Chinese provincial authorities tried to cover up toxic eggs

This is nothing somthing that will not interest anyone but I still find it quite sad that the authorities, whose job is to maintain stability and security and the welfare of people, actually try to cover bad news that will affect thousands of babies.

Back in Singapore, they’ve done a good job of identifying and remove access of melamine-tainted product out of the shelf. At least I feel safer eating the stuff back home and also in states. For once, the American government restricted import of common food from China has avoided such problem. For many countries, it isn’t.

It’s time for companies to be ethical and stand out when necessary.

Chinese provincial authorities tried to cover up toxic eggs: “BEIJING - Provincial authorities in northeast China kept quiet about the discovery of melamine-tainted eggs for weeks and ordered a media ban before Hong Kong authorities finally revealed the problem, state press said on Thursday.”

(Via CNA > Asia Pacific News.)

Flawed voting system

After reading the comments in this article, it’s just not worth discussing anything further when one doubts the transparency of the voting system. In states, their vote is not tagged with a number that will link back to their name. With the gahmen still the major “company” in Singapore, it will be the fear that many of their ricebowl or “potential” rice bowl will be smashed.

I think the first thing is to change the voting system. Let people have the freedom to choose.

Opposition do have to buck up and choose the best candidates to groom after PAP has chosen theirs, cos time is tight. PAP is still the best party to rule the country without doubt but they’ve lost the confidence of their people with their indifference towards commoner’s problem.

Either party that Singaporeans vote, it must do be the best for the people rooted to the country.

The fear of the opposition: “Can the opposition turn things around? By Gerald Giam.”

(Via The Online Citizen.)

星光人氣王黃靖倫加盟華納音

華納唱片公司今天舉辦了別開生面的簽約記者會，正式與發跡於『超級星光大道』第三屆的人氣王黃靖倫簽下唱片約，並正式宣佈：「黃靖倫首張國語專輯將定名為【倫語錄】10/31預購、11/14發行！」！而黃靖倫本人也為了生平第一場記者會緊張得睡不著覺…失眠了一整晚！[cont]

As a friend I’m very happy for him, will definitely buy a original album (after all these years) to support him. Gambatte!

Over 1b hungry next year

Over 1b hungry next year: ”

UNITED NATIONS - RISING food prices will push the number of hungry people in the world over one billion next year, a UN expert said on Monday.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation reported in September that at least 925 million people are hungry in the world today, compared with 848 million between 2003 and 2005, said Professor Olivier De Schutter, the UN Human Rights Council’s independent expert on the right to food.”

(Via Straits Times Interactive - LATEST NEWS.)

Something that really make people feel one way or another. While people die in hunger from those countries, people elsewhere is throwing so much food away daily. The most important thing a person can do is to have a clean plate policy to reduce the demand of using more food than usual.

We also realised we are much more fortunate than many others and should treasure everything that we have.

Love, Sex and the Changing Landscape of Infidelity

Something not that interesting facts considering that times have already changed. Given the social status and rights of woman nowadays, this is something quite expected. And with Singaporeans always playing catchup in finding a culture from other countries especially the states, their mind has become more liberal and grown more acceptance to infidelity. Someday, sometime in the future, the majority in Singapore will grown to accept this as a fact.

Well: Love, Sex and the Changing Landscape of Infidelity: “More people are cheating, new studies find, and younger women appear to be catching up with men.

”

(Via NYT > Science.)

Picture: 25% larger. Can you handle it

Check this out. You won’t be disappointed. It tastes so yummy.

New poor in Italy. How about Singapore?

Just wondering does our gahmen has any plan to avoid this from happening. Or will the reason be because we’re complacent.

Italy often gives the impression that it’s a romantic and happy place to be in but often this is only a illusion. Will Singapore gives the illusion of being “hip and happening” while the people is struggling to get by?

Extracted from CNA
MILAN - AN EMPTY plastic bag in hand, Italian shop assistant Stefano G. stands in line with hundreds of others waiting to collect handouts of basic foods he says he can no longer afford.

For the last seven months, the 43-year-old, who supports his pensioner parents and declined to give his full name because he did not want to be recognised, has been coming to the Pane Quotidiano (Daily Bread) charity in Milan to take home free bread, milk, fruit and vegetables and other produce.

Charities in Italy - where according to the World Bank Gross National Income was US$33,540 (S$50,468) per head in 2007 - say a rising number of people of working or pensionable age are seeking their help.

Known as ‘the new poor’ to some, the first-timers line up to collect food or eat at soup kitchens, where charities say they still represent a minority compared with immigrants.

Italy was already on the brink of recession before double-digit price rises for staple foods and the latest spasms of the financial crisis. Mr Stefano said he earns ‘a few hundred euros’ a month.

‘Things are getting worse and worse, it’s a crisis. With prices rising, what can I do but this? I can’t steal,’ he said.

‘Every little helps.’

Exactly how many people are joining the food queues is hard to say, but humanitarian groups say the trend is spreading as a slowdown and high prices push many on low incomes or without jobs into hardship.

Another month before anniversary

Today marked one month before the first year anniversary of my dear friend Reuben. Kinda been thinking of him quite a lot. I just wish he can still be around, to be able to talk to and train with.

I will pay you a visit once I’m back. Do take care.

Innovation in Singapore

Watching the video on Can America Invent Its Way Back? by BusinessWeek, it kinda bug me why our gahmen is always playing on the safe side. For example following Vegas and Macau in IRs and HK in the recent minibonds fiasco.

We missed out on innovation during the 1980-90 and we’re still following others footstep. Where are our leaders?

Innovation driving growth means there’re a lot to risk but there’s also a lot to gain from it. If you look at the top 4 companies in America, you’ll find that they alone can match up to 30-40% of our SGX.

Innovation is the key to drive SG ahead. They create more jobs (maybe not, since it will eventually outsourced to Chindia) and is the key to improving the country’s GDP.

Coach’s earnings jump

I hope I’m not the one that help out with the company. It’s for my mom and did not realised that I agree to buy her something that cost so much money. Girls stuff are really expensive!

Coach (COH) jumps on Q1 earnings: ”

Filed under: Major movement, Earnings reports, Good news, Coach Inc (COH), Options, Technical Analysis

Coach (NYSE: COH - option chain) shares are rising today after the company reported a fiscal-first quarter profit of $145.8 million, or 44 cents per share, matching analysts’ estimates. COH forecast second quarter EPS of 77 cents, above analysts’ predictions of 75 cents. If you think that the stock won’t fall by too much in the coming months, then now could be a good time to look at a bullish hedged trade on COH.

COH opened this morning at $20.00. So far today the stock has hit a low of $19.66 and a high of $21.47. As of 12:30, COH is trading at $20.61, up $1.98 (10.6%). The chart for COH looks bullish and S&P gives COH a positive 5 STARS (out of 5) strong buy ranking.

For a bullish hedged play on this stock, I would consider a December bull-put credit spread below the $15 range.

Continue reading Coach (COH) jumps on Q1 earnings

(Via BloggingStocks.)

Ten percent of $700 rescue package may go to bonuses

We’re paying them to help us secure our retirement and yet when they make such mistakes, they still have the cheek to get bonuses?

If there’s any ethics in the company at all, they should reduce the pay for the RM and send them back for training especially in moral education.

Ten percent of $700 rescue package may go to bonuses: ”

Filed under: Management, Industry, Morgan Stanley (MS)

Wall Street walked into the path of its own oncoming stupidity. Of the $700 billion in Treasury rescue money, as much as $70 billion could go to bank and brokerage bonuses.

According to The Guardian, ‘Financial workers at Wall Street’s top banks are to receive pay deals worth more than $70bn (£40bn), a substantial proportion of which is expected to be paid in discretionary bonuses, for their work so far this year.’ The paper goes on to say that the Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) pool is large enough to buy the entire company when its stock was at a recent low.

Although this information get filed under ‘things you can’t make up,’ it will probably have such a severe backlash that Congress will run hearings until the bankers have exhausted the extra money they are making on legal fees.

The contrary argument to punishing the firms is that some of the people getting big pay-outs work in departments that actually contributed huge sums of money to their parents.

If the management at these firms has any sense at all, they will pay nothing to the staff who worked in operations that lost money and file with the SEC to show the amount of operating income made from the operations where people are getting an extra check.

There will be hell to pay either way.

Douglas A. McIntyre is an editor at 247wallst.com.

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(Via BloggingStocks.)

Oil price to hit us again

By the supply and demand theory, when u cut down the supply, there will be more demand. But did you smell something wrong? By cutting down the demand, oil price will continue to hit the poor again.

Just when we thought we will get a break, it seems like a good excuse for organization to keep to their fare hike (taxi company in particular), to squeeze every single cents out from the people.

Maybe sticking to bread and water will solve the problem. We cannot have gardenia bread, better get ntuc bread. Opps I forgot, there’s not much of a price difference.

Opec to cut oil output: ”

LONDON - OPEC will on Friday announce it is cutting oil output to help lift crude prices that have dived 55 per cent since striking record highs in July, as a global economic slowdown slashes demand, analysts said.”

(Via Straits Times Interactive - LATEST NEWS.)

Another article on Iran calling to cut down more oil production

Iran wants to squeeze U.S., others on oil prices: ”

Filed under: Oil, Financial Crisis

Iran has not been a friend of the U.S. for a long time. It went a long way to prove that by calling on OPEC to tighten the supply of oil to a level at which prices are high enough so the crude producers can make some extra cash.

According to Reuters, ‘Iran’s oil minister renewed his call for OPEC to cut production when it meets later this week, saying this was the only way to prevent crude prices falling further.’ Other media sources said Iran actually wants to drive the price of crude back up.

The rest of the OPEC members may want to give the proposal some thought. Higher prices may bring them more profits in the short term, but if the west and China are pulled into a deep recession then demand for oil could fall very quickly. Pushing up what is being charged for such a critical commodity would make the downturn even worse.

OPEC may not care about its image, but it should be concerned with its own long-term income.

Douglas A. McIntyre is an editor at 247wallst.com.

(Via BloggingStocks.)

p.s: many of the politicians have some form of linkage with oil companies as told by my fren

More reason for fare hike?

Everytime I see improvement in services touted in the news by half-private gahmen-owned companies, I sweat at the possibilities of another fare hike. Let’s put our hands together and pray.

SMRT to add 112 train trips on weekdays: “SINGAPORE: Starting from October 24, SMRT will add 112 train trips during weekdays to ease morning and evening peak hour rush.”

(Via CNA > Singapore News.)

Vote for John McCain by Hayden Panettiere

Hilarious ads by Heroes stars Hayden Panettiere

See more Hayden Panettiere videos at Funny or Die

Making money out of people life

I salute the Austrailian government for being conscious of people needs. In the sense, I wouldn’t mind taking 3% of my pay check out so that I can get a super cheap health care. A flat 25 bucks to see a doctor and get the drugs needed.

I had this Aussie friend who reasoned that healthcare should be made affordable and by using this system (some people fall sick easily, some people don’t and some once in a while), it actually works for them.

Previously, I had say how easy it is to earn money in states. On the other hand, I have missed out the point on how lousy is their health care system. People do pay a lot (400-600 usd) for healthcare insurance and taking into consideration that they do pay a lot of tax too. And much worst is that many americans don’t have health care insurance in place.

Think about filling a tooth already would cost 600 USD. That’s an outrageous amount of money! Think what if you have cancer instead.

So is it right to profit out of people’s life?

What if they are in danger? Do doctors still operate on them? (knowing that some countries don’t)

When they recover, will they be saddled in so much debts that they have difficulty living a normal life?

In Singapore, we’re “lucky” to have CPF to help us “plan ahead” for future problems. But it actually adds another problem of having enough money to get by for those lower income family. It’s also assuring that despite of so many hikes recently, healthcare ain’t be the one having any hike. At least for now. Phew~~