The Crescent Moon and the “Evening Star”

We received a “front-row seat” last Sunday evening, May 16, 2010 to a common and yet always awesome sight – the “evening star” visibly sitting on top of a crescent moon. People were abuzz both offline and online as people took photos of this astrological occurrence and posted it on social media sites.

The “evening star” is, as many may know already, the planet Venus. As community member Wiser explains in a question, Venus is the brightest object in the night sky after Moon so people thought in the early days (before we has astronomy) it was a star.

Actually, when Venus is seen in the easter sky before the sunrise it is referred to as a “morning star” and when it is seen in the evening in the west after sunset (similar to what just happened last night) it’s called an “evening star.”

How does this happen, that Venus appears as a star? Nuscorpi223 explained that it’s because Venus’ orbit lies inside Earth’s orbit around the Sun. When the orbit of Venus passes between the Earth and the Sun, it also reflects the light of the Sun to earth so that when it moves from the evening to the morning sky, it becomes very visible to us and appears as a “star”.

To people who have just seen this, one question that may be on your mind is if there’s any significance to the crescent moon and Venus being so close together. Don’t worry, this natural phenomenon has no effect on Earth. Community member podi shared that planetary alignments have been happening for the longest time and there’s never been a documented effect to our planet.

But have you ever wondered why the crescent moon and star has come to symbolize Islam? This was asked by bettycatmouse and Schneb gave the best answer. He said the crescent moon and star symbol actually pre-dates Islam by several thousand years. Most sources say that these ancient celestial symbols were in use by the peoples of Central Asia and Siberia in their worship of the sun, moon and sky gods. In this Wikipedia article, it says that possibly the symbol became associated with the Muslim faith when the Ottoman Empire became affiliated with the Muslim world.

If you missed seeing the crescent moon and “evening star” last night, don’t worry. Just click the link below and check out the different photos submitted in Flickr.
http://www.flickr.com/search/?s=rec&w=all&q=venus+moon&m=text

Prudential Eyes Record Takeover Of Asian Insurer

LONDON: British insurance giant Prudential said Monday it will raise 14.5 billion pounds (17 billion euros, 21 billion dollars) from the sale of new shares to help fund a record takeover of Asian insurer AIA.

"Prudential today announces further details of the proposed combination of the Prudential Group and the AIA Group, including the terms of its fully underwritten rights issue to raise approximately 14.5 billion pounds," a statement said.

The British group had delayed by almost two weeks details of the record rights issue needed to fund the insurance sector's biggest ever takeover as regulators voiced concerns about the enlarged company's capital strength.

Prudential announced in March that it had agreed to buy AIA -- the Asian arm of troubled US insurer AIG -- for 35.5 billion dollars (29 billion euros).

It expects to complete the takeover in the third quarter of 2010 while reports suggest Prudential may have to sell its British operations to fund the rest of the deal.

"We are creating the leading life insurer in the fastest growing region in the world, giving us greater exposure to the highly attractive long-term growth offered in Asia," Prudential chairman Harvey McGrath said Monday.

"We believe this opportunity will deliver substantial long-term value for our shareholders."

The takeover will give Prudential about 30 million customers in Asia and see the Asian operation become by far the group's biggest division -- contributing some 60 percent of new business profit.

Regarding the rights issue, Prudential said it was offering almost 14 billion new shares, each priced at 104 pence. According to analytical group Dealogic, the rights issue is the biggest ever launched to fund a takeover.

Current Prudential investors will be offered 11 new shares for every two shares they own. The sale price represents an 80.8-percent discount to the insurer's closing price of 542.5 pence on Friday.

Prudential's share price slipped 0.37 percent to 540.5 pence in midday London trade.

The AIA deal and the rights issue need 75-percent backing at a shareholders' meeting due on June 7.

"The combined business will be a fast growing and highly profitable company, with a leading position in many of the most attractive markets in the world," Prudential chief executive Tidjane Thiam insisted on Monday.

"We believe that, through capital management and portfolio rationalisation, there will be opportunities for the combined entity to create additional shareholder value over and beyond the revenue and cost synergies identified," added the Frenchman who put together the mega-deal.

Reports have suggested however that some of Prudential's biggest shareholders are opposed to the tie-up.

The rights issue is set to raise about 13.8 billion pounds net of fees and transaction-related expenses and it is being fully-underwritten by Credit Suisse, HSBC, J.P. Morgan Cazenove plus by a syndicate.

These groups will take up any shares not bought by existing shareholders.

Alongside the rights issue, London-listed Prudential has said it plans to begin trading existing shares in Hong Kong and Singapore on May 25.

The listings are seen as a move to garner support from regional investors for the rights issue.

The Hong Kong and Singapore listings will be done by way of introduction, which means adding trading venues without issuing new shares.

The acquisition of AIA will double the size of Prudential and transform it into the world's top non-Chinese insurer by market capitalisation, ahead of major competitors Allianz and AXA.

Sales in Asia already make up half of new contracts for Prudential across a number of countries including China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. The company also has a strong presence in Britain and the United States.

Ocean Fish Could Disappear In 40 Years

NEW YORK: The world faces the nightmare possibility of fishless oceans by 2050 unless fishing fleets are slashed and stocks allowed to recover, UN experts warned.

"If the various estimates we have received... come true, then we are in the situation where 40 years down the line we, effectively, are out of fish," Pavan Sukhdev, head of the UN Environment Program's green economy initiative, told journalists in New York.

A Green Economy report due later this year by UNEP and outside experts argues this disaster can be avoided if subsidies to fishing fleets are slashed and fish are given protected zones -- ultimately resulting in a thriving industry.

The report, which was opened to preview Monday, also assesses how surging global demand in other key areas including energy and fresh water can be met while preventing ecological destruction around the planet.

UNEP director Achim Steiner said the world was "drawing down to the very capital" on which it relies.

However, "our institutions, our governments are perfectly capable of changing course, as we have seen with the extraordinary uptake of interest. Around, I think it is almost 30 countries now have engaged with us directly, and there are many others revising the policies on the green economy," he said.

Environmental experts are mindful of the failure this March to push through a worldwide ban on trade in bluefin tuna, one of the many species said to be headed for extinction.

Powerful lobbying from Japan and other tuna-consuming countries defeated the proposal at the CITES conference on endangered species in Doha.

But UNEP's warning Monday was that tuna only symbolizes a much vaster catastrophe, threatening economic, as well as environmental upheaval.

One billion people, mostly from poorer countries, rely on fish as their main animal protein source, according to the UN.

The Green Economy report estimates there are 35 million people fishing around the world on 20 million boats. About 170 million jobs depend directly or indirectly on the sector, bringing the total web of people financially linked to 520 million.

According to the UN, 30 percent of fish stocks have already collapsed, meaning they yield less than 10 percent of their former potential, while virtually all fisheries risk running out of commercially viable catches by 2050.

Currently only a quarter of fish stocks -- mostly the cheaper, less desirable species -- are considered to be in healthy numbers.

The main scourge, the UNEP report says, are government subsidies encouraging ever bigger fishing fleets chasing ever fewer fish, with little attempt made to allow the fish populations to recover.

The annual 27 billion dollars in government subsidies to fishing, mostly in rich countries, is "perverse," Sukhdev said, since the entire value of fish caught is only 85 billion dollars.

As a result, fishing fleet capacity is "50 to 60 percent" higher than it should be, Sukhdev said.

Creating marine preservation areas to allow female fish to grow to full size, thereby hugely increasing their fertility, is one vital solution, the report says.

Another is restructuring the fishing fleets to favor smaller boats that -- once fish stocks recover -- would be able to land bigger catches.

"What is scarce here is fish," Sukhdev said, "not the stock of fishing capacity."

Jackie Chan a ruthless boss?

He might be one of showbiz' most famous philanthropists, but Jackie Chan is apparently a lousy boss.

A former assistant who was unceremoniously fired in 2003 during the SARS period in Hong Kong has decided to speak up for the many employees under Jackie and his wife Joan Lin's charge. This was after longtime protégé Kenneth Low was disposed off last year in similar circumstances.

William Duen, an actor previously considered one of Jackie's closest confidantes and who helped the superstar break into Hollywood, attacked his former boss for being heartless.

Jackie owns entertainment companies JCE Movies and JC Group International. Ignoring faithful employees who have worked for him for years, he installed Joan as the head of the two firms in an allegedly nepotistic move.

The infamously tightfisted Joan then sacked Kenneth last September after a 30-year relationship, dishing out a meagre HK$100,000 (S$18,000) as compensation. It is believed the 50-year-old is still unemployed.

For the record, according to labour laws in Hong Kong, an employee of Kenneth's circumstances should receive around HK$500,000 (S$89,000) in layoff reward.

Dhabi Hotel Installs Gold-Dispensing Machine

DUBAI - It's the ultimate hole-in-the-wall — a money machine that dispenses pure gold.

But installed beneath the gold-coated ceilings of Abu Dhabi's Emirates Palace hotel, where royalty and billionaires come for cappuccinos topped with gold flakes, the machine almost seems part of the furniture.

"The reason we chose Emirates Palace is because it really fits with the surroundings here," said German entrepreneur Thomas Geissler, creator of the "Gold to Go" brand and chief executive of Ex Oriente Lux.

The exterior of the machine is coated with a thin layer of gold and offers customers 320 items to choose from, ranging from gold bars that can weigh up to 10 grams, to customized gold coins.

"All the gold is imported from Germany, and soon we will have a customized gold bar with a print of the Emirates Palace logo, which will be a nice souvenir for guests to take home," said Geissler.

Through a computer system, the ATM gold machine updates the gold price every 10 minutes to match international markets.

For now, it takes notes of the local dirham currency, but the option of using credit cards will soon be introduced.

The cash-for-gold machines were first tested in Germany in 2009, but Geissler chose Abu Dhabi for the official launch of his invention because of the region's high demand for gold.

"On the first night we had a lot of demand," he said. "One customer even bought one item of every product we have."

Geissler's timing is spot-on, as investors flock to gold as a safe haven from economic turbulence.

On Thursday, gold priced in sterling and euros reached record highs, while that priced in the more usual dollar denomination was quoted at $1,236 an ounce, with dealers expecting it to reach fresh highs over coming days.

World's 1st Curved Double Helix Bridge At Marina Bay

It's 280 meters long, made of a special stainless steel, was lovingly assembled over two years with great precision and is already being touted as an architectural marvel and engineering feat. Officially named "The Helix," the sweeping, curving structure is the world's first double helix bridge and joins CNNGo's list of 24 of the world's most amazing bridges.

The bridge is located just beside the floating platform at Marina Bay, and when Phase 2 of Marina Bay Sands is open in June, it will allow pedestrians a direct link to the integrated resort. At its entrance is Singapore's first art park -- the Youth Olympic Park -- which opened at the same time as the bridge, and alongside it is the vehicular bridge to the casino resort, called Bayfront Bridge.

Designed by Australian firm Cox Group, engineering firm Arup and Singapore-based Architects 61, the bridge is made up of a major and minor steel helix that wind around each other. The bridge has five viewing platforms spanning across the entire length which provide great views of the Singapore skyline and events taking place within Marina Bay. It also functions as a outdoor gallery where children's paintings and drawings are exhibited for public viewing.

To put it in perspective, if all the steel tubes forming the major and minor helix are laid end to end, it will measure 2,250 meters long, and the entire structure weighs about 1,700 tons, which is equivalent to about 1,130 saloon cars. There is also a night lighting feature built into the pedestrian bridge, which can be programmed to create various moods for different events.

"When the (Marina Bay) Promenade is completed by the middle of this year, together with this bridge, it will form a 3.5-kilometer pedestrian loop around the whole bay," said Fun Siew Leng, Group Director of Urban Planning and Design, Urban Redevelopment Authority, to Channel NewsAsia.

To mark the completion of the bridge and the opening of the Youth Olympic Park, a specially choreographed two-minute pyrotechnic show was held over the weekend, which was set against the backdrop of the pedestrian bridge. The Helix was officially named and declared open by National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan.

A series of music, dance, drum and gongfu performances choreographed by Aaron Khek, the chief choreographer for the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games, was also held in the newly built Youth Olympics Park.

What Does Your Sleep Position Reveal About Your Personality?

The research also links certain sleeping positions with health risks. Some aid digestion while others spur on snoring and restlessness.

Here are the six common sleeping positions and correlated personality traits and health implications, according to this study.

Fetus position - A whopping 41% of participants sleep in this curled-up manner. Women are twice as likely to rest like this and it is listed as the most common position. These sleepers are said to have a tough exterior but are still sensitive and may appear to be shy but warm up quickly.

Log position - If you sleep on your side with both arms down, you are a social, easy-going person who is trusting, sometimes to the point of being gullible. The study showed 15% of people sleep like a log.

Yearner position - A close third is the side-lying position with both arms out in front of the body, with 13% of partipants sleeping like this. Yearners are noted to be open-minded and still cynical, suspicious, and stubborn about sticking to decisions once they are made.

Soldier position - These sleepers lie on their backs with arms down and kept close to the body. This 8% study is said to be reserved, quiet, without fuss, and hold themselves and others to a high standard. Soldier sleepers have a higher likelihood for snoring due to the flat-back position, which may not cause them to wake up often but may result in a less restful night's sleep.

Freefall position - Those people who lie on their bellies with arms under or wrapped around a pillow with head turned to the side, make up 7% of the population studied.
Freefallers are brash, outgoing, and are very uncomfortable with criticism.

Starfish position - Sleepers who lie on their backs with arms up near their head or the pillow account for 5% of participants. These people are good listeners, helpful, and are uncomfortable being the center of attention. People who sleep in starfish position are more likely to snore and to suffer from a poor night's sleep more often.

What’s Your Worst Dining Experience?

Everyone’s favourite fried chicken giant Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) was recently ordered to fork out almost S$40,000 after a cockroach was discovered eating a chip in one of its busiest UK branches.

Further inspection of the branch in London’s West End turned out flies, dried chicken blood on the floor and even a mouse.

And that’s not all – health inspectors found there were no handwash dispensers in the food preparation area. This could only mean that on the day of the inspection, staff were not able to wash their hands properly before handling the food.

Four months prior to the incident, the fast food giant received a “specific warning” from the authorities about its sub-standard hygiene practices. But judging from the aftermath of various inspections, little has been done. I’m pretty sure Colonel Sanders must be turning in his grave right now.

We Singaporeans live to eat, and this incident serves as a harrowing reminder that sometimes we simply have no idea just what goes into our food, or how it’s being prepared.

Dining in Singapore, I’ve survived maggots in sushi, insect wings in Tom Yum soup, rubber bands in my mee hoon and residual lipstick marks on wine glasses. But these are just the tip of the iceberg.

Last April, in what is touted as the worst mass food poisoning case in Singapore, two women lost their lives after eating at an Indian Rojak stall in Geylang Serai. More than a hundred others were either hospitalised or received outpatient treatment for food poisoning.

This follows yet another mass-poisoning scare back in 2007 when Prima Deli bakery was found to have sold salmonella-laced chocolate cake. More than 150 people fell ill and experienced fever, vomiting and abdominal pain.

Do you think food hygiene practices in Singapore are satisfactory?

Share your worst horror dining experience with us and tell us what you think can be done to ensure better local food hygiene practices.

Petunjuk IMAN

Berkata Imam Al-Ghazali

Jika kau ingin petunjuk iman
Kuatkanlah dirimu utk menerima segala musibah
Bertenang dlm menangung segala kepahitan
Sifat sabar terbentang dlm dadamu

Lisanmu perlu dikunci
Matamu perlu dikawal
Rahsiamu disembunyikan
Hanya dilihat Allah S.W.T
Namamu jgn terkenal
Pintumu tertutup
Mulutmu tersenyum
Perutmu lapar
hatimu luka
Hindari dari terkenal
pangkatmu terpendam

Keaibanmu tersembunyi dari umum
Setiap hari menahan kepahitan
Dari zaman dan teman
Sedangkan hatimu menurut
Siangmu berbakti kpd org
Tanpa membangkit2nya

Sepi dari pandangan
Ambillah kesempatan pada malam itu
Jadikan ia jalan dan persiapan untuk hari Kiamat.


"To put the world right in order, we must first put the nation in order;
To put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order;
To put the family in order, we must first cultivate our personal life;
we must first set our hearts right".

The Official Song of FIFA World Cup 2010

The song will be performed at the FIFA World Cup(TM) Final by Shakira and South African artist Freshlyground on July 11, 2010.

The song combines Afro-Colombian instrumentation and rhythms with a rousing Soca beat and Southern African guitar. The chorus borrows from a favorite Cameroonian marching chant made popular by the group Golden Voices.

“The Official Song is as much awaited by the fans as the Mascot or the Logo. It is part of the identity of the world’s most exciting sport’s event. This song is the personification of the African rhythm and identity and sets the pace for this unique event. I am looking forward to hear the song throughout the tournament and watch it performed by Shakira and Freshlyground at the Final,” said Joseph S. Blatter, FIFA President.

“I am honored that Waka Waka (This Time For Africa) was chosen to be part of the excitement and the legacy of the 2010 FIFA World Cup,” said Shakira. “The FIFA World Cup is a miracle of global excitement, connecting every country, race, religion and condition around a single passion. It represents an event that has the power to unite and integrate, and that’s what this song is about.”



The so-called “Battle of the World Cup Theme Songs” has finally been settled.

After much confusion, Shakira’s “Waka Waka” (or “Burn Bright” in Swahili ) has officially been named South Africa 2010′s World Cup theme song. Why confusion? Because if you do a quick search on “World Cup 2010 song”, expect most results to show ”Wavin’ Flag” by Somali-Canadian artiste K’naan.



To be fair, both songs boast lively beats, a catchy tune and — most important of all – a great sing-along, easy-to-remember chorus ( my all-time favourite is still Ricky Martin’s “Cup of Life”). But after a fair amount of investigation, I discovered that “Wavin’ Flag” is actually the official anthem for Coca Cola’s 2010 FIFA World Cup campaign and not for the actual tournament.

Even so, response to Shakira’s “Waka Waka” has been lukewarm. Firstly, the imagery of war and battle in the first 2 verses of the song is a little dodgy, bearing in mind the continent’s fresh and painful history of violence. But what riles many Africans more — never mind the fact that native South African band Freshlyground plays back-up – is whether the sultry Colombian is the right “face” for the continent’s first World Cup. And who can blame them?

As diverse as her heritage may be, she isn’t the least bit African. Local South African fans have voiced their disgust. “It’s horrible, I’m not standing for it” says Lindi Munondeand, and “How is Shakira going to sing the African part of it?” laments Nomaswazi Thomo. Jenny Cryws-Williams, presenter for South African station 702 Talk Radio also cried out: “Why don’t we have South Africans doing it for us?”.

The issue with Shakira’s song wasn’t the organisers’ only faux pas. The tournament’s opening concert on June 11 as also heavily criticised for having too many foreign acts such as American artistes Alicia Keys and the Black Eyed Peas. This forced an about-turn by organisers to showcase more local African acts in the line-up.

This will be the first time Africa will host the World Cup — a historic and proud moment for all Africans. The least the organisers could do is get it right.

But whatever has been decided will stand. And it’ll be interesting to see the reception when Shakira performs “Waka Waka” with Freshlyground at the World Cup Finals.

Having said that, have a listen to both songs and tell us which do you prefer?