Today is World Water Day, 22 March 2009

International World Water Day is held annually on 22 March as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.

An international day to celebrate freshwater was recommended at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). The United Nations General Assembly responded by designating 22 March 1993 as the first World Water Day.

Visualization of the credit crisis

If you've problem understanding the recent credit crisis, what is sub-prime rate and how it affects the economy, this is the animation to watch. It's so well-illustrated. Not always easy to follow but I think you need to watch a few times to digest. Definitely very educational for me.


The Crisis of Credit Visualized from Jonathan Jarvis on Vimeo.

S'pore is tops again among Asian expats

12 March 2009, ST

It retains No. 1 spot in poll for 10th straight year, beating 253 cities
By Fiona Chan

SINGAPORE has beaten the rest of the world for the 10th year running to be named the city that offers Asian expatriates the best quality of life.
According to a survey released yesterday, the city state's quality of air, infrastructure and health-care facilities kept it at No. 1. Its low crime rate also helped it retain pole position in the annual ranking by human resource consultancy ECA International.

As far as Asian expats were concerned, Singapore beat 253 other cities - including big names such as San Francisco, New York, London and Paris.
Only five Asian cities made it to the top 50 among Asian expats. Apart from Singapore, these were Japan's Tokyo, Yokohama and Kobe, along with Hong Kong, which came in 11th due to its poor air quality and inferior health facilities.

But expats from other regions appeared to be less impressed by Singapore. The city slipped in favour for all non-Asian expats, as other cities became more desirable places to live.

Expats from the Middle East ranked Singapore 25th in terms of quality of life, down from 23rd last year. Australian and New Zealand expats put Singapore in 44th spot, down from last year's 42nd.
Americans named Singapore their 54th favourite city, a drop from 50th place last year, while Europeans also ranked it 54th, down a notch from the previous 53rd.

ECA regional director Lee Quane stressed that the lower rankings were not caused by a deterioration in Singapore's quality of life.

'Basically, it is not due to any detriment on Singapore's part,' he told The Straits Times.
While Singapore's scores in all categories have remained the same as last year's, other locations have improved their scorecards, he said.

Categories looked at included climate, health services, social networks and leisure facilities.
'You need to look at where the person is coming from,' Mr Quane added. 'From a European or American perspective, there may be other cities that are more attractive. But from an Asian person's perspective, Singapore comes in at No. 1.'

Indeed, for Filipina Ditas Lopez, Singapore ranks as one of the best cities in the world.
'The transportation system is very efficient, doing business is easy and, most importantly, the quality of air is very good,' said Ms Lopez, 38, a media professional who has lived here for three years.

Bringing up the rear for Asian expats were war-torn cities such as Baghdad in Iraq and Kabul in Afghanistan. These were the least desirable locations for expatriates due to a lack of suitable facilities and high personal security risks.

Despite Singapore's relatively low global ranking among European expats, the city was their top choice in Asia, followed by Kobe, Yokohama, Hong Kong and Tokyo.

Some of the biggest improvements in quality of life were seen in Chinese cities, where facilities for visitors have improved.
Beijing, for instance, shot up 13 places to 99th spot after it upgraded its infrastructure, recreational facilities and security for the Olympic Games last year.
Conversely, Indian locations have fallen on average in this year's rankings, largely due to poorer air quality. New Delhi - ranked 187th - saw the largest deterioration in quality of living within Asia.
ECA's survey is designed to help companies establish expat allowances, which compensate staff for adapting to life in their assigned locations.
fiochan@sph.com.sg

Why do you think that Singapore ranks top for Asian expats but not non-Asian expats?

E-Learning, Revision Test on Rivers 2

This time round, there are 88 students who have taken the revision test. I'll be going through the answers when school reopens. The results are here. Well-done 4EB, everyone in the class has attempted the test. There are a few laggards who still have not tried the test at all...

Paper Airplane Show

The show was fantastic! Definitely worth the effort of going to the Science Centre. Bought two of his books with his signatures. :-)

The Paper Airplane Guy

Today I'm going to watch 'The Paper Airplane Show' at Science Centre. Since young, I've this fascination with folding paper airplanes and throwing them. When I heard about The Paper Airplane Guy, John Collin is coming to showcase his paper airplanes, I said to myself I must make time. I want to buy his books too! Try folding one of his paper airplane. I tried it, it was fun. It glides well and far. Perhaps we can have a competition in school and see whose plane can travel the furthest. There are lots of physics theories behind the folding the planes, check it out! ;-)

Results on Revision Test on Rivers

Dear 4E & 5N,

So far out of my 103 students, only 35 have taken the revision test. I'm putting the online e-learning test results here for your knowledge. I've feedback from you that the revision test is rather difficult and I agree. I believe those who attempted may not have revised and went ahead to do the test. The results are not satisfactory. I'm re-launching the test on 16 March on Monday, the e-learning day. Please go in between 9am to 11.30am to re-do the test to improve your results. For those who have already scored high marks, please aim for a full mark. There are three "fill in the blank" questions, clue: one word answer.

For those who didn't even attempt, please do so on Monday (your last chance). If you did not attempt, I'll compute ZERO for your e-learning test component while I think of other punishment for you!

Real IRA claims shooting

March 9, 2009, ST

The victims were collecting the pizza at the Massereene barracks near Antrim when the gunmen pulled up in a vehicle and opened fire. -- PHOTO: ASSOCIATED PRESS

ANTRIM (Northern Ireland) - THE dissident republican group Real IRA claimed responsibility on Sunday for killing two British soldiers in Northern Ireland, one of the worst attacks since a 1998 peace deal stemmed years of violence.

Gunmen shot the soldiers as they picked up pizzas at the gates of an army base near Antrim on Saturday night. Four people, including two pizza delivery men, were wounded.

A caller to the Sunday Tribune newspaper claimed responsibility for the shooting in the name of the South Antrim brigade of the Real IRA.

'He said he made, and the Real IRA made, no apology for targeting British soldiers while they remained what he called occupying the north of Ireland,' Suzanne Breen, a journalist at the newspaper, told Sky News.

The Real IRA, a splinter group from the Irish Republican Army, carried out the deadliest single bombing of Northern Ireland's sectarian 'Troubles' in the market town of Omagh in August 1998. Twenty-nine people were killed.

Northern Ireland's former foes vowed the killings in Antrim would not plunge the province into a new cycle of violence.

'Their intention is to bring British soldiers back onto the streets. They want to destroy the progress of recent times and to plunge Ireland back into conflict,' said Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams, for years the face of republican opposition to British rule in Northern Ireland.

The victims were collecting the pizza at the Massereene barracks near Antrim, 15 miles (25 km) northwest of Belfast, when the gunmen pulled up in a vehicle and opened fire.
After an initial burst of gunfire, the attackers walked up and shot the victims as they lay on the ground, Irish state broadcaster RTE said.

The two soldiers who were killed were in their 20s and due to fly out for duty in Afghanistan. They were the first British soldiers to be killed in Northern Ireland for 12 years.
Police said one of the delivery men, a Polish national, was critically injured. -- REUTERS

Fast-food chains are expanding

3 March, ST
Sandwich joint Subway (left) will open 10 outlets this year, while MOS Burger will hire about 50 people next month at two new outlets. -- ST PHOTOS: LIM SIN THAI

SINGAPORE is set for a fast-food explosion in the coming year.
Ten fast-food chains The Straits Times spoke to - from established names such as McDonald's and Long John Silver's, to new players like Carl's Jr. - all have expansion and hiring plans.

A Straits Times poll of 40 people indicated that more than eight in 10 visit fast-food restaurants at least once a week.

Mr Alwyn Tay, 27, an engineer, said: 'Eating in fast-food restaurants is not much more expensive than eating in foodcourts. You get better service and a full meal by paying just one or two dollars more.'

Value meals and lunch promotions are a draw for students.
Ms Nurul Syahidah, 18, who visits fast-food restaurants at least four times a week, sees a McDonald's Sausage McMuffin and a drink for $2 as a good deal - and a filling one too.
For final-year Nanyang Polytechnic student Jane Tay, 19, fast-food dining is a lifestyle choice: 'Everyone is going for quick service these days because people have less time.'
For Mr Benjamin Foo, who was having breakfast with his family at a McDonald's outlet in Queensway, fast-food restaurants are a more economical option for family gatherings.
Said the 40-year-old engineer: 'Children will still want to enjoy fast food, with or without a recession.'

siwan@sph.com.sg
gohyh@sph.com.sg

We learnt under the topic of 'Accessibility of food", that with globalisation, there will be a growing number fast-food outlets that will create a demand for the different types of food around the world. Look, Singapore is a classic example. Look below and read about the warning from nutritionists about consuming too much fast food.

EAT IN MODERATION

THE boom in fast food has a downside: Nutritionists are warning that over-consumption can lead to obesity and related ailments such as hypertension, heart disease and diabetes.

And though they recommend limiting fast-food consumption to once or twice a week, a straw poll conducted by The Straits Times showed that over half of the 40 people interviewed visit such joints at least twice a week. Students are among the biggest customers.

Mr Steven Taye, 21, a final-year Institute of Technical Education student who eats fast food about twice a week, said: 'It is affordable, comfort food which we all grew up eating.'

Competitive prices and accessibility make such places popular with Mr Augustine Boey, 22, a geography undergraduate at the National University of Singapore. He patronises them three to four times a week. When told about the health risks, he said they were over-stated.

Agreeing, Mr Jeric Lin, 24, a direct sales officer, said: 'I don't really think fast food is unhealthy if we don't eat too much of it. We are still young, so it is not so bad.'

However, Ms Ho Yi Fei, a nutritionist at Dayspring Corporate Wellness, cautioned that the high levels of cholesterol and salt in fast food cause problems such as high blood pressure, which cannot be rectified by merely exercising.

Ms Teo Kiok Seng, a nutritionist at Nutrition Network Services, added that a healthy lifestyle comprises both regular exercise and healthy eating habits.

LEOW SI WAN & GOH YI HAN

E-Learning, Revision Test on Rivers

To: 4E & 5N students
Please go to the E-learning portal to complete your 20 online MCQ questions.
1. Log in to the E-learning portal
2. Click on "assessment"
3. Click on "Humanities"
4. Click on "Revision Test on Rivers"
5. Click "Submit" to start the MCQ test

Please revise your work on rivers first before you attempt.
Complete the test by 12 March 2009.