Is Nicole Kidman pregnant ?

Actress Nicole Kidman is pregnant, according to reports which said she and singer husband, Keith Urban are expecting their first child.

London's Daily Mail said last Saturday that Kidman & Urban, both 40, married in June last year, broke the news to their families over the Christmas holiday.

Kidman, adopted Conor, 12, and Isabella, 14, during her first marriage to actor Tom Cruise.
If the rumours are true, the baby will be her first natural child. She has encountered 2 failed pregnancies & miscarriage at the end of the marriage. We really hope that this rumour are true, so that Kidman will be able to spend more time with Urban.

Money & parents - 12 tips for managing your parents' finances

We tend to put off the subject of financial planning with our parents for whatever reasons.

However, by discussing these issues with our parents early will have greater benefit and enjoy greater peace of mind.

1) Living expenses
Parents need to feel comfortable about their situation and assurance that whatever money worries they have, their children are there to help them.

2) Medical history
Educate yourself about your family 's medical history. Make plan to take up medical insurance for your parents.

3) Medical Fund
For older parents who might not be in the pink of health or who might be too old to buy health nsurance, will be more practical to start a 'Medical sinking fun" This will also minimise potential disputes among siblings who should foot the bills.

4) Annuities
An annuity helps to ensure that one does not outlive one's resources as it pays out a regulare sum of money for as long as the policyholder lives.

5) Long-term care
Do your parents want to live in their own home, with you, or in a home for the elderly ?

6) Investment portfolio
For parents who do not need the money. children can help them start a regular savings plan and put this money on a monthly basis into an investment instrument such as a unit trust or relatively conservative portfolio, such as bond.

7) Sublet parents' home or opt for reverse mortgage.
For those who are unable to give the amount their parents need, one way to raise funds is for the parents to sublet a spare room for additional income.
A reverse mortgage on the parents' house is another option. Howver, the parents wil need to decide whether to release the equity in their home or not. And it is important that they understand the overall value of their home will diminish if they opt for a reverse martgage.
This has an impact on your parents' estate, it is vital for the whole family to be in the picture.

8) Downgrade or live with children

9) Power of attorney
This gives one or more people the legal right to manage your parents' financial affairs, in case of they become ill or mentally incapable.

10) Will
Review wills with a solicitor at least once every five years to have the latest updates, such as any new born, relatives might have died and marriages might have been dissolved.

11) Legal documents
They are kept in safe place known to the executors of your parents' estate.

12) Estate planning
Broach this subject by asking your parents' what they want to happen to their estate when they are no longer around.

How much to give mum and dad ?

Isn't this a touchy issue ?

Give too much and the children might suffer financially. Give too little and their parents might not be able to maintain their current lifestyle.

Filial piety to some is about the commitment to take care of their parents when they need you and should not be measured by the amount of money you give them.

Another suggestion offer is that if parents are working and can comfortably support themselves, " the gesture of giving is more important than the amount itself".

We have another group, the "sandwich generation" - those who have one source of income but two sets of dependants' financial commitments to be fulfilled - aging parents and growing children.

Before one decides what amount to give your parents, one should have a clear idea of your own financial situation. Only then would you know how much you had in excess to meet various other financial commitments.

Other factors that affect your financial capacity to give an allowance to your parents include : income, expenses, the number of dependants that you have, and other financial goals such as housing, education and retirement.

In my next discussion, I have gathered some tips for managing your parents' finances

Singapore - Big Events for Year 2008

The world's media will converge on Singapore. It is a city-state they have heard so much about - of how it can organise mega conferences without much fuss, problems or hiccups.

Just to put on records our Eventful Years of 2006 & 2007. This year - Asean Summit & last year we had The International Monetary Fund and World Banks's annual meetings in September ( representatives from 180 countries) .

Maria Sharapova, the world's most marketable tennis player, makes her Singapore debut next Sunday. It would signal the start of more than just a tennis match.

In September, the world's eyes will again be on the Republic, as its streets host Formula One's first night race. Come December, the Volvo Ocean race will make a pit-stop in Singapore, with Sentosa playing host to one of the world's most prestigious yacht races

With next year's action-packed sports calendar, Singaporeans, event organisers and promoters will look forward to benefit from it.

Outside of the sporting arena, the retail and hospitality industries and ordinary Singaporean can help to make the overall experience of the guests pleasant. With next Sunday's Sharapova-Chakvetadze match, let's take this as our first test of how wonderful hosts we can be.

I am sure Russian media will be keeping a close eye on how the Republic organises the event. After all, Moscow and Singapore are the favourites going into the last leg of the race to host the inaugural 2010 Youth Olympics. Let's hope that they will return home with nice things to say about how efficient a nation we are and how Singaporeans can go out of their way to host a successful sports events.

With Dubai, Shanghai and Doha trying to establish themselves as Asia's sports hub. Singapore should not fall behind in that race.

Let's us make a Christmas Wish that Singapore will emerge as a choice destination for major sporting events, for the top sports and stars to continue wanting to come to Singapore.

So, in order for that to happen, everyone has to do his part. Be a generous giver and an excellent receiver.

1 in five working adults in Singapore unsured about their retirement plan

When can you afford to retire ? 1 in 5 unsure.
Take a look at this survey.

More than half do not plan. 30s think it's too early, 50s think it's too late.

Most tend to get more serious about the issue when they cross the age of 4o. Money is not something that comes overnight. You've to prepare at least 10 years in advance.

Where are you & what is plan ? Is this a wake-up call ? Feel free to comment.

An extract from ST dd 20 Dec 2007 - Thursday

Japanese blogging top, compared to English-speaking

According to Technorati, the internet search engine that monitors the blogsphere, that although English speakers outnumber Japanese speakers by more athan five to one, slightly more blogs posting are written in Japanese than in English. Also as much as 40% of Japanese blogging is done on mobile phones. This is often contributed by commuters riding the world's most extensive network of subways and commuter trains.

Japanese bloggers shy away from polities and barbed language. They rarely trumpet their expertise. Americans blog to stand out, the Japanese do it to fit in, blogging about small stuff, cats and flowers, bicycles, breakfast, etc.

Technorati found that of all recorded blog postings in the fourth quarter of last year, 37 % were written in Japanese, 36% in English and 8% in Chinese.

According to a survey on Japanese blogging behaviour, the Japanese normally blog awfully quiet about it. In Japan, it is not socially acceptable to pursue fame. To keep their profile low, they blog anonymously. They have this interesting remarks : There is no question that in this culture the nail that sticks out gets hammered in.

Looking back ' 07 and looking ahead ' 08

So much have been happening in the year 2007, such as the shaking news on Sub-prime crisis which does have some moving factors to the financial sectors for the West & East.

Big names of global finance such as German Banks Sachsen and IKB Deutsche Industriebank, Citi of America and UBS of Switzerland are some of the big news appearing in the year 2007.

On the sub-prime crisis, into its 6-month, has caused many avalanches & getting Federal Reserves to consciously adjusting the rates, at least 3 rounds, is some big issue of concerned for the West as well as the East.

According to reports, between April last and this April, when it began to develop, this translated into US$34 billion of soured high-risk loans. That was enough to rock the roughly US$60 trillion American financial system its core.

At the recent news, the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development, or OECD, estimates that losses from the sub-prime fiasco could total US$300 billion.

We, a faraway country, Singapore, felt its rumble too. The MAS, said on Sept 17 , 2007 that the three local banks hold S$2.3 billion of collateralised debt obligations, of which 28% contain some US sub-prime loans.

All these making a very interesting year ahead for Asian financial markets.
So how do we look forward to the year 2008 ?

The US Treasury's recent rescue plans - to save the funds as well as to intervene in the mortgage rate-setting process - indicate that Washington thinks all these BIG firms are too significant to be allowed to fail.

What other indicators affecting the financial sector for consideration for looking forward to year 2008 ?

Will talk about it with the next follow-up...

Till then, if any comments to share, most welcome.

Singapore's bid to host for Youth Olykpic Games-2010

Let the world see Singapore's bid, ie to host the inaugural games - Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in 2010. Businesses have been encouraged to pledge their support for Singapore for the bidding. That was the message from our country's YOG committee at a corporate engagement session.

Elim Chew, our Youth-oriented fashion chain 77th Street president & founder is one of the first to act. Car decals designed and produced by her company were handed out to representatives from the corporations supporting Singapore's YOG bid. Managing Director of McDonald's Singapore, Mr Kenneth Chan, showing support by way of putting a decal on his car's windscreen.

Our 10-member Singapore delegation presented to an hour-long video conference with the Internatinal Olympic Committee (IOC) evaluation commission chaired by former pole vault champion Sergei Bubka on 13 Dec 2007.

Our bid committee, corporations and the media, all working to put up the bid as a nation's mission, as Team Singapore for the IOC to assess us as a nation. The committee conveyed two messages to the commission, safety and the opportunity to create a fresh legacy. We, as Team Singapore, re-affirmed our ability to execute our plans for YOG efficiently, cost-effectively and on time.

We, Team Singapore is one of the front-runners to host the YOG. Ahead of Athens, Turin and Bangkok, but second behind Moscow, as per a shortlist released by IOC.

The IOC official made a low-key visit in early Dec 2007 to access Singapore's credentials and the feasibility of our Games Village. According to the reports, the official did not ask any questions, which is a very positive sign.

The big day- IOC will announce the winning host city in February 2008. Until then, the bid committe is urging Singaporeans and corporations to support the committee's effort, like our curry puffs King - Old Chang Kee has produced 35,000 pieces of packaging daily for their curry puffs bearing slogans to support the country's YOG bid.

I have also contributed a little bit, hopefully, is effective enough, by putting this article here to mark this event, to put more awareness , to bring in more support in any form, will be great.

Are you ready to give your support. Do drop your comment or support here, if any. You are most welcome.













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Master Watchmaker Kurt Klaus in Singapore

Mr Kurt klaus, 73, is known as the Einstein from Schaffhausen ( a city in northern Switzerland) is widely regarded as the father of technical watchmaking. He invented a revolutionary perpetual calendar module, in 1985, which was then used in IWC's ( Swiss-based International Watch Company) mechanical Da Vinci watches.

A perpetual calendar is a device in a watch which automatically gives the exact date taking into account the different number of days in a month and leap years. It can include other details such as moon phases. He worked without computers, replying instead on drawings and detailed calculations, making his feats more remarkable.

The watchmaster was in Singapore last month - November 2007 - to conduct workshops and promote the three variants of the Da Vinci released by IWC : the limited edition released in tribute to Klaus, a chronograph edition and an automatic edition. The Da Vinci Automatic and the Da Vinci Chronograph starts at $9,300 and $20,600 respectively.

The Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Edition Kurt Klaus was launched last month and is priced from $53,000 to $96,000. There are only 6oo pieces available worldwide.

Any watch lover out there to share & comment, you are most welcome.

Singapore Government searching a fair annuities scheme

Professor Lim Pin, 71 , and his commitee members - ranging from unionists to bankers - were appointed after the August 2007 announcement of the CPF changes, which included the controversial longevity insurance plan.

Professor Lim personally believes that annuities are a good idea. Annuities are "a much needed piece that fills in the gap" for when people live beyond 85. However, the committee tasked with designing the national annuity scheme is finding itself in a thicket of questions.

How will they come up with a one-size-fits-all annuity plan for the 1.5 million active CPF members, of varying income and needs ? To be affordable for all yet not have to dole out miserable payouts. The questions about inflation and returning capital, are some of the issues need to be considered. To resolve a problem that will rear its head 20 or 30 years later, when long lives are not matched by adequate income.

The implication of the scheme also has its social impact. If imagine a situation where out of our active 1.5 million members - just 10% will, in the future, run out of money and not have any family support. That 150,000 members will strain what we have now, and which the committee felt that they have to fix it now.

Is really an issue of concerned, will follow-up on this again for updating.

S&P cuts ratings for Singapore banks - involves in debts instruments - CDOs

Given the losses at Merrill and other investment banks, S&P might lower its ratings for some other CDOs managed in Singapore. Raffles Place Funding - $1 billion CDO by UOB Asset Mgt. Singa Funding, a $1 billion CDO by OCBC unit Lion Capital Mgt. About 65% of the two CDOs' investments are linked to the US housing mortgage securities.

Last month, The Fed cut its target for the federal funds rate to 4.75 % from 5.25% - to limit the impact of a credit crunch on the US economy. But the deepening housing slump has prompted investors t expect an additional quarter-point cut in interest rates next week.

Earlier on 19 October 2007, we have report with headline :
Bleak House - Recession fears grow as US property slump worsens. It is quoted that the downturn is persisting & the peak of this storm will have impact on the economy in the fourth quarter of 2007 and first quarter of 2008.

Singapore - The world's largest showcase - luxury watches

Tempus - The Temple of Time festival - This year's five-day, $2.5 million event with $150-million worth of watches , the world's largest showcase of luxury watches, starting on 6 Sept at the Raffles City Convention Centre. This consumer watch event was organised by home grown watch retailer The Hour Glass, featuring 54 world-renowned brands, compared to the inaugural event which held here three years ago had just 32.

Prestigious brands on show, to name some : Breguet, Audemars Piguet, Cartier, Harry Winston, Hublot, IWC & Patek Philippe. The most expensive & priciest piece, Planetarium Tellurium, costs $4-million, by French watchmaker Richard Mike, which took him seven years to develop, was among the prestigious brands on show. The masterpiece, made of titanium, brass, gold and silver, tracks the earth's rotation, phases of the moon, true time in relation to the sun and the orbit of the planets Mercury and Venus around the sun.

It was also a launch of the Museum of Contemporary Horological Art, the world's first and only watch and clock museum to showcase contemporary timepieces developed over the last three decades. This museum, which will be part of every TEMPUS featival, featured timepieces on loan from watch manufacturers such as Tag Heuer and Harry Winston.

This year, watch manufacturers, Jaeger-LeCoultre and Glashuttle conducted a hands-on watch-making workshops for watch enthusiasts to participate in. A gem appreication seminar by Chopard was also one of the many events.

Great event for elite, enthusiasts & newbies. Tempus is intented to be an educational force in the field of high-end watch-making so that it could become a "pastime for many."

Happiness is a journey

Came across this quote :

There is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. So treasure every moment that you have.
Happiness is a journey, not a destination.

Work like you don't need money.
Love like you've never been hurt.
And dance like no one's watching you.

Singapore Food Fare - famouse Chilli Crab

Singapore Food Festival- celebrating local food delight
Date :29 June -1 July 2007
Local fare rises to global fame. Singapore's local food is increasingly being recognised worldwide. Singapore food has been featured prominently at international events such as the Singapore Season in London in 2005, the annual Singapore Tiger Beer Chilli Crab Festival in Brooklyn, New York and the Singapore Day event in Central Park, New York, in April, this year. All these have been well received.
Just name some of the popular dishes like :
1) Singapore Chilli Crab, hainanese chicken rice, satay and fish head curry will soon be instantly and extricably linked to Singapore in the minds of dinners worldwide.

Just read how this dish is described will send your taste buds & saliva drooping.

Singapore Chilli Crab
The world-famous dish that put Singapore on the culinary map, Chilli Crab is almost synonymous with Singapore. The dish features a succulent crustacean, laced with a spicy and piquant sauce generously infused with assorted Asian Spices. Start with a taste of the fiery sweet and spicy sauce that each crab is cooked in. Then, take a stab at the crab itself, which is delightfully meaty, especially at the claws. Don’t forget to order hot buns to go with your dish. Crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, they are most useful for mopping up the sauce with.

Read more about all the events and delicious dishes : log on to :
http://www.singaporefoodfestival.com/

Singapore, 17th, world's most liveable cities

WOW, according to European-based lifestyle magazine, the Monocle report, SINGAPORE is one of the best cities in the world. Its burgeoning urban and cultural landscape, as well as its FIRST WORLD standard of living.

* Singapore is well-connected to the world thro Changi Airport - weekly 4,000 flights from 80 airlines to 180 cities in 57 countries.
*Comprehensive mobile and communication network. A country of high literacy and low crime rate.
*Singapore's policy of social and racial integration, created a harmonious society.
* Extremely affordable living standard, despite the country's First World living standards.

Welcome to Singapore !!!

"Secret" formula to happiness

What is the "secret" formula to happiness ?



"To achieve happiness, we should make certain that we are never without an important goal "

- Earl Nightingale



What do you think of this statement ?

Planning a holiday

Just finished the Internet Marketing course. Many things to be done. Hope I can get myself organised fast enough so that I can start to plan my holidays trip.

Training prog on Internet Marketing

Today is the 1st day of our training on internet marketing conducted by Johan Mok.
Marketing is not an event, but a process. I think I will be able to appreciate this phrase much better when I am a successful marketer. Brought home " a big basket" of tips to digest & hopefully able to share it out in time to come. Looking forward ?

Versatile vegetable, artichokes from Dalat, Vietnam

Have you seen this versatile vegetable called artichokes ? Being told that is found in Dalat, Vietnam, a lovely resort with agreeable cool weather that favours the growth and cultivation of artichokes.

Anybody came across this vegetable ? Share with us the about the flavour, taste, goodness & preparation etc.

Vietnam trip-Ho Chi Minh-balloon seller

Our trip to Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh. Is quite a common sight to see this balloons seller everywhere. Just like in the photo, the seller is tired, will just sit in the middle of the road holding on the balloons.

Vietnam-2nd

Oh oh, look so many bikes on the road

Vietnam Trip

DAY/NIGHT 1

We touched down Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh(or Saigon), also affectionately known as Father of Vetnam, in the late afternoon. This was what happened throughout the whole trip, apparently, the tour guide kept sending us for meals every few hours or so, which left me quite sick of rice and cabbages. Thank god there was beef noodles for breakfast! Another big surprise, Vietnam does celebrate CNY and they are given 4 national holidays. Thus, on the day we came, they were celebrating the first day of CNY, one day earlier than us.

There was a flower market held in the central during the holiday period and the locals FLOCKED there in their scooters/motorbikes. I was horrified by the scene and the noise, in the end we did not step out of our tour bus and everyone requested to be brought back to the hotel. That was day 1.

DAY 2/First Day of CNY

The making of traditional rice paper.

Bought a pack of chili rice paper back home. I do not know what to do with it but you can also eat it straight from the package, you know?

Custard apple, unripe. You don't see this anywhere by the road side in Singapore, do you?

Rubber trees. A lot of foreigners were taking photos inside there.

It should be "5 easy steps" instead. Jokes aside, war is scary. A person like me is quite unlikely to be able to squeeze inside that hole.

I like the shadows.

Soldiers in then war uniform. Their sandals are made out of tire!

Inside the Cuchi tunnel, you have to squat down and move your way through the dark tunnel. Great experience, again, War is terrible.

DAY 3(out of Saigon, I think)

Statue of Jesus, apparently you have to climb a thousand steps to reach Him but I counted less than that, unless you count those inside the statue... See those tiny dots on his shoulders? A maximum of 4 people are allowed to stand on the highest point of view.

Locals and tourists taking turns to climb up/down through squeezing. Bad experience with the lcoals there.

Great view. I have no idea where was I except that there's a beach. Yes, I've finally climbed up the shoulder of Lord JC, it was windy up there.

The chin of JC overlooking the beach. There are lots of temples in that area as well.

Pretty flower, random shot.

It's random but I've to say: War is bad. We visited the museum which depicted the effects of Vietnam war on people, I'm staying neutral but both parties suffered great damages during the Vietnam war. Peace, people, peace.

A local street. Many shops were still not opening for business on the last day of holiday. It was crazy to cross the roads in Vietnam, honking is like a norm and it was so noisy! I can only sum up one sentence: Pedestrain are like insects.

Balloon sellers everywhere, and sitting wherever they like.

Boarding a boat restaurant, the waiters and waitresses were donned in sailor uniforms. How cool is that?

Lala, or not lala? *confused* Oh, patterning!

That's Happy New Year in Vietnamese. Random fact, both vietnamese and chinese have similar intonations.

DAY 4/Mekong river(if I'm not wrong)- The best day I ever experienced in Vietnam!

Random shot: Chickens!

I believed I was shaking the boat. Good experience.

If you notice in the photo, there would be one rower at the front and back of the boat. Majority of the combi would be mother and son or siblings. Men are working in the field.

We sat on the horse carriage, scary. Coz our horse was a little agitated and galloped in the other direction.

Traditional ice-cream seller.

Elephant ear fried fish. Those triangular plates are scales and they taste good. The fish was so-so but they wrapped it with rice paper so it was delicious! I love rice paper.

Taking a short afternoon nap. The sleeping boy was awarded by slaps from his brother in order to wake him up and it was comical and anime-like. Haha!

DAY 5/Last day!

A market of all sorts, just like Chinatown's wet market. They were organized into rows of apparel/food/souvenirs/dry food. Very easy to shop and walk around. We bought and bargained lots of stuff! Ventilation was not so bad and the sellers were crazy snatchers. They would grabbed hold of your hand and repeat phrases of "cheap/good/buy what?" in chinese and English. They are good!

Random shot

My coffee, with too much sugar! Vietnamese love their coffee, noodles and cigarette. Dining in the restaurant called Pho 2000 coz then President Bill Clinton came and ate in this restaurant that year. So there were pictures of President Clinton everywhere inside the restaurant.

My beef noodle. Not as good as the one I ate in the hotel. We ate the vegetables RAW, it tasted weird.

Lastly, photo of what will happen to you if you go near the electrical room. Quite similar to 'Danger!'