diabetes and heart failure; she was warded on Aug 10 after she fainted at her house.
Dr Ismail said the victim had been suffering from fever and cough since Aug 8 and doctors began anti-viral treatment on her on Aug 11 but the patient died the following day.
He said she had succumbed to severe pneumonia and was tested positive for A(H1N1) on Aug 13.
“There are currently 33 patients being treated in the ICU and they are of the high-risk group -- suffering from chronic illness, asthma, obesity, mentally handicapped patients, a pregnant woman and a woman who had just delivered,” he said.
Dr Ismail said it was important for those even with the slightest flu symptoms to stay away from public places, from going to work or school, and they should not even take public transport to avoid infecting others.
“The public must be aware that even if they have a slight flu, the A(H1N1) virus can still be spread to others when they cough or sneeze.
“That is why we strongly advise those affected to remain at home until the symptoms cease,” he said.
Malaysia confirms 6 new swine flu-related deaths
Source: GMANEWS.TV
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Malaysia's health ministry says six more people infected with swine flu have died bringing the death toll related to the virus to 62.The Health Ministry says in a Sunday statement two boys and a man have died of pneumonia. All three have tested positive for the H1N1 virus. Another three people died Saturday.Malaysia has reported more than 3,850 swine flu cases since May. - AP
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Malaysia's health ministry says six more people infected with swine flu have died bringing the death toll related to the virus to 62.The Health Ministry says in a Sunday statement two boys and a man have died of pneumonia. All three have tested positive for the H1N1 virus. Another three people died Saturday.Malaysia has reported more than 3,850 swine flu cases since May. - AP
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Malaysia to cancel Internet filter
Source: Reuters.Com
* Malaysia to look at other ways of policing the Net.
* Earlier plans for Internet filter shot down by PM
* Fears filter could have been aimed at Opposition
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 12 (Reuters) - Malaysia's government on Thursday said it would seek other ways of curbing "the spread of lies and seditious materials" online after earlier plans for an Internet filter were apparently scrapped.
A source had earlier told Reuters the government was cancelling a tender for Internet filter that drew comparisons with China's "Green Dam" project and triggered an outcry from opposition politicians as well as criticism from industry bodies.
Information Minister Rais Yatim dismissed reports of any Internet filter, saying that three ministries have been asked to study alternative means of policing sedition, fraud and child pornography on the Internet.
"They have been tasked to look into the matter and report back on finding a better approach in solving the matter," Rais told reporters in country's administrative capital of Putrajaya.
Earlier, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, which issued the tender, said it was a study on Internet usage so as to boost Malaysian content on the Internet and that reports of a filter were "sensationalised".
But a copy of the tender documents, seen by Reuters, appeared to contradict that statement.
The documents said the proposal was to: "Evaluate the readiness and feasibility of the implementation of the Internet filter at (the) Internet gateway level."
It would study gateway filters in countries that had implemented such measures and "find out (their) suitability for the Malaysian environment".
"The tender is going to be cancelled," said the source, who had direct knowledge of the tender but declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the issue.
The Information Ministry came up with the proposal for the filter in April, but the idea was apparently blocked by Prime Minister Najib Razak, the source added.
Malaysia wants to double broadband usage to 50 percent of its 27 million population by the end of 2010.
That could bring more people not only into potential contact with pornography but also with the country's opposition. Last year, the opposition handed the government its biggest-ever losses in elections, spreading its messages via the Internet to get around Malaysia's generally pro-government mainstream media
China backed down on its "Green Dam" software, which it said was aimed at halting the spread of pornography, under pressure from the U.S., human rights and industry groups.
News of the Malaysian Internet tender emerged after the government arrested almost 600 people in an anti-government protest earlier this month.
It raised concerns that the government would crack down on the Internet, a popular medium for voicing criticism of the National Front coalition that has ruled this Southeast Asian country for 51 years.
NET INVESTMENT
The firewalls, which the source said could have been introduced six to eight months after the study was completed at the end of this year, could have cost in the region of 200 million Malaysian ringgit ($57.01 million) to implement.
The issue of unfettered access to the Internet is important economically for Malaysia, which has attracted investment from technology companies with promises not to censor.
Its Multimedia Super Corridor, set up in 1996, attracts investments worth 1.6 billion ringgit ($458 million) annually, according to industry data.
Najib has announced a series of economic liberalisation measures to attract foreign investment and diversify Asia's third-most trade dependent economy away from its reliance on electronics and commodities exports.
He said last week that filters were not effective.
Boosting banking, finance and the knowledge economy, all of which are helped by fast Internet connections, are key planks of Najib's economic strategy.
($1=3.508 Malaysian Ringgit)
* Malaysia to look at other ways of policing the Net.
* Earlier plans for Internet filter shot down by PM
* Fears filter could have been aimed at Opposition
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 12 (Reuters) - Malaysia's government on Thursday said it would seek other ways of curbing "the spread of lies and seditious materials" online after earlier plans for an Internet filter were apparently scrapped.
A source had earlier told Reuters the government was cancelling a tender for Internet filter that drew comparisons with China's "Green Dam" project and triggered an outcry from opposition politicians as well as criticism from industry bodies.
Information Minister Rais Yatim dismissed reports of any Internet filter, saying that three ministries have been asked to study alternative means of policing sedition, fraud and child pornography on the Internet.
"They have been tasked to look into the matter and report back on finding a better approach in solving the matter," Rais told reporters in country's administrative capital of Putrajaya.
Earlier, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, which issued the tender, said it was a study on Internet usage so as to boost Malaysian content on the Internet and that reports of a filter were "sensationalised".
But a copy of the tender documents, seen by Reuters, appeared to contradict that statement.
The documents said the proposal was to: "Evaluate the readiness and feasibility of the implementation of the Internet filter at (the) Internet gateway level."
It would study gateway filters in countries that had implemented such measures and "find out (their) suitability for the Malaysian environment".
"The tender is going to be cancelled," said the source, who had direct knowledge of the tender but declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the issue.
The Information Ministry came up with the proposal for the filter in April, but the idea was apparently blocked by Prime Minister Najib Razak, the source added.
Malaysia wants to double broadband usage to 50 percent of its 27 million population by the end of 2010.
That could bring more people not only into potential contact with pornography but also with the country's opposition. Last year, the opposition handed the government its biggest-ever losses in elections, spreading its messages via the Internet to get around Malaysia's generally pro-government mainstream media
China backed down on its "Green Dam" software, which it said was aimed at halting the spread of pornography, under pressure from the U.S., human rights and industry groups.
News of the Malaysian Internet tender emerged after the government arrested almost 600 people in an anti-government protest earlier this month.
It raised concerns that the government would crack down on the Internet, a popular medium for voicing criticism of the National Front coalition that has ruled this Southeast Asian country for 51 years.
NET INVESTMENT
The firewalls, which the source said could have been introduced six to eight months after the study was completed at the end of this year, could have cost in the region of 200 million Malaysian ringgit ($57.01 million) to implement.
The issue of unfettered access to the Internet is important economically for Malaysia, which has attracted investment from technology companies with promises not to censor.
Its Multimedia Super Corridor, set up in 1996, attracts investments worth 1.6 billion ringgit ($458 million) annually, according to industry data.
Najib has announced a series of economic liberalisation measures to attract foreign investment and diversify Asia's third-most trade dependent economy away from its reliance on electronics and commodities exports.
He said last week that filters were not effective.
Boosting banking, finance and the knowledge economy, all of which are helped by fast Internet connections, are key planks of Najib's economic strategy.
($1=3.508 Malaysian Ringgit)
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
HIV infection: 50 mln Asian women at risk, UN warns
Source: Agence France-Presse
More than 1.5 million women living with HIV in Asia were infected by their partners and 50 million more are at risk of infection, according to a report released on Tuesday.
The "HIV Transmission in Intimate Partner Relationships in Asia" report by UNAIDS said the women at risk are either married or in long-term relationships with men who engage in "high-risk sexual behaviours."
The "HIV Transmission in Intimate Partner Relationships in Asia" report by UNAIDS said the women at risk are either married or in long-term relationships with men who engage in "high-risk sexual behaviours."
"That is, men who have sex with men, injecting drug users, the clients of sex workers," UNAIDS regional director Prasada Rao said.
"(It's) a problem of great magnitude that the countries have largely ignored (and) a challenge that we may no longer ignore," Rao told reporters on the sidelines of the ninth International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP), which is being held on the Indonesian resort island of Bali.
Women accounted for 35 percent of all adult HIV infections in Asia in 2008, up from 17 percent in 1990, according to the report.
In Cambodia, India and Thailand, the largest number of new HIV infections occur among married women and in Indonesia the virus is now spreading to long-term partners and sex workers, it added.
"The facts speak for themselves. It is estimated that more than 90 percent of the 1.7 million women living with HIV in Asia became infected (by) husbands and partners while in long-term relationships," Rao said.
"These women are often perceived as low risk... women who have not been adequately covered in our national responses."
UNIFEM regional director for South Asia Jean D'Cunha said a "culture of silence" surrounding the issue of sexuality exists among Asian women and this diminishes their ability to protect themselves.
"There are unequal relations within marriage and the taboo around sex and sexuality makes it difficult for the women to talk openly to their partners. Their partners may not disclose their status or may not know their status," she added.
"The women also fear violence if they talk about sexuality openly... or if they demand safe sex or pleasurable sex, they may be castigated as being too loose or too forward," D'Cunha said.
The UNAIDS report calls for more HIV/AIDS prevention efforts among men who have sex with men, removal of punitive laws preventing intravenous drug users from access to clean injecting equipment and greater interventions with sex workers and their clients, Rao said.
"We must re-double our efforts to avert needless infections among these women," he added.
The Bali congress, which runs until Thursday, covers topics ranging from HIV risks among transgenders and migrant workers to biomolecular advances in HIV treatment and the impact of the financial crisis on those with HIV/AIDS.
PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia reported six more deaths related to Influenza A (H1N1), bringing the total number of fatalities to 32.
Source: The Star Online
PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia reported six more deaths related to Influenza A (H1N1), bringing the total number of fatalities to 32.
Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican said there was one death on Sunday while two people succumbed to the disease last Wednesday. Three patients died on Saturday.
It was only now confirmed that the five had died of A (H1N1) following post-mortem, he said, adding that the deaths were officially reported to health authorities on Sunday.
“Four of the victims had underlying risk factors,” he said. “In the last 24 hours, 203 new cases were reported, of which 15 were treated in Intensive Care Unit and 67 patients are in the isolation wards,” he said yesterday.
To date, the total number of reported cases in the country stood at 1,982. Globally, 208,155 people have been found to be infected by the virus and 1,688 people from 174 countries have died.
Dr Ismail advised those who showed symptoms and in the high-risk groups to seek medical attention, adding that anti-viral treatment was effective on patients who began treatment within 48 hours of showing the flu symptoms.
High-risk groups include children who are below five years, senior citizens 65 years and above, children and youth under 19 who have been taking asprin for long-term, pregnant women, those who suffer from asthma, chronic lung disease, organ failure, cardiovascular, liver and blood system diseases, diabetic, obese people and those with low immunity.
“Those who show light symptoms should be given symptomatic treatment, stay at home and limit their interaction with others.”
In Perak, state Health committee chairman Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon said another institution - the Mara Junior Science College in Lenggong - had been ordered to close.
A total of 41 schools and institutions in Pahang have been closed but 11 had reopened, Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob said.
“The staff of the state health department are doing their level best to curb the spread of the virus.”
PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia reported six more deaths related to Influenza A (H1N1), bringing the total number of fatalities to 32.
Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican said there was one death on Sunday while two people succumbed to the disease last Wednesday. Three patients died on Saturday.
It was only now confirmed that the five had died of A (H1N1) following post-mortem, he said, adding that the deaths were officially reported to health authorities on Sunday.
“Four of the victims had underlying risk factors,” he said. “In the last 24 hours, 203 new cases were reported, of which 15 were treated in Intensive Care Unit and 67 patients are in the isolation wards,” he said yesterday.
To date, the total number of reported cases in the country stood at 1,982. Globally, 208,155 people have been found to be infected by the virus and 1,688 people from 174 countries have died.
Dr Ismail advised those who showed symptoms and in the high-risk groups to seek medical attention, adding that anti-viral treatment was effective on patients who began treatment within 48 hours of showing the flu symptoms.
High-risk groups include children who are below five years, senior citizens 65 years and above, children and youth under 19 who have been taking asprin for long-term, pregnant women, those who suffer from asthma, chronic lung disease, organ failure, cardiovascular, liver and blood system diseases, diabetic, obese people and those with low immunity.
“Those who show light symptoms should be given symptomatic treatment, stay at home and limit their interaction with others.”
In Perak, state Health committee chairman Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon said another institution - the Mara Junior Science College in Lenggong - had been ordered to close.
A total of 41 schools and institutions in Pahang have been closed but 11 had reopened, Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob said.
“The staff of the state health department are doing their level best to curb the spread of the virus.”
Monday, August 10, 2009
A (H1N1): 6 more deaths, taking total to 32 (Update)
SOURCE: MAZWIN NIK ANIS (THE STAR ONLINE)
PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia reported six more deaths related to Influenza A (H1N1), taking the total number of fatalities to 32.
Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican said that only one death occurred on Sunday. Two of the victims had succumbed to the disease on Aug 5 and three patients died on Aug 8.
He said it was only confirmed that the five victims had died due to A (H1N1) following post-mortems. The deaths were officially reported to health authorities on Sunday.
“Four of the victims had underlying risk factors. In the last 24 hours, 203 new cases were reported, of which 15 were being treated in intensive care units and 67 patients are in isolation wards,” he said Monday.
The total number of reported cases in the country stood at 1,982 to date. Globally, 208,155 people have been infected by the virus and 1,688 people from 174 countries have died.
Dr Ismail advised those who show symptoms and are in a high-risk group to immediately seek medical attention, adding that the anti-viral treatment had proven effective on patients who began treatment within 48 hours of showing symptoms.
High-risk groups include children who are below five years; senior citizens 65 years and above; children and youths under 19 who have been taking aspirin on a long-term basis; pregnant women; those who suffer from asthma, chronic lung disease, organ failure, cardiovascular, liver and blood system diseases; diabetics; obese people; and those with a low immunity.
“Those who show light symptoms should be given symptomatic treatment, stay at home and limit their interaction with others.
“One should should also look for warning signs such as difficulty in breathing, fever, continuous chest pains, cough and diarrhea,” he said.
Dr Ismail also advised the public to lead a healthy lifestyle by consuming sufficient amounts of water, eating healthy and not smoking.
In MALACCA, the Education Ministry said it will propose a uniform and consistent set of guidelines for school closures, reports MARTIN CARVALHO.
Its Deputy Minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong said the proposal would be tabled before the National Security Council as soon as possible.
He said these guidelines would help avoid inconsistent decisions by state health authorities.
PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia reported six more deaths related to Influenza A (H1N1), taking the total number of fatalities to 32.
Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican said that only one death occurred on Sunday. Two of the victims had succumbed to the disease on Aug 5 and three patients died on Aug 8.
He said it was only confirmed that the five victims had died due to A (H1N1) following post-mortems. The deaths were officially reported to health authorities on Sunday.
“Four of the victims had underlying risk factors. In the last 24 hours, 203 new cases were reported, of which 15 were being treated in intensive care units and 67 patients are in isolation wards,” he said Monday.
The total number of reported cases in the country stood at 1,982 to date. Globally, 208,155 people have been infected by the virus and 1,688 people from 174 countries have died.
Dr Ismail advised those who show symptoms and are in a high-risk group to immediately seek medical attention, adding that the anti-viral treatment had proven effective on patients who began treatment within 48 hours of showing symptoms.
High-risk groups include children who are below five years; senior citizens 65 years and above; children and youths under 19 who have been taking aspirin on a long-term basis; pregnant women; those who suffer from asthma, chronic lung disease, organ failure, cardiovascular, liver and blood system diseases; diabetics; obese people; and those with a low immunity.
“Those who show light symptoms should be given symptomatic treatment, stay at home and limit their interaction with others.
“One should should also look for warning signs such as difficulty in breathing, fever, continuous chest pains, cough and diarrhea,” he said.
Dr Ismail also advised the public to lead a healthy lifestyle by consuming sufficient amounts of water, eating healthy and not smoking.
In MALACCA, the Education Ministry said it will propose a uniform and consistent set of guidelines for school closures, reports MARTIN CARVALHO.
Its Deputy Minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong said the proposal would be tabled before the National Security Council as soon as possible.
He said these guidelines would help avoid inconsistent decisions by state health authorities.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Baby among three new A(H1N1) deaths
Source: The Star Online
KUALA LUMPUR: Three more people including a baby and a child died of Influenza A (H1N1), bringing the death toll to 18.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the 16-month-old baby girl had fever, cough and runny nose for a week before she was admitted to hospital last Sunday.
He said the baby died of severe pneumonia with underlying A (H1N1) infection at Sultanah Aminah Hospital in Johor Baru on Friday.
A five-year-old boy with upper respiratory tract infection, died of encephalitis secondary to A (H1N1) at Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital in Kuantan on Friday, said Liow.
He said the other flu-hit victim was a 63-year-old asthmatic patient who died of severe pneumonia and underlying pulmonary tuberculosis.
“He had fever, runny nose and cough for five days before being admitted to Selayang Hospital last Sunday.’’
Liow said the country also recorded 53 new cases, bringing the total to 1,578.
“There are still 64 people warded at the hospital including two babies, two obese persons and a post-delivery mother in the high-risk group.’’
Liow has urged the public to practise good hygiene, avoid crowded places and shun big events.
However, he said the Merdeka celebrations at Bukit Jalil National Stadium this month would be held as planned for now.
“We will screen everyone including participants of the parade and the public before they enter the stadium,’’ he said.
He also called for private medical practitioners to give out masks to flu and cough patients as part of their treatment.
“The vaccine will only arrive by the end of the year. For now, we must prevent the flu from spreading,’’ he told a press conference after opening the Japan Clinic at HSC Medical Centre here Saturday.
Liow also urged local doctors to be more competitive following healthcare liberalisation.
The liberalisation, which is taking place in stages, enables foreign companies to open hospitals and foreign doctors to work in the country.
Liow said the ministry has so far opened up five sectors.
Friday, August 7, 2009
The Idiot is Richer
Source: KCLAU.COM
One evening, the bar was unusually crowded. People started patronizing the place before dinner time and soon the place was full of middle-age adults who know each other for a long time. It was a reunion party and they were all friends graduated from the same school at the same time.
The obvious way to find out how a person is doing financially is to look at what car he/she drives. David, a senior engineer in a multi-national-corporation who used to be the top student, drives a Japanese car (middle range type). Frank, who persistently failed English language test, drives a Europe-made luxurious sedan. It is an S-Class Mercedes Benz to be specific. Apparently, Frank has the money, earns the big bucks from his businesses. He is the director of several companies.
I bet that you will find someone like Frank and also David during your reunion party. Is there a correlation between academic success and financial well-being?
Book worms are nerds
Academic success may guarantee you a higher-basic-pay-job. But thereafter, your certificates are practically useless. To advance in a career or business, we require a different set of skills. Beside hard works, you’ll need communication skill, selling skill, leadership skill….you name it. Technical skill can only bring you so far.
Graduates has ego
A degree holder has an inflated feeling of pride in his/her superiority. That’s an inevitable ego boost. When you have high ego, it stops you from doing the necessary things that may secure financial success.
Were you at the top, or at the bottom?
If you used to be among the best in school, look at where you are now? Is there someone who did worse academically is richer than you now?
I know quite a few classmates who are doing great now, definitely better than me. The fact is that I was the top three students in school last time.
One evening, the bar was unusually crowded. People started patronizing the place before dinner time and soon the place was full of middle-age adults who know each other for a long time. It was a reunion party and they were all friends graduated from the same school at the same time.
The obvious way to find out how a person is doing financially is to look at what car he/she drives. David, a senior engineer in a multi-national-corporation who used to be the top student, drives a Japanese car (middle range type). Frank, who persistently failed English language test, drives a Europe-made luxurious sedan. It is an S-Class Mercedes Benz to be specific. Apparently, Frank has the money, earns the big bucks from his businesses. He is the director of several companies.
I bet that you will find someone like Frank and also David during your reunion party. Is there a correlation between academic success and financial well-being?
Book worms are nerds
Academic success may guarantee you a higher-basic-pay-job. But thereafter, your certificates are practically useless. To advance in a career or business, we require a different set of skills. Beside hard works, you’ll need communication skill, selling skill, leadership skill….you name it. Technical skill can only bring you so far.
Graduates has ego
A degree holder has an inflated feeling of pride in his/her superiority. That’s an inevitable ego boost. When you have high ego, it stops you from doing the necessary things that may secure financial success.
Were you at the top, or at the bottom?
If you used to be among the best in school, look at where you are now? Is there someone who did worse academically is richer than you now?
I know quite a few classmates who are doing great now, definitely better than me. The fact is that I was the top three students in school last time.
123456789
Source: The Star Online
Today, (Friday) the 7th of August 2009, you lived through two unique moments of the Gregorian calendar.
Today afternoon at 12:34:56pm and at 12:34:56am the figures come up as 123456.
The figures 789 are for the date 7th, the month of August 8 and the year 2009.
Run in sequence it becomes 123456789.
You can live through it again if you live for a 1,000 years from now when it will be 3009, with the same time and date.
Today, (Friday) the 7th of August 2009, you lived through two unique moments of the Gregorian calendar.
Today afternoon at 12:34:56pm and at 12:34:56am the figures come up as 123456.
The figures 789 are for the date 7th, the month of August 8 and the year 2009.
Run in sequence it becomes 123456789.
You can live through it again if you live for a 1,000 years from now when it will be 3009, with the same time and date.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Some suggetions on everyone's dilemma - To save or to spend?
Source: Pankaj Kumar (The Star Online)
OUR parents do it, our grandparents and forefathers did it, our siblings do it, as do some of our friends and colleagues. All for the rainy days, so we were told. Yes, savings.
We have to save for our future to ensure that we have something to meet unexpected expenses that may occur in our lives or to make the down-payment for the dream home or car or to pay for our once-in-a-lifetime event, where we become king and queen for a day.
When we are in a family with children, we also save for their future education needs as well as preparing ourselves for retirement.
Some say we do too much of it while others say there’s no such thing as enough. Our parents told us that we have to start young and we should build it up over the years so that by the time we retire we have enough to enjoy and live until we are called by Him.
Some say we have to save 10% of our monthly income as a benchmark while others try for more if they can afford it while some find it tough just to make ends meet, simply because of the higher cost of living
One thing without doubt is that we have this inherent habit of saving for the future and, to the extent, we save so much that we do not know what to do with it.
My argument is simple as if we look at the current banking system in the country and capturing data related to savings, fixed deposits and demand deposits, individual savings amount to about RM388bil against the total of RM695bil as at June 30, 2009, representing about 56% of the banking system.
If we were to measure the above data in terms of per capita deposit and based on our total population of 28.3 million, per capita individual deposits in the banking system is about RM13,700.
In any society, savings is the pillar of economic expansion as the savings mobilised can be utilised to fund investments. This is indeed very different in Western society, particularly the US where it was only recently that the US found reasons to save due to the on-going economic fallout.
For years the rest of the world has been funding US consumption as the US has been running current account deficits for years and now ranks as the worst country in the world with the highest amount of current account deficit of US$862.3bil.
Malaysia proudly ranks number 17 with a current account surplus of US$17.86bil.
What is the irony of the Americans and us in Asia? It seems that much of Asia’s savings are channelled towards America’s consumption.
We save and the US spends, but it is Asia’s economy that is said to be weak while Uncle Sam is who the world looks up to as without the US spending power, the rest of the world could collapse, starting with significant decline in trade between the rest of the world and the US.
Based on a recent article by Dr Jagdish Bhagwati, a famous Indian-born economist in the US, the US had taken over US$5 trillion from the world and, today, to keep the US spending habits, the rest of the world has to invest US$2bil per day.
Today, almost US$1.3 trillion of US treasuries are held by the Chinese and Japanese. With more US papers flooding the market and to ensure that the dollar doesn’t collapse, the rest of the world has no choice but to buy these papers.
It is indeed a vicious cycle that we are in now as the world is too dependent on US consumption for its own growth.
Bhagwati further commented in his recent article that a nation cannot grow unless the people spend, not save. Not just spend, but borrow and spend. Saving is sin and spending is virtue.
I must say that the above argument has its merits in the American context but we Asians believe in our own values.
Hence, savings will remain a virtue and we will continue to embrace this belief in us and our children as it is our savings habit that has brought us to where we are today while our spending habits are slowly but surely rising.
It may not come as a surprise that one day, we in Asia too will increase our desire for goods and services to the extent it undermines our ability to save and, at the same time, our ability to be a source of funds for the nation’s economic growth.
OUR parents do it, our grandparents and forefathers did it, our siblings do it, as do some of our friends and colleagues. All for the rainy days, so we were told. Yes, savings.
We have to save for our future to ensure that we have something to meet unexpected expenses that may occur in our lives or to make the down-payment for the dream home or car or to pay for our once-in-a-lifetime event, where we become king and queen for a day.
When we are in a family with children, we also save for their future education needs as well as preparing ourselves for retirement.
Some say we do too much of it while others say there’s no such thing as enough. Our parents told us that we have to start young and we should build it up over the years so that by the time we retire we have enough to enjoy and live until we are called by Him.
Some say we have to save 10% of our monthly income as a benchmark while others try for more if they can afford it while some find it tough just to make ends meet, simply because of the higher cost of living
One thing without doubt is that we have this inherent habit of saving for the future and, to the extent, we save so much that we do not know what to do with it.
My argument is simple as if we look at the current banking system in the country and capturing data related to savings, fixed deposits and demand deposits, individual savings amount to about RM388bil against the total of RM695bil as at June 30, 2009, representing about 56% of the banking system.
If we were to measure the above data in terms of per capita deposit and based on our total population of 28.3 million, per capita individual deposits in the banking system is about RM13,700.
In any society, savings is the pillar of economic expansion as the savings mobilised can be utilised to fund investments. This is indeed very different in Western society, particularly the US where it was only recently that the US found reasons to save due to the on-going economic fallout.
For years the rest of the world has been funding US consumption as the US has been running current account deficits for years and now ranks as the worst country in the world with the highest amount of current account deficit of US$862.3bil.
Malaysia proudly ranks number 17 with a current account surplus of US$17.86bil.
What is the irony of the Americans and us in Asia? It seems that much of Asia’s savings are channelled towards America’s consumption.
We save and the US spends, but it is Asia’s economy that is said to be weak while Uncle Sam is who the world looks up to as without the US spending power, the rest of the world could collapse, starting with significant decline in trade between the rest of the world and the US.
Based on a recent article by Dr Jagdish Bhagwati, a famous Indian-born economist in the US, the US had taken over US$5 trillion from the world and, today, to keep the US spending habits, the rest of the world has to invest US$2bil per day.
Today, almost US$1.3 trillion of US treasuries are held by the Chinese and Japanese. With more US papers flooding the market and to ensure that the dollar doesn’t collapse, the rest of the world has no choice but to buy these papers.
It is indeed a vicious cycle that we are in now as the world is too dependent on US consumption for its own growth.
Bhagwati further commented in his recent article that a nation cannot grow unless the people spend, not save. Not just spend, but borrow and spend. Saving is sin and spending is virtue.
I must say that the above argument has its merits in the American context but we Asians believe in our own values.
Hence, savings will remain a virtue and we will continue to embrace this belief in us and our children as it is our savings habit that has brought us to where we are today while our spending habits are slowly but surely rising.
It may not come as a surprise that one day, we in Asia too will increase our desire for goods and services to the extent it undermines our ability to save and, at the same time, our ability to be a source of funds for the nation’s economic growth.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Drug Recall
Source: Dato’ Dr Jemilah Mahmood, Gleneagles Hospital
Dear all,
Please take the time to send this message to your loved ones, family and friends. Print it out and put it up in your office for public reading!
URGENT!!! PLEASE READ CAREFULLY FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR CHILDREN AND OTHERS!
______________________________
All drugs containing PHENYLPROPANOLAMINE are being recalled. You may want to try calling the 800 number listed on most drug boxes and inquire about a REFUND. Please read this CAREFULLY, as I know that some of you may USE some of these drugs (Alka Seltzer Plus for one). Also, please pass this on to everyone you know. STOP TAKING anything containing this ingredient. It has been linked to increased hemorrhagic stroke (bleeding in brain) among women ages 18-49 in the three days after starting use of medication. Problems were not found in men, but the FDA recommended that everyone (even children) seek alternative medicine.
The following medications contain Phenylpropanolamine:
Acutrim Diet Gum Appetite Suppressant Plus Dietary Supplements
Acutrim Maximum Strength Appetite Control Alka-Seltzer Plus
Children's Cold Medicine Effervescent
Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold medicine (cherry or orange)
Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold ! Medicine Original
Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold & Cough Medicine Effervescent
Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold & Flu Medicine Effervescent
Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold & Sinus Effervescent
Alka Seltzer Plus Night-Time Cold Medicine Effervescent
BC Allergy Sinus Cold Powder
BC Sinus Cold Powder
Comtrex Deep Chest Cold & Congestion Relief
Comtrex Flu Therapy & Fever Relief
Day & Night Contac 12-Hour Cold Capsules
Contac 12 Hour Caplets
Coricidin D Cold, Flu & Sinus
Dexatrim Caffeine Free
Dexatrim Extended Duration
Dexatrim Gelcaps
Dexatrim Vitamin C/Caffeine Free
Dimetapp Cold & Allergy Chewable Tablets
Dimetapp Cold & Cough Liqui-Gels
Dimetapp DM Cold & Cough Elixir
Dimetapp Elixir
Dimetapp 4 Hour Liquid Gels
Dimetapp 4 Hour Tablets
Dimetapp 12 Hour Extentabs Tablets
Naldecon DX Pediatric Drops
Tavist-D 12 Hour Relief of Sinus & Nasal Congestion
Triaminic DM Cough Relief
Triaminic Expectorant Chest & Head Congestion
Triaminic Syrup Cold & Allergy
Triaminic Triaminicol Cold & Cough
I just found out and called the 800# on the container for Triaminic and they informed me that they are voluntarily recalling the following medicines because of a certain ingredient that is causing strokes and seizures in children:
Orange 3D Cold & Allergy Cherry (Pink)
3D Cold & Cough Berry
3D Cough Relief
Yellow 3D Expectorant
They are asking you to call them at 1800-548-3708 with the lot number on the box so they can send you postage for you to send it back to them, and they will also issue you a refund. If you know of anyone else with small children, PLEASE PASS THIS ON. THIS IS SERIOUS STUFF. DO PASS ALONG TO ALL ON YOUR MAILING LIST so people are informed. They can then pass it along to their families. To confirm these findings please take time to check the following URL:
Thursday, July 30, 2009
The Citadel: The World's First Floating Apartment Complex
Since Holland is mostly under sea level, keeping houses from flooding is a constant problem. This concept fixes that problem by just having an apartment complex that floats.
The Citadel is the residential part of the "New Water" complex, which tries to embrace Holland's waterworld-ness instead of fighting it. It'll have a floating road to the mainland as well as plenty of boat docks for its 60 units. Apparently it'll also be 25% more energy-efficient than an equivalent complex on land by using the surrounding water for cooling. It looks kind of crazy, but the sort of crazy that could actually work.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Malaysians consume 26 teaspoons of sugar every day, says CAP
Source: Winnie Yeoh (The Star Online)
GEORGE TOWN: Malaysians consume an average of 26 teaspoons of sugar per person daily, revealed a 2005 survey. And early this year, the country was ranked the world’s eighth highest sugar user.
In the 70s, Malaysians only consumed 17 teaspoons of sugar per person per day. Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) president S.M. Mohamed Idris said the consumption might have increased further by now, as the last research was done in 2005.
He said Malaysians consumed sugar in the form of, among others, soft drinks, condensed milk, flavoured drinks, junk food and even breakfast cereals. A CAP survey revealed that some drinks and food contained 10 teaspoons of sugar in one serving.
Idris said a brand of orange juice contained 40.8 teaspoons of sugar in a two-litre pack while a brand of cordial syrup had 200 teaspoons in a two-litre bottle.
He also said former Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad revealed earlier this year that Malaysia was the eighth highest sugar users in the world.
He said the International Diabetes Institute recorded Malaysia as having the fourth highest number of diabetics in Asia with 800,000 cases in 2007, which was expected to increase to 1.3 million in 2010.
“Sugar is linked to over 60 ailments such as cancer, diabetes, obesity, heart problems, osteoporosis, kidney problems, asthma and allergies.
“According to the Health Ministry’s statistics, 11.6 million of the 16 million adults nationwide are sick with a non-communicable disease like diabetes, hypertension or cancer.
“Malaysia has the most overweight and obese people in Asia with 54% of the adult population either being obese or overweight,” Idris told a press conference at CAP office yesterday.
“Thus, CAP calls on the Government to work with food manufacturers to avoid sugar in their products,” he added.
He also urged the Government to make it a requirement for manufacturers to graphically display the sugar content in their products by the number of teaspoons as well as colour labelling with red, orange and green indicating the sugar level as high, medium or low respectively.
“The Government should also stop advertisements of highly-sugared drinks and food during children’s television viewing hours, and educate schoolchildren and the public on the dangers of excessive sugar intake,” Idris said.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Love Child Of An Accordion And A Thermos Keeps Your Milk Fresh Longer
Source: Rosa Golijan (Gizmodo)
Meet Fresh, the amazing Shrinking Milk Jug, who will keep your milk fresh for up to a week longer by eliminating the air void which makes it go bad in the first place.
"Normal milk jugs trap air inside them, which causes the milk to spoil rapidly," but with its innovative spring frame design, Fresh will eliminate those air pockets and leave you more time to enjoy that tasty white stuff. Fresh is easy to use as it stays on the table and you pour simply by pressing down on the container. (So, no more milk-drenched pants either!) Oh, and it's reusable, too
Monday, July 27, 2009
Malaysia PM unveils measures to boost investment
Source: Razak Ahmad (Reuters)
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysian premier Najib Razak announced on Monday more populist measures aimed at boosting investment and countering opposition gains, including a promise to slash street crime.
Najib said the government would cut crime by 20 percent, tackle public service graft, expedite rural development, improve public transport and widen access to quality educational institutes, the state news agency, Bernama, reported.
"All these are being done to ensure that in the final analysis it is the people who will derive the benefits," Bernama quoted Najib as saying.
The prime minister set a deadline of 2012 to reach these targets, a year before his Southeast Asian country must hold its next polls.
The opposition won control of five of Malaysia's 13 state assemblies and denied the ruling National Front coalition its once iron clad two-thirds majority in parliament in an unprecedented electoral performance last year.
More than 10.9 billion ringgit ($3.10 billion) would be allocated for the measures, although Najib did not specify the source of funds for the spending.
To curb street crime, Najib said police would get additional equipment while the government would also consider setting up a special tribunal or court to speed up prosecution.
They are the latest steps to help Malaysia become more internationally competitive and win back investment, which Najib has announced since taking over from Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in April
Najib's approval ratings have surged recently to 65 percent from 45 percent, according to a survey by independent polling outfit Merdeka Center.
But analysts said his popularity could take a hit over public anger about the death of an ethnic Chinese from the opposition camp who died under mysterious circumstances after being questioned and released by anti-graft officials.
Political discontent has been brewing following a botched government takeover of an opposition state in February and the coming trial of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.
Abdullah led the ruling National Front to record wins in the 2004 general elections, but was forced to retire early after voter grouses including unhappiness over failed promises to fight graft led the government to its worst defeat in polls last year.
Veteran opposition leader Lim Kit Siang of the Democratic Action Party, one of the three parties in the opposition People's Alliance, said Najib's promises to cut crime and graft were not new.
"Again, we are hearing promises which will end up just being rhetoric because the question is whether the government has the political will to really deliver," said Lim.
Malaysia and Pareto
Source: The Star Online (Stephen C.M. Wong)
We appear to either forget to target the vital few or cater to them too much
I conservatively estimate that about 10% of Kuala Lumpur road users commit traffic offences every day.
Driving into the city in the mornings, for example, queue jumpers using the bus and taxi only lane along the Federal Highway quite often equal the number of motorists in the legal lanes.
Add to this, speeding, red light jumping, traffic obstruction, illegal parking and all-round reckless driving, and the numbers quickly add up.
Even a relatively small figure of one-in-10 road users, however, can impose significant costs and hardship. With more than 16 million motor vehicles on the road – apparently Malaysia has the third highest motor vehicle ownership per 100 persons in the world – such road users contribute to an inordinate amount of delays and accidents.
Most of these offences, however, will go unpunished as it is logistically impossible to police such a large number of offences committed each day. The KL traffic police chief was quoted in The Star last year as saying that 12,000 summonses a day were issued nationwide, a tiny fraction compared with the total offences committed.
Imagine what would happen if my estimate were to double or triple. KL traffic would be gridlocked and resembles that of other Asean capitals or worse. The authorities would be forced to raise traffic fines further and set up more roadblocks. Traffic cameras are already going to be introduced at 200 hotspots this year to try and counter this problem.
Even this, however, may not be enough. Enforcement is necessary to ensure that a minority of Malaysian road users do not affect or, worse, negatively influence, the rest. Whether the road system functions smoothly depends critically on paying close attention to the minority, not the cooperative and law-abiding majority.
So what do road users have to do with the Malaysian economy? More than a century ago, an Italian economist named Vilfredo Pareto noted that 80% of the land was owned by 20% of the people. This observation has since evolved into the law of the vital few, or how a relatively few countries, companies and people dictate most economic outcomes.
We, in Malaysia, appear to either forget to target the vital few or else we cater to them too much. What often happens is that policies are made to achieve certain goals but forget to take into account how they impact the major stakeholders. The consequences are then policy reversal, non-implementation or rejection.
At other times, though, policies may be pursued to suit the desires of the vital few to the detriment of the wider public. Many of the early first generation privatisation concession agreements were so heavily lopsided in favour of concessionaires that they have extracted a heavy financial and political toll on successive governments.
Policymakers have therefore to constantly balance the interests of a few against those of the many. This is no easy task when taking public complaints to the streets has become a common practice. Populist policies may make governments more liked (or less disliked) but they also run the real danger of being growth-reducing rather than growth-inducing.
At this point in the economic downturn, there is a need to be coldly practical rather than fuzzily ideological. The country has to restart its economic engines and run them at high speed if it is to have any chance of a substantive recovery. The global economy may have hit rock bottom but the economic rebound has yet to be determined.
For this to happen, the vital players will have to be co-opted. Malaysians have come to regard the Government (and political leaders) as all-powerful but when it comes to the economy, this is far from not true. The Government can spend, it can tax and it can redistribute but it cannot sustainably create wealth.
If the needs and interests of the vital few are ignored, they will invariably take their business elsewhere. And in today’s globalised world, there are more than a few countries waiting with open arms to embrace them if we do not. This is the singular problem that countries in the middle income trap, like Malaysia, face: competition and an abundance of other options.
The liberalisation policies of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak were not a populist measure. They did not immediately benefit the many and, indeed, appeared to take away privileges from them. Liberalisation, however, appeals immensely to those in a position to take advantage of them. In so doing, jobs and incomes are created for the masses.
Having made a brilliant start, it would be a tragedy to return to half-hearted measures. Already, there are cross-signals whether Malaysia is willing to do what it takes to be a serious economic player of the future. In recent weeks, international media coverage has focused on the negative developments in the social and political spheres, not the economic.
Efforts will have to be redoubled. The stakes are very high. But until Malaysians put aside their wishy-washy mentality and show that they have the real mettle and fortitude to pursue a vigorous course of economic transformation, they will convince no one that the rhetoric of their speech will lead to real actions
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Caffeine-drinking teens lack sleep
Source: UPI.COM
PHILADELPHIA, July 25 (UPI) -- Teenagers who Web surf, text message and consume caffeine at night are more likely to fall asleep during the day, researchers in Pennsylvania said.
Philadelphia's Drexel College of Nursing studied adolescents who used multiple forms of technology late into the night while drinking caffeinated beverages, lead author Dr. Christina Calamaro said in a release Friday.
Of the 100 students ages 12 to 18 studied, 66 percent had a television in their bedroom, 30 percent a computer, 90 percent a cell phone and 79 percent an MP3 digital audio player, Calamaro's team wrote in the journal Pediatrics.
Eighty percent of the teens reported getting less than 8 hours of sleep on a school night, while at least 30 percent reported falling asleep at school. Those who fell asleep at school on average had a caffeine consumption 76-percent higher than those who reported staying awake, she said.
"Even though we know adolescents are on a different time schedule than adults, we still need to get them less wired at night," Calamaro said.
PHILADELPHIA, July 25 (UPI) -- Teenagers who Web surf, text message and consume caffeine at night are more likely to fall asleep during the day, researchers in Pennsylvania said.
Philadelphia's Drexel College of Nursing studied adolescents who used multiple forms of technology late into the night while drinking caffeinated beverages, lead author Dr. Christina Calamaro said in a release Friday.
Of the 100 students ages 12 to 18 studied, 66 percent had a television in their bedroom, 30 percent a computer, 90 percent a cell phone and 79 percent an MP3 digital audio player, Calamaro's team wrote in the journal Pediatrics.
Eighty percent of the teens reported getting less than 8 hours of sleep on a school night, while at least 30 percent reported falling asleep at school. Those who fell asleep at school on average had a caffeine consumption 76-percent higher than those who reported staying awake, she said.
"Even though we know adolescents are on a different time schedule than adults, we still need to get them less wired at night," Calamaro said.
Calcium found to cause 64% more hip fractures
Source: DR. W. GIFFORD-JONES (Edmontonsun.com)
How many of us are not taking calcium supplements today? Not many if my patients are a good sample of what's happening.
But do you know that calcium supplementation may cause an increased number of hip fractures? And can meat help to make stronger bones?
Dr. Bischoff-Ferrari, professor of clinical research at the University Hospital in Zurick, Switzerland, is a world authority on calcium metabolism. She's also a visiting professor at Tufts University in Boston and says the science behind calcium is not as simple as most people believe.
CONTRADICTORY FINDINGS
Bischoff-Ferrari reports in a Tufts health and nutrition letter that two major studies have come up with contradictory findings.
The first study analyzed 19 different trials and found no overall benefit to taking greater than average amounts of calcium.
One would think that the logical conclusion would be, don't take too much or too little calcium, normally a wise approach to many medical issues.
However, the trouble in life, as one wise sage commented, is that there are always "Buts" which upset the applecart.
In this case a second more recent study showed that calcium supplementation decreased the risk of bone fracture by a whopping 72%! And that type of figure is hard to ignore.
So who is right about calcium supplementation?
Dr. Bischoff-Ferrari says that the most important thing to remember is that bone is not just calcium, and that this mineral does not function in isolation.
In fact, her studies came up with two major surprises.
She reported that higher calcium intake does not decrease the number of hip fractures, the most common and serious fracture among the elderly.
But what is more shocking is the suggestion that taking calcium supplements without vitamin D may cause a 64% increase in hip fractures! That's also a figure that's hard to ignore.
So what could be causing the increased number of hip fractures in those who are popping their calcium pills every day?
One explanation is that there must be a balanced amount of calcium and phosphate to build calcium into bone. And that some people, particularly the elderly, are not eating enough protein to absorb sufficient phosphate.
This is good news for me. Now I can tell my anti-meat friends that a good steak provides protein and also ensures adequate amounts of phosphate. This, along with 1,000 units of vitamin D daily, will provide good insurance against brittle bones.
VITAMIN D FIRST
So Dr. Bischoff-Ferrari says it's time to reverse our brains and think about vitamin D first, and then calcium. And if we have enough D, we will automatically increase calcium absorption.
Bischoff-Ferrari adds that vitamin D has another important benefit. It improves the strength of muscles.
She says muscles need three things, vitamin D, calcium and protein. Moreover, there is good evidence that adequate amounts of vitamin D prevent both falls and broken bones.
So how can we all get sufficient amounts of vitamin D? We obtain this vitamin from the sun.
But in Canada and northern parts of the U.S., there is zero help from the sun between October to February.
During these months the sun's rays strike the earth at an oblique angle, making it impossible for the skin to manufacture vitamin D.
And as the skin ages, or if sunscreen is used, less vitamin D is produced.
I remind my patients that milk isn't just for kids. But milk only provides 300 milligrams of vitamin D per glass. So I also tell them to add more salads to their diet, such as lettuce, celery and other vegetables. Remember that cows get their calcium from grass.
But diet alone will not enable you to have a sufficient amount of D. So it's prudent to take 800 to 1,000 IU of vitamin D daily as a supplement.
I'm also going to make sure I'm not phosphate deficient. I've known for a long time that having meat as part of your diet has many virtues.
But I wasn't aware that a lack of protein could make me phosphate deficient and increase the risk of fractures. I can hardly wait to order my next rare steak.
How many of us are not taking calcium supplements today? Not many if my patients are a good sample of what's happening.
But do you know that calcium supplementation may cause an increased number of hip fractures? And can meat help to make stronger bones?
Dr. Bischoff-Ferrari, professor of clinical research at the University Hospital in Zurick, Switzerland, is a world authority on calcium metabolism. She's also a visiting professor at Tufts University in Boston and says the science behind calcium is not as simple as most people believe.
CONTRADICTORY FINDINGS
Bischoff-Ferrari reports in a Tufts health and nutrition letter that two major studies have come up with contradictory findings.
The first study analyzed 19 different trials and found no overall benefit to taking greater than average amounts of calcium.
One would think that the logical conclusion would be, don't take too much or too little calcium, normally a wise approach to many medical issues.
However, the trouble in life, as one wise sage commented, is that there are always "Buts" which upset the applecart.
In this case a second more recent study showed that calcium supplementation decreased the risk of bone fracture by a whopping 72%! And that type of figure is hard to ignore.
So who is right about calcium supplementation?
Dr. Bischoff-Ferrari says that the most important thing to remember is that bone is not just calcium, and that this mineral does not function in isolation.
In fact, her studies came up with two major surprises.
She reported that higher calcium intake does not decrease the number of hip fractures, the most common and serious fracture among the elderly.
But what is more shocking is the suggestion that taking calcium supplements without vitamin D may cause a 64% increase in hip fractures! That's also a figure that's hard to ignore.
So what could be causing the increased number of hip fractures in those who are popping their calcium pills every day?
One explanation is that there must be a balanced amount of calcium and phosphate to build calcium into bone. And that some people, particularly the elderly, are not eating enough protein to absorb sufficient phosphate.
This is good news for me. Now I can tell my anti-meat friends that a good steak provides protein and also ensures adequate amounts of phosphate. This, along with 1,000 units of vitamin D daily, will provide good insurance against brittle bones.
VITAMIN D FIRST
So Dr. Bischoff-Ferrari says it's time to reverse our brains and think about vitamin D first, and then calcium. And if we have enough D, we will automatically increase calcium absorption.
Bischoff-Ferrari adds that vitamin D has another important benefit. It improves the strength of muscles.
She says muscles need three things, vitamin D, calcium and protein. Moreover, there is good evidence that adequate amounts of vitamin D prevent both falls and broken bones.
So how can we all get sufficient amounts of vitamin D? We obtain this vitamin from the sun.
But in Canada and northern parts of the U.S., there is zero help from the sun between October to February.
During these months the sun's rays strike the earth at an oblique angle, making it impossible for the skin to manufacture vitamin D.
And as the skin ages, or if sunscreen is used, less vitamin D is produced.
I remind my patients that milk isn't just for kids. But milk only provides 300 milligrams of vitamin D per glass. So I also tell them to add more salads to their diet, such as lettuce, celery and other vegetables. Remember that cows get their calcium from grass.
But diet alone will not enable you to have a sufficient amount of D. So it's prudent to take 800 to 1,000 IU of vitamin D daily as a supplement.
I'm also going to make sure I'm not phosphate deficient. I've known for a long time that having meat as part of your diet has many virtues.
But I wasn't aware that a lack of protein could make me phosphate deficient and increase the risk of fractures. I can hardly wait to order my next rare steak.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Three key elements in savings
Source: The Star Online (Yvonne Tan)
So, you’ve worked for some years now. How do you know if you are doing “well” when it comes to saving your money for a rainy day? Is there a magic number which tells you how you are faring?
“As a rough guide, one should set aside 20% to 30% of one’s net income every month for savings,” says licensed financial adviser Jeremy Tan of Standard Financial Planner.
“Saving is important because when you save you are preserving wealth for future consumption,” he tells StarBizWeek.
Generally, there are three key elements to one’s savings.
“If you have these in place, or are on your way, you are faring ‘well’,” Tan says.
“First, one should have what is called an emergency fund, this should equal at least six months of your current net income.
“This fund is set aside in the event you lose your source of income unexpectedly, so this should keep you going until you find another job,” he said.
Next is your life-risk fund, which is basically funds to be used when a person loses the ability to earn an income, i.e. becomes paralysed or ill.
This is normally accumulated via an insurance policy. Here, one should ensure that the funds are equivalent to at least five years’ annual income, according to Tan.
“So, for example, if you earn RM5,000 a month, which translates to RM60,000 a year, then you should buy a RM300,00 policy,” he says.
Third, you should set aside some money for generally safer investments such as property and blue-chip stocks.
“This should garner you some decent returns but you have to be careful of your choices,” he says.
“Following these principles is a good start to securing your stash,” Tan adds.
Comparing the amount you have tucked away with that of individuals of your same age simply to gauge how “successful” your savings strategies are is not a good benchmark, says another industry player.
“People like to do that but there is no point in comparing yourselves, say, if you are a 30-year-old to another 30-year-old, because every one has different goals and different lifestyle, not to mention different income levels” says Keith Hiew, wealth adviser at Freebase Wealth Advisors Sdn Bhd.
“There is no golden rule that says that at age 30, you should have this amount and so forth. You save within your means but you have to save,” he says.
“You know you are saving ‘enough’ when that savings are able, in your comprehensive and integrated financial plan over your lifetime, to cover your education, retirement and other goals,” says MyFP Services Sdn Bhd financial planner and managing director Robert Foo
“The wisdom in financial planning is save what you have first and then spend the rest,” he says.
For R. Kumar, a single, 30-year-old engineer who earns about RM40,000 a year in net income, savings are top priority, simply because “I cannot afford not to save.”
“I scrimp to save and invest a little every month but I make sure I do because I know my Employees Provident Fund (EPF) money is not going to be enough for my old-age,” he says.
A recent survey by the EPF showed that around 90% of the 5.7 million active members had less than RM100,000 in their accounts and more than 70% would have exhausted their money within three years of withdrawing the lump sum upon retirement.
Generally, Malaysia enjoys one of the highest savings rates in the world at 34%.
In the United States, during the economic boom that took place between 2005 and 2008, a credit-fuelled consumer spending craze effectively brought the US savings rate to zero.
Ahmad (not his full name), a 40-year-old private school teacher says he supplements his income by giving tuition. “The extra income earned is saved and invested,” he says.
“Based on my income alone, I am not able to save much, that is why I do extra work.
“You’ll be surprised to know how much I have saved over the years,” he says gleefully.
So, you’ve worked for some years now. How do you know if you are doing “well” when it comes to saving your money for a rainy day? Is there a magic number which tells you how you are faring?
“As a rough guide, one should set aside 20% to 30% of one’s net income every month for savings,” says licensed financial adviser Jeremy Tan of Standard Financial Planner.
“Saving is important because when you save you are preserving wealth for future consumption,” he tells StarBizWeek.
Generally, there are three key elements to one’s savings.
“If you have these in place, or are on your way, you are faring ‘well’,” Tan says.
“First, one should have what is called an emergency fund, this should equal at least six months of your current net income.
“This fund is set aside in the event you lose your source of income unexpectedly, so this should keep you going until you find another job,” he said.
Next is your life-risk fund, which is basically funds to be used when a person loses the ability to earn an income, i.e. becomes paralysed or ill.
This is normally accumulated via an insurance policy. Here, one should ensure that the funds are equivalent to at least five years’ annual income, according to Tan.
“So, for example, if you earn RM5,000 a month, which translates to RM60,000 a year, then you should buy a RM300,00 policy,” he says.
Third, you should set aside some money for generally safer investments such as property and blue-chip stocks.
“This should garner you some decent returns but you have to be careful of your choices,” he says.
“Following these principles is a good start to securing your stash,” Tan adds.
Comparing the amount you have tucked away with that of individuals of your same age simply to gauge how “successful” your savings strategies are is not a good benchmark, says another industry player.
“People like to do that but there is no point in comparing yourselves, say, if you are a 30-year-old to another 30-year-old, because every one has different goals and different lifestyle, not to mention different income levels” says Keith Hiew, wealth adviser at Freebase Wealth Advisors Sdn Bhd.
“There is no golden rule that says that at age 30, you should have this amount and so forth. You save within your means but you have to save,” he says.
“You know you are saving ‘enough’ when that savings are able, in your comprehensive and integrated financial plan over your lifetime, to cover your education, retirement and other goals,” says MyFP Services Sdn Bhd financial planner and managing director Robert Foo
“The wisdom in financial planning is save what you have first and then spend the rest,” he says.
For R. Kumar, a single, 30-year-old engineer who earns about RM40,000 a year in net income, savings are top priority, simply because “I cannot afford not to save.”
“I scrimp to save and invest a little every month but I make sure I do because I know my Employees Provident Fund (EPF) money is not going to be enough for my old-age,” he says.
A recent survey by the EPF showed that around 90% of the 5.7 million active members had less than RM100,000 in their accounts and more than 70% would have exhausted their money within three years of withdrawing the lump sum upon retirement.
Generally, Malaysia enjoys one of the highest savings rates in the world at 34%.
In the United States, during the economic boom that took place between 2005 and 2008, a credit-fuelled consumer spending craze effectively brought the US savings rate to zero.
Ahmad (not his full name), a 40-year-old private school teacher says he supplements his income by giving tuition. “The extra income earned is saved and invested,” he says.
“Based on my income alone, I am not able to save much, that is why I do extra work.
“You’ll be surprised to know how much I have saved over the years,” he says gleefully.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Handerpants: Support Where You Never Knew You Needed It
By Don Nguyen (Gizmodo)
Do you ever find yourself lacking support, your middle and index fingers dangling all over the place?—yes!—well you're in luck, Handerpants are here to save the day.
I'm normally a Hander-boxers guy, but I need something more for my workouts on the iPhone Treadmill—that's where these tighty-whities shine. The Handerpants are made of 95% cotton and 5% Spandex to ensure a comfortable fit, and are a bargain at $11.95 a pair. If you still can't get enough Handerpants magic after watching the video, there is a free ringtone so you can relive the wonderment everytime you get a call.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Buy Your Laptops in August, September and April
Source: Gizmodo (Dan Nosowitz)
DealNews took a relatively standard laptop—Vista-equipped, 15.4-inch, Core 2 Duo, at least 2GB of memory—and graphed the average price over the last year. The findings confirm what we already knew: Laptops are cheapest in the fall and April.
As we all know, August and September are prime times to snag one of those great back-to-school deals, whether you're actually going back to school or not. April is a little more interesting: The price dipped even further than in the fall, and there's no obvious reason like a holiday. We assume the dip comes from most manufacturers announcing new models around that time, and needing to clear out last year's models. The worst time to buy a laptop seems to be late winter and early summer, the worst month being February. Yeah, we all knew this stuff already, but it's good to see a nice neat graph confirming it.
Think long term, write an Investment Policy Statement
Source: DAN SERRA - McClatchy-Tribune News Service
Volatile moves in the stock market are leaving many investors scratching their heads in deciding whether to buy or sell. Unfortunately, making a decision based on what the market is doing now is the wrong way to invest.
The best way to avoid short-term thinking is to write an Investment Policy Statement, or IPS. This is like a personal diary for investments in which an investment philosophy is documented according to financial goals, such as funding college or retirement. Abiding by the IPS provides both direction and reduces emotional decision making.
Begin by stating the acceptable risk of a portfolio on a scale from conservative to aggressive. Conservative would be 80 percent or more in fixed income while aggressive would be 80 percent or more in stocks. This provides a reference for rebalancing in order to maintain the desired risk. Also document when these percentages will change as time goes on.
Next outline the financial targets and goals, such as buying a house or building a retirement fund. Include the length of time needed before these targets are reached and what will happen with the portfolio at that time. Will it be cashed in or invested more conservatively as the goal approaches? Develop the desired percentages of bonds versus stocks at each stage. For example, for a college fund, a 2-year-old's fund can have 80 percent in stock. But at 16 years old that would be too risky with college two years away so a policy could state that the percentage of stocks decreases every five years until 100 percent is in cash at age 18.
The IPS could also state any needs for income in order to stay on track for investing in income-producing investments. After selecting a desired annual amount of income, do the math to determine what the yield would need to be on the current amount of assets and state that need.
The IPS should also state what investments are desired and what type to avoid. For example, blue chip stocks versus small cap stocks and high-grade bonds versus low-grade bonds. Make a list of each asset class and the appropriate percentage desired to be invested, or a range. This again helps when it comes time to rebalance.
Anyone who works with a financial planner should already have an IPS written for them. If not, ask for it.
This IPS is most valuable in volatile times as a reference on why to stay on course and not make irrational decisions based on what's happening today. Short-term market fluctuations are not a reason to change goals. Considerable research has found investors who move in and out of markets get lower returns than those who stay invested at all times.
Volatile moves in the stock market are leaving many investors scratching their heads in deciding whether to buy or sell. Unfortunately, making a decision based on what the market is doing now is the wrong way to invest.
The best way to avoid short-term thinking is to write an Investment Policy Statement, or IPS. This is like a personal diary for investments in which an investment philosophy is documented according to financial goals, such as funding college or retirement. Abiding by the IPS provides both direction and reduces emotional decision making.
Begin by stating the acceptable risk of a portfolio on a scale from conservative to aggressive. Conservative would be 80 percent or more in fixed income while aggressive would be 80 percent or more in stocks. This provides a reference for rebalancing in order to maintain the desired risk. Also document when these percentages will change as time goes on.
Next outline the financial targets and goals, such as buying a house or building a retirement fund. Include the length of time needed before these targets are reached and what will happen with the portfolio at that time. Will it be cashed in or invested more conservatively as the goal approaches? Develop the desired percentages of bonds versus stocks at each stage. For example, for a college fund, a 2-year-old's fund can have 80 percent in stock. But at 16 years old that would be too risky with college two years away so a policy could state that the percentage of stocks decreases every five years until 100 percent is in cash at age 18.
The IPS could also state any needs for income in order to stay on track for investing in income-producing investments. After selecting a desired annual amount of income, do the math to determine what the yield would need to be on the current amount of assets and state that need.
The IPS should also state what investments are desired and what type to avoid. For example, blue chip stocks versus small cap stocks and high-grade bonds versus low-grade bonds. Make a list of each asset class and the appropriate percentage desired to be invested, or a range. This again helps when it comes time to rebalance.
Anyone who works with a financial planner should already have an IPS written for them. If not, ask for it.
This IPS is most valuable in volatile times as a reference on why to stay on course and not make irrational decisions based on what's happening today. Short-term market fluctuations are not a reason to change goals. Considerable research has found investors who move in and out of markets get lower returns than those who stay invested at all times.
Monday, July 20, 2009
10 Important Investment Risks You Must Know
Source: KCLAU.COM & Kevin Chong, (Johor Bharu), Malaysia
What is risk ?
Risk is the probability that an investment’s actual return will be different than expected.
This includes the possibility of losing some or all of the original investment.
Some regard a calculation of the standard deviation of the historical returns or average returns of a specific investment as providing some historical measure of risk.
Financial risk is market-dependent, determined by numerous market factors, or operational etc.
Nowadays, many people lose money in the stock market. Why is this happening? It is because they don’t know how to control the existence of potential risk of investment. Therefore, it will make you lose money and feel hard to earn money from the stock market.
We must know that all investment activities will include some form of risk, such as losing money, stock risk, and market risk and so on. Although, I am still a newbie in stock market, but I have learned all golden investment rules from Warren Edward Buffet, and a local famous stock Teacher Lee Xin Hong. Both of them are my admired idols and teachers. I also have gained two years of experience by investing directly in the stock market.
Investing in stock is not an easy job, because we must always do all the research to assess the potential of a listed company, as well as the market condition too. If you don’t understand all the related facts about a company, it may cause you to lose all your money. It’s true.
Image by Vicki & Chuck Rogers via Flickr Here are the 10 important risks you must know before putting your money into the stock market.
Let’s go through all the type of investment risks：
1. Mismatch Risk: Trade the wrong investment product and it doesn’t suit your budget plan.
e.g : Budget Plan : RM5,000; The stock you bought : RM5,500
2. Inflation Risk: Return of investment (ROI) is less than the market inflation rate.
e.g. Return of investment (ROI) : 5%; Market Inflation rate (IR) : 8.5%
3. Interest Rate Risk: The change of interest rate may decrease the return of investment.
e.g. current interest rate : 2.0 %; Interest rate of the time you bought it : 3.5%
4. Market Risk: Stock market goes up and down according to the market trend, meaning that your return of investment can increase or decrease at such a time.
e.g Current stock price : 0.500; Bought price : 0.470 ( may goes up or down )
5. Market Timing Risk: Trade without knowing the market trend, for example: Current trend is a downtrend. That means that you’ve enter at the wrong time to buy stock. You must always buy during uptrend.
6. Non-diversification Risk: Don’t put all your eggs in one basket
e.g. Cash on hand: RM5,000, put all money in the stock market. You should diversify into fixed-deposit RM 2,500, stock market: RM2,500. If you lose money, you still have RM2,500 on hand.
7. Liquidity Risk: When you want to sell the stock you are currently holding, there is nobody there to buy your stock, meaning that there is no volume in that stock.
8. Gearing Risk: You borrow money from bank or friends to invest. If you lose money, you are unable to cover all the losses.
9. Legislative Risk: The change of investment bank rules may affect your investment plan.
10. Personal risk: scare and greedy. Warren Buffet once said, “We simply attempt to be fearful when others are greedy and to be greedy only when others are fearful”. This is the method of reverse investment in stock market.
Finally, if you are a newbie to the stock market just like me, I will strongly encourage you to adopt a long-term investment plan with a small token to gain some experience first, make sure you are familiar with it. Don’t ever test water with both feet. And, always remember that you are either you a winner, or a loser in the stock market.
Leverage in Investment
Source: KCLAU.COM
Leverage means The use of credit or borrowed funds to improve one’s speculative capacity and increase the rate of return from an investment, as in buying securities on margin.
Investing is already a high risk activity, according to those not used to do investment. If to use leverage in our investment, it means the risk involved is even higher. But only with the proper use of leverage, a person can grow rich even faster. We must have heard that most wealthy people actually had gone through some difficult years prior to their success. Normally, they are able to double their income every year after those initial struggle. They certainly use some form of leverage. Example:
1. Buying property with bank’s money. In order to own a RM100,000 real property, we only need to pay 10% down payment of RM10,000 for residential property. When the property appreciate to RM110,000, we made a gain of RM10,000, which is a 100% return from our initial RM10,000.
2. Buying warrant instead of it’s mother share. Warrant itself is a form of leverage. When the share price rises 10 sen, the warrant will normally follow by 10 sen as well. Those who bought warrants know that warrant is a derivative security that gives the holder the right to purchase securities (usually equity) from the issuer at a specific price within a certain time frame.
3. Borrowing money to do business. That’s how entrepreneurs are able to build their wealth in a short period of time ( 3-5 years). They use the bank’s money by paying them 4-9% interest, but are able to produce more than 20% return per annum in their business.
If we can learn the art of using leverage, we will be able to grow our wealth much faster!
Leverage means The use of credit or borrowed funds to improve one’s speculative capacity and increase the rate of return from an investment, as in buying securities on margin.
Investing is already a high risk activity, according to those not used to do investment. If to use leverage in our investment, it means the risk involved is even higher. But only with the proper use of leverage, a person can grow rich even faster. We must have heard that most wealthy people actually had gone through some difficult years prior to their success. Normally, they are able to double their income every year after those initial struggle. They certainly use some form of leverage. Example:
1. Buying property with bank’s money. In order to own a RM100,000 real property, we only need to pay 10% down payment of RM10,000 for residential property. When the property appreciate to RM110,000, we made a gain of RM10,000, which is a 100% return from our initial RM10,000.
2. Buying warrant instead of it’s mother share. Warrant itself is a form of leverage. When the share price rises 10 sen, the warrant will normally follow by 10 sen as well. Those who bought warrants know that warrant is a derivative security that gives the holder the right to purchase securities (usually equity) from the issuer at a specific price within a certain time frame.
3. Borrowing money to do business. That’s how entrepreneurs are able to build their wealth in a short period of time ( 3-5 years). They use the bank’s money by paying them 4-9% interest, but are able to produce more than 20% return per annum in their business.
If we can learn the art of using leverage, we will be able to grow our wealth much faster!
Money Conflicts in a Marriage (Part I & Part II)
Source: KCLAU.COM & Jacquelyn Wong
a marriage, couples seldom see eye to eye in every aspect of money management. Therefore, it is not surprising to hear that money problems or arguments are a leading cause of marriage breakups.
Conflicts are common
If you find that you are constantly fighting or having arguments about money with your spouse, do not worry as a lot of other marriages are also facing the same situation. Each partner brings different money beliefs and money management styles into the marriage relationship. When the difference is so big, the couple end up fighting as each tends to stick to his or her beliefs. Each person also has different money habits, for example one partner likes to spend money with no thought of future savings whereas the other partner hates to spend hard earned money. This is a good example of a money conflict in a marriage where one partner prefers instant gratification and the other delayed gratification.
Reasons for the differences
There are various factors that influence a person’s perception on money matters. Each person is unique taking into consideration the family background, the growing up environment, the upbringing style, the educational background, etc. A person who has never been educated or even read about financial matters cannot be expected to automatically know about wealth creation or preservation.
Compromise
Successful married couples should be familiar with this word, “compromise.” Couples learn to negotiate and to reach a decision where it is a win-win situation for both partners. For example, let’s take Mr. and Mrs. X. Mr. X currently has his eye on an expensive digital camera and would have bought it immediately if it were not for Mrs. X disapproval. They eventually reach a compromise where Mr. X is supposed to set aside a certain amount of money each month whereby he would have the sufficient funds to buy the camera after five months. Mr. X ended up buying a different brand of camera at a cheaper price but with the same satisfactory performance. During the five months, Mr. X had spent more time surveying the different types and brand of camera available in the market. So, Mr. X got his camera and Mrs. X is happy on the money saved.
What money arguments do you normally encounter in your marriage? How do you solve the money problems with your spouse?
In Part I, the idea of money conflicts in a marriage was introduced. Part I covers the reasons for having the conflicts and the importance of compromising as a solution.
Make the conflicts work for you
Part II will cover the idea of having conflicts that can be made to work for instead of against the relationship. It is near impossible to meet a couple that thinks identically or who can 100% agree on every aspect of their financial management. So, what are the ways to overcome differing financial habits and attitudes?
Adopt a wait and see attitude
Certain money issues or problems cannot be solved immediately and hence adopting a wait and see attitude is recommended. This will give the couple sufficient time to review the problems and to see whether their financial situation has changed or not. Any decision to be made will be based on the current situation. This prevents making decisions on impulse or at the spur of the moment.
Balance and complement each other
In a relationship, it is common to have one partner who is a spender and the other, a saver. One person may love to spend on big items or purchases but is very stingy when it comes to other areas. The other partner may spend more often but only on small inexpensive items. Overall, the financial situation is not affected as this couple knows how to balance their money habits. Therefore, ensure that there is a balance between your money strengths and weaknesses.
Let the capable person take charge
Normally one partner will be more knowledgeable or capable in handling matters related to money. Hence, it is only logical to entrust him or her with most of the money matters. However, there should be frequent interaction or communication between both partners regarding the family finances. The couple should be jointly responsible when it comes to making decisions on money matters.
Therefore, money conflicts in a marriage are common but they can be overcome if both partners are sensitive to each other and willing to find a common solution.
How do you solve the money conflicts in your marriage? What method works best for you?
a marriage, couples seldom see eye to eye in every aspect of money management. Therefore, it is not surprising to hear that money problems or arguments are a leading cause of marriage breakups.
Conflicts are common
If you find that you are constantly fighting or having arguments about money with your spouse, do not worry as a lot of other marriages are also facing the same situation. Each partner brings different money beliefs and money management styles into the marriage relationship. When the difference is so big, the couple end up fighting as each tends to stick to his or her beliefs. Each person also has different money habits, for example one partner likes to spend money with no thought of future savings whereas the other partner hates to spend hard earned money. This is a good example of a money conflict in a marriage where one partner prefers instant gratification and the other delayed gratification.
Reasons for the differences
There are various factors that influence a person’s perception on money matters. Each person is unique taking into consideration the family background, the growing up environment, the upbringing style, the educational background, etc. A person who has never been educated or even read about financial matters cannot be expected to automatically know about wealth creation or preservation.
Compromise
Successful married couples should be familiar with this word, “compromise.” Couples learn to negotiate and to reach a decision where it is a win-win situation for both partners. For example, let’s take Mr. and Mrs. X. Mr. X currently has his eye on an expensive digital camera and would have bought it immediately if it were not for Mrs. X disapproval. They eventually reach a compromise where Mr. X is supposed to set aside a certain amount of money each month whereby he would have the sufficient funds to buy the camera after five months. Mr. X ended up buying a different brand of camera at a cheaper price but with the same satisfactory performance. During the five months, Mr. X had spent more time surveying the different types and brand of camera available in the market. So, Mr. X got his camera and Mrs. X is happy on the money saved.
What money arguments do you normally encounter in your marriage? How do you solve the money problems with your spouse?
In Part I, the idea of money conflicts in a marriage was introduced. Part I covers the reasons for having the conflicts and the importance of compromising as a solution.
Make the conflicts work for you
Part II will cover the idea of having conflicts that can be made to work for instead of against the relationship. It is near impossible to meet a couple that thinks identically or who can 100% agree on every aspect of their financial management. So, what are the ways to overcome differing financial habits and attitudes?
Adopt a wait and see attitude
Certain money issues or problems cannot be solved immediately and hence adopting a wait and see attitude is recommended. This will give the couple sufficient time to review the problems and to see whether their financial situation has changed or not. Any decision to be made will be based on the current situation. This prevents making decisions on impulse or at the spur of the moment.
Balance and complement each other
In a relationship, it is common to have one partner who is a spender and the other, a saver. One person may love to spend on big items or purchases but is very stingy when it comes to other areas. The other partner may spend more often but only on small inexpensive items. Overall, the financial situation is not affected as this couple knows how to balance their money habits. Therefore, ensure that there is a balance between your money strengths and weaknesses.
Let the capable person take charge
Normally one partner will be more knowledgeable or capable in handling matters related to money. Hence, it is only logical to entrust him or her with most of the money matters. However, there should be frequent interaction or communication between both partners regarding the family finances. The couple should be jointly responsible when it comes to making decisions on money matters.
Therefore, money conflicts in a marriage are common but they can be overcome if both partners are sensitive to each other and willing to find a common solution.
How do you solve the money conflicts in your marriage? What method works best for you?
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
The Best Places to Launch a Career
Sources: Business Week ( Lindsey Gerdes )
To lure and keep young talent when cash is tight, companies of all stripes are appealing to Gen Yers' ambitions for speedy advancement—and their desire to do good while doing well
As career choices go, the hotel business isn't one that will put new college grads on the path to riches. With few exceptions, new employees can expect an annual salary of less than $40,000, a figure that has barely budged in recent years. So when Marriott International (MAR) visited the University of Delaware campus on a recruiting trip, it didn't wave a big wad of cash in front of Claire Pignataro. It didn't have to. It had already hooked her with something she considered far more valuable: a chance to help run a hotel.
A semester at the Courtyard by Marriott hotel, located on the Delaware campus, is required as part of the school's hospitality program. Pignataro, who was among the first students to work there, took part in virtually every aspect of opening the hotel, from developing marketing materials and designing weekend packages to even checking the legal mumbo jumbo posted in every hotel room. After graduating in 2005 and joining Marriott full-time, she entered a three-month management training program at a full-service hotel in Bridgewater, N.J., that put her through her paces again, including brief stints in the restaurant, food and beverage service, and front office. Knowing Pignataro wanted to be a wedding planner—and not wanting to lose her—Marriott gave her the next best thing: a permanent slot as an event planner at the Bridgewater property. "I was doing bar mitzvahs and weddings—all kinds of social and corporate meetings," says Pignataro, who is now in corporate sales. "You can do a lot of that within Marriott."
For companies like Marriott that need to win the talent wars without breaking the bank, opportunities such as those offered to Pignataro are rapidly supplanting pay as a way of luring and keeping the best new college graduates in the corporate fold. While the economy has taken its toll on middle management, many companies are continuing to hire entry-level employees—in some cases at a blistering pace. Even those that are hiring fewer employees for entry-level jobs are competing more intensely for the very best. While traditional perks such as pensions and health insurance still have their place, more companies are finding inventive ways to attract, retain, and motivate their youngest employees—using everything from work-from-home programs to faster promotions to financial benefits that kick in a few years down the road. Says Adam Kling, a workplace consultant with RHR International: "They're using those and other perks to help offset what you're seeing in your monthly paycheck." Or more to the point, what you're not seeing in your monthly paycheck.
No one recognizes the importance of perks more than Ernst & Young, where average salaries haven't increased substantially in at least three years. The Big Four firm still attracts more than 3,000 highly sought-after accounting students each year with extensive training and mentoring programs, performance bonuses, and the promise of face time with top executives—including an annual trip to Walt Disney World (DIS) for all U.S.-based interns, where they get to mingle with the powers that be. It's perks like that, along with a recruiting machine in overdrive and near-certain advancement to a supervisor-level position in just two years, that landed Ernst & Young atop BusinessWeek's third annual Best Places to Launch a Career ranking this year, unseating rival Deloitte
The ranking is based on three separate surveys: a BusinessWeek poll of career-services directors at U.S. colleges; a survey of 40,000 U.S. college students conducted by Universum USA, a Philadelphia research company; and a BusinessWeek poll of the employers themselves. With a greater number of qualified employers participating, we ranked 119 this year, up from 95 in 2007. (The complete list is available online.) The increased competition, along with shifts in sentiment among students and career-services directors, sent several newcomers, including No. 14 Target (TGT), No. 17 Boston Consulting Group, and No. 19 Anheuser-Busch, vaulting up the ranking, while several favorites from last year came off their pedestals. Microsoft (MSFT) slipped seven spots, to No. 13; Disney fell 20, to No. 27; and Accenture (ACN) dropped 39, to No. 47.
While accounting firms again dominate the top of the list, owing to impressive perks and intense demand, one of the most surprising things about this year's ranking is just how well the investment banks fared. With five banks in the top 50, including Goldman Sachs at No. 4 and J.P. Morgan at No. 10, it was the industry's best showing since the inaugural ranking in 2006, perhaps in part because the surveys were conducted before the full extent of the turmoil on Wall Street had become apparent. High pay and an otherwise excellent reputation on campuses propelled four of the five banks—including beleaguered Lehman Brothers—higher up the ranking.
However, for almost every industry, economic conditions today are far different from those that prevailed last year, when both hiring and salaries were on the rise. Overall, hiring was down 2% in 2007—more than 30 companies had cutbacks—and salaries advanced at a sluggish 2.8% pace, trailing inflation. Demand for accounting, computer sciences, and engineering majors created a few exceptions to the unfavorable salary picture, explaining why the accounting and tech companies fared as well as they did. But for the most part, 2007 was the worst year for the entry-level job market since 2003.
Amid all the gloom, companies are seeking new ways to find and retain new college grads. For many, the effort starts with campus recruiting, a hugely expensive undertaking that, for companies with high turnover, often has a very poor return.
To make the most of their recruiting efforts, many companies are scaling back their scope. In recent years, Philip Morris USA dropped nearly 50 campuses from its program, leaving it with just 34. Philip Morris President Craig A. Johnson says the quality of new hires is up as a result, and that more interns are being converted into full-time hires: 47% in 2007, up from 32% in 2005. PricewaterhouseCoopers pairs a targeted recruiting effort with a beefed-up Web presence that now accounts for 20% of its new hires. Jean Wyer, a PwC partner who was instrumental in developing the strategy, says students who find PwC through the Web site—as opposed to PwC finding them through on-campus recruiting events—have the kind of resourcefulness that results in successful accounting careers. "These are people who are paddling on their own," she says.
One reason companies like Philip Morris and PricewaterhouseCoopers are succeeding in their recruiting efforts is they've done the math. Both companies focus their face-to-face recruiting efforts at schools that have traditionally yielded the most hires, employees with the strongest performance reviews, or those who have stayed with the company the longest, among other metrics. For Philip Morris, one such school is Penn State. As a result of its analysis, the company not only has increased the number of Penn State graduates it hires each year for the last three years but has also broadened its recruiting efforts on the school beyond sales jobs.
A different state school in the Upper Midwest wasn't so lucky. The school, which Philip Morris would not identify, was recently cut from its recruiting roster when the company discerned that the number of interns from the school who were hired for full-time jobs was unsatisfactory. Says Ken Garcia, a company spokesman: "The numbers just didn't pan out."
For many companies, though, the bigger problem—far bigger than recruiting—is retention. Overall, average five-year retention rates for employers that took part in both the 2007 and 2008 rankings began to slip this year, from 55.4% in 2007 to 52.8% in 2008. This was true for some companies in low-paying industries, including insurance and transportation, and industries with relatively high pay, both of which struggled to hold on to their youngest employees. While the accounting industry made modest improvements, companies in other industries took it on the chin: Abbott Laboratories (ABT) saw its five-year rate drop from 83% to 72%, and Intel's (INTC) fell from 71% to 58%. Claudia Tattanelli, CEO of Universum USA, says falling retention is a function of Generation Y's fearless attitude: "They're not going to stay in a job just because the economy is bad."
Indeed, one reason high pay alone is no longer enough to guarantee loyalty is that many members of Gen Y, who have been entering the workforce since 2004, have other priorities. For them, issues such as community service and serving the greater good are among the most important, according to the 2008 Universum USA survey of U.S. undergraduates.
That's an inversion of the baby boomer priorities, and particularly good news for nonprofit and government employers. Some of the federal government agencies in our ranking—including the State Dept. and NASA—mesh well with Gen Y priorities, which helps explain why their retention rates are high even though the pay is nothing special. And with more than 60% of the federal workforce eligible for retirement by 2016 (and 37% expected to actually depart), the opportunities for rapid career advancement—another Gen Y priority—are growing. At AmeriCorps, which each year sends an army of 75,000 to serve nonprofit groups in communities across the country, applications from young adults are up 69% in the last four years. David Eisner, the CEO of AmeriCorps' parent agency, the Corporation for National & Community Service, says AmeriCorps is the beneficiary of a generation intent on giving something back. "It's the kind of demographic shift you almost never see," says Eisner.
But if you can't promise new college grads a chance to save the world—or a seat on the space shuttle—how do you get them to stick around?
A growing number of employers are trying the carrot-and-stick approach. Some companies in recent years have restructured their 401(k) matches and vesting schedules to entice new employees to stay until the richer benefits kick in. Among them: Honeywell International (HON), American International Group (AIG), and Blue Cross Blue Shield, where three out of four entry-level hires leave within three years. The health insurer last year ditched its traditional pension plan and created a 401(k) match that starts at 3% and goes as high as 10%, based on age and years of service.
To improve retention, Ernst & Young in 1999 began doubling its match after four years of service to 3%. Today, it boasts the best five-year retention among Big Four firms: 34%. Although that still leaves a lot to be desired, the savings in recruiting and training expenses are significant. Explains Mary A. Stringfield, E&Y's head of Americas benefits: "Retention was a key factor for designing that match formula."
As incentives go, ballooning 401(k) benefits are a crude but effective way to keep employees tethered to the company. But for a generation that values flexibility, there's something even more valuable that employers can offer: no tether at all. About a year ago, BearingPoint (BE) started a program to permit employees to work from home full-time. Of the consulting company's total workforce of 16,000, some 800 employees ultimately took it up on the offer, including Jenny Fredrickson. Fresh out of college, the 24-year-old marketing analyst started in the company's Redwood (Calif.) office in January 2007 but joined the work-from-home program a year later to be near her family and boyfriend, and to buy a home 360 miles away in tiny Etna, Calif. (pop. 750). Today, she's part of a virtual marketing team with outposts in six states. It's lonely at times, but conference calls and the occasional real-world meeting with her teammates break up the monotony. "There's a lot of flexibility with where you can live," says Fredrickson. "That's one of the main reasons I joined the firm."
It's too soon to determine the success of BearingPoint's work-from-home program. But Tom O'Connor, a senior BearingPoint manager who founded the program, says younger employees like Fredrickson find working remotely more desirable than boomers do, so there's real potential to increase their job satisfaction. "My son is a junior in college," O'Connor says. "The last thing he wants to do is sit in a cubicle all his life."
Programs like BearingPoint's improve retention by making employees more satisfied with the day-to-day aspects of their jobs. But more targeted interventions are sometimes equally effective. By making a big impression when it matters most—in the first year of employment, when a lot of entry-level hires jump ship, or at the three-year mark, when boredom and frustration often set in—employers can get their young charges over the hump and, with luck, motivated to stay on for many more years. More than a dozen companies in this year's ranking did that with cold, hard cash, increasing the size of performance bonuses awarded to entry-level hires in their first year on the job. KPMG paid out an average of $4,300, up from $3,500 in 2007, and to a far larger group of employees—nearly 80% got the bonuses in 2007, up from 53% in 2006.
At IBM (IBM), the average bonus more than doubled, to $3,500, from $1,500 in 2007, but fewer employees received them in their first year on the job: 83%, down from 92%. Laurie Friedman, an IBM spokesperson, says the company purposely raised the bar for awarding the bonuses to increase the amount and make a bigger impression. Says Friedman: "It's one of the ways IBM attracts the highest-quality applicants in today's competitive tech job market."
Money is all well and good, but nothing says "stay for the long haul" like a promotion. So companies are experimenting with ways to accelerate the process. While many companies award promotions only when a vacancy exists, several, including Philip Morris USA, have shifted to a system that considers employees for new positions whenever they're ready—vacancy or not—thereby removing one of the biggest obstacles to promotion. And Whirlpool (WHR) is now giving employees a chance to fast-track their careers by offering them opportunities to work on special projects that will enhance their skills, thus making them eligible for promotions earlier. The projects can be anything from a 60-day stint with HR to six months spent designing a new appliance. The pilot program was started in July, but the company expects it to be popular with young employees and to improve retention, which is already the best among consumer products companies in our ranking. "The more opportunities we can provide our employees to engage in meaningful work and challenging assignments, the more quickly we can help them achieve career goals," says Jeff Beavers, Whirlpool's director of global university relations.
The problem with providing all that meaningful work, however, is that too much can quickly lead to burnout—especially for a generation for whom work-life balance is a priority. This is a major concern in industries such as consulting, where long hours and nonstop travel can take their toll on new grads—driving as many as two-thirds to bolt inside of five years. To prevent that, Boston Consulting Group takes unusual precautions, monitoring employee hours through a formal early-warning system and sounding the alarm when hours approach the burnout zone.
On her first assignment, a stint in Toronto, Allie Melnick averaged 75 hours a week over a three-week period. The 23-year-old associate showed no signs of distress—to hear her describe it, she barely broke a sweat—but the long hours alone triggered BCG's early-warning system. Her project leader pulled her aside to find out how she was handling the pressure, then BCG quickly reorganized the case team, adding staffers and redistributing the workload to give Melnick a break. BCG's response made a big impression on her. "If you're working hard, people notice it," says Melnick. "It was a good feeling."
For many new college grads, however, nothing gets the juices flowing quite like a chance to speak truth to power. Mingling with top executives and having their ideas heard by senior managers is particularly important to Gen Y workers. So providing those opportunities is becoming a priority for many employers. Ernst & Young last year allowed interns aboard the corporate jet for some face time with the chief executive. Mark Kappelman, 24, an Arizona State accounting graduate who chose E&Y over the three other Big Four firms, said senior-level access is typical for new hires as well, and was one of the things that helped him handle all the duties he received in his first few months on the job. Says Kappelman: "It's a very uphill learning curve in the first year. They throw a lot of responsibility at you."
Some companies have even begun taking on the role of surrogate parents to attract and retain a generation often criticized as being far too dependent on mom and dad. Many companies, including Cisco Systems (CSCO), Unilever, and Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide, will now finance your move, help you pay for that laptop you can't afford, or even pick up the full tab for graduate school.
Some go even further. IBM brings in financial coaches from Ayco and Fidelity Investments to advise young employees. Nearly half of IBM's U.S. workforce uses the program, tapping the coaches for advice on everything from 401(k)s to mortgages. Darien Davis, a financial analyst in IBM's software group, says his coach taught him how to manage his student loan payments and still save for retirement, bringing a new "level of discipline" to his financial life. That was kind of the point, says Karen Salinaro, an HR vice-president. "You're just out of school, and you're trying to figure out how to live on the salary you're making," Salinaro says. "These are tools to help you and give you one-on-one interaction, rather than asking your mom and dad."
Perhaps the most unconventional method for holding on to the best entry-level talent is showing them the door—at least temporarily. A number of companies now offer employees a chance to work with nonprofits, a shot at saving the world without sacrificing their jobs. At Verizon Communications (VZ), dozens of employees, many of them Gen Yers, are dispatched to K-12 classrooms across the country each year to preach the benefits of studying engineering and computer sciences, disciplines that Verizon relies on to fill its talent pipeline.
At Boston Consulting Group, employees with 18 months at the firm can spend up to a year working at a nonprofit. Employees receive two-thirds of their pay; BCG and the nonprofit split the bill. Albert Chu, 24, who is spending a year with Save the Children, says BCG's philanthropic bent was a big reason he joined the firm after graduating from Duke in 2005—and a big reason he hopes to remain there for years to come. That's a long way from his original plan, which involved using consulting as a more immediate springboard into the nonprofit world. "I had always been looking at this as a short-term thing," says Chu, echoing a common sentiment among new college grads.
Not anymore.
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