Lee Kuan Yew brought prosperity to Singapore with an authoritarian system designed to outlast him, but that legacy may be ill-suited for the 21st-century challenges facing the tropical city-state.
One of the last of a generation of Southeast Asian strongmen, Lee died Monday at age 91 after being hospitalized in early February, suffering from severe pneumonia. The famously blunt-speaking autocrat stepped down as prime minister in 1990, but for decades after remained a commanding presence in Singapore politics and the region. His son is the current prime minister.
His death is an inflection point for Singapore. After gaining self-rule from Britain in 1959, the island at the tip of the Malay Peninsula was transformed under Lee's iron leadership into a wealthy finance and manufacturing powerhouse.
To give his government a free hand to fashion a new society, Lee systematically crushed dissent, muzzled the press and imprisoned political opponents. A social compact of authoritarian government in exchange for a guarantee of prosperity has endured for two generations.
Now, it is increasingly under strain.
Singaporeans prize the pluses such as low crime, harmony between the Chinese majority and Malay Muslim minority and almost zero corruption in a region where graft is rampant. But an increasing number fret that the ruling party has pushed their country of 5.4 million in the wrong direction in the past two decades. Income inequality has soared and large-scale immigration has increased competition for jobs and depressed wages. Destitute elderly Singaporeans pushing carts along the city's immaculate streets, collecting cardboard and plastic that they sell to recyclers, are vivid evidence of the gaping holes in its social safety net.
"There's dissatisfaction, you can feel it, and people are stirring for change," said Lynn Su-lin, a 56-year-old business owner. She is of a generation that hails Lee's achievements as "amazing" and worries younger Singaporeans don't fully appreciate their inheritance. Without Lee, "we're a bit frightened of what will happen."
The ruling party suffered a stinging setback in 2011 elections. By the standards of Western democracies it was an overwhelming victory, but the People's Action Party's share of the vote fell and the tiny opposition picked up seats. In response, the government has doled out more social welfare in recent budgets and slowed immigration, but the changes may not yet be bold or fast enough to placate an increasingly vocal electorate.
"The idea that people only vote for the opposition when they are desperate is no longer true, if it ever was true," said Garry Rodan, a Southeast Asia expert at Murdoch University in Perth, Australia. "Some of the last budget measures may not have come without opposition gains in elections."
Singapore, said Yeoh Lam Keong, a former chief economist of Singapore's sovereign wealth fund GIC, is being buffeted economically and politically by "huge transformative forces."
Like other developed countries, it is facing the pains of globalization. New technology is displacing middle- and working-class jobs and competition from the vast labor forces of China and India is holding down wages. At the same time, a well-educated and Internet-connected generation of young Singaporeans with high expectations has reached voting age. In Asia, that generation's aspirations were underlined by last year's student-led pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong that shut down parts of the city for weeks.
"I respect Lee Kuan Yew for his contributions to building our nation yet disagree with some of the things he has done," said 22-year-old university student Tan Guan Hong. "I hope we take a step back. I hope that the future opens up opportunities to revisit the problems."
The Singapore government has strong fiscal resources and with a moderate increase in its ultra-low tax rates can afford to markedly boost social spending in a sustainable way, Yeoh said. But compromising with Singaporeans who want less top-down rule and a greater say in their own lives will be its more profound challenge.
"Democratization is the trickier part because Lee Kuan Yew's legacy is also benevolent authoritarianism," he said. "They are standing against the tide in the long run, 10 to 20 years. They really need to lead that rather than get dragged along by it. I'm not sure if they have the inclination to do that."
Under the current prime minister, Lee's son Lee Hsien Loong, the government has maintained control over the media, tried to stifle online criticism and kept Speakers' Corner, a small park, as the only location in Singapore where protests can be held.
In his heyday, Lee Kuan Yew reinforced his hold on power with dire and widely believed predictions that all of Singapore's progress could be undone and the country hurled back into the developing world if voters opted for the opposition.
In reality, and unlike the "From Third World to First" title of Lee's memoirs, Singapore never knew grim poverty. Before independence, it was by the standards of the region a prosperous commercial hub of the British Empire.
Yet after its split in 1965 from a short-lived and acrimonious federation with Malaysia, Singapore's future was highly uncertain. It lacked natural resources, having to import even water, and was surrounded by hostile neighbors. In control of all policy levers, Lee and his government obliterated independent trade unions, reconfigured the education system to produce workers that met the needs of foreign investors and pushed through other changes to make the island competitive. Whenever the economic model faded, a new plan would be announced and implemented in sweeping fashion.
Today, its GDP is among the highest in the world at $54,000 per head, according to the World Bank, and it consistently ranks at the top of surveys of competiveness, while Malaysia and other Southeast Asian nations lag far behind.
But even that remarkable success has produced its discontents.
"My big grouse about Singaporeans is that they're so obsessed about money and getting ahead that they've lost their humanity," said Su-lin, the businesswoman. "They admire success so much that there's no room for people who don't want to chase all those dreams."
And nowadays, predictions of economic demise from a greater opposition role in politics are not as easily believed.
"The worst-case scenario for Singapore economically is being the No. 10 city instead of the No. 1 city or No. 2 in Asia," said Cherian George, a Singaporean academic and commentator who now lives in Hong Kong. "But it would still be prosperous."
___
AP writer Jeanette Tan contributed to this report.
___
Follow Stephen Wright: https://twitter.com/stephenwrightAP
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Lee Kuan Yew - SINGAPORE
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Some background on the reported weather conditions in southern France before the crash-witness tells of series of noises before crash
The Latest: witness tells of series of noises before crash
The Latest: Witness tells of series of long noises before passenger plane crashed in the Alps
The owner of a French Alpine camping ground says he heard a series of loud noises in the air before a Germanwings passenger plane carrying 150 people crashed to the ground.
Pierre Polizzi told The Associated Press the noise began at 11:30 a.m.
"There are often fighter jets flying over, so I thought it sounded just like that. I looked outside but I couldn't see any fighter planes."
"The noise I heard was long - like 8 seconds - as if the plane was going more slowly than a military plane speed. There was another long noise about 30 seconds later."
No survivors are expected in the crash of the plane that was traveling from Barcelona to Duesseldorf, Germany.
Polizzi said it would be difficult to get to the site of the crash. "The mountain is snowy and very hostile."
___
1:45 p.m . (1245 GMT, 8:45 EDT)
Spanish King Felipe has canceled his state visit to France following the crash of a plane in the southern French Alps.
The plane was flying from Barcelona to Duesseldorf in Germany, and Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria told reporters in Seville that there were 45 people aboard the plane with Spanish last names but that authorities have not confirmed how many of them were Spanish.
Felipe met with French President Francois Hollande on Tuesday morning before ending his visit.
Airline Germanwings says there were 150 people on board the Airbus 320. Hollande has said no survivors are expected to be found.
___
1:40 p.m. (1240 GMT, 8:40 a.m. EDT)
Airline Germanwings says there were 144 passengers and six crew aboard a plane that crashed in the French Alps.
Manager Oliver Wagner did not say whether there were any survivors and added it was not currently possible to give more information on how the crash occurred. "I promise that we will do everything to clear up the events thoroughly," he said. "We are endlessly sorry for what has happened."
Other officials have given slightly differing figures for the number on board.
The Airbus 320 crashed Tuesday morning during a flight from Barcelona to Duesseldorf, Germany. French President Francois Hollande has said no survivors are expected.
The Germanwings logo, normally maroon and yellow, was blacked out on its Twitter feed.
___
1:25 p.m. (1225 GMT, 8:25 a.m. EDT)
The Airbus 320 plane that went down in the French Alps is a workhorse of modern aviation. Similar to the Boeing 737, the single-aisle, twin-engine jet is used to connect cities that are between one and five hours apart. Worldwide, 3,606 A320s are in operation, according to Airbus, which also makes the smaller but near-identical A318 and A319 and the stretched A321. An additional 2,486 of those jets are flying.
The Germanwings A320 crashed Tuesday crashed in the south of the Alps while flying from Barcelona to Duesseldorf in Germany. No survivors are expected.
The A320 family has a good safety record, with just 0.14 fatal accidents per million takeoffs, according to a Boeing safety analysis.
___
1:10 p.m. (1210 GMT, 8:10 a.m. EDT)
The CEO of Lufthansa, the parent company of Germanwings, says he doesn't yet have any information about what happened to its flight from Barcelona to Duesseldorf that French officials say has crashed in the Alps.
"My deepest sympathy is with all the relatives and friends of our passengers and crew on 4U 9525," Carsten Spohr was cited in a tweet by Lufthansa as saying. "If our fears are confirmed, this is a dark day for Lufthansa. We hope to find survivors."
Antonio San Jose, spokesman for Spanish airport authority AENA, told the Onda Cero radio station that authorities do not yet know how many Spaniards were on the jet but that the authority's best information is that 147 people were aboard the plane.
"It would be a miracle if there were survivors but hopefully there will be. We do not know the causes, simply that it lost contact," San Jose said.
___
1 p.m. (1200 GMT, 8 a.m. EDT)
French President Francois Hollande has spoken briefly with German Chancellor Angela Merkel to express solidarity following the crash of a Germanwings plane in southern France.
The German ambassador is leaving imminently with Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve for the area of the crash.
The Airbus A320 crashed in the south of the Alps while flying from Barcelona to Duesseldorf in Germany. Holland says no survivors are expected.
Spanish King Felipe and his wife are in France on a previously scheduled visit and are currently meeting Hollande.
___
12:40 p.m. (1140 GMT, 7:40 a.m. EDT)
French Interior Ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet says debris from the crash of an Airbus A320 has been located and the plane crashed at 2,000 meters altitude in the Alps.
Brandet told BFM television that he expected "an extremely long and extremely difficult" search and rescue operation because of the area's remoteness.
The airplane sent out a distress signal at 10:45 a.m. Tuesday, Brandet said.
He said the passenger manifest is being verified.
___
12:30 p.m. (1130 GMT, 7:30 a.m. EDT)
French President Francois Hollande says no survivors are likely in the Alpine crash of a passenger jet carrying 148 people.
The Germanwings Airbus A320 crashed Tuesday in the French Alps region as it traveled from Barcelona to Duesseldorf, French officials said. Eric Ciotti, the head of the regional council, said search-and-rescue teams were headed to the crash site at Meolans-Revels.
In a live briefing Tuesday, Hollande said the area of the crash was remote and it was not clear whether anyone on the ground had been hurt. Hollande said it was probable that a number of the victims are German.
"It's a tragedy on our soil," he said, adding he would be speaking shortly with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
The French newspaper La Provence, citing aviation officials, said the Airbus plane carried at least 142 passengers, two pilots and four flight attendants.
Investigators looking into the cause of the French Alps Airbus plane disaster may well be able to rule out bad weather.
Conditions in the region of the crash were "nothing out of the ordinary," officials say.
But the experienced French air crash investigation branch, the BEA (Bureau d'Enquetes et d'Analyses) will no doubt take everything into consideration in their inquiry.
Dr. Rob Thompson, a meteorologist at the University of Reading, said: "The weather conditions in the area of southern France where the crash is reported to have occurred look like nothing out of the ordinary for this time of year.
"At around 10 a.m. temperatures at the inland Le Luc - Le Cannet Airport, which is roughly between Marseille and Nice, was 15-16C (59-61F), with partial cloud cover. Wind speeds on the ground showed breezy conditions, although this does not indicate the conditions higher up in the atmosphere."
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Chris Parsonsedited by Dylan Stableford
UK Prime Minister PM: Today's plane crash in the Alps is heartbreaking news. The UK will do everything it can to support the French emergency services.French prime minister Manuel Valls said a helicopter had managed to land near the crash site. Gilbert Sauvan, an official with the local council, told Les Echos newspaper: "The plane is disintegrated. The largest debris is the size of a car."
A spokeswoman for the northwestern German town of Haltern am See said on Tuesday that there was reason to believe that 16 school children and two teachers from the town were on the Germanwings airplane that crashed. "There is a strong suspicion" that the students and teachers were on the doomed airplane, said the spokeswoman from the town in North Rhine-Westphalia state. "We don't have any official confirmation yet." It has been reported that the children were from the Joseph König Gymnasium School and had visited Spain on an exchange program.
Full csv file with positions and altitude of flight #4U9525flightradar24.com/GWI18G_2015032…
Some background on the reported weather conditions in southern France before the crash-witness tells of series of noises before crash
The Latest: witness tells of series of noises before crash
The Latest: Witness tells of series of long noises before passenger plane crashed in the Alps
The owner of a French Alpine camping ground says he heard a series of loud noises in the air before a Germanwings passenger plane carrying 150 people crashed to the ground.
Pierre Polizzi told The Associated Press the noise began at 11:30 a.m.
"There are often fighter jets flying over, so I thought it sounded just like that. I looked outside but I couldn't see any fighter planes."
"The noise I heard was long - like 8 seconds - as if the plane was going more slowly than a military plane speed. There was another long noise about 30 seconds later."
No survivors are expected in the crash of the plane that was traveling from Barcelona to Duesseldorf, Germany.
Polizzi said it would be difficult to get to the site of the crash. "The mountain is snowy and very hostile."
___
1:45 p.m . (1245 GMT, 8:45 EDT)
Spanish King Felipe has canceled his state visit to France following the crash of a plane in the southern French Alps.
The plane was flying from Barcelona to Duesseldorf in Germany, and Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria told reporters in Seville that there were 45 people aboard the plane with Spanish last names but that authorities have not confirmed how many of them were Spanish.
Felipe met with French President Francois Hollande on Tuesday morning before ending his visit.
Airline Germanwings says there were 150 people on board the Airbus 320. Hollande has said no survivors are expected to be found.
___
1:40 p.m. (1240 GMT, 8:40 a.m. EDT)
Airline Germanwings says there were 144 passengers and six crew aboard a plane that crashed in the French Alps.
Manager Oliver Wagner did not say whether there were any survivors and added it was not currently possible to give more information on how the crash occurred. "I promise that we will do everything to clear up the events thoroughly," he said. "We are endlessly sorry for what has happened."
Other officials have given slightly differing figures for the number on board.
The Airbus 320 crashed Tuesday morning during a flight from Barcelona to Duesseldorf, Germany. French President Francois Hollande has said no survivors are expected.
The Germanwings logo, normally maroon and yellow, was blacked out on its Twitter feed.
___
1:25 p.m. (1225 GMT, 8:25 a.m. EDT)
The Airbus 320 plane that went down in the French Alps is a workhorse of modern aviation. Similar to the Boeing 737, the single-aisle, twin-engine jet is used to connect cities that are between one and five hours apart. Worldwide, 3,606 A320s are in operation, according to Airbus, which also makes the smaller but near-identical A318 and A319 and the stretched A321. An additional 2,486 of those jets are flying.
The Germanwings A320 crashed Tuesday crashed in the south of the Alps while flying from Barcelona to Duesseldorf in Germany. No survivors are expected.
The A320 family has a good safety record, with just 0.14 fatal accidents per million takeoffs, according to a Boeing safety analysis.
___
1:10 p.m. (1210 GMT, 8:10 a.m. EDT)
The CEO of Lufthansa, the parent company of Germanwings, says he doesn't yet have any information about what happened to its flight from Barcelona to Duesseldorf that French officials say has crashed in the Alps.
"My deepest sympathy is with all the relatives and friends of our passengers and crew on 4U 9525," Carsten Spohr was cited in a tweet by Lufthansa as saying. "If our fears are confirmed, this is a dark day for Lufthansa. We hope to find survivors."
Antonio San Jose, spokesman for Spanish airport authority AENA, told the Onda Cero radio station that authorities do not yet know how many Spaniards were on the jet but that the authority's best information is that 147 people were aboard the plane.
"It would be a miracle if there were survivors but hopefully there will be. We do not know the causes, simply that it lost contact," San Jose said.
___
1 p.m. (1200 GMT, 8 a.m. EDT)
French President Francois Hollande has spoken briefly with German Chancellor Angela Merkel to express solidarity following the crash of a Germanwings plane in southern France.
The German ambassador is leaving imminently with Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve for the area of the crash.
The Airbus A320 crashed in the south of the Alps while flying from Barcelona to Duesseldorf in Germany. Holland says no survivors are expected.
Spanish King Felipe and his wife are in France on a previously scheduled visit and are currently meeting Hollande.
___
12:40 p.m. (1140 GMT, 7:40 a.m. EDT)
French Interior Ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet says debris from the crash of an Airbus A320 has been located and the plane crashed at 2,000 meters altitude in the Alps.
Brandet told BFM television that he expected "an extremely long and extremely difficult" search and rescue operation because of the area's remoteness.
The airplane sent out a distress signal at 10:45 a.m. Tuesday, Brandet said.
He said the passenger manifest is being verified.
___
12:30 p.m. (1130 GMT, 7:30 a.m. EDT)
French President Francois Hollande says no survivors are likely in the Alpine crash of a passenger jet carrying 148 people.
The Germanwings Airbus A320 crashed Tuesday in the French Alps region as it traveled from Barcelona to Duesseldorf, French officials said. Eric Ciotti, the head of the regional council, said search-and-rescue teams were headed to the crash site at Meolans-Revels.
In a live briefing Tuesday, Hollande said the area of the crash was remote and it was not clear whether anyone on the ground had been hurt. Hollande said it was probable that a number of the victims are German.
"It's a tragedy on our soil," he said, adding he would be speaking shortly with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
The French newspaper La Provence, citing aviation officials, said the Airbus plane carried at least 142 passengers, two pilots and four flight attendants.
Investigators looking into the cause of the French Alps Airbus plane disaster may well be able to rule out bad weather.
Conditions in the region of the crash were "nothing out of the ordinary," officials say.
But the experienced French air crash investigation branch, the BEA (Bureau d'Enquetes et d'Analyses) will no doubt take everything into consideration in their inquiry.
Dr. Rob Thompson, a meteorologist at the University of Reading, said: "The weather conditions in the area of southern France where the crash is reported to have occurred look like nothing out of the ordinary for this time of year.
"At around 10 a.m. temperatures at the inland Le Luc - Le Cannet Airport, which is roughly between Marseille and Nice, was 15-16C (59-61F), with partial cloud cover. Wind speeds on the ground showed breezy conditions, although this does not indicate the conditions higher up in the atmosphere."
Share
Discussions
Likes7
Chris Parsonsedited by Dylan Stableford
UK Prime Minister PM: Today's plane crash in the Alps is heartbreaking news. The UK will do everything it can to support the French emergency services.French prime minister Manuel Valls said a helicopter had managed to land near the crash site. Gilbert Sauvan, an official with the local council, told Les Echos newspaper: "The plane is disintegrated. The largest debris is the size of a car."
A spokeswoman for the northwestern German town of Haltern am See said on Tuesday that there was reason to believe that 16 school children and two teachers from the town were on the Germanwings airplane that crashed. "There is a strong suspicion" that the students and teachers were on the doomed airplane, said the spokeswoman from the town in North Rhine-Westphalia state. "We don't have any official confirmation yet." It has been reported that the children were from the Joseph König Gymnasium School and had visited Spain on an exchange program.
Full csv file with positions and altitude of flight #4U9525flightradar24.com/GWI18G_2015032…
Airbus A320 Crash In French Alps-As many as 150 people are feared dead after an Airbus A320 passenger plane crashed …
Too tragic for words...In this case, 8 minutes of sheer terror for all on board. I can't imagine such terror. Crashing on a 6,000'+ mountaintop makes it even worse. It is so true, we humans are not in control of our very lives as we like to think. Anything can happen at any time. So sad...If each person has minimally 1 or 2 loved ones? The "toll" is really over 300-400 lives changed forever...If not more.
GERMANWINGS AIRBUS A320 CRASHES IN SOUTHERN FRENCH ALPS
144 PASSENGERS AND SIX CREW ON BOARD —ALL FEARED DEAD
PASSENGER JET HAD BEEN TRAVELING FROM BARCELONA TO DUSSELDORF
GERMANWINGS CEO: PLANE DESCENDED 31,000FT IN 8 MINUTES BEFORE CRASHING
DEBRIS HAS BEEN LOCATED ON THE ALPS AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 6,500 FT
FLIGHT 4U9525 ISSUED EMERGENCY "7700" SQUAWK TO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL BEFORE DESCENDING
16 GERMAN SCHOOLCHILDREN BELIEVED TO BE ON BOARD
MAJORITY OF A320 PASSENGERS WERE SPANISH OR GERMAN
WEATHER WAS CALM AT TIME OF CRASH AND THERE DIDN'T APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN TURBULENCE
CAPTAIN HAD FLIGHT EXPERIENCE OF MORE THAN 10 YEARS AND MORE THAN 6,000 FLIGHT HOURS
Airbus A320 Crash In French Alps-As many as 150 people are feared dead after an Airbus A320 passenger plane crashed …
Too tragic for words...In this case, 8 minutes of sheer terror for all on board. I can't imagine such terror. Crashing on a 6,000'+ mountaintop makes it even worse. It is so true, we humans are not in control of our very lives as we like to think. Anything can happen at any time. So sad...If each person has minimally 1 or 2 loved ones? The "toll" is really over 300-400 lives changed forever...If not more.
GERMANWINGS AIRBUS A320 CRASHES IN SOUTHERN FRENCH ALPS
144 PASSENGERS AND SIX CREW ON BOARD —ALL FEARED DEAD
PASSENGER JET HAD BEEN TRAVELING FROM BARCELONA TO DUSSELDORF
GERMANWINGS CEO: PLANE DESCENDED 31,000FT IN 8 MINUTES BEFORE CRASHING
DEBRIS HAS BEEN LOCATED ON THE ALPS AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 6,500 FT
FLIGHT 4U9525 ISSUED EMERGENCY "7700" SQUAWK TO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL BEFORE DESCENDING
16 GERMAN SCHOOLCHILDREN BELIEVED TO BE ON BOARD
MAJORITY OF A320 PASSENGERS WERE SPANISH OR GERMAN
WEATHER WAS CALM AT TIME OF CRASH AND THERE DIDN'T APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN TURBULENCE
CAPTAIN HAD FLIGHT EXPERIENCE OF MORE THAN 10 YEARS AND MORE THAN 6,000 FLIGHT HOURS
Monday, March 23, 2015
Woord-Skatte Gemyn op Tsumeb: GOD SE BOME IS KOSBAAR
Woord-Skatte Gemyn op Tsumeb: GOD SE BOME IS KOSBAAR: - bewaar hulle! God se kinders het respek vir Hom - vir sy heiligheid, almag en koningskap. Dit sal verseker ook respek insluit vir sy...
Woord-Skatte Gemyn op Tsumeb: GOD SE BOME IS KOSBAAR
Woord-Skatte Gemyn op Tsumeb: GOD SE BOME IS KOSBAAR: - bewaar hulle! God se kinders het respek vir Hom - vir sy heiligheid, almag en koningskap. Dit sal verseker ook respek insluit vir sy...
Woord-Skatte Gemyn op Tsumeb: ENIGSTE WARE VERLOSSER?
Woord-Skatte Gemyn op Tsumeb: ENIGSTE WARE VERLOSSER?: - hoe kan ek weet en glo dis Jesus? Het die twyfel jou al beetgepak en jou laat wonder? Vrae soos : Hoe kan ek seker weet dat ...
Woord-Skatte Gemyn op Tsumeb: ENIGSTE WARE VERLOSSER?
Woord-Skatte Gemyn op Tsumeb: ENIGSTE WARE VERLOSSER?: - hoe kan ek weet en glo dis Jesus? Het die twyfel jou al beetgepak en jou laat wonder? Vrae soos : Hoe kan ek seker weet dat ...
Sunday, March 22, 2015
Thursday, March 19, 2015
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Toronto Mom Makes $9,000/Month From Home And You Won't Believe How She Does It!
Melissa puts her computer to work and makes money while working from home. She says that Online Web Cash has helped change her financial life and recommends it to everyone.
Ever Considered Working From Home?
Melissa Johnson from Toronto never thought that she would work online, until curiosity got the best of her and she filled out a simple online form. Before she knew it, she discovered her secret to beating the recession, and being able to provide for her family while at home with her three children.
I read Melissa's blog last month and decided to feature her story in our weekly consumer report. In our phone interview she told me her amazing story. "I actually make about $8,000-$9,000 a month working from home. It's enough to comfortably replace my old jobs' income, especially considering I only work about 15-18 hours a week from home.
You could be receiving cheques like this
Working online has been a financial windfall for Melissa, who struggled for months to find a decent job but kept hitting dead ends. "I lost my job shortly after the recession hit, I needed reliable income, I was not interested in the "get rich quick" scams you see all over the internet. Those are all pyramid scams or stuff which you have to sell to your friends and family. I just needed a legitimate way to earn a living for me and my family. The best part of working online is that I am always home with the kids. Thanks to the Online Web Cash Kit I am giving my kids the childhood they deserve."
I asked her about how she started her life-changing journey. "It was pretty easy, I filled out a short form and applied for a work-at-home kit. There is a small activation fee; it's not really free but it was under $2. I got the kit and within four weeks I was making over $5,500 a month. It's really simple, I am not a computer whiz, but I can use the internet. I don't even have to sell anything and nobody has to buy anything. Companies are constantly recruiting people for this, you should try it."
The companies you work with are worth over 100 billion dollars and are the most used sites in the internet market place, like Amazon, Google, Walmart, Delta, Apple and more... You're using the top ranked sites in the world, over 50 percent of all internet traffic flows through them everyday. It's a great opportunity and this has been helping people work at home for over 5 years. Why not get in with the internet's best and biggest companies?
There are plenty of scams on the internet claiming you can make $60,000 a month, but that is exactly what they are - scams. From my conversation with Melissa, "I am making a good salary from home, which is amazing, under a year ago I was jobless in a horrible economy. I thank God every day that I filled out that form."
Quickly, Melissa Johnson was able to use the simple Online Web Cash to make it out of the recession.
"I actually make $8,000-$9,000 from home every month." - Melissa Johnson
Melissa had never shared her story before, this is the first time she's going public.
Here's how to get started:
Step 1: Go to Online Web Cash, and fill out the form to get instant activation.
Step 2: Follow the instructions at Online Web Cash and set up your account. Then they will show you what to do. Everything gets tracked.
Step 3: Deposit your earnings by cheque or direct bank transfer. (Making money has never been so easy. Get ready for your life to change.)
Associated Links:
Online Web Cash - OFFICIAL WEBSITE
(WARNING - Offer Expires On Thursday, March 19, 2015)
We rarely do these special reports because the reality is that there are a lot of scams out there, but this was just too good to keep away from the public. Try it out and send us your thoughts!
Would you like to share a financial tip for next week? If so, please send us an email.
curtsy : http://2014-com.co/onlinecareerjournal/v2/update/workfromhome/news
Ever Considered Working From Home?
Melissa Johnson from Toronto never thought that she would work online, until curiosity got the best of her and she filled out a simple online form. Before she knew it, she discovered her secret to beating the recession, and being able to provide for her family while at home with her three children.
I read Melissa's blog last month and decided to feature her story in our weekly consumer report. In our phone interview she told me her amazing story. "I actually make about $8,000-$9,000 a month working from home. It's enough to comfortably replace my old jobs' income, especially considering I only work about 15-18 hours a week from home.
You could be receiving cheques like this
Working online has been a financial windfall for Melissa, who struggled for months to find a decent job but kept hitting dead ends. "I lost my job shortly after the recession hit, I needed reliable income, I was not interested in the "get rich quick" scams you see all over the internet. Those are all pyramid scams or stuff which you have to sell to your friends and family. I just needed a legitimate way to earn a living for me and my family. The best part of working online is that I am always home with the kids. Thanks to the Online Web Cash Kit I am giving my kids the childhood they deserve."
I asked her about how she started her life-changing journey. "It was pretty easy, I filled out a short form and applied for a work-at-home kit. There is a small activation fee; it's not really free but it was under $2. I got the kit and within four weeks I was making over $5,500 a month. It's really simple, I am not a computer whiz, but I can use the internet. I don't even have to sell anything and nobody has to buy anything. Companies are constantly recruiting people for this, you should try it."
The companies you work with are worth over 100 billion dollars and are the most used sites in the internet market place, like Amazon, Google, Walmart, Delta, Apple and more... You're using the top ranked sites in the world, over 50 percent of all internet traffic flows through them everyday. It's a great opportunity and this has been helping people work at home for over 5 years. Why not get in with the internet's best and biggest companies?
There are plenty of scams on the internet claiming you can make $60,000 a month, but that is exactly what they are - scams. From my conversation with Melissa, "I am making a good salary from home, which is amazing, under a year ago I was jobless in a horrible economy. I thank God every day that I filled out that form."
Quickly, Melissa Johnson was able to use the simple Online Web Cash to make it out of the recession.
"I actually make $8,000-$9,000 from home every month." - Melissa Johnson
Melissa had never shared her story before, this is the first time she's going public.
Here's how to get started:
Step 1: Go to Online Web Cash, and fill out the form to get instant activation. Step 2: Follow the instructions at Online Web Cash and set up your account. Then they will show you what to do. Everything gets tracked. Step 3: Deposit your earnings by cheque or direct bank transfer. (Making money has never been so easy. Get ready for your life to change.)Associated Links:
Online Web Cash - OFFICIAL WEBSITE
(WARNING - Offer Expires On Thursday, March 19, 2015)
We rarely do these special reports because the reality is that there are a lot of scams out there, but this was just too good to keep away from the public. Try it out and send us your thoughts!
Would you like to share a financial tip for next week? If so, please send us an email.
curtsy : http://2014-com.co/onlinecareerjournal/v2/update/workfromhome/news
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Football & Head Injuries: What the Brain Research Says
Football & Head Injuries: What the Brain Research Says
by Rachael Rettner,.jpg)
The up-and-coming professional football player Chris Borland, of the San Francisco 49ers, is now leaving the sport out of concern that a career in football would increase his risk of brain disease. But what types of neurological problems have been linked with football, and how might these arise?
On Monday (March 16), Borland announced he was retiring from football after studying the link between football head injuries and degenerative brain disease, and discussing his decision with friends, family members, concussion researchers and teammates, according to ESPN.
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"From what I've researched and what I've experienced, I don't think it's worth the risk," Borland told ESPN. "I just want to live a long, healthy life, and I don't want to have any neurological diseases or die younger than I would otherwise," Borland said. [6 Foods That Are Good for Your Brain]
The types of brain damage that can occur as a result of being a professional football player have received increased attention in recent years. For example, there is growing awareness of a particularly severedegenerative brain disease called chronic traumatic encephalopathy(CTE). The disease has been linked to the deaths of Tom McHale, who played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Dave Duerson, who played for the Chicago Bears.
In fact, researchers at Boston University have now found signs of CTE in nearly 60 former professional football players when their brains were analyzed after their deaths, according to the university's CTE Center. (CTE can be diagnosed only after death.)
.jpg)
In most cases, CTE is thought to be caused by repeated blows to the head, which damage brain tissue and lead to a buildup of an abnormal protein called tau, according to the CTE Center.
In addition to football players, CTE has also been seen in boxers and hockey players. It causes symptoms such as impaired learning and memory loss, and has been linked with suicide. These symptoms often begin years or decades after players have ended their athletic careers,according to the Boston Universitycenter.
It's not known how many hits to the head or concussions a person needs to experience to develop CTE. A person's genetics also likely plays a role, because not everyone with a history of repeated brain trauma develops the disease, the CTE Center says.
Other studies have linked professional football with neurological problems that may or may not be related to CTE. In a 2013 study, researchers scanned the brains of retired football players while they performed certain tasks and found that the players were more likely to have abnormalities in their brain activity, compared with healthy people.
.jpg)
A 2012 study found that the risk of death from Alzheimer's and ALS (also called Lou Gehrig's disease) was 4 times higher among NFL players than the general population. It's possible that CTE may have been the true cause of death in some of these cases, but the study was not able to determine this because it examined death certificates, which didn't list CTE as a cause of death, the researchers said.
Another study of 34 retired NFL players who had suffered concussions found that those who had experienced more concussions had moresymptoms of depression.
Concussions can damage the brain's white matter — the tissue that forms "cables" in the brain and allows different regions to communicate, according to the study. The researchers also found they could predict which players had depression by examining images of their brains' white matter, suggesting a link between white matter changes and depression.
.jpg)
Another theory as to why hits to the head increase the risk of brain disease points to the body's immune system as the culprit.
According to the hypothesis, from researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center, hits to the head open up the blood brain barrier, and allow a brain protein called S100B to leak out into the blood and circulate around the body. Because the body is not used to seeing this protein in the blood, it may develop antibodies to it, as if it were a foreign compound. If these antibodies then find their way back into the brain, they could attack the brain itself, the researchers say. However, much more research is needed to evaluate this hypothesis.
.jpg)
Currently, CTE cannot be diagnosed in living people, but researchers are working on ways to identify the condition early. In a 2013 study of retired NFL players who had thinking and mood problems, researchers injected the players with a chemical marker, called FDDNP, which binds to the tau protein. The researchers found that FDDNP levels were higher in the brains of the former NFL players, compared with the brains of healthy people, suggesting that tau was in fact building up in their brains.
Identifying the disease early could potentially lead to ways to stop its progression, the researchers said.
curtsey: http://www.livescience.com/
Football & Head Injuries: What the Brain Research Says
Football & Head Injuries: What the Brain Research Says
by Rachael Rettner,The up-and-coming professional football player Chris Borland, of the San Francisco 49ers, is now leaving the sport out of concern that a career in football would increase his risk of brain disease. But what types of neurological problems have been linked with football, and how might these arise?
On Monday (March 16), Borland announced he was retiring from football after studying the link between football head injuries and degenerative brain disease, and discussing his decision with friends, family members, concussion researchers and teammates, according to ESPN.
"From what I've researched and what I've experienced, I don't think it's worth the risk," Borland told ESPN. "I just want to live a long, healthy life, and I don't want to have any neurological diseases or die younger than I would otherwise," Borland said. [6 Foods That Are Good for Your Brain]
The types of brain damage that can occur as a result of being a professional football player have received increased attention in recent years. For example, there is growing awareness of a particularly severedegenerative brain disease called chronic traumatic encephalopathy(CTE). The disease has been linked to the deaths of Tom McHale, who played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Dave Duerson, who played for the Chicago Bears.
In fact, researchers at Boston University have now found signs of CTE in nearly 60 former professional football players when their brains were analyzed after their deaths, according to the university's CTE Center. (CTE can be diagnosed only after death.)
In most cases, CTE is thought to be caused by repeated blows to the head, which damage brain tissue and lead to a buildup of an abnormal protein called tau, according to the CTE Center.
In addition to football players, CTE has also been seen in boxers and hockey players. It causes symptoms such as impaired learning and memory loss, and has been linked with suicide. These symptoms often begin years or decades after players have ended their athletic careers,according to the Boston Universitycenter.
It's not known how many hits to the head or concussions a person needs to experience to develop CTE. A person's genetics also likely plays a role, because not everyone with a history of repeated brain trauma develops the disease, the CTE Center says.
Other studies have linked professional football with neurological problems that may or may not be related to CTE. In a 2013 study, researchers scanned the brains of retired football players while they performed certain tasks and found that the players were more likely to have abnormalities in their brain activity, compared with healthy people.
A 2012 study found that the risk of death from Alzheimer's and ALS (also called Lou Gehrig's disease) was 4 times higher among NFL players than the general population. It's possible that CTE may have been the true cause of death in some of these cases, but the study was not able to determine this because it examined death certificates, which didn't list CTE as a cause of death, the researchers said.
Another study of 34 retired NFL players who had suffered concussions found that those who had experienced more concussions had moresymptoms of depression.
Concussions can damage the brain's white matter — the tissue that forms "cables" in the brain and allows different regions to communicate, according to the study. The researchers also found they could predict which players had depression by examining images of their brains' white matter, suggesting a link between white matter changes and depression.
Another theory as to why hits to the head increase the risk of brain disease points to the body's immune system as the culprit.
According to the hypothesis, from researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center, hits to the head open up the blood brain barrier, and allow a brain protein called S100B to leak out into the blood and circulate around the body. Because the body is not used to seeing this protein in the blood, it may develop antibodies to it, as if it were a foreign compound. If these antibodies then find their way back into the brain, they could attack the brain itself, the researchers say. However, much more research is needed to evaluate this hypothesis.
Currently, CTE cannot be diagnosed in living people, but researchers are working on ways to identify the condition early. In a 2013 study of retired NFL players who had thinking and mood problems, researchers injected the players with a chemical marker, called FDDNP, which binds to the tau protein. The researchers found that FDDNP levels were higher in the brains of the former NFL players, compared with the brains of healthy people, suggesting that tau was in fact building up in their brains.
Identifying the disease early could potentially lead to ways to stop its progression, the researchers said.
curtsey: http://www.livescience.com/
Monday, March 16, 2015
Nutting's Flycatcher: a Big Year Birder's Dream
Nutting's Flycatcher: a Big Year Birder's Dream
A Nutting's Flycatcher--Myiarchus nuttingi--recently made an appearance in the desert oasis of Bill Williams National Wildlife Refuge for the second time this year. This makes Arizona a pretty lucky state: Nutting's Flycatcher is a Code 5 (a.k.a. accidental) species in the ABA Area, meaning that the species has been recorded five or fewer times in the North American continent, and yet it has been recorded twice in the same spot in the same year! It even seems to have overwintered in this wildlife refuge, as it was first found in December of 2011, and was last found March 25th, this year. Basically, it's one of those really rare birds that make ANY Big Year that much better, including Sandy Komito's record setting Big Year of 1998 after which both the book and the movie titled "The Big Year" are based. Nutting's Flycatcher was the first rarity that Komito started with. Image that. January 1st; you start your year with a Code 5. That's good birding man.
But beyond the birding aspect of it, let's look into the biological aspects of this sighting. We'll start with a perennial birding favorite: the range map.
From this fine map--found on Cornell's Neotropical Birds--we can see that Nutting's Flycatchers are not migratory, but can infer that they probably disperse from their breeding territories when the season's brood is raised. We can also see that their range stretches up the western half of Mexico almost to Arizona, so it's not much of a stretch, one would think, for Nutting's Flycatchers to occur in Arizona. Their nonmigratory habits would account for their Code 5 status, though, because the birds just don't move around enough to make them common outside of their range. So what would draw the bird (if it is the same individual) to this wildlife refuge twice? Bill Williams National Wildlife Refuge is described as a rare desert habitat with some of the last stands of native cottonwood-willow forest along the Colorado River. This creates a rich, even lush riparian habitat that would appear attractive to neotropical migrants, and even neotropical rarities. But why didn't the bird just stay where it was? Wouldn't the bird have plenty of habitat in its actual range? There's not an easy answer to these questions as we don't know much about this individual other than its occurrence north-of-range, but the answer may be yes. During the nonbreeding season, a hierarchy develops that dictates which songbirds get which qualities of habitats, with older adult males at the top, younger males and females just below, and young females at the bottom with the lowest quality habitat. As habitat destruction and degradation continues, this hierarchy is pressured for all sorts of species, and the birds at the bottom are getting it worse and worse. This could push some of the individuals on the bottom of the scale out-of-range just to survive, so it would be interesting to see if this individual is a young female. We'll see how long this bird sticks around--we might get some experts on the job.
With every rarity, there are always tons of questions, even beyond identification. IDing Nutting's Flycatchers is a challenge in of itself; they even used to be considered the same species as the more common Ash-throated Flycatcher. Luckily, they give their distinctive callnotes frequently. But beyond that, why the bird is occurring out of range raises all sorts of questions, such as how it behaves differently when in and out of range. Sadly, the likelihood that most of these questions will be answered is slim, but that's one of the best things about birds, and nature as a whole: it puts you in a constant state of inquiry, and that's a big reason why I'll never stop.
To read more about the bird, check here and here.
Nutting's Flycatcher: a Big Year Birder's Dream
Nutting's Flycatcher: a Big Year Birder's Dream
A Nutting's Flycatcher--Myiarchus nuttingi--recently made an appearance in the desert oasis of Bill Williams National Wildlife Refuge for the second time this year. This makes Arizona a pretty lucky state: Nutting's Flycatcher is a Code 5 (a.k.a. accidental) species in the ABA Area, meaning that the species has been recorded five or fewer times in the North American continent, and yet it has been recorded twice in the same spot in the same year! It even seems to have overwintered in this wildlife refuge, as it was first found in December of 2011, and was last found March 25th, this year. Basically, it's one of those really rare birds that make ANY Big Year that much better, including Sandy Komito's record setting Big Year of 1998 after which both the book and the movie titled "The Big Year" are based. Nutting's Flycatcher was the first rarity that Komito started with. Image that. January 1st; you start your year with a Code 5. That's good birding man.
But beyond the birding aspect of it, let's look into the biological aspects of this sighting. We'll start with a perennial birding favorite: the range map.
From this fine map--found on Cornell's Neotropical Birds--we can see that Nutting's Flycatchers are not migratory, but can infer that they probably disperse from their breeding territories when the season's brood is raised. We can also see that their range stretches up the western half of Mexico almost to Arizona, so it's not much of a stretch, one would think, for Nutting's Flycatchers to occur in Arizona. Their nonmigratory habits would account for their Code 5 status, though, because the birds just don't move around enough to make them common outside of their range. So what would draw the bird (if it is the same individual) to this wildlife refuge twice? Bill Williams National Wildlife Refuge is described as a rare desert habitat with some of the last stands of native cottonwood-willow forest along the Colorado River. This creates a rich, even lush riparian habitat that would appear attractive to neotropical migrants, and even neotropical rarities. But why didn't the bird just stay where it was? Wouldn't the bird have plenty of habitat in its actual range? There's not an easy answer to these questions as we don't know much about this individual other than its occurrence north-of-range, but the answer may be yes. During the nonbreeding season, a hierarchy develops that dictates which songbirds get which qualities of habitats, with older adult males at the top, younger males and females just below, and young females at the bottom with the lowest quality habitat. As habitat destruction and degradation continues, this hierarchy is pressured for all sorts of species, and the birds at the bottom are getting it worse and worse. This could push some of the individuals on the bottom of the scale out-of-range just to survive, so it would be interesting to see if this individual is a young female. We'll see how long this bird sticks around--we might get some experts on the job.
With every rarity, there are always tons of questions, even beyond identification. IDing Nutting's Flycatchers is a challenge in of itself; they even used to be considered the same species as the more common Ash-throated Flycatcher. Luckily, they give their distinctive callnotes frequently. But beyond that, why the bird is occurring out of range raises all sorts of questions, such as how it behaves differently when in and out of range. Sadly, the likelihood that most of these questions will be answered is slim, but that's one of the best things about birds, and nature as a whole: it puts you in a constant state of inquiry, and that's a big reason why I'll never stop.
To read more about the bird, check here and here.
Sunday, March 15, 2015
Saturday, March 14, 2015
World Street Food Congress: Why We Spent Over $2million
By KF Seetoh, Makansutra
We’ve spent over $2 million bucks on the World Street Food Congress thus far, including the upcoming 2ndedition of WSFC held this coming April 8-12 in Singapore (you’ll know the cost if you’ve done this before on this scale and we don’t get up front discounts on flights, ingredients nor locations etc, just because it’s a street food event).
The curious and hungry hordes at WSFC 2013, at the F1 Pit Building.
Father of Indonesian food, Chef William Wongso, shows off a rare dish here – Asinan.I admit I am one of those who put my money where my mouth is. You see, if you want special fruits, you have to plant, toil and nurture the special seedlings. And no, we are not fully sponsored by the government (if you’ve asked for funding before, you know what it’s like). It’s a fruit tree everybody in the groove can pluck from eventually and perhaps we get first pickings. If you think about it, the opportunities are immense (tourism, social enterprise, entrepreneurism, branding, skills education, trade etc.). Sure, I can invest that money in property, stocks etc, but that’s not me. It’s that stubborn desire in me that insists that I concieve and make ideas happen. No profits are guaranteed (if you are in it for a quick buck) overnight, and although poorer, we can still plod, for now.
One of the most popular item at WSFC 2013- the grilled banana and glutinious rice wrap from Vietnam.
Another street food crowd favourite at the Jamboree- Hoy Tod, or Thai style oyster omelette.So this year’s World Street Food Congress (Apr 8-12th) at the open field opposite Bugis Junction along North Bridge Road, again has two elements- The Dialogue-Hackathon now has a new format, where half a day is devoted to YOU- at the open floor conference chat with the audience, tapping on your wishes and ideas for all to share. Speakers like Stephen Werther, the main engine behind the upcoming Bourdain Market, will give updates and announce its consultancy partnership with Makansutra and myself. Fronted by fearless celebrity foodie and traveller Anthony Bourdain, this Singapore inspired hawker centre in New York, is set to be a game changer for the world of heritage street food culture. You should also listen to how a private company (instead of the government in Indonesia) Bango, which makes kicap manis, is attempting to revolutionise the under-celebrated 600 year old Indonesian food culture. They believe in championing it for the future generations.
“Street food is an opportunity to create a brand” says Anthony Bourdain, at the Dialogue (2013).
The ideas are unlimited in the world of street food culture. You just need imagination.This year, we are bringing in 24 stalls from 12 cities offering rare stuff on our menus and flavours here that I , too, personally adore. There’s a rare Black Satay from Penang, Truffle Paella Lechon from Philippines, Unesco Heritage recognised Banh Can (making a comeback) from Vietnam and even Ayam Taliwang (the most spicy grilled chicken from Lombok, Indonesia). Pak Sadi Soto Ambengan, the Street Food Master winner in our 2013 World Street Food Awards, will also make his debut here. His grown up educated kids are so keen now to take the brand international. An SG50 culinary campaign, to be launched by Culture, Community and Youth Minister Lawrence Wong will also be launched at the event. Watch for this one, it is very interesting.
WSFC presenting awards to the Indonesian World Street Food Award winner (2013).I know many of you firm believers of this cause out there too desire to preserve and create more opportunities in the world of heritage and street food culture and business. If anything else, you’ll realise it’s just too great a food culture to let fade away into the bowels of fast food machines and behemoths. Do come to the event, speak up and raise your ideas (however complex or simple) at the WSF Dialogue –Hackathon. Or, just come chow down and support these international street food vendors at the Jamboree who flew in, spent monies and took time off just to create more buzz and share with you their heritage culinary craft for posterity and prosperity’s sake.
The World Street Food Congress
8-12th April 2015
Open field opposite Bugis Junction along North Bridge Road (above Bugis MRT station)
Dialogue-Hackathon (8- 9th April, 9am-5pm)
Jamboree (8-12th April , from 5pm)
www.wsfcongress.com
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